Collect call: 2009 Topps 206 baseball

Posted Dec 5, 2009 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated Dec 5, 2009 at 10:11 PM

It’s one of the most famous card designs in history — with the most storied card in collecting history — the T-206 tobacco cards of the early 1900s. The Honus Wagner card from that set is the Holy Grail of baseball cards, it’s value rising all the time. I mean, Wayne Gretzky could only afford to shell out half for the card.

Topps has recreated that classic design in its Topps 206 set, and retro fans should love it.

A hobby box contains 20 packs, with nine cards per pack. In a typical pack, seven are base cards, with one bronze-bordered parallel card and a mini parallel.

Here is the set breakdown: 226 veterans, 18 legends and 56 rookies. There are also 50 variation short print cards.
The hobby box I sampled had 134 of the 300 base cards. There also are seven checklists; the box I looked through yielded five. There were also 18 copper bordered parallels.

The base card variations included Thurman Munson, Alex Rodriguez, Pee Wee Reese and Mel Ott. The difference is a different card front, and a back that merely contains the player’s last name and the league he played for.

There were two other base variations — Rick Porcello and Colby Rasmus. But instead of having their name on the back, the card read “Rookie” with the league he played for. Interesting.

This particular hobby box contained 16 mini parallels with a Piedmont back, two with Polar Bear, one Old Mill and a Cycle mini numbered to 99.

Topps advertises at least two autographs or relics (or a combination). This particular box had a pair of autograph cards. Both have Piedmont backs and are blue-framed mini cards of Josh Outman (Athletics) and Scott Elbert (Dodgers).

The design is simple but attractive. It is nice to pull cards of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Cy Young and other baseball immortals along with today’s stars. That is the appeal of this set.

What is also attractive is the chance to pull a T-206 cut autograph (there are 10 in the set) that a 1 of 1. Plus, there are buyback cards and printing plates.

There are plenty of possibilities, and while a set builder might need three hobby boxes to complete the set, that boosts the odds of pulling a truly memorable card.