Product Details
2014 Topps Heritage Baseball heads back to the year 1965. Traditionally one of the most popular sets of the year, particularly among set builders, the release arrives with plenty of nostalgia, both in how it looks and in the content. As with past years, hobby boxes come with one autograph or memorabilia card.
The 2014 Topps Heritage Baseball base set has a total of 500 cards, the final 75 of which are short prints. The design is inspired by 1965 Topps Baseball, which is recognizable for the team pennant at the bottom of the card. Base set variations fall under four categories. Sticking with tradition are "error" card variations that recreate mistakes and quirks that were originally made in the 1965 set. Others include Throwback Uniform Variations, Action Image Variations and Logo Variations.
The base set has a handful of parallels as well. Similar to the Venezuelan cards in 2013 Topps Heritage Baseball are Black Backs. Mini Base cards come numbered to 100. Chrome parallels, long a brand staple, return. These also have Refractor, Black-Bordered (#/65) and hobby-exclusive Gold-Bordered (#/5) cards.
Real One Autographs return with on-card signatures from current players and retired stars. Red ink Real One Special Edition autographs are numbered to 65. Only in hobby packs, collectors can also look for Real One Dual (#/25) and Triple (#/5) Autographs. Signed cards can also be found with Flashback Autographed Relics (#/25) and one-of-one 1965 Cut Signatures.
Clubhouse Collection is the main place to find relic memorabilia cards. The set includes bat and uniform swatches from current players. A Gold parallel is numbered to 99. Clubhouse Collection Dual Relics (#/65) match a veteran with a 1965 standout from the same franchise. Other Clubhouse Collection cards include Triple Relics (#/25), Quad Relic (#/10), Autographed Relics (#/25) and Dual Autograph Relics (#/10). One-of-one Book Cards come with a jumbo patch, bat plate or bat knob.
Other relics come with things straight out of 1965. '65 Mint cards come with a 1965 coin embedded in them. Available only in hobby packs, they come in four tiers: Nickel (#/15), Dime (#/10), Quarter (#/5) and JFK Silver Half Dollar (1/1). The checklist includes a roster of current and past players. 1965 U.S. Postage Stamp Relics (#/50) are similar except they use a 1965 stamp instead of a coin.
1965 Topps Hot Iron Transfers return as buybacks. Following the success of the Beatles buybacks in 2013, three entertainment products are inserted in 2014 Topps Heritage Baseball as buybacks as well: 1965 Topps Gilligan's Island, 1965 Topps King Kong and 1965 Flash Gordon. All buybacks are original cards with a foil stamp.
Several basic insert sets return including New Age Performers, Then and Now, Baseball Flashbacks and News Flashbacks. 1965 Topps Embossed is based on the distinct premiums released five decades earlier. The set has both current players and American presidents. Also new in 2014 Topps Heritage Baseball are 1st Draft Cards, which commemorate the first MLB draft.
Hobby boxes come with one of three different box loaders. 1965 Ad Panels feature three players. 1965 Topps Originals are stamped buybacks. 1965 Oversized Baseball Players cards are based on 1965 Topps Presidents and Famous Americans. Insert versions have a print run of 50. There are also Relics (#/25) and Autographs (#/10).
2014 Topps Heritage Baseball also has a randomly inserted redemption (expired) good for a complete set of 1965 Topps Baseball.
