Topps Heritage needs to retire "Flip Stock"

[smapdi]

I'm a big Heritage collector, and I'm a fan of the flip stock parallel. The rarity (5 copies) is appealing, and the tiny physical difference between them and a regular card means you should have it in hand to appreciate it. Kind of elitist, really. I have a small collection of them, and I like picking them up cheap when I can.

However, this year's Heritage is far worse than any previous year as far as trying to search for them on ebay. People seem to think that any card with a horizontal front or back is a flip stock. Or they just have no idea and list anything as a flip stock, either by mistake or intentionally trying to deceive people. Of the hundreds listed on ebay so far, I don't think more than a couple dozen actually have been flip stocks. For instance, there are currently five Pache/Garcia flips listed on ebay, none of which look right. That would be even more amazing considering six have already been sold, and only one of those looked legit.

So please, Topps, either explicity mark them like you do other parallels, or stop printing them. Over the years I've had to return 3 purchases because they were just regular cards and this year my single purchase was only because the photo was exceptionally clear.

[rngrdanny22]

Wait until you learn about the flip stock debacle from 2019...

[msink28]

I agree. If Topps wants to continue these types of parallels, they should also consider numbering them.

[UCCF]

Number them, or at least put a different code in the corner like they did with the French backs (that was the only way you were ever going to figure out the In Action French backs this year that had no actual French language on them).

I've given up on buying them on eBay - the last 3 that I bought all turned out to be regular cards, not flip stocks. People have no idea what they have, and they're just listing them and hoping the buyer has no idea either.

[lauer324]

Had a nasty exchange with a seller who still swears he sold me a flip stock (he did not). This year's cards having the graphics upside down has turned every card into "flip stock" in so many sellers eyes. I have a ton of them from previous years and it makes me sad that this year is such a debacle again.

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[Triple B]

They killed the value and interest with 2019’s mess.

[smanzari]

Originally Posted by Triple B

They killed the value and interest with 2019’s mess.

They NEVER had value- I bought a Aaron Judge Rookie one for only $25 during the height of his craziness in 2017; I sold it but I'm pretty positive I lost money on it IIRC

[WizardofOz1982]

Originally Posted by rngrdanny22

Wait until you learn about the flip stock debacle from 2019...

Crazy thing is even with them printing and packing out more than 5 I can't find a Ryan Helsley at all.

[ThoseBackPages]

i'd be fine with that

[imbluestreak23]

Less is moar

[Bcwcardz]

Too many bozos getting into the hobby for $$ and they don’t take the time to research. I’ve sold a few antiques on EBay and have spent lots of time doing research to know exactly what I have. Some of the people selling cards these days are totally clueless. You can tell who they are because all they sell is 2020-2021. I’m usually more cautious when looking at these listings. Maybe it’s harsh but it’s reality.


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[Mister2Bits]

Originally Posted by smanzari

They NEVER had value- I bought a Aaron Judge Rookie one for only $25 during the height of his craziness in 2017; I sold it but I'm pretty positive I lost money on it IIRC

If you bought a 2017 Topps Heritage Judge/Austin Flip Stock RC for $25 and then lost money on the deal then you should probably just hang it up now.

Come on man! I would have totally bought that for $30.

[Soxfanguy]

I think they should have red backs like they do minor league heritage instead. Noticeable and interesting

[smanzari]

Originally Posted by Mister2Bits

If you bought a 2017 Topps Heritage Judge/Austin Flip Stock RC for $25 and then lost money on the deal then you should probably just hang it up now.

Come on man! I would have totally bought that for $30.

BAHAHA- Had absolutely no interest at $150 fixed price, so I auctioned it after the All-Star Game. Where were you at on the auction?!?!

[lauriontj]

While they’re at it, can they also retire the negatives??

[xTri]

They should be labelling it on the back like any of the other parallels in heritage

[3rdpedal]

I agree with OP. They need to put SNs on them, or AT LEAST add a label or code on the back to better differentiate them.

[UCCF]

Originally Posted by Soxfanguy

I think they should have red backs like they do minor league heritage instead. Noticeable and interesting

There were magenta backs one year. But then one year there were also yellow backs that were in some cases almost indistinguishable from the slightly more pale yellow backs of the regular cards.

Topps could make it easy and make two very different colors, or do what they did with last year's French backs and make the design so wildly different that you couldn't possibly miss them. I wonder sometimes whether they like the confusion that their decisions cause. I was shocked when they started doing things like adding the small text for Action, Team Color, etc. variations - that was such a positive step. A little more like that, and the confusion could go away completely.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by UCCF

Number them, or at least put a different code in the corner like they did with the French backs (that was the only way you were ever going to figure out the In Action French backs this year that had no actual French language on them).

I've given up on buying them on eBay - the last 3 that I bought all turned out to be regular cards, not flip stocks. People have no idea what they have, and they're just listing them and hoping the buyer has no idea either.

Or just stop adding pointless high odds "hits" to the product.

Flip stocks, French backs, color swaps, stat variations, etc. add nothing to the product. They're just more manufactured scarcity used to justify higher box prices.

Throwbacks, Action Variations, and Chromes are plenty.

[seanbros55]

Originally Posted by lauer324

Had a nasty exchange with a seller who still swears he sold me a flip stock (he did not). This year's cards having the graphics upside down has turned every card into "flip stock" in so many sellers eyes. I have a ton of them from previous years and it makes me sad that this year is such a debacle again.

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I’m on the other side of this coin. I pulled a Dylan Cease RC flip stock last year and I’m hesitant to even list it due the inevitable switcheroo from a “buyer.”

[notoriousrmb]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Or just stop adding pointless high odds "hits" to the product.

Flip stocks, French backs, color swaps, stat variations, etc. add nothing to the product. They're just more manufactured scarcity used to justify higher box prices.

Throwbacks, Action Variations, and Chromes are plenty.

No different than Bowman sparkles, shimmers, bubbles, diamonds, sapphire, retail pink, hobby orange...

Or Panini prizm (pick any animal/color parallel).

Every product printed has this issue at the moment, all just to increase print run. 2021 Bowman Draft may be the worst of all.

[pewe]

Originally Posted by UCCF

There were magenta backs one year. But then one year there were also yellow backs that were in some cases almost indistinguishable from the slightly more pale yellow backs of the regular cards.

Topps could make it easy and make two very different colors, or do what they did with last year's French backs and make the design so wildly different that you couldn't possibly miss them. I wonder sometimes whether they like the confusion that their decisions cause. I was shocked when they started doing things like adding the small text for Action, Team Color, etc. variations - that was such a positive step. A little more like that, and the confusion could go away completely.

Those bright yellow backs from ‘17 are horrible…

The magenta back from ‘18 is easier to spot


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