Another Episode of - Haven't I Seen That Before?

Funny story... I posted the 2017 Series 1 Yount checklist and was just casually scrolling down my blog feed when I notice something and it made me do a double take.  I'll be honest had I not just done a post about Robin's 2005 Upper Deck Past Time Pennants card this would have totally escaped me.  I had to laugh.  Not only does Topps recycle the same image over and over again within it's own products, yes I know they use licensed images, but now we get to see Topps use images that other card companies have used.  I'm not mad it just makes me shake my head a little.  I mean Robin played baseball for 20 years!  I'm sure he had tens of thousands of potential images that could be used.  That's probably why I was a big cheerleader for his Stadium Club card last year.  It was unique to the set being the only card not to feature a player doing something basebally, and it was an image I hadn't seen used before.  

Here's a nice side by side.

2017 Topps Series 1 Yount Checklist and Gallery

As posted about earlier Robin has six cards if the checklists are to be believed.  And cards are already starting to pop up for sale.

Topps Series 1 Salute S-17
Topps Series 1 Salute S-17 Red #/25
Topps Series 1 Salute S-17 Platinum #/1
Topps Series 1 Salute Autographs TSA-RY
Topps Series 1 Salute Autographs TSA-RY Red #/25
Topps Series 1 Salute Autographs TSA-RY Platinum #/1

1984 Topps 1983 All-Star Game Commemorative Set Rack Pack insert

Year: 1984

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: 1983 All-Star Game Commemorative Set

Card Number: 5

Card Type: Insert

If you bought any 3 blister rack packs from the 80's you'll remember these glossy inserts. Robin was a 3 time All-Star with 1983 being his last appearance.  These inserts are fun to collect and back in the mid-80's before inserts starting showing up in packs these were some of the only non-base cards to be found.  Plus they were glossy and colorful and printed on better card stock.  You could find these seeded one per rack pack and I'm sure there were plenty of kids digging through the racks looking for cards to complete their set and their favorite players.  These are still pretty easy to find and pretty cheap to pick up.

2005 Upper Deck Past Time Pennants

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set: Past Time Pennants

Card Number: 70

Card Type: Base

Recently there was a discussion going around Twitter about what to call the base cards of a set, base or commons.  It's funny to me because when Panini bought Donruss a few years back and started putting out sets, their sell sheets referred to the base cards as commons.  And more than once I told Panini to stop calling the base cards commons.  Here's the thing the term common refers to the scarcity of the cards, so while the base set is most definitely the most numerous cards in a release and hence common, referring to them as the common set already denotes them as mostly worthless.  And for me and many other collectors that's just not true. 

I'm a big fan of the base set.  For me a modern card product is build like a pyramid.  With the base set as the foundation for the release.  It's what all the other inserts and parallels are built around.  It's probably the my biggest gripe with the industry as a whole as we are starting to see more and more sets released with no base cards at all.

I think the mid 2000's, especially 2005, epitomizes my pyramid analogy.  Especially just about every set Donruss and Upper Deck put out that year.  Past Time Pennants was no different.  Lots of parallels and inserts to chase.  But I still love a good base card.

A great action shot on the front and a nice write up on the back with Robin's 5 best year stats listed. For my money I would rather have 20 different base cards featuring Robin than one relic or auto card in my collection, but that's just me.

2014 Topps High Tek Spiral Variation

Year: 2014

Card Manufacturer: Topps 

Card Set: High Tek

Card Number: HT-RY

Card Type: Base Variation

Variation: Spirals

I was digging around my draft posts  (I have a ton of cards scanned) and was surprised I still had one Topp Tek pattern variations I hadn't posted.  I'm still missing a couple variations in the middle of rarity, but I'm happy the two rarest variations are already in my collection.  That said the Spiral variation is not rare.  It's the second most common behind the base pattern.  I love that Robin was included in the inaugural relaunch of the brand.  I was a little disappointed how half-assed Topps was about it though. No pattern designation on the back and all the base cards are lettered instead of numbered.  Not only that but even the autograph cards aren't noted on the card labeling.  But I'm still a sucker for acetate.

2017 Topps Series 1 New Younts confirmed!!

Just a quick heads up.  We are still a few weeks away from the release of 2017 Topps Series 1, but Topps released the checklist, although it's not complete, because card numbered have not been assigned to the base cards.  That said it looks like all the inserts are correctly labeled and Robin is in the Salute set.  It looks like the overall set is sub-divided up into different Salutes to, like Father's Day, Legends, Memorial Day, Rookies, etc.  The sell sheets also mention a Red and Platinum parallel in the autograph set and the examples below show a Red parallel in the base set as well, so we can probably assume there will be a Platinum parallel too.

Robin's card is S-17 in the base set and TSA-RY in the autograph set.  So right now it looks like there will be at least 6 cards to chase with Red's being serial numbered, but not listed to what yet on the sell sheet, and Platinum parallels numbered 1 of 1.  I've posted examples of the card designs below and I'll have an offical post after this is released to keep as a gallery page.

2008 Topps Sterling - Sterling Stardom Quad Relic auto

Year: 2008

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: Sterling

Card Number: 4SSA-130 (RY31)

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Sterling Stardom

Card Attributes: Relics, Autographed, Serial Numbered

Relic Types: Bat, Jersey

Serial Number: 04/10

I own three of Robin's hundreds of 2008 Topps Sterling autograph cards.  This one marks the last one in my collection not yet featured.  You can see the other two HERE and HERE.

Part of the Sterling Stardom set this card commemorates Robin's 1983 All-Star Game appearance.

I like the mix of relics on the card, much better than 4 all white pieces.  I'm not a huge fan that the sticker auto hide part of the signature, but it is still a great card.  Sorry about the blurry scans I have this card well encased in a screwdown.