Modern Monday - living in the past

This is the fourth card I've added to the collection that was released in 2021. I actually put a call out for this in the UK collectors Facebook group and a few days later Jamie posted it asking "Was someone looking for this?" I did the Facebook equivalent of jumping up and down saying "ME! ME! ME!", and Jamie sent it to me.

Card Number 622: Topps 35th Anniversary insert, 2021; #86B-77

There are 100 cards in the 35th Anniversary insert series in Topps Series 1 that use the 1986 template. The front has a different photo to the special Chrome version that can be found in 'silver packs' in hobby boxes of Series 1.

I'm not familiar with that photo of Tony in the 1983-4 uniform. I welcome Topps using a new or different photo on their cards. However, there is a slight anachronism in using such a recognisable uniform from before 1986 in a 1986 retro template. The Padres changed their look significantly in 1985, adopting pinstripes and ditching the yellow and orange detailing.

On the back the card has the same problem as the chrome version - it has a massive stats box, which isn't complete and, annoyingly, doesn't include stats from 1986.

I've seen several discussions about the state of the baseball card hobby lately. One thing I've said a few times previously is that I don't feel the monopoly that Topps enjoys in terms of being the only licensed card producer, is particularly beneficial. Topps seems to be looking to the past a lot. They have two nostalgic sets - Archives and Heritage - and they keep putting retro cards into their main flagship series. In fact, the four cards released in 2021 I have acquired so far are all nostalgia cards. That includes a re-use of the 1974 template, two re-uses of the 1986 template, and a double reprint of cards from 1983 and 2002.

There is a danger when any company begins to rely on past glories that they will slowly stagnate. I wonder if Topps had a competitor they would be pushed to try new things, instead of relying on their licensing to make their cards more desirable than those on offer from Panini. My feeling is that the monopoly is detrimental to the card hobby, and also detrimental to Topps. However I can't see them giving up their prime status voluntarily.

In the meantime, I'm grateful there are people like Jamie breaking new product and remembering that someone had been asking about it!

Total: 622 cards