Feeling on Topps extra sets - Now, On Demand, TT, etc.

burghman

It seems like Topps is churning out new extra products left and right. Granted, I'm new to the card game - only been back for a year - but between Now, On Demand, Throwback Thursdays, Collaborations, 150 Years of Baseball, and Topps Total, I can't help but feel that they are diminishing the value of short prints, autographs, etc. in their normal sets. I assume that the basic sets will still be the "go-to" when it comes to rookie cards even though these extra sets will be more limited print runs than the basic sets, but all of a sudden autos and relics are everywhere.

What's the board's general feeling on these extra sets? Is an auto from one of these sets less appealing than an auto pulled from Series 1/2 or Heritage? That's the feeling that I get, but I also think that the attraction of an auto pulled from Series 1 is diminished every time they offer a new Topps Now auto... They can literally print as many autos as they want (assuming the player will continue to sign them). And is a /50 pulled from Series 1 diminished every time a /50 makes an appearance in an On Demand set? Am I alone in these feelings, or do some of you guys think "the more the merrier"?

I'm excluding the Living Set here because that's a different concept (all base cards of players throughout history vs. these other extra sets which seem to be entirely current players with autos/relics/SPs sprinkled in).

doubledragon

I can no longer keep up with all of this stuff. Every year they need to include some kind of instruction manual for all of the cards of they print.

RyansRust

I agree.

I think the main brands will be the go to in the future. Topps, Bowman, Chrome. The internet releases will be like Sterling, Bowmans Best etc. Valued but at a lower price point. In the future people will remember the cards they pulled form packs (or could of) and want those. As opposed to internet releases that are sometimes only available for a day and honestly there's so many there's many I've never seen offered as I don't go to topps.com daily. "This 2019 Topps Chrome Soto Blue Auto On Demand internet only release auto was available on 4/19 to the 1st 20 people who bought a team set". vs. 2019 Topps Chrome Soto Blue Auto.

"the more the merrier"...didn't work for the late 80's.

pab1969

I grew tired of the vast selection of modern cards years ago. Now it is just overkill.

craig44

I don't collect new cards

Estil

No one is making anyone buying the extra sets...if the regular Topps set each year is good enough, you can still do that just as you always have. Just like in the 80s those who routinely got the "big three" sets every year (Donruss/Fleer/Topps)...if they were content with those in the 80s they could still do that in the 90s just as they always have, and just get whatever other sets appeal to them. Simple enough right?

daltex

Does ANYONE try to get all the Topps cards every year? The proliferation is liberating because with "complete" sets impossible, collectors are free to buy whatever they find attractive.

CdnOsfan

I buy some Orioles Topps Now cards but usually on eBay or COMC at below cost or don't bother. For example, I just bought a Trey Mancini Topps Now RC on COMC for $1.00.

doubledragon

COMC= Legendary.

burghman

@Estil said:
No one is making anyone buying the extra sets...if the regular Topps set each year is good enough, you can still do that just as you always have. Just like in the 80s those who routinely got the "big three" sets every year (Donruss/Fleer/Topps)...if they were content with those in the 80s they could still do that in the 90s just as they always have, and just get whatever other sets appeal to them. Simple enough right?

I agree that we're free to do what we want, but in simpler times, getting a Trout / Ohtani / Soto autograph in the regular Topps set was somewhat guaranteed to be one of a limited run. But now, Topps can fire up a Now auto offering anytime they want. That would seem to remove the luster from the autographs in the regular set.

Maybe it comes down to perspective - investors vs. collectors. As a collector, I like having multiple options - "Hey, I didn't pull a Trout auto in the two Series 1 cases I bought so I'll pick one up when Now is offering them." As an investor, it's more like "Crap, there's another /99, /50, /25, /10, /5, and /1 round of Topps Now Trout autos being sold...".

_EagleEyeKid_

Topps Off is next. Players will only be posing in their jockstraps.

Stone193

I can't help but feel that they are diminishing the value of short prints, autographs, etc. in their normal sets.

Hiya Jim

Not sure when you "last" collected.

I've been collecting continuously for 30 yrs.

Pertaining to your general point/contention.

IMO, the more things change? The more they stay the same.

Inserts and SPs and multiple brands went nuts in the early 90s. People pretty much asked the same question.

"How can I keep up?"

The answer? IMO, you don't.

Also, in the early 90s, people went nuts on speculating. Net result? People didn't walk, then "ran" from the hobby.

The answer? Tho, oh so trite: collect what you like for fun and there's way less chance you'll be disappointed.

If one decides to use their hobby for ROI? That's good also. My personal problem with that? I could wake up one day - having lost all my investment and worse? I don't have a hobby anymore.

doubledragon

The rise of serial numbered cards. The fall of base cards.

swish54

I can see the star rc's holding value and going up mainly because there's never going to be any more to hit the market like there is with unopened material over the years.

vintagefun

I like some of the Living Set cards and the TBTs. I personally dig current players on vintage designs, which is why I also collect Heritage and Archives. But with the internet only releases I’m pretty particular about which players and designs I choose to buy. That said, as some of these kids potentially reach master set status, the limited print runs could prove valuable.

burghman

@vintagefun said:
That said, as some of these kids potentially reach master set status, the limited print runs could prove valuable.

Good point. I assume something like Living Set would be part of a Master... would Now, TBT, or On Demand be included? That’s a damn good reason to keep tabs on those offerings.

Stone193

I like some of the Living Set cards

I guess I do too Jim. I have the complete run - once started? Perhaps hard to stop.

Walt_Altmen

I’ve come to the realization that it’s us getting old. Not sure the rest of you, but I used to ride to the gas stations on my bike to get cards. I can’t even tell you the last time I have even seen cards of any type at at a gas station. Or Sam’s Club or even an actual brick n mortar baseball card store these days.

My son would probably have to ride 15+ miles to get a pack of cards these days. And that would most likely be a Walmart or Target where the toy aisle would call louder for his allowance. He’s not even remotely interested in coins.

While scouffing now, I can see some of the early topps now or on demand sets with lower print runs being worth quite a bit way on down the line. Bob Dylan once wrote “The times they are a changing” and even he went electric. It wont be long before even brick n mortar Walmarts are long gone just like real deal Baseball cards stores of my day.

Today it’s all about on-line prescence and ordering via smartphone. 97% of inquries to our business are done via online website. Had a guy today from AZ inquire about a part. Just the way it is. Phones aren’t even used to make phone calls. Apparently they are used to order baseball cards directly from Topps. And business seems to be booming with the amount of product being put out there.

Aspie_Rocco

I left the hobby in the early 1990s and have recently returned. It seems to me like Topps is overprinting now like the companies of the 80s-90s. I now assume this current era will be identical to the junk cardboard era.
The creative sloth of the company seems to simply shuffle images between series and variants. A series 1 image becomes a short print for heritage, a heritage sp image becomes a fortune teller for gypsy queen, opening day comes out long before opening day, uses old images and has inaccurate player teams for trades.
I came roaring back into collecting cards last month and quickly identified the “Topps money grab”
This definitely killed a lot of my enthusiasm and interest for cards, but my appreciation for baseball as a sport has grown considerably.

robert67

.

Estil

@Walt_Altmen said:
While scouffing now, I can see some of the early topps now or on demand sets with lower print runs being worth quite a bit way on down the line. Bob Dylan once wrote “The times they are a changing” and even he went electric. It wont be long before even brick n mortar Walmarts are long gone just like real deal Baseball cards stores of my day.

Today it’s all about on-line prescence and ordering via smartphone. 97% of inquries to our business are done via online website. Had a guy today from AZ inquire about a part. Just the way it is. Phones aren’t even used to make phone calls. Apparently they are used to order baseball cards directly from Topps. And business seems to be booming with the amount of product being put out there.

And people were NOT happy about Bob Dylan infamously selling out to electric! As for what you said about the smartphones...indeed ten years ago people were saying "why text when I call?" Today it's "why call when I can text?" And I suppose that's just the way it is...

https://youtu.be/cOeKidp-iWo

PS: Did anyone yet confirm whether Bruce is indeed related to Rogers Hornsby and if so in what way?