2014 Topps Power Players Prizes - Looking for Info!

[storycollector]

Hoping some members here can shed some light on the 2014 Topps Power Players program. I have read up on it via cardboard connection and various other google search returns (very limited information), with baseballcardpedia.com providing some additional detail, and understand the power players cards (example below) were inserted into packs (1:12 hobby packs and 1:3 hanger) and they had a code on the back that could be entered on a website, where there were various ways to win various prizes. Among those prizes were special “parallels.”




The Power Players checklist did not mirror the larger Topps series 1 and 2 checklist, but was a more limited checklist of 200 cards numbered PP-XXX - Per the literature on baseballcardpedia “collectors who entered 30 power players code cards would be entitled to a special gold holofoil parallel serial-numbered to 75 copies. Topps never released a checklist; however the only gold holofoil cards to have emerged are of stars and rookies. It can be assumed that the gold holofoil checklist parallels the power player code checklist” though it’s easily confirmed now that was not the case as the parallel numbering ties to the standard full checklist - and I own a card not on the PP checklist…

I have recently acquired a card I am really thrilled to first of all, even find out existed, let alone own and add to my ever-growing stash of 2014 rookie cup Arenados. Arenado was NOT on the Power Players checklist, so clearly it wasn’t a prize for an “instant win” unless an instant win prize didn’t match the player that earned the instant win.. I’m super curious to know:

1) How many prize parallels existed (just the gold foil /75 as far as I can tell but the literature alludes to prize parallel sets and stuff)
2) How the gold versions were specifically earned
3) What Topps did with unredeemed cards - were they produced in full and unredeemed cards may be sitting at HQ or were they produced on demand as prizes were earned?
4) with these cards inserted at such a high ratio, was the promotion just THAT big of a flop?? No one bothered to enter 30 codes to get parallels? How many parallels did 30 codes earn? Why are there not more prize cards in circulation?


Reviewing eBay/COMC listings and sales, these are clearly extremely rare. The serial numbers of the cards in existence is all over the place, so it would seem the full print run of 75 was produced but I have a really difficult time believing much of that made it out of Topps’ possession.

Anyone have any more insight? Also would LOVE to see what cards any of you own as well!





Anyway, I am thrilled to own this - it really pops! Now I’d love to see some other bangers, if they’re out there.


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[Baseballdude]

These cards are incredible in hand! I was lucky enough that a Bogaerts RC fell into my lap. I didn’t even know it existed and haven’t seen another. Like Arenado, Bogaerts is not on the checklist.




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[Lonewolf]

Dang, that Arenado is nice!

[storycollector]

Originally Posted by Baseballdude

These cards are incredible in hand! I was lucky enough that a Bogaerts RC fell into my lap. I didn’t even know it existed and haven’t seen another. Like Arenado, Bogaerts is not on the checklist.




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Wow!! That's amazing, and congrats!

Agree, they're very nice in hand (I haven't compared to a more modern gold foil, though they seem similar) - something about the serial number combined with the mysterious rarity really gives them an extra pop though lol. I was hoping to see a few notable names pop up, but this is obviously among the best possible cards from the 2014 set (since it doesn't seem to include Update which has Mookie and DeGrom).

I also didn't know these existed until someone saw a post I made seeking these parallels and offered this one up to me...

[Baseballdude]

Originally Posted by storycollector

Wow!! That's amazing, and congrats!

Agree, they're very nice in hand (I haven't compared to a more modern gold foil, though they seem similar) - something about the serial number combined with the mysterious rarity really gives them an extra pop though lol. I was hoping to see a few notable names pop up, but this is obviously among the best possible cards from the 2014 set (since it doesn't seem to include Update which has Mookie and DeGrom).

I also didn't know these existed until someone saw a post I made seeking these parallels and offered this one up to me...

Like you, I’d love to know how many of these were actually printed and distributed. Is Topps still sitting on some? So many questions!


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[storycollector]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf

Dang, that Arenado is nice!

Thank you, it really is a beauty!


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[storycollector]

Originally Posted by Baseballdude

Like you, I’d love to know how many of these were actually printed and distributed. Is Topps still sitting on some? So many questions!


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Well maybe I will see about writing a letter to Topps about it and in 15 years we’ll be lucky to get some insight!


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[Baseballdude]

Originally Posted by storycollector

Well maybe I will see about writing a letter to Topps about it and in 15 years we’ll be lucky to get some insight!


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Do it!


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[LWMM]

I would also be interested in learning more about this set. The Jonny Gomes (#274) 73/75 recently popped up on eBay; I had never seen it before and had no idea it existed, meaning it flew under the radar for 11 years. As storycollector says, it's difficult to believe that all 75 were released for each player. Looking online it's also hard to find very many of these cards at all, suggesting that the checklist, too, was truncated.

I've put together a checklist of the ones I could find online. Most are parallels of the base set, although there are also what COMC terms "Power Players Prizes Manufactured Coins - Bronze," which I've included also. All cards are from COMCs sold-out listings (none are currently for sale), except for the three in this thread (Arenado, Bogaerts, and Gomes), and two on eBay (AL BA Leaders and Medica). When COMC includes prices, I've included those in parenthesis.

The below list of the cards known from the base set includes only 27 cards; the Series One and Series Two checklists, by comparison, include 660. Meanwhile, there seems to be some grouping of the cards (e.g., cards 148–151 are all included, as are five of the seven cards from 272–278), and an over-emphasis on serial numbers late in the print run (i.e., 7#/75).

Key:

• (B) - Blowout
• (C) - COMC
• (E) - eBay
• (FB) - Facebook
• (T) - TCBD

Base set:

• 83 - Jonathan Schoop 74/75 (B/FB)
• 84 - Todd Redmond 73/75 (B/FB)
• 91 - Starling Marte 53/75 (B)
• 103 - AL Batting Average Leaders (Cabrera/Mauer/Trout) 75/75 (C)
• 110 - Wil Myers 55/75 (C)
• 111 - Mark Ellis 44/75 (C)
• 125 - Joe Mauer 33/75 (C)
• 131 - Junichi Tazawa 2/75 (C), 73/75 (B/FB)
• 133 - Xander Bogaerts 75/75 (FB), (B)
• 135 - Eric Sogard 18/75 (C, $10)
• 148 - Chris Sale 33/75 (C)
• 149 - Season Highlights Checklist (Miguel Cabrera) 56/75 (C, $77.50)
• 150 - Andrew McCutchen 8/75 (C)
• 151 - Bruce Chen 34/75 (C)
• 156 - Kendrys Morales 39/75 (C)
• 168 - Alex Rodriguez 75/75 (C, $37.63)
• 179 - Gerrit Cole 36/75 (T)
• 192 - Pedro Alvarez 59/75 (T)
• 206 - World Series Game 5 (Jon Lester) (B)
• 228 - Jayson Werth 65/75 (T)
• 229 - Justin Upton 35/75 (C, $7.40)
• 233 - Rafael Soriano 75/75 (T)
• 243 - Ryan Cook 37/75 (T)
• 260 - Zoilo Almonte (B)
• 261 - Michael Brantley 15/75 (C)
• 263 - Doug Fister 21/75 (C)
• 272 - Carlos Villanueva 73/75 (C)
• 274 - Jonny Gomes 73/75 (C)
• 275 - Nolan Arenado 74/75 (B)
• 276 - Alfonso Soriano 31/75 (C)
• 278 - Tommy Medica 23/75 (C)
• 284 - Brandon Belt 43/75 (C, $5.34) (B)
• 290 - Chad Bettis 73/75 (C, $3.13)
• 291 - Brandon McCarthy (E)
• 302 - Shane Victorino (B)
• 307 - Jake Peavy (B)
• 321 - Season Highlights Checklist (Mariano Rivera) 75/75 (C)
• 358 - Christian Yelich 38/75 (C)
• 382 - Michael Bourn 72/75 (C)
• 550 - Prince Fielder 25/75 (C, $24.13)

Manufactured Coins Bronze:

• PPC-KG - Ken Griffey Jr. 19/75 (C)
• PPC-RJA - Reggie Jackson 1/75 (C)
• PPC-WM - Wil Myers 5/75 (C, $1.80)

Sites with info:

• Baseballcardpedia (link), as noted in the first post
• Cardboardconnection (link), post from 2014 about how the promotion worked

Updates:

• April 21, 2025: Added key and cards in posts 10, 11, & 13.
• April 29, 2025: Added card numbers for Schoop (74/75), Redmond (73/75), Tazawa (73/75), and Bogaerts (75/75). The first three are those pictured in post #10 by bbteamw; I found the same photos on Facebook (link). The Bogaerts is also posted there, although it may be a different example than the one posted by Baseballdude in post #2.
• April 29, 2025: Added Gerrit Cole (36/75), Pedro Alvarez (59/75), Jayson Werth (65/75), Rafael Soriano (75/75), and Ryan Cook (unknown serial number), all from TCDB.
• April 29, 2025: Added list of sites with info.
• April 30, 2025: Added serial number for Ryan Cook (37/75) per PM from the person on TCDB who uploaded a photo of the front.

[bbteamw]

[bbteamw]

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by LWMM

Manufactured Coins Bronze:[LIST][*]PPC-KG - Ken Griffey Jr. 19/75 SOLD ON COMC FOR $38.18 in Dec 2015[*]PPC-RJA - Reggie Jackson 1/75 SOLD ON COMC FOR $22.13 in Dec 2019

That Griffey really looks like a steal.

[dale]

I made an attempt to build the set of Power Player code cards but fell 63 short.

I did win 3 of the gold cards, pictures posted later in the thread on Page 2:
260 Z. ALMONTE
301 S. VICTORINO
307 J. PEAVY

[LWMM]

Nice ones! Added those to the list in post #9.

bbteamw, are those yours? Can you provide the serial numbers for them?

Originally Posted by mjohnatgt

That Griffey really looks like a steal.

How are you able to see the COMC prices that far back?

Originally Posted by dale

I made an attempt to build the set of Power Player code cards but fell 63 short.

I did win (or maybe pull?) 3 of the gold cards:
260 Z. ALMONTE
301 S. VICTORINO
307 J. PEAVY

Do you have the serial numbers for those three?

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by LWMM

How are you able to see the COMC prices that far back?

History points from playing card identification challenges. That allows you to see the price, and then mouse-overing the price shows you the date the highest transaction took place on.

[LWMM]

Originally Posted by mjohnatgt

History points from playing card identification challenges. That allows you to see the price, and then mouse-overing the price shows you the date the highest transaction took place on.

I see sold prices from only the last four years—it says "4 year sales" at the top left when viewing a card, and if I click it (thereby using a history point) it shows the price. Are you doing something else? You were able to see prices from 2015 and 2019.

[LWMM]

Found five more examples on TCDB, which I've added to post #9 above; I also found serial numbers for three more on Facebook. Things brings us to 30 unique examples.

Also, here's the Gomes, which I opened today. Still feels odd to add a decade-old mainstream card that I didn't know about until it appeared on eBay.

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by LWMM

I see sold prices from only the last four years—it says "4 year sales" at the top left when viewing a card, and if I click it (thereby using a history point) it shows the price. Are you doing something else? You were able to see prices from 2015 and 2019.

The mouse-over to the highest price paid using history points.

[LWMM]

Originally Posted by mjohnatgt

The mouse-over to the highest price paid using history points.

Thanks! I must have not clicked, assuming that when "4 year sales" was marked as zero, there wasn't anything there. Appreciate you pointing that out.

[sdcland5]

I have three: 269, 272, and 284. Blanton, Villanueva, and Belt.

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[LWMM]

Originally Posted by sdcland5

I have three: 269, 272, and 284. Blanton, Villanueva, and Belt.

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Thanks. What are the serial numbers?

[sdcland5]

Originally Posted by LWMM

Thanks. What are the serial numbers?

First two were both 38/75, Belt was 15/75

[LWMM]

Originally Posted by sdcland5

First two were both 38/75, Belt was 15/75

Thanks. Interesting that two are the same number, especially with the card numbers being so close together (269 and 272). Did you enter the codes yourself, and did Topps send them to you in one batch? I've been wondering if the apparently non-random distribution of both card and serial numbers is a byproduct of the way the orders were fulfilled (e.g., someone grabs a couple cards that are sitting next to each other).

[sdcland5]

Originally Posted by LWMM

Thanks. Interesting that two are the same number, especially with the card numbers being so close together (269 and 272). Did you enter the codes yourself, and did Topps send them to you in one batch? I've been wondering if the apparently non-random distribution of both card and serial numbers is a byproduct of the way the orders were fulfilled (e.g., someone grabs a couple cards that are sitting next to each other).

From what I remember, I sent them in myself. Kind of disappointing the players I received, but you can't win them all. I have not seen many for sale either.

[bbteamw]