Like the title of a song says, “Everything old is new again.”
Rumors keep going around about Upper Deck being serious regarding a rebirth of Fleer Retro for baseball. The Donruss product released by Panini hit a friendly nerve with many collectors who loved the 1980s throwback. And, earlier this year we learned another late 1990’s/early 2000’s issue– was in the comeback pipeline. This week, collectors are getting to meet 2014 Topps High Tek Baseball.
The word “High” in the title is what stands out right away, and it is meant to do that. In fact, Topps is even using the phrase “Low Tek” to refer to some of the parallels in the set that are “paying homage to the Tek heritage…featured on refractor foil technology.” Yep, according to Topps the refractor foil technology is now officially old school. It is meant as good old school, but it is evidently no longer the top dog in Topps order.
2014 Topps Tek Basic Info
At around $65-80 per box, Tek is somewhat intended to appeal to collector who isn’t necessarily high-end but likes something different. This will be evident not only from the design and details of the cards, but also the packaging. In addition to the promise of an autograph in every box, Topps promises that each case will guarantee one re-created design Diffractor OR a Buyback Autograph card.
Topps believes that part of what made the earlier versions of Tek so memorable was “its vast array of patterns and parallels.” And they REALLY believe that as the revamped 2014 Topps High Tek will have plenty of different versions of its 100 card base set for collectors to chase. There will be lots of color and a plethora of ways to design foil and acetate according to the Topps information.
Tek Parallels
Each box of 2014 Topps High Tek provides six base cards. The company states that “no two packs will be the same,” and with up to 12 different background patterns and the variety of color parallels, it promises to be an accurate statement. Just using the 100 base cards, the following parallels are available:
- Gold Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d.
- Ice Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d.
- Disco Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d. (Jokes about Disco Demoltion are being held at bay here.)
- Clouds Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d.
- Black & White Image Parallel: sequentially #’d to 15.
- Red Storm Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d to 10.
- Blue Dots Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d to 5.
- Charcoal Galactic Diffractor Parallel: #’d 1/1.
- Printing Proofs: #’d 1/1.
By the way, the word from Topps is that these Hobby exclusive packs have six base cards, plus one parallel base card numbered to 99 or less. There are 12 base card pattern variations–six for the National Leaguers and six for the AL players.
For many, of course, the appeal will be the guaranteed hard signed autograph per hinged box. Autographed cards feature on-card autos of MLB rookie stars, veterans and baseball icons. Of course, as you might have guessed by now, these are not left without their own variety and parallels. Topps says the autos fall into the following categories:
- Disco Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d.
- Clouds Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d.
- Black & White Image Parallel: sequentially #’d to 15.
- Red Storm Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d to 10.
- Blue Dots Diffractor Parallel: sequentially #’d to 5.
- Charcoal Galactic Diffractor Parallel: #’d 1/1.
- Printing Proofs: #’d 1/1.
Tek Diffractors
Earlier it was mentioned that Topps has stated that each case of 12 boxes guarantees one re-created design diffractor OR a Buyback Autograph. Again, the autographed buybacks of Diffractor parallels and inserts from the 1998-2000 Topps Tek series are signed on-card. Topps is offering 3 different types of the Diffractor cards:
- 1999 TEKnicians Diffractor – up to 25 subjects featured on a re-creation of the 1999 TEKnicians insert design that are sequentially numbered. These have autographed parallels that are #’d to 10.
- 2000 TEKtonics Diffractor – up to 20 subjects on a re-creation of the 2000 TEKtonics insert design that are sequentially numbered. These have autographed parallels that are #’d to 10.
- And, as we mentioned above, the Low Tek Diffractor – Topps says these cards are meant to pay homage to the Tek heritage, and have up to 35 subjects will featured on refractor foil technology. These are sequentially numbered, and have an autograph parallel of up to 10 subjects. These parallels are #’d to 15.
The song, “Everything Old Is New Again” (yes, I know Barenaked Ladies also have a song by that name) has a chorus that says, “Don’t throw the past away/You might need it some rainy day/Dreams can come true again/When everything old is new again.” It doesn’t seem like the hobby is in any kind of a rainy day, but for those who love chasing pattern after pattern and parallel and parallel, their dreams are about to come true with 2014 Topps High Tek. Of course, that might be a nightmare for others.
Topps even made a Topps Tek video.
2014 Topps High Tek Baseball Checklist
The product has been out for a couple of days now and the ‘most watched’ 2014 Topps High Tek baseball cards on eBay are in the live list below.
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