2014 Topps

Hey!  Topps is always first.  They're the grandaddy of this here trading card biz so they reserve the right to go first with their releases.  Actually, I'm awful sure that it doesn't have much to do with respect.  More like:  Topps is friggin' smart to release their newest flagship set every year BEFORE spring training.  I think they are the only company that releases something new before the start of the season but I could be wrong wrong wrong.

Anyway, since the regular old Topps set is fairly affordable, I bought five packs at the LCS.  So, I left with fifty cards and didn't feel dirty or have serious buyers remorse about this purchase.  Topps prices their flagship set appropriately so the whole process of buying and collecting is...gasp!...Fun!  Amazing, I know.

There's a little more gloss to this year's card.  This could be problematic for those collectors who like to hit the streets or the mail to get their cards signed.  But, to me, this is a minor drawback.  The cards themselves look good...they went with the white border again (good!).

Here's a short run-down of some of the stuff you'll find in the 2014 version...actually, there is no short version.  Go to this here link to see it all.

I can at least tell what I got in my five packs.  I got 50 cards.  A number of regular old base cards, a number of rookies, and a handful of "future stars" (is this a new subset...it seems to be vaguely reminiscent of Upper Deck), 1 Tampa Bay player (Cobb), 2 of the red hot foil inserts, a Bo Jackson die-cut mini, Gary Carter and Cal Ripken Jr "Upper Class", and a Paul Goldschmidt Power Player card.  Overall, it was fun.  This is what collecting is supposed to be like.