Anyone changing their collecting plans when Topps is gone?

[53toppscollector]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

I might go the other way. Im some 1952/53 cards away from having 1952-1990. I stopped in 90, and only have those later sets for nostalgia. I have long not been interested in modern although I did put a 2021 base set together from packs this year, not sure why. Seeing that there may be a clear ending soon, I may now go back and get all the sets 1991-2025 or whatever to complete the Topps run. Only base sets. I don't know, may be a waste of time as again, modern does not excite me at all. But I am still a collector.

the part of this that is unappealing to me is being able to just go buy a factory sealed set for less than $100. the thrill of putting together a vintage set is that you cant just go buy the whole thing cheaply. you can buy lots of late 50s/early 60s cards for $2-3 per card, but you'll get some ugly cards, which you then have to replace. slowly piecing together a set card by card, upgrading along the way, is the real fun in having complete sets, imo.

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by 53toppscollector

the part of this that is unappealing to me is being able to just go buy a factory sealed set for less than $100. the thrill of putting together a vintage set is that you cant just go buy the whole thing cheaply. you can buy lots of late 50s/early 60s cards for $2-3 per card, but you'll get some ugly cards, which you then have to replace. slowly piecing together a set card by card, upgrading along the way, is the real fun in having complete sets, imo.

100% completely agree...and that reason is why I am continuing to do duplicate vintage sets...

I will admit though that I do love sorting a complete set, and putting them into a binder. Takes time, but satisfying. That's a lot of real estate though, 90 - 2025!

[mikemb]

Originally Posted by Harliduck

100% completely agree...and that reason is why I am continuing to do duplicate vintage sets...

I will admit though that I do love sorting a complete set, and putting them into a binder. Takes time, but satisfying. That's a lot of real estate though, 90 - 2025!

Yep that is the fun part.

Mike

[egri]

I haven't picked up a modern Topps product in years; I think the most recent thing was about 4-5 years ago I picked up a couple of 1980s wax packs for the fun of ripping them. The last time I bought something brand new from them would've been 11-12 years ago. I don't plan to change my collecting habits; the shiny stuff just doesn't appeal to me. I'm not a big fan of the Heritage products either; I'd rather collect the originals.

[toppcat]

It's a good bet Topps will end up licensing their name to Fanatics, its valuable in that sense for sports cards. They are owned by a private fund anyway right now. The connection to the old Topps and the Shorin's has been gone since Eisner and his other investors bought the company in 2007 anyway.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by toppcat

It's a good bet Topps will end up licensing their name to Fanatics, its valuable in that sense for sports cards. They are owned by a private fund anyway right now. The connection to the old Topps and the Shorin's has been gone since Eisner and his other investors bought the company in 2007 anyway.

I too think Topps will live on via licensing to or acquisition by Fanatics.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by egri

I haven't picked up a modern Topps product in years; I think the most recent thing was about 4-5 years ago I picked up a couple of 1980s wax packs for the fun of ripping them. The last time I bought something brand new from them would've been 11-12 years ago. I don't plan to change my collecting habits; the shiny stuff just doesn't appeal to me. I'm not a big fan of the Heritage products either; I'd rather collect the originals.

I could not agree more. It won't effect me. Last "new" Topps I actually went out and bought was 1992/93 Stadium Club, and I traded all of them not long after for a Derek Jeter RC, which I still have, raw and ungraded. I have some junk wax given to me by one of my nephews, but they are packed away in a box somewhere in the closet. I have a binder of my favorite cards, and no complete sets other than 53 Bowman in it's own binder, newest cards in it are 1977 Topps, and a clear plastic box of various Topps duplicates. I traded away a bunch of my various dupes (I do still have one each of what I traded away) when building the 53 Bowman set, primarily 1960 and 61 Topps, and some 1957s and 58s.

[deweyinthehall]

Right now, I have Topps base master sets from 1969-1996 (used to have more in both directions, but needed some cash a few years back and sold some off). I am planning on going back (1968, etc.) and forth (1997, etc.) in coming years. The thought of Topps leaving the hobby, even if it stays alive in name if not in spirit, is depressing, but it does give me impetus to "fill in" the missing years. When they stopped doing football a number of years back I was still collecting that sport - I had Topps sets from 1970-2013, and though OK I'm going to fill out the run - then I lost interest in the NFL for a number of reasons, and sold all my Football, so that went by the boards. Won't lose interest in baseball, though. If the Topps name survives, I MIGHT be interested, but if the name goes away, I'm done with anything past 2025 for sure.

Question for those more plugged into the hobby than I am - I know Topps stopped doing Football, Basketball and Hockey over the last 15 years or so. Other than baseball cards, what do they print these days??

[53toppscollector]

Topps has soccer rights for the big European leagues. And I think F1 too

[toppcat]

Star Wars, tons of non-sports, etc too.