What started out as a fantastic good will gesture by the Topps Company by offering collectors the opportunity to turn-in their wrappers from 2012 Bowman Baseball in exchange for some pretty neat looking Blue and Red Wave refractors. What an amazing concept and great promotion to help push sales of one of their flagship lines.

After months of hype and anticipation for the product, a number of collectors were able to get the product up to 2-full days ahead of it’s scheduled release. With a limited number of packs (10,000) being available to the public, these collectors who received their orders early obviously had the advantage of getting their wrapper redemption fulfilled.

I have become one of the unlucky ones in the whole situation, as I just learned that my packs will go unfulfilled from Topps. Typically, I Would be fine with this, especially in a first come, first serve situation. However, in today’s fully interconnected world, I am reading stories of people who packs were submitted and received well after mine that have already received packs. There are stories of people who received many more packs than they were originally allotted (I have read upwards to 80 additional packs in some instances).

Topps really had an opportunity to make things right with a lot of collectors out there with this promotion, unfortunately, it really shows they have no value for their customers and it was merely a ploy to sell more inventory. The small time buyers and collectors are not treated the same as the big inventory buyers or bulk busters and flippers.

For me, it may take a while for this black eye from Topps to heal, I guess it could mean stepping away from supporting their products through the years like I have done. Hopefully in the future Topps and other companies have a far great plan in place to support all of their customers, especially during promotions like this.

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In it’s 2012 baseball release, Topps has, once again, inserted some variations for some of the regular cards in the set. Like most years past, Topps keeps these Easter egg items under wraps and lets the public try and find all of the oddities that are included with in their print run. These short print (SP) variations are alternative photos for the regularly issued card in the set.

There has already been a lot of hype around the Rally Squirrel variation that was inserted into the set, as many media outlets began to pick up the story, the copies that have already appeared on eBay began to reach extremely high prices. As of now, we are unsure of print runs or scarcity of any of the SP cards inserted in the 2012 Topps baseball product.

We will be updating this as we find more. Please be sure to comment if you come across any that are not on our list.

In the 2011 Topps Update Baseball release, Topps has inserted some legends variations for some of the regular cards in the set. Unlike the football counterparts, these short print (SP) variations are replacements for the regularly issued card in the set and not just an alternative photo.

We will be updating this list as more SP Veteran Variations are found, so be sure to save this link and check back for more updates.

Topps Triple Threads has a long-history of producing some of the years best-looking cards. Fantastic designs matched up with crazy patches, historical relics, one-of-a-kind historical artifacts, and now on-card autographs. It’s enough to make any collectors heart skip a few beats when reading the sell sheet. Recently, 2011 Topps Triple Threads Baseball hit the shelves and collectors have been busting the product like crazy, in turn, listing cards on eBay like crazy. Like every other year, there has been some amazing cards surfacing from this years set on eBay.

Here is a look at just a few:

2011 Topps Triple Threads Lou Gehrig GU PATCH #3/3 CUT HIS NAME PATCH !! 1/1

2011 Topps Triple Threads Book Card Ty Cobb GU Name Plate Bat Barrel #1/1 SCARCE

2011 Topps Triple Threads Lou Gehrig ” Platinum” GU Jersey 1/1

Babe Ruth 2011 Topps Triple Threads BAMBINO, SULTAN OF SWAT Bat 1/1!!!

2011 Topps Triple Threads JOE DiMAGGIO Jersey PATCH /1 1/1 Never seen

2011 Topps Triple Threads Manny Pacquiao Auto 5-Piece Relic Card 3/3

JUSTIN VERLANDER 2011 TOPPS TRIPLE THREADS ALL-STAR JUMBO SLEEVE PATCH RLIC 1/1

[phpbay]2011 Topps Triple Threads, 10[/phpbay]

The first 2011 Topps Heritage Minor League Bryce Harper Autograph has landed on eBay and the card looks to be as advertised based on all of the sell sheet photos. The seller claims the card is numbered to 154 on the back of the card, and based on the image provided in the auction, it appears these cards feature bold, rich, autographs – compared to some of the duller versions in his earlier 2011 Bowman releases.

Due to an overwhelming demand for Stephen Strasburg cards during his phenomenal 2010 rookie season, Topps extended its original 660-card set by an additional card for Strasburg. Due to the legalities surrounding the MLBPA-licensed set, Topps was not allowed to include Strasburg in the original 660-card set until he debuted in a Major League game. In order to meet the demand for Strasburg, Topps offered six different versions of card #661 in the Topps set.

This guide is intended to educate you on the various versions of the #661 card of Stephen Strasburg in 2010 Topps.

Version A

Randomly inserted into 2010 Topps packs were redeemable code cards for their Million Card Giveaway promotion. These code cards allowed for you to unlock version A, which ended up being exclusively available on through this promotion. The card features a photo of Strasburg taken during his first MLB pitch.

Version B

This version was announced as a late addition to remaining 2010 Topps factory sets. A telling characteristic of this version is locating Strasburg’s right hand directly under the Topps logo in the upper left hand corner.

Version C

Identical to version A, except the card features an on-card autograph. Once again, exclusively offered to those who unlocked version A through the Million Card Giveway, owners were given the opportunity to have the card autographed. Each card was machined stamped, and has a production of 299.

Version D

Available in packs of 2010 Topps Update.

Version E

A short-print variation of version D, this version features Strasburg in a road-game grey jersey.

Version F

Another short-print variation of version D, this version features Strasburg in a Elvis wig and pie in his face.

1. George W Bush Topps 2011 Allen Ginter SP Red Auto 5/10 – $1,393.88
2. 2011 ALLEN GINTER MANNY PACQUIAO 1/1 MINI PRINT PLATE – $1,000.00
3. Theodore Roosevelt AUTO 2011 Allen & Ginter’s ***1/1*** – $999.00
4. 2011 topps Allen & Ginter Manny Pacquiao autograph SP – $849.00
5. 2011 Allen & Ginter MANNY PACQUIAO Mini AUTO Card SP – $750.00
6. 2011 Allen & Ginter’s Pacquiao Auto Encased Mini – $750.00
7. 2011 TOPPS ALLEN & GINTERS MANNY PACQUIAO SP AUTO – $750.00
8. 2011 Allen & Ginter Framed Red Auto Albert Pujols /10 – $697.00
9. GEORGE W BUSH 2011 TOPPS ALLEN GINTER SP AUTO AUTOGRAPH – $679.00
10. FELIX HERNANDEZ 2011 ALLEN & GINTER RIP CARD 7/10 UNRIP – $675.00
11. 2011 ALLEN GINTER ALBERT PUJOLS RIP #D 2/10 UNRIPPED – $660.00
12. 2011 Allen & Ginter MICKEY MANTLE “Unripped” Rip #9/10 – $650.00
13. 2011 TOPPS ALLEN & GINTER PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH AUTO – $636.00
14. GEORGE W BUSH 2011 Topps ALLEN GINTER SP AUTO AUTOGRAPH – $626.88
15. Pedro Alvarez A. McCutchen 2011 ALLEN & GINTER BOOK 1/1 – $617.02
16. ICHIRO 2011 Allen & Ginter Unripped Rip Card 03/10 – $600.00
17. 2011 Allen & Ginter MANNY PACQUIAO Mini AUTO Card SP – $575.00
18. 2011 Allen & Ginter’s CLIFF LEE Rip Card UNRIPPED 10/10 – $575.00
19. 2011 TOPPS ALLEN GINTER TROY TULOWITZKI RIP CARD #5/10 – $575.00
20. JOEY VOTTO 2011 Allen & Ginter UNRIPPED Rip Card 08/10 – $575.00
21. MARTINEZ/SANTANA 2011 ALLEN GINTER BOOK PATCH KNOB 1/1 – $575.00
22. 2011 ALLEN GINTER RIP UNRIP ROBINSON CANO YANKEES 1/10 – $550.00
23. ADRIAN GONZALEZ 2011 ALLEN & GINTER RIP CARD 8/10!!!! – $550.00
24. 2011 11 Allen Ginter David Wright Unripped Rip Card /10 – $550.00
25. 2011 ALLEN GINTER GEORGE W. BUSH AUTOGRAPH AUTO RARE SP – $535.00

[phpbay]2011 Ginter*, 10[/phpbay]

One week after the release of 2011 Bowman Baseball, here is a small glimpse into some of the recent eBay sales for the autograph inserts in the product.

[tab:Base Autos]

[tab:Ref. Autos]

[tab:Blue Ref. Autos]

[tab:Gold Ref. Autos]

[tab:Orange Ref. Autos]

[tab:Red Ref. Autos]

[tab:END]

Here is the final checklist for the 2011 Bowman Baseball release slated for May 18, 2011.

Base Set

Topps of the Class

Bowman Prospects

Bowman Chrome Prospects

Finest Futures

Topps 100

Bowman’s Brightest

Bowman’s Best

Bowman Chrome Autographed Rookie Cards

Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs

Bowman Prospect Autos

USA Baseball Retro Patch Relic

USA BB Logo Patch Relic

Bowman Future’s Game Triple Relic

[phpbay]2011 Bowman, 10[/phpbay]

Our monthly Hot List is back, and for the 2011 Premiere of the list there are plenty of new names on the list from our previous years. One of the games greatest young stars headlines this months Hot List. Bryce Harper has been tearing the cover off the ball in the minors and many collectors are taking notice as his prices are quickly heating up. Here is the list for May 2011:

1. 2010 Bowman AFLAC Bryce Harper AU
2. 2010 Bowman Chrome USA Bryce Harper XRC
3. 2006 Bowman Chrome Jose Bautista AU
4. 2009 Bowman Chrome Mike Trout RC AU
5. 2005 Bowman Chrome Jared Waver RC AU
6. 2006 Bowman Chrome Alex Gordon RC AU
7. 2010 Bowman Chrome Manny Machado RC AU
8. 2005 Bowman Chrome Ryan Braun RC AU
9. 2009 Bowman Chrome Michael Pineda RC
10. 1997 Bowman Chrome Roy Halladay RC
11. 2010 Bowman Chrome Starlin Castro AU
12. 1997 Bowman Chrome Lance Berkman RC
13. 1999 Topps Traded Alfonso Soriano RC AU
14. 2008 Bowman Chrome Zach Britton RC
15. 2009 Bowman Chrome Starlin Castro RC
16. 2007 Bowman Chrome Tim Lincecum RC Auto
17. 2007 Donruss EEE Zach Britton RC AU
18. 2010 Topps Chrome Starlin Castro RC AU
19. 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects David Price Auto
20. 2002 Bowman Chrome Josh Johnson RC
21. 2002 Bowman Chrome Jose Bautista RC
22. 2010 Donruss EEE Paul Goldschmidt RC AU
23. 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Buster Posey RC Auto
24. 2010 Bowman Chrome Jameson Taillon RC AU
25. 2007 Bowman Chrome Joe Savery RC AU

Happy collecting!