Monday, February 27, 2017

Stop The Insertsanity.



I came across an insert that interested me for my Griffey collection but once I started to get in to the information of the insert I decided to just walk away. The set? The 2004 Leaf Exhibits insert set.

The set is based on the cards that the Exhibit Supply Company produced between 1921 through 1980. They produced a set nearly every year, or multi-year sets, until 1966 and then one set in 1977 and a final set in 1980. The Exhibits insert is based on the cards between 1921 and 1966.

The checklist contains 50 players and is made up of current (for 2004) and retired players but the kicker is that each player has at least 45 variations with AL players having a 46th variation. To add to the difficulty is the cards are limited to the year the original cards were released meaning that the cards based on the 1921 release are #/21 through the cards based on the 1966 release, which are #/66. If that was not difficult enough there are variations of the variations, I know… we are getting in to Panini realm now. For example, there are cards based on the 1963 set (so they are #/63) but then there is a card with no name on the left, one with no name on the right, one with the name in black on the left, one with the name in black on the right, one with the name in red on the left and one with the name in red on the right. Uggg, now you know why I gave up before I even started.

The three images that I have included are just an example of how close the cards appear. From left to right they are 1947-66 w/ black name, 1939-46 w/right Yours Truly and 1939-46 w/left Yours Truly.

6 comments:

  1. Don't forget the 1st edition/2nd edition variations! Sad that you're giving up, but it is a very daunting set...probably more for the Ryan/Griffey crowd but as a Mike Schmidt collector I've been able to corral 24 different since their release. I settle for 2nd edition when I can't find the #'d/1st edition copy.

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  2. More cards I've never heard of. Obviously there are collectors who like the challenge. Not for me.

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  3. surely all the parallels aren't meant to distract from the lack of true creativity...

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  4. Thank God there are no Brewers in that ridiculousness.

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  5. Wow. They took collecting to the next level. A ridiculous level.

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  6. Playoff was responsible for all the insanity of parallels when it brought Donruss/Leaf products back after the bankruptcy. And there were a few series like this that they issued in 2004 and 2005. There were the Exhibits inserts, Sportscaster inserts, and Studio Portraits inserts, just off the top of my head. Every variation, including the Exhibits 2nd Edition parallels, is listed in my type collection. I certainly don't have all of them, but I'm not stuck to just one player so it's easier to work on them. While 45-46 variations is a lot, Topps did something even worse with Moments and Milestones.

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