2023 Topps Finest Autograph Scam?

[xTri]

Originally Posted by JWBlue

I have been looking for a Brock Purdy 2023 Panini Score Auto. He is on the checklist as having a base auto and all the parallels. One auto has surfaced since release the end of August. A "/5 or less" that was actually a /1. I have a feeling that it will be the only one.

I just checked this and he has a base auto and is indeed in all parallels. However, all of his parallel autos are serial numbered to 1 which also means his base auto is probably extremely limited.

If you go on cardboard connection and download the excel checklist, it'll show you all the cards in the product and the serial numbering.

[Nester99]

Pretty normal

Have lots of examples of this, no 2020 blue Bo Bichette TF auto as example
No 2019 bowman chrome blue Vlad auto

Super frustrating as ruins my rainbows ��

[TMQ]

Originally Posted by 1977 Cloth

The card made the checklist. The card never made the pack out. I believe Johnlocke36 is correct. "That 100k in cards we told you all that you could pull.... you really cannot, but you can pull something else." Again, this didn't appear to "change." This appears to be the plan from the outset, and thus misleading at the very least, and fraudulent in my eyes.

How is it fraudulent if they never specifically stated you were guaranteed an opportunity to pull that exact card? And I highly doubt this is something intentional. They money that they would've saved by purposely not including the missing cards is a ridiculously small amount in comparison to the total product cost.

[Stech36]

Originally Posted by TMQ

How is it fraudulent if they never specifically stated you were guaranteed an opportunity to pull that exact card? And I highly doubt this is something intentional. They money that they would've saved by purposely not including the missing cards is a ridiculously small amount in comparison to the total product cost.

It is definitely intentional. It’s why Mike Trout and Albert Pujols typically only have low numbered autograph parallels.

It’s why many times the top rookies don’t have every refractor.

It’s not intentional 100% of the time, but it is intentional a lot of the time.

I do think it is borderline fraudulent, but it is what it is.

[njsportscardguy]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

There is a reason the fine print says the checklist is subject to change. You have to understand going in that when a product relies on players to return cards back to the company, there might be issues. You need to bake that into your understanding of a product. It's not a scam.

Ok, "winner". Touche! Would..."bait & switch", be more apropos for you...?!!? You're merely being an antagonist,...just, because.

Potato,...potatoes.

Opinions are like you-know-whats

t's a scam.

[JWBlue]

Originally Posted by xTri

I just checked this and he has a base auto and is indeed in all parallels. However, all of his parallel autos are serial numbered to 1 which also means his base auto is probably extremely limited.

If you go on cardboard connection and download the excel checklist, it'll show you all the cards in the product and the serial numbering.

That makes sense.

[evileddie]

Happens all the time. One product off the top of my head is 2022 Bowman's Best. Julio Rodriguez doesn't have any Best of 22 Autographs numbered over gold out of 50 and Bobby Witt doesn't have anything numbered over Green out of 99.

[1977 Cloth]

Originally Posted by evileddie

Happens all the time. One product off the top of my head is 2022 Bowman's Best. Julio Rodriguez doesn't have any Best of 22 Autographs numbered over gold out of 50 and Bobby Witt doesn't have anything numbered over Green out of 99.

So, since Topps has apparently always been incompetent and arguably dishonest (Bait and switch mention) that makes it okay. I should know better, because they have used double talk so much that it is my fault for expecting a product to carry the parallels it says it has in it? I can hunt all I want, but I am never going to find one and won't know that until I do the research to see if there are any to be had. I shouldn't expect Topps to say, here are the cards that don't have x,y, and z parallels?

Fool me once shame on you, but fool me 100 times and it is perfectly fine.

Thanks for helping me address this issue.

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by 1977 Cloth

So, since Topps has apparently always been incompetent and arguably dishonest (Bait and switch mention) that makes it okay. I should know better, because they have used double talk so much that it is my fault for expecting a product to carry the parallels it says it has in it? I can hunt all I want, but I am never going to find one and won't know that until I do the research to see if there are any to be had. I shouldn't expect Topps to say, here are the cards that don't have x,y, and z parallels?

Fool me once shame on you, but fool me 100 times and it is perfectly fine.

Thanks for helping me address this issue.

So what’s the plan? Boycott? …class action lawsuit?!

[Bunny Hop]

Sometimes it's just cathartic to vent. And misery does indeed often love company. I struggle to think of another field of collectibles that's granted as much leniency as trading card manufacturers when it comes to what is and isn't included, transparency, and cost.

[hche]

I think an important argument is with checklists now being published closed to (sometimes even after) product release, there is no reason a company cannot provide an accurate checklist with what are not inserted. If there are production issues or players not returning cards, the company definitely know before packing and should be able to update the checklist according.

[evileddie]

Originally Posted by 1977 Cloth

So, since Topps has apparently always been incompetent and arguably dishonest (Bait and switch mention) that makes it okay. I should know better, because they have used double talk so much that it is my fault for expecting a product to carry the parallels it says it has in it? I can hunt all I want, but I am never going to find one and won't know that until I do the research to see if there are any to be had. I shouldn't expect Topps to say, here are the cards that don't have x,y, and z parallels?

Fool me once shame on you, but fool me 100 times and it is perfectly fine.

Thanks for helping me address this issue.

Hopefully you didn't think me providing an example was me saying it's okay. It's not okay, but the only thing you can do is not buy the product.

I agree with what hche just said, full checklist disclosure would be amazing. Unfortunately they seem to be going in the opposite direction, by not providing the odds on the packaging anymore.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by Bunny Hop

Sometimes it's just cathartic to vent. And misery does indeed often love company. I struggle to think of another field of collectibles that's granted as much leniency as trading card manufacturers when it comes to what is and isn't included, transparency, and cost.

It's an abusive relationship. Compulsive buyers will keep coming back for more, even though they keep getting ripped off. Topps knows who holds the power in this relationship and they are going to continue to exploit it.

Anyone thinking Fanatics was going to clean up the hobby was mistaken -- me included. It's the same old, same old. The fact that they hired key Panini employees was a big, red flag.

[Bunny Hop]

Red flag mem cards incoming?

[1977 Cloth]

Originally Posted by Bunny Hop

Sometimes it's just cathartic to vent. And misery does indeed often love company. I struggle to think of another field of collectibles that's granted as much leniency as trading card manufacturers when it comes to what is and isn't included, transparency, and cost.

You said it well. I am not going to buy anymore product this year. I am sure I will come back next year, but I am pissed and I am taking my ball and going home.