Back when I first started collecting cards again (2007), it was the 2007 Topps Heritage brand that somehow first caught my eye - and it's the first "modern" set that I completed upon returning to the hobby.
In 2008, I once again went after the Heritage set and it was quickly apparent to me that I was a huge fan of the brand.
When 2009 came along, once again I went after the Heritage set with gusto...but the base set combined with the Heritage High Numbers set proved to be a difficult build between the various short prints, inserts, etc.
In 2010, I didn't try to collect the Heritage set as I was still focused on the 2009 set. In 2011, I went back in, skipped '12 and '13, and then went after the '14 Heritage set as well.
By the time 2015 rolled around, I was actively collecting:
- 2008 Heritage
- 2009 Heritage
- 2011 Heritage
- 2014 Heritage
A quick look at my want list at the time - and the fact that I wasn't able to make much progress via the trade route, made it abundantly clear to me that trying to build Heritage base sets (and insert sets) was an exercise for people much richer than me...trading wasn't going to cut it, at least not in any sort of reasonable time frame.
It was around that time that I vowed to never again chase a new Topps Heritage set until I finished the various Heritage set builds that I was working on at the time.
Flash forward eight years...at this point, I've successfully completed
- 2007 Heritage
- 2008 Heritage
- 2011 Heritage
- 2014 Heritage
Only the 2009 Heritage set remains unfinished as of now!
As much as I'd love to say that I've finished off the '09 set with today's card acquisition, I cannot say that. Instead, I can report that I'm one card closer to completing one of the insert sets (Then & Now from the High Series):
For the record, here's what I'm still missing from a Heritage set that is now over a decade old:
2009 Topps Heritage (Low and High Series) Wants:
Base: 446, 459, 483, 487, 698, 707
Then & Now (High Series): TN-1, TN-4
Rookie Performers: RP-03, 10, 15
Base: 446, 459, 483, 487, 698, 707
Then & Now (High Series): TN-1, TN-4
Rookie Performers: RP-03, 10, 15
The green text represents cards that I've bought over on COMC but have not yet had shipped to me. In a sense, the card you see above is the final card that I needed for my Then & Now set...or at least, it's the final card I needed to buy!
The real question is - will I ever try to collect another Heritage set if/when I finally finish the 2009 set build? Honestly, I'm thinking I won't....except maybe if I'm still collecting cards whenever Topps Heritage with the 1991 Topps design rolls around. With modern Heritage sets having 100 short prints - never mind all of super short printed variations - Heritage set collecting is a fool's errand at this point.
It's a shame since I love the concept of the Heritage line...but as with many nice things, Topps ground the concept into the ground and killed off almost all of my love for the brand. Also, if I'm being honest, the much cheaper Topps Archives kind of takes the best ideas of Heritage (new players on old designs) and yet keeps it much more affordable - and with more variety of years in a set (and fewer short prints). Even better, once in awhile Topps even gets the cardboard mostly right for the Archives line (not often, mind you, but once in a while).
TL;DR: Skip the retro sets altogether or else only buy Topps Archives.
I'm with you. When I came back into the Hobby a few years ago (2017) I was all about chasing down the Heritage sets. However, they've become bloated ghosts of what they used to be with the pricing to go with it. I don't even think they honor those sets much anymore. They just pump out however much they can. These set sizes are HUGE now with the ever-increasing number of parallels and other BS. A couple years ago you'd be able to get the low numbered set with the SPs and common insert sets for under $200. Since the pandemic, well, yeah, about that...
ReplyDeleteHeritage is just flat out boring. Until they stop releasing a new product every week or two, it will not get any better. I was working on the 2019 and 2020 sets, but that came to a stand-still when I got to the high-number short prints. It's nearly impossible to trade for those and they can be pricey-- especially if it is a flavor-of-the-season player.
ReplyDeleteIf they'd mix it up a little, it would be better, but unless you hit something special like for me the occasional astronaut cards, the inserts are exactly the same every single year. I lucked into several big base lots of Heritage, but most of the time I finish out the easy ones and the short prints sit on my lists just like everyone else. Now and then (to coin a phrase), I'll find inserts in the quarter boxes, but half the time I can't tell what year they're for. The only way to finish any of the sets is to splurge on SP's at the National.
ReplyDeleteArchives is OK, but is redundant. And as I've hammered on before, the "anniversary tribute" inserts every year in flagship have watered both down even further.
I think Archives as watered down Heritage quite a bit, so I'm with you there. There aren't many designs to look forward to since they were all just done.
ReplyDeleteSome of the older Heritage is decent trade fodder on TCDB.