2023 Topps Sterling Baseball Yount Checklist

 Man missed this release when it came out.  

2023 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY #/25
2023 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Blue #/10
2023 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Red #/5
2023 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Silver #/1

2023 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY #/25

2023 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY Blue #/10

2023 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY Red #/5

2023 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY Silver #/1

2023 Topps Sterling - Autograph Bat Knob #ABK-RY #/1

2023 Topps Sterling - Autograph Bat Nameplate #ABN-RY #/1

On the Radar - 2022 Topps Sterling Yount Checklist

 Robin's got some low numbered higher end cards to chase again in this year's offering of Sterling.  I'll add images when stuff starts popping up

2022 Topps Sterling - Autographed Bat Knobs #ABK-RY #/1
2022 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY #/25
2022 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Blue #/10

2022 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Red #/5

2022 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Silver #/1

2022 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autographed Relics #SWAR-RY #/25

2022 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autographed Relics #SWAR-RY Blue #/10

2022 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autographed Relics #SWAR-RY Red #/5

2022 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autographed Relics #SWAR-RY Silver #/1

On the Radar - 2021 Topps Sterling Yount Checklist and Gallery

 

$850 for a box with just two cards. Yikes, I thought the $250 price tag for Sterling was steep in 2008, but man.  Anyway, Robin has a few cards to chase in this year's set.  I'll add images as stuff starts showing up.

2021 Topps Sterling - Sterling Season Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY #/25
2021 Topps Sterling - Sterling Season Autograph Relics Blue #SSAR-RY #/10

2021 Topps Sterling - Sterling Season Autograph Relics Red #SSAR-RY #/5

2021 Topps Sterling - Sterling Season Autograph Relics Silver #SSAR-RY #/1

2021 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY #/25

2021 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics Blue #SWAR-RY #/10

2021 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics Red #SWAR-RY #/5

2021 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics Silver #SWAR-RY #/1

2020 Topps Sterling Robin Yount Checklist

Robin's got a bunch of cards to chase in this rerelease of one of the original high end products.
I'll add images as stuff starts to pop up.

2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY #/25
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Blue #/10
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Red #/5
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Seasons Autograph Relics #SSAR-RY Silver #/1
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY #/25
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY Blue #/10
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY Red #/5
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Swings Autograph Relics #SWAR-RY Silver #/1
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Splendor Jumbo Patch Autographs #SSJPA-RY #/5
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Splendor Jumbo Patch Autographs #SSJPA-RY Red #/5
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Splendor Jumbo Patch Autographs #SSJPA-RY Silver #/1
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Sets Dual Autograph Relics (w Yelich) #SWAR-YY #/10
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Sets Dual Autograph Relics (w Yelich) #SWAR-YY Red #/5
2020 Topps Sterling - Sterling Sets Dual Autograph Relics (w Yelich) #SWAR-YY Silver #/1
2020 Topps Sterling - Bat Knobs #BK-RY #/1
2020 Topps Sterling - Autographed Bat Knobs #ABK-RY #/1
2020 Topps Sterling - Autographed Bat Nameplate ABN-RY #/1

2008 Topps Sterling White Suede Parallel #227

Year: 2008

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: Topps Sterling

Card Number: 227 (RY11)

Card Type: Parallel 

Parallel Set: White Suede

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 25/50

I will be the first to tell you how much I hate the new trend in the trading card market.  The move away from affordable products with large base sets to hit driven, expensive, low card count products is one of the things that is slowly killing the hobby.  But back in the mid 2000's the higher products were more like going to a car showroom.  Most car companies have multiple models that are affordable and met different consumer's needs, and sure there was some overlap in the models and what they offered, but they also offered some higher end models for those clients that could afford it.  That's what the early and mid 2000's felt like.  For the most part the hobby was affordable with multiple, ok, a lot of products to choose from with some higher end stuff mixed in for those with a little deeper pockets.   Starting in 2006 Topps brought out a new Cadillac, Topps Sterling.  This was Topps' high end brand.  And it was nice.  The cards were fancy, the hits were pretty, and very low numbered, even if most players featured had lots of different cards.  And in 2008 with Sterling being HOF-centric and featuring player themed boxes, I loved it. Not enough to drop the $200-300 a box this stuff was going for, but definitely enough to seek out some of Robin's hits and all of his base cards.  The set featured a large base set with all cards numbered to 250.  You also got a few parallel sets.  The base being numbered to only 250 made the cards fairly rare, but not too expensive or hard to find, thanks ebay.  The next most common parallel is the white suede.  Numbered to just 50 copies and very, very white.  I've been slowly picking up these parallels as I find them for a decent price.  Robin has 11 base cards in the set so it been a slow process and I think I've manage only 3 so far, but the hunt is most of the fun anyway.

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.

2008 Topps Sterling #223 White Suede parallel

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Card Set: Topps Sterling

Year: 2008

Card number: 223

Player card number: RY7

Card Type: Base Parallel

Parallel: White Suede Framed

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 38/50

I've written about the 2008 Topps Sterling set many times before.  I think of all the high end efforts by Topps the 2008 edition of Sterling is still a bright spot as a Yount collector. Even if all the autos are stickers.  It's a set that's impossible to have all the cards from a player.  But there are so many cards in the set that you could snag a great card for a decent price, at least you use to be able to.

The concept for the 2008 Sterling set was Hall of Fame player driven and boxes feature only cards from the Player featured on the box band.

Robin has 11 cards featured in the base set, all numbered to 250. Of course there are parallels of those base cards like this white suede parallel numbered to 50, framed burgundy parallels numbered to 10, framed cherry wood, framed gold, you get the idea, and then there are all the relic autos number to 10, the white whales numbered to 1.  The point is while the cards are all low serial numbered cards, there are a lot to chase.  It took me a good amount of time to chase down all 11 base cards and when I could find them I also picked up these white suede parallels cheap.

The only difference between this and the base cards is that they are really white, as opposed to the yellow tinted frames of the base cards and they're serial numbered to 50.

 The other thing I like about this set is the numbering.  You have the cards overall place in the set #223, but also you have the cards player numbering RY7.  I also like the fact that the card is clearly marked as the white framed parallel.

The Creme de la Creme - 2008 Topps Sterling Quad Relic Auto

Card Manufacturer: Topps

Card Set: Sterling

Year: 2008

Card Number: 4CSA-126 

Player Card Number: RY88

Card Type: Insert Auto Quad Relic

Card Attributes: Autographed, Quad Relic, Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 08/10

Relic Types: Jersey/Pants, Bat

I think for any player collector there are usually a few cards that define their collection.  I don't have a ton of Yount autographs in my collection, but I do have a few.  Back in 2008 or 2009 I had a pretty reliable desposible income and picked up a few higher end cards.  

2008 Topps Sterling was a pretty neat offering.  It featured HOFers and each box had 4 cards, plus a bonus mystery pack.  When I won this card it came with the original box, band, and the 3 other Yount base cards.  The base cards were only numbered to 250 and it took me a while to hunt down all 11 for my collection, but getting 3 with this deal was pretty sweet.

You couldn't tell what player was featured in the box, but lots of dealers opened the boxes to find out who was  inside.

The inner box was a cool white hinged box that held the cards and around the box was a band that had the name of the player featured in the box.

I put the card in a hard case and cut the foam in the box so it would fit. It makes for a really nice display. Even if the box was made in China.

It's a beautiful quad relic auto. It is kind of sad that this high end product used sticker autos though. All these relic auto cards were numbered to 10 or less, but to be fair Topps made hundreds of variations.  I do like that each relic is it's own piece, not like Triple Threads were they use a large swatch and cover it with multiple letters.