Topps Archives: What's all the fuss?

Topps Archive is a mutt of a set no doubt; there are a wide variety of Topps heritage style cards thrown into these mid-end cards. With a low three dollar and some change price tag, retail packs can get out of hand quick, as can GQ and AG. However Archive doesn't get the overall attention and preemptive discussions as the fore mentioned. However, there is a lot to love about Topps Archives with only one or two minor set backs.

I actually got my first glimps of Archive this morning when a friend owed me a GQ blaster from my winning month in our fantasy baseball team contest (best team assembled per month gets a blaster). He grabbed an Archives blaster for himself as I had to tear through some gypsies I didn't even want anymore, much like two kids opening presents at Christmas and wanting what the other has. I did pull three Reds GQ cards I don't have so that's a plus, and even more so because the box was free. Additionally I pulled two Griffey Jr. cards, and who doesn't like that?

Here are my three Reds Gypsy Queens:

Mat Latos #21: Latos is quickly becoming one of my favorite Reds starters.

Scott Rolen #129: This card kinda makes me sad, this is probably Scott's last season and he is spending too much of it on the DL. Last night Rolen presented Chipper Jones with a base plaque in honor of his career...it was sad to see those two star third basemen limping around the field.

Johnny Bench mini #226

I also pulled these two Ken Griffey Jr. cards; A #250 base card and this Glove Stories card GS-KG, if you dont remember when Griffey Jr made this catch and the resulting injury look it up, it's one of the greatest catches of all times.

Now, on with the 2012 Topps Archives; here is what I pulled and I am very pleased. I didn't over commit to these cards as they were released in the mega shadow that is 2012 Topps Series 2 and the upcoming release (got your pennies saved up?). I was at my local Walmart picking up Memorial Day weekend survival needs such as baby diapers, wipes, Coors Light, cat litter (yes I finally retrained the cat, see my profile) and flea shampoo. Ugh, I'll get to the flea shampoo after I show off some cards. All and all I only picked up five retails packs from the same spot I always pull packs from the left stack, middle to rear. Why do you ask? well, because it's just not right...

These three cards, Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun, and Curtis Granderson are pretty sweet. I don't care much for the last two but lets face it, Matt Kemp should have been 2011 MVP. Regardless, nice cards Topps.

Pulling three Reds cards, nice ones for that matter, is always a good time. Pulling two Vottos and Griffey is even better. The 3-D Votto card is pretty awesome.

These are the only three rookie cards I pulled, which sucks because I collect all RC. However with the great design work these three RC are a great addition to the collection.

The below Berra card is fantastic, you don't get as many Berra cards as Topps spends most of their drool hovering over Mantle reprints. It was a nice change of pace here and a really nice card.

The above three 'classic' players were some great pulls. I love Babe Ruth and his career but love cards of him pitching even more. Jackie Robinson? hell yea and a Lou Gehrig. Three great cards to go along with what we have seen so far.

In true retail pack fashion, I pulled this Torii Hunter relic in the last pack. Pretty nice relic card but I think I'm going to let it go.

About the flea shampoo... I woke up this morning with our bedroom screen out of the window and laying two stories below on the deck. when I went downstairs I saw the cat on the front porch. I put two and two together, poor cat. She also got fleas during her night in the wilderness.