The base set consists of 300 cards including a mix of veterans, old-timers and young bucks. As you might expect, Topps is bringing along some variations that are also shortprints. This I don't mind too much because you can put together the regular set without too much of a challenge. I'd actually like to see the checklist a little bigger to make building a set a little tougher. For those who enjoy putting together master base sets, a total of 50 variations will provide a chase component. No odds on variants have been released yet, but the subjects have.
Short Print Variations:
1 Ryan Howard
10 Andrew McCutchen
19 Mel Ott
23 Koji Uehara
28 Kenshin Kawakami
36 Jimmie Foxx
41 David Hernandez
44 Michael Bowden
49 Walter Johnson
57 Matt LaPorta
61 Derrek Holland
66 Ty Cobb
71 Dustin Pedroia
72 Rick Porcello
83 Rogers Hornsby
87 Ryan Perry
90 Alex Rodriguez
102 Hanley Ramirez
103 Andrew Bailey
107 Fernando Martinez
113 Tris Speaker
116 Chase Utley
120 Derek Jeter
129 Ichiro
130 Honus Wagner
137 Mark Teixeira
138 Elvis Andrus
142 Evan Longoria
143 Cy Young
154 Mickey Mantle
160 Thurman Munson
171 David Wright
174 Gordon Beckham
175 Manny Ramirez
177 Pee Wee Reese
181 David Price
207 Jackie Robinson
224 Roy Campanella
231 CC Sabathia
234 Grady Sizemore
237 Christy Mathewson
254 Johnny Mize
262 Tommy Hanson
268 Aaron Poreda
271 Lou Gehrig
274 Colby Rasmus
286 Tim Lincecum
287 Babe Ruth
299 Albert Pujols
300 George Sisler
The base set will also include a Bronze parallel set inserted at a rate of one per pack. Isn't the excitement over parallels in this set around the tobacco minis? Is another parallel really necessary? I'd prefer an extra base card myself.
Mini parallels return in all their many-backed glory, paying tribute to the original T-206 set that also had several different variations advertising different types of tobacco products. Mini parallels will come in the following versions:
- Polar Bear
- Old Mill
- Piedmont
- Cycle (#/99)
- Short Prints (limited to the 50 short prints)
- Gold Chrome (50 short prints, #/99)
- Silk (50 short prints, #/50)
- Carolina Brights (#/1, hobby exclusive)
Autographs
NFA-1 David Wright
NFA-2 Johnny Cueto
NFA-3 Evan Longoria
NFA-4 Gio Gonzalez
NFA-5 Juan Rivera
NFA-6 Ryan Braun
NFA-7 Joba Chamberlain
NFA-8 Dustin Pedroia
NFA-9 Jay Bruce
NFA-10 Jordan Zimmermannn
T-206 Autographs
FMA-1 Gordon Beckham
FMA-2 Koji Uehara
FMA-3 Ryan Perry
FMA-4 Elvis Andrus
FMA-5 Jonathan Van Every
FMA-6 Glen Perkins
FMA-7 Jordan Zimmermann
FMA-8 Daniel Schlereth
FMA-9 Chris Volstad
FMA-10 Ryan Braun
FMA-11 Nick Evans
FMA-12 Fernando Martinez
FMA-13 Shairon Martis
FMA-14 James Parr
FMA-15 Mat Gamel
FMA-16 Michael Bowden
FMA-17 David Hernandez
FMA-18 Chris Young
FMA-19 Denard Span
FMA-20 Phil Hughes
FMA-21 Jason Motte
FMA-22 Clayton Kershaw
FMA-23 Justin Masterson
FMA-24 Vinny Mazzaro
FMA-25 Gregor Blanco
A few solid names standout a little but for the most part, the autograph checklists look quite boring to me. I'd be happy to get a Braun, a Wright or a Longoria but do we really need another Mat Gamel autograph or another Clayton Kershaw?
Perhaps the most intriguing addition to this T-206 incarnation are the hobby-exclusive T-206 Cut Signature Book Cards. They combine both a buyback and a cut signature in those book things that Topps seems to love to push. Not that I'll ever have one, but how would you display these things? Additionally, you could double the hits by offering the same buybacks and the cut signatures separately. With only ten cards, all being one-of-ones, I doubt that they'd be driving sales too much.
Like the T-206 Autographs, Relic Cards come in Piedmont frames. Adding to the chase factor are Polar Bear and Old Mill parallels.
T-206 Relics
FR-1 Alex Rodriguez
FR-2 Ryan Howard
FR-3 David Wright
FR-4 Albert Pujols
FR-5 Evan Longoria
FR-6 Chipper Jones
FR-7 Carlos Beltran
FR-8 Ichiro
FR-9 Hanley Ramirez
FR-10 Carl Crawford
FR-11 David Ortiz
FR-12 Nick Markakis
FR-13 Michael Young
FR-14 Hideki Matsui
FR-15 Ryan Braun
FR-16 Robinson Cano
FR-17 Miguel Tejada
FR-18 Prince Fielder
FR-19 Cole Hamels
FR-20 James Loney
FR-21 Brian McCann
FR-22 Ty Cobb
FR-23 Jimmie Foxx
FR-24 Jackie Robinson
FR-25 Babe Ruth
Although it's been about five years since I've been excited about regualr game-used bat and jersey cards, the checklist here is very good. Sure, Miguel Tejada game-used cards are easier to find than his age on his birth certificate but you've got several legends to make up for it.
Not surprisingly, Topps will be inserting T-206 buybacks. Printing plates will also be included for both the regular-sized cards and the tobacco mini parallels.
Although 2009 Topps T-206 100th Anniversary Baseball is a trip into familiar territory, it's territory that has about as much history in the hobby as any other. I'm personally not totally sold on it overall enough to go after it by more than a single box but I can definitely see this being a fun impulse pack buy. Seeing as how the original set stretched from 1909 to 1911, I wonder if Topps has plans to stretch this release out? And, no, I'm not trying to plant any ideas.
2009 Topps T-206 100th Anniversary Baseball is set for a late-November release. So even with a delay, it should be in stores in time for Christmas lists.
5 comments:
The set looks/sounds interesting...but I'm scared as a set collector that there are wayyyyy to many rare cards (especially the minis) to be able to give this one a shot. Still, we'll see - I'll be sure to look for the set when it comes out.
So many far more appropriate choices you could've made rather than Kershaw to pick on the autograph checklist for. :(
THERE IS A SHORT PRINT OF MINI WHITE PAPER STOCK,MANTLE,ANDRUS,MARTINEZ,AND THERE ARE A FEW MORE
is there a white stock minis short print
This set is more fun than a barrel of Monkeys, folks. If you do not have the Personalities, numbered to 206, yet, whacha waitin for? only 206 of each. Not mentioned are the T206 foils inserted in 2010 Topps. Numbered to 999, 499, 50, 25 and 5.
Finally is the true 1/1 Truefractor. BEAUTIFUL CARD!!!!
Only seen one.....one, on EBAY. Sold appropriately.
People who even make a stab at this are going to end up with some TOUGH short prints. And they are gonna sell high later on. the Carolina Brights are 1/1. That is more exclusive than even a 1909 Honus Wagner.
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