Nonsense Newsletter No. 177: Topps Player Runs, Minimalism in the hobby and so much more!
Happy Saturday y’all, and welcome to another edition of the Nonsense Newsletter! I’m your host, John Mc, and I’m excited to share with you this week’s incredible edition! To kick us off, John Dudley talks Topps player runs. Meanwhile, I explain minimalism in hobby terms. Plus, the Quick Hits section is likely to change your life (ok, that may be an exaggeration, but it’s still good.)! So, enjoy the Nonsense Newsletter, people! We worked really hard so you would!
By John Dudley
The year 2008, that’s my favorite Topps design. Everyone, or at least those in the baseball side of the hobby, has a favorite Topps design. Be it the garish, but popular 1990, the classic 1956, the colorful 1975, the striking 1983, or whichever other design grabs your fancy, the designs are one of the critical parts of the card world that are often overlooked.
A collection without curation is adjacent to hoarding. I’m always on the lookout for new kinds of collections or new ways to organize old ones. Topps designs have long been part of the collecting scene, but modern changes mean that there are even more ways for design to influence collecting.
So, let’s look at two different ways, one old and one new, to create curated collections using the Topps designs. As Martha Stewart would say, “It’s a good thing.”
By John McTaggart
I just bought a new home and beside the entire moving process being incredibly exhausting and insane — it’s made me realize something.
I’ve got too much crap!
Decades of stuff just piled up all over the old house, most of it lacking any sense of organization or reason.
I have six basketballs, and I can’t remember the last time I actually played.
I found more putters, drivers, and fairway woods than I care to admit, and that’s not even mentioning the umpteen pieces of clothing I uncovered buried in the basement, stuffed into boxes or trash bags from the last time I moved into a new place.
I found books I’ve never read, countless CDs and DVDs, as well as an entire box of VHS tapes. There were two boomboxes I was so proud of — in 1990 — and even some 45s and albums I had as a kid.
I am proud to say, I cleansed myself of most of it, either junking it all together or donating some of the better stuff, and it feels amazing.
Quick Hits
Hobby News- Topps Series II has sparked a lot of debate about pricing. Collectors reported prices at hobby stores for jumbo boxes of over $300 at their local card stores. The same boxes were readily available on Topps.com and Fanatics.com for $189. Prices going up quickly at local card stores isn’t a new phenomenon. Something about the Series II roll out struck a chord though and it seems as if a referendum on pricing is afoot.
Vintage- Here we go again! Someone finds a box full of vintage baseball cards in a box in the attic! And that someone is never me! This time, it was more than 600 1930s and 40s baseball cards. The entire collection recently sold for nearly $100,000. Read more about this crazy-cool find here.
Hobby News- The 2025 baseball class is viewed as a weaker one, but two of the three under-25 hitters with the highest OPS are found in 2025 products. Jacob Wilson and James Wood are first and third respectively. Equally important, they are fun players. Wilson is electric and Wood knocks the stuffing out of the ball. The class might not be as strong as the last three years, but Wilson and Wood are having seasons that compare well to any rookies from the last five years.
The Sports Card Nonsense newsletters reflect the opinions of only the authors and contributors. They are for informational purposes only and are not a recommendation for purchases or of an investment strategy or to buy or sell any assets.