Topps Allen & Ginter is a mostly baseball set that always includes a few nonsport people. The checklist for the 2023 set was just released, and it looks like the biggest nonsport names are Kevin Hart, DMC, and Robert De Niro. (I've never heard of most of the nonsports people -- comedians, reporters, Tiktok and other social media stars . . . )

That looks like a completists nightmare.

Not a single card I'm interested in this year.

Kinda surprised some of the rappers are also signing for Pop Century.

20 cut signature cards, each 1/1.

The non-baseball cards from the base set:

Anthony Richardson #107 - NFL
Tom Schwartz #201 - actor
Denard "Shoelace" Robinson #202 - NFL
Eric Stonestreet #203 - actor
DJ Skee #204 - DJ
Bear Mayer #205 - baseball gloves
Ari Chambers #207 - sports journalist
Casey Webb #209 - actor
Olivia Pichardo #213 - college baseball
Kyle Schultz #216 - wiffleball
Adam Lefkoe #217 - sports journalist
Bun B #218 - rapper
Fred Kerley #220 - track
Daniel Van Kirk #221 - comedian
J Bavlin #222 - singer
DMC #223 - rapper
Benny Wasserman #224 - actor
Adam Ray #225 - comedian
Bomani Jones #226 - Sports Jounalist
Steven Zhu #228 - Music Producer
Kevin Hart #232 - actor
LIL Baby #233 - rapper
Shams Charania #234 - sports journalist
Mandy Bell #235 - sports journalist
John Dimaggio #236 - voice actor
Gorilla Nems #237 - rapper
Captain Sandy Yawn #238 - yacht captain
Tom Sandoval #239 - actor
Ian Rapoport #241 - sports journalist
Bella Rasmussen #243 - high school football
Kyle Gordon #244 - comedian
Ermsy #246 - artist
Rafael Nadal #249 - tennis
Tommy Coughlin #252 - wiffleball
Chris Fowler #254 - sports journalist
Timmy Trumpet #255 - musician
Old Time Hawkey #256 - social media
Moises Lopez #261 - musician
Zion Clark #262 - wrestler
Scoot Henderson #265 - NBA
Nina O'Brien #266 - Olymp skiing
Jim Bintliff #267 - MLB mud supplier
Jefferson White #268 - actor
Myles Montplaisir #270 - social media
Victor Wembanyama #271 - NBA
Ollie Palmer #272 - soccer
Jonathan Valena #276 - tattoo artist
Meek Mill #277 - rapper
Robert De Niro #280 - actor
Sarah Langs #281 - MLB statistician
Crystal Reed #283 - actress
Bryce Young #284 - NFL
Thomas Ian Nicholas #285 - actor
Tyson McGuffin #286 - pickelball
Dawn Staley #289 - WNBA
Will Levis #290 - NFL
Anna Leigh Waters #295 - pickleball
Sarah Natochenny #296 - voice actress
Hoodie Allen #298 - rapper
Andre Knott #299 - sports journalist

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bill Mullins,

I was not aware that there are wiffleball and pickleball all-stars out there. They can truthfully say they are on a list with Robert DeNiro somewhere online but I wonder if they're going to be listed in a Beckett price guide.

Heard of 9.

well i know De Niro but thats it. i've never heard of the others.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:
That looks like a completists nightmare.

Wolfie, as it is a Baseball set with non sport attached most US collectors will not be collecting the whole set as they tend to collect players from teams but you are right even doing that will be a nightmare.

regards

John

I can say there's not a single card in there I want.

Between this and the new Leaf Pop Century, what's with all the rappers?

Where are the curling autographs?

quote:

Originally posted by Curler:
Where are the curling autographs?

No curlers this year, but there were four last year (John Shuster, Chris Plys, Matt Hamilton, and John Landsteiner), and all four signed their cards through the mail for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Ted Dastick Jr.:
I can say there's not a single card in there I want.

Between this and the new Leaf Pop Century, what's with all the rappers?

I would take a De Niro or a Hart, if I didn't have to pay for it. The rappers LIL Baby, DMC and Meek Mill are the only other names I can recognize.

Here's the thing I don't understand about loading these sets with rappers, social influencers and a few convicted scam artists. It is possible that this is what passes for pop culture heroes these days, but are their followers card collectors or autograph collectors? Do their fans even know that these hobby worlds exist? What the hell is a "MLB mud supplier" and how could Allen & Ginter think that anyone would want that signer, whoever or whatever he is?

This set may be welcomed by sports card collectors, not sure if they would want it either, but for non-sport it's not even a good joke. Sometimes I think card makers want to ruin their products and I just haven't figured out why yet.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
What the hell is a "MLB mud supplier" and how could Allen & Ginter think that anyone would want that signer, whoever or whatever he is?

Once you read about Jim Bintliff, you'll see that he is a pretty good candidate to be added to a baseball set.

quote:

This set may be welcomed by sports card collectors, not sure if they would want it either, but for non-sport it's not even a good joke.

We (nonsport collectors) are _not_ the target market of the set. And it's been produced annually since 2006, so they are apparently doing something right.

Every year I see the Allen & Ginter autograph checklist and its most certainly a sports card product, but I can't imagine even a sports card collector being happy pulling a hit on a voice actor, or a comedian, or a singer, or a social media personality, or a tattoo artist, unless that person is well known in all circles.

Even for sports card collectors, do they want a wiffleball player's signature, or a yacht captain's autograph? I used to be one and I think the majority would say NO. There is filler and there is filler, and most of these names don't even qualify for that.

So I read about the mud supplier, and it hasn't changed my mind either.

I just realized that this title comes out of Topps and Topps is now Fanatics, so this is the first A&G set squarely under new Management. Well, that says it all, doesn't it? I am no longer surprised by the Mud Supplier.

But Raven, what if they added some Card Talk member autographs? I would be happy with my box if I got a "Wolfie" or a "Raven" as long as it's a clear, clean signature. I don't want just a quick squiggle. If I get a squiggle I would complain about it on Blowout.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Every year I see the Allen & Ginter autograph checklist and its most certainly a sports card product, but I can't imagine even a sports card collector being happy pulling a hit on a voice actor, or a comedian, or a singer, or a social media personality, or a tattoo artist, unless that person is well known in all circles.

Even for sports card collectors, do they want a wiffleball player's signature, or a yacht captain's autograph? I used to be one and I think the majority would say NO. There is filler and there is filler, and most of these names don't even qualify for that.

So I read about the mud supplier, and it hasn't changed my mind either.

Can't speak for Wolfie but I could get down with that, if they came up with the proper title. Maybe "Cardboard Influencer" or "Signature Siren".

And I'd lay down a nice autograph too, even put in the middle initial.

Of course I'd want to be paid for it. Have to get at least as much as the mud man. Dream On Brother.

I don't need have Topps print a card for someone on CardTalk to sign as cards already rxist. I have at least three signed and if I asked nicely I might be able to get more.

The cards for the Philly Non-Sports Show (119 of them) include people that contribute to CardTalk. A big thank You to the Reighter's and Toser's.

regards

John

Yes, and I'm sure if a card exists of Bill Mullins, and you mail it to him asking for his autograph, he will do that for you.

quote:

Originally posted by JOHN LEVITT:
I don't need have Topps print a card for someone on CardTalk to sign as cards already rxist. I have at least three signed and if I asked nicely I might be able to get more.

The cards for the Philly Non-Sports Show (119 of them) include people that contribute to CardTalk. A big thank You to the Reighter's and Toser's.

regards

John