2011 Topps Allen & Ginter
Per Box Items:
24 Packs per box
8 cards per box
3 autographs or relics per box
Topps Sell Sheet
The standard sized base cards feature a color "art-style" picture of the players. On an off-white background and bordered in beige, the players last name in on the upper left corner of the card fronts. The set name and logo and team logo are all on the bottom of the card fronts. The card backs are photo-less. Moderate biographical information and career statistics are on the matte white card backs. The statistics are written out and not represented numerically. An example would be "Batting Average - Two Hundred Sixty Seven."
What I pulled:
190 unique cards
126/350 base cards = 36% of the base set
24 mini cards
36 inserts
2 relics
1 auto
1 box topper
Base card front and back:
The inserts: (not all scanned)
A&G back minis 65, 75, 106, 238, 310
black border minis 214, 258
Step Right Up 6, 8
Worlds Mysterious Figures 6, 9
Uninvited Guests 7, 10
Portraits of Penultimacy 2, 10
Animals in Peril 8, 6
Code cards 128, 133 215
Code Card
Hometown Heroes 6, 10, 11, 13, 37, 39. 48, 51, 59, 62, 63, 71, 76, 77, 85, 86, 91, 95
Baseball Sketches 8, 12, 15, 23
Minds That Made the Future 1, 20, 31
Floating Fortresses 3, 10, 20
Ascent of Man 2, 12, 15, 23
The Hits and Box Topper:
Framed Mini Relics
Chuck Woolery, Picabo Street
Framed Mini Auto Kyle Petty #/10
National Parks Box Topper
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The ever popular Allen & Ginter set returns this year with another strong line up! Perfect collation meant no duplicates and right on with the stated odds. I have always liked the simple, classic, throw-back design of the A&G sets. This nostalgia is also part of the popularity every year as well. Baseball card purists will say they do not like non-baseball or non-sport card subjects in their baseball card sets. Cards of boxers, BMXers, stuntmen, race card drivers, skiers, swimmers and other athletes is also part of the draw to A&G. All of the inserts and minis are well designed. I have heard collectors say that sometimes the hits in A&G are less then they could be. What a lot of collectors may miss however is the the inserts and minis are some the hits. Some of these inserts sets are very hard to chase. I particularly like the "Floating Fortresses" and "Uninvited Guests" mini sets. All of that being said, I would have like one of the traditional hits to have been baseball related, but all three subjects I pulled are popular in their own field!
The Bottom Line:
I give 2011 Topps Allen & Ginter a buy rating rating. Count on three full boxes to come close to completing the base set. Not necessarily a product for prospectors being light on RCs. There are always the numerous insert sets to chase and the hits are cool! Buy a box and trade your Floating Fortresses, Uninvited Guests and Animals in Peril 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: 5/5
Re-buy: 4/5
Overall Quality: 5/5
Overall: 34/40 (85% = B)
As always I am offering base and insert cards to members of The Bench for a SASE
Thanks to Topps for making this review possible!
Tal
