There is nothing wrong with 1978 Topps

 

I received a selection of glorious upgrades, from Bo of Baseball Cards Come To Life, from one of the more elegant sets in the Topps catalog, 1978 Topps.

It's wonderful stuff. They look just like what I pulled out of packs in '78. 

 

I like '78 Topps a lot as it's one of the sets that came out when I was a kid. As I've mentioned before, it's the first set I saw complete, all 726 cards in one shot, and, yes, 726 cards was a stunning number to me.

 

It's iconic, instantly recognizable, one of the few to employ script-writing. I don't know how you can't enjoy it.

 

But it's obvious someone doesn't enjoy it. For example, Topps.

 

That's the only conclusion I can make -- either Topps doesn't like its own past set or it's afraid to duplicate it, one or the other. Because, outside of some one-off online projects, it has avoided reproducing it in its retro projects, particularly in Topps Archives.

 

2021 Archives just came out and for the first time it is utilizing six past designs in its base set instead of the usual three or four.

 

The designs in 2021 Archives are 1957, 1962, 1973, 1983, 1991, 2001 and 2011.

 

Only three of those designs are new to the Archives base set. Those are 1962, 2001 and 2011. The other three have been used before, which is frustrating for fans of designs/sets that haven't been used at all, namely 1978 Topps.

 

Here are the designs that Archives has now used more than once: 1957, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1991.

 

Here are the ones it hasn't used yet: 1952, 1956, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1978, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003-2021.

 

Avoiding the '60s is understandable because Topps' other retro tribute set, Heritage, just finished a run through the '60s. The '90s are a bit understandable because when Archives began the '90s weren't "retro enough," but that's starting to change. Also, I'm assuming Archives has avoided 1987 Topps because Topps wants to continue to beat collectors over the head with the design with its inserts.

So that leaves 1952, 1956, 1978 and 1988 as the designs Archives has avoided like the plague.

I can probably come up with a reason for '52 as well, but the other three -- "shrug."

Could it be an inability to repeat the design in such a format? Or is it just Topps not keeping track of designs it's used and designs it hasn't?

Archives doesn't mean a lot to me other than a chance to collect a design I particularly like, and I've done it for the 1979 and 1975 designs in the recent past. Mostly what I look for in Archives now is Clayton Kershaw appearing on a design that he hasn't showed up in before so I can continue my Through The Years project of collecting a card of Kershaw on every Topps flagship design.

With the designs 2021 Archives is using, there is just one opportunity for that. Kershaw has already appeared on several of the '21 Archives designs, including in past Archives sets.

1957 (2015 Archives)

 

1962 (2011 Heritage)

1983 (2018 silver pack inserts)

1991 (2016 Archives)

2001 (2018 Topps Dodger Stadium giveaway set)

2011 (2011 Topps flagship)

 

 

That leaves 1973 as the only 2021 Archives design that Kershaw hasn't appeared on that would be useful to me.

 

(*Checks '21 Topps Archives checklist*)

 

(*Kershaw is card No. 32 in Topps Archives*)

 

(*Cards 1 through 51 use the 1957 design*)  

(That's so bad I'm breaking out this golden oldie).

 

Yeah, there's no reason for me to buy 2021 Archives.

Bring back 1978 Topps, Topps.

It's not like you're going to be able to use it for Heritage.