What do you think Topps does with leftover inventory?

[IUjapander]

I'm specifically referring to sticker autos and memorabilia of players who were only in one product.

Here are a couple of examples of what I'm talking about

2009 Bowman Chrome Draft
Matt Bashore was an on card autograph for this set,

Yet, his printing plates are sticker autos.

He does not have any other autos with Topps. So do you think they had him sign only four stickers, or do they have a mountain of stickers just sitting around somewhere?

Example #2
Ryan Doumit 2009 A&G, 2011 A&G, 2009 Topps Unique

So Topps had a jersey of Ryan Doumit, and used the plain white jersey parts in the two A&G Relic releases

They then used some of the prime pieces to make 15 cards in 2009 Topps Unique Jumbo Patch Set.


I've showed where these pieces come from the jersey. I received one of the patch cards since taking these pictures, but it appears the one not shown is from the bottom of the back "1"

So that still leaves the nameplate, the front team letters, the logoman, etc. So does Topps just have these pieces laying around in a vault somewhere? Rather than just wasting away the best parts of his jersey it is possible that some of his jersey was used in some McCutchen/other Pirates cards?


While I only cited two examples, I'm sure there are many thousand other examples. Just curious how big Topps inventory is and what they do with these leftover pieces for guys that are one and done in terms of hobby inclusion.

 

[MrMet]

Ya know, I was just thinking about this the other day. I'm sure they don't cut up the whole jersey and use it, so are there half cut up jerseys in a Topps dumpster somewhere? Or like you said, in a vault somewhere to use again

 

[gracecollector]

I've seen a TV program with their storage area. They use those plastic storage tray cabinets, and each player has his own drawer, where GU jerseys (whole and leftover parts) were stored.

 

[Topnotchsy]

They use the game-used pieces in Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle cards...

 

[D-Lite]

They use the game-used pieces in Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle cards...

Haha, damn, you beat me to it.

 

[BBCgalaxee]

I'm going to assume that Topps wouldn't do anything sneaky like putting the wrong jerseys on different cards purposely.

So with that being said I would assume they just get stockpiles and then maybe eventually thrown into a set like unique for any player with a "name."

For sticker autographs I guess that's what Topps minor league debut is for.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[rsmath]

I think they probably store the unused bat/jersey, etc. pieces in a vault for potential use in a future product. Stickers probably are kept on sheet and only released when a redemption needs to be fulfilled (i.e. they don't make the cards up beforehand if it's stickers). On-card autos likely also go into a vault.

Gut feeling tells me at some point well after card expiration date, Topps will release items through Topps Vault. Can't wait for the day when at a National, Topps Vault auctions off one of the 2001 Bowman Chrome Pujols autos that were never sent out as a redemption because the request was received after the expiration date and Pujols had already signed all 500 because Topps had to make sure if all 500 redemptions came in, they could be fulfilled.

 

[byronscott4ever]

I wish companies sold off backstock after a few years, nothing worse than waiting for a redemption card to be sold as a live card