What is the function of a buy back card ? it's a retro card with a numbered stamp on it, then what ? is it just a cool retro card with a stamp on it, or do you get something for it ? what is the meaning of the term buy back ?

Buy Backs are cards Topps went out and Bought Back.

Several releases have No Stamp of any kind...making them impossible verify.

the 1st Buy Backs I remember were the ones for the Topps 75th Set. Those do have a Foil Stamp.

Star Wars has had a few buy backs w/ one release having No Stamp of Any Kind on them.... the 40th Anniversary has a Foil Stamped Logo on them.

Buy backs would be a really cool idea if they centered only around pre 1970 cards. As with many Topps insert gimmicks 95% of buy backs are over produced garbage and the rest is what everyone wants.

It is virtually impossible to make any sort of comprehensive set out of them.

For me only the official autographed buy back cards are something to go after.

Yes, the better type of buy back card is the one that is an original card from an older set, but now the company also got it autographed by someone from that title, usually pictured on he card.

If the buy back card is not now autographed, you really don't have very much in the way of value. I mean its probably one base card out of a $10 or $15 set. There are exceptions. I think I remember that some of the original Mars Attack cards were buy backs at one point.

Also the big key, as mentioned, is that buy back cards are stamped or in some way identified as such. Failing that, there is no way to distinguish a hard to pull buy back card from any other copy of it just held over from the original set.

That has happened with a few of the autographed buy backs in the past and it is so stupid on the part of the card company. I can remember that there was a problem with signed Partridge Family buy backs awhile ago and just recently with the Gene Hackman Superman signed buy backs in TOPPS 2017 Archives.

Because those autographed buy back cards were never stamped, it makes it possible for bad eggs to distribute forgeries on original cheap base cards and claim they are really the pack pulled buy back cards. It makes no sense for card companies to ruin there own promotions like that, and also make the whole hobby less safe, just because they can't spend the bit extra to imprint the buy back card properly.

The term itself refers to the company going out and buying back original cards in good condition from other people that have the cards/sets and then reseeding those cards, unsigned or signed, in the packs of their new titles as an added hit. I am sure that some buy backs may come out of the vault, but buying it back sounds like more work than vault card.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raven,

Just another gimmick card, like those scratch off cards you get in sports boxes sometimes, where you have to contact them to get them redeemed! Even worse, it has a date to get redeemed, which once it gets past that date it just becomes another weird insert! Just another thing to get collectors frustrated, like Inkworks and their redemption cards, which since they went under, are now again just odd inserts!

Depends how you mean that. Buy back cards themselves have nothing to do with redemptions, they are seeded in the packs. If you mean you could have a redemption for a buy back card if it were an autograph, I guess you could. Off hand I can't think if that has ever happened.

I wouldn't call a signed buy back a gimmick because it might be a valuable card. Its really a limited certified autograph card and it might be from someone in demand.

However the unsigned buy back card might be regarded as a gimmick when it is just a base card from a fairly inexpensive set. Realistically no one is ever going to try to complete or even collect the majority of a buy back set so the single card you found, even though rare, has minimal actual demand.

Now watch all the unsigned buy back card collectors come out of the woodwork because I said that , but honestly I've never heard anybody say unsigned buy back cards was one of their passions.

i know 3 Collectors who want Star Wars
40th Anniversary BuyBack cards.....

the main focus is the Original 1977
Star Wars set w/ the 40th Stamp.

The idea is that they render wildly overproduced cards (which most buybacks are) a little more unique.

I really enjoy the look and feel of older cards so I love base card buybacks.

Unlike today, most big films and shows of the 60s/70s/80s were lucky enough to get a gum card set as part of their licensing. Those sets were very much a part of the hype and pop culture phenomenon of the moment, some of which are landmark films. So many great movies in recent years really could have done with a card set.
So when a film like Star Wars turns 40, I think a 40 year old trading card, stamped with a 40th Anniversary logo is a nice nod, and neat commemorative item, to say that the film is still relevant and adored today.

I can see the cynical argument that it is adding artificial rarity to a common item, but I prefer the nostalgia angle.

Were companies like Topps fall down, in typical fashion, is making things collector-unfriendly. It really would not cost them a great deal to buy up multiple complete base sets for insertion. IMO that money would be so much better spend than the few dollars they pay artists to turn out poor work on sketch cards, or make up fake relic medallion cards or whatever.
If collectors had the passion, patience and dedication, a full buyback set, painstakingly assembled would be one very cool variant set.
But as it stands, Topps seem to pick up whatever random odds and sods they can find, so there is absolutely no point trying to complete buyback sets. They supposedly inserted 3 full sets for Star Wars 40th but with so few, there could literally only be 3 copies of any one card out there, that may never hit the open market.

Personally, I just pick up a single buyback card from a set with a scene that most reminds me of the film/show. That is enough for me.

For Star Wars 40th, I really do not like that they stamped unpopular chase cards from recent sets - making it look more like the manufacturer is clearing out their excess leftovers. Not to mention there is no nostalgia value whatsoever.

One of the coolest things in the hobby IMO, is when Topps do something amazing and get someone like the inaccessible Gene Hackman to sign original Superman cards. Then they piss on their own bonfire and don't even certify/stamp them in any way to prevent forgeries. Such a cool insert basically ruined in the blink of an eye, unless you pull one yourself, but how many people do that? And how many breakers lucky enough to pull one won't be able to give any reassurance when trying to sell? Sigh.

In summary: old cards are cool!

The weird thing about the buybacks is how beat-up the ones are that I've seen. I pulled a Partridge Family buyback in the Topps 75th box I bought a couple of years ago. It was worn/creased at all four corners. I can't imagine Topps buying that. It's the kind of card a dealer throws into the deal to help you finish a set. I've seen one of the baseball card buybacks (an early-70's Johnny Bench) that was in worse shape.

Like X, I like the idea of getting an original card and it didn't bother me too much that it wasn't close to near-mint (looks like a lot of my 70's cards so it fits right in). However, if Topps is presenting it as a hit to dealers, the resale value has already taken a hit when the card is fresh from the pack.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Also the big key, as mentioned, is that buy back cards are stamped or in some way identified as such. Failing that, there is no way to distinguish a hard to pull buy back card from any other copy of it just held over from the original set.

That has happened with a few of the autographed buy backs in the past and it is so stupid on the part of the card company. I can remember that there was a problem with signed Partridge Family buy backs awhile ago and just recently with the Gene Hackman Superman signed buy backs in TOPPS 2017 Archives.

My theory is that Topps is in a business partnership with PSA so people will send them in to be graded/authenticated.

Thanks for turning me on the Gene Hackman autos though, I did not realize any were out. Might pick up one of the Allen and Ginters seeing that they dropped the ball on their buy back version.