Completed insert set – 1999 Topps MVP redemption set

I completed this “insert” set back in March, but I hadn’t reached my posts for 1999 Topps until after I’d purchased it – so I didn’t want to put the cart before the horse!  I’d had an eBay saved search on this for a while, but couldn’t find a full set for a decent price for quite a while until around Saint Patty’s Day.

Info about the set:

Set description: Topps had a promotion tied into a parallel set from 1999.  Inserted at a very limited rate into hobby packs were cards with a Topps MVP stamp on the front.  If the player depicted won MVP of the week in 1999, you could send that card in for a set of cards honoring each of the 25 winners.  There were only 100 of each of the parallel cards made, so that means there were at most 2,500 of the MVP redemption sets (and definitely fewer than that since the redemption expired after a year or so).

The cards in the set are the 25 “winners”.  They have a foil background similar to the spectralite process Topps used on many other inserts.  The player jumps out at you from the card.  The back of the card show the stats from the “MVP” week and a description of what the player did to earn the weekly distinction.

Set composition: 25 cards, send-in redemption

Hall of Famers: 2.  Roberto Alomar, Randy Johnson.

Randy Johnson, Larry Walker and Chipper Jones will get there someday.

How I put the set together:

I bought the boxed set from eBay in March

Thoughts on the set:  This was probably a pretty cool concept at the time.  I don’t love the design, but I think the idea of keeping fans who bought packs intrigued with what happens during the season with the physical cards they got?  Great concept.  Topps of 2013 could look at Topps 1999 and take some pointers.  Design-wise, they are pretty nice – they don’t scan as well as they look in person.

Card that completed my set: N/A – bought it as a full set.

Highest book value: #MVP25 – Mark McGwire

Big Mac still carries a good price tag even with all the steroid allegations.

Best card (my opinion): #MVP15 – David Cone

Cone was named the Topps player of the week in mid-July when he threw the third perfect game in Yankee history.

My Favorite Reds card:  #MVP22 – Greg Vaughn

In early September Vaughn had a great week to keep the Reds in the pennant chase.  He hit 6 homers over the week, including 3 on September 7th, as the Reds went 7-1 during the week.