Nonsense Newsletter No. 65: Some design, some nostalgia, some crazy 1952 Topps auction, Topps Gilded and more!
Sponsored by SGC Cards gosgc.com
This week, we decided to bring all the goods to the show! We’ve got a firsthand account of the birth of Upper Deck from yours truly. We’ve got John Dudley talking card design, and we’ve got some cool Quick Hits that are sure to get you thinking. If you’re into amazing hobby content, then you’ve come to the right place! Sit back, grab a cup o’ Joe and enjoy this week’s edition of the Nonsense Newsletter.
Contributor: John McTaggart
I’m going to start today by saying this article may generally be about Upper Deck, and most everyone new to the hobby knows Upper Deck for hockey (and some non-sports stuff), but generally the NHL is the first thing that comes to mind.
Now that I have written the longest lead in trading card journalism history, let’s proceed.
Many of you old timers will remember a time when trading cards were flimsy pieces of cardboard, edges rounded before the pack was even open, images often littered with print marks and faded colors.
You’ll remember gum stains on the back of cards, and an era where a rookie card was exactly that — a (meaning one card) was a rookie card. There wasn’t a rookie card then 25 different versions of the same card.
It was glorious… and much less confusing.
Contributor: John Dudley
The 2023 Topps Design gets posted and discussed every few weeks on social media platforms. While the early reviews for 2023 are mixed, I’d argue that level of attention is warranted as the base Topps design sticks with us all year through an ever-growing number of products. We will be seeing products with the 2023 design for at least the next twelve months (likely more).
 2022 had at least 16! different releases that used the 2022 design and that’s not even counting different series and update versions. With that many sets, it got me thinking as to which ones were the best. Not just which ones are my favorite, but which ones offer the most in terms of aesthetics, price, creativity, and staying power. Below are my rankings of the Topps products that featured the 2022 base Topps design based on these factors. While it may seem like a lot of products, even those at the bottom of the rankings have their fans. Without further ado, let’s check out the rankings. If you want to play along at home and get in on some great Topps breaks, be sure to check out Gio Breaks on the Card Shop Live App.
This or That with The Card Shop Evansville!
The This or That game show is back this Sunday at 7 PM CST with a modern version.Â
Each box has 2 cards and you get to choose which side gets opened, this or that?
Plus don't miss their late-night breaks every night! Hanger Bangers and Blind Singles Pulls and Midnight Madness breaks 7 days a week.
Quick Hits
Grading News- A lovely SGC 8 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle sold for $600,000 at auction with Heritage last week. The card comes from the legendary Rosen hoard and there are only 5 other copies that SGC has graded higher. More info here.Â
TCG News- Phyrexia is about to become the buzzword in MTG circles. Phyrexia: All Will Be One is set to release on February 10. Spoilers have already gotten out as to the contents of the set and it looks to be a doozy with some high-powered cards. In addition to understandably beefing up the Phyrexians, the set also focuses on powerful, and often pricy, Planeswalkers. Check your local store for potential early-release events.
Vintage- I can say this now with 100% certainty, I won’t ever complain again about the price of a pack of cards ever again. Why? Well, recently a private collector purchased a block of eight packs of unopened 1952 Topps baseball at auction for $873,000 (buyer’s premium included)! For more on this crazy auction click here.
Hobby News- Topps Gilded might seem like just another rehash of the 2022 design, and it is, but it is a glorious one. The on-card autos might be the nicest-looking cards Topps has produced in a while. Early sales show that collectors agree with refractors and autos selling for premiums over similarly numbered cards from other releases. Time will tell if this is just initial hype or if this set has legs.
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.