Completed insert set – 2003 Topps Red Backs

As promised – I finished up another insert set from 2003 – I got the Red backs done the same time I got the Blue Backs finished.  So back-to-back posts for these.  This is the third insert set I’ve completed from 2003.

Info about the set:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Set description:  Topps didn’t reprint old cards in the flagship set for 2003.  Instead, they piggy-backed off of the Heritage theme that had gotten skipped when they started with 1952 Topps (in 2001 Heritage).  Paying homage to the 1951 Red Back & Blue Back sets, Topps issued Blue Back cards in series 1 and Red Back cards in series 2.  The cards are standard size – unlike the 1951 Playing card size set.  They also deviated from the OG by only making 40 cards in each series (the originals had 52).

Set composition:  40 cards, 1:12 Topps series 2

Hall of Famers:  12.  Ichiro, Guerrero, Jeter, Piazza, Rolen, Randy Johnson, Chipper, Thome, Ivan Rodriguez, Bagwell, Larry Walker, Pedro, Maddux

Ken Griffey Jr. was swapped out of this series

How I put the set together:

• 3 cards from the s2 HTA box I opened
• 2 cards from the National Sports Card Convention (2015)
• 1 card from another card show
• 10 cards from trades
• 7 cards from Sportlots
• 6 cards from Beckett’s Marketplace
• 11 cards from COMC

Thoughts on the set:  Same as the last post!  Pretty cool set at the time, sucks they printed it on the same cardstock and not Heritage card stock.  Also sucks they made it a different card size than the original.  Also sucks they didn’t make the easy jump to make it a 52-card set.  And finally – sucks they didn’t number it!

I like this set a bit more – the photos are cropped to not be as close up.

Card that completed my set:  Albert Pujols

I got this one on COMC on Black Friday, which showed up at just at the end of last year.  The Captain for the Blue Backs, the Machine for the Red Backs – so I think I was holding out on a few of the more expensive ones.

Best card (my opinion):  Carlos Delgado

Love the Blue Jays cap from then and this is a pic that fits with this set.  As I said – I like the focus on these being a little further back from the Blue Backs set.

My Favorite Reds card:  Adam Dunn

He’s the only one in this series after they pulled Griffey and Austin Kearns.

***********

These cards have no number on the back – but there is an order that both Beckett and Baseballcardpedia follow.  For tracking purposes while I was trying to finish this set – I used that.

See my rant on not numbering these cards in the previous Blue Backs set post!  Here’s a scan of the set.

Any other tidbits:  In addition to Griffey & Kearns, Bernie Williams, Eric Chavez, Eric Hinske, Jimmy Rollins, Kas Ishii, Mark Prior and Richie Sexson were not in this series after being in the Blue Backs set.  They were replaced by Barry Zito, Brian Giles, Delgado, Garret Anderson, Magglio Ordonez, Manny Ramirez, Mark Prior, Miguel Tejada and Torii Hunter.

Here’s the breakout of “events” in this set – a lot more Balls and Strikes compared to the Blue Backs

• Ball – 12
• Strike – 8
• Single – 3
• Stolen Base – 3
• Foul Ball – 3
• Out – 2
• Fly Out – 2
• Bunt – 2
• Home Run – 1
• Triple – 1
• Double – 1
• Hit By Pitch – 1
• Bunt (sacrifice) – 1
• Balk – 1
• Foul Out – 0