Official SCF Review: 2008 Topps Heritage High Number Series

**Enigma** · 12-09-2008, 06:28 AM

First and foremost, I'd like to thank our sponsor, Topps, for providing us with this product to review.

Product Description

24 packs per box
8 cards per pack
MSRP: $55.99-$59.99

Each pack contains six (6) Topps Heritage cards, two (2) Updates & Highlights cards and 1 stick of gum!

NEW! FIRST TIME EVER!
2008 Topps Heritage High Number Edition
The 2008 Topps Heritage collection continues with 2008 Topps Heritage High Number Edition, highlighting 220 additional players, including more than 45 rookies, on the classic 1959 Topps Baseball design!

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS
- 220 Additional Heritage Subjects, Numbered 501-720!
- More Than 45 Heritage Rookie Subjects!
- NEW! Cut Signature Relics!
- Every Autograph Signed On Card!
- Gum In Every Pack!
- ONE AUTOGRAPHED OR RELIC CARD PER HOBBY BOX!

PRODUCT BREAKDOWN
Base Cards - 6 Topps Heritage and 2 Updates & Highlights cards per pack!
- Heritage (220)
- Updates & Hightlights (330)

Insert Cards - 6 per box!
- Rookie Performers (15)
- Then and Now (10)
- 2008 Flashbacks (10)

Autographed Cards - 1 Autographed or Relic Card per Hobby Box!
- Real One Autographs (>20 subjects)
- Real One Special Edition (>20 subjects) - Hand-numbered to 59.
- Hobby Exclusive! Real One Dual Autographs (10) - Hand-numbered to 25.
- Clubhouse Collection Autographed Relics (10) - Hand-numbered to 25.
- Hobby Exclusive! 1959 Cut Signature Relics (4) - Each is a 1 of 1.
- Hobby Exclusive! 1595 Cut Signatures (6) - Each is a 1 of 1.

Chrome Parallel Cards
- Black-Bordered (100) - Seq. #'d to 59.
- Refractor (100) - Seq. #'d to 559.
- Chrome (100) - Seq. #'d to 1959.

Relic Cards - 1 Relic or Autographed Card per Hobby Box!
- Clubhouse Collection (40)
- Clubhouse Collection Dual Relics (5) - Hand-numbered to 59.
- Flashback Stadium Relics (3)

Box Loaders - Hobby Exclusive! 1 Per Box!
- Advertising Panels
- 1959 Topps Originals - 1:2 boxes

WHAT WE PULLED

Heritage Base (110/220) - 50%
Dupes - 8
Updates & Highlights Base (48/330) - 14.5%
Dupes - 0

The box loader is an advertising panel for the set. It consists of three cards from the set displayed together.

The base set is based off the 1959 Topps design. The player displays the players in a circular picture. All the photos have the player posing for the picture. The top and bottom of the card is the same color on the individual card, but the cards come in a multitude of colors. For those it applies too, the Rookie Card logo has been added to the top left of the card. In the top right corner is the Heritage logo. The bottom left hand corner houses the team logo with the right hand corner having the team and player's name. A printed version of the player's auto is placed at the bottom of the photo.

There are team photo cards. The players are group together in rows behind a wall. The card is two-toned. There's a semi-circle that goes around the last row of players and another fills in the open corners. The back of the card holds part of the checklist of the entire set. To get all the checklists, you must have all the team cards.

The third card is the Topps News Rookie Stars of 2008. These are mixed in throughout the set. The player photo reside in the black outline of a plaque. The top of the card is where you find the name of the subset. In a reverse of the regular card, the Rookie Card logo and set logo have swapped places. At the bottom is player's name, team and position. The player's picture is backdropped by red, white and blue stripes in a representatition of America's colors.

Though not announced in the product description, there seems to be an SP set in conjunction with the Heritage High Series release. A few of the cards have a black box around the card number whereas the regular set has a green box. We managed to pull seven of these:

Willie Bloomquist, Ramon Castro, Jose Guillen, Gabe Kapler, Endy Chavez, Taylor Teagarden, Zach Miner

The Updates & Highlights set is the continuation of the base Series 1 and 2. There are 330 cards in the set. The card is printed on a gloss finish with a white background. The team's name is at the top with each letter in a circle. The circles alternate colors (blue and yellow) with the letters in white. The Topps logo is directly underneath. The player's photo is almost surrounded by a square, except for the indentation at the top of the logo. The player's name is at the bottom along with a facsimile of his auto.

There are three insert sets in this release. The first is Flashbacks. It uses the similar style of the base card with the circular photo approach and the colors. However, the player name is now in the top left. Also, the bottom has a yellow box that details that player's feat from from the season. The player's nickname is listed in red and the date and location is at the immediate bottom.

Then there are Rookie Performers. The background is 60% yellow and 35% red. The final 5% is blocked off by a black box with the player's position and name. Next to the player's position is a scroll that displays the insert set's name. The top left has the set logo and the top right has the player's name. The player's photo takes up most of the card.

Finally, it's a set called Then & Now. This set features two players on one card. The two players are connected by the award they won in their respective year (1959 & 2008). The retired player is shown on the left of the card with a yellow background. The player's name and team is underneath his photo. On the right, there resides the current player with a red background. His name an team is above the photo. In the middle, the name of the set is located. The heritage logo is in the top left corner of the card.

There are three types of Chrome cards in this release. They all look just like the regular card with a small distinction. The Chrome version is cover in a chrome foil that gives the player's photo a silver looknig background. The Refractor uses the rainbow foil and gives a prism effect when light is shined on it. The Black Border is exactly what it sounds like. There are only 100 cards in each of the sets.

Chrome /1959
Refractor /559
Black Border /59

Chrome /1959 (8) - Ryan Ludwick, Jason Kubel, Jed Lowrie, Marcus Thames, Mike Jacobs, Jose Castillo, Alexi Castilla, Ben Francisco
Refractor /559 (2) - Jorge Cantu, Matt Macri

There is only one relic or auto per box. We managed to get a Clubhouse Collection Relic. There are 40 in the set. At the top of the card is the name of the set. The player's photo is in the middle with the jersey swatch underneath. The display hole is in the shape of home plate as the outline looks like a baseball field. In the bottom left is the Heritage logo and the bottom right has the player's position, name and team. The background of the bottom is in red.

Final Ratings (Out of 5):
Base set: 4/5
Fun: 3/5
Overall design: 3/5
Value: 4.5/5
Re-buy: 4.5/5

Overall: 19/25 (76%)

The base set is basically a reprint of the 1959 set. It's hard to get excited over a card that looks the same as another, even if it was 50 years ago. As popular as vintage is, there's not a big calling for this set. And the extra bonus, one stick of bubble gum, has worn off. It was catchy in Bazooka as that was geared towards kids. Heritage is not.

Not sure I understand tossing in Updates & Highlights in the packs. Why not just give us two more Heritage cards and bring us possibly 48 cards closer to completing the set. As mentioned earlier, not quite sure if the black box cards are meant to be a SP or not, but would be nice to know.

I do like the insert sets, mostly the Then & Now Series. It introduces players of yesteryear to collectors who may not know these guys otherwise. The design works real well and the yellow and red background play off of each other real well.

Also, I like how the parallels are kept simple with only a couple of sets to chase. But why only 100? Why not all 220 cards?

The 1 auto or relic works great as the price of the box is low. Overall, this is a good box for the money. With 10 parallels, 6 inserts, 7 SPs (possibly) and an auto or relic, you get a surprise in each pack. Can't complain about that.

Once again, I'd like to thank the wonderful folks at Topps for providing us with this product and the opportunity to review it.

**doniceage** · 12-09-2008, 06:35 AM

Thanks for sharing and can't wait til you get some mroe stuff. As always nicely done.

DO
N

**JKC** · 12-09-2008, 06:50 AM

Nice break and review!

Thanks Topps!

Darin

**molly1984** · 12-09-2008, 11:35 AM

I like the look of these, then again i wasn't around in 1959 to enjoy them the first time around :) But at least there are other things to keep it interesting like the Chrome. I like the Then and Now idea. Cool product!

**quiet-things** · 12-09-2008, 11:58 AM

Nice review.. I like the look of the base set. Thanks Topps

**TheTGB** · 12-09-2008, 07:58 PM

Nice break Tony, and I agree with the points made about being a reprint of 59 Topps and how vintage is looked at today.

**meuandthelot** · 12-10-2008, 01:35 AM

This is a unique concept being a continuation of 2 sets...
Heritage & Base Topps.

The reviews were mixed when this was first announced, but collectors of Heritage are in fact going after the sets.

Thanks Topps & Enigma