How much would you say a John Kenneth Galbraith rookie is worth?

Thanks to the "Economist Greats" trading cards released by the economics department at the University of Michigan at Flint, there's another entry in the quick-paced economic arena of collectible cardboard.

The 29-card set, released about a year ago at a price of $5, features black-and-white photographs of prominent economists, labeled with their names and institutions.

Although the featured economists are already world-renowned, the release of the cards have brought some of them a new taste of fame.

"I've since had my first piece of fan mail. Someone wrote to me wanting me to sign one," said Franklin M. Fisher '56, now an MIT professor, who appeared on his card wearing a hat and sunglasses.

Although John Kenneth Galbraith, Warburg professor of economics emeritus, was unavailable for comment, his office reported that he has also received requests to autograph his card.

The backs of the cards list vital statistics such as degrees and posts, along with the economists' major contributions and quotations.

Besides Galbraith, two other Harvard professors made the roster: Abram Bergson, Baker professor of economics emeritus and Robert Dorfman, Wells professor of political economy emeritus.

In addition, Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs Lawrence H. Summers, former Ropes professor of political economy, was featured.

MIT boasts six all-star economists, according to the while Princeton and Columbia each have three in the collection.

Harvard alumni on the team include Fisher, James Tobin '39, now at Yale, and Robert M. Solow '47 of MIT.

The cards, however, also serve a more serious purpose. Bergson felt that appearing on a card was "a harmless thing to do," but also a useful one.