2007 Topps Flashback Fridays

The DeLong Gum Company was a Boston-based firm that issued a 24-card baseball set in 1933. Unfortunately it was the only set the company ever issued. Competing with the first Goudey release the same year, the cards designated as R333, were competing against the larger 240 card Goudey set. The Delong's, considered the more attractive cards, are now rarer and possibly more sought after than Goudey's efforts.

The backs of the cards include detailed playing tips written by Austen Lake, who was a Boston sportswriter. The backs are also numbered and include a message from DeLong Gum.

Flashback Fridays was a promotion involving Topps's Home Team Advantage stores. The first five cards were distributed in special packs (The same five cards are in every pack), with the remaining 20 cards given away, a different card every week. In order to get the card of the week, collectors had to buy a pack of Topps cards.

The 25-card set featured the design of the 1933 DeLong Gum set.
FF1 Ryan Howard
FF2 Derek Jeter
FF3 Ken Griffey, Jr.
FF4 Miguel Tejada
FF5 David Wright
FF6 Alfonso Soriano
FF7 Matt Holliday
FF8 Jason Bay
FF9 Ryan Zimmerman
FF10 Alex Rodriguez
FF11 Jermaine Dye
FF12 Miguel Cabrera
FF13 Johan Santana
FF14 Brandon Webb
FF15 Ivan Rodriguez
FF16 Ichiro Suzuki
FF17 Michael Young
FF18 David Ortiz
FF19 Roger Clemens
FF20 Frank Thomas
FF21 Trevor Hoffman
FF22 Gary Matthews
FF23 Rafael Furcal
FF24 Chipper Jones
FF25 Albert Pujols

2003 Topps Red and Blue Backs insert

When Topps produced its first baseball cards back in 1951 they decided to go with two different sets called Red Backs and Blue Backs, although their official designation is 'A' series and 'B' series respectively.  Their objective was to use baseball cards to increase sales of their candy products. The cards were packaged as two connected cards along with a piece of caramel in a penny pack. Unfortunately the candy would 'melt ' and ruin the cards.

The cards were designed like playing cards, with rounded corners and either a blue or red back. The front showed a players picture and an 'action' (ball, strike, double). Long before Topps Attax the intention was to use the playing cards as a baseball card game. The game didn't catch on with card collectors, which led to a different (and more popular ) approach in 1952.

 

There are 52 cards in the Blue and Red sets, totalling 104 cards.

In 2003 Topps chose to produce an insert set that copied the 1951 design. Inserted in a ratio of about 1 to 12 in hobby packs and 1 to 8 in retail, the Red and Blue back insert is larger than its original counterpart and slightly more affordable.
Blue backs were inserted in Series 1 packs and Red backs in Series 2 packs. The cards are unnumbered although for checklist purposes I have used the designation used at The Cardboard Connection.

Blue Backs set Checklist

1 Albert Pujols
2 Ichiro Suzuki
3 Sammy Sosa
4 Kazuhisa Ishii
5 Alex Rodriguez
6 Derek Jeter
7 Vladimir Guerrero
8 Ken Griffey Jr.
9 Jason Giambi
10 Todd Helton
11 Mike Piazza
12 Nomar Garciaparra
13 Chipper Jones
14 Ivan Rodriguez
15 Luis Gonzalez
16 Pat Burrell
17 Mark Prior
18 Adam Dunn
19 Jeff Bagwell
20 Austin Kearns
21 Alfonso Soriano
22 Jim Thome
23 Bernie Williams
24 Pedro Martinez
25 Lance Berkman
26 Randy Johnson
27 Rafael Palmeiro
28 Richie Sexson
29 Troy Glaus
30 Shawn Green
31 Larry Walker
32 Eric Hinske
33 Andruw Jones
34 Barry Bonds
35 Curt Schilling
36 Greg Maddux
37 Jimmy Rollins
38 Eric Chavez
39 Scott Rolen
40 Mike Sweeney

Red Backs Set Checklist

1 Nomar Garciaparra
2 Ichiro Suzuki
3 Alex Rodriguez
4 Sammy Sosa
5 Barry Bonds
6 Vladimir Guerrero
7 Derek Jeter
8 Miguel Tejada
9 Alfonso Soriano
10 Manny Ramirez
11 Adam Dunn
12 Jason Giambi
13 Mike Piazza
14 Scott Rolen
15 Shawn Green
16 Randy Johnson
17 Todd Helton
18 Garret Anderson
19 Curt Schilling
20 Albert Pujols
21 Chipper Jones
22 Luis Gonzalez
23 Mark Prior
24 Jim Thome
25 Ivan Rodriguez
26 Torii Hunter
27 Lance Berkman
28 Troy Glaus
29 Andruw Jones
30 Barry Zito
31 Jeff Bagwell
32 Magglio Ordonez
33 Pat Burrell
34 Mike Sweeney
35 Rafael Palmeiro
36 Larry Walker
37 Carlos Delgado
38 Brian Giles
39 Pedro Martinez
40 Greg Maddux

2013 Panini Cooperstown insert Colgan's Chips

In 1909 the Colgan's Gum Company in Louisville, Kentucky began producing round discs to fit within the Colgan's tins that held ten pieces of gum and "a ball player in every container".

There are three distinct Colgan's Chip sets with an ACC designation of E254 and E270. The first set E254 or ‘Stars of the Diamond’ were produced from 1909 to 1911. The chips were continuously updated during the two year period as at least several print runs were done to correct style and orientation, as well as show team changes.

As a result there are multiple levels of rarity within the set with some discs being very common and others being extremely rare. The E270 or ‘Red Borders’ and ‘Tin Tops’were produced in 1912 and 13.

The original Colgan’ s Chip set contains several hundred subjects including Honus Wagner, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Ty Cobb.

In 2013 Panini inserted, within the Cooperstown Collection, round discs that replicated the original Colgan’s Chip discs. The 2013 issue has 165 discs featuring players from the nineteenth century, such as Christy Mathewson, Tris Speaker and Nap Lajoie, to the 1990s, with the likes of Dennis Eckersley and Paul Molitor. 

To show the difference between the two, Panini's modern edition are 3/4' larger than the 1 1/2 inch 1909 originals. However, both the front and back of Panini’s modern variation is almost exactly similar in design to the original.

With 1 unnumbered Colgan's Chip disc inserted into each pack of the 2013 Cooperstown Collection, to complete the set will be a long but not insurmountable task.

I have 50 and need 115 left to complete the set.

The complete list of the 2013 Colgan’s Chip discs:

1 Ty Cobb
2 Honus Wagner
3 Walter Johnson
4 Christy Mathewson
5 Tris Speaker
6 Nap Lajoie
7 George Wright
8 Cy Young
9 George Sisler
10 Lou Gehrig
11 Charles Radbourn
12 Cap Anson
13 Rogers Hornsby
14 Kenesaw Landis
15 Dan Brouthers
16 Roger Bresnahan
17 King Kelly
18 Jesse Burkett
19 Frank Chance
20 Joe Tinker
21 Johnny Evers
22 Eddie Plank
23 Ed Walsh
24 Mickey Cochrane
25 Frankie Frisch
26 Carl Hubbell
27 Lefty Grove
28 Pie Traynor
29 Charlie Gehringer
30 Mel Ott
31 Paul Waner
32 Al Simmons
33 Dizzy Dean
34 Bill Dickey
35 Rabbit Maranville
36 Bill Terry
37 Home Run Baker
38 Dazzy Vance
39 Joe Cronin
40 Sam Crawford
41 Zack Wheat
42 Bob Feller
43 Edd Roush
44 Jackie Robinson
45 Sam Rice
46 Miller Huggins
47 Luke Appling
48 Burleigh Grimes
49 Heinie Manush
50 Casey Stengel
51 Lloyd Waner
52 Joe Medwick
53 Goose Goslin
54 Roy Campanella
55 Stan Coveleski
56 Stan Musial
57 Waite Hoyt
58 Lou Boudreau
59 Rube Marquard
60 Satchel Paige
61 Harry Hooper
62 Lefty Gomez
63 Yogi Berra
64 Buck Leonard
65 Early Wynn
66 Josh Gibson
67 Monte Irvin
68 Warren Spahn
69 Jim Bottomley
70 Whitey Ford
71 Ralph Kiner
72 Robin Roberts
73 Fred Lindstrom
74 Bob Lemon
75 Ernie Banks
76 Al Lopez
77 Addie Joss
78 Eddie Mathews
79 Hack Wilson
80 Duke Snider
81 Al Kaline
82 Bob Gibson
83 Frank Robinson
84 Brooks Robinson
85 George Kell
86 Juan Marichal
87 Rick Ferrell
88 Pee Wee Reese
89 Harmon Killebrew
90 Luis Aparicio
91 Lou Brock
92 Arky Vaughan
93 Hoyt Wilhelm
94 Bobby Doerr
95 Willie McCovey
96 Catfish Hunter
97 Willie Stargell
98 Billy Williams
99 Johnny Bench
100 Red Schoendienst
101 Carl Yastrzemski
102 Jim Palmer
103 Joe Morgan
104 Rod Carew
105 Fergie Jenkins
106 Gaylord Perry
107 Tom Seaver
108 Rollie Fingers
109 Reggie Jackson
110 Hal Newhouser
111 Phil Rizzuto
112 Steve Carlton
113 Richie Ashburn
114 Mike Schmidt
115 Jim Bunning
116 Earl Weaver
117 Nellie Fox
118 Phil Niekro
119 Tommy Lasorda
120 Yogi Berra
121 Don Sutton
122 George Brett
123 Nolan Ryan
124 Robin Yount
125 Orlando Cepeda
126 Sparky Anderson
127 Carlton Fisk
128 Tony Perez
129 Bill Mazeroski
130 Kirby Puckett
131 Ozzie Smith
132 Dave Winfield
133 Gary Carter
134 Eddie Murray
135 Dennis Eckersley
136 Paul Molitor
137 Ryne Sandberg
138 Wade Boggs
139 Bruce Sutter
140 Tony Gwynn
141 Cal Ripken Jr.
142 Goose Gossage
143 Dick Williams
144 Rickey Henderson
145 Jim Rice
146 Andre Dawson
147 Roberto Alomar
148 Bert Blyleven
149 Barry Larkin
150 Ron Santo
151 Bowie Kuhn
152 Walter O'Malley
153 Doug Harvey
154 Connie Mack
155 John McGraw
156 Charles Comiskey
157 Buck Ewing
158 Effa Manley
159 Whitey Herzog
160 Nolan Ryan
161 Catfish Hunter
162 Gary Carter
163 Reggie Jackson
164 Joe Morgan
165 Tom Seaver

2012 Topps Heritage

Have you ever obtained a large pile of cards from the same set, just not enough to be a whole set but close enough to taunt you in to submission. Try to complete me, go on I dare you.

Well this was my own recent experience with 2012 Topps Heritage. I looked forward to 2013 Heritage, the design reproduction of the 1964 Topps set, but ended up purchasing a sizable chunk of the 2012 Heritage in the process, not enough to actually be the whole set although enough to consider completing the whole thing. Caught between a rock and a hard place I must choose.

There are 425 cards in the base set and 75 short printed cards numbered 426 to 500,
Fortunately for some collectors there is quite a few 'error' cards, colour swap and red/blue bordered variations. A little annoying if you are after the 'whole set', but team collectors and 'insert' collectors, will enjoy the variety that is offered by Topps Heritage.
I will attempt to complete the 425 base set, gathering as many short prints and inserts as possible along the way.

I have 247 and need 178 to complete the set.
I need these numbers.

1 2 3 5 6 9 12 13 18 19 20 23 25 30 32 33 37 40 43 44 46 53 57 59 66 67 68 70 73 75 76 77 80 81 82 85 87 90 94 97 100 101 108 109 110 111 112 116 124 125 126 127 128 130 133 135 138 139 141 147 148 149 150 152 154 159 161 165 168 170 173 174 175 176 177 180 182 185 187 188 189 191 192 193 194 198 199 200 203 205 207 208 210 211 212 215 219 221 222 223 225 228 232 235 238 240 242 244 249 251 252 255 258 260 261 262 267 268 279 283 286 289 290 292 296 297 298 300 305 306 310 311 312 318 320 322 323 326 327 331 332 337 341 344 347 349 355 359 363 366 368 369 370 376 377 378 380 381 383 387 391 392 393 395 397 401 402 403 404 406 409 410 411 413 414 422 423 424

Short Print
426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 437 438 439 440 441 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 488 489 490 491 492 493 495 496 497 498 499




New Age Performers Odds: 1:15 Packs 
NAP-AP Albert Pujols
NAP-CJ Chipper Jones
NAP-CL Cliff Lee
NAP-DJ Derek Jeter
NAP-JW Jered Weaver
NAP-JV Joey Votto
NAP-JB Jose Bautista
NAP-JB Josh Beckett
NAP-MK Matt Kemp
NAP-MC Miguel Cabrera
NAP-RC Robinson Cano
NAP-RH Roy Halladay
NAP-RB Ryan Braun 
NAP-TL Tim Lincecum
NAP-VM Victor Martinez





News Flashbacks Odds: 1:12 Packs 
NF-A Alcatraz
NF-JK John F. Kennedy
NF-JK John F. Kennedy
NF-MK Martin Luther King, Jr.
NF-MK Martin Luther King, Jr.
NF-PS Penn Station
NF-PP Pope Paul VI 
NF-UA University of Alabama
NF-UC US Cuba
NF-VT Valentina Tereshkova








Baseball Flashbacks Odds: 1:12 Packs 
BF-AK Al Kaline
BF-EW Early Wynn
BF-EB Ernie Banks
BF-HA Hank Aaron
BF-JM Juan Marichal
BF-SK Sandy Koufax
BF-SKO Sandy Koufax
BF-SM Stan Musial
BF-WM Willie Mays 
BF-WMC Willie McCovey

Stick-Ons Odds: 1:8 Packs
1 Miguel Cabrera
2 Nelson Cruz
3 Jose Bautista
4 David Wright
5 Jose Reyes
6 Carlos Gonzalez
7 Josh Hamilton
8 Pablo Sandoval
9 Jacoby Ellsbury
10 Madison Bumgarner
11 David Price
12 Starlin Castro
13 Robinson Cano
14 Chris Carpenter
15 Matt Kemp
16 Andrew McCutchen
17 Ryan Zimmerman
18 Tim Lincecum
19 Ian Kinsler
20 Albert Pujols
21 Ryan Braun
22 Evan Longoria
23 Mark Teixeira
24 Ian Kennedy
25 David Ortiz
26 Justin Upton
27 Ryan Howard
28 Mike Stanton
29 Mariano Rivera
30 Roy Halladay
31 Curtis Granderson
32 Felix Hernandez
33 Troy Tulowitzki
34 Adrian Beltre
35 Joe Mauer
36 Chase Utley
37 Jimmy Rollins 
38 Cliff Lee
39 Hunter Pence
40 Dustin Pedroia
41 Victor Martinez
42 Justin Verlander
43 James Shields
44 Buster Posey
45 Matt Moore
46 Jesus Montero

Then & Now Odds: 1:15 Packs 

TN-KB Harmon Killebrew - Jose Bautista
TN-MB Eddie Mathews - Jose Bautista
TN-HA Hank Aaron - Matt Kemp
TN-CY Carl Yastrzemski - Miguel Cabrera
TN-SK Sandy Koufax - Clayton Kershaw
TN-SK Sandy Koufax - Justin Verlander
TN-JM Juan Marichal - Justin Verlander
TN-JM Juan Marichal - James Shields
TN-AB Luis Aparicio - Michael Bourn
TN-SL Warren Spahn - Cliff Lee