Beckett News » Buster Posey

Beckett 20 Questions … on 2012 Topps Five Star

chrisolds — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:27:58 +0000

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

Since its high-end arrival earlier this month, 2012 Topps Five Star — the most expensive pack of Topps baseball cards ever made — has been one that’s generated more drool, more talk and more debate than most products this year.

While the initial wave of cards has been priced (click here for a Five Star checklist and OPG), the impact of this one arguably may not be known for some time. Could it spark more high-end to come? Could a flood of rarities now equal genuine scarcity later? Or, could it be a one-time experiment? Only time will tell.

For now — and for the next issue of Beckett Baseball where we’ll take a look at more from Five Star — here are 20 questions about the $500-per-pack product that we want to hear your answers for. How would you grade it? What did you like? What did you not like? Give us your take on each question — or add a comment if you want at the end.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

–

See the remaining questions after the jump.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

San Francisco Giants, World Series champions: Who are you collecting?

chrisolds — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 03:50:29 +0000

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

For the second time in three years, the San Francisco Giants are your World Series champs.

We simply want to know … after a four-game sweep of Detroit and Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, which Giant is the best to collect? Pick one below or tell us in the comments.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

Preview Gallery: 2012 Topps Heritage baseball

chrisolds — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 03:10:08 +0000

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

This year’s edition of the hobby’s annual throwback to yesteryear, Topps Heritage, isn’t set to arrive in hobby shops until March 14, but we got our hands on an early retail box and cracked it without the cameras rolling.

We’ll hold off on any in-depth analysis of what we found until our forthcoming Box Busters episode and instead let you examine some of what we found for yourself among the colorful throwback cards in the style of 1963 Topps.

After the jump, you can find a massive 40-card preview gallery of what we found inside … and you just might notice some quirks among the cards seen here to get you guessing what Topps might have up its sleeve in this year’s set. Also be sure to take our poll (and leave a comment) to offer your first impressions.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

—

Click on the images below (twice) for a larger and unobstructed view.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

First look: 2012 Topps Chrome baseball cards

chrisolds — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:39 +0000

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

If Bowman is the home of the Rookie Card, then Topps Chrome might be the home of the diecut card.

Topps unveiled the basic product information and preview images for2012 Topps Chrome on Wednesday, and there is not one but two new diecut insert sets to chase with autographed versions in tow, too.

Oh, and there will be two autographed cards per box as well as Refractor Hot Boxes to be chase, too — one in every three cases — when it arrives on Aug. 22.

The base set will consist of 220 base cards each with autographed patch variations limited to just 10 copies as well as redemption cards good for uncut sheets. Each card will be found with Refractors and Xfractors as well as Blue, Black, Sepia, Gold, Red and Atomic Refractors, too. Hobby-only 1/1s include Superfractors and printing plates as well.

On the autographed side, the constant in Chrome is the autograph and this year’s autographed Rookie Cards will showcase at least 25 players, each signing directly on the card. Rays rookie Matt Moore and a Seattle Mariners Jesus Montero are the headliners here with the same lineup of Refractors available. The standard Refractors will be limited to 499, while the Atomics will be limited to 10.

But diecuts are not all that’s new with Chrome this year.

A new inclusion here is the Cut From the Same Cloth Autographs set — a double-sided, double-autographed card limited to just five copies apiece. One pairing, for example, will have Buster Posey and Joe Mauer, while another will have Dustin Pedroia and Robinson Cano.

Also new — and also diecut — are the Dynamic Diecuts cards. There will be 50 stars showcased here in this ornate, one-per-box find. Autographed versions of these cards will be limited to 25 or fewer copies.

Also new are dual autos and autographed Chrome buybacks — each limited to just 10 copies. The Buybacks will feature Rookie Cards of players who never had a signed Topps Chrome RC — notables there will include Jose Bautista, Joe Mauer, Robinson Cano, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder among others. The last new inclusion for ink are the Chrome Encounters autos, which are hobby-only and all limited to just 10 copies or less.

Some of the other autographed rookies tentatively lined up for this one include Brett Lawrie, Brad Peacock and Drew Pomeranz, while players on other autograph cards will include Albert Pujols, Lawrie, Michael Pineda, Matt Kemp, Jay Bruce, Mike Trout, Robinson Cano, Jose Bautista, Fielder, Justin Verlander, Ryan Braun, Eric Hosmer, Clayton Kershaw, Paul Goldschmidt and Ubaldo Jimenez to name a few.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

Next wave of McFarlane baseball figures includes Posey, Heyward debuts

chrisolds — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:49:46 +0000

By Chris Olds | Baseball Editor

The 28th series of McFarlane Toys‘ MLB SportsPicks figures arrives next month with several first-time figures and a few veterans with their new teams.

Oh, and more than a few members of the Boston Red Sox.

Among the first-timers with figures are Atlanta Braves slugger Jason Heyward, reigning NL Rookie of the Year Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier (no offensive fingers this pose). Rounding out the list are veterans Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez and Daisuke Matsuzaka in their Red Sox uniforms and Cliff Lee as a Philadelphia Phillie.

The remainder of the lineup includes Kevin Youkilis – the fourth Boston player in the 11-player lineup — Ryan Howard, Mariano Rivera and David Wright, who have all previously appeared as toys.

See more images after the jump. (Click for a closer look.)

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

Topps’ 2011 baseball factory sets will include bonus

chrisolds — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:30:01 +0000

By Chris Olds | Baseball Editor

This year’s edition of the hobby’s most-collected baseball card set, the Topps flagship brand, will arrive in factory set form in mid-July packing a bit of a bonus.

The hobby shop version will include a pack of five red parallel cards — a random assortment from the 660-card set — along with every card in Series 1 and 2.

There have been various retail-bonus versions of the set produced in recent years, but this is the lone version of the product unveiled thus far this year. The hobby box features 2010 NL Rookie of the Year Buster Posey, St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols and All-Star mainstay Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners.

It will ship immediately after the MLB All-Star Game, set for July 12 at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.