2006 Topps Baseball Forum

I have a COMPLETE set (it says so on the box, it must be true) of 2006 Topps.  It is factory sealed (not for long) and the packaging says it contains all 659 cards.  The checklist on the side omits #297 - Alex Gordon since Topps wasn't supposed to issue a card for him yet.  On this site, the set is listed as 660 cards and since I don't have the Alex Gordon card, my set is not considered complete.  SO, my question is, what do collectors agree is a complete set for this year/brand?  Is my set incomplete without the Alex Gordon card?.

Thanks,

Dan

Great question.  Someday I hope to add that Alex Gordon card to my 2006 Topps set.  As far as needing it to complete the 2006 Topps set, I say no.

Actually, I almost quit collecting modern cards because of that card.  After that missing card/cutout fiasco, I decided to sell off all of my 21st century cards and focus only on pre-2000 Topps sets.  I did that until 2013 when I began to realize that keeping track of modern players was getting more and more difficult.  

I've since compiled all of the 21st century Topps base+traded/update sets with a couple of exceptions, but have redefined what I consider complete.

I'm sure they'll decide to issue a reprint for that card one day.  I'd wait for that.

I quit collecting from 03 to 11, so I don't know about this. What's the story on this Gordon card?

The story (According to Dave & Adams):

In 2005 the Major League Baseball Players Association ruled that card manufacturers could only produce rookie cards of players who either made the 25-man roster or played in a major league game the year before. When the Number 2 Overall Draft Pick Alex Gordon signed his contract late in September, his card should have never been produced. Topps quickly pulled the card, and it is believed that there are less than 100 produced. - See more at: http://www.dacardworld.com/blog/product-releases/ten-baseball-card-blunders/#sthash.fqcdPuZS.dpuf

I'm not sure about the mutilated or cutout or different blanks that were produced.  Seems like a pretty major blunder.

Must have been a short-lived rule. All kinds of cards of guys who haven't played now. Thanks for the explanation.

yep the set is complete without the gordon.

the gordon is considered an error or variation

mark z

I have the same issue with that set. I believe most collectors consider the set to be 659 cards and I wish the site would change it to reflect that. I feel like I had this discussion about a year ago. Whatever. I know in my heart my (and your) set is "complete."

So I went looking for 2006 Topps #297 Alex Gordon cards on Ebay.  They're still $115.  So I went looking for reprints next.  Topps actually did make a reprint for this card in 2010 with the same card front, but a different card back.  I got one for $2.49 shipped.  Now my 2006 Topps set will definitely feel complete.

*2010 Topps Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT55.

Update:  They actually have an original back version but I didn't see any of those for sale yet.  I'll be keeping an eye out for one of those.

Maybe it will "feel" complete, but in my opinion, it'll be no more complete than it was before, which was complete in my book. Heck, if I could "complete" sets with reprints, I'd've been done with many a set more. ?? But I'm glad you found the card. 

V3

Thank you to admin or whoever corrected the set on this site. Complete set is now listed as 659 and it shows as complete on my report of complete sets in my collection. 

The reprints aren't a bad idea. A lot of collectors do that as fillers until they are able to acquire the real thing. I think a lot of people did that when Topps issued the missing Mickey Mantle cards in 2006 to add the missing card #7.