2002 Topps 206 Mini Carolina Brights Back Pinstripe

Year: 2002

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: Topps 206

Card Type: Mini Pinstripe Back Variation

Card Number: 289

Back: Carolina Brights

I featured this cards twin or rather other image variation back in November of 2015.  If any card or cards were my white whales these were probably it.  I absolutely love the 2002 Topps 206 set.  I loved the hits, the design, the inclusion of the tobacco sized minis, the variations to chase.  I loved it all and I opened quite a bit of this back in the day.  I especially loved that Robin was included in the checklist.  

In my mind it's this set that helped set up what we have today.  From all of Topps' vintage sets like Allen and Ginter and Gypsy Queen to Upper Decks Goodwin Champions and Goudey releases.  And while this is was not the first set to feature tobacco sized mini's it was the first one to make them popular and having multiple back variations to chase added to the fun or frustration.

2002 Topps 206 Mini Carolina Bright Back Blue Jersey

Year: 2002

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: 206, or Topps 206

Card Number: 289, Blue Jersey variation

Card Type: Mini Parallel

Parallel Type: Carolina Brights Back

Something else fresh from the mailbox.  If you had the joy of collecting back in 2002 and opened any of the three series of Topps 206 you remember all the great mini back variations.  Topps wasn't the first to bring back the tobacco sized mini cards, but they were the one to cement them back into the collecting world.  2002 marks a return for me back into the collecting world, or rather a point were I focused for a time on it.  And this set, specifically series 2, because that's the series Robin was in, was part of that.  Each series had a different collection of back parallels.  For Series 2 there were the common Polar Bear backs, the Black and Red Piedmont, and then the rarest of the backs these Carolina Brights.

I have literally been looking to add this card and the variation to my collection for 13 years.  It just so happens I had an eBay alert set for these cards and luck would have it that a seller listed not one, but both of the variations recently.  Not only that but listed them at a reasonable price.  I ended up picking up both cards for under $4 a piece.  That's a steal when you consider the last time I saw one of these up for auction it went for over $12. The Standard Catalog lists these at 6 to 12 times the base cards for rarity and worth.

 I'm still missing one Black Piedmont and one Red Piedmont back for the set, but it's always nice to close out a couple cards from your most wanted list.