Topps Big League A Money Grab? Tell Me It Cant Be True!!!

When I saw Topps Big League before it was released, I thought it was a neat idea. Sure it is another set released in an already crowded release schedule, but it was a different design than the flagship and there is a really cool Ichiro base card in the set that I want to add to my Mariners collection. 

That was before I knew about the error variation SSPPPPPSSPSPSPSP cards. WTF? There are errors that happen every year, I understand that. There have been sets that were more error than correct (looking at you Pro Set) and from time to time it is ok to have cards like reverse negative to add to the chase, which is also included in the Big League set's error list, but Topps went WAY OVERBOARD with Big League to the point of moronic variations that are neither error nor collectible to most people but intentional changes to get people to buy more product to complete the set.

Bryce Harper. The error is a different colored arm band. How the fuck is that an error? Errors are unintentional mistakes, not a designer going in and changing the color of an arm band. Anyone remember the "Sparkle" BS variations? I guess at least Topps didn't say the sparkles were errors.

Rosario and Lindor. Upside down? OK, I bet it happens but when it does the whole sheet is upside down and the image is not cropped to fit. 

Mike Trout: The people in the dugout disappeared in the error card. Really? Another stupid choice. I didn't realize that changes made in Photoshop constituted an error. But we have to consider that Topps also added George Bush and Mickey Mantle to a Derek Jeter card in 2007 so add, remove, same thing right?

Giancarlo Stanton: Pictures from two different games. How is this an error? Variation, sure…why not… Topps has turned variations in to a nightmare for a collector but not an error?



Thank you Topps, may I have another?

via GIPHY

Another Cavalcade Of Griffey Cards X

Before companies took variations to the extreme you had to have a keen eye to catch the differences and in 1991 Donruss did some slight differences with the borders for the factory sets. Packed out cards had one border and factory sets had a different border, the cards were the same otherwise.

You wouldn’t think that a card that costs a quarter could cause so much frustration to a buyer. The biggest problem is that most sellers don’t notice the difference and don’t list the card as a factory set/border variation card or even worse are the sellers that just grab an image and toss it up assuming all the cards are the same.

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 46^th 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.

One Stinking Word

Don’t you hate when a small error or variation is made somewhere along the line of a cards design and you feel compelled to hunt down the error and corrected card variations for your collection?

Case in point the 1991 Fleer baseball release, there are 8 variations/errors including Ken Griffey Jr.’s card. The error? Card #450A says “Bat  .300” where the corrected #450B says “Bat around .300” in the bio on the back of the card, I have highlighted the addition of a single word that made me crazy enough to purchase both versions.

 

I also noticed that the version with the word "Around" also has the bio paragraph closer to the stats but that appears to just be a placement during printing.