I've been collecting in a public space for a long time, there are so many cards that I have seen over and over and over.
So it's surprising when I get a card that is exotic to me. In the last week, I have received several packages and envelopes from fellow bloggers -- surprising in itself -- that contain what I would call an "exotic" card.
I decided to focus on those cards. But I'm not doing it all in one post. I don't have the time for that and it's not fair to those who sent the cards. So I'm going to space them out over time. That way you (but mostly, I) don't get bored.
The first exotic card came from Zippy Zappy of Torren' Up Cards. It's the latest in a series of envelopes from him. I could actually consider all four of the cards he sent "exotic". They certainly aren't showing up on my store shelves.
Three of the cards are from the 2026 Stadium Club Nippon Professional Baseball League set, issued only in Japan, I assume.
This gives we Americans a peak -- I assume -- at what the 2026 Stadium Club design will look like whenever it is released here, probably two months into 2027 if Topps' recent pattern of poorly timed arrivals continues.
Shota Morishita is an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers, Koki Kitayama is a pitcher for the Nippon-Ham Fighters and Iori Yamasaki is a pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants. I know very little more than that, other than they have all been All-Stars.
These three cards were sandwiched around one other card, what is the exotic card in this envelope according to me.
That's a Jackie Robinson 1991 Topps design insert that I assume came from a Topps Japan pack, judging by all the koi fish swimming around Jackie. Must be one of those border-design exclusives to the Japan issue.
This card is very cool and weird and totally unnecessary and makes me glad I've been alive long enough to experience it -- all at the same time.
Topps has gone full Panini on these parallels but little fishies make me forget about my usual disgust for the too-many parallels for just a moment.
Thank goodness for exotic cards to take you away for just a little bit.
More on this continuing series when I get to it.
Comments
Against my better judgement I opened two packs of 2026 Topps S2 Japan Ed. and I pulled Koi Fish parallels in both. Jackie was one of them. Considering it's the only visible proof Topps had a Japanese edition, I figured it'd be better in your hands.