2012 Topps Archives Baseball Cards can be best described as
“something for everyone.” While
this set seems made for collectors who started in the seventies through the mid
eighties, it will also appeal to set builders looking for a reasonable
challenge, hit seekers looking for pulls that can’t be found anywhere else and
could intrigue those that have left the hobby to come back based on the
nostalgia. In the end,
everyone one of these types of collectors should be satisfied.
For collectors who were around during the original releases
of these cards, this redux will feel familiar while, at the same time, seem
current and should bring back feelings of when you first opened these packs.
Unlike the popular Heritage line, collectors won’t have to wait 50 years to see
their favorite releases get the updated treatment.
Archives Baseball falls under our classification of trading
cards. Hobby Boxes contain 24 – 8 card packs with 2 Fan Favorites Autographs
Per Hobby Box and the potential for some amazing and rare finds.
Here are some of the cards we pulled from our
hobby box.
Base Set - 1954 Topps
Matt Kemp, front and back
Jackie Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr., Matt Moore
1971 Topps
Johan Santana, front and back
Ty Cobb, Mike Schmidt, Brett Lawrie
1980 Topps
Yu Darvish, front and back
Joe DiMaggio, Ozzie Smith, R.A. Dickey
1984 Topps
Derek Jeter, front and back
Roberto Clemente, Josh Hamilton, Eric Hosmer
High Numbered SPs
Sandy Koufax - 1966 Topps, Ed Kranepool - 1970 Topps, Andy Van Slyke - 1988 Topps
Cecil Fielder - 1991 Topps, Brett Butler - 1992 Topps, Robin Ventura - 2000 Topps
Gold Parallels
David Ortiz - 1980 Topps, Josh Hamilton - 1984 Topps
Gold Stamped Reprints
Monte Irvin - 1953 Topps, Roberto Clemente - 1955 Topps
Duke Snider - 1956 Topps, Yogi Berra - 1956 Topps
Roberto Clemente - 1964 Topps, Eddie Murray - 1979 Topps
1977 Topps Cloth
Roy Halladay, front and back
Andrew McCutchen, George Brett, Reggie Jackson
1969 Topps Deckle Edge
Bob Gibson, Roberto Clemente
1967 Topps Stickers
Derek Jeter, Josh Hamilton, Pablo Sandoval
1968 Topps 3D
CC Sabathia, Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano
The Hits - Fan Favorite Autographs
Mickey Lolich Auto - 1973 Topps, Wally Backman Auto - 1986 Topps
Overall Look
Topps has selected some of the best and most loved designs
from their past. Add to that a
great looking line of inserts like the Deckle Edge cards. The Autograph cards are done
really well with some smart choices for the years selected for each fan
favorite. The framed minis and the
1956 Topps Relics look great too.
Quality and Variety of Players and Subsets.
200 base and 50 SPs make for a tight checklist. There are excellent choices of
players from the past, present and future
Do the Hits hold up?
The fan favorite autographs include some big names, like
Aaron, Koufax and Mays. The rest
of the fan favorites will resonate will the more mature collecting crowd with
names like Righetti, Luzinski and Matlock. The box loader autographs from Billy Zabak and Martin Kove
of Karate Kid fame seem slightly out of place as do the Celebrity Cut
Signatures but hit right at the heart of the 70’s to 80’s demographic. Luck into a beautiful Cal Ripken Jr.
Touched By Greatness or any of the Topps Vault items like Autograph Contracts
from players like Mays, Williams and Mantle or any of the uncut sheets and you
could wind up with one the best pulls of your entire collection.
Will you want to collect them all?
Absolutely.
Topps has put their best foot forward with Archives and you will want to
get your hands on as many packs as you can manage.
Rating
5 out of 5
2012 Topps Archives Baseball Cards is a wonderfully mastered
set of cards with lasting appeal.
It reminds you of why you started collecting cards in the first place.
Review box provided by Topps
Review box provided by Topps
