Tuesday twins from 2020 and 2000 (sort of)

It's the 9th of June, which means this blog is one month old.  I've got into a pattern of showing cards that look very similar on Tuesdays. First up some brand new cards that arrived last week from eBay.

Card Number 88: DonRuss, 2020; #218
In their most recent set "DonRuss" (who are now actually Panini) have recreated their 1986 design for a little insert series of cards featuring greats of the game.

It looks like that's an empty stadium behind Tony as he's swinging the bat there. This photo is very reminiscent of photos on Topps cards in their 80s heyday, with Tony's shoulder obscuring part of his face like that.

The cardback recreates the look of the 1980s base cards, complete with the player's full name.

Card Number 89: DonRuss, 2020; #218 (Name Variation)
And here is the card's twin, with 'Anthony Gwynn' on the front instead.

I really don't know what to think about these manufactured variations. It really triggers my grumpy old man routine. Suffice to say. 30 years ago back in the junk wax era, DonRuss made errors unintentionally because they were rushing to get as many cards out as possible.

The only good thing I would say about Panini DonRuss is that at least they mark their cards so that you can tell you have got a variation. The number is in a black baseball icon instead of a white one. I don't know why Topps is so resistant to this concept.

Otherwise the card back is exactly the same.

Onto today's other twinset.

Card Number 90: Topps, 2000; #2

Just a base card. I can't work out what the guy in the dug-out behind him is doing. He might be a photographer.

Photo on the back, because it was 2000, and that was now accepted practise. The chap sitting behind the dug-out is almost recognisable in this photo. No space for a cardback factoid with that insanely big stats box.

I complain about Topps quite a bit, but in fairness they can do base cards reasonably well, when they try. I wouldn't say this was a design classic though, would you? Topps thought it was because in 2005, they picked this design for a card of Tony in their Topps All-Time Fan Favourites set.

Card Number 91: Topps All-Time Fan Favourites, 2005; #113
Topps All-Time Fan Favourites (ATTF) was a short-lived set that Topps produced for three seasons in the early noughties. These ATFF sets basically recreated a card as it 'could have looked' using a different photo.

Tony was in the ATFF sets in 2003 and 2004 as well, but I don't have those cards. By 2005 Topps were running low on the good card lay-outs and Tony unfortunately got stuck with a rehash of Topps 2000.

Back in the noughties, I was buying small lots of Padres cards off eBay and I think this was one of them. I think it's confusing that they kept the "Topps 2000" on the front.

Admittedly there are a couple of differences. Besides the photo, they changed the border to gold and stuck on a 'Fan Favourites' gold foil element. Even so, if I felt Topps was receptive of feedback I would suggest not re-using borders that include the name of the year.

There's a green line at the bottom of the card and a different number on the back to help distinguish it. But, still, it's odd having a different year on the front.

So, those are the Tuesday Twins today.

Total: 91/394