I need to stop doing this

 

How many years have I bought a blaster-or-whatever of Topps Archives and been annoyed an hour later that I bought it? Five? Seven? Ten?

Archives, in its current form, has existed for 11 years now and I established long ago that it doesn't make me happy. And in this year of not taking chances when it comes to card purchasing, I thought I was over this.

Two steps forward, one step back.

Like last year, I was doing a little Christmas shopping a few days ago -- just a little because who can stand more than 20 minutes in a big box at this time of year? -- and swung by the card aisle. Only this time it was Target, not Walmart. A couple weeks prior I had found the card shelves very healthy. This visit, they were less healthy -- the ransackers had been at work -- but I found a blaster of Archives. I had seen a little bit of it interesting on the blogs, I wanted to see what the 2003 design looked like, so I took the gamble.

 

Mostly what I found was cards that don't look like the old designs Archives is repeating, which is fine. If they want to do a "reimagining" just say so on the box. But, for me, Heritage is the go-to for old designs. Always will be.

 

 

But we're here, so let's take a look. I guess to focus on something positive, I actually pulled two of the cards pictured on the box. That never happens.  

PACK 1

 

4 - Chipper Jones, Braves (1956)

63 - Tony Gwynn, Padres (1956)

28 - DJ LeMahieu, Rockies (1956)

195 - Tyler Stephenson, Reds (1965)

197 - Justin Turner, Red Sox (1965)

BBDH21 - Bobby Witt/George Brett (1989 Doubleheaders test issue)

215 - Carlos Correa, Twins (2003)

284 - Manny Machado, Padres (2003)

This year's set features three main designs that I like quite a lot, 1956 (1st in my all-time Topps countdown), 1965 (10th) and 2003 (30th).

The '56s and '65s I could tell right away, from a couple of other bloggers' posts, that they weren't close to the originals. 1956 tributes will never look right because photographs can't mimic the original '56s painted masterpieces. The '65s are very weird, as Topps seems to be going with action on them, which we know never happened in '65.

The 2003 cards are closest to the original, although they're not glossy and the bottom justification of the player names is already bothering me. A comparison:

That's three 2003 originals and the Archives Correa card. Upon reviewing, I noticed that the last name of the 2003 originals did line up at the bottom of the box sometimes, such as the Prior card. But often it was centered more, like Lugo. But I think mostly why I notice a difference is the font for the 2023's is a little larger.

This is the front and back of the doubleheader card. The original 1989 Doubleheaders were mini size and contained a player's current card (1989) and rookie card on opposite sides. I've never seen one in person.

Oh, and I said in last year's Archives post that I would be happy if I never pulled another Machado card and the dude is in the first pack. No more blasters, N.O.

PACK 2

68 - Yandy Diaz, Rays (1956)

55 - Adley Rutschman, Orioles (1956)

80 - Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves (1956)

140 - Ryan Mountcastle, Orioles (1965)

199 - Garrett Mitchell, Brewers (1965)

170 - Brett Baty, Mets (1965)

69T-7 - Adley Rutschman, Orioles (1969 Single Player Foil)

239 - Roberto Clemente, Pirates (2003)

244 - Darryl Strawberry, Mets (2003)

Three Orioles. That's not all of them. ... Also the Strawberry name positioning is raising hackles.

The "Single Player Foil" cards are three to a blaster. I think they are a riff on the design of the 1969 posters, which were team-based, featuring like 10 mugs per poster.

PACK 3

43 - Charlie Blackmon, Rockies (1956)

83 - Christian Yelich, Brewers (1956)

178 - Mitch Haniger, Giants (1965)

168 - George Springer, Blue Jays (1965)

135 - Honus Wagner, Pirates (1965)

57HS12 - Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (1957 Hit Stars)

240 - Braden Shewmake, Braves (2003)

225 - Satchel Paige, Browns (2003)

The first Dodger is an insert! Other than that, the Wagner is the usual Archives oddness and Charlie Blackmon is in every blaster on earth.

PACK 4

35 - Oneil Cruz, Pirates (1956)

22 - Ty Cobb, Tigers (1956)

167 - Tom Glavine, Braves (1965)

142 - Edouard Julien, Twins (1965)

260 - Taylor Ward, Angels (2003 - red, #2/50)

250 - Sandy Alcantara, Marlins (2003)

254 - Javier Baez, Tigers (2003)

252 - Eloy Jimenez, White Sox (2003)

The Taylor Ward parallel arrives as good karma for The Angels In Order who is sending me a RAK TCDB "trade."

 

 

PACK 5

56 - Ryne Sandberg, Cubs (1956)

38 - Miguel Amaya, Cubs (1956)

77 - Tris Speaker, Red Sox (1956)

134 - Mike Mussina, Orioles (1965)

196 - Brandon Lowe, Rays (1965)

69T-41 - Shea Langeliers, Athletics (1969 Single Player Foil)

201 - Oswaldo Cabrera, Yankees (2003)

219 - Logan O'Hoppe, Angels (2003)

208 - Paul Blackburn, Athletics (2003)

 

PACK 6

60 - Max Muncy, Dodgers (1956)

57 - Casey Mize, Tigers (1956)

190 - Alex Bregman, Astros (1965)

186 - Andrew Benintendi, White Sox (1965)

103 - Jorge Mateo, Orioles (1965)

98BB-16 - Anthony Volpe, Yankees (1998 Baby Boomers)

218 - Brooks Robinson, Orioles (2003)

233 - Eddie Murray, Orioles (2003)

 

There's the second, and last, Dodger. Meanwhile we are now up to 7 Orioles.

 

The lettering for the White Sox team name in 1965 was white, so that black name is weirding me out. ... The Baby Boomers card is from a 1998 insert but it also looks very much like a Panini insert.

 

PACK 7

 

 

49 - Tim Anderson, White Sox (1956)

92 - Matthew Liberatore, Cardinals (1956)

58 - Triston Casas, Red Sox (1956)

150 - Joey Meneses, Nationals (1965)

113 - Riley Greene, Tigers (1965)

108 - Cal Raleigh, Mariners (1965)

69T-55 - Wade Boggs, Rays (1969 Single Player Foil)

222 - Alex Call, Nationals (2003)

246 - Randy Arozarena, Rays (2003)

 

I think you can sense by the crooked picture how disinterested I was by this point.

 

Archives has improved in some ways over the years, going with sturdier card stock, etc. But at 56 cards for $24.98 it's not for me. Almost nothing in modern cards is. I think maybe this year's Heritage has made me feel a little too confident in current cards and then I get disappointed again.

 

But I think next Christmas season when I'm out and spot the new Archives again, I'll ignore it. I've got to stop doing this. Not even a blog post is worth this.