Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Sports Illustrated + Baseball Cards

Topps keeps churning out online exclusive trading card sets and today it was announced that they have partnered up with Sports Illustrated for a new 70 card set. At first I was thrilled to hear the news as the older Fleer Sports Illustrated sets are some of my favorite sets. 

 

After I had a chance to log onto the Topps website and I saw that yet again the asking price is $9.99 per card, my level of excitement quickly diminished. I love the design, I think Topps did a great job and I'm sure that the rest of the cards once revealed will be just as nice as the first two...however I'm already picking up the monthly WWE set and the Living Collection cards so I'll have to tap out here.

I'll probably end up monitoring this set closely as I may try to pick up a few cards here and there, but building the set will just be too expensive for my budget right now.

The 1997 SI set is one that I've yet to tackle building, but just take a look at a few of the images from the '97 set...



I really have enjoyed many of these online exclusive sets that Topps has been creating. The partnerships with various players and companies have allowed them to create some truly unique and nice looking sets. However with the smaller print runs the buy in price has been steep...at least for me. While I did buy several Project 2020 cards, I'm sitting out the Project 70 cards...even though some of the Braves cards produced thus far look pretty cool. 

I can always hope to pick up some of these new SI cards on the secondary market in the hopes that I can try to build the set, but like many of these cards I'm sure that only a small number will actually be printed thus making them expensive later on. The joys of being a collector in this day and age. Can't collect everything, especially in 2021.

What is your take on these online exclusives Topps keeps churning out? Like 'em? Hate 'em? Will you be buying any of these new Sports Illustrated cards?

6 comments:

  1. If they make the Mark Fidrych/Big Bird cover into one, they got me. Otherwise I look forward to seeing them in dimeboxes in 2030.

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  2. Meh. Maybe the Jeter “Holy Cow” if that happens. I remember in the Fleer SI set I pulled the “I’m Barry Bonds, And You’re Not” cover card. That was cool. But been done.

    I associate NBA more with SI covers. Jordan of the 90s NBA Finals. Tiger Woods too.

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  3. Not the biggest fan of all of the online exclusive stuff... but I understand why they produce them. There is definitely a strong enough demand for them to be produced. Don't see myself going out of my way to pick up any of these SI cards, but I said the same thing about Topps Project 2020 at one point last year.

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  4. Hello:
    The card of John Smoltz is a very special 1 for him. The guy who has the accordion is his Dad. That's why it is so special to John.

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  5. I have a copy of the 1967 Carl Yastrzemski Sportsman of the Year SI magazine. If Topps made that into a card, I may have to hunt a cheap one down on the secondary market.

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  6. You can go buy the WHOLE magazine for less then the card price. meh I'm out probably not owning any of these.

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