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Barry Larkin Collection 601: 1998 Topps Gold Label - #74 - Class 1

Barry Larkin
Year:  1998
Brand:  Topps Gold Label
Subset:  Class 1
Card number:  74

The Topps Gold Label brand has long been an (unaffordable) favorite brand of mine.  In 1998, the brand was just beginning - and even in the beginning the composition of the set was rather confusing.  In fact, each card in the 1998 Topps Gold Label set had a number of different versions.

As per baseballcardpedia.com, "There are 100 players released on three different, repeating, levels, each with it's own design: Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. The Class 1 cards are the easiest to find, while the Class 3s the toughest.  To distinguish between the Classes, each Class 1 card has the player's name stamped in gold foil and has a fielding pose in the background. Class 2 shows the player running with sparkling silver foil. The Class 3 have sparkling gold foil with a hitting or pitching photograph."

In addition, there are parallels of each card (and each class).  There are black parallels and red parallels (the red parallels are much tougher pulls).  There is also a one-of-one parallel for all 900 cards in the base set.  While I don't ever expect to own any of the one-of-ones, I would like to eventually track down the other versions of Larkin's card in the set. 

More specifically, here's what I need to track down from the set:

  • Class 1 base  (have it)
  • Class 1 black parallel (have it, need to write a post)
  • Class 1 red parallel
  • Class 2 base
  • Class 2 black parallel
  • Class 2 red parallel
  • Class 3 base
  • Class 3 black parallel (have it, need to write a post)
  • Class 3 red parallel 


At the moment, I only own three out of the nine cards...and none of the three are the more difficult to find red parallels.  Needless to say, I still have quite a bit of work cut out for me!

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