2014 Topps Allen & Ginter
Per box items:
24 packs per box
8 cards per pack
a combination of 3 hits of autographs and/or relics
The standard sized base set cards have a color 'art-style' picture of the player on the card fronts. Bordered with a simple graphic there is a splash of a complementary color behind the player. The player's last name and set name are centered along the card bottom. The occasional horizontal card does have a color background picture behind the player. The card backs are photo-less. The plain back cards lists moderate biographical information and career statistics. All the the usually numerical information is written out. For example a Batting Average of .296 is displayed as "Two Hundred Ninety Six."
What I pulled:
191 unique cards, no duplicates
138 base cards
26 inserts
23 mini cards
2 relics
1 auto
1 mini 1/1
Base card front and back:
Inserts: (not all scanned)
Fields of Yore 2, 8
Air Supremacy 6, 9
World's Capitals 3, 8, 10, 15
Natural Wonder 3, 8, 11, 18
Little Lions 14, Predators 11, Into the Unknown 10, Where nature Ends 18
The Hits:
Beltre relic, Snoop Lion Relic
Sprance Framed mini relic 1/10
Mini wood 1/1 Waggoner
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2014 Allen and Ginter returns with an expanded autograph list. The mix of retired stars and current players is nice. The occasional horizontal layout card breaks the set up just enough so that it does not feel all the same. Personally I am a baseball card purist and think that a baseball card set should have baseball players in it. In my opinion this is watered down even for A&G. A&G also brings back their many inserts and SP minis to chase. The bonus hit is really cool. I was surprised that the mini wood 1/1 was lust inserted in a pack and not in a rip card though. Once again there is a code to break. I would have preferred a few less inserts and to that many more base set cards. A decent box to be sure, but I am just not a big fan of 'art-style' cards.
The Bottom Line:
I give 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter a shop around rating. It really depends on what type of a collector you are if you should buy A&G. If you are a player or team collector, buy your singles. If you like the product or are a set collector, 2014 A&G will appeal to you. Buy a box and trade your Tigers, Rickey Henderson and Predators Wolf cards to me!
The Final Score:
Final Ratings (Out of 5):
Base set collect-ability: 2/5
Big-hit Hunter: 5/5
Prospector Hunter: 3/5
Overall Design: 5/5
Fun: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Re-buy: 5/5
Overall Quality: 5/5
Overall: 34/40 (85% = B)
Thanks to Topps for making this review possible!
Tal
