Topps redemption is a hit AND miss

I got my redemption cards from Topps today and it was hit AND miss.

First for the hit as it was this:


Not quite bad as it was redeemed on June 2 of this year. It took them half a year to get it out. The card delivered in mint condition. Then comes the miss with this:


It may look normal, but a close up scan show the condition of the card delivered to me.


The card was dinged on the right corner and creased on the lower left corner. Topps sent me a damaged card. Another note this is 2007-08 Topps Finest basketball card. Even the redemption card was passed its due date I still able to redeem it. I redeemed it on September 7 of this year. Another thing this card set was two years ago and already produced yet it took them 3 months to send it. Strange they took a company long to send a card that was already produced two years ago. This is not the first time Topps sent me a slightly damaged redemption card. Here what I received from them last year with two hole marks on the card:


The problem with Topps is the long wait for redemption cards which they need to improve big time. It doesn't look good when they often send damaged cards to collectors who have may wait close to a year to get the cards. Topps needs to overhaul on the redemption cards or else get rid of the idea once and for all.

Topps gets exclusive minor league baseball card licensing rights

The Cardboard Connection reported Topps secure multi-year exclusive minor league baseball card licensing rights starting January 1, 2010 with a release of Topps Pro Debut set in March. This is potentially good for prospect collectors. Could this be what Topps needed to reinvent Bowman which was known as the home of the rookie card?

Topps first (and only) attempt on video game market

Topps did try to enter the video game market in 1996 licensing their name to a Data East baseball game for original Playstation and Sega Saturn. It never materialized as the project was delayed for over a year then scrapped and sold to Psygnosis. Here's the ad for the Topps MVP Baseball 96 taken from scans of defunct Electronic Game Monthly magazine in 96.


The fact Bluesky Software engine (known for Sega Genesis World Series Baseball games) was along with imagine what could have been.

Sport Card of the Week

This feature is called Sport Card of the Week. Every week will feature a random sport card based on the player, the set, and how it defined the sports card market and/or the impact made on his/her sports.

The first card is easily a no-brainer.
1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle

This became the signature card for Topps in the baseball card market. That year Topps put out their inagural set and, unlike Bowman, used color photography. This card quickly became popular to baseball fans and collectors alike. How much impact did it for Topps? From 1997 to 1999 and 2001-2005 Topps did not issue card no. 7 in honor of Mantle. In 2006 they issued card no. 7 with Mantle on it where it continues on.

If you want point the beginning rise of Topps look no further than this card.