6 Things to Know About 2019 Topps Heritage

Year after year, Topps never fails to impress me with the annual release of my favorite set; Topps Heritage and 2019 served as no exception to this tradition.

After the initial hobby box that I opened, I ended up breaking a little bit more Topps Heritage to explore this impressive product even further. However, rather than doing the standard recap of what I purchased and pulled, I'd rather write one final post on Topps Heritage in a more creative way.

While I've been opening packs of 2019 Topps Heritage, I've noticed multiple different details about the product, both large and small. Even though you generally know what to expect from Heritage every year it's released, Topps continues to surprise collectors with different variations and retro-style insert sets.

There's truly not a product quite like Topps Heritage where, even though the inserts are reoccurring and the set design is constantly expected, Topps pulls out all the stops and creates one of their most beloved products. 

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Topps will probably be doing the same thing with Heritage 50 years from now with products from the 2010s-2020s. Honestly, it's pretty odd to imagine modern-day sets recreated with Heritage cardstock, but I truly have faith that Topps can pull it off when the time comes.

Alright, back to 2019 Topps Heritage and some important things to know about this product and everything that comes with it.

#1 Be prepared for way too much sky

Having ballpark backgrounds on their cards isn't something revolutionary for Topps, so I'm confused as to why such a high percentage of the product features blue sky photographs. It would be fair to estimate that roughly 80% or more of 2019 Topps Heritage features photos with blue sky backgrounds, and this premise isn't new to 2019.

Since 2017, we've seen a major increase in blue sky backgrounds in Topps Heritage, and while I understand Topps' decision to include in-game action variations as SPs, does one variation have to come at the cost of almost every single card featuring the same background?

#2 The inserts are more colorful than ever

The colorful inserts that we've grown accustomed to seeing in Topps Heritage are a direct reflection of the year that Topps is commemorating. This likely means, unfortunately, that these incredibly colorful insert cards won't last forever. 

With that being said, simply looking at these Baseball Flashbacks and New Age Performers cards makes me hope otherwise. While the 2 different flashbacks insert sets feature the same design with different colors, the New Age Performers set design is one of the cleanest and most creative styles that I've ever seen out of Topps Heritage.

#3 This years' SPs are... complicated

One thing I've found through all the packs I've opened thus far is that it's become increasingly difficult to pull major names, even as far as the base set is concerned. I'm well aware that the superstars are once again SPs, but is that really the case?

For example, Sonny Gray is in the base set and Miles Mikolas is a short print. I'm well aware that Gray has had his struggles, but Mikolas only had 1 respectable season and gets an SP? I didn't even know his name until he signed an extension last week. 

Not to mention, the 2 MVPs, Betts and Yelich, are in the base set as well. Weird.

#4 Don't expect to pull many rookie cup cards

Last year, All-Star rookies like Andrew Benintendi were featured in the base set and, thus, pulled fairly often from packs. However, with the superstars making up the short-print checklist once again this year, don't expect to find many sophomore stars when you open packs of this product.

Other than a Harrison Bader base card, showcasing a rookie cup, the only other All-Star rookie card I pulled was an SP of Miguel Andujar. Besides a base card and a lucky SP pull, I've ended up with zero All-Star rookie cards through my Heritage openings so far.

#5 The Scratch Off inserts are my favorites

Falling at 1 per hobby box and some relatively tough retail odds, the Scratch Off insert set is a recreation of the original mini set from 1970. Back when these were first released, you and a friend could play a fantasy Baseball game of sorts with these cards, and the replicated cards are designed for the very same purpose.

I, however, will attempt to complete this insert set rather than play the game, but I am blown away by Topps' sheer attention to detail with these cards, even if 0 Red Sox players are featured.

#6 Expect the expected and the unexpected

In many different ways, Topps Heritage is a very predictable product, and in a ton of other ways, the same thing cannot be said. For instance, with the year 1970 being replicated, you can thoroughly expect guys like Yaz and Bench to be showcased in the Then & Now set. 2018 was a stellar year for rookies, so I'm not shocked to find a surplus of 2nd-year guys in the New Age Performers set.

However, Topps has certainly thrown in a few surprises with this years' product, keeping Heritage fanatics like myself on their toes. Take the Baseball Flashbacks set, a checklist that usually consists of all Hall of Fame players. Well, this time around, Thurman Munson and Joe Torre have their own cards.

There are also new "French text" variations where the blurb on the card back is written in both English and French. Topps has also introduced a new "metal" parallel in addition to the numerous other variations and parallels that have become mainstays in the set.

See what I mean, Heritage encompasses the expected and the unexpected all in 1 product, and the result is stellar, no matter the year. It's the creativity and craziness behind the set that has suckers like me coming back for more, even if the replicated set design isn't my favorite.

Top 10 Cards From 2018 Topps Gallery

Because both years featured exceptional artwork and insert sets, I'm having a hard time picking which set I prefer; 2017 or 2018 Topps Gallery.

While this years' set allows the artwork to have more space on the card, the 2017 product did a slightly better job of embodying the Gallery brand with the cards looking more like framed artwork when compared to this year.

No matter the year, I've found that there are very few cards from the Topps Gallery product that I don't like. Maybe a handful with the 2 sets combined, if that. With that being said, there are the good cards from Topps Gallery and the fantastic cards with artwork that elevates the entire product. 

After much consideration, I was able to narrow down over 80 base cards from 2018 Topps Gallery to my favorite 10, a list consisting of players both retired and current as well as artwork from several different artists that worked on this product. 

Not only does it give me a good idea as to what I like to see out of Topps Gallery, but this list will also give me additional insight as to where I'll place the set on my top sets of 2018 post which I plan on posting within the next few days.

#10 Juan Soto

When I first talked about this card, I commented on how, to my knowledge, the background is the inside of the Nationals' dugout and how uncommon a background this is for a card. It seems like only Stadium Club, Gallery, and the occasional Topps Flagship set include shots from inside the dugout. The card being a Juan Soto rookie helps the card's placement on the list as well with artist John Giancaspro doing an excellent job with one of Soto's many rookie cards.

#9 Trea Turner

Occupying spots #9 and #10 on the list are young Nationals outfielders, Juan Soto, and Trea Turner. Very different from Soto's card, Turner's Topps Gallery card has more of an abstract background consisting of warm colors like red and orange with a little bit of purple included as well. Moreover, realism is evident through the attention to detail used for the players' face, a feature that artist Dan Bergen uses quite a bit throughout his cards in the set.

#8 Max Kepler

All of the short-print cards in this years' Topps Gallery set include little sub names below the players' names, differing depending on how long the player's been in the game. For retired players like Randy Johnson and Darryl Strawberry, it says "legends" right below their name. However, for Twins outfielder, it says "apprentices" directly below his name.

I'm pretty sure there's some correlation with short-prints having even better art than the base cards considering the use of a throwback uniform for Kepler's card. Even though the lime green background wouldn't have been my first choice, I'm able to look past that given the stunning artwork.

#7 Trevor Story

Similar to the Trea Turner card, Trevor Story's Topps Gallery base card features an abstract background. This time around, the colors do an even better job of representing the Rockies' team colors with purple being most prominent with a tinge of yellow as well. 

The reason why I placed Story's card above Turner's is that I feel this particular background goes better with the team rather than a blend of warm colors for the previously mentioned Nationals young star.

#6 Rhys Hoskins

Likely the most abstract card on the list is Rhys Hoskins' Topps Gallery rookie, a card that doesn't have quite as defined facial features or crisp-looking jerseys that the rest of the cards have. With that said, it's fairly refreshing to see something different from the set, though I'm especially fond of the attention to detail used for Hoskins' uniform. The background also serves as a nice contrast to the foreground with clear effort and care put into the entire card.

#5 Franmil Reyes

1 of the 2 incredibly realistic backgrounds for cards on the list, the other one appearing at the #2 spot, is what I believe to be a Spring Training background for Padres' rookie Franmil Reyes' card, the only player on this list that I was unfamiliar with prior to writing the post. Not only is it refreshing to see a real-looking background, but the details in the foreground also surpass what I've seen from almost every card in the set, combining 2 excellent details for a great overall card.

#4 Robinson Cano

Similar to the Max Kepler card, Robinson Cano's card, #199, is a short-print, though, below Cano's name, the title is "artisan." Personally, I think that veteran would work a bit better, but that's not to take away from the meticulously detailed card that is Cano's SP. From all the different shades of blue to the 2nd baseman's helmet and the realistic facial expressions, it's hard to find a card with more well-executed details in the entire set than Robinson Cano's.

#3 Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant sure has his fair share of detailed and incredible cards with his 2018 Topps Gallery base card being no exception to this premise. Featuring an abundance of bold Cubs blue, Bryant's helmet and jersey are incredibly detailed as is the background, one of my favorite abstract backgrounds of the entire set. Overall, it's pretty hard to fault this card at any level, though 2 more had the slightest edge to reach spots #2 and #1.

#2 Miguel Andujar

As I previously mentioned, the #2 card on the list features a similar realistic-looking background as the #5 card Franmil Reyes. The subject of this card is arguably the deserving 2018 AL Rookie of the Year, Yankees 3rd baseman Miguel Andujar. Along with Gleyber Torres, Andujar catapulted the Yankees to success in 2018, and like card #5 on the list, the beautiful background helped launch Andujar to the #2 spot. Combined with the Yankee pinstripes, this card was almost unbeatable.

#1 Rickey Henderson

Even though it appears rather simple at first, the more I look at Rickey Henderson's base card, the more I appreciate each and every detail of the card. The only artwork on the list designed by Kris Penix, the sheer attention to detail used for Henderson's card is marvelous. From the detailed cap and jacket to the perfect use of different shades throughout the card and especially the care the artist used to make Henderson appear as realistic as possible.

Again, at first glance, the card doesn't appear as fantastic as the others. But the longer I look at it, the less I can deny how much of a standout card this is, resulting in the card ending up at the #1 spot.