Classifying factory sets and factory set exclusives

[Hollywood42]

Thanks for the added thoughts. For some reason, I've been kind of feeling like it gets harder for me to treat them as the same set if the factory set has multiple different variations available, i.e. 2023 Topps factory sets that have Foilboard (hobby), Foilboard (retail), Gold Star, Orange Star, etc. But thinking through it, your point that they were designed and marketed as part of the same set makes sense to me. And very good point that there are hobby only and retail only parallels out there that are accepted as belonging to the same set without question. Exactly the type of thinking I was hoping to come across

Originally Posted by G1911

Donruss - Factory set is how I do it. My spreadsheet categorizes our hypothetical like this:

Year Set Parallel
2023 Topps Factory Set Foilboard

There are different inserts in hobby and retail packs, but they are both 2023 Topps Base. Same with the factory set inserts, it’s the same set just one of 100 parallel variations. Same set, different card is how most treat them and it makes sense to me. There’s many methods of distribution, but it’s designed and marketed as the same set.

Good thoughts here too, appreciate it. My database is set up so that I can add extra information about a set, subset, card, etc if I want (i.e. production/distribution details), but I don't need to and don't by default. Agreed that ultimately so long as I come up with something that makes sense and is consistent, it works either way. So far just haven't entirely been able to make up my mind on that yet!

Originally Posted by steve B

I think how you categorize them would depend on if you're including additional info about the set or subset.

The ones where it's not really possible to tell if the card came from any particular product I don't see much benefit to listing other than the base set. But I would try to track what different products were issued.

For ones like the Donruss where the pack issued cards and the factory set issued cards are different I would track them as different sets.

Factory set exclusives I would also consider to be their own sets, just like so many other exclusives available only in a particular product, and often only from a particular retailer.

I think in some cases, it may be possible to tell factory set cards from pack issued cards, but it just isn't known because of lack of anyone keeping track or not even checking.


And, how crazy will you get tracking production diffrences.
Like the 3 different die cuts on 88 Score, Three different ways gloss was put on the backs of 93 Upper deck, other years besides 91 Topps having backs that react to UV... etc.

I don't think it matters much which method you use, as long as it stays consistent so you don't have things like "i list only these sorts of things, in this way except 91 topps which is a complete mess so I list it a different way"


I've been considering doing a catalog that covers that stuff, and the method I like is used by one of the stamp catalogs. For complex issues they show the basic set, with usually the very obvious differences. The next two or more pages are the "detailed listing" which includes differences that are far less obvious, and rarely, further info about where to find even more detailed information for specialists - One set has a book showing hundreds of plate flaws. So may they had to come up with a location coding scheme... Yeah, even I think thats crazy, but I own that book, so....