Has the Junk card era ended? If so, when?

[OhioLawyerF5]

I'm a big fan of 2024, even though it came after that picture.



And it looks good in a parallel, too.

[judsonhamlin]

2024 is decent. Last design that looks good to me is 2006. I respect 07 but don’t love it

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by judsonhamlin

2024 is decent. Last design that looks good to me is 2006. I respect 07 but don’t love it

It’s not that they’re bad designs…it’s that they’re so nondescript. None of them can really be bad or good, because there’s just nothing distinctive that would stand out one way or the other. Plus it seems like they all use the same background-blurring effect.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

And it looks good in a parallel, too.

That card looks sensational! How many are there in that series?

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

That card looks sensational! How many are there in that series?

That particular card is the gold logofractor numbered to 50. There are other colors with different serial numbers, though.

The whole rainbow is:

Purple /250
Aqua /199
Blue /150
Green /99
Gold /50
Orange /25
Black /10
Red /5
Rose Gold 1/1

Which is actually a tiny rainbow in today's world.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

That particular card is the gold logofractor numbered to 50. There are other colors with different serial numbers, though.

The whole rainbow is:

Purple /250
Aqua /199
Blue /150
Green /99
Gold /50
Orange /25
Black /10
Red /5
Rose Gold 1/1

Which is actually a tiny rainbow in today's world.

So then I take it that Elly de la Cruz is available in that pose in that rainbow of effects. But is there a whole set, or a certain subset, of other players available that way? And do you have any Cruz cards in those other rainbow colours?

And is this the Aqua Cruz or is it part of a different RayWave Refractor parallel series of effects?

(Not mine.)

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

So then I take it that Elly de la Cruz is available in that pose in that rainbow of effects. But is there a whole set, or a certain subset, of other players available that way? And do you have any Cruz cards in those other rainbow colours?



And is this the Aqua Cruz or is it part of a different RayWave Refractor parallel series of effects?



(Not mine.)

It's complicated. The card you posted is from the regular Topps Chrome set. It is the Aqua Raywave parallel. There are a TON of parallels in that set with lots of colors and patterns. The one I posted is technically from a different product called Topps Chrome Logofractor Edition. All the parallels in Logofractor Edition have that same pattern with the MLB logo.

https://www.baseballcardpedia.com/in...me_Logofractor

https://baseballcardpedia.com/index....4_Topps_Chrome

Here are all the parallels in the regular Topps Chrome release:

Refractors – (1:3 hobby, 1:1 jumbo, 1:1 breaker, 1:4 value, 1:3 monster)
Pink Refractors – (1:4 value)
Prism Refractors – (1:6 hobby, 1:2 jumbo, 1:7 value, 1:7 monster)
RayWave Refractors – (1:9 value, 1:4 monster)
Sepia Refractors – (1:4 value)
X-Fractors – (1:1 monster)
Negative Refractors – (1:89 hobby, 1:27 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:249 value, 1:101 monster)
Magenta Speckle Refractors – /350 (1:102 hobby, 1:31 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:285 value, 1:116 monster)
Purple Speckle Refractors – /299 (1:119 hobby, 1:36 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:334 value, 1:136 monster)
Sonar Purple Refractors – /275 (1:109 value, 1:73 monster)
Purple Refractors – /250 (1:143 hobby, 1:44 jumbo, 1:4 breaker, 1:403 value, 1:164 monster)
Aqua Refractors – /199 (1:179 hobby, 1:55 jumbo, 1:5 breaker, 1:503 value, 1:205 monster)
Aqua Lava Refractors – /199 (1:179 hobby, 1:55 jumbo, 1:5 breaker, 1:503 value, 1:205 monster)
RayWave Aqua Refractors – /199 (1:151 value, 1:101 monster)
Blue Refractors – /150 (1:238 hobby, 1:73 jumbo, 1:6 breaker, 1:669 value, 1:271 monster)
RayWave Blue Refractors – /150 (1:200 value, 1:134 monster)
Sonar Blue Refractors – /125 (1:285 hobby, 1:87 jumbo, 1:7 breaker, 1:804 value, 1:326 monster)
Lightboard Logo – (1:280 value, 1:140 monster)
Green Refractors – /99 (1:361 hobby, 1:110 jumbo, 1:9 breaker, 1:1,016 value, 1:413 monster)
Green Wave Refractors – /99 (1:185 hobby, 1:57 jumbo, 1:62 breaker)
RayWave Green Refractors – /99 (1:304 value, 1:203 monster)
Sonar Green Refractors – /99 (1:361 hobby, 1:110 jumbo, 1:9 breaker, 1:1,016 value, 1:413 monster)
Blue Wave Refractors – /75 (1:245 hobby, 1:76 jumbo, 1:82 breaker)
Gold Refractors – /50 (1:714 hobby, 1:218 jumbo, 1:18 breaker, 1:2,014 value, 1:817 monster)
Gold Wave Refractors – /50 (1:367 hobby, 1:113 jumbo, 1:122 breaker)
RayWave Gold Refractors – /50 (1:601 value, 1:402 monster)
Big Apple Refractors – less than 50 copies each (Fanatics Fest NYC boxes only)
Orange Refractors – /25 (1:388 hobby)
Orange Wave Refractors – /25 (1:733 hobby, 1:226 jumbo, 1:244 breaker)
RayWave Orange Refractors – /25 (1:1,201 value, 1:800 monster)
Black Refractors – /10 (1:1,833 hobby, 1:564 jumbo, 1:626 breaker)
RayWave Black Refractors – /10 (1:3,012 value, 1:2,013 monster)
Frozenfractors – /-5 (1:506 jumbo)
Red Refractors – /5 (1:7,117 hobby, 1:2,163 jumbo, 1:173 breaker, 1:20,184 value, 1:8,336 monster)
Red Wave Refractors – /5 (1:3,657 hobby, 1:1,127 jumbo, 1:1,251 breaker)
RayWave Red Refractors – /5 (1:6,024 value, 1:4,025 monster)
Printing Plates – 1/1 (1:8,896 hobby, 1:2,722 jumbo, 1:218 breaker, 1:25,281 value, 1:10,610 monster; each has Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow versions)
Superfractors – 1/1 (1:35,584 hobby, 1:11,011 jumbo, 1:834 breaker, 1:104,587 value, 1:40,062 monster)

As you can see, it gets insane. It's why I said we may be in a junk parallel era. It's why I pick one or two that I like of each player I collect, and that's it.

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

It's complicated.

As you can see, it gets insane. It's why I said we may be in a junk parallel era. It's why I pick one or two that I like of each player I collect, and that's it.

I agree! Even the most determined set/subset collector would need to take a very focused rifle shot approach.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

I agree! Even the most determined set/subset collector would need to take a very focused rifle shot approach.

I grabbed a bunch of India rookies, because I really like him, and didn't come close to the complete rainbow.



I have gone for some of the smaller rainbows instead, like this complete Hunter Greene from Holiday, which includes the Gold Snowflake 1/1.

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Here are all the parallels in the regular Topps Chrome release:

Refractors – (1:3 hobby, 1:1 jumbo, 1:1 breaker, 1:4 value, 1:3 monster)
Pink Refractors – (1:4 value)
Prism Refractors – (1:6 hobby, 1:2 jumbo, 1:7 value, 1:7 monster)
RayWave Refractors – (1:9 value, 1:4 monster)
Sepia Refractors – (1:4 value)
X-Fractors – (1:1 monster)
Negative Refractors – (1:89 hobby, 1:27 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:249 value, 1:101 monster)
Magenta Speckle Refractors – /350 (1:102 hobby, 1:31 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:285 value, 1:116 monster)
Purple Speckle Refractors – /299 (1:119 hobby, 1:36 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:334 value, 1:136 monster)
Sonar Purple Refractors – /275 (1:109 value, 1:73 monster)
Purple Refractors – /250 (1:143 hobby, 1:44 jumbo, 1:4 breaker, 1:403 value, 1:164 monster)
Aqua Refractors – /199 (1:179 hobby, 1:55 jumbo, 1:5 breaker, 1:503 value, 1:205 monster)
Aqua Lava Refractors – /199 (1:179 hobby, 1:55 jumbo, 1:5 breaker, 1:503 value, 1:205 monster)
RayWave Aqua Refractors – /199 (1:151 value, 1:101 monster)
Blue Refractors – /150 (1:238 hobby, 1:73 jumbo, 1:6 breaker, 1:669 value, 1:271 monster)
RayWave Blue Refractors – /150 (1:200 value, 1:134 monster)
Sonar Blue Refractors – /125 (1:285 hobby, 1:87 jumbo, 1:7 breaker, 1:804 value, 1:326 monster)
Lightboard Logo – (1:280 value, 1:140 monster)
Green Refractors – /99 (1:361 hobby, 1:110 jumbo, 1:9 breaker, 1:1,016 value, 1:413 monster)
Green Wave Refractors – /99 (1:185 hobby, 1:57 jumbo, 1:62 breaker)
RayWave Green Refractors – /99 (1:304 value, 1:203 monster)
Sonar Green Refractors – /99 (1:361 hobby, 1:110 jumbo, 1:9 breaker, 1:1,016 value, 1:413 monster)
Blue Wave Refractors – /75 (1:245 hobby, 1:76 jumbo, 1:82 breaker)
Gold Refractors – /50 (1:714 hobby, 1:218 jumbo, 1:18 breaker, 1:2,014 value, 1:817 monster)
Gold Wave Refractors – /50 (1:367 hobby, 1:113 jumbo, 1:122 breaker)
RayWave Gold Refractors – /50 (1:601 value, 1:402 monster)
Big Apple Refractors – less than 50 copies each (Fanatics Fest NYC boxes only)
Orange Refractors – /25 (1:388 hobby)
Orange Wave Refractors – /25 (1:733 hobby, 1:226 jumbo, 1:244 breaker)
RayWave Orange Refractors – /25 (1:1,201 value, 1:800 monster)
Black Refractors – /10 (1:1,833 hobby, 1:564 jumbo, 1:626 breaker)
RayWave Black Refractors – /10 (1:3,012 value, 1:2,013 monster)
Frozenfractors – /-5 (1:506 jumbo)
Red Refractors – /5 (1:7,117 hobby, 1:2,163 jumbo, 1:173 breaker, 1:20,184 value, 1:8,336 monster)
Red Wave Refractors – /5 (1:3,657 hobby, 1:1,127 jumbo, 1:1,251 breaker)
RayWave Red Refractors – /5 (1:6,024 value, 1:4,025 monster)
Printing Plates – 1/1 (1:8,896 hobby, 1:2,722 jumbo, 1:218 breaker, 1:25,281 value, 1:10,610 monster; each has Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow versions)
Superfractors – 1/1 (1:35,584 hobby, 1:11,011 jumbo, 1:834 breaker, 1:104,587 value, 1:40,062 monster)

Good lord. Does it say on the back of the card which of these 683 variations it is, or do you just have to make your best guess as to whether it’s a Red Wave Refractor or a Red Raywave Refractor?

Must be extraordinarily difficult for color-blind collectors nowadays!

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by ASF123

Good lord. Does it say on the back of the card which of these 683 variations it is, or do you just have to make your best guess as to whether it’s a Red Wave Refractor or a Red Raywave Refractor?



Must be extraordinarily difficult for color-blind collectors nowadays!

The patterns are fairly consistently named. So, if you know what a raywave pattern is, all you need to know is what color it is. And if you're color blind, you can go by the numbering. That said, even for people who are well-versed in ultra-modern parallels, it can be hard to distinguish a speckle from a mini-diamond, etc...

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by ASF123

Good lord. Does it say on the back of the card which of these 683 variations it is, or do you just have to make your best guess as to whether it’s a Red Wave Refractor or a Red Raywave Refractor?

Don't they have a letter + numerical code to help you figure this out?

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Here are all the parallels in the regular Topps Chrome release:

Refractors – (1:3 hobby, 1:1 jumbo, 1:1 breaker, 1:4 value, 1:3 monster)
Pink Refractors – (1:4 value)
Prism Refractors – (1:6 hobby, 1:2 jumbo, 1:7 value, 1:7 monster)
RayWave Refractors – (1:9 value, 1:4 monster)
Sepia Refractors – (1:4 value)
X-Fractors – (1:1 monster)
Negative Refractors – (1:89 hobby, 1:27 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:249 value, 1:101 monster)
Magenta Speckle Refractors – /350 (1:102 hobby, 1:31 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:285 value, 1:116 monster)
Purple Speckle Refractors – /299 (1:119 hobby, 1:36 jumbo, 1:3 breaker, 1:334 value, 1:136 monster)
Sonar Purple Refractors – /275 (1:109 value, 1:73 monster)
Purple Refractors – /250 (1:143 hobby, 1:44 jumbo, 1:4 breaker, 1:403 value, 1:164 monster)
Aqua Refractors – /199 (1:179 hobby, 1:55 jumbo, 1:5 breaker, 1:503 value, 1:205 monster)
Aqua Lava Refractors – /199 (1:179 hobby, 1:55 jumbo, 1:5 breaker, 1:503 value, 1:205 monster)
RayWave Aqua Refractors – /199 (1:151 value, 1:101 monster)
Blue Refractors – /150 (1:238 hobby, 1:73 jumbo, 1:6 breaker, 1:669 value, 1:271 monster)
RayWave Blue Refractors – /150 (1:200 value, 1:134 monster)
Sonar Blue Refractors – /125 (1:285 hobby, 1:87 jumbo, 1:7 breaker, 1:804 value, 1:326 monster)
Lightboard Logo – (1:280 value, 1:140 monster)
Green Refractors – /99 (1:361 hobby, 1:110 jumbo, 1:9 breaker, 1:1,016 value, 1:413 monster)
Green Wave Refractors – /99 (1:185 hobby, 1:57 jumbo, 1:62 breaker)
RayWave Green Refractors – /99 (1:304 value, 1:203 monster)
Sonar Green Refractors – /99 (1:361 hobby, 1:110 jumbo, 1:9 breaker, 1:1,016 value, 1:413 monster)
Blue Wave Refractors – /75 (1:245 hobby, 1:76 jumbo, 1:82 breaker)
Gold Refractors – /50 (1:714 hobby, 1:218 jumbo, 1:18 breaker, 1:2,014 value, 1:817 monster)
Gold Wave Refractors – /50 (1:367 hobby, 1:113 jumbo, 1:122 breaker)
RayWave Gold Refractors – /50 (1:601 value, 1:402 monster)
Big Apple Refractors – less than 50 copies each (Fanatics Fest NYC boxes only)
Orange Refractors – /25 (1:388 hobby)
Orange Wave Refractors – /25 (1:733 hobby, 1:226 jumbo, 1:244 breaker)
RayWave Orange Refractors – /25 (1:1,201 value, 1:800 monster)
Black Refractors – /10 (1:1,833 hobby, 1:564 jumbo, 1:626 breaker)
RayWave Black Refractors – /10 (1:3,012 value, 1:2,013 monster)
Frozenfractors – /-5 (1:506 jumbo)
Red Refractors – /5 (1:7,117 hobby, 1:2,163 jumbo, 1:173 breaker, 1:20,184 value, 1:8,336 monster)
Red Wave Refractors – /5 (1:3,657 hobby, 1:1,127 jumbo, 1:1,251 breaker)
RayWave Red Refractors – /5 (1:6,024 value, 1:4,025 monster)
Printing Plates – 1/1 (1:8,896 hobby, 1:2,722 jumbo, 1:218 breaker, 1:25,281 value, 1:10,610 monster; each has Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow versions)
Superfractors – 1/1 (1:35,584 hobby, 1:11,011 jumbo, 1:834 breaker, 1:104,587 value, 1:40,062 monster)

Two questions:

1. Is there a base set in there somewhere? All those Parallels are to a base set of some sort, are they not?

2. How many cases of boxes would a collector need to open to get any kind of feel for what the issue is all about?

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

Two questions:



1. Is there a base set in there somewhere? All those Parallels are to a base set of some sort, are they not?



2. How many cases of boxes would a collector need to open to get any kind of feel for what the issue is all about?

1. Yes. Those are all parallels of the base set.

2. Opening boxes looking for specific cards is a fools errand. Most people get a feel for what is in a product by watching breaks. But like I said, the parallel patterns are fairly consistent across products. So it's more about a general education on ultra-modern cards, and that knowledge will carry over into most products, only needing to learn a few nuances of each set. And that can be done with a quick look at the checklist and odds sheet. As with any era of collecting, it just takes a little effort to learn. No one jumps into ultra-modern and knows it all right away (or ever), just like no one jumps into pre-war and knows it all instantly. In fact, the education to be well-versed in ultra-modern modern was far easier than the one to learn pre-war, in my opinion.