For the first time since 2005 there is no Mickey Mantle card in the Topps sets. Topps has inexplicably been including Mantle in every set alongside current players and has even gone back in time and made cards of him for the years 1996-2005. I went ahead and finished the job Topps started by making the cards from all the other sets that Mantle also didn't appear in. Link.
"Just when I thought I was out...They pull me back in." A memorable quote from an otherwise forgettable "The Godfather Part III".
There really was no good reason to include Mantle in any of these sets beyond his obvious marketability. This leads me to believe that if and when Topps obtains the right to produce cards in his likeness, the trend will resume. In the mean time here is my version of the 2013 Topps card. I also modified a few of my existing cards that might have made it into the 2013 Archives Day Glow set.
UPDATE:
The photo used in the 2013 Topps Mantle is available for purchase @ http://www.ballparkprints.com/. They also have a number of other great looking vintage photos. Please check out this site.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Topps' contract with Mickey Mantle's estate had expired after 2012.
ReplyDeleteI never understood why Topps included Mantle (and other former players) in their current year's base sets. Especially when it's at the expense of OTHER CURRENT PLAYERS.
ReplyDeleteI'm not disputing Mantle's marketability. Just leave the regular sets to current players, and put out an old-timers' set, if they must.
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ReplyDeleteI liked the Topps all time great short print variation cards from '09 to '11 but I absolutely hated what they did with the Mantle cards.
ReplyDeleteTopps only made about 800 different Mickey Mantle cards in 2006 alone. 536 variations of the never made 1955 Topps card? One for every home run? How many '53 Topps Mantle cards did they make with a "day in the life" theme?
Will Topps make 5714 different Nolan Ryan cards when he passes away to commemorate every strikeout?
755 different Hank Aaron cards when he passes away for every home run?
I agree with both of you. Personally, I like to find a cool card of a Hall of Famer or a retro star in my packs. But they belong in retro style sets like Heritage or Gypsy Queen.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, new Mantle cards have been reduced to near throw-away value due to over saturation. The 2006 Home Run History series Vonnoosh mentioned is a perfect example. The 2007 "Mickey Mantle Story" cards too.
Putting Mantle in the regular set was an odd choice by Topps. I hope it has run it's course because finding a Mantle in your pack should be more fun and less common than finding the anti-theft tag.
Did Topps back off on the influx of Mantle inserts after 2007? I know they had them but not 100's of them right?
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Mickey Mantle and I liked him so much that I purchase Oszzie Sweet's photography of him along with the copyrights. The 2013 image and the other one of him holding the bat happens to belong to me I would greatly appreciate it if you would credit Paul Plaine BallparkPrints. You should have contacted me and ask before using my images....
ReplyDeleteI printed a version of your 2013 Topps Mantle card on glossy photo stock to fill the missing #7 hole in the first binder sheet of my "complete" 2013 set. It looks great next to all the others. Any chance you plan on creating a 2014 Topps version?
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