2008 Topps Series 2 Live

How do I know? The case busters are hard at work ripping and posting to eBay. One thing you can't do before the product is live is start posting auctions for 1/1 printing plates. Looks like it's now or never for my set preview. The Braves vs. Brewers game is on though so I'll get to it in between innings throughout the night so stay tuned... they blew it in the ninth. Argh.

BASE SET

You know how I feel about the base set design. I really like the circles motif, the foil is unobtrusive and I'm slightly disappointed in the photography. The set is 330 cards numbered 331-660. It looks like Johnny Cueto is the hot rookie in the early goings. I haven't seen any Jay Bruce cards yet so it looks like Topps jumped the gun on the sell sheet. I also haven't seen any weirdness, short prints or gimmicks yet, but give it time. It's Topps base cards. Ya like it or ya don't. I like it.

INSERTS

There's new stuff, old stuff and stuff that's gone. I'll tackle each group separately.

Stuff That's Gone:

Own the Game is gone, but it's usually a Series 1 only insert set. Campaign 2008 cards are gone, but don't worry, there's plenty of politics in the set. The strange patch cards that look like jerseys are gone, but they've been replaced by something else you don't want. I'm not sure if the gold foil parallel cards are gone or not.

Conspicuously absent are the Opening Day Matchup cards that have haunted Series Two sets for the past few years.

Stuff That's Back:

Trading Card History is back with 25 more cards, numbered 51-75. Cards 26-50 are giveaways at hobby stores and have about a month and a half to go to complete the set.

The Year in Review continuity set returns with cards 61-120.

All Rookie Team 50th anniversary continues with cards 56-110 along with the related parallels autos and relics.

The Mickey Mantle Story is now in the 1956 design with 10 more cards and a bat relic version numbered to 56.

2007 Highlights Relics and Autographs. These are the one per box things that are required nowadays.

Presidential Stamp Collection. Those plastic cards holding a postage stamp with a president's face on it are back. They book pretty well and are something different so good for Topps on bringing this strange set back.

Cut Autos are also becoming standard operating procedure for Topps. This time instead of Obama and Hillary, there is JFK and Nixon. No regular collectors ever see any of these cards.

Parallels - Gold numbered to 2008, Black numbered to 57 and Platinum numbered one of one. Press plates too.

Dick Perez inserts - I thought these were Wal-Mart exclusive, but I've seen two or three auctions for the suckers. Maybe some blasters fell off the back of a truck. Part of me wants to run out to the store to see if they're in, but it's seriously too dang late to be doing that. My guess are T205 cards come back at Target as well. There better be a Brave in one of these sets or I'm gonna cause a ruckus.

Brand New Stuff:

Topps Stars - a 25 card set on shiny foilboard. This is the insert set that always replaces Own the Game.

Home Run Derby Contest - 50 cards of potential participants in the Home Run Derby numbered to 999. If you pull the winner you have a chance to win the Jersey the player wore.

Historical Campaign Matchups - 55 cards with the two rivals for each presidential election. This continues the political theme in Topps this year. If there is an Obama - McCain card, Hillary's gonna be PISSED. There's also a junk card encouraging kids to vote on Topps.com.

Commemorative Patch Relics - More manufactured patch cards, this time commemorating the last seasons at Yankee and Shea stadium. There better be a Chipper Jones Shea Stadium patch.

Silk Collection - For some reason Topps reprinted 100 cards from the first 660 on tiny pieces of silk and encased them in the same kind of plastic holders they use for the stamps and the Allen & Ginter relics. They are numbered to 50 so don't worry about pulling any.

ToppsTown - Garbage fillers.

Also new is that hobby boxes finally have one "hit" per box. Most will be low-tier relics and the occasional prospect auto but they are there. Topps had to do something to counter Upper Deck's multiple hits per box strategy this year.

Conclusion:

If you collected Series One, you'll likely collect Series Two. The best insert sets are back so you can continue to collect that cool set from Series One if you wish. The Campaign Matchup cards won't appeal to everyone, but they look very well done and will win over a history buff like me. There are strange, low numbered insert sets to chase with various bells and whistles but they don't detract from the essential Toppsness of the set. For the first time in a long time there are no common inserts that will incite groans like the Home Run monotony or pictures of Opening day. Also NO MIRROR CARDS PERIOD. I'm dreading discovering the stupid gimmick of this set because so far I like it a lot. At least when the gimmick pops up I'll be able to complain about it.