NPNs Received

[billsfan2006]

2) What is the best card you have received from an NPN? 2002-03 Topps Finest Jsy Jerry Stackhouse #ed.999

3) I have heard that sending to Upper Deck is useless - should I bother with them? Dont know never snet

4) How long do most NPNs take? AT MOST one month after expiration (i think)

5) Overall, after sending some in - do you think it was worth your time/stamps? YES.. free gu for 37 cents

[minew_m]

2004 Topps Cracker Jack Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relics PB Pat Burrell Jsy E

[just-for-cards]

Just got back from vacation to FanFest and then to Upper Wisconsin to find these in the mail:
Fleer Mystique Shining Star Nomar Garciaparra
Playoff Prestige Stars of MLB Nomar again
Cracker Jack Casey Kotchman 184 SP
Matrix Anfernee Hardaway mini Double-Double

Nothing great, but nice to come home to.

[billsfan2006]

2003-04 Topps Rookie MAtrix Brain Grant Mini (not worth the stamp :()

Jared

[Voltaic]

All these posts have been great, with regards to giving out information on the NPN Process, so I just have to add a little bit of information...

With regards to certain products that are both Hobby and Retail, CHECK THE ADDRESS ON BOTH PACKAGES.

I called Topps Customer Care yesterday in regards to the difference of address, in this case, on the Bowman HTA packs, and Bowman Retail packs.

HTA Packs require you to send to PO Box 8.
Retail packs require you to sent to PO Box 18.

So I called. Both ladies told me that since they are 2 different drawings (due to the different ratios on card pulls), you are allowed to send 1 Entry to Each. I asked her if this rule also applied to other products which had a Retail and Hobby variant,and she said as long as they look in different PO boxes.

Apparently they have their own PO Box system. In this case, a PO Box is a big bin. (Not, literally, a PO Box) As the entries come in, they get sorted into the bins. When it's drawing time, they draw from the individual bins.

At least, this is what the second lady told me. Sounds kind of far fetched, but hey... If they're telling me I can send in 2 entries, what the heck! I know they're different odds, but I never feel the stamps are wasted. I've gotten plenty of NPNs over the years.

[SingleDaddyof2]

Originally posted by Voltaic
...Both ladies told me that since they are 2 different drawings (due to the different ratios on card pulls), you are allowed to send 1 Entry to Each. I asked her if this rule also applied to other products which had a Retail and Hobby variant,and she said as long as they look in different PO boxes.

Apparently they have their own PO Box system. In this case, a PO Box is a big bin. (Not, literally, a PO Box) As the entries come in, they get sorted into the bins. When it's drawing time, they draw from the individual bins.

That's what I've always figured and I haven't been disappointed. I always send to both the retail AND hobby addresses.

And today I got 4 NPNs from Topps!

2003-04 Topps Rookie Matrix Basketball Mini Parallel 94 Nick Van Exel $0.40 bv
2004 Topps Baseball Presidential Pastime PP7 Andrew Jackson $3.00 bv
2004 Topps Cracker Jacks Baseball 16 Travis Lee (not sure if this is a base card or insert card) $0.40 bv if base
2004 Topps Cracker Jack Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relics TB-PL Paul Lo Duca $8.00 bv (my 1st GU'd NPN ever! Woohoo!)

[Voltaic]

Originally posted by SingleDaddyof2
That's what I've always figured and I haven't been disappointed. I always send to both the retail AND hobby addresses.

And today I got 4 NPNs from Topps!

2003-04 Topps Rookie Matrix Basketball Mini Parallel 94 Nick Van Exel $0.40 bv
2004 Topps Baseball Presidential Pastime PP7 Andrew Jackson $3.00 bv
2004 Topps Cracker Jacks Baseball 16 Travis Lee (not sure if this is a base card or insert card) $0.40 bv if base
2004 Topps Cracker Jack Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relics TB-PL Paul Lo Duca $8.00 bv

Very nice.

You know, it's funny. I've hated Topps products since the late 90s... But I've ALWAYS sent for their NPNs, because they, of all people, actually give out cards most of the time. Probably because they were the ones that got sued. :)

I also approve of the strict limit they put on NPNs. I love Fleer products, but being able to send in 3 zillion entries.. Well, that sucks, in my opinion. :)

I'm glad to see everyone gets so much of a thrill out of NPNs as I do. I love it even if I just get base cards. It's nice to see that companies actually care enough to put a staff together to do stuff like that.

[SingleDaddyof2]

I've always liked Topps--since 1969. I try to keep in mind that it's only my hobby--not my investment or lifeblood. And with that attitude, no card company has ever ruined my day or ruined my mood. I don't buy the high end product nor expect to make any money from my cards. But I do love the NPN's. Topps, Donruss and Fleer seem to always send me NPN's every time I send in for them (I always abide by their rules). Anyways, can anyone verify that this card is a Topps Cracker Jack base card?

[Voltaic]

Originally posted by SingleDaddyof2
I've always liked Topps--since 1969. I try to keep in mind that it's only my hobby--not my investment or lifeblood. And with that attitude, no card company has ever ruined my day or ruined my mood. I don't buy the high end product nor expect to make any money from my cards. But I do love the NPN's. Topps, Donruss and Fleer seem to always send me NPN's every time I send in for them (I always abide by their rules). Anyways, can anyone verify that this card is a Topps Cracker Jack base card?

I've never really looked at cards as an investment either, and it's far from the first thing I worry about.

The reason I dislike Topps is because of the way they lay out their sets. I posted it in a thread somewhere else, but basically.. It used to be that you could look at either the Front OR the Back of the card to be able to sort any card topps produced, and know whether it was a parallel, rookie, insert, etc.

For example, 1992 Topps. (IMO the last GREAT Set Topps Produced). It had a variant called Topps Gold, which was the first year for the set. On this front this was easy to recognize because the Name and the Team name were plated in Gold.

On the back of every card there was a watermark with the Topps name. On Regular cards, the watermark was a Sky Blue Color. On Topps Gold cards, the watermark was Gold colored.

Second example: 2004 Topps Crackerjack. You look at the front of every base card, and either you have a Red Background on the Front (Standard card) or a Blue Background (Parallel card, Like the one you have above).

Flip them over, on the other hand... Nothing! No Difference!

Third Example: 2004 Bazooka. What is with this Parallel Picture stuff? Now if somebody asks me for card # 120, we're going to have to take the time to figure out if he needs variation A or variation B. Thanks for the wonderful experience there topps!

Now I'm a collector and baseball fan. Saying that, when I open packs, I tend to flip to the back of the cards so I can read all the details of the player. It usually isn't till I put the cards into a Binder (or into Set Storage) that I look at the front of the card, with the exception of some sets. (Handpainted sets like DK and Crackerjack I always look at the front)

So how do I sort these sets now? I know it's a minor thing, but it's tedious to have to flip over the pack of cards, look at every individual card to see if it's a parallel, then sort by card # on the back.

That said, I too will always love Topps and Donruss for their NPNs. I have ALWAYS gotten something for every single NPN i've ever sent them.

I've never before done Fleer, but I'm worried that with Unlimited entries allowed, the spot will never be the same.

Singledaddy: In case you didn't read the above (and I wouldn't blame you), you have a Blue Parallel card.

[SingleDaddyof2]

I see your point. A few weeks ago, I received a NPN Topps Chrome Jason Giambi 150 (refractor, I think). Its a nice card but it is so similar to my base card of Giambi. The back is nearly identical. The front is the same, except for the gold border, refractor gloss and ToppsChrome logo. That's not enough to make me consider buying that product. Anyways, thanks for helping me identify that Travis Lee card!