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The 1998 Topps Tek Thread

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Gjb70

Member
Aug 1, 2015
661
0
I have to give a shout out to [MENTION=8009]rinkrat38[/MENTION]. A few days ago he found one of my missing patterns and sent it my way. Then today another envelope showed up with another of my missing patterns. Thanks Rich!

He found two more for me a few days ago too, and he started me off with about 60. No way I would have even been able to try to put this run together without him!!
 

Onthespotdetailing

New member
Nov 1, 2015
107
0
I am looking for any of the diffractors I am missing for Ripken. If you have one, please let me know
bf66f4c7a1e45bf7704355bd04ca2d6c.jpg
 

rinkrat38

Member
Oct 14, 2012
261
0
South Deerfield, Mass.
I am looking for any of the diffractors I am missing for Ripken. If you have one, please let me know ]

Always enjoy matching up my '98 Tek diffractor collection with those of the player collectors. Invariably there's a huge overlap as Joe [MENTION=1983]onionring9[/MENTION] recently pointed out about our respective McGwire diffractor collections. I only have 34 Ripken diffractors to your 50, but our collections overlap by 22. I do have Ripken diffractor patterns 3, 7, 9, 11, 22, 27, 34, 45, 56, 58, 70, 90, but that still just totals 62 patterns between us. (Not looking to sell or trade at this time except for an extra Ripken diffractor p. 48.) 62 is the largest number I have of any one player, 62 different diffractor patterns of Rafael Palmeiro. Only other players I have more than 50 diffractor patterns of are Manny Ramirez (57) and Roger Clemens (52).

BTW, you are another on a long list of diffractor collectors without a diffractor pattern 41. I have 3,464 different diffractor patterns of the 90 players but no pattern 41 of any player! Haven't heard of anyone that has one.

Rich
 

Onthespotdetailing

New member
Nov 1, 2015
107
0
Always enjoy matching up my '98 Tek diffractor collection with those of the player collectors. Invariably there's a huge overlap as Joe [MENTION=1983]onionring9[/MENTION] recently pointed out about our respective McGwire diffractor collections. I only have 34 Ripken diffractors to your 50, but our collections overlap by 22. I do have Ripken diffractor patterns 3, 7, 9, 11, 22, 27, 34, 45, 56, 58, 70, 90, but that still just totals 62 patterns between us. (Not looking to sell or trade at this time except for an extra Ripken diffractor p. 48.) 62 is the largest number I have of any one player, 62 different diffractor patterns of Rafael Palmeiro. Only other players I have more than 50 diffractor patterns of are Manny Ramirez (57) and Roger Clemens (52).

BTW, you are another on a long list of diffractor collectors without a diffractor pattern 41. I have 3,464 different diffractor patterns of the 90 players but no pattern 41 of any player! Haven't heard of anyone that has one.

Rich
Why do you think that is about p 41

Sent from my SM-N920V using Freedom Card Board mobile app
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,540
883
Lafayette, Colorado
3,464 diffractors? Good god man. That is NUTS.

renstimpy_0.jpg

If you wake up one morning with an overpowering feeling to dump your Alomar diffractors, well you know who to call :)

Always enjoy matching up my '98 Tek diffractor collection with those of the player collectors. Invariably there's a huge overlap as Joe [MENTION=1983]onionring9[/MENTION] recently pointed out about our respective McGwire diffractor collections. I only have 34 Ripken diffractors to your 50, but our collections overlap by 22. I do have Ripken diffractor patterns 3, 7, 9, 11, 22, 27, 34, 45, 56, 58, 70, 90, but that still just totals 62 patterns between us. (Not looking to sell or trade at this time except for an extra Ripken diffractor p. 48.) 62 is the largest number I have of any one player, 62 different diffractor patterns of Rafael Palmeiro. Only other players I have more than 50 diffractor patterns of are Manny Ramirez (57) and Roger Clemens (52).

BTW, you are another on a long list of diffractor collectors without a diffractor pattern 41. I have 3,464 different diffractor patterns of the 90 players but no pattern 41 of any player! Haven't heard of anyone that has one.

Rich
 

rinkrat38

Member
Oct 14, 2012
261
0
South Deerfield, Mass.
Why do you think that is about p 41

Sent from my SM-N920V using Freedom Card Board mobile app

Not p. 41--my mistake. It's p. 49 that's missing. My guess would be some kind of print run foul-up. A number of us have checked with many player collectors and no one has one. Before I discovered the missing p. 49 stuff, I did talk to a card store owner in Illinois who had several cases of '98 Teks that he was sitting on -- still is as far as I know, but he also had a quantity of uncut '98 Tek diffractor sheets. Didn't get info about players or patterns. May be that is part of an explanation. Anyone knows, I'm all ears!

Rich
 

Fandruw25

Active member
Aug 25, 2008
3,238
0
That pic + Rinkrat only having 62 patterns of a player is pretty depressing.

How are you other collectors rationalizing that there is no true completion available? The thrill of the chase is what I loved about the set but honesly I'm not sure I'm going to continue chasing a truly impossible completion.
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
Not p. 41--my mistake. It's p. 49 that's missing. My guess would be some kind of print run foul-up. A number of us have checked with many player collectors and no one has one. Before I discovered the missing p. 49 stuff, I did talk to a card store owner in Illinois who had several cases of '98 Teks that he was sitting on -- still is as far as I know, but he also had a quantity of uncut '98 Tek diffractor sheets. Didn't get info about players or patterns. May be that is part of an explanation. Anyone knows, I'm all ears!

Rich

I'd really really like to see a picture of an uncut diffractor sheet, that must be incredible!
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,540
883
Lafayette, Colorado
Since none of us will ever have complete collections because of 1/1's, I guess I'm already over it. I suppose I have gradually come to think of diffractors as 1/1's. Same thing for 99 and 00 golds but to a lesser degree. I will get them now and then if the price is right, but I have no fantasies of ever getting them all.

I don't think anyone has ever gotten a complete run of diffractors for any player have they? And there are collectors out there who are much more serious than me, who have many more connections in the hobby, and who have been working for 20 years on it! I mean, if Rich is still "only" at 62 for one player, then I don't stand a chance.

Basically what I'm saying is that I repeat the serenity prayer often :)


That pic + Rinkrat only having 62 patterns of a player is pretty depressing.

How are you other collectors rationalizing that there is no true completion available? The thrill of the chase is what I loved about the set but honesly I'm not sure I'm going to continue chasing a truly impossible completion.
 

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