The Allen & Ginter set by Topps is the product I wait for with anticipation every year.
I still enjoy the flagship set, but the A&G set has entranced me with its eclectic output since its debut in 2006. Sure, there are current stars, rookies and Hall of Famers. But stars from other sports, media personalities and actors make this a fun set to collect.
Of course, it is a maddening set, since the short-prints can make it difficult to complete the checklist. But that is the fun of collecting.
I bought a hobby box, since I am not sure when the retail product will hit my area stores. Oh, there is plenty of product now at my local Target — depending on the location, Walmart can have a bonanza of blaster boxes or nothing at all — but much of that is several months old.
With Allen & Ginter traditionally a midsummer set, it has been a bit excruciating this year waiting for it to come out.
As usual, A&G does not disappoint.
I still enjoy the flagship set, but the A&G set has entranced me with its eclectic output since its debut in 2006. Sure, there are current stars, rookies and Hall of Famers. But stars from other sports, media personalities and actors make this a fun set to collect.
Of course, it is a maddening set, since the short-prints can make it difficult to complete the checklist. But that is the fun of collecting.
I bought a hobby box, since I am not sure when the retail product will hit my area stores. Oh, there is plenty of product now at my local Target — depending on the location, Walmart can have a bonanza of blaster boxes or nothing at all — but much of that is several months old.
With Allen & Ginter traditionally a midsummer set, it has been a bit excruciating this year waiting for it to come out.
As usual, A&G does not disappoint.
A hobby box has 24 packs, with eight cards to a pack. Topps promises that every hobby box will contain at least three items from this lists of possibilities — autograph cards, relic cards, rip cards, printing plates or book cards.
There are 298 base cards, with no cards printed at No. 167 and No. 181. There are an additional 50 short prints, which fall in every other pack on average. Interestingly, Topps has a pair of cards — Nos. 337 and 344 — that have SP and non-SP cards. Card No. 337 features Juan Gonzalez (SP) and Manny Ramirez (non-SP), while card No. 344 showcases Lou Piniella (SP) and Luis Castillo (non-SP). I am guessing that Castillo was supposed to be No. 167 while Ramirez was designated at No. 181, since each has a mini card at those numbers.
There are 298 base cards, with no cards printed at No. 167 and No. 181. There are an additional 50 short prints, which fall in every other pack on average. Interestingly, Topps has a pair of cards — Nos. 337 and 344 — that have SP and non-SP cards. Card No. 337 features Juan Gonzalez (SP) and Manny Ramirez (non-SP), while card No. 344 showcases Lou Piniella (SP) and Luis Castillo (non-SP). I am guessing that Castillo was supposed to be No. 167 while Ramirez was designated at No. 181, since each has a mini card at those numbers.
Every pack on average has six base cards, an insert and a mini card. There are 300 base minis and 50 short-printed minis. The mini set does not include the non-SP cards of Ramirez and Castillo. Short-printed minis fall once every 13 packs on average.
The design has the main photo framed on three sides with a marbled gray color border highlighted by a thin black line. The Allen & Ginter logo is tucked into the left-hand bottom corner of the card front and is more elaborate looking than last year’s set, which had the product name across the bottom of the card in gold block letters. This year’s product includes the slogan “The World’s Champions” with the A&G logo.
The design for the card backs remains the same, with plenty of statistical information for the players and a short biography for the non-baseball subjects. The statistical numbers remain spelled out, a haughty throwback to the Gilded Age of U.S. history — the time frame when the original Allen & Ginter set was released 135 years ago in 1887.
I pulled 124 base cards from this year’s set. In addition to the stars, rookies and legends, I found cards of three curlers (Matt Hamilton, John Landsteiner and John Shuster), two musicians (Ian Grushka of New Found Glory and Tim Hause of The Mermaid) and two rappers (B-Real and Ben Dog). I am not sure why Topps made the distinction between musicians and rappers — they are all performers, right? — but that was their call, not mine.
The design has the main photo framed on three sides with a marbled gray color border highlighted by a thin black line. The Allen & Ginter logo is tucked into the left-hand bottom corner of the card front and is more elaborate looking than last year’s set, which had the product name across the bottom of the card in gold block letters. This year’s product includes the slogan “The World’s Champions” with the A&G logo.
The design for the card backs remains the same, with plenty of statistical information for the players and a short biography for the non-baseball subjects. The statistical numbers remain spelled out, a haughty throwback to the Gilded Age of U.S. history — the time frame when the original Allen & Ginter set was released 135 years ago in 1887.
I pulled 124 base cards from this year’s set. In addition to the stars, rookies and legends, I found cards of three curlers (Matt Hamilton, John Landsteiner and John Shuster), two musicians (Ian Grushka of New Found Glory and Tim Hause of The Mermaid) and two rappers (B-Real and Ben Dog). I am not sure why Topps made the distinction between musicians and rappers — they are all performers, right? — but that was their call, not mine.
Other sports represented in the box I opened included basketball (Bradley Beal), lacrosse (Charlotte North) and soccer (Sam Mewis). I found a sports agent (Drew Rosenhaus), a sports reporter (Field Yates) and a journalist/comedian (Charlie Berens). There is probably some snark that can be made about Berens’ dual occupation, but you will not get that from me. I have been a sports reporter and am still a journalist. As for being a comedian, my jokes still make my kids groan.
I also pulled a card of actor Danny Glover, tattooist Luke Wessman, barber Davey Cuts and barbecue chef Rodney Scott. And finally, a card of Blake Brice, a 10-year-old “hobby wunderkind” from suburban Denver who has attracted a following with his YouTube videos reviewing sports cards. His channel is the appropriately named BLAKEdown.
Those were the base cards. There were 12 short-printed cards, and I also pulled the non-SP card of Castillo.
As usual, Topps has mini parallels from the base set. I pulled nine base card minis and a pair of short prints (Scott Podsednik and Zach Wheeler). The minis also come with an Allen & Ginter back and I pulled five base minis plus a short print of Juan Gonzalez.
Topps also promises a Black parallel once in every 10 packs, and that average was hit with a pair of them in the box I bought — Freakonomics author Stephen Dubner and Brandon Woodruff.
I also pulled a card of actor Danny Glover, tattooist Luke Wessman, barber Davey Cuts and barbecue chef Rodney Scott. And finally, a card of Blake Brice, a 10-year-old “hobby wunderkind” from suburban Denver who has attracted a following with his YouTube videos reviewing sports cards. His channel is the appropriately named BLAKEdown.
Those were the base cards. There were 12 short-printed cards, and I also pulled the non-SP card of Castillo.
As usual, Topps has mini parallels from the base set. I pulled nine base card minis and a pair of short prints (Scott Podsednik and Zach Wheeler). The minis also come with an Allen & Ginter back and I pulled five base minis plus a short print of Juan Gonzalez.
Topps also promises a Black parallel once in every 10 packs, and that average was hit with a pair of them in the box I bought — Freakonomics author Stephen Dubner and Brandon Woodruff.
The first hot card I pulled from the hobby box was a relic card of Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. The card was a round uniform swatch of the Atlanta outfielder. In the very next pack, I pulled the same type of memorabilia card of Trout. These are considered “A Relics.”
Several packs later I pulled a relic card of NFL Network broadcaster Scott Hanson. The piece appears to be from a dress shirt, with some nice intricate lines. Definitely a different kind of relic. This is considered a “B Relic.”
I am always glad to find nice hot cards, but I kind of wished there had been more variety, rather than three relic cards that were all swatches. An autograph or rip card would have been nice. I have pulled one rip card once before, and that was an interesting choice — to rip or not to rip? I ripped.
Several packs later I pulled a relic card of NFL Network broadcaster Scott Hanson. The piece appears to be from a dress shirt, with some nice intricate lines. Definitely a different kind of relic. This is considered a “B Relic.”
I am always glad to find nice hot cards, but I kind of wished there had been more variety, rather than three relic cards that were all swatches. An autograph or rip card would have been nice. I have pulled one rip card once before, and that was an interesting choice — to rip or not to rip? I ripped.
As expected, the hobby box I bought had a boxloader card. This year’s version was an oversized card of Mike Trout.
Insert cards showcases the Allen & Ginter penchant for finding traditional and off-the-wall subjects.
Banner Season honors players who excelled during a particular year. I pulled nine of the 50-card subset.
Pitching A Gem consists of 25 cards and highlights memorable performances on the mound.
pulled five of these cards, which feature the pitcher set against a background of a gem that matches the player’s birthdate, which is listed at the bottom of the card front.
Insert cards showcases the Allen & Ginter penchant for finding traditional and off-the-wall subjects.
Banner Season honors players who excelled during a particular year. I pulled nine of the 50-card subset.
Pitching A Gem consists of 25 cards and highlights memorable performances on the mound.
pulled five of these cards, which feature the pitcher set against a background of a gem that matches the player’s birthdate, which is listed at the bottom of the card front.
Famous Rivals is a 10-card set that features rivals from baseball and also outside the sport. Non-sport rivals include Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, George W. Bush vs. Al Gore, East Coast and West Coast, New York Slice and Chicago Deep Dish (no contest), and Pork Roll and Taylor Ham (a thing in New Jersey and surrounding areas). I pulled three cards, including the hysterically named New Jersey and Everyone.
I also pulled Bush and Gore, along with the Yankees and the Red Sox.
Suggestion for next time — Tampa Cuban sandwiches and Miami Cuban sandwiches. Tampa wins.
Two other large inserts are food oriented.
What’s Cookin’? is basically a 10-card recipe that features various condiments and spices. I pulled Dark Brown Sugar and Fresh Ground Black Pepper.
I also pulled Bush and Gore, along with the Yankees and the Red Sox.
Suggestion for next time — Tampa Cuban sandwiches and Miami Cuban sandwiches. Tampa wins.
Two other large inserts are food oriented.
What’s Cookin’? is basically a 10-card recipe that features various condiments and spices. I pulled Dark Brown Sugar and Fresh Ground Black Pepper.
Get That Bread also has 10 cards and features different types of sandwiches. I pulled three of these cards — Burger, Meatball Hero and Turkey Club.
The final regular-sized insert is It’s Your Special Day, a 15-card set that highlights days of note. I pulled a pair of cards — National Dog Day and National Pajama Day.
The final regular-sized insert is It’s Your Special Day, a 15-card set that highlights days of note. I pulled a pair of cards — National Dog Day and National Pajama Day.
As usual, there are mini inserts in the A&G set.
Bearing Fruit has 18 cards of exotic fruits, and I pulled a pair of them (pun not intended) — Lucuma and Mangosteen.
Ducks features 10 different species of the webbed creatures.
I pulled a Gray Duck.
Inside the Park has 25 cards featuring U.S. National Parks. I pulled one of Grand Canyon National Park
Bearing Fruit has 18 cards of exotic fruits, and I pulled a pair of them (pun not intended) — Lucuma and Mangosteen.
Ducks features 10 different species of the webbed creatures.
I pulled a Gray Duck.
Inside the Park has 25 cards featuring U.S. National Parks. I pulled one of Grand Canyon National Park
Finally, Time Out! is a 10-card set that recounts MLB games that were canceled or delayed under unique circumstances. I pulled Power Outage, when a 2012 game between the Red Sox and host White Sox was delayed 21 minutes when the lights went out at U.S. Cellular Field.
There are plenty of things to like about the 2022 A&G set. The base set is relatively easy to finish but the short prints are difficult. The inserts are varied and eclectic. And when one buys a hobby box, there are always hot cards and a box toppers.
It’s a nice combination.
There are plenty of things to like about the 2022 A&G set. The base set is relatively easy to finish but the short prints are difficult. The inserts are varied and eclectic. And when one buys a hobby box, there are always hot cards and a box toppers.
It’s a nice combination.
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