If you ask me, I wouldn't be upset if the designers at Topps decided to fast forward the next few years of Topps designs for Heritage, and use the '71 set for the 2016 Heritage product. The only design that I even care about at all between 1967-1970 is the '68 set, and even that year gets a lot of mixed reviews from collectors.
I've bought a hanger box and a handful of rack packs so far, and while the set is OK, it doesn't provide the urge to run to the store and grab more.
I saw these guys in the new uniforms, and I thought that there's some progress going on this year!
Then I see this
and this
and I wonder what gives, especially with the Samardzija.
How this guy got a card this year is beyond me.
If it were me, I wouldn't have Rodriguez in any card sets this year. He sat out a season of baseball, I believe that should be matched in the card world.
I've done all right with the Blue Jays so far, picking up these three to go along with the Rasmus. It was disappointing to look up the team set and find that there are 2 versions of Josh Donaldson's card (traded line in the bio section), along with 3 versions of Jose Bautista (regular, color swap and action pose). Not to mention that Bautista is a SP this year, and I no longer wonder why I don't chase after sets like Heritage.
I guess after all self-reflection, if you asked me if am collecting Heritage this year, it's not a "well gee, I don't know", it's "sorry, I'll pass again this year".
I'm hoping that there's at least one other set besides the flagship this year that I will want to collect. Maybe Gint-A-Cuffs VII will be the impetus to chase down A&G in '15.
thanks for reading, Robert
The thing about Heritage is you aren't its target demographic--unless you were collecting in the 60s (like I was). And what Heritage banks on is that EVERY year was someone's FIRST year collecting cards. And the first cards you collect may not be your very favorite design, but its up there. You skip over the 67s, there are going to be riots. Growing up, that was EVERYBODY'S favorite card design (more than the 65s, 71s, 72s and 75s combined). And, me, I'd skip the '68s. As kids, we hated 'em--ugliest design ever. Yeah, the Short Prints and other gimmicks are tiresome, but its better than having a high series that never makes it to your neighborhood and you only find out 20 years later that, not only is your set not complete, but the ones you never knew about are the most expensive of all. That's kind of soul crushing. As for A-Rod, he's still popular with a lot of collectors, just as Pete Rose is (though Topps' deal won't let them do Pete Rose cards). As for Jeff Samardzija, the chrome and refractors have always showed the old unis--don't know if that's due to different printing deadlines or something else, but its always been the case. The new uniformed players changed clubs at or before the winter meetings. Rasmus signed with Cleveland mid-January. Gotta get the cards to the printers at some point...can't hold them til opening day.
ReplyDeleteLord knows, Topps makes enough different card lines that the modern collector ought to be able to find something that appeals to them. I'll buy a bit of this and that but, for me, my collecting joy is Heritage. And it will be for the next 6 years or there abouts. Once they hit the '73 design, I couldn't care less. Hopefully, by then, they'll come up with something else for collectors like me. If not, well, so be it.
I'm trying to avoid this years set. I joined the group break that Nachos Grande ran to get the Pirates which helped me not buy blasters at Target. It is just a hard set to put together without spending a ton of money. I liked last years design, so I went for it, but this year doesn't do much for me.
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only one who wasn't excited for much over the next few years except for '68.
ReplyDeleteRobert, I've misplaced your address (I'm assuming I lost it when I moved), so email it to me if you get a chance (judsonmeeks AT gmail DOT com). I've got the Donaldson bubblegum stain variation I would love to send your way.
ReplyDelete