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- #81
The Collector
New member
I guess since I've waited 2 years I might as well wait a little more. What a joke. /thread
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Topps redemption replacement for a 1/1 bat knob, wish me luck haha
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I guess since I've waited 2 years I might as well wait a little more. What a joke. /thread
A_Pharis
Active member
I would find someone who could get them some paperwork drawn up that would force them to explain why they are producing similar cards for later products while failing to deliver on the item promised to you.
What have we learned or confirmed from this saga (which may not be true at all):
1) Topps inserts redemption cards for things that they might not ever intend to make. They might have the Schmidt knob card printed and assembled, just waiting on a bat for Schmidt to come in so they can just saw the knob off, glue it on there, and ship it. This is the most likely scenario, I think.
1a) Alternately, they might not have the card made, and never intended to make it.
1b) Also alternately, they can take any old bat knob, magic marker a "20" on it, and ship the card out. I recommend they not do this.
2) They value their stuff at the absolute top of the market. The highest sale of one copy of a card at some point in time = market value, regardless of anything that happens in between. This is roughly equivalent of the time a dealer I was trading with told me he needed to value my stuff at even lower than his normal 20% trade value because my cards were going into his personal collection. Huh?
3) They may or may not have graded cards available for these things. The proposal OP received was for "graded 9.5" cards. They don't state who graded them. It's my contention that they aren't actually slabbed, but just offered on the assumption that they are gem mint as they are uncirculated. People jumped on this and assume they are BGS-graded, but I don't see that anywhere on Topps's end.
4) Topps is willing to rob Peter to pay Paul, but not Mary. Giving the guy 1 Bryant card but not 2 on the grounds that they need them for redemptions is very odd. I've always assumed they over-print by about 5-10%, so 1 extra card seems negligible, although maybe they have given out a lot of these cards already and are needing to conserve them.
5) What Topps is doing isn't unique. Back in 1999 I pulled a Frank Robinson POH bat card that had a row of these little dotted impressions on the face of the card. I sent it in for a replacement but was told they didn't have any extras and replaced it with a Griffey jersey card, which I had no problem with ($700 vs $300 value at the time). Topps would do well to not try to trade apples straight up for oranges, especially when they own all the friggin' orchards.
6) No one person at Topps has the combination of a) knowing what is really going on with the details of their products and b) is willing to own up to and cover for deficiencies while c) making him or herself available to collectors having problems and d) has the power to get things actually done. We all imagine that there is some number of people who possess 1 or 2 of these abilities, but they really need someone with all 4.
7) This will apparently not change until something really hammers them.
7a) Maybe someone needs to sue. Though I'd find such an effort dubious and distasteful, this does seem to effect change. The Finest Jaromir Jagr thing brought about more commonplace serial-numbering. The "cardboard crack" suit, even though it was ridiculous and dismissed, brought about changes in packaging and statements about odds and value, FWIW.
7b) Competition is not working. Even if Panini or Leaf or UD or someone got a MLB/MLBPA license, these things won't change.
7c) You need someone like a Make-A-Wish kid waiting for a Topps redemption to arrive before he dies and have his story go viral to force Topps to make his card, then follow that up by making all the other cards they've promised.
All in all, it sucks. My one trip on the Topps Redemption Fun Ride ended satisfactorily if not perfectly, and I definitely have decided to stay away in the future.
1) Topps inserts redemption cards for things that they might not ever intend to make. They might have the Schmidt knob card printed and assembled, just waiting on a bat for Schmidt to come in so they can just saw the knob off, glue it on there, and ship it. This is the most likely scenario, I think.
1a) Alternately, they might not have the card made, and never intended to make it.
1b) Also alternately, they can take any old bat knob, magic marker a "20" on it, and ship the card out. I recommend they not do this.
2) They value their stuff at the absolute top of the market. The highest sale of one copy of a card at some point in time = market value, regardless of anything that happens in between. This is roughly equivalent of the time a dealer I was trading with told me he needed to value my stuff at even lower than his normal 20% trade value because my cards were going into his personal collection. Huh?
3) They may or may not have graded cards available for these things. The proposal OP received was for "graded 9.5" cards. They don't state who graded them. It's my contention that they aren't actually slabbed, but just offered on the assumption that they are gem mint as they are uncirculated. People jumped on this and assume they are BGS-graded, but I don't see that anywhere on Topps's end.
4) Topps is willing to rob Peter to pay Paul, but not Mary. Giving the guy 1 Bryant card but not 2 on the grounds that they need them for redemptions is very odd. I've always assumed they over-print by about 5-10%, so 1 extra card seems negligible, although maybe they have given out a lot of these cards already and are needing to conserve them.
5) What Topps is doing isn't unique. Back in 1999 I pulled a Frank Robinson POH bat card that had a row of these little dotted impressions on the face of the card. I sent it in for a replacement but was told they didn't have any extras and replaced it with a Griffey jersey card, which I had no problem with ($700 vs $300 value at the time). Topps would do well to not try to trade apples straight up for oranges, especially when they own all the friggin' orchards.
6) No one person at Topps has the combination of a) knowing what is really going on with the details of their products and b) is willing to own up to and cover for deficiencies while c) making him or herself available to collectors having problems and d) has the power to get things actually done. We all imagine that there is some number of people who possess 1 or 2 of these abilities, but they really need someone with all 4.
7) This will apparently not change until something really hammers them.
7a) Maybe someone needs to sue. Though I'd find such an effort dubious and distasteful, this does seem to effect change. The Finest Jaromir Jagr thing brought about more commonplace serial-numbering. The "cardboard crack" suit, even though it was ridiculous and dismissed, brought about changes in packaging and statements about odds and value, FWIW.
7b) Competition is not working. Even if Panini or Leaf or UD or someone got a MLB/MLBPA license, these things won't change.
7c) You need someone like a Make-A-Wish kid waiting for a Topps redemption to arrive before he dies and have his story go viral to force Topps to make his card, then follow that up by making all the other cards they've promised.
All in all, it sucks. My one trip on the Topps Redemption Fun Ride ended satisfactorily if not perfectly, and I definitely have decided to stay away in the future.
RStadlerASU22
Active member
- Jan 2, 2013
- 8,881
- 11
Sorry man , that's all I got to say
Ryan
Ryan
hive17
Active member
- Aug 7, 2008
- 21,426
- 24
This point speaks to the biggest bull**** flag you can throw on Topps with that whole disclaimer about their cards attaining future value and so forth. If they want to pretend that doesn't happen and/or they think they can absolve themselves of some sort of awareness of secondary market value, WTF are they doing quoting Beckett prices of ESPECIALLY eBay prices?
joey12508
Well-known member
I linked this thread in 2 emails to topps . Not that they care, great thread on the sorry state of there redemption program.
Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app
Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app
MansGame
Active member
Not my thread or concern but I probably would have asked the OP'er if he was OK with that first hahah.
Not sure that will pay him any dividends but maybe you got his blessing or maybe it doesn't 'matter since he came on a public board and posted it anyways. I just thinking putting Topps on blast is probably not going to help in the matter but rather piss them off. Maybe I'm alone or wrong but just my two cents.
gvsu96
Active member
I'd ask for a Harper auto and wait 3 days.
- Thread starter
- #90
The Collector
New member
No I ended communication with them on 3/6. They weren't budging and I'm not willing to take a lowball offer. Although if Kris Bryant autos keep soaring like they are I might regret it haha.
markotsay7
Member
- Feb 18, 2011
- 365
- 0
What's your endgame here then? Are you willing to walk away with nothing or do you plan to pursue action against them?
- Thread starter
- #92
The Collector
New member
I don't really have an end game. I requested replacement and felt their counteroffer was weak, and they basically said take it or leave it haha. No other options but keep waiting I guess.
MansGame
Active member
Waiting for what? Did you reply to their offer or what are you waiting for exactly lol? That sounds like a sh!tty position, sorry, hope it all works out or works out so that you are pleased.
- Thread starter
- #94
The Collector
New member
Waiting for the bat knob card to be made X years later. The last Topps response basically said "I suggest you wait for the card cuz there's nothing else here to give you" or something like that...
Not gonna lose sleep over it. Just a cautionary tale for others LOL.
MansGame
Active member
Okay. Didn't know that was an option after you declare you don't want it anymore.
Well good luck. Sounds messed up.
- Thread starter
- #96
The Collector
New member
Nothing new to report, but looks like they had a knob to put into a 2015 product. Unbelievable.
gmarutiak
Active member
Ouch. That's a beautiful card, too. Sorry. Hope they fix it at some point soon.
RStadlerASU22
Active member
- Jan 2, 2013
- 8,881
- 11
Nothing new to report, but looks like they had a knob to put into a 2015 product. Unbelievable.
Ugh , sorry man . You'll/I'll never be able to understand it
Ryan
swish54_99
Well-known member
- Dec 12, 2012
- 1,161
- 226
That's just not right. They need to fill their past obligations before putting out other cards like that.
MansGame
Active member
This is crazy. I'd call again to be like help me understand this.
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