Yes, it appears that Topps is bringing back the 132 card set series. According to an anonymous source, there are plans to release 2012 Topps baseball cards in 7 series. The first six series(132 cards each) will be issued in each of the first 6 months of the year. This means series 1 will be released in January, series 2 in February and so on until series 6 is released in June. The first 6 series will total 792 cards.
The final series will be released well after the end of the season but this series will include more than 132 cards. This series may include 264 or 330 cards.
Also, an undetermined number of regular cards will have variations front photos. Along those lines, it does appear, at least, redemption autographs are back but with a twist. The redemption auto cards will have a variation front photo of the regular addition card. Thus, for example, a Chipper Jones will have a regular photo front and regular back, a variation photo front and regular back and a variation photo front and redemption autograph code back. (caveat -It is not known if Chipper Jones is on the autograph list). It is not known if relics will be under the same system or if there will be on card/sticker autographs will be inserted into packs.
There is more. First it appears that the number of cards per pack will reduced to 7 cards and get this, with a suggested 99 cent retail price. The number of different inserts will be drastically reduced from the previous years. However, there will be one additional insert. The insert is designed to give collectors an incentive to collect all 7 series.
Yes, 2012 Bowman will be inserted into the Topps series. 2012 Bowman will be inserted at a rate of one card per pack. Tentatively, each Topps series will include a 40 card Bowman insert set. There will also be a Bowman prospect inserts set. Each Topps series will include a 15 card Bowman prospect insert set. Thus, the first 6 Topps series will yield a 240 card Bowman set and a 90 card Bowman prospect set. Tentatively, there will be Bowman redemption autographs under the same premise as Topps cards. The auto redemption cards will have a regular or variation photo front and you won’t know if got an autograph card unless you turn it over (So collectors make sure you look at the back of all your cards).
A 36 pack box (for each series) should easily yield a complete Topps set and a near complete Bowman set. There will probably be one other insert added to each series.
At this time it appears Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects will be included as an insert set in the seventh series of Topps baseball. As for all you chromies, there are no plans to include Bowman Chrome as an insert in the Topps set. Thus the Bowman Chrome set will stand on its own and it be the only place where you can get Bowman Chrome (which of course makes sense). It also appears Bowman Chrome will have a much larger checklist (veterans, rookies and prospects) and different pack configuration.
Finally, there will be a rare celebrity card autograph added to every other case. Some of the celebrities to be included, tentatively, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robin Williams, Judy Garland (cut), Patrick Duffy and Bruce Willis.
No photos at this time.
This could be...interesting. Kind of more sets but less sets released. We'll see what they do. I think it may work if pulled off properly.
ReplyDeletePretty cool concept... I'm glad they're trying something new.
ReplyDeleteOr going back to their heritage. Good ideas here, hopefully things turn out right.
ReplyDeleteI'm tempted to say the anonymous source is probably making stuff up, but I'll hold my breath until we get to 2012.
ReplyDeleteI read this exact same post as a proposal like 3 months ago...anyone remember where?
ReplyDeleteWow, I don't know what to make of this... Could be interesting, could be a massive fail, the latter of which is nothing new for topps...
ReplyDeleteI am all for Topps trying something new. 2012 should be a little more interesting. Thanks for the news.
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