First Buzz: 2025 Topps Archives baseball cards

[base set]

Originally Posted by corockies

Archives is a great product that most flippers almost totally ignore. Let's try to keep it that way. I wish they had continued the lunch box exclusive purples - loved those for Rockies sets.

I figured you would like the Amador RC in it. I often think Topps tries to use the solid color alternate uniforms as often as possible; looks great with purple ink on the top of the card. I'd figure the black parallel might be pretty tight too, though the purple-on-white base might be best. If people insist on having "value" in each and every one of their cards, they could always chase a PSA 10 copy.



a whole lot of "night cards" in this checklist

I'm still a little uncertain about the Hobby parallels looking as good as the blacks; maybe on a team-by-team basis those would be equally nice. Have been waiting to ponder some in-hand at the LCS, I hope.

Overall I think this iteration of the 64 design is much nicer than the 2013 Heritage, because as on many redux Topps releases, they use action photos on originally posed sets, which works out wonderfully, imo, and they do that without making them short printed chase cards as in Heritage (the ones formerly known as "Actions"); same with Throwbacks. Baseball Cards are best with the best photos used on the high print run cards, not exclusively on limited variations, etc.

I'm also pleased that this and Heritage both have completely stopped using fake graphics backdrops in the images. That was a potentially dangerous road for Baseball Card sets (not same as inserts) to travel down; things got really bad in Archives in particular in the early 20s in that regard.

There are still some signs of laziness this year, like these pitiful horizontals




Another highlight for me is Hall of Famers on the 2005 design. The guys who don't even need first names, A&G style. Would like to somehow someday see a complete HoF run on such a design choice but I doubt Topps could ever secure the rights to every HoFer, simultaneously. But a set like the following would be sweet:

[corockies]

Originally Posted by base set

I figured you would like the Amador RC in it. I often think Topps tries to use the solid color alternate uniforms as often as possible; looks great with purple ink on the top of the card. I'd figure the black parallel might be pretty tight too, though the purple-on-white base might be best. If people insist on having "value" in each and every one of their cards, they could always chase a PSA 10 copy.

I've been building the Rockies Blue /25 team sets w/Blue autographs /25 from Archives since 2018. I completed the 2017 Red /25 team set in 2017, then they went with blue /25 in 2018 and have been consistent with the parallel since then. I'm literally missing one card per year per team set 2018 - 2021, but have 2022 - 2024 finished and currently working on 2025.

I love that Justin Verlander has a 2005 card in this, as his true Draft Pick flagship RC is in 2005. I'm pretty sure that's the first time an active player has had his archives card year match up with his actual RC year.