Forgotten Tough Parallels

[banjar]

I think I agree with most/all of your criteria. Well said. And that 2015 Topps Woodgrain variation, that is another level.

Tough card—400 cards in the set, and COMC lists only 22 of them in current/sold listings. I was very happy to find mine; sometime later, I also found a second.

When something has a low serial number (or at least one that is easy to spot, to banjar's point about the 2000 Pacific Crown Collection Latinos of the Major Leagues Parallel), it should be a reasonable signal to anyone who comes across the card—even without knowing anything else about it—that it is scarce. That's what makes cards like the 2006 Fleer Glossy Gold so tough: It's a subtle variation that you might miss unless you're looking for it, and if you indeed miss it, it might be relegated to decades of common-box purgatory. With that said, here are some parameters that many of the tough parallels seem to share:

• Not serial numbered (and no auto/GU, for that matter)
• Inconspicuous variation (easy to overlook)
• Widely sold set (e.g., a Topps or Fleer base set where people might be buying packs at grocery stores—not a set marketed primarily to hobbyists who are more likely to recognize the variations)
• Under-broken set (still in their packs)
• Low dollar value (marginal incentive to seek out the parallels, or even list if found)

Some nominees to the list based on the above parameters are listed below. I'd also add the 2014 Topps Heritage black back and 2015 Topps Heritage blue back—don't have examples to share, sadly.

 

[theplasticman]

Whoa! You have the Fleer Gold. Amazing!!

 

[LWMM]

Whoa! You have the Fleer Gold. Amazing!!

I was very, very glad to find it. There are certain cards that you regularly see on player collectors' needs lists from that era, and that's one of them. Looks like Darin Erstad is in the set—any other of your guys? Are you still looking for it?

 

[theplasticman]

I was very, very glad to find it. There are certain cards that you regularly see on player collectors' needs lists from that era, and that's one of them. Looks like Darin Erstad is in the set—any other of your guys? Are you still looking for it?

Congrats. I've never seen an Erstad for sale or otherwise. None of my other players are in that set, thankfully.

The gold is one of 4 remaining non-1/1 cards I need from 2006.

 

[theplasticman]

Heads up... if anyone has a player in 2007 Upper Deck series 1, there's a variation where some series 1 cards can be found with text on the back that says "series 2" in addition to the non-error version. I just learned about this one the other day.

 

[LWMM]

Heads up... if anyone has a player in 2007 Upper Deck series 1, there's a variation where some series 1 cards can be found with text on the back that says "series 2" in addition to the non-error version. I just learned about this one the other day.

Interesting. Find any of your guys with the error? And any word on whether all cards have that variation? Just looked at the Gomes cards on eBay/COMC, and they all say Series 1.

 

[KLARNOLD]

Now I have the first and last Serial #s

 

[theplasticman]

Interesting. Find any of your guys with the error? And any word on whether all cards have that variation? Just looked at the Gomes cards on eBay/COMC, and they all say Series 1.

Only Erstad for me. I haven't checked any other players.

 

[WizardofOz1982]

Not so much a parallel since they were supposedly a test issue that somehow made it into packs but 1995 Pinnacle Artist Proof Holofoils are up there for me. I'm still looking for a Jeff Frye that might or might not exist. I have the Rusty Greer UER that has a picture of Jeff on the front. They really should have gone with the holofoil instead of the Matte Silver foil.

 

[Philip J. Fry]

The LCS I frequently visited as a kid had one. She considered it a factory error and sold the copy she had pretty cheap. I can’t remember the player but it was a Braves member.

 

[banjar]

So yesterday I learned about this one. Courtesy of my fellow Alomar collector Chris. It's the 2003 Topps Kanebo Series 2 bronze parallel.

When he told me about it, I was a bit incredulous. But it's for real. And probably as rare as the Kanebo Series 1 black parallel. Maybe 5-10 copies, if you believe the hype?

So for all of you guys collecting players who were active in 2003, this is one to put on your search links. Aroid, Griffey, Jeter, Bonds, Bagwell, Piazza, Rolen, Larkin, Gonzalez, Sosa, Alomar, Clemens, Ichiro, Thomas, Martinez, Halladay, Walker, Pujols, Rivera, Mussina, Biggio. And basically any other player who was a star or semi-star at the time.

 

[banjar]

Yes. That holofoil kicks ass. I'm still searching for the Alomar. These things are out there, it's just a matter of grinding to get one.

Not so much a parallel since they were supposedly a test issue that somehow made it into packs but 1995 Pinnacle Artist Proof Holofoils are up there for me. I'm still looking for a Jeff Frye that might or might not exist. I have the Rusty Greer UER that has a picture of Jeff on the front. They really should have gone with the holofoil instead of the Matte Silver foil.

View attachment 363839

 

[KLARNOLD]

So yesterday I learned about this one. Courtesy of my fellow Alomar collector Chris. It's the 2003 Topps Kanebo Series 2 bronze parallel.

When he told me about it, I was a bit incredulous. But it's for real. And probably as rare as the Kanebo Series 1 black parallel. Maybe 5-10 copies, if you believe the hype?

So for all of you guys collecting players who were active in 2003, this is one to put on your search links. Aroid, Griffey, Jeter, Bonds, Bagwell, Piazza, Rolen, Larkin, Gonzalez, Sosa, Alomar, Clemens, Ichiro, Thomas, Martinez, Halladay, Walker, Pujols, Rivera, Mussina, Biggio. And basically any other player who was a star or semi-star at the time.

View attachment 363851

 

[Philip J. Fry]

1994 Finest Protector sample

 

[joey12508]

have the rainbow embossed parallels

took this with phone to show the embossed word sample

 

[WizardofOz1982]

Yes. That holofoil kicks ass. I'm still searching for the Alomar. These things are out there, it's just a matter of grinding to get one.

I've got a stack of 10 or so of them but I don't think I have an Alomar. I'll check again.