One week down. Thirty-four to go.
2020 Topps Legend Variation #248
Sorry I've been missing in action the past few days. The first week of the school year is always a little hectic, but for some reason this year seemed to take things to the next level. I think it has to do with a pair of things:
#1: We're back to a normal schedule.
#2: We're back to teaching standard sized classes in-person.
The bottom line was last week was exhausting. It was also extremely fun, exciting, and entertaining. I averaged a little over ten hours a day on campus last week and almost eight hours of sleep each night... which meant a short vacation from the hobby.
Today I'm going to read some of the blog posts I missed over the past week, but in order to balance out my life... I've decided to dedicate exactly two hours of my Sunday. So I apologize in advance if I don't read and comment on all of your posts from last week.
Now that I've finished another chapter of my life update, let's check out some cards. This past Thursday was World Photography Day. The original plan was to show off a few cards featuring some nice photography, but that never panned out.
Instead I'll be showing off a photo variation of Logan Webb's rookie card:
2020 Topps Photo Variation #514
Webb has been the talk of the town the past month or so. Since May 11th, he's gone 6-0 with a 1.64 ERA and the San Francisco Giants have won ten of the eleven games he started during that time. Hopefully the Oakland A's can get to him this afternoon in their rubber match.
This card is one of the many cards donated to my collection over the past six months by Reader X... who has been a supporter of my blog for several years. At first glance, this card looks like your typical base card. However it was sitting in a stack of San Francisco Giants inserts and parallels.
I thought this was kind of weird, so I decided to look him up on COMC and that's where I discovered that this was one of those photo variations. The sad thing is I never would have noticed this had I pulled it from a pack. I realize that Topps prints different codes on the back of their cards to help collectors identify variations, but the print is way too small for my poor eyesight.
This motivated me to start looking up all of Topps "base" cards he sent. Here's are some other variations I discovered...
2020 Topps Advanced Stats Variation #97
2014 Topps Update SABR Variation #US-169
2014 Topps Update SABR Variation #US-143
My favorite Topps variations are the ones featuring MLB legends like these two:
2020 Topps Legend Variation #560
2020 Topps Legend Variation #556
In fact... I picked up this card for my Tony Gwynn PC on COMC back in the beginning of May:
I just noticed that this card would have been perfect for my Back to School post last week... since he's holding a book of some sort. Anyways... this purchase took place right around when I received my first package from Reader X, so there's a good chance I was motivated to buy it after seeing the above Reggie and Winfield.
Thank you Xavier for providing all of this blog material!
Here is today's question of the day...
What are your thoughts on Topps and their flagship variations? Love them or leave them?
I think the only ones I've actually gone out of my way to purchase are the "legends". I like them, because they are easy to identify and I enjoy collecting hall of famers. I have no problem adding the SABR and photo variations to my player/team collections. But sadly... most of those fly under my radar unless they are pointed out to me.
Time to get this post published and start catching up on all of those blog posts I missed out on last week.
Happy Sunday and sayonara!
20 comments:
"Leave them"... for the most part. I like some of them, but generally not enough to pay the prices they go for.
I'm on the fence, to be honest. It's the prices that are asked for them that I find discouraging. Your cards here are really lovely!
No need to apologize for not commenting! You put the rest of us to shame!
I have no issues with variations. They're pretty easy to find when you buy packs (I'm pretty sure they're considered an insert so I always check the cards around the insert), and the images they use are pretty nice too.
I don't hate the variations, but I can't say I really like them either. Just another gimmick. Of course, if I luck into one of someone I collect, it will go right into the collection!
Love 'em, especially the col ones like the 2020 Topps Travis Demeritte....oh, and, of course, this year's Matt Boyd Series 1 variations.
You stepped away from a wild week in the hobby!
Variations have jumped the shark. They were cool 10 years ago. Now I don't really care.
I like some variations (when they are a core part of my collection) but like some others I hate them when they are short in supply where it drives up the price to unreasonable amounts. Also agreed with Jafronius you put us to shame with comments (which are nice and I think drives up discussion so don't fret but don't stop :-)
The legend variations have some great photos, but they're generally out of my price range!
I thought the legends variations were interesting and chased the dodger variations until 2012 update when they introduced the active player ssp variations that ended my desire to complete those team sets. Now I will just pick up ones that really appeal to me.
I generally like the variations. They have some really cool pictures and I like seeing some of the older players mixed in on the modern designs. I am just happy that they got rid of the sparkle variations. Those were nearly impossible to find.
Other than the Legends variations, leave them. The rest are just crazy. I only buy the Legends when they are on the cheap (more so when they are Braves). My fron page on my website lists the Topps variations needs. I obviously need more than I have. LOL.
📷 variations are amazing, as well as card back variants. So glad these cards are going to appreciate & be appreciated in your collection where they belong. The only one I sent you that I considered keeping is that glorious play at the play Reggie, however after witnessing your delight i feel satisfied with my ultimate decisions. The question then becomes if 📷 variations are so great why not use those pictures for the base cards? Why stop there though? If Chrome is better than paper stock why not print flagship on chrome stock? In fact make the whole set Refractors and start the parallels at /99.
Why do they continue to use paper stock and offer a product like Transcendent? The cards should reflect the technologies of the time.
On the previously mentioned topic of Seinfeld, Have you viewed the Cinematic Masterpiece that is Clear History, Starring & Directed by Larry David?
love them - 4
leave them - 1
in the middle - 6
shlabotnik report - some of the legends can be had for under a buck. i think i paid less than 2 dollars for the gwynn.
peter k steinberg - yeah. it's crazy what some dealers ask. sometimes i feel like they just enjoy having the card in their inventory more than actually selling it
jafronius - lol thanks. i don't open a lot of packs, but checking the cards around the insert makes sense.
the diamond king - gimmick is a good way to describe them.
john sharp - not familiar with either of those variations. i'll have to look them up on comc
night owl - i know. i think i read five or six posts about the topps license thing.
steve at 1975baseballcards.com - outside of collecting cards... my favorite thing about the hobby is the interaction. i enjoy commenting on blogs and reading everyone else's comments.
wax pack wonders - i think some of the expensive ones are either super short prints or are players with a large following. pretty sure i picked up this gwynn for under two bucks (which i guess could be considered a lot for a modern insert)
gcrl - i'm not the biggest fan of ssp variations. well... until the day when i find one in a dime box or something.
the snorting bull - i saw a sparkle variation on comc. had no idea what that even was
johnnys trading spot - i'd love to end up adding all of the a's and padres legends at some point, but they'd have to be cheap. no way i'm paying over $5 for the rickey ;D
xavier higgins - that play at the plate is awesome. when i first saw that card in your package, i knew i'd write about that card. but this morning i was in a rush (wanted to catch up on reading other blogs) and completely forgot. it was by far my favorite photo of the bunch (and that includes the gwynn). in response to your questions... it's simple. it's all about the benjamin's. more options = more money for card companies. never heard of that movie, but i love larry david. found it on hbomax and added it to my watch list. thanks again for these cards. i have a package for you that should go out on tuesday.
Oops. I think the survey is more like...
love them - 5
leave them - 1
in the middle - 6
in the middle. Some are gimmicky and not worth the money spent. while some are "Damn it looks cool" and want to own it. See last year's Andrew McCutchen card.
Don't really care about the Advanced Stats variations and such, but I begrudgingly love the photo variations. Can't help but throw my money at 'em when I see cheap ones on the secondary market (I actually have a copy of that same 2020 Gwynn coming in my COMC order!).
Leave them. All too often the variant photo is better and should be the base card but instead all we get are boring ass base photos and overpriced variants that are a waste of time.
Well, you know my thoughts on variations. "Ooh we changed the colour of the typeface for the players name..." Yawn. Count me out. I liked the Japanese text variations a few years ago, though.
Hmm, I’d have to say leave them. I like to be able to complete sets and have gotten out of the set building game because of all the crazy variations.
love them - 5
leave them - 4
in the middle - 8
rebel coyote - i agree. i'd love to get my hands on one of those cutch cards
nick - i just wish there was an easier way to tell that i pulled a photo variation. i think i'd be all in if that were the case.
nick vossbrink - you bring up a good point. like the cutch card that rebel coyote pointed out. sure wish that was the regular issue card
jongudmund - oh man... didn't even know about those. i'd be all over anything involving japanese text
sumomenkoman - i don't usually chase the variants when building sets. but it depends. i really like the 2019 topps flagship set, so i might try and chase the legends variations
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