First Buzz: 2023 Topps World Baseball Classic baseball cards

[onenineeightsix]

These are definitely not game used. Any of them. Equivalent to manufactured patches. Still really great looking cards, and looks like one of the only good sets this past year based on value for cost.

[jdjdjd]

Originally Posted by dunquixote1

The whole image variation thing was really poor planned. It’s annoying how I really have no clue which my image variations are. My only reasonable complaint about the product.

Agree. I found this online and have been using it. Also just watching breaks I’ve gotten used to seeing base images and ID’ing variants. It’s not well planned.

Base Image Variations Set Checklist

30 cards. 1:3 boxes.
There is no code difference, so it must be identified by the image.
FOIL PARALLELS: Gold Rainbow #/50 (1:15), Orange Cracked Ice #/25 (1:29), Black Difractor #/10 (1:71), Red Hot #/5 (1:140), FoilFractor 1/1 (1:673).
1 Mike Trout - Yelling; both hands down
2 Freddie Freeman - Arms folded
8 Wander Franco - Side image; no bat
10 Rafael Devers - Hands up
11 Juan Soto - Hand on chest
21 Roki Sasaki - Post-pitch; mouth open
33 Mookie Betts - Fielding; glove open
34 Miguel Cabrera - Smiling; both hands down
38 Xander Bogaerts - Batting helmet
39 Ronald Acuña Jr. - Blue jersey
41 Francisco Lindor - Puerto Rico visible on jersey
45 Shohei Ohtani - Post-swing; bat by Topps logo
46 Jose Altuve - Throwing
47 Jorge Alfaro - Catcher gear
49 Nolan Arenado - Throwing; blue jersey
56 Javier Báez - Fielding; white jersey
58 Jeremy Peña - Red batting helmet; arms out
59 Julio Rodríguez - Batting
69 Paul Goldschmidt - Batting
74 Yu Darvish - Wind-up; ball visible
78 Manny Machado - Fielding; post-throw
84 Munetaka Murakami - Ball near glove; mouth open
85 Pete Alonso - Hand outstretched; blue jersey
88 Luis Robert Jr. - Red uniform
91 Masataka Yoshida - Running; finger pointed up
93 Ha-Seong Kim - No bat; player in background
94 Edouard Julien - Post-throw; back leg up
95 Salvador Perez - Running; fist up
98 Trea Turner - Batting; blue jersey
100 Randy Arozarena - Holding bat; arm covering Mexico text

[Chris P]

Originally Posted by onenineeightsix

These are definitely not game used. Any of them. Equivalent to manufactured patches. Still really great looking cards, and looks like one of the only good sets this past year based on value for cost.

No..they are game used..they say game used memorabilia on the front of the card. Now if you don't believe that..thats up to you..but they are presented as game used cards

[Chris P]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

How can we be sure of this? There's no MLB authentication sticker to confirm it.

Based on the wording Topps used, they could've bought something at Walmart, cut it up, and put in card.

Im just saying they are presented as game used. The front of the card says game used memorabilia. If you don't believe it, i get it, but they are presented as game used cards Topps uses that wording on every game used relic they make outside of the mlb authentication ones

[dunquixote1]

Originally Posted by jdjdjd

Agree. I found this online and have been using it. Also just watching breaks I’ve gotten used to seeing base images and ID’ing variants. It’s not well planned.

Base Image Variations Set Checklist

30 cards. 1:3 boxes.
There is no code difference, so it must be identified by the image.
FOIL PARALLELS: Gold Rainbow #/50 (1:15), Orange Cracked Ice #/25 (1:29), Black Difractor #/10 (1:71), Red Hot #/5 (1:140), FoilFractor 1/1 (1:673).
1 Mike Trout - Yelling; both hands down
2 Freddie Freeman - Arms folded
8 Wander Franco - Side image; no bat
10 Rafael Devers - Hands up
11 Juan Soto - Hand on chest
21 Roki Sasaki - Post-pitch; mouth open
33 Mookie Betts - Fielding; glove open
34 Miguel Cabrera - Smiling; both hands down
38 Xander Bogaerts - Batting helmet
39 Ronald Acuña Jr. - Blue jersey
41 Francisco Lindor - Puerto Rico visible on jersey
45 Shohei Ohtani - Post-swing; bat by Topps logo
46 Jose Altuve - Throwing
47 Jorge Alfaro - Catcher gear
49 Nolan Arenado - Throwing; blue jersey
56 Javier Báez - Fielding; white jersey
58 Jeremy Peña - Red batting helmet; arms out
59 Julio Rodríguez - Batting
69 Paul Goldschmidt - Batting
74 Yu Darvish - Wind-up; ball visible
78 Manny Machado - Fielding; post-throw
84 Munetaka Murakami - Ball near glove; mouth open
85 Pete Alonso - Hand outstretched; blue jersey
88 Luis Robert Jr. - Red uniform
91 Masataka Yoshida - Running; finger pointed up
93 Ha-Seong Kim - No bat; player in background
94 Edouard Julien - Post-throw; back leg up
95 Salvador Perez - Running; fist up
98 Trea Turner - Batting; blue jersey
100 Randy Arozarena - Holding bat; arm covering Mexico text

Awesome. Thanks!! Are the IV always in a certain pack location? I’ve opened 12 boxes so far but I wasn’t paying attention to the variations. But for when open future boxes it’d help.

[anusinha]

they say game used on the front, the “not from any specific game” on the back is boilerplate lawyer speak to protect them in case something got mixed uo somewhere. Is it possible that Joe from accounting wore a jersey during a game of pickleball? Possible.

[dunquixote1]

Originally Posted by Chris P

Im just saying they are presented as game used. The front of the card says game used memorabilia. If you don't believe it, i get it, but they are presented as game used cards

Yeah they say “game used” on the front. Not sure why that’s hard for people to understand. Now, are they from that player or any sort of relevant/elimination game? Almost certainly not. But that’s not the argument.

[stormshadow815]

If anyone is putting together the base/insert set together I will have some trades available. I have 2 more 4 box lots incoming. Once I rip, ill be willing to move duplicates.

[Chris P]

Originally Posted by anusinha

they say game used on the front, the “not from any specific game” on the back is boilerplate lawyer speak to protect them in case something got mixed uo somewhere. Is it possible that Joe from accounting wore a jersey during a game of pickleball? Possible.

Exactly..can we 100% prove its game used..of course not..but it's been presented as game used and that not from any specific is on all Topps memorabilia cards..has been for years..with the exception being the mlb authenticated relics

[yoyosh]

Originally Posted by Chris P

They are all game used, just because it has that wording doesn't mean its not game used. They all say game used memorabilia

I could be wrong, but before i sold mine i looked at every card on ebay and completed sales
None said Game Used, only the bases

[cj828282]

Look at this base auctioned by the MLB last year. No authentication stickers but stated as game used. Do we believe this is game used? Truth is it is probably game used but there is no evidence to know for sure.

https://auctions.mlb.com/2023-world-...1/aucd/4451705

[Chris P]

Originally Posted by yoyosh

I could be wrong, but before i sold mine i looked at every card on ebay and completed sales
None said Game Used, only the bases

Again..the front of the cards say game used memorabilia..that wording on the back is on mostly all topps game used relics. They are being presented as game used cards.

[stormshadow815]

Originally Posted by yoyosh

I could be wrong, but before i sold mine i looked at every card on ebay and completed sales
None said Game Used, only the bases

look at the front of the relic autos. They all say game-used

[anusinha]

On the nameplates, it says game used on the patch above the letter

[Chris P]

Look at any non mlb stickered jersey card from topps. They all say the same thing. I just saw one from topps tribute. Game used memorabilia card of christian yelich and has the same wording "not specific" in the back. Trust me I get the questioning
..all I'm saying is Topps is presenting these cards as game used and the wording in the back isn't a red flag that it's not bc they've been doing that for their game used relics for years.

[yoyosh]

Originally Posted by stormshadow815

look at the front of the relic autos. They all say game-used

Yup, and says what i posted on the back
I'm not arguing, maybe they are. I hope so!

One thing we can ALL agree on....Fanatics is trustworthy to never make things ambiguous or try to confuse or dupe collectors!

[jdjdjd]

Originally Posted by dunquixote1

Awesome. Thanks!! Are the IV always in a certain pack location? I’ve opened 12 boxes so far but I wasn’t paying attention to the variations. But for when open future boxes it’d help.

I haven't noticed a consistent position but maybe someone else in here has!

[Chris P]

Originally Posted by yoyosh

Yup, and says what i posted on the back
I'm not arguing, maybe they are. I hope so!

One thing we can ALL agree on....Fanatics is trustworthy to never make things ambiguous or try to confuse or dupe collectors!

Their wording absolutely sucks..always has..but the cards are being presented as game used. Noone will really ever know if these little swatches of jersey are actually game used but Topps is 100% presenting them as that

[bbdut]

Originally Posted by yoyosh

Yup, and says what i posted on the back
I'm not arguing, maybe they are. I hope so!

One thing we can ALL agree on....Fanatics is trustworthy to never make things ambiguous or try to confuse or dupe collectors!

They are game used but not from one specific game. Why is this ambiguous or confusing?

[zworykin]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

How can we be sure of this? There's no MLB authentication sticker to confirm it.

Based on the wording Topps used, they could've bought something at Walmart, cut it up, and put in card.

No, it literally says on the front of the card, millimeters away from the patch, "game used." The wording on the back means they aren't guaranteeing WHICH game. That's all.

This isn't rocket surgery, guys.

[zworykin]

Originally Posted by bbdut

They are game used but not from one specific game. Why is this ambiguous or confusing?

Because words are hard, I guess?

[speedyjg13]

Originally Posted by bbdut

They are game used but not from one specific game. Why is this ambiguous or confusing?

What if they are game used but not from a specific game, season, event because maybe the swatch belongs to another player

I don't care how Topps presents them. They leave too many questions to be asked. If it doesn't have the MLB authentication sticker, I'm passing.

[Chris P]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

What if they are game used but not from a specific game, season, event because maybe the swatch belongs to another player

I don't care how Topps presents them. They leave too many questions to be asked. If it doesn't have the MLB authentication sticker, I'm passing.

Double post

[Chris P]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

What if they are game used but not from a specific game, season, event because maybe the swatch belongs to another player

I don't care how Topps presents them. They leave too many questions to be asked. If it doesn't have the MLB authentication sticker, I'm passing.

That's fine..I'm just addresssing Topps intention and presentation. These aren't being presented as Player Worn or Manufactured patches as someone above suggested. I get not trusting the language. I'm just pointing out that its the same language Topps has used on their relic cards for years

[yoyosh]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

What if they are game used but not from a specific game, season, event because maybe the swatch belongs to another player

I don't care how Topps presents them. They leave too many questions to be asked. If it doesn't have the MLB authentication sticker, I'm passing.

Or a coach
Or the batboy

Words ARE hard!

am·big·u·ous
adjective
(of language) open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning.
"ambiguous phrases"
unclear or inexact because a choice between alternatives has not been made.