Somebody please explain the 2024 Topps Companion Cards

frankhardy

I am totally confused. Are they oversized? Are they regular sized?

I am a Cardinals collector, so I am concerned with Series 1 Nolan Arenado and Series 2 Masyn Winn and Sonny Gray.

With Nolan Arenado, I am seeing two different images. One is numbered COTB-9 an the other is CTC-14.

Seems like I saw were a Masyn Winn has 4x6 sized card. On anther website, I am seeing a checklist calling them "oversized companions".

I am confused. I try to stick with getting parallels and image variations that match the flagship design in addition to the regular team set.

RonSportscards

baseballcardpedia.com

"Collector's Super Box: Ten, 14-card retail packs, plus one five-card pack of Silver Foil parallels, plus one Super card and standard-sized companion card, and one Enamel Pin (MSRP: $39.98)."

According to the box, the oversized Super cards are base cards.

robert67

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RonSportscards

OK, I think I got it. LOL

COTB is the companion standard sized
OTB is the Oversized version of the companion card (Strange the box says base card)
CTC is the Flagship Costco exclusive of the companion card.
OTC is the Oversized Flagship Costco exclusive of the companion card.

All cards sharing the same front image.
The backs under the number will say either Series 1, Series 2, or Flagship

There is an insert called City to City that is numbered #CTC, to add to the confusion.

pab1969

I remember when card collecting didn't give you a headache nor did I need a master's degree to figure out how to organize them.

RonSportscards

Figured I'd look into it more for myself, to be more familiar with modern cards.
Looking up 2024 Topps on TCDB, there are around 50 parallel cards and 200+ insert sets listed.
Crazy. No wonder no one really cares about base cards.
I didn't count, but there has to be 100+ different cards of the superstars like Ohtani and Judge in this one issue alone.

BaltimoreYankee

@pab1969 said:
I remember when card collecting didn't give you a headache nor did I need a master's degree to figure out how to organize them.

I agree 100%. Used to be you could get a complete Topps set numbered 1-660 (mid-1970's for example) and know you'd have everything.
Now, even something as simple as the 400 card 'base' set in 2024 Topps Heritage is cards numbered 82, 101-406 and 408-500 for some bizarre reason.

frankhardy

I try to keep mine simple. I try to get a few parallels and variations. I also get Chrome and regular refractors, but I don't go after all the color variations.

Thank you all for the help and clarification.