Three Boos For The 2019 Topps Heritage High Numbers Rookie Cards!

I went down to the local card shop not too long ago and purchased some packs of the 2019 Topps Heritage High Number issue. This annual set features today’s players on the card format that was used fifty years ago. This year the set uses the 1970 format. Last year it used the 1969 format. Next year it will utilize the 1971 format. And etc.

Topps has been very dedicated to maintaining consistency between the two issues, right down to the uses of certain card numbers. In the 1962 set, Whitey Ford threw a curve on card #315. Fifty years later, the 2011 Topps Heritage set showed C. C. Sabathia throwing a curve on the same card number:

The annual Heritage issue has been a challenge for collectors to complete, because in addition to having some cards short printed, it also has two versions of key players; a base version and a variation. I always thought that if I collected every card in the base set, that my Topps Heritage set for that particular year was complete. Other collectors, some of whom I know, want to get one of everything, including all the variations. That takes time, work and money.

In 2012, the Topps Heritage set utilized the 1963 format. This colorful set features a large photo on the lion’s share of the card, with a smaller portrait-style photo in a circular inset at the bottom of the card. Topps added an innovative and unexpected twist by giving twenty-five key players randomly-inserted, image-reverse cards.  These cards were an instant hit with collectors and were highly sought after. I liked them because they added an extra dash of color and surprise without modifying the originality and integrity of the 1963 set. Here’s an example:

Now back to 2019. Upon opening my packs I was shocked and horrified to see the ubiquitous Topps rookie card symbol boldly displayed on each of the rookie cards in the high-number set. This symbol didn’t even exist in 1970, so what is it doing on these Heritage cards, whose purported purpose is to feature today’s players on past formats? I protest! When the base issue of the 2019 Topps Heritage cards hit the stores last February, they still had it right. You can see the 1970 rookie card and the 2019 rookie card look the same:

At some point after issuing this year’s base Heritage set, Topps decided to put the rookie symbol on the rookie cards in the High-Number set, so now we get this:

I believe Topps started using this symbol to identify rookie cards in 2006, and it has stayed the same from year to year.

But I don’t believe it should be on these Topps Heritage cards. I’m going to contact Topps to ask why the rookie symbol appears on them. I’m wondering if Topps will continue to do this on future Heritage issues. I’m also curious to see if other collectors are as displeased as me. Stay tuned; I’ll get back to you on this one.