Topps Heritage
 

Anyone collect older Topps sets and their Heritage counterparts, and if so are there any sets where you like or dislike the Heritage version more or less than the original ( putting aside differences in the card material makeup) ?

I have always been a fan of the 67 Topps set, but did not care for the Heritage version as much. But I thought the 57 Heritage version nicer than the original.

agreed on both counts. I also thought the "66" was better than the original ... really looking forward to the 1970 design in two years, as I always felt that the original set is an underrated masterpiece.

Last xmas, my SSanta sent me a 2002 Heritage FB box...inside pulled a Bart Starr short print (up to 57) in red ink real auto. 57--Why? Because they were remakes of the 1957 year and Bart Starr was a RC....I recently sold it for big $.
I just ordered 2 Blaster Boxes of 2016 Heritage BB this time, as 2017 are preorder till Aug. And my Birthday is end of June. I have not got them yet...
But did recognize the '17 was remakes of the 68 year.

Never really thought about them in those terms Al......I have most of the real Topps sets and have bought most of the Heritage sets from 01-17. I once had most of them 01-05/6 with all the autos, game-used, chromes, etc. Then sold them. Then bought just the master sets back minus chrome/autos/game-used. Such is the life of the wishy washy collector.

I've loved the sets since the 2001 issue. Really wish I'd kept my 2001 Heritage Chrome set as they are just fantastic and the prices have skyrocketed. I think Topps does a quality job on them along with all the tangent autos, etc. The game used stuff is somewhat played out for me but the autos on the old format cards really are nice with the mixture between old and new players. I personally didn't like the 1958 reissue as much but definitely liked the 1957 reissue. I don't have a 1967 Topps original set (one I've been trying to find but just haven't hit the right price) so didn't think much about the reissue. Really like some of the oddball stuff they've been putting in as box-toppers and inserts the last couple years and like the tie-ins with Target and Walmart on the inserts. Just too much to actively collect although I pick stuff up from time to time.

Al,
What don't you like about the '67 redux?
The original is my favorite Topps set (great year for the Cardinals as you know) and I really like the 2016 Heritage effort as well.

Jeff

1967
 

Hey, Jeff. Good to see you over here on the beginners board :).

I am having a hard time articulating why the new 67s do not have the same appeal to me. I am working on a better response.

Another question or two I have raised elsewhere. I have all the Heritage sets, 2001 to 2017, and their counterpart older sets. My Heritage sets are all so called "master sets". Up until 2011, for me, that also included all "variation cards". After that I gave up due to the growing number and or scarcity of them. On older sets, master sets include recognized hobby variations, but not for Heritage sets. I guess that is because they are "manufactured".....and expensive ;)

Also, I am wondering in what year I will stop doing Heritage. I told Bob I was thinking 1972 might be my last one...if they and I last that long. How far will Topps go with that product ? What about you ?

I have been giving that thought as well.
I am not much of a fan of the Topps set after '72 much.
Matter of fact I think that the stretch of '73-'80 may be their worst efforts to date with 73/77/80 being the worst of the lot IMO.

Al, I agree with you completely on the 1967 Heritage vs original. The original is my favorite Topps set, but I don't like the Heritage because the pictures are muddied, it looks like Topps tried to make them seem old or something. If they had used crisp pictures, I'm sure I would have collected that Heritage set, but I just never got interested.

I do like this year's Heritage set based on 1968 Topps, it's great to see they are using crisp pictures for this set, the cards are really nice.

I'm looking forward to 2050 when Topps issues the 2001 Topps Heritage Heritage set. :rolleyes:

You would think from this post that Bob is an optimist but my experience with him is to the contrary.

I think they are a good choice if you want to own some modern players but don't like all the super duper refractor chrome emerald diamond prism stuff. I can't imagine, though, preferring them to the originals.

I will confess I have not pitched any of my 1952 to 1967 sets in favor of the their Heritage counterparts. But I do like the Heritage sets and concept....at least through 1972.... if I last that long.

At first, I really liked the heritage sets. Got the 1956 and put together the 1959 card sets. Thought I would get 1965 to 1969 Heritage sets, as the originals were at the height of my childhood collecting years (age 8 to 12).

But, got the 1965 set complete and put in in a binder by teams, in the same order as my original 1965 set, but did not really enjoy the set. I think it was a combination of both the cost to get the high numbers and just not following the current players as closely as I once did.

Have only bought a pack or two each year since.

Mike

I'm a Heritage fan but have not liked many of the changes of recent years

1) The short prints used to be a mix of commons and stars, now it's almost all better players. I don't like that change

2) There has been a growth in the "manufactured" scarcities and variations. I'd rather the set stay true to the original flavors rather than all these confusing new variations. Any time I need to pull up a Collectors Connection page with their images to check what should be a simple set, I get a huge headache.

3) The sets are too short now at 500 cards. To match the world they are copying, the base sets should be 600 cards for the next 10 years or so. I don't see the need for the 787 card set but I'm better off with a 600 card set.

4) Keep in simple and we'll all enjoy Heritage much more. What made the early Heritage sets such hits was their simplicity. Heritage is not in Kansas anymore.

Rich

I agree completely with your point 2 Rich. Through 2010 my sets include all the manufactured variations. Starting in 2011 the number ( green tint/ blue tint/ red tint and poses and color swaps ) or scarcity caused me to drop that pursuit.

Maybe there should be a Topps Heritage Total Baseball set with 900 cards :)

#2 is the reason that I stopped doing them. I did the sets through 2014, but the gum back damaged cards in addition to action, color swap, throwback, etc. was just too much.

I assume the Heritage line has been profitable for them. Do you think it's popularity is based on nostalgia of those that collected their prior counterparts, folks who did not collect the older sets but wish they had, or new collectors who just like them better than the base sets ? Or some combination ?

Is there a point at which the shine wears off for such reproduction designs for the market...and if so will it be in 2050 for Bob, or 1972 for me :)

New images attached to already accepted designs. Love 'em!

I was really looking forward to the '67 Heritage set, but like Al was disappointed. The original '67 set is my 2nd favorite post war design (after '53 Bowman) but Heritage didn't keep the same standards. The images are a bit blown out, muddy, or just off. This years set was really well done, and the printing in the original '69 set is so bad Heritage can only be an improvement.
I've done every year since inception, but will probably call it done after '72 as well. Really looking forward to the '70 design and especially '71, as those were the first sets I collected as a kid.

1967 v 2016
 

Jeff- now I remember.... what Anthony said :)

As to point #2 -- there are like six different versions of each 2017 Topps Heritage card from base to color swap to gum stained and much much more.

I would not want to venture a true master set today and that's BEFORE the autographs, relics, etc.

Rich

I like Heritage, but since I don't collect post war cards, I don't have the vintage counterparts.

With that said, I've opened a lot of 2017 Heritage. If any board member is looking for a certain card or needs a few cards to finish a set. Feel free to PM me.

Now lets get these questions answered real quick though.

Yes - I have Judge & Benintendi rookie cards.

No - I am not looking to sell them for 10% of what they are selling for online.

Flippers need not inquire. Sounds harsh, but you're just wasting our time trying to buy them from me for $1 apiece.

Jantz

The offer was not meant for you. It was obviously meant for the rest of you.

I am doing 2001 - 2012 Topps Heritage only, no Bowman.

Trying to do all chromes, SPs, inserts and SSPs. Scans here: https://goo.gl/9QaZll

The 2011 Heritage tint set has been my favorite so far; I'm a little over halfway done with it.

I started buying packs in 1968 when I was 5 yrs old. I loved the Topps set then and equally like the the 2017 Topps Heritage counterpart. I can't say I like one better than the other with the exception of the Real One Autos the come with the current Heritage. 1968 will always hold a special place in my heart, so this year's Heritage brought back a bunch of collecting memories.

Good luck with the tints. Quite the project. I only need 143 Babe Ruth blue to finish the tint set. At least the 2001 Chromes have come down in price. Some of the hoarders have not been buying.

Rick-- you are the better man. I did all the variations through 2010, but quit after that. My OCD might have caused me to need not only the green tints but also the red and blue and whatever else there was.

I did all 3 tint sets. I completed the 2013 Venezuelan/black back set and half way through the 2014 Gray backs. I'm about 40 cards short on the 2015 & 2016 gum backs. Impossible to keep up with all the parallel sets but trying my best.

I like building sets and the Heritage provide that challenge. Plus, they hold value better than any other modern sets.

That's amazing Rick, but I do think it means you need treatment :)

I didn't last as long as some/most/all of you. I quit after finishing the master base set in 2001 (red/black back variations). The designed SP idea left a bad taste in my mouth. But I liked the idea and sort of missed collecting them, even though at the time I was still collection the base Topps sets.

I never collected 'team' sets per se, but a couple years back thought that would be perfect combination for me. So I started collecting the Giants team sets for all Heritage releases. Gives me a good way to get a Giants 'team' set as well as a flavor for the Heritage set from that year.

Especially on the earlier sets and for the next 4-5 years, I don't have any issues with Shorter Printed cards. That was one of the aspects of the original sets and doing those with Heritage made sense. In today's collecting world, that still makes sense.

Now, if they would go back to a mix of commons and stars in the SP's, I'd feel a ton better

My wife agrees with you.

Al and Troy, I could not agree more with you about the 2016 "'67" Heritage set . . . such a major disappointment, considering that I love the Heritage concept and the 1967 Topps set is my all-time favorite. For years, I was looking forward to the Heritage version, but when it arrived it fell flat. The glossy quality of the card front was one of the hallmarks of the '67 set, but the Heritage version was dull and flat. No checklists with disembodied heads. Lousy/lazy versions of combo cards. Nothing clicked for me at all.

The truth is, by 2016, Topps had been "mailing it in" for years on the Heritage line. It didn't start out that way. Remember the 1952 Heritage set, with the same number of cards as the original, with the short print cards being the same numbers as the second series of the original? Or how Topps would sometimes try to parallel a distinctive card from the original with one from the Heritage set, like the 1958 Whammy Douglas/Heritage Boone Logan cards?

They don't do any of that any more. It's all formula, the same number of cards in the set, the same insert sets. And what about the combo cards? Is there now a law that two players aren't allowed to come together in a posed card? The 1967 set had the best combo cards ever, but all the Heritage version could manage was "accidental combos," action shots that just happened to have two people in them.

That rant aside, I will say that Topps has rebounded nicely. I think the "68" Heritage set actually looks better than the original. Same for the "69" Heritage this year. Maybe this is a sign of better things to come . . .