2009 Topps T206 100th Anniversary Set

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Posted By: James Feagin

I know a few here might scoff at anything modern or "shiny". But I think it's nice to have vintage-themed modern sets like the forthcoming 2009 Topps T206 set. I find the prospect of newer players on vintage designs and the possibility of pulling original T206 cards to be quite inviting. I think this is also a great way to help modern collector's to appreciate such a famous set.

http://blogbeckett.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/topps-set-to-bring-back-t-206-baseball-cards-in-fall/

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Posted By: leon

I too think this is a great way to promote vintage card collecting. It's not really for me, as I don't care for the current Majors, but I can see it being a good thing....

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Posted By: Jason

The Topps T205 set seems kind of cool. They even included authentic T205s as inserts for the set.

Of course, I do find it annoying searching for T205's and sifting through those cards, but that's just nitpicking.

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Posted By: T206Collector

From the press release: "Topps last T-206 release came in 2002"

How many times can Topps keep going back to that well?



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Visithttp://www.t206collector.com for Net54 T206 archive, signed deadball card galleries, articles and more!

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Posted By: James Feagin

It was highly successful back in 2002. I remember buying a case (10 sealed boxes) and pulling 3 original T206 buybacks. For me back then it was a really fun experience. Being that this is the 100th anniversary, it seems natural that the set is revisited. I know of several modern collector's who branched out into pre-war vintage because of those series.

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Posted By: Miguel Danielson

Topps (and some of the other companies, in their footsteps) have been bringing back old-style looking cards for many years now. They started off doing sets that looked like old Topps sets -- I think 52 Topps was the first to be cloned, then they did a new "Heritage" set every year, each year copying an old Topps design. Then they started doing the Bowman sets. Then, rather interestingly, they adopted the long since abandoned trademarks of Allen & Ginters, "T206," and so on, issuing modern look alike cards (I believe Upper Deck did a Goudey set).

I like these sets more than most of the shiny stuff, but they're still loaded with "fake rarities" and all the other modern card gimmicks, including jacked up prices of $4 a pack or more.

For the life of me I can't understand why Topps doesn't even TRY to do a release like they were known for for over 40 years -- a simple, non-shiny set distributed in affordable (ideally, 50-75 cent) wax packs. If they were smart, they'd make it a limited run thing, thus priming the demand. People who collected cards eons ago but gave it up because of all the crap, would start looking for these things in droves. Topps would sell out and then there would be pent up demand the next year, and so on.

I've never actually looked, but I'd be willing to bet that Topps made a lot more money in 1986 or 1987, when its cards cost 50 cents a pack, than now, when their cards cost $2-3/pack for the cheapest stuff, and much more for most of the rest.

Oh, to dream.

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Posted By: David Poses

I agree that this could be very good for the hobby. I'm with Leon in the "I don't care about baseball nowadays," but I also agree with the notion that if Topps went back to the standard issue concept it could lure some of us (although not me personally).

I remember getting out of cards altogether in the early 90s when there were like a bazillion sets and subsets and limited print runs of cards x, y and z- it became confusing and frustrating.

Vintage was always fascinating to me, but as a kid, on a limited budget, before the internet in the 80's, happening upon a T206 was extremely uncommon in spite of the many card shops near my house. I remember going to Dragons' Den in Yonkers in the early 90s and seeing a common, beat to hell T206 in a very thick screwdown holder, on a shelf in their display case with a price tag of $2500 on it. Mad at where the hobby was then, and sad that vintage was too out of reach, I walked away from baseball cards that day and didn't come back until a few years ago- and I have been collecting vintage exclusively ever since.

If Topps has their finger on the pulse, and if this set is a success it may occur to them that there is demand for simplicity. I'd love to see the hobby revert to the type of sets that prevailed in the 80s.

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

Sounds great but are they gonna sell these packs for $5 or more or are they gonna keep them closer to $1.... If you set the price at $5 or more, your leving out a major faction of the collecting community.

marty

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Posted By: James Feagin

The base Topps set and the Opening Days sets go for around $1 a pack. Honestly, no one cares about them.

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Posted By: T206Collector

Neat hearing about Dragons' Den in Yonkers (which I think is technically in Scarsdale), which I used to frequent as a kid in the late 1980's. While that store is no more, one of the guys that used to work there has owned and operated American Legends (once called "One if By Cards, Two if by Comics") right across the street (Central Ave.) since the mid-1990's. From all appearances, if not longevity alone, they do a pretty decent business over there, and even have a few pieces of old cardboard -- including maybe half a dozen reasonably priced T206 commons.

You can check out their website here: http://www.amerlegends.com/

I've always found them super friendly.


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Visithttp://www.t206collector.com for Net54 T206 archive, signed deadball card galleries, articles and more!

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Posted By: Phil

I haven't read anything that states that Topps will be including original T206s this time around. Have I missed something?

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

If Topps does insert original T206s in there again, I'd like to see them come up with a name for them other than 'buybacks'. Topps can't buy them back unless they had them to begin with. Topps could buy back 1959 Topps and correctly call them 'buybacks'. But since Topps never sold T206s in the first place, it is impossible for them to buy them 'back'.

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Posted By: Jason L

where is a good (online?) source for buying a box or two of the cheaper, regular Topps issue?
don't have any hobby stores near me anymore and would like to hand out packs to my little league team...

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Posted By: Mark L

I, too, would like to find a good online source for buying some packs of Topps regular issue cards. The cards are useful for educating my 7 year old about the game. If you don't have a local card shop to support, you might check out Walmart and Target.

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Posted By: James Feagin

Here's who I use when I'm itching to buy some packs. They have plenty of bargains, free packs when you spend $75 or more and free shipping on Thursday's. A random link, but they have much much much more....

http://www.dacardworld.com/search?Search=topps+opening+day

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Posted By: ChiSoxFan

I've bought newer issues from Charm City Cards ..http://www.charmcitycards.com

Some other full "vintage" Topps sets are Cracker Jacks, and Turkey Red.

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Posted By: James Feagin

Agreed. Charm City Cards is a good resource as well. Blowout Cards also has a lot of fans. These warehouse dealers have a huge stock of vintage-themed packs and boxes, along with cheaper Topps base cards.

James