2005 Donruss Team Heroes

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Donruss

Set: Team Heroes

Card Number: 176

Card Type: Base

Donruss produced the Team Heroes brand for 3 years, 2003-2005.  The 2005 set while the last set produced embraced the parallel format that Donruss inserted into most of it's sets in 2005.  If I counted correctly there are 7 parallel sets to the base set.  The theme is pretty simple and the overall design isn't anything to write home to mom about and the backs are pretty boring.  I don't remember even seeing this product on the shelves, but doing a quick internet search boxes had 24 packs and a guaranteed auto.  The big selling point was the Showdown Gold parallel cards numbered to 10.  The set was fairly large by Donruss standards at 440 cards.  

On the Radar - 2016 Panini Diamond Kings

Just a quick blurb.  I combed through the recently released checklist and found Robin's in two different sets and has a total of 4 cards to chase.

Heritage Collection #1
Heritage Collection Sapphire #1 #/25
Sovereign Signatures #20 #/5
Sovereign Signatures Prime #20 #/3

2016 Topps Series 1 Back to Back insert

Year: 2016

Manufacturer: Topps

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Back to Back

Card Number: B2B-8

I was pretty excited to see Robin featured in a few of this year's Topps Series 1 inserts and get the auto and relic treatment, even though I doubt I'll ever own those cards.  But I knew the base inserts would be finding a home in the collection.  I was also curious about the Back to Back insert.  Topps hadn't released any preview images of the set and I always like the Donruss/Panini Back to Back Jacks insert.  I guess the set featured players that were Back to Back in the batting line up and back to back homers as well, at least that what Robin and Paul card commemorates.  I like the idea of the set, but to be honest the graphic just confuses and kind of scares me.   I think it could have been done much better, but in the end I'm still happy to have a card to add to my Yount collection and I always love cards that Robin shares with my second favorite Brewer.

1990 Post Cereal

Year: 1990

Manufacturer: MSA

Set: Post Cereal

Card Number: 26

Card Type: Base, Food Issue

For those that don't know Topps recently released a new food issue set.  I think this came as a surprise to just about everybody.  Topps and Wal-mart teamed up to offer a 50 card set available in specially marked packages of Wal-marts Marketside pizzas.  I do believe we are now calling this the Marketside set.  Overall the cards look ok, much better than any food issue in recent memory and with full logos, team names, and colors.  I think this gives hope that maybe food issue and oddballs might be making a comeback.  Given Wal-mart is a huge corporate entity and has teamed up with Topps on other Wal-mart only card exclusives, but there is hope for us oddball and food issue lovers.  

And what better way to celebrate than with a 25 year old food issue from Post cereals.  One of the original food issue brands Post first put out a card set way back in 1961.  The mid-nineties would see a return of issued sets starting with this 1990 set and running through 1995 and would pop up again in 2001 and 2002.

Manufactured by MSA the cards feature players in all their air-brushy goodness.

2003 Fleer Showcase Base

Year: 2003

Manufacturer: Fleer

Set: Showcase

Card Number: 98

Card Type: Base

Fleer Showcase is an interesting set, as with a lot of product put out by Fleer near the end of its life.  Hobby boxes had 3 types of packs Leather, Lumber, and Jersey.  Each 24 count box had 8 packs of each.  Only certain base cards were found in certain kinds of packs.  Robin's card, #98, was found in the Jersey packs. Almost seems that these base cards should have been serial numbered.  There are two base card parallels, Legacy numbered to 150 and Masterpiece numbered to just 1.

I think the design is suppose to mimic those old cabinet cards from a 100 years ago and it's not a bad looking card, simple.  The backs are pretty sparse.

On the radar - 2016 Topps Legacies of Baseball

Topps just released the checklist for it's new Legacies of Baseball.  From the promo images it kind of looks like Topps Fire and Valor had a baby and this is what came out.  I'll wait to pass judgement until I see live photos though.

Robin is featured in Lasting Imprints insert set.  Sadly he's not featured in the Autographed version.
These inserts will be serial numbered, but to what we won't know till it's released next week.  The checklist also list 3 parallels, purple also numbered but not stated to what, Red #/5 and Black #/1.  The set also features a few other Brewers, Ryan Braun and Paul Molitor, plus Rollie Fingers, but as an Athletic.

The product is high end with an estimated price tag of between $150 and $200 dollars.  Box break down is pretty simple, One pack per box, 4 cards per pack: 2 Autos, 1 Vault Metal card, and 1 insert #'d to 99 or less.  I'll probably be hunting down at least Robin's base version.

1993 Donruss Triple Play

Year: 1993

Manufacturer: Donruss

Set: Triple Play

Card Number: 188

Card Type: Base

If Donruss' flagship baseball was too expensive for you in 1993 Donruss offered and even cheaper alternative in Triple Play.  I'm sure most of us remember good old Triple Play, 1993 marks the second of the three sets released between 1992 and 1994, before Panini resurrected it in 2013.  Simple in design I think I like the 1993 set the best although the 1994 set had a more mainstream look.  There were a couple inserts you could pull, but Triple Play was pretty bare bones.  Black bordered cards are always tough to keep in mint condition and it's the same with this set.  But the black and red borders do look nice.  The back is pretty minimal as well with another player photo, but only one year of stats, a small blurb and trivia question, and sparse personal data.