2015 Topps Finest Generations

Year: 2015

Manufacturer: Topps

Card Set: Finest

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Generations

Card number: FG-20

I was finally able to get my hands on one of Robin's newest cards.  It's nice to see Robin featured in the set somewhere.  These base Generations inserts fall about one per mini box, although I could be wrong about that.  There is also an autograph version of this set, but Robin isn't featured in it.  This insert also has three parallels all extremely rare.  The refractor is numbered to just 25, the red refractor to 5 and the superfractor to just one.

As far as design goes I'm less than blown away, but a new card is a new card.  And with the parallels being so low numbered this will probably be the only version I get.  And as I posted before, Topps was offering this design as wall art on their website.

1983 Sporting News Official Baseball Guide

Year: 1983

What: The Sporting News Official Baseball Guide

Back in April I post about some old panels I had picked up years ago.  Tony L over at Off Hiatus Sport Cards asked what they were in my Yount checklist.  I had to dig them out and after looking at them I was kind of stumped as well.  Back when I won them they were listed as SGM panels and I was a little disappointed when I got them to see that they were just cut outs of some magazine or book.  Well that got me thinking and doing a little searching and I concluded that they probably come from the 1983 Sporting News Official Baseball Guide, but without being able to actually look at the guide I couldn't know for sure.  

So after a little searching I found a copy for a penny on Amazon. Yep a whole penny, plus $3.99 shipping.  I can handle 4 bucks.  Not only that but the Guide features Robin on the cover so it was a win win for me.  I get a new piece of memorabilia and I get to find out if those panels were in the book.

Well I'm happy to report that the mystery is over and those panels did indeed come from this guide.  I guess someone decided to see if they could make a little money by cutting out panels and I guess they did because I bought two.

The book I received was an old library copy with the paperback cover being reinforced with acetate and the library number on the spine. Inside is piled full of statistics, write ups on the previous years season by team, and a great write up on the 1982 World Series, the Brewers one and only appearance.

2010 Topps Cards Your Mom Threw Out 1975

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Year: 2010

Card Set: Series 1 Baseball

Card Number: CMT-24

Card Type: Insert 

Insert Set: Cards Your Mom Threw Out - Basic Back

In 2010 Topps hit upon an idea that ended up being hugely successful, The Cards Your Mom Threw Out online promotion.  If you don't remember the premise I'll sum it up.  Seeded in Series 1, 2 and Update were code cards.  You set up an account online, entered your codes, and you got a card.  Then you could trade that card or have it actually shipped to you.  I can't remember what Topps charged for shipping, heck it might have even been free.  I ended up getting some great 50's and 60's cards.  Not of anyone big, but it was cool to unlock a 56 Topps card.  Of course I also unlocked a huge amount of junk wax and condition was an issue, but free cards are free cards.  Topps continues with it's online code promotions today, but they pale in comparison to this first attempt.  

In addition to the promotion Topps also had an insert called Cards Your Mom Threw Out that ran through all three series.  They featured classic cards from all years and also featured an original back parallel.  Robin would get two cards in the set, his 1975 rookie card was featured in Series 1 and his 1985 Topps card for some reason in Series 2.  Topps loves to reprint it's old cards and maybe it's time they stop.  At least once a year I think we get a reprint of some sort of Robin's 1975 card.

2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Mini Box Variation

Year: 2011

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Card Set: Gypsy Queen

Card Number: 61

Card Type: Mini parallel

Parallel Type: Mini box photo variation

The inaugural year of the Gypsy Queen brand.  And with a new brand came new gimmicks.  For Gypsy Queen that meant paper frame parallels, framed mini relics and full size relics, SPs, and of course a cool mini box within the main hobby box that contained mini variations and mini versions of the insert cards that you couldn't find in the regular packs.  For me the base design is way too bland and yes I know it was meant to mimic the original Gypsy Queen tobacco set.  I've never been a huge fan of Gypsy Queen mainly because I hate the manufactured short print, but everything I love about the retro Allen and Ginter isn't in this set.

That being said I do love new Yount cards and Gypsy Queen over the years has been very good to us Yount collectors in that respect.  Robin gets lots of love being placed in the mini boxes, framed parallel checklists, and usually getting relic and auto cards too.

2012 Panini Cooperstown

Card Manufacturer: Panini

Year: 2012

Card Set: Cooperstown

Card Number: 106

Card Type: Base

The inaugural year of Panini's Cooperstown brand.  Panini has got a lot of mileage out of it's Hall of Fame license and it all started here.  The design is interesting, I have a hard time deciding if I like it or not, but with so much information hidden around the card it's hard not to like it even if Panini used black and white photos, can't use logos, and opted for only one stat year on the back.  But I like the induction year on the top of the front of the card, the active playing years bracketing the player name on the back, and nice write up on the back.

Robin has a bunch of inserts in the set and an autograph.  This base card has one parallel, the Crystal Collection, serial numbered to 299 that were seeded 3 per hobby box.

2012 Topps Golden Moments Insert

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Year: 2012

Card Set: Topps Update

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Golden Moments

Card Number: GM-U26

Not to be confused with the Golden Moments Die Cut cards that were available though Topps' online promotion in 2012, the Golden Moments insert was a continuity insert that ran through Series 1 and 2 and into Update.  The Update set is denoted by the U in the numbering on the back.  

This insert set had autographs, relics and auto relics available for some players and I was excited to see Robin in the set, but disappointed to find out that he did not have any of the other variations.  It's sad because this is one of those inserts that was designed for the autograph and relic versions.  The relic would have gone with there home plate and logo is and the autograph would have been inserted around Robin's waste.

The card commemorates Robin's awesome day at the ballpark on the last day of the season in 1982 and moving on to the ALCS.

21st Century Digital Yount Revisited

I first mentioned Topps' Bunt cards about a year ago.  If you're curious here's a quick link to the post.

Since that post and Robin's two original cards Topps has release 4 more.  Personally I have no interest in  these "cards".  They hold as much value as the images I've captured and am going to share.   Looking at some eBay auctions of the digital cards others don't feel that way and that's fine, to each their own.  But as a Yount collector I've taken it upon myself to also try to be a Yount historian and chronicler of his cards and memorabilia. You won't hear me call myself an expert, by any means, but this is my attempt.  I've even made a page up top to help inventory these things.  Since they don't physically exist they don't belong in the master checklist, but since they do exist at least as zeroes and ones we'll give them their do and their own page.

Topps labels all their cards sequentially as they are released.  No sub-numbering inserts, each digital card gets it's own unique card number.  The "backs" also feature the print run, and depending on the insert sometimes stats and facts.

The two cards near the bottom, Robin's Archive cards and auto parallel were just released last week.  

While I don't put any value on the cards themselves it's interesting to see the designers come up with new inserts and be able to release them in digital packs immediately.  And while some inserts are based on  real inserts from various Topps products it'll be interesting to see if any of these digital designs make it into the physical product.