Topps 2020 factory set out of order

[Turnitin2004]

I had planned on buying a factory Topps 2020 set just to keep, and with so many damn colors I had to do research to figure out which to buy. Anyway, in doing the research I read that if you were to open the box you'd see the cards weren't in number order? am I understanding right? has Topps been doing that recently or was this the first time. why did they do it? or am I just misunderstanding. thanks.

[ThoseBackPages]

theyve never been in order

[dodgerfanjohn]

I’ve been buying factory sets since 1985. They’ve never come in numerical order except I think when they came in Mickey Mantle mini size cereal boxes. I wanna say 1996 or 1997, but not positive.

[Archangel1775]

Look at old uncut sheets of Topps baseball cards. That's your answer as to why.

[Turnitin2004]

theyve never been in order

I just looked at my 1993 Topps set (which I had previously opened) and it is in numerical order. So you're saying I did that myself? I cant imagine that. My mind is blown if this is the case. How do they assure they have the whole set in there if its not in order to know if they missed a card? Seriously I am in complete shock.

[ThoseBackPages]

I just looked at my 1993 Topps set (which I had previously opened) and it is in numerical order. So you're saying I did that myself? I cant imagine that. My mind is blown if this is the case. How do they assure they have the whole set in there if its not in order to know if they missed a card? Seriously I am in complete shock.

it's Topps, it is what it is

sadly, many folks have opened their sets over the years and had cards missing

[base set]

Secondary ? - will cards in 2 recent Factory Sets be in the same order in each box?

[ThoseBackPages]

Secondary ? - will cards in 2 recent Factory Sets be in the same order in each box?

now THAT was true for 2018, so i think its safe to say it will remain the same

[mrmem]

Secondary ? - will cards in 2 recent Factory Sets be in the same order in each box?

Yes they should in same order . We used to break 100's of sets every year for many years and each one was in the same order. barring a rare few.
we used to line 100 sets and pull top card of each to make a 100 card lot.
was almost perfect collation.
Even though it was unsorted they did come separated by each series. First 1/2 were always from S1 and the 2nd half were S2.

[Turnitin2004]

Yes they should in same order . We used to break 100's of sets every year for many years and each one was in the same order. barring a rare few.
we used to line 100 sets and pull top card of each to make a 100 card lot.
was almost perfect collation.
Even though it was unsorted they did come separated by each series. First 1/2 were always from S1 and the 2nd half were S2.

Why isn't the set in order?

Im shocked by this. I have a handful of factory sets I bought as a kid with my dad and never opened. We also used to set build some ourselves. But it never even crossed my mind the ones that I didnt open weren't in order. especially cause I thought the 93 set was in order since its been in order as long as I can remember.

[DynaEtch]

Why isn't the set in order?

Im shocked by this. I have a handful of factory sets I bought as a kid with my dad and never opened. We also used to set build some ourselves. But it never even crossed my mind the ones that I didnt open weren't in order. especially cause I thought the 93 set was in order since its been in order as long as I can remember.


As mentioned, probably something to do with the uncut sheets used in making the cards. But one could then just ask the same question about the uncut sheets, why does Topps not arrange the cards on these such that factory sets would be in order. For whatever reason, they don’t feel compelled to make it so it’s in order.

In some ways I could understand a reason to do this. If a kid gets a factory set (maybe for Christmas as a gift), and it’s already in order and everything finished….it’s kind of like that’s that. By having it out of order, it gives a kid something to do, going through the cards, putting them in order, maybe enjoy them more. It’s an idealist/unsupported idea but just a thought I had on it.

As for the 93 set…..how long ago did you acquire it? How long has it been opened? You didn’t buy it from someone else opened, and you definitely opened it? Lots of questions there, and I could see minute details like this might not be remembered especially over enough time elapsed.

[Turnitin2004]

As mentioned, probably something to do with the uncut sheets used in making the cards. But one could then just ask the same question about the uncut sheets, why does Topps not arrange the cards on these such that factory sets would be in order. For whatever reason, they don’t feel compelled to make it so it’s in order.

In some ways I could understand a reason to do this. If a kid gets a factory set (maybe for Christmas as a gift), and it’s already in order and everything finished….it’s kind of like that’s that. By having it out of order, it gives a kid something to do, going through the cards, putting them in order, maybe enjoy them more. It’s an idealist/unsupported idea but just a thought I had on it.

As for the 93 set…..how long ago did you acquire it? How long has it been opened? You didn’t buy it from someone else opened, and you definitely opened it? Lots of questions there, and I could see minute details like this might not be remembered especially over enough time elapsed.


I like your charitable reason as to why they do it. Im sure thats not it, but it does make a lot of sense.

As for the 93 set I bought it with my dad when it came out. I would have been 7. I don't think I opened it until much later, but definitely over 10 years ago. I was looking for the Jeter rookie. Is it possible I put the whole set in order myself and forgot? Possibly.

[ewokpelts]

I learned this in 1990. I hand sorted my factory set.


The uncut sheets aren’t in order because the packs are supposed to be random. If each sheet was in numerical order, you would have more issues when they are in packs. And when the factory sets are made, they already have the printing plates ready to go. Whybretool when you don’t need to?