A Ridiculous Project

[smapdi]

I just read about what Topps did with 2023 base set and the Golden Mirror parallel/variation set. If you didn't know, they created an image variation parallel for every card in the set, and presumably will for S2 and Update. This is right up my alley. I love collecting low-print-run parallels, and this seems like what I've been waiting for. I regret not chasing the 2018 Topps Independence Day parallel set, which was 900 cards altogether I think and #/76. This one could be just as good, or better, since the photos are actually different and it's not just a design element setting them apart. Unnumbered but it seems like the print run may be about 150, which in the modern hobby is definitely something that can be completed. Odds on finding any one card in a pack are long, just one every other case for Hobby, but at least they are in every product type and not exclusive to jumbos or something. 100 cards have already been sold after 2 days on the market, and over 400 others currently listed on ebay. This could be something I'm into for the long haul, or I could be all excited today, spend a couple hundred on a couple big names, then forget about it.

Planning on going to the big show up in the Dallas area next month, hopefully will be able to find some. Provided I haven't given up and forgotten about them by then.

Also, I would like to recognize that they finally are doing more to make these rarities obvious with the SSP foil marking. Not having to read a 4-point-type serial number and instead marking them plainly and bigly recognizable is something that really shouldn't have taken years to do.

 

[clarkzac]

Blowout I'd paying a pretty penny for these this year too

Sent from my SM-G998U using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[smapdi]

1 down, 329 to go.

 

[gt2590]

GL!

Ambitious.

And yes, agreed on separate marking for the SPs, good idea. Hated having to look thru codes on back, esp with a full box worth of cards to go thru...

 

[Dazed]

1 down, 329 to go.

Picture or it didn't happen! I kid! Good Luck!

 

[OakAth]

I just looked those up and like everything nowadays they want an arm and a leg right out of the gate. Last year I decided I was going to collect the 2021 Topps Finest refractors /3 and there were some pricey ones but on average they were about $60-80 and the most I paid was $180.00 for Ohtani and out of the 100 card set I currently have 47 of them. So, the 2022 Topps Finest was just released and I thought I might take a run at the cards /3 again until I saw the prices....$6.5k, $2.9k, $750.00, $1.3k....you get the idea. Ridiculous.

 

[nevermore]

Good luck with the chase! I feel in 7-10 years, prices will be down considerably as these will be SSPs of regular players rather than legends like Ruth, Gehrig, and Mantle. Plus, if this trend continues with future Topps releases, people will stop caring and they will be available cheap enough.

 

[finestkind]

Good luck with the set.

 

[madbull34]

Good luck. They used some awesome pics for the image variations.

 

[brian26]

Thanks for the explanation. I didn't know what these were.

 

[gt2590]

Good luck. They used some awesome pics for the image variations.

Agreed!

The one I got of Stroman shows him taking a pic in the “Field of Dreams” cornfield…

 

[madbull34]

I picked up Darvish!

 

[gt2590]

These guys seem to agree with the estimates of about 150 made…