The freedom to collect ridiculous parallels

 

Happy 4th, people who are stuck reading this on their electronic device!

Not all of us can be floating on a lake today. For example, take me, I'll be sitting in my office, like I do 325 days out of the year. It's been a few years since I've been to a park or beach or lake on this day. A lot of people take this week off. I've always preferred to wait until later in the month.

But I've prepared a holiday-tangential topic for those just as indoor-bound as me.

A couple of months ago, I pulled the above Independence Day parallel card. It's just the second time since these parallels first appeared six years ago that I pulled one. The other time was quite celebrated and I've mentioned it too many times in the past.

For obvious reasons.

So that's just twice, five years apart, which is logical considering they've always been numbered to /76 and I buy relatively few packs.

These parallels have always been cool to me maybe because they're so unavailable but probably mostly because this is a holiday that's closely associated with baseball. It makes the most sense as far as holiday parallels. I still don't know why there are Christmas parallels, even though I collected the full set one year.

 

Topps has gone all-in on holiday-related parallels this year, stashing these ugly things in blaster boxes this year, on the occasions of Easter and now Independence Day and I guess, generally, summer. Maybe overkill since now we have multiple tributes to the 4th and when did Topps become Panini?

But in tribute to the most holiday-appropriate parallel, I'm now going to rank the Independence Day parallels of the last six years, as is my right as an American in the Land of the Free!

Let's go:

7. 2020 Topps

I'm always going to rank anything connected to the 2020 Topps design last. The single strip of design covers a small portion of the card and seems easily removable. But the Nationals cards do look cool with the patriotic design.

 

6. 2022 Topps

This patriotic design is just a repeat of the 2021 Independence Day parallels. Granted 2022 is a far better design than 2021 but doing nothing new doesn't make me want to buy the cards more.

5. 2021 Topps

There's that weird design now. Sure, let's add another element to the 14 that are already on the card.

 

4. 2023 Topps

A toss-up between this set and the one ranked at No. 3. It's still a border filled with stars but I like how the border background is filled in with red. It gives off a fireworks vibe that those weird 2024 blaster fireworks ones do not.

3. 2018 Topps

The first of the Independence Day parallels. This thing is over the top. It's like a 2013 Katy Perry video. I do enjoy how it envelopes the whole card (except for the odd triangle of grass at the top).

 

2. 2024 Topps

This is the best use of the border for the 4th parallels since borders made a comeback in flagship sets. I like the flag representation with mostly stripes but a corner of stars. The border is foil, which normally I wouldn't like but it makes the card seem fancier.

1. 2019 Topps

This is my favorite because of the waving flag graphic in the background and it makes the player seem like the Greatest American Hero. I really like the red last name, too.

My two favorites happen to be the only two ones that I've pulled from a pack so maybe I'm showing some favoritism.

But that's my right as a American!

And I will continue to do things that it's my right to do today ...

... until I have to go into work.