Completed insert set – 2011 Topps Reproductions Cards

Vintage Reproductions was another set Topps did in its 2011 Topps product – this was a series 1 insert set.  I kind of question the relevance on this one – why have a bunch of reprints in the year they’re celebrating their 60th anniversary.  Not saying the set isn’t kind of cool – it is – it just seems like it would have fit in a different year.  These cards have a CMG prefix because CMG Worldwide is the marketing company that represents the deceased Hall of Famers.

Info about the set:

Set description: “A retrospective showcasing the world of vintage baseball cards pre-1952 and pre-Topps!”  They sort of tie it in that way to the 60th anniversary thing – but I don’t get why they have this set and the “Before there was Topps” set.  Anyways, the design is dependent on the card – but I’d note that Topps “stretches” each card so that it’s the same size as a standard card.

Set composition: 30 cards, 1:8 hobby odds (2011 Topps series 1)

Hall of Famers:  16.  Babe Ruth, Hank Greenberg, Christy Mathewson, Cy Young, George Sisler, Jackie Robinson, Honus Wagner, Jimmie Foxx, Enos Slaughter, Johnny Mize, Lou Gehrig, Mel Ott, Rogers Hornsby, Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson.  All the players in the set are in the HOF, but many of the players have multiple cards.

How I put the set together:

• 5 cards from a series 1 hobby box
• 5 cards from a series 1 HTA jumbo box
• 1 card from a retail jumbo pack
• 2 cards from a blaster
• 8 cards from trades
• 7 cards from eBay and/or card shows
• 1 cards from Sportlots
• 1 card from Check Out My Cards

Thoughts on the set:  Like I said above – I like the set, I just don’t know if this was the right year / product for it.  Also, I’d have rather had them just pick only one card per set, go in chronological order, and maybe do a few more sets, like Ginter, Gypsy, Kimball and others.  All that said – the set does look pretty cool scanning them all in together.

I did find a couple of errors they made in the write-ups on the back.  The Jackie Robinson 1950 Bowman card says he was in Topps first set, “in 1951” – Robinson was not in the ’51 Red or Blue Back set, but he was in the 1952 Topps set, so I think that’s what they meant to put.  A bigger mistake – the George Sisler card says it’s from 1921 National Caramel, designated E220, and the back proceeds to describe how he’s reaching for a ground ball.  Well, the 1921 E220 National Caramel card does show him reaching for a ground ball, but that’s not the card pictured on the front!  He’s shown hitting on the front.  The confusion is that it’s actually the E121 set from American Caramel.

Card that completed my set: #CMGR22 – Mel Ott (1933 Goudey)

I got this card from Check Out My Cards in January.

Highest book value: #CMGR1, CMGR2, CMGR4, CMGR5 – Babe Ruth

Best card (my opinion): #CMGR17 – Jimmie Foxx (1935 Diamond Stars)

Double-X with an old school catchers mitt.  Love it.

My Favorite Reds card: There are none.