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Love Me Some Heavy Metal!
Although I have no problem sitting down and rockin' out to a little Slayer, Iron Maiden, Metallica, or Black Sabbath... this post has nothing to do with music.
When I say "heavy metal", I'm talking about the 1983 to 1991Bronze Premiums awarded to dealers who purchased cases of Topps Traded sets. Each card measures 1.25" by 1.75" and is made of solid metal, so although they're smaller than your standard card... they're a lot heavier.
They're also embossed, so if you look closely... the players literally pop out of the cards.
1983
1984
1985
The first three cards in the set featured three current ballplayers on current card designs, who at the time were in the hobby spotlight.
In 1983, Steve Carlton and Nolan Ryan were in a heated race to surpass Walter Johnson'scareer strikeout record. And Pete Rose became MLB's All-Time Hit King during the 1985 season.
Strawberry's inclusion in this set is sort of a head scratcher, since everyone else is either enshrined in Cooperstown or has the most hits in MLB history. But it's hard to find fault in Topps' decision to use Darryl. At the time, he was one of the hottest young stars in the game.
In 1986, Topps switched over to using vintage card designs with some of the biggest names to grace the diamond.
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
More...
When I say "heavy metal", I'm talking about the 1983 to 1991Bronze Premiums awarded to dealers who purchased cases of Topps Traded sets. Each card measures 1.25" by 1.75" and is made of solid metal, so although they're smaller than your standard card... they're a lot heavier.
They're also embossed, so if you look closely... the players literally pop out of the cards.
1983
1984
1985
The first three cards in the set featured three current ballplayers on current card designs, who at the time were in the hobby spotlight.
In 1983, Steve Carlton and Nolan Ryan were in a heated race to surpass Walter Johnson'scareer strikeout record. And Pete Rose became MLB's All-Time Hit King during the 1985 season.
Strawberry's inclusion in this set is sort of a head scratcher, since everyone else is either enshrined in Cooperstown or has the most hits in MLB history. But it's hard to find fault in Topps' decision to use Darryl. At the time, he was one of the hottest young stars in the game.
In 1986, Topps switched over to using vintage card designs with some of the biggest names to grace the diamond.
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
It's no surprise that Topps went with the 1952 Mickey Mantle when they switched over to using vintage cards. It's the probably the most famous card in Topps history. But I'm also glad they decided to include Hank Aaron's iconic rookie card, as well as the gorgeous 1955 Duke Snider.
So...
Personally... I think it's a shame that Topps stopped producing these in 1991, because they're truly amazing. If you're a fan of oddballs, then I highly recommend these. Best of all... these chunks of metal are pretty affordable. If you can look past Beckett's inflated values, you can find singles on eBay in the $5 to $10 range on a regular basis. And if you're patient, you can find them even cheaper.
Happy Tuesday and sayonara!
So...
What are your thoughts on these heavy metal cards?
Personally... I think it's a shame that Topps stopped producing these in 1991, because they're truly amazing. If you're a fan of oddballs, then I highly recommend these. Best of all... these chunks of metal are pretty affordable. If you can look past Beckett's inflated values, you can find singles on eBay in the $5 to $10 range on a regular basis. And if you're patient, you can find them even cheaper.
More...