General Forum

What's your favorite parallel set?

(Some people say the hate parallels but besides them let's have some fun)

My absolute favorite parallel of all time is the Museum Collection Dufex parallels from Pinnacle.

Impossible to pick one, since I am working on nearly 50 baseball sets, and they all give me equal buzz to add a card or 2

I'm a parallel junky.  more challenging than putting together the base set, but attainable.

but since I'm not obsessive, I haven't finished any ..... lol

it all starts for me in 1995 with

1995 Topps Flagship - Cyberstats / Spectralight, which ironically is not a parallel, and is the only set I have completed

1995 Topps Embossed - Golden Idols

1997 Pinnacle Totally Certified - Blue /3999

96-97-98-99 Topps Gallery Players private issue /250

1998 UD3 die cuts /2000 & /1000 & /500

1999 UD Challengers for 60-Challengers edition /600

1999 Pacific Paramount Gold & Copper

2001 Fleer Futures Black Gold /499

2001 Fleer Platinum Platinum /201

2005 Finest Refractors base, blue /299, green /199, black /99, gold /50, red /25 &

2005 Finest xfractors base /250, blue /150, green /49, black /25, gold /10

2012 Topps Flagship red, blue, purple, gold sparkle, gold /2012, orange /190, black /61

2012 Topps Update red, blue, gold sparkle, gold /2012, orange /210, black /61

012 Topps Opening day blue /2012

2012 Topps mini gold /61, silver /5

2012 Topps Chrome refractors, purple, orange, xfractors, blue /199, black /99, sepia /75, gold /50, atomic /10

2012 panini prizm green, red, blue, gold, cracked ice, gold /10

2019 Panini prizm line greed donut circles /199

2021 Donruss Optic Lime Green 

I think that's 50, and those are just off the top of my head, there are more

Four that I am currently working on, but the 150th parallel is my favorite right now.

2019 Topps 150th parallel (need 213 across S1/S2/Update)

1998 Topps Minted in Cooperstown (need 328)

2007 Topps red Backs (need 72 across S1/S2/Update)

1992 Topps Gold (need 206)

My favorite parallel set is O-Pee-Chee Retro for all years.  I only collect Kings.

I like the Topps Chrome X-Fractors (especially the 2008 ones).

I’m also trying to put together a full set of the 2019 Allen & Ginter minis.

As a brand, the original Topps Gold parallels. Specific sets and years; 1995 Collectors Choice SE and 2000 Fleer Ultra Gold Medallion

My list of sets that I'm working on includes any Topps/Bowman/Stadium Club parallel/insert that came one to a pack.  I completed the 1993 Topps Gold parallel set back in 1993-1994, so I guess that would have to be my favorite as it's the only parallel set I've completed to date.  I'm within 5 cards of the 1994 Topps Gold parallel set, and am within 50 of the 1995 Topps Cyberstats set.  Many of the rest of them I expect are going to be loooooong slogs to complete (Bowman Golds especially), but nothing worth having is easy, right?

Right now, I'm obsessed with the parallels from 2022 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary. They make great display pieces for my desk and bookshelf.

There's something deeply satisfying about "team color match" parallels, especially if they're shiny. For example, the Swingin A's players (Reggie, Catfish, Vida, Rollie) look awesome in the /250 Yellow Raywave Refractor design. I also have number 179/250 of Willie Stargell, fitting because he was 1979 World Series MVP! That's one of my favorite cards in my entire collection.

I like royal blue Topps but also many others also