We have significant information on short prints, autographs and other bonus cards in the new 2010 Topps Heritage which hit last week. This is from topps:1961 HR Chase Insert
2010 Topps Heritage commemorates the 1961 Topps design, so Topps saw it fitting to celebrate the famous 1961 HR chase with a special 45-card insert…
Babe Ruth (15 cards) Hobby Exclusive
Roger Maris (15 cards) Wal-Mart Exclusive
Mickey Mantle (15 cards) Target Exclusive
Each of these inserts also has a Relic Parallel that’s sequentially numbered to the player’s jersey number …Ruth (#’d to 3), Maris (#’d to 9) and Mantle (#’d to 7). In addition, there are short printed variations in the base set featuring Ruth (#60), Maris (#61) and Mantle (#56).
Dice Game Variations
In 1961, Topps issued an obscure 18-card dice game as a test. The following players in 2010 Heritage have short printed variations with dice game backs:
Joe Mauer, Victor Martinez, Albert Pujols, Mark Teixeira, Grady Sizemore, Justin Upton, Adam Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Matt Kemp, Ichiro, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Lincecum, Chase Utley, Ian Kinsler, Derek Jeter, Hanley Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez and Chipper Jones.
Color Variations
There are 10 extremely short printed color variations. The color changes appear on the player and team name plates at the bottom of the card. *NOTE* All of these cards appear to have the short printed light backs, so they will be easy to find.
Albert Pujols Black-Black
Joe Mauer Black-Black
CC Sabathia Green-Yellow
Derek Jeter Red-Yellow
Grady Sizemore Green-Red
J.A. Happ Orange-Blue
Zack Greinke Yellow-Blue
Ryan Braun Blue-Orange
David Wright Green-Yellow
Pablo Sandoval Yellow-Green
Juan Marichal Autographs
All of Juan Marichal’s Real One autographs were signed in red ink and none are sequentially numbered unlike the other Red Ink autographs in the product.
Short Printed Base Cards
Base cards 426-500 are short printed and can be found 1:3 packs.
Autograph Checklist (complete):
Joe Ginsberg
Ted Lepcio
Julio Becquer
Ned Garver
Billy Harrell
Tom Borland
Tom Brewer
Johnny James
Bob Hale
Danny Kravitz
Jim Woods
Reno Bertoia
Ralph Lumenti
Rocky Bridges
Bobby Malkmus
Al Neiger
Jim Rivera
Luis Aparicio
Red Schoendienst
Bob Gibson
Frank Robinson
Juan Marichal
Matt Holliday
Gordon Beckham
Raul Ibanez
Buster Posey
Justin Upton
Joe DeMaestri
Ray Semproch
Jerry Casale
Gene Leek
Walt Dropo
Jay Bruce
Al Rosen
R.C. Stevens
Collin Balester
Dustin Pedroia
COMMENTS: Most of this was found out slowly through the mass rips of multiple cases. The retail only Mantle and Maris inserts and game used cards weas good news. These give us heritage hounds a reason to buy these cards now. Those Mantle jersey cards will be very hot. There should be 105 of them (numbered in 15 lots of 7), so big rippers will have a shot.
The super short prints feature some big names, so those cards will once again be worth big money, but overall the thrill of the hunt was killed when it was announced that the SSP's have a light back. It appears at least to this collector that the blue ink autographs are rare, if not rarer than the reds. More on this to come hopefully later.
