SCF Official Review: 2010 Topps Allen & Ginter

**Enigma** · 08-24-2010, 07:36 AM

First and foremost, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Topps for providing us with this box.

24 packs per box
8 cards per pack
Current Retail Price: 84.99-99.99

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Insertion rates are based on estimated production levels, which may vary from the actual insertion rates to be published on product packaging.

BASE CARDS (350 subjects) - 6 per Pack!
- Baseball Veterans (260)
- Baseball Rookies (30)
- Historic Figures (25)
- World Champions (35)

MINI PARALLEL CARDS (2,450 variations) - Original 1 15/32" x 2 11/16" size! - 1 per Pack!
- Allen & Ginter Wood Hobby Exclusive! (350) - Each is a one of one!
- Allen & Ginter Framed Cloth Hobby Exclusive! (350) - Numbered to 10!
- Bazooka Back (350) - Numbered to 25!
- Allen & Ginter No Number (350) - Limited to 50!
- Allen & Ginter Black (350) - Inserted 1:10 packs!
- Allen & Ginter Back (350) - Inserted 1:5 packs!
- Allen & Ginter Mini (350)

NEW! ALLEN & GINTER BOOK CARDS (10 subjects) - Each is a ONE OF ONE!

ALLEN & GINTER CUT SIGNATURES (10 subjects) - Each is a ONE OF ONE!

THE GINTER CODE - Decipher the Code for a chance to win!
- The Ginter Code

ALL NEW! INSERT CARDS (215 subjects) - 1 per Pack!
- NEW! Lords of Olympus (25) - 1:12 Packs!
- NEW! Monsters of the Mesozoic (25) - 1:12 Packs!
- NEW! World's Greatest Wordsmiths (15) - 1:24 Packs!
- NEW! National Animals (50) - 1:8 Packs!
- NEW! Sailors of the Seven Seas (10) - 1:24 Packs!
- NEW! This Day In History (75) - 1 Per Pack!
- NEW! Baseball Highlight Sketch Cards (15)

HOBBY EXCLUSIVE RIP CARDS - 1 Per Case!
- Collectible Rip Card Exteriors (100) - Numbered no higher than 99!
- Rip Card Interiors (215)
*Allen & Ginter Red Autographs (85) - Hand numbered to 10!
*Allen & Ginter Mini Exclusives (50)
*Allen & Ginter Mini Wood Exclusives (50) - Each is a ONE of ONE!
*Allen & Ginter Originals (30) - Actual Mini Portrait paintings of current diamond stars signed and numbered by artist Jeff Zachowski!

FRAMED CARDS (571 subjects) - 3 per Box! (Includes Cut Sigs & Rip Cards)
- NEW! Monsters of the Mesozoic Relics (10) - Numbered to 10!
- Allen & Ginter DNA Relics (10) - Each is a ONE of ONE!
- Allen & Ginter Autographs (85)
- Allen & Ginter Relics (66)
- Allen & Ginter Mini Parallel Printing Plates (350) - Each is a ONE of ONE!
- Allen & Ginter Mini Exclusives Printing Plates (50) - Each is a ONE of ONE!

HOBBY EXCLUSIVE BOX LOADER (60 subjects) - 1 per Box!
- Allen & Ginter N43 (15)
- Allen & Ginter N43 Relics (10) - Numbered to 25!
- Allen & Ginter N43 Autographs (10) - Numbered to 15!
- Allen & Ginter N43 Autograph Relic (5) - Numbered to 5!
- 2010 Cabinet Box Loader (10)
- NEW! 2010 Cabinet Relic Box Loader (10) - Each is a ONE of ONE!

CONTINUITY PROGRAM (5 subjects)
- MLB Logo Man Manufactured Patch Card (5) - Numbered to 50!

WHAT WE PULLED

Box Topper: N43 Hanley Ramirez

No Scan Available

Base - 114/300 (38%)
Dupes - 6
SPs - 11/50 (22%)
Dupes - 0
Baseball Sketches - 4
This Day In History - 25

***Please excuse the scans. My main computer died and I was stuck using an uncooperative digital scanner.***

Mini Regular - 4
Mini A&G Back - 5
Mini Black Border - 3
Mini Lords Of Olympus - 2
Mini Monsters Of The Mesozoic - 4
Mini National Animals - 4
World's Wordsmiths - 1

Mini Silk A.J. Pierzynski /10
Mini Adam Jones Bat
Mini Brian Duensing Auto

RATINGS

Base - 4/5
Design - 3/5
Fun - 5/5
Value - 4/5
Rebuy - 4.5/5

Overall - 20.5/25 (82%)

Since 2006, Allen & Ginter has been one of the most anticipated products of the baseball collecting season. The infusion of baseball rookies and veterans with stars of other sports and walks of life make for a compelling 350-card base set. Mix in a plethora of miniature card versions and you have a highly collectible set. The aforementioned base set consists of 300 regular cards and 50 short prints. Instead of numbered parallels, Allen & Ginter offers mini versions of each card in different styles.

Adding to the enjoyment are the various mini insert sets collectors can assemble. For years, Allen & Ginter has highlighted various themes such as Famous Hoaxes and a fake team from the late 19th Century known as Team Orange. This year is no exception with sets like Lords of Olympus (featuring Greek Gods and Goddesses) and National Animals (featuring symbols of countries from around the world).

Allen & Ginter guarantees 3 of the following per box: Memorabilia, Autographs, Printing Plates, Rip Cards or Silk cards. Outside of the rip cards, the rest are encased in hard plastic with a red border. Rip cards are a card within a card that makes the collector decide what to do. Do you keep the card intact and enjoy the card as is or do you give in to temptation and rip open the card to reveal a mini that could be autographed? Decisions, decisions...

Collecting enthusiasts love Allen & Ginter as they should. It's a wonderful set for set collectors and for those who enjoy putting chase set together. The fun and enjoyment as you go through the box is immeasurable. However, the card design is a bit played out even though it is the design from the original set. An updated version of a classic would be nice. But in the end, that's not going to stop collectors for picking up multiples boxes as you get a favorable yield for the money spent.

Once again, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Topps for giving us the opportunity to open and review this release. For more information on all their products, you can check them out at www.topps.com.

**Enigma** · 08-24-2010, 08:11 PM

Interested in a chance to pick up a random card from this break? To get a chance, all you need to do is leave your comments on this product in this thread and post your thoughts about the box itself on the YouTube page.

**TheHeel** · 08-24-2010, 08:18 PM

I recently got back into baseball card collecting again. The Allen & Ginter is probably the prettiest card of all time. I really enjoy the colors and the thick feel of the card. I especially like the fact that not all of the cards feature just baseball players. I bought a box of random cards at the Westchester card show and was pleasantly surprised when I got Rampage Jackson, Joey Chestnut, Billy Mitchell just to name a few. I sent all of them to get autographed through the mail. A&G is just an overall solid product.