I have a love/hate relationship with Topps Archives. I like the theory of using throwback designs, but it’s much better executed in Heritage. It can be nice to see the more recent vintage designs, without the almost 50 year lag time, though. That shine can be easily lost a bit when recent designs like 1982 get overused. This year’s set features 1960, 1982, and 1992.
One improvement in this year’s release, is the lack of regular short prints as part of the set. There are alternative image short prints, as well as various parallels. In the past, Archives has offered insert sets like cards from the motion picture Major League. This year, their pop culture references involve autographs of people like “Bald Vinny”, who seems to have limited appeal outside of Yankee stadium, and a baseball collector that most are not able to name. I’m not sure I would exactly call that an improvement.
A box advertises 24 packs of 8 cards, including two autographs per box.
This box contained:
174 Base (58% of 300 card set)
1 VAR SP Whitey Ford
1 Base Blue Parallel
1 Base Gold Winner Parallel
2 Base Peach Parallels
4 1959 Bazooka
2 Derek Jeter Reprints
1 Derek Jeter Reprints Gold Parallel
2 Retro Originals
2 Rookie Stars
1 Fan Favorites Autographs John Smiley
1 Fan Favorites Autographs Peach Terry Mulholland