In-Depth Preview: 2010 Allen & Ginter Baseball

A couple of days ago Topps released some images for 2010 Allen and Ginter Baseball via their Twitter stream. Now they've released the initial information for the whole shebang. At first glance, the formula hasn't changed much, but this is a set that has always delivered some quirky surprises and I suspect they'll return.

The base set will once again consist of 350 cards: 260 veterans, 30 rookies, 25 historic figures and 35 champions. The checklist didn't indicate the traditional 50 short prints, but I'd be shocked if they weren't there.

Mini parallels return in eight versions. Beside your basic mini, there's:

• Allen and Ginter Back (1:5 packs)
• Black (1:10)
• No Number (limited to 50 copies)
• Bazooka Back (#'d/25)
• Framed Cloth (#'d/10 - hobby exclusive)
• Wood (#'d/1 - hobby exclusive)
• Printing Plates 

Each 24-pack box promises a total of three hits. These include relic cards, autographs, cut autographs, Rip cards and printing plates.

In the relics department, the addition to the formula are Book Cards. These are those hard-to-display hinged cards. Each card, numbered out of 10, will include two autographs and two jersey swatches. The basic Framed Relics game-used checklist contains 66 cards.

The freaky hair cards return once again with DNA Relics. The checklist is certainly an intriguing one:

• Lugwig Von Beethoven
• Andrew Jackson
• John F. Kennedy
• John Adams
• Alexander Hamilton
• Jacqueline Kennedy
• Charles Dickens
• King Edward VII
• Ronald Reagan
• Abraham Lincoln

How one goes about certifying the hair of Charles Dickens, I don't know.

Coming off the success of the Woolly Mammoth hair card and the various nature cards from Upper Deck's Champs and Goodwin Champions comes Monsters of the Mesozoic relic cards. Dinosaur fossils! These relics will be limited to ten copies each. Topps will also be continuing the Logo Man manufactured patch cards.

The Framed Autograph checklist is big, running 85 cards. Sure there's regulars like Ryan Howard and David Wright, but color me most intrigued about the autograph of "The World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things" (that's how the card is listed on the checklist). I'm guessing it has something to do with this. Other non-Major League Baseball folks on the autograph checklist include:

• Alan Francis (Horseshoes)
• Anthony Gatto (juggling)
• Avery Jenkins (Frisbee Golf)
• David Blaine (publicity hound/illusionist who stuffs himself in boxes)
• Hans Florine (Climber)
• Hank Presswood (Negro Leagues player)
• Hubertus Wawra (Fire Eater)
• Judson Laipply (some YouTube guy whose video "The Evolution of Dance" has been watched nearly 150,000,000 times)
• Jordin Sparks ("American Idol" champion)
• Jim Zapp (Negro Leagues player)
• Ken Blackburn (paper airplanes)
• Kelly Kulick (bowling)
• Maholn Duckett (Negro Leagues player)
• Mike Parsons (surfing)
• Preston Pittman (Game Calling)
• Ryan Kennelly (Power Lifter)
• Randy Oitker (Archery)
• Ron Teasley (Negro Leagues player)
• Sig Hansen (fisherman, "Deadliest Catch")
• Shawn Johnson (Gymnast, "Dancing With the Stars")
• Summer Sanders (Swimming)
• Tyler Bradt (Kayaker)
• Tiago  Della Vega (World Record for fastest guitarist)
• Tony Hawk (Skateboarding)
• Tom Knapp (Shooting) 

I couldn't find definitive info on Dale Davis, Gary Stewart, Max Poser and Robert Scott. So if anyone wants to enlighten us, please do. Many of the autograph signers also have relic cards as well.

Rip Cards return offering the prospect of some nice goodies should the owner dare to tear. Oops, that was the tagline for Pinnacle Zenith more than a decade ago. Rip Cards will fall one per case and individual outer cards will be numbered to no more than 99 copies. Inside there's the possibility of the following:

• Red Autographs (85 cards, #'d/10)
• Mini Exclusives (50 cards)
• Mini Wood Exclusives (50 cards, #'d/1)
• Allen and Ginter Originals (30 cards)

Each box of Allen and Ginter will also have one box topper from the following:

• N43 (15 cards)
• N43 Relics (10 cards, #'d/25)
• N43 Autographs (10 cards, #'d/15)
• N43 Autograph Relics (5 cards, #'d/5)
• Cabinet (10 cards)
• Cabinet Relic Card (10 cards, #'d/1)

My personal favourite part of Allen and Ginter is the wacky inserts. I just recently finished my 2008 World Leaders set and am now looking at moving onto the National Heroes from last year's set. These inserts have always intrigued me as they're not terribly tough to find, can be found at a decent price and there's often nothing quite like them. Basic inserts fall one per pack.

This Day in History is a 75-card set that pairs a baseball player with a significant event that happened on their birthday. The 15 Baseball Highlight Sketch cards will probably look nice but are something of a yawn compared to the remainder of the inserts. Unless, of course, they're actually original sketches this year and not something copied with a 1/1 label like they were a few years ago. Other sets include Lords of Olympus (25 cards, 1:12), Monsters of the Mesozoic (25 cards, 1:12), World's Greatest Wordsmiths (15 cards, 1:24), National Animals (50 cards, 1:8), Sailors of the Seven Seas (10 cards, 1:24).

Finally, there's 10 Cut Signature cards and the return of the Allen & Ginter Code. It'll be curious to see if it takes more than a day or two to crack it this year.

2010 Allen and Ginter Baseball is schedule for a June 21 release.