A few 2012 Topps packs and boxes have somehow made their way into stores, but most folks won’t have the chance to buy the year’s first baseball card product until Wednesday. Already, though, there’s a card generating mainstream media buzz. Like the Derek Jeter-George Bush-Mickey Mantle of 2007 and other subsequent manufactured oddities, the 2012 Topps Skip Schumacher/Rally Squirrel card is the hook that has Topps on the tongues and typewriters of broadcasters and writers.
Schumacher didn’t seem too excited about the fuss, telling Fox Sports Midwest that the card was ‘ridiculous’.
Fear not, Mrs. Schumacher. The Skipper’s standard 2012 Topps card is sans squirrel.
Meanwhile, the company revealed a little more about the contents of this year’s hobby boxes.
Topps has created 3 special gold –themed relic sets with each card featuring a unique piece.
*GOLDEN GREAT COIN CARDS — Features 15 different legends with an actual coin embedded into the player’s card. These limited pieces are sequentially numbered to the player’s jersey number. Includes the likes Of Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Jackie Robinson.
*GOLDEN RETIRED RING CARDS –Each ring is engraved with a legendary player’s jersey number that has been retired. Look for Cal Ripken, Jr., Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays.
*GOLDEN WORLD SERIES CHAMPION PIN CARDS – These include a specially designed World Series Pin embedded into the card and include 20 different Fall Classic standouts. Find cards of Tim Lincecum, Lou Gehrig, Sandy Koufax and more.