[cross4444]

I just wrapped up a new post on my blog about Topps continuing to use tragedy and charity to sell cards. Thoughts?

http://viewfromtheskybox.blogspot.com/20...s-are.html

[Phillies_Joe]

Read and enjoyed & understand your points in your post. Good or bad, that's capitalisim. It's folks money so they can do what they want with it and if they enjoy or want to collect something have at it. (nobody rips Time/Life for all the WW2 stuff they put out) Doesn't bother me one way or the other. Puigmania is no different then Trout or Harper and going foward we will see it every year so we all have to just get use to it. It humors me to see folks get so "crazed" over a card/s but if it makes them happy, I'm happy for them. It's good to point out poor taste....I do it by not collecting those cards.

[jacobystealshome]

if you dont mind, ill throw my two cents in here, not only as a Bostonian but as someone who knew, or knew folks that knew, the victims of the bombers (sean collier - the MIT cop who was killed - was a good friend of many of my friends, played on kickball team with them, and supported my charity. he was at our big event in February.)

I actually like the fact they made this parallel, and the fact it was unannounced. i wish it was more than just red text on the front - maybe use the B strong logo..that would have been great.

The One Fund has done very well in donations and none other are really needed at this time. the folks who have died cant be brought back. but this parallel will help folks remember the tragedy, help folks remember how resilent Boston was in the face of it, through the bombings, to the manhunt, to the entire city shutting down to hunter Suspect #1 and #2 down

i dont think this parallel will make topps any more money, as it is a parallel set. if they sold it as a separate set you could buy for 19.99....id have a bigger issue with it

i dont collect anymore, but if they did it a bit differently, i might have looked to pick it up (b strong logo in red foil, back changed to reflect something about that day)

[cross4444]

Great points fellas. It's nice to hear from someone who was affected on a personal level unlike myself, I definitely respect that view. I'm very sorry for the loss of your friend. Joe - You're exactly right, if it makes someone happy then it's their right to purchase it. I just hope none of them are misguided in thinking that by doing so they're supporting a cause financially. Most of us with common sense would understand that, but not everyone has much of that.

---

My biggest point that I failed to hit on is that would it have been that hard for Topps to make a donation to cover their butts? Even $1000, a drop in the pan, and they would be lauded for compassion, not accused of greed.

[Phillies_Joe]

Cross...I understood what you ment (didn't have time to elaborate as I was finishing lunch and getting on a conf. call...LOL) especially with the Pinks, which I think look pretty cool and collect because of how they look, no other reason.

Jacoby...understand fully and also don't think that Topps will make any more money....however thier cronies who buy 40 cases will by re-selling them to the public at jacked up prices, playing (even sub-consiously) on thier sympathies.

[pacrimcollectibles]

My biggest point that I failed to hit on is that would it have been that hard for Topps to make a donation to cover their butts? Even $1000, a drop in the pan, and they would be lauded for compassion, not accused of greed.

How do we know they didn't?

[phreakyq]

i don't see anything wrong with this. its a SP variation. packs are going to be through the roof for the product. its the secondary market that will try and make a buck.

profiteering off of tragedy are those WW2 and Masters of Horror sets or what ever they are called.

[jacobystealshome]

i cant wait for some "hot pack" seller list "2013 topps hot pack refractor/boston strong/puig/base cards/insert/game used/auto bv rare OHMYGOD"

[cross4444]

Thank God Ebay has a limit on characters in the title!!!

[rossmaute]

I had similar thoughts when the pink/camo parallels were introduced earlier this year. They don't really make any mention of the causes they're "supporting," just capitalizing on their popularity.

Plus, it's not like we need more parallels anyway, especially these two ugly ones.