The 1998 Topps Tek Thread

[MansGame]

Just when you start to think boxes are dried up.... a box shows up at a candy store lol

Looking forward to a box break if I can get in for Belle...

 

[RustyGreerFan]

Rusty I will pm you tomorrow and let you know if I was able to pick it up. Also I'm not sure how much shipping would be either. I will let you know tomorrow thanks

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And be sure it's 1998 and not 1999 heheh

 

[MansGame]

And be sure it's 1998 and not 1999 heheh

or 2000 for that matter ::facepalm::

 

[bigdcardinals7]

Send me your cell number and I can send you a pic of it when I go to buy it

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[bigdcardinals7]

I would be interested in any McGwire cards that you pull. I'm not sure what those sell for but hopefully we can work out a price if you pull any.

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[togaman]

Ive not found any differences in whether the TEK patterns were odd or even. a few of the patterns, like 27 and 36, for some reason seem to scratch more easily

 

[togaman]

Im long done with Master set so another box is not in the cards (pun intended) for me. I haven't participated in any box breaks and have had a hard time getting those who did participate to trade for one or two card (if that) in an entire box that might have been a condition upgrade. For me the Diffractors are a dead issue and dont want to get caught up in the bidding up frenzy of a half dozen guys, most of them on this particular board, who bid them up

My condition upgrade list is
My 1998 Topps TEK WANT LIST

McGwire Card # 13 Pat # 13
Clemens Card # 21 Pat # 21
Dunwoody Card # 36 Pat 36
P Martinez Card # 41 Pat # 41
Ripken Card # 51 Pat # 51
Glaus Card # 61 Pat # 61
Konerko Card # 63 Pat # 63
M Ramirez Card # 66 Pat # 66
Mussina Card # 80 Pat # 35
AJ Hinch Card # 83 Pat #56 (Replace)
Lankford Card # 90 Pat # 90 ------------------(need 2)

1998 Topps TEK Diffractor want list (Set # 2) 14 out of 90 to complete set 9,13,14,16,30,51,57,61,66,67,74,78,80,85

1998 Topps TEK Diffractor want list (Set # 3) 51 out of 90 to complete set
1,3,6,7,9,10,13,14,15,16,17,23,26,27,30,34,36,39,4 1,43,44,45,47,50,51,52,56,
57,60,61,66,67,71,74,78,80,85,87,90

My only dupe 1998 TEK Diffractors to trade (for Diffractors only) are
Dunwoody Card 36 Pat # 63 (2)

My 1998 TEK Condition Upgrade Want List (must be MINT with no water marks, tiny black dots, scratches )
or peeling around the edges of the gray ovals (or misalignment of the card # pattern #) on the backs of th cards

Ivan Rodriguez....Card # 5 Pat # 47
D Bichette…….…… Card # 8 Pat # 36
Derek Jeter........Card # 14 Pat # 44
Brady Anderson..Card # 16 Pat # 34
David Justice......Card # 18 Pat # 25
Chipper Jones.....Card # 19 Pat # 28
Todd Walker.......Card # 24 Pat # 61
Tino Martinez......Card # 25 Pat # 38
Curt Schilling......Card # 32 Pat # 7
T Dunwoody.......Card # 36 Pat # 36
Paul O' Neill........Card # 37 Pat # 24
Randy Johnson....Card # 39 Pat # 11,21,27
Albert Belle.........Card # 47 Pat # 36
Jeromy Burnitz....Card # 48 Pat # 21,36
Jason Kendall......Card # 52 Pat # 15
Ellis Burks..........Card # 53 Pat # 25
Barry Larkin.......Card # 57 Pat # 28
Paul Konerko......Card # 63 Pat # 8
Javy Lopez.........Card # 65 Pat # 31
Knoblauch..........Card # 70 Pat # 36
Kevin Brown.......Card # 71 Pat # 36
Tim Salmon........Card # 72 Pat # 30
Jeff Bagwell........Card # 74 Pat # 78
AJ Hinch.............Card # 83 Pat # 56
Jim Thome..........Card # 89 Pat # 46

Someone here will buy that for sure. I'm on the edge but I'm sure [MENTION=8906]RStadlerASU22[/MENTION], [MENTION=4682]RustyGreerFan[/MENTION], [MENTION=2699]togaman[/MENTION] or [MENTION=8009]rinkrat38[/MENTION] will jump on it.

Just as a side note to anyone who does want to buy it... I'm in for a group break - obviously for Belle but would break it up similar to how we've done it in the past if others are interested.

 

[RustyGreerFan]

For me the Diffractors are a dead issue and dont want to get caught up in the bidding up frenzy of a half dozen guys, most of them on this particular board, who bid them up

I have not noticed this at all. Yes, I have noticed Diffractors going for more than they had been, but I've only noticed them being bought by player and set collectors, which is how it should be. For example, the Diffractors that I sold recently went to player collectors. I don't know any board members bidding up Diffractors just because or to hoard and hold over people's heads.

 

[MansGame]

I have not noticed this at all. Yes, I have noticed Diffractors going for more than they had been, but I've only noticed them being bought by player and set collectors, which is how it should be. For example, the Diffractors that I sold recently went to player collectors. I don't know any board members bidding up Diffractors just because or to hoard and hold over people's heads.

I bid up Belle diffractors, that's all :lol:

 

[Brewer Andy]

Diffractors: still overrated

 

[RustyGreerFan]

Diffractors: still overrated

How so? They offer many collectors the rare opportunity to add a 90s card to their collection that they don't already have. To people that love collecting and have about exhausted their checklist - that's really worth something. I would love it if Rusty Greer had been in the set, and I get a thrill every time I get my mitts on a new Diffractor for my collection. Some cards I just feel relief when I buy them so I can mark it off my list and then I never look at it again. But many Diffractors are dazzling and beautiful - I look at them often. It feels rewarding to have them in my collection. I don't believe I've ever paid over $40 for a Diffractor and I've got Griffeys, Franks, Jeters, etc.

I'm not saying you're wrong - just interested to hear more about your opinion.

 

[Brewer Andy]

First off, I love Tek. Love the challenge and hunt of the base patterns. In my opinion, I just don't think the diffractors are unique enough to justify some of the prices. Miniscule difference that don't stand out at a glance essentially looks like one card with a print run around 900. Fortunately my guy doesn't command much over $5-$10 for a diffractor but if I collected a Griffey/Jeter-esque player Id feel like my money could be much better spent elsewhere. Its hard to explain exactly, they just don't feel like anything "special" to me. Rare and hard to find yes, but nothing ZOMG!!!! especially when there's no point in even considering you might some day get all 90 for your player

 

[togaman]

They dont get bid up... just because. or to hold over peoples heads. There's one particular ebay seller who lists $6.00 common 1998 TEK diffractors for $29.95 which creates this artificial expectation of value of other player collectors not familiar with 1998 TEKs. Ive seen a few here also who felt compelled to let everyone on this board with a direct ebay link any new diffractor that popped up on ebay. I assumed it was the Seller using a different USERID to stir up a bidding war for his/her cards but it could have just been a zealous TEK collector trying to share the news of his FIND for some odd reason.

I have one 90 card complete diffractor set and 4 or 5 other partials. Since Im a set builder and see the 8100 diffractor Master set as next to impossible to complete I pretty much stopped chasing them even though I have only 14 to go to complete a second Diffractor set. I think I have acquired only to new ones in past two years (a Garciaparra and a Lofton) both from the card shop in Dallas area I randomly came across on a business trip early this summer.

The 1998 Topps TEK set is now 15 years old so its not a surprise it has become harder and harder to find new cards or boxes. There are still lots out there though who finished 3/4 of favorite player 90 card set who didnt know about Burbank or sportlots and gave up on their sets and those cards are now buried in binder or boxes somewhere in someones closet, basement, attic, or storage unit. Maybe one of those staged fake reality shows like Storage Wars will uncover 20 cases of 1998 TEKs hidden way in an abandoned U-Haul storage unit

I have not noticed this at all. Yes, I have noticed Diffractors going for more than they had been, but I've only noticed them being bought by player and set collectors, which is how it should be. For example, the Diffractors that I sold recently went to player collectors. I don't know any board members bidding up Diffractors just because or to hoard and hold over people's heads.

 

[RustyGreerFan]

...especially when there's no point in even considering you might some day get all 90 for your player

It's not about the goal, it's about the journey

 

[RustyGreerFan]

They dont get bid up... just because. or to hold over peoples heads. There's one particular ebay seller who lists $6.00 common 1998 TEK diffractors for $29.95 which creates this artificial expectation of value of other player collectors not familiar with 1998 TEKs. Ive seen a few here also who felt compelled to let everyone on this board with a direct ebay link any new diffractor that popped up on ebay. I assumed it was the Seller using a different USERID to stir up a bidding war for his/her cards but it could have just been a zealous TEK collector trying to share the news of his FIND for some odd reason.

I have one 90 card complete diffractor set and 4 or 5 other partials. Since Im a set builder and see the 8100 diffractor Master set as next to impossible to complete I pretty much stopped chasing them even though I have only 14 to go to complete a second Diffractor set. I think I have acquired only to new ones in past two years (a Garciaparra and a Lofton) both from the card shop in Dallas area I randomly came across on a business trip early this summer.

The 1998 Topps TEK set is now 15 years old so its not a surprise it has become harder and harder to find new cards or boxes. There are still lots out there though who finished 3/4 of favorite player 90 card set who didnt know about Burbank or sportlots and gave up on their sets and those cards are now buried in binder or boxes somewhere in someones closet, basement, attic, or storage unit. Maybe one of those staged fake reality shows like Storage Wars will uncover 20 cases of 1998 TEKs hidden way in an abandoned U-Haul storage unit

Yeah, it can sure feel like a dead end. Now that I've traded/bought with you, rinkrat, and Apland, there's not a whole lot of avenues left for acquiring Tek except being in the right place at the right time.

One thing that is surprising me is these lots of base or near-sets selling for around $60-$75. Just for base!

 

[RustyGreerFan]

Somehow I missed this when it happened. That's quite a sum for a base card. I wonder how hard it is to get a BGS 9.5 for Tek and I wonder if the rainbow effect of the scanner fooled anyone into thinking it might be a Diffractor?

1998 Topps Tek Derek Jeter 14 Pattern 5 BGS 9 5 | eBay

EDIT: Oh! BGS called it a Diffractor! LOL

 

[MansGame]

Somehow I missed this when it happened. That's quite a sum for a base card. I wonder how hard it is to get a BGS 9.5 for Tek and I wonder if the rainbow effect of the scanner fooled anyone into thinking it might be a Diffractor?

1998 Topps Tek Derek Jeter 14 Pattern 5 BGS 9 5 | eBay

EDIT: Oh! BGS called it a Diffractor! LOL

LOL!!! Someone got ripped off! #ThanksBGS

 

[RustyGreerFan]

Actually, that's the pattern of my one Jeter Diffractor I have left:

 

[MansGame]

:lol:

 

[Gwynn545]

First off, I love Tek. Love the challenge and hunt of the base patterns. In my opinion, I just don't think the diffractors are unique enough to justify some of the prices. Miniscule difference that don't stand out at a glance essentially looks like one card with a print run around 900. Fortunately my guy doesn't command much over $5-$10 for a diffractor but if I collected a Griffey/Jeter-esque player Id feel like my money could be much better spent elsewhere. Its hard to explain exactly, they just don't feel like anything "special" to me. Rare and hard to find yes, but nothing ZOMG!!!! especially when there's no point in even considering you might some day get all 90 for your player

I agree wholeheartedly. I have exactly zero Gwynn diffractors, and I have passed on them at $15... But if I had almost every Gwynn card out there, then maybe diffractors would be something to chase. For now, I'll save my money for 99 Gold Teks or even 00 gold Teks... I like them much more!