Found a Blaster of TU&H at Target this evening. Why not?
One Blaster Box of 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights (Paid $19.99 + tax) 10 packs per box, eight cards per pack.
Base Set: 74 of 330 (22.42%)
Parallels 1 Gold (1:7, numbered to 2008) J. Cabrera
Inserts 1 2009 WBC Preview (1:9) Ichiro 1 Year in Review (1:6) D. Price 1 '86 Mets Ring of (Dis)Honor (1:18) H. Johnson 2 First Couples (1:6) Pierce, Ford
Video Box Break and Review: 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights Hobby
One Hobby box of 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights (paid $49) 36 packs per box, 10 cards per pack.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
The Pulls
Base Set: 308 of 330 (93.33%)
Parallels 1 Chrome Refractor Rookie (55 cards, one-per-box): M. Macri 18 Gold Foils (1:2) 7 Gold (1:5, numbered to 2008 copies): S. Casey, R. Brignac (RC), C. Izturis, G, Sherrill, J. de la Rosa, B. Zobrist, D. Uggla All-Star
Inserts 2 Mickey Mantle Story (10 cards, 1:18) 5 2009 World Baseball Classic (25 cards, 1:9) A. Gonzalez, Pujols, K-Rod, Chin-Lung Hu, KosFu 6 Year in Review (58 cards, 1:6) M. Teixeira, Glavine, C. Buchholz, B. Phillips, J. Thome, D. Wells 2 1986 Mets Ring of (Dis)Honor (10 cards, 1:18) R. Darling, D. Gooden 2 Ring of Honor (11 cards, 1:18) L. Aparicio, D. Snider 6 First Couples (41 cards, 1:6) Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Reagan, Bush (41), Clinton 1 Take Me Out to the Ballgame (one card, 1:72)
Autogamers 1 All-Star Stitches (64 cards, 1:44*) D. Navarro
*Overall odds of finding any autograph or gamer: 1:36/packs.
And Now A Special Comment.
There. I did it.
For the first time in nearly five months, I've purchased a Topps product.
Please do not construe my actions as some sort of endorsement of Topps' recent actions -- especially regarding their flagship baseball brand. It's just that some gimmicks are (to sound a bit Orwellian) a little more equal than others.
Beauty queen politicians and manufactured fake-error cards? Those I can live with -- provided they do not screw with the integrity of the rest of product, especially the base set. If you are able to ignore the gimmicks, you can pull actual rookie cards of Evan Longoria, Jay Bruce, KosFu, et al, out of a pack of 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights. (In fact, I pulled all three from this particular waxbox.)
What I have zero-tolerance for is bullshit.
Poley Walnuts, Kazuo Uzuki, and Johan Santana's "no-hitter" were all bullshit and everyone knew it. But what puzzles this collector/fake journalist are these three little letters. Why?
Why is Topps doing this?
Seriously, Topps: What the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks are you thinking? (Or are you even thinking at all?)
But the lack of respect Topps has shown hobbyists with these gimmicks in this foul Year of our Lord Two-Thousand and Eight, is not what bothers me.
Really, it doesn't. There have been other trading card companies that failed to take The Hobby seriously, and in the end they got what they deserved (i.e. Pinnacle).
What bothers me is the lack of respect Topps has shown to itself and to the legacy of the Topps flagship.
57 years of history may not mean much to the current "Powers That Be" at Topps; but they mean something to this collector/fake journalist.
Topps Baseball is a slice of Americana (and not the Donruss kind) that dates back to 1952. It's an American institution that appeals to everyone from the hardcore collector, to the casual hobbyist, to the new father whose only cardboard-related purchase of the entire year is a Topps factory set he bought at the Wal-Mart so he can pass it down to his newborn son someday.
Topps Baseball is a product that needs no gimmicks. It's history IS it's gimmick. It's "Heritage," if you will.
But sadly, The Powers That Be at Topps feel that that no longer matters. Hence, the fake cards of fake players, and politicians Photoshopped into the Yankee Stadium grandstands.
But believe it or not, I could live with all of this. After all, I have a very high tolerance for BS. But what really sent this collector over-the-edge, was Topps' handling of the Kosuke Fukudome "Rookie" in Topps Series Two. If Topps wanted to pull KosFu's RC from Topps 2 at the last minute and save it for TU&H, fine. Nor did I have an issue with Topps replacing it with a short-printed non-rookie KosFu. What really pissed me off was the fact that Topps did these things WITHOUT bothering to tell anyone until well after the product had been released.
And so with that, I stopped.
It was this despicable act of bait-and-switch that led me to cease collecting any new Topps baseball products. That is until now.
Regardless of where you stand, I hope this is something all collector's can agree on: Card companies have the obligation to inform collectors of what exactly is in their products before they are released. Topps told us all via their website that there would be a rookie card of Kosuke Fukudome in the second series of 2008 Topps Baseball; but then the product went live, and there was no KosFu RC to be found. Topps lied to us all and didn't come clean until weeks later with a press release.
So Topps, if you are reading this (and judging from the list IP addresses tracked by my web host, I know you are), please, I beg of you; SHOW SOME FREAKING RESPECT FOR THE HOBBY, FOR COLLECTORS, AND FOR YOURSELVES! You're gimmicking away 57 years of history and tradition, and for what?
Please! Stop it with the gimmicks. Put some additional effort into your product -- especially your flagship. (Last year, I posted some suggestions on "How to Fix Topps Baseball." Go back and read it.) And tell us what's in your product, before you release it.
(Upper Deck, you might want to take this last point into advisement as well.)
I'm willing to let by-gones be by-gones (for now). But make no mistake Topps, you are still "On Notice."
And with that, I leave you with this. If the main drawing card (no pun intended) of a particular product (any product) is a gimmick, then what does that say about the rest of the product?
If The Powers That Be at Topps continue to feel that their annual flagship needs a gimmick, then what does that say about Topps Baseball? The Review
TU&H is what it is, the third series of 2008 Topps baseball. The last few years, TU&H was released in late-November, but this year it's out in October; meaning that the postseason highlight cards that have been a staple of TU&H are the only thing missing from the base set, and is 100% varmint-free.
Inserts include a continuation of the 2007 Year in Review, a 25-card World Baseball Classic set, and a 41-card set of every President and his Missus. About the only thing good I have to say about that last one is, thankfully, we'll not have to put up with cards of politicians much longer.
The cornerstone of the insert program is "Ring of Honor;" a concept that debuted in Topps Football. Unfortunately, Topps chose to honor the '86 Mets, one of the most dishonorable World Series teams ever.
Oh yeah, you get an autograph or a game jersey card, and a Chrome Rookie Refractor in each waxbox.
The Bottom Line
Hopefully, this is the start of Topps Baseball's long redemption. I got over 90% of a base set with no doubles, and I received an additional WBC insert (both the Pujols and KosFu WBC's were in the same pack).
The designated one-per-box game-used card was an "authentic event-worn piece of a 2008 MLB All-Star festivities" (read: batting practice) jersey card of Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro. For the record, I ripped this box on the day of Game Three of the Phillies/Rays World Series. I hope this isn't bad karma.
By one-per-box Chrome Refractor Rookies was of Matt Macri, a 26 year-old third-baseman from the Twins. (Yay.)
My favorite card I pulled, and perhaps my favorite card I've pulled this year, is #UH6. Yamid Haad is a career minor-leaguer who played one game for the '99 Pirates and seventeen games for San Francisco in '05. The 30 year-old catcher started the 2008 season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons and on June 12th, he got the call.
One week later Cleveland signed veteran backup catcher Sal Fasano and sent Yamid back to Buffalo without getting as much as an at-bat.
Even though Yamid Haad didn't play a single inning for the 2008 Indians, it didn't stop Topps from commemorating his seven days with the Tribe with his own Topps baseball card.
Laugh all you want, but Yamid cashed a Major League paycheck this year, and you didn't.
UPDATE #2: A second upside-down Jay Bruce RC has shown up on eBay; however, no other gimmicks the likes of which we saw in Topps 1 & 2, A&G, BowChro, or Heritage have yet to appear. All of which leads to the question: Should I consider these gimmick cards? Stealth variations? Or actual error cards?
Or do you even care either way?
UPDATE: The Cardboard Junkie thinks that these two error cards may not be legit. After further review, and until more of these begin to make their way onto eBay, I yield to The Junkie's judgment.
The Chris Harris Topps Boycott is well into it's fourth month, but it may be coming to an end. According to The Cardboard Junkie, it appears that 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights is now live.
Here's the deal: If it appears that Topps didn't include any stealth gimmick cards in TU&H, then two weeks from today I will buy and bust a box of it.
If on the other hand, if there are any cards of furry creatures, contrived errors, or cards of fictional teenage prospects, then it continues.
Upper Deck will finish off their flagship baseball card set with a 200-card Update set.
So what, you say. OK, here's the cool part: UD is going old school by issuing it exclusively as a factory set. In other words, its an update set the way an update set should be.
But wait, there's more! Each set will be packaged in a custom-fit box big enough to fit the whole 1000-card set.
Upper Deck Baseball is truly "The Collector's Choice."
UPDATED!!!! 1st Impressions: Various Topps Late-Season Products
UPDATED!!!! Updates & Highlights
The sell sheets for TU&H have been posted for a while on this one. There are the usual inserts, and one-per-box autogamers. But the selling point is, of course, the 330-card base set.
A certain player who should have been card #645 in series two, is listed on the checklist as card #UH1. Then again, this is Topps, and given their track record this year I wouldn't put it past Topps to find a way to gimmick this up as well.
Of the 150 cards in the base set, 50 are gimmicked "rookies" each numbered to only 1499 copies. If that's not bad enough, while each Hobby five-card pack will have a base rookie, retail has a "Retail Exclusive Rookie First Day Issue Parallel Card." So, are we supposed to believe that the base set rookies are Hobby-exclusive and the retail (read: the version for the rest of us) is stuck with a one-per-pack parallel?
That would royally suck.
Topps Heritage High Numbers
UPDATE:
Base Set: 220 cards (numbered 501-720). 45 cards are of rookies, 35 will be short-printed -- no odds stated.
Each pack will have two cards from the Topps Updates & Highlights set -- therefore giving you an excuse NOT to buy TU&H.
Notable "Cards": Blaster exclusive Barry Bonds pin. Other Notes:
Based on the design of various 1970s-era MSA disc sets, the Fleer Hardball inserts were a promo for the upcoming set of the same name. Never heard of 2003 Fleer Hardball? Don't worry, you didn't miss much.
Speaking of forgettable... Five years after including an insert based on the 1963 set, Fleer went to the well again by designing the whole 2003 Fleer Tradition around the '63s.
Among the 100 Short Prints are 34 players active in 1963 who did not appear in the original '63 Fleer set.
Backs of unnumbered Checklists form puzzles of Derek Jeter and Barry Bonds.
Full Set: $150 (NmMT)
2003 Fleer Tradition Update
Base Set: 398 cards
short set: 285 cards
"Pack" Rookies: 14 cards (1:4)
"Box" Rookies: 99 cards (25-per"Rookie" Box.)
Parallels:
Glossy: 885 cards (1:24 retail, randomly inserted into Hobby, numbered to 100) Includes cards from both Fleer Tradition and Fleer Tradition Update.
Inserts:
Diamond Debuts: 25 cards (1:8 retail, 1:10 Hobby)
Long Gone!: 20 cards (1:72 retail, randomly inserted into Hobby, production varies from 410-536 copies)
Milestones: 20 cards (1:6 retail, 1:8 Hobby)
Turn Back the Clock: 10 cards (1:160 Hobby, 1:288 retail)
Autogamers:
Milestones Game Jersey: 16 cards (1:20 Hobby, 1:96 retail; Gold: numbered to 100)
Packaging: 32 pack, 10-card Hobby waxboxes w/25-card "Rookie" box as a chiptopper; 24 pack, 10-card retail boxes; 10 pack, 10-card Blasters. Notable Cards: Hideki Matsui, Delmon Young, Chien-Ming Wang RCs Other Notes:
In a rather confusing (and in retrospective downright stupid) packaging gimmick, each Hobby waxbox contained a 25-card "Rookie" box. The final 99 cards in the base set were only available in this box and not in packs.
More of a second series than a true "Update" set. Includes base cards such players as Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling and Alfonso Soriano -- all of whom were not included in Fleer Tradition.
One year after screwing over set builders with a factory set, collectors take it in door number two again after it is discovered that the first 100 cards in the base set are short-printed. Fleer never mentioned anywhere in run-up to Tradtion's release that there were any SPs.
Full Set: $200 (NmMT)
2002 Fleer Tradition Update
Base Set: 400 cards
Prospects: 100 cards (one-per-pack)
short set: 300 cards
Parallels: Glossy (numbered to 200) Inserts:
Diamond Debuts: 15 cards (1:6)
Grass Roots: 10 cards (1:18)
Heads Up: 10 cards (1:36)
New York's Finest: 15 cards (1:83)
Plays of the Week: 30 cards (1:12)
This Day in History: 25 cards (1:12)
Autogamers:
Grass Patch: 7 cards (numbered to 50)
Heads Up Game Used Caps: 11 cards (numbered to 150)
New York's Finest Single Swatch: 20 cards (1:112)
New York's Finest Double Swatch: 6 cards
This Day in History Autographs: 6 cards (1:582)
This Day in History Game Used: 20 cards (1:28)
Packaging: 28 pack, 10-card Hobby boxes; 10 pack, 10-card Blasters Notable Cards: Oliver Perez RC Other Notes:
First Update set released in pack form since 1996.
Largest Fleer Update set ever.
First 100 cards in set short-printed, but at least Fleer had the courtesy to state that they were SPed.
Designs and names of most inserts were recycled from the base set.
Full Set: $120 (NmMT)
2002 Fleer
Base Set: 540 cards Parallels:
Gold Letters (15% of total production run)
Minis (numbered to 50, retail exclusive)
Tiffany (numbered to 200, Hobby exclusive)
Inserts:
Barry Bonds Career Highlights: 10 cards (1:12 Hobby, 1:36 retail)
Diamond Standouts: 10 cards (serial numbered to 1200)
Base Set: 450 cards + 50 Glossy exclusive "Prospects" Inserts:
Dividends: 15 cards (1:6)
Grasskickers: 15 cards (1:30)
Hall's Well: 15 cards (1:30)
Ripken Collection: 10 cards (1:30)
Ten-4: 10 cards (1:18)
Who to Watch: 15 cards (1:3)
Autogamers:
Fresh Ink: 37 Autographs (1:144, hobby exclusive)
Glossy Lumberjacks: 45 Bat Cards (one-per-Glossy Set, production varies from 30 to 809 copies)
Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card Hobby and retail waxboxes; Glossy factory sets. Notable Cards: Ripken Collection inserts, Glossy Rookies. Other Notes:
The product that single-handedly kicked off the "retro" themed craze of the 2000s.
Lauded as the best product of 2000.
Base set is a dead-ringer for 1954 Topps.
Cards printed on "shoebox gray" stock without any foil stamping or glossy coating.
10,000 serial numbered "Glossy" factory sets produced. Each set included five of 50 Glossy exclusive Prospects (each card serial numbered to 1000) and a Lumberjack bat card.
Lumberjacks, the first game used element in Fleer/Fleer Tradition.
Full Set: $50 (NmMT) Full Glossy Set (factory): $60 (NmMT)
2000 Fleer Tradition Update
Base Set: 149 cards Autogamers: Mickey Mantle game jersey (1:80 sets) Notable Cards: Johan Santana and Barry Zito RCs Other Notes:
Card #50 (believed to be C.C. Sabathia) was pulled from the set after he was taken off the Indians 40-man roster.
Base Set: 600 cards (350 in the first series, 250 in the other)
Short Set: 535 cards (310 in the first series, 225 in the other)
Smoke 'n Heat: 10 cards (1:6, series one)
Golden Memories: 10 cards (1:6, series one)
Tale of the Tape: 20 cards (1:4, series one)
Unforgettable Moments: 25 cards (1:4, series two)
Inserts:
Vintage '63: 128 cards (one-per-pack Hobby pack; Classic '63: numbered to 63; cards #1-63 and a checklist in series one, #64-126 and a checklist in series two)
Diamond Standouts: 20 cards (1:12, series one)
Lumber Company: 15 cards (1:36, series one retail exclusive)
Power Game: 20 cards (1:36, series one)
Rookie Sensations: 20 cards (1:18, series one)
Zone: 15 cards (1:288, series one)
Decade of Excellence: 12 cards (1:72; Rare Tradition: 1:720, series two)
Diamond Tribute: 10 cards (1:300, series two)
In the Clutch: 15 cards (1:20, series two)
Mickey Mantle Monumental Moments: 10 cards (1:68; Gold: numbered to 51, series two)
Promising Forecast: 20 cards (1:12, series two)
Packaging: 36 pack, 12-card Hobby waxboxes, 20 pack, 10-card retail waxboxes. Notable Cards: Mickey Mantle's first Fleer card, Maggilo Ordonez and Mike Lowell RCs. Other Notes:
Fleer flagship brand renamed "Fleer Tradition."
Mickey Mantle's first Fleer card -- released three years after his death.
First short-printed base set cards.
One-per-pack "Diamond Ink" cards allowed collectors to save "points" and redeem them for autographed baseballs.
Full Set: $150 (NmMT)
1998 Fleer Tradition Update
Base Set: 100 cards (one series) Packaging: factory set Notable Cards: J.D. Drew and Troy Glaus RCs. Other Notes:
Team Leaders: 28 cards (1:24, Hobby wax exclusive)
Packaging: 36 pack, 12-card waxboxes (Hobby and retail); 24 pack, 18-card jumbo boxes. Notable Cards: The whole base set is notable for its six different base set designs, all equally ugly.
In an effort to spur strike-induced flagging card sales, the marketing slogan for 1995 Fleer was "Different by Design."
Base set featured six different (and distinct) designs, one for each of baseball's six divisions.
Fronts ranged from mildly nauseating (AL West) to LSD flashback (AL Central) to epileptic seizure inducing (NL West).
Still an insert in every pack, with the debut of "Hot Packs" containing nothing but inserts.
Full Set: $50 (NmMT)
1995 Fleer Update
Base Set: 200 cards (one series) Inserts:
Diamond Tribute: 10 cards (1:5)
Headliners: 20 cards (1:3)
Rookie Update: 10 cards (1:4)
Smooth Leather: 10 cards (1:5, jumbo exclusive)
Soaring Stars: 9 cards (1:36)
Packaging: 36 pack, 12-card waxboxes; 24 pack, 18-card jumbo boxes. Notable cards: Hideo Nomo RC Other Notes:
First Fleer Update set released in pack form.
Last Fleer jumbo pack product.
One of a bazillion late-1995 sets to feature a Hideo Nomo RC.
Roger Clemens Career Highlights: 15 cards (cards 1-12 exclusive to packs and Hobby factory sets, cards 13-15 available via a wrapper redemption offer)
All-Stars: 24 cards (wax exclusive)
Rookie Sensations: 20 cards (jumbo exclusive)
Team Leaders: 20 cards (rack exclusive)
Lumber Company: 9 cards (Hobby factory set exclusive)
Smoke 'n Heat: 12 cards (retail factory set exclusive)
Autogamers:
Roger Clemens Career Highlights Autographs
Packaging: 36 pack, 17-card waxboxes; 24 pack, 35-card jumbo boxes; 24 pack, 42-card rack boxes; Hobby and retail factory sets. Notable Cards: Roger Clemens Autograph, Frank Thomas Rookie Sensation Other Notes:
In an effort to "keep up with the Joneses," Fleer dramatically improved the quality of the cards using metallic inks on both sides of the card and a smoother card stock.
Design a reminder of pro sport's early-90s "teal craze."
Waxpaper wraps were replaced with poly-plastic.
Pack price increased to $1/waxpack.
Base sort arranged alphabetically by team with American League teams followed by the National League.
Packaging: 36 pack, 15-card waxboxes; 24 pack, 36-card cello packs; 24 pack, 42-card rack boxes; factory set; Glossy Tin factory sets Notable Cards: Ken Griffey, Jr. RC, Randy Johnson "Marlboro" RC, and of course, Billy Ripken "Fuck Face" ERR. Other Notes:
The most infamous card of our time: The Billy Ripken "Fuck Face" card (and it's many variations).
Randy Johnson "Marlboro" variation not discovered for ten years.
Approximately 30,000 Glossy Tin sets produced.
Final year for Glossy Tin sets.
Full Set (factory): $15 (NmMT) Full Glossy Set: $100 (NmMT)
1989 Fleer Update
Base Set: 132 cards Packaging: Hobby exclusive factory set Notable Cards: Nolan Ryan 5000 Strikeout and Mike Schmidt retirement cards, Joey (Albert) Belle and Deion Sanders RCs Other Notes:
Packaging: 36 pack, 15-card waxboxes; 24 pack, 28-card cello boxes; 24 pack, 45-card rack boxes; factory sets; glossy factory sets Notable Cards: Tom Glavine, Edgar Martinez, Matt Williams and Mark Grace RCs, Tim Flannery with his surfboard. Other Notes:
First Fleer set of the overproduction era.
Second-tier RCs of Ron Gant, Jack McDowell, Ellis Burks and Ken Caminiti.
Approximately 40,000-60,000 Glossy Tin sets produced.
Full Set (factory): $15 (NmMT) Full Glossy Set: $25
1988 Fleer Update
Base Set: 132 cards Packaging: Hobby exclusive factory and Glossy Tin factory sets. Notable Cards: Roberto Alomar, Craig Biggio and John Smoltz XRCs Other Notes:
Checklist arranged alphabetically by team.
Last year for Update Glossy Tin set.
Approximately 40,000-60,000 Glossy Tin sets produced.
Full Set (factory): $10 (NmMT) Full Glossy Set: $25 (NmMT)
Packaging: 36 pack, 17-card waxboxes; 24 pack, 31-card cello boxes; 24 pack, 51-card rack boxes; factory sets; glossy factory sets Notable Cards: Barry Bonds, Barry Larkin, and Bo Jackson RCs Other Notes:
Arguably the best Fleer set of the 80s.
First factory-exclusive inserts.
First Glossy "Tin" factory set. In fact, your humble correspondent's father set the type for the 1987 Glossy Tin box.
Approximately 75,000-100,000 Glossy sets were produced.
Full Set (factory): $40 (NmMT) Full Glossy Set: $80 (NmMT)
1987 Fleer Update Base Set: 132 cards Packaging: Hobby-exclusive factory set, and Glossy "Tin" set Notable Cards: Mark McGwire, Greg Maddux XRC Other Notes:
Approximately 75,000-100,000 Glossy Update sets were produced.
Full Set (factory): $12 (NmMT) Full Glossy Set: $15 (NmMT)
Base Set: 660 cards (one series) Packaging: 36 pack, 15-card waxboxes; 28 card, 24 pack cello boxes; 24 pack "triple wax" rack packs; 500 card vending boxes. Notable Cards: Don Mattingly RC, Darryl Strawberry RC, Glenn Hubbard with his "special friend" Other Notes:
Another classic design.
Lots and lots of wacky photos (e.g. Glenn Hubbard, Jay Johnstone, and Larry McWilliams).
Waxboxes back down to 36 packs.
First "World Series" subset.
Checklists had photos of team managers.
Design of 2004 Fleer Platinum loosely based on '84 Fleer.
Full Set: $50 (NmMT)
1984 Fleer Update
Base Set: 132 cards Packaging: Hobby-exclusive factory set Notable Cards: Roger Clemens XRC, Kirby Puckett XRC, Dwight Gooden XRC, Pete Rose pictured as a Montreal Expo. Other Notes:
Ladies and Gentlemen. What you are about to experience is an experiment in extreme baseball card gonzo journalism. Your humble correspondent will simulate the level of effort Topps has put forth in issuing Updates and Highlights Series Three, by writing this review at approximately that same level. Also, in an effort to amplify the gonzo process, this piece is being written in the haze of an awful hangover; as your correspondent attended last night's Cowboys vs. Eagles Sunday Night Football debacle.
"Buy the ticket to the Eagles game, take the ride!"
One box of 2007 Topps Updates and Highlights Series Three (paid $55) 36 packs per box, ten cards per pack (MSRP: $1.49/pack)
The Details:
Chiptoppers: One individually wrapped Chrome "Rookie" Refractor (55 cards, numbered to 415 copies)
Inserts: The Mickey Mantle Story: 15 cards (1:18) Barry Bonds Home Run King: one card (1:36) WS Watch: 15 cards (1:36)
Waste-of-Space Mirrors: Mickey Mantle Home Run History: 100 cards (1:9) A-Rod Road to 500: 25 cards (1:36) Barry Bonds Home Run History: 22 cards (1:12) Generation Now: 186 cards (1:4)
Autogamers*: Barry Bonds Home Run King Autographed Relic: one card (1:278,000) Barry Bonds Home Run King Relic: one card (1:5145, numbered to 756) 2007 Highlight Autographs: 26 cards (varies) A-Rod Road to 500 Autographs: 25 cards (1:500,000, one-of-one) Generation Now Autographs: 186 cards (1:11,000, one-of-one) Mickey Mantle Home Run History Relic: 100 cards (1:5550) 1954 Mickey Mantle Reprint Relic: one card (1:73,000) All-Star Stitches: 52 cards (1:45) All-Star Patches: 52 cards (1:2500) All-Star Dual Stitches: ten cards (1:5600) All-Star Stitches Triples: ten cards (1:5600)
* One autogamer per box.
The Pulls:
Base Set: 253 of 330 (76.67%) One double
Parallels: 72 "Red Letters" 9 Golds: J. Wilson, J. Salazar, C. Izturis, N. Perez, J. Accardo, T. Clippard, J. Coutlangus, B. Salmon, J. Verlander Season Highlight 1 First Edition: D. Jeter All-Star 1 Chrome "Rookie" Refractor: T. Buck
Inserts: 2 Mickey Mantle Story 1 Barry Bonds Home Run King 1 WS Watch: Tigers
Waste-of-Space Mirrors: 9 Generation Now: P. Fielder (#11), I. Kinsler (#5 & 19), K. Johjima (#9), J. Papelbon (#8, 28 & 31), C. Granderson (#2), J. Barfield (#24) 4 Mickey Mantle Home Run History: #406, 407, 408 & 411 3 Barry Bonds Home Run History: #735, 736 & 746 1 A-Rod Road to 500: #377
Autogamers: 1 Barry Bonds Home Run King Relic
The Review:
I think Ben Henry (who in the interest of full-disclosure, has done some consulting work for Topps) said it best on his blog:
"Topps' strategy towards their baseball card products has been somewhat predictable this year, and these developments only cement their reputation. It begs the question: Do they employ the worst quality-control staffers in the business? Or do they have such a grim outlook towards their own product that they feel it won't sell without an error or two?"
It's a shame that Topps no longer makes Updates and Highlights Series Three as a factory set. If they did, I'd gladly recommend that you buy one instead of a waxbox. You're not going to come close to a complete set, and most of the inserts you pull serve no purpose.
Since you can't get factory, save yourself the $55-$60 and see if you can find a hand-collated set.
