Monday 2 December 2013

Why did I even buy this?

I usually have a small niche that I collect, and try not to stray to far from that for budgetary reasons. I mostly collect base cards, and an un-numbered autograph means just as much to me as a low numbered color-fractor parallel. Sometimes my itchy bidding finger gets the best of me and I end up with something outside my comfort zone. This is one of those things. A Topps Vault Blank Back 1/1 card, from Topps Mini no less, and with all apologies to mini fans, a set that I have absolutely zero use for.

First off, I find it disgusting that Topps produces these things as a straight to ebay item. They are nothing more than a quick cash grab that really adds nothing to the hobby. If they were released into packs as redemptions (I know, that last thing we need is more redemptions) or something like that I would have no problem, but as a straight to ebay only item, that's what I have a problem with. I realize that most cards end up on secondary market sites like ebay anyway, and it is an easy way to get things like this into collectors hands, it still seems a little shady. As someone who hates redundancy (hence my Topps Mini dislike), these things don't really need to exist.

Obviously, I am not as outraged at these as I thought I was, because I bought one. It was relatively cheap and is pretty nice in it's Beckett graded case, and it fits into my 2013 Topps Ramon Hernandez rainbow that any regular readers (If I have any) have seen me working on for a few months.

4 comments:

  1. The big question is, are you going to free the card from the plastic prison?

    I am with you in hating the Topps Vault program. I don't even consider them as a real card, more like a printing plate or something. As in, it would be cool to have, but I'm not going out of my way to get one either.

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    Replies
    1. The case is the best part of the thing, I can't see myself bothering to taking the time to crack it.

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  2. I'm with you...I bought a couple 2013 A&G blank backs (AJ Pierzynski and Ian Kinsler) and now I regret it. Complete scam.

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  3. Bought the AJ Ellis from 2013 Ginter. I like it, but it's gimmicky as hell.

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