My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is, and why it exists at all. -- Stephen Hawking
My goal is simple - collecting a Joe Mauer card in every flagship Topps design. Mauer's career began just after Topps started its tour of Heritage designs, and as a result he's been featured on quite a few different designs over the years.
Joe was still working his way up from the Minors when the 1955 Topps Heritage set came out, but he was featured on this 2014 3X5 ad for Topps online cards.
He's been on a Heritage card every year since then, racking up designs throughout the 50s and 1960s.
Even with his brief minor league career, he's been on Topps flagship every year since 2002, including one of the few "rookie / prospect" cards to feature 2 league MVPs. The 2018 Topps card just arrived today via Jim aka GCRL -- Thanks Jim! More from that mailing coming soon.
It's probably easier to list out the years that he's still missing- though I'm not sure the 1976 OPC above should count. He should get a 1970 Heritage card next year, leaving 1973, 74, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 88, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 00, and 01. Several of those designs were featured in Archives, but Joe either was on one of the other designs or omitted from the set that year altogether.
This is a cool collection. I wonder how many Robin Yount or Paul Molitor have been on.
ReplyDeleteThe only drawback I can see is that Topps has been putting retired players on the same designs they already had as players, so it seems less likely to see Yount or Molitor in 1950's designs now. Yount's run and Molitor's run as players were about the same, and there are a couple Molly Manager cards, so I'm guessing he has the edge.
Deletei keep a few of his cards from his catcher days. Makes me think of Daulton, and how many cards he'll never be featured on. I totally went in a different direction there. Sorry about that! Momentarily sad.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised if Daulton still pops up on Archives sets from time to time.
DeleteGreat collection idea. Good luck getting Mauer on the '78 design. Topps seems to be avoiding that design like the plague.
ReplyDeleteThey are afraid of the Cursive font. It's weird, I was just sorting through Mets cards and found a Carlos Delgado card in the 1978 design. It was off a little bit, but didn't look half bad.
DeleteGreat idea for a collection! I'd have to look and see where I am with a few of my bigger player collection guys (Vlad, Ichiro, etc.). I think I'd have at least the '50s covered with them.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really good idea. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteOh man, this is a great idea! Mauer is a great choice too.
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea! I might have to try this out with someone like Ichiro (although Topps might have left Ichiro out of a few of the Heritage sets).
ReplyDeleteGreat Rookie Card sighting there too. Dual Star Power.
ReplyDelete