2025 Heritage… Flip Stock Topps Screw Up

[jhssketchcards]

I’m sure some of you have seen the posts I made in Jacob Wilson and Max Fried threads regarding Flip Stock Heritage cards that I pulled. Before I dive deep into explaining what happened recently, I want to first explain what a Flip Stock card is.

For those of you who already know, feel free to jump ahead below).

Heritage has produced Flip Stock variations for a while now, and simply stated, it means the surface printing process is reversed:

Base cards: The front is coated and smooth, backs are unfinished, semi rough).

Topps website has them listed as possible pulls and indicates they are Hobby exclusives, with odds being 1:1,059 packs. They do not show to be available in any retail product. Here is a screen shot. FWIW these are supposed to be limited to only 5 copies each:



I purchased 3 mega boxes, 3 blasters and several hangers the last few weeks. Blasters and hangers from different locations, but the megas were all bought at a Walmart in Lake Charles, LA.

To make a long story short as possible, I noticed the backs of some cards appeared more slick than the normal base and I assumed as I came to each card, it was an insert. Like Heritage collectors do, I always flip cards to check for SPs etc. I noticed the different finish and just didn’t think much about it.
Then the next pack had two, as well as each pack in the mega except a fee packs. Same for all 3 megas.

It wasn’t until I found a YouTube video from LeytonSportsCards highlighting his 2024 Heritage case that had non-stop Flip Stocks. Here is a link to his video:

https://youtu.be/Bpxh3KwBtGQ?si=XQ2gn2VXJC7RG795

I was confused and excited to say the least. I listed a few on eBay and a few days later received a message from an eBay member from Lancaster PA
and here is a screen shot of his message:






What’s crazy is I have received a few nice messages on eBay and Mercari, congratulating me.
Sadly, like we al know, there are some who are just scum and like to make accusations and hateful comments. I don’t mind explaining the situation and answer questions, I expect that in this odd situation
But eBay user aida-dext decided to add name-calling to list. He attempted to call me out for being a scam, calling me “scamboy” numerous times, and that he was reporting my listings. I messaged eBay and sent pics and links to Topps and the YouTube video above. I also referred them to the eBay user who had the same thing happen.

Here are all the Flip Stocks I pulled from the 3 megas:






Even better, I’ve pulled duplicates…


A few others…








I apologize for the lengthy post but wanted to explain for those who may have questions.

One last pic, here is a comp pic of the Ohtani and a base Ohtani. You can see the Flip Stock on the left in both pics. Front shows the dull, matte finish and coated, slick finish on the base. Reverse pic shows coated, slick finish on the Flip Stock and dull, matte finish on the base.



I hope to be listing these here at some point but wanted to put this out first so if anyone has any question, I’m more than happy to discuss. Have a great day.

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

This has been a consistent problem for flip stocks for a long time now. I find it best to just avoid them.

[Tim]

And this is what happens when a card company does not serial number or hand number limited inserts like these.

[gmarutiak]

As usual, this seems like a Topps problem to me. They label most of the sps at this point, so why not label all of them? It would be a really easy solution. Congrats to you for the good luck!

[Cardsareus84]

I can't even imagine how many of these are overlooked by people ripping and ultimately end up in the trash or somewhere. They really need to label these with something. Are the code numbers different? It's bad enough the codes are almost impossible to read on heritage products.

[Cracktoast]

I won't buy anything labeled flip stock unless it's in a slab. Too many idiots out there scamming people knowing there is no way to tell just by pics.

[Dukefett]

Originally Posted by gmarutiak

As usual, this seems like a Topps problem to me. They label most of the sps at this point, so why not label all of them? It would be a really easy solution. Congrats to you for the good luck!

I was talking about this on Reddit and wanting everything labeled; someone complained about so many cards being labelled and that it went against what Heritage "was." Like to him the best thing is people not knowing what they have and dealing it away for cheap.

[jmmintz]

If these are being pulled out of retail and the Topps's stated odds claim these are hobby-only SPs, the likelihood is some moron loaded the uncut sheets on to the coating press upside down, thus making them printing errors.

[glen87]

Originally Posted by jmmintz

If these are being pulled out of retail and the Topps's stated odds claim these are hobby-only SPs, the likelihood is some moron loaded the uncut sheets on to the coating press upside down, thus making them printing errors.

but wouldn't that nonetheless make them flip stocks even if by accident

[wilsonsingles]

there are all kinds of 2025 heritage printing errors.

i opened a blaster case and every sp 401-500 was printed upside down on the back.

wouldn't surprise me at all if topps reverse printed a bunch of sheets that ended making tons of flip sticks

[jmmintz]

Originally Posted by glen87

but wouldn't that nonetheless make them flip stocks even if by accident

It would, but it would also completely skew their stated odds, making them infinitely more common than their stated per pack ratio.

The above odds list them dropping 1:1,059, but he pulled 80 out of three megas. There are 17 packs per mega, so that basically means (and I suck at math, so this may be wrong), that he pulled a shade over 1.5 per pack, rather than one every thousand packs.

[STLtoMN]

Originally Posted by jhssketchcards

But eBay user aida-dext decided to add name-calling to list. He attempted to call me out for being a scam, calling me “scamboy” numerous times, and that he was reporting my listings.

Thats hilarious knowing that this guy is a mainstay on tons of people's blocked list under several names.

Also this:

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1544059
https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1424664

[glen87]

so the only way to tell a "real" flip stock from and "error" flip stock will be the code?

[txrngr34]

Originally Posted by glen87

so the only way to tell a "real" flip stock from and "error" flip stock will be the code?

Same codes, I believe. That's why they're so polarizing - super limited PR but no way to definitively identify them, for sales especially. I've always assumed it's a big reason they're not popular - high risk collecting/buying these.

[livfreely]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

This has been a consistent problem for flip stocks for a long time now. I find it best to just avoid them.

I’m going with this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[glen87]

Originally Posted by txrngr34

Same codes, I believe. That's why they're so polarizing - super limited PR but no way to definitively identify them, for sales especially. I've always assumed it's a big reason they're not popular - high risk collecting/buying these.

so basically flip stocks for everyone this year

[txrngr34]

Originally Posted by Cracktoast

I won't buy anything labeled flip stock unless it's in a slab. Too many idiots out there scamming people knowing there is no way to tell just by pics.

I have a slab that incorrectly labels a regular card as flip stock. It's easy to see in the light that PSA got it wrong. I bought it like so.

[seanbros55]

I submitted a 2020 Heritage Dylan Cease RC flip stock to PSA (which it is/was) and they slabbed it as a base. Had to contact them and have them correct it.

So, you never know...

[jhssketchcards]

Originally Posted by jmmintz

It would, but it would also completely skew their stated odds, making them infinitely more common than their stated per pack ratio.

The above odds list them dropping 1:1,059, but he pulled 80 out of three megas. There are 17 packs per mega, so that basically means (and I suck at math, so this may be wrong), that he pulled a shade over 1.5 per pack, rather than one every thousand packs.

That would be true if it has been happening all over. Has anyone else heard of or had this happen with breaks this year? I know it happened in 2022 as well.


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[jmmintz]

Originally Posted by jhssketchcards

That would be true if it has been happening all over. Has anyone else heard of or had this happen with breaks this year? I know it happened in 2022 as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have not. But one of two things have happened, given what you pulled.

Either

1) Some press worker did indeed load the uncut sheets upside down accidentally, creating more than their stated odds.

or

2) They were mis-sorted before pack out, skewing their hobby odds. If there are indeed five per card as you say (I have no clue), that'd make 2500 overall (the set run is 500), and you've pulled 80 out of 51 packs, that removes about 3% of the cards from the entire run.

Either way, you scored, I think, at least in the short term. Sell sell sell!

[sandyfrank]

I always dreamed all those 2018 Ginter wood minis were mispacked into a sealed case somewhere. Good ol Topps