More Heritage, more observations

 

 

As expected, I received some more 2025 Heritage in the mail at the end of last week. First, Rod of Padrographs sent me a bunch of his extras and then later the same day, the Fanatics "megabox" that I ordered back in March finally showed up.

 

After going through all of that, I am just short of halfway through on the set at 45 percent. As always with Heritage, this is deceptive since there are an ungodly 100 short-prints and I have like eight of them.

 

But I'm still enjoying the cards, despite all the drawbacks of modern sets, and I can see myself perhaps acquiring a hobby box at some point (maybe after prices go down) to continue building the set.

 

I've still got some observations and thoughts on this year's set, so I'll break all of this up into Rod's sends and then my box from Fanatics.

 

 

ROD'S CARDS

 

I received three stuffed nine-pocket pages of cards from Rod, not all 2025 Heritage but most of it was. It really helped make a dent and, of course, I first focused on the Dodgers.

 

That's a big help, especially when Ohtani cards are involved. City Connect uniforms appearing on a retro set definitely take me out of the 1976 vibe, but the All-Star logo on Teoscar's card helps to balance it a little bit.

 

Because the Ohtani Record Breaker card is a tribute to my favorite Record Breaker set of all-time, I had to turn it over -- against my better judgment. But through the haze, Topps did a little bit of work and came up with an appropriate stat list. Of course it doesn't tell you what we're looking at, but I guess it's all the 50-50 and 40-40 guys plus the ones who reached at least 30 home runs/30 stolen bases with the highest collective totals?

 

 

Rod also sent this Freeman Chrome card, I know you can't really tell that it's chrome but I still think these 2025 Heritage chromes are sharp.

 

 

This card threw me a little bit before I remembered that it's the 25th anniversary of Heritage and Topps has never turned down a chance to congratulate itself. There are at least two (possibly more, I haven't looked) insert sets related to 25 years of issuing Heritage. This "Through the Years" is one of them. It's foil-ish and really not necessary.

 

 

Rod is always good at including stars, here's a nice chunk. Some decent-looking cards, too.

 

 

 Rod even threw in a couple of short-prints. Yay!!

 

 

This is also a short-print ... well, it would be if it was a regular card (which I need TWO of). 2025 Heritage has gone overboard on the sparkle parallels, with a different kind depending on which box you buy, I think. I hate that Heritage has succumbed to this. The chromes were always a nice touch but everything else is overkill and belongs in other sets.

 

 

These are from a Heritage insert set called "Notable Americans". I assumed that this is a riff on some non-sports set issued in 1976, like the "Zoo" set in last year's Heritage. But I just looked at 1976 non-sports sets on TCDB and couldn't find an accurate comparison. Maybe it's a Bicentennial tribute.

 

 

Except for a pack, I have skipped right over 2024 Heritage High Numbers. But Rod knows I'm still interested in the cards and sent me these. That Kopech card is very similar to his card in 2025 Heritage. On both of them he wears an "I just gave a home run" frown.

 

There were still a couple of other neat things in the envelope, including:

 

Two key 1986 Topps Tiffany cards. That's my first '86 Dodger Tiffany!

 

 

A 1976 Buyback. No, I am not chasing these. Yes, this will be stored in my 1976 Topps binder, not in the 2025 Heritage binder.

 

 

This was a fun addition. Rod has been posting about collecting the 1965 Philadelphia Football set. I left a comment on how unfamiliar I was with these cards (and players). He sent a few extras! Still don't know these guys, but I love that Lions' Play of the Year card.

 

 

MY FANATICS CARDS

 

Fortunately, though I received a good batch of Heritage in each of these, the doubles were nicely contained. And, with the Dodgers, I need two of each kind anyway. Here is what I added for the Dodgers:

 

Again, really wish Kershaw was in a regular uniform. ... Will we see Conforto as a Dodger in a 2026 product? Hmmm.

 

 

These particular boxes contain "silver sparkle chromes"😑. Not the most exciting crew.

 

 

There were also four red borders. These used to show up regularly in retail packs (along with blue borders). I don't think that's the case now.

 

 

There were also four regular chromes plus a numbered blue chrome card (A Giant, of course). Aside from the Kwan All-Star, the others weren't exciting. Fitzgerald will be heading off to Nick, maybe one of his kids will enjoy it.

 

 

 I also received a photo variation of Jhonkensy Noel. Neat.

 

 

A few other notables, including the Paul Skenes card, which is similar to the Mark Fidrych from 1977 Topps, but of course that's 2026 Heritage.

 

 

This is something called "1976 Topps Redefined," another insert set. It looks like someone had extra time on their hands at the computer. I'm not offended by it, but I don't have any use for it. I don't know if reader Grant, who I know likes the Twins, could use this, but I'll be happy to send it.

 

 

I received four short-prints in the box, but two of them were -- you guessed it -- the same two Rod sent me. Ugh. These are the other two.

 

 

 The highlights of the subsets in the box, there were more.

 

 

I received three of the Father&Son cards. The fronts do a solid job of replicating the 1976 subset. The backs though ...

 

 

If you are familiar with the 1976 Father & Son backs, the write-ups read like a first-person experience from the son about the father. They are personal and interesting. These read like a fact sheet on both of them with the son's name at the bottom as if he said it (I have no doubt the '76 write-ups were embellished a little, but it seems like Topps at least sent out a questionnaire or something).

 

 

Here is the Buddy Bell 1976 F&S card back for comparison. Note: no signature on the Heritage cards.

 

Now this thing:

 

Someone forgot to remove the "zero" before the decimal on the Batting Average Leaders card. That is brutal.

 

 

The back for the AL Strikeout Leaders card leaves a bunch of empty space while going back as far as only 1976 (meanwhile other leaders cards go back to 1970). Nolan Ryan and Frank Tanana got gypped! Not cool!

 

 

Here's a card of Abraham Lincoln to end on a good note. By the way, this insert set is 100 cards and contains some baseball players.

 

All right, that's all I have on Heritage until I stumble across some more, which I'm sure I will do! I certainly don't plan to buy any Bowman!