So Long eTopps

Once again Topps has shown their true feelings towards collectors. Last month Topps announced a significant increase in shipping to take delivery of an eTopps card to $12.75 (It was $4.25 and .70 cents for each additional card) for the first card and $1.75 for each additional card to a max of 3 cards per order. Now this week they announced that eTopps will no longer be offering new cards. The announcement was first made through the “Important Announcements” link on the eTopps home page; it was later verified on their Twitter page. Topps has stated that they will continue to maintain trading, selling and shipping services (for now).

I can understand there are business reasons for ending the program, probably a decline in sales and delivery would be my guess, but I think most collectors who have made eTopps purchases are probably more upset about the way it was completed with a serious price rise for shipping and an announcement made on Twitter.

In 2000 I took part of the early beta testing, purchasing a 2000 eTopps Emmitt Smith (that I later sold for $200 when he broke Payton’s rushing record in 2002) so I could report on my experiences. For taking part in the program I was awarded 5 Rookie/Future Prospects Baseball eTopps cards for free; Bobby Bradley, Eric Munson, Josh Hamilton, Luis Montanez and Sean Burroughs. I later bought a Mike Cameron 4 HR Event card in 2002 and nothing since, though I did try but kept missing out. Currently I own 6 cards and besides the Hamilton card none are worth more than .50 cents, the Hamilton card is sitting at $2.75 right now. If the shipping cost was still $4.25 I would take delivery on the Hamilton but no way am I spending $12.75 on any card unless it held some type of value.

Topps Wants To Know- Football 2010

Topps is back in to the football game and they are looking for input for the collectors. They have 5 questions on the Topps Blog and they are asking for our honest input. The top 3 selections will receive prizes:

One Grand Prize: Hobby Box of 2009 Topps Triple Threads Football
Two Runners Up: Hobby Box of 2009 Topps Football

It is nice to see that Topps is turning to the community of collectors and asking our ideas and thoughts. This is a great way for the company to get back in to the NFL and it gives us a chance to have our voices heard.


1. What products from our previous Topps football lines would you like to see us continue or bring back?

Some of the standards such as Topps/Chrome, Bowman/Chrome and possibly Finest would be a good base.

National Chicle, but I would like to see it based more on the baseball release instead of last year’s football release with unimpressive artwork and a so-so checklist.

Stadium Club, but based on the 90’s versions not the 2008 release.

Platinum and Sterling are good options for the upper end product. I am not a fan of Triple Threads though.



2. What new products or ideas would you like to see?

First suggestion would be to limit the use of sticker autographs, they are impersonal and they are to easy for scammers to wipe and re-use. Not to mention when you pay top dollar for a product and you pull a sticker auto you feel gypped.

Cards that are special, limited or short prints, such as special autographs, 1/1, multi-colored patches, Rookie Premiere Autos, etc., be marked as such and not with a generic sticker label. To many times scammers will remove a plain patch, cut a new and amazing multi-color patch and put that in to the card, stick a 1/1 sticker on it and sell it for top dollar.

Box hits like Autographed Mini Helmets (footballs, jerseys, etc).

A Heritage type set that is based only football players that are retired or in the Hall of Fame. Include players from the inception of the professional football era through recent retirees. You could include players and teams that were important to the origination of pro football like Pudge Heffelfinger, Amos Alonzo Stagg and teams like the Frankford Yellow Jackets, Duluth Eskimos and Canton Bulldogs. Players that helped usher in various eras and barriers of football could be include like Jim Thorpe and Fritz Pollard.

Player progression cards, images on the same card of a player through his career.



3. Which 2010 NFL Rookies would you like to see us sign to autograph deals?

Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Jimmy Clausen, Tim Tebow, C.J. Spiller, Dez Bryant, Golden Tate for offense. Sean Witherspoon, Rolandon McClain, Earl Thomas, and Eric Berry for defense. This gives a variety of players on both side of the ball.



4. Regarding our product calendar, which releases would you like to see early in the season, late, etc?

Topps base and Bowman early to take advantage of the rookies in their NFL uniforms, Chrome and the upper end products towards the end of the schedule so jerseys and autographs can be included.



5. Are there any NFL-related themes, anniversaries, celebrations, etc. you’d like to see featured in our 2010 products?

Throwback uniforms would be a nice insert/subset or if possible a relic insert.

The Super bowl patches in the blaster boxes were pretty cool even though they were manufactured patches. My son was excited every time he busted a box because he knew he was getting a historical patch.

A number of teams are celebrating anniversaries this year; possibly have an insert/subset focusing on these teams and their highlights over the decades. Parallels could be autographed by the players.
50 Years- Bills, Patriots, Titans/Oilers, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers and Cowboys
80 Years- Lions
90 Years- Bears and Cardinals