Set builders rejoice, 2013 Topps Heritage Baseball is here. This year’s release is based on the cards of 1964 Topps Baseball. Topps has changed some things up again this year which is starting to over complicate what used to be a simple set. What was fun for the 2011 Heritage set based on the error cards that actually existed in the 1962 Topps Baseball cards that was then expanded with the 2012 Heritage set that made some sense based on the 1963 Topps Baseball cards set now seems a bit like overkill for 2013 Heritage. But that won't matter to most seasoned collectors as they will be busting boxes of Heritage for the set building regardless. My hope is Topps scales this back and holds a bit truer to the 1965 Topps Baseball set for next year's Heritage.
This set falls under our classification of trading cards. There are multiple retail configurations and hobby boxes so Heritage is accessible to all. Again, no gum this year. Hobby boxes come with 24-9 card packs and 1 Autograph or Relic per box
Here are some of the cards we pulled.
Base Set
Jose Bautista, front and back
Anthony Rizzo, Paul Goldschmidt
Brian Wilson, Heath Bell, Dan Uggla
Joey Votto, Josh Hamilton, Mark Teixeira
All-Star Vets - Matt Kemp & Clayton Kershaw, Red Sox Sockers - Will Middlebrooks & David Ortiz
Friendly Foes - Derek Jeter & Mike Trout, Hitting Area - Bryce Harper & Chipper Jones
Managers - Don Mattingly, Dusty Baker
NL ERA Leaders, AL Strikeout Leaders
Rookies - Dodgers - Josh Wall & Paco Rodriguez, Rangers - Mike Olt & Jurickson Profar
World Series - Game 2, Game 4
High Number Short Prints
Adam Jones, Andre Ethier, Jered Weaver
Justin Verlander, Lucas Harrell, Madison Bumgarner
Matt Kemp, Nelson Cruz
Inserts
Memorable Moments
Matt Cain Perfect Game, Nationals Mascot Teddy Roosevelt Wins First Race
Baseball Flashback
Hank Aaron Hit Number 2,000, First Game At Shea Stadium
New Age Performers
Bryce Harper, Matt Cain, Matt Kemp
New Flashback
Beatles British Invasion, LBJ Outlaws Segregation
Then and Now
Roberto Clemente & Buster Posey
Chrome Parallel
Yu Darvish #/999
Mini Parallel
Josh Reddick #/100, Mini and Base card for size comparison
Action Image Variation
Felix Hernandez
Box Topper
1964 Topps Baseball Johnny Orsino Original Buyback
The Hit
Edwin Encarnacion Clubhouse Collection Relic
Overall Look
The 1964 Topps Baseball design was somewhat simple, but still attractive so these cards look good. The Fashback and Then & Now inserts look great. Not too sure about the New Age Performers design, but it is a small part of the collection. The Clubhouse Collection relics are a little vanilla but as usual, the on card autos look fantastic.
Quality and Variety of Players.
Topps continues with the 500 base card formula which is a really good number so the checklists here are well done. For a retro product, the Auto checklist is great.
Do the hits hold up?
Though the On-Card autos are a tough pull, they are fantastic if you get one. The addition of bat knob and coin cards provides some great variety to the mix.
As usual, Heritage is the premiere release for set builders. With 75 high numbered SPs to acquire, just building the base set is a challenge. But collectors are happy to take this project on. But the addition of Action Image, Color Variation and Mini Parallels starts to make putting together a master set quite daunting.
2013 Topps Heritage Baseball maintains its place as in the upper echelon of set building for Baseball Card collectors.
Review box provided by Topps
Review box provided by Topps
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