2008 Topps Triple Threads Emerald Parallel

Year: 2008

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: Triple Threads

Card Number: 138

Card Type: Parallel

Parallel Set: Emerald

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 235/240

2008 was the third year of Topps' mid-high end product.  This wasn't Topps' most premium brand at the time, that was Sterling, but Triple Threads was a close second. It's a set that's composition really hasn't changed much since it was first introduced in 2006.  The base cards in the 2008 set have this bumpy texture to them which is kind of odd, but I love that the serial numbering is huge.  I also like the vintage image used for the card and we can date the image to sometime pre-1978 from the uniform and batting helmet.

Additionally while the backs are pretty much a right-off, the card number is large and the back is colored to match the parallel and isn't just a back used across all the parallels like alot of Topps' sets today.

2014 Topps Triple Threads Emerald Parallel

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Card Set: Triple Threads

Year: 2014

Card Number: 21

Card Type: Base Color Parallel

Parallel Type: Emerald

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 233/250

Something Green!  I do believe this was another Black Friday pick up last year.  I find myself less and less interested in chasing down parallels, but if I can find one cheap that I don't have I'll never say no.

Pretty typical Triple Threads design with the player cropped and featured.  I do like the way that it looks like Robin is bursting out of the card with the foil border being interrupted.  Still looks nice and that's kind of the point with Triple Threads and the other high end Topps products.  Even the base cards are meant to be centerpieces even if they are just product filler.

2014 Topps Tribute Emerald Parallel

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Card Set: Topps Tribute

Year: 2014

Card Number: 39

Card Type: Base Color Parallel

Parallel Type: Emerald 

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 23/50

It's hard for me to pass up a low numbered parallel that I don't have.  I ended up picking this up on COMC during Black Friday for a ridiculous price.  And I've seen comments on how deals were really hard to find this year on the site, which is kind of true.  Once COMC and Beckett parted ways the list prices got a little crazy for some cards.  Say what you will about Beckett pricing, but at least it put a ceiling on the craziness, and most sellers would try and come in well below to make the cards look like a bargain.  Even still while some of the great deals of the past weren't to be found there were plenty of deals for me to spend my hard earned store credit on and this 2014 Tribute Emerald parallel was one of those.  

 I don't consider myself a slave to parallels when player collecting. If someone had been trying to get $15-20 for this card I would have easily just passed it up, but being able to pick this up for less than what shipping would have been on ebay, well that's a no brainer for me. 

Tribute is known more for it's hits than it's base design, but it's still not bad.  This year has a very art deco feel and even if they recycled a heavily used image of Robin it's not a bad looking card.

It did seem like they skimped a little bit on the back of the card.