Buyback Franken-set: Heritage Season

Yes, it's Topps Heritage season.  I don't get all that excited for the Heritage set each year.  When I first got back into collecting over a decade ago now I loved it, but these days I'm just not a set collector.  What I do get excited about are the 50th Anniversary box-topper buybacks!

With Topps seemingly done with the standard buybacks that appeared over the last four years in the flagship set and other releases, the Heritage buybacks will be my only chance to add newly produced buybacks to the franken-set going forward.  Fine with me, they've always been my favorite type of buyback anyway.

With the 2018 Heritage set having hit shelves recently, the secondary market is flooded with 1969 buybacks.  I've grabbed a couple of lots for my franken-set that worked out to between $1.00 and $1.50 per buyback, which is about what these go for on COMC even when things have cooled off years after release.

Let's take a look at the first ten tonight...

1969 Topps #652 - Eddie Watt

First up, relief pitcher Eddie Watt.  Watt lasted a few seasons in Baltimore's bullpen, and even won a World Series with the team the year after this card was printed.  As far as the design of the 1969 set, you can count me among those who enjoy it.  I think it's wonderful in its simplicity.

Bobby Rose's 1992 card was sitting in pocket 652 of the binder.

Based on aesthetics alone there's no way I could select Rose over that Watt card.

1969 Topps #606 - Gene Mauch

Next up we've got Expos manager Gene Mauch flashing his best movie star smile.  I don't think Mauch would be smiling for long, as Montreal won just 52 games in '69.  Ouch.  Either way, #606 is a new number for the franken-set, so into the binder Gene goes!

1969 Topps #605 - Dick Ellsworth

Dick Ellsworth continues the proceedings here, with what might very well be the most boring card in the entire '69 Topps set.  Hard to find a lot of positives with this one.  Maybe it'll squeak by due to a total lack of competition?

Nope, already have this Rick Monday All-Star in slot 605.

1969 Topps #369 - Bob Skinner

Another manager card here, which I like, but would it have killed these guys to leave their caps on?  Interestingly, Skinner replaced Gene Mauch, the other manager card featured in this post, at the helm for the Phillies.

Have this Frank White in slot 369...

...and there it will stay.

1969 Topps #339 - Steve Mingori/Jose Pena

Though he didn't actually debut until 1970, Steve Mingori saw action in close to 400 games, almost exclusively as a relief pitcher, over the course of a 10-year MLB career.  Jose Pena appeared in just 61 games over four seasons.  I give Topps credit for proper placement of the buyback stamp on this one, well done.

339 seems to be a popular number for Cincinnati Reds, as this Chico Ruiz is also a #339 buyback.

I'm actually not all that big a fan of multi-player rookie cards, so unless they feature someone compelling I'm less likely to vote them in.

1969 Topps #334 - Phil Roof

Next up, a cap-less Phil Roof.  That's a man who looks very pained to have to pose for a photo right there.  Unfortunately for Phil he moved on from the Athletics before they became a powerhouse team later in the next decade.  Now, normally I'd weight a hat-less player negatively when it comes to this project, but...

...I have a 1990 Topps buyback in slot 334...

...and I'd like nothing more than to shift that one over to the dedicated 1990 Topps buyback binder!

1969 Topps #333 - Ivan Murrell

Outfielder Ivan Murrell is our next contestant to battle for a spot in the franken-set binder.  Another dull photo here, and I don't really know much about the subject either.

This '75 Dick Drago buyback currently calls slot 333 home.  I've actually already decided this very same match-up once before, as I pulled and posted a 2015 Topps buyback of that same Murrell card well over a year ago now.

That one lost, and so obviously this one does as well.

1969 Topps #331 - Gil Garrido/Tom House

Here's another two-player rookie card.  Gil Garrido played for six seasons and has exactly one more career MLB home run than I do.  Tom House became known as the guy who caught Hank Aaron's 715th home run, as well as one of the first players to publicly admit steroid use.  This is actually the first #331 buyback I've picked up so far, and makes the binder without contest.

1969 Topps #581 - Gary Nolan

I really like the classic look of this Gary Nolan.  When I first came across it in the stack I really wanted it to win a spot in the binder.  Looks like I already have a #581 buyback though...

...and as a Red Sox fan, it's a pretty good one too.  Garry Roggenburk in what looks to me like a greenhouse.  I received this one from my buddy Shane Katz of Off the Wall just about a year ago now.

Honestly, this one probably could've been a coin flip, but I went with the Roggenburk since it's my favorite team and was sent to me by a fellow collector.

1969 Topps #562 - Bob Watson

Last card for tonight, Bob Watson of the Houston Astros confidently posing (in front of a middle school?).  Bob was still putting it together at this young age (1969 was his age 23 season), but would later turn in some impressive years with the 'Stros in the mid-'70s.  This one makes the binder by default as my first #562.

So, there are my first ten 2018 Heritage buybacks.  I've got a few more to post for sure, but before I get to that I'll be featuring some buybacks that have shown up in trade in recent weeks.  Thanks for stopping by!

Franken-set Progress:  548/792 (68%)
"Rejected" Buybacks:  462
Total Buybacks in Collection:  1,010!