Topps 2006 MLB Factory Set

by Topps

Product Features

• 659 cards plus 5 exclusive Bonus "Rookie" cards
• Topps is the perennial favorite brand of every sports card collector producing cards since 1951
• Contains all the top players-Pujols, Jeter, Martinez, and hundreds of others
• Packed in a factory-sealed box that is perfect for storage or to keep your collection in mint condition
• Made in USA

Product Description

Complete set of 660 cards issued for 2006 Topps series 1 and 2, PLUS one (1) 5-card cello-wrapped pack of Hobby Exclusive Rookie cards

Product Details

• Item Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000JPZFCO
• Item model number: T06BBFS
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,372 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mickey Mantle is back but forget about Alex Gordon for the 2006 Topps Baseball Set, August 4, 2006

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

When you first realize the 2006 Topps Baseball Card set has 659 cards in it, numbered 1-660, you are probably thinking you know which card is the missing card. That is because in the wake of Mickey Mantle's death several years ago Topps decided to honor the Mick by retiring card #7. Today we say that the modern era of baseball cards begins with the 1952 Topps set, for which Mantle's card is the biggie, not just because it is his Topps rookie card but also because it was a high number from the 1952 set, which jumps the value way up as well. However, there actually is a card #7 in the 2006 Topps set, and it is of Mickey Mantle. What is kind of cool about the card is that it is just like all of the other cards in the set and there is nothing that distinguishes the fact the Mick is no longer active except for his career stats ending in 1968 (he stole six bases in his final season on those ruined legs).

The card that is missing is #297, Alex Gordon, who turned out not to meet the new gold standard for having a rookie card. There are some cut out versions of the card floating around out there is you want to have a really complete Series 1 collection (as opposed to have four incomplete collections for about the same price). An intact version sold for $7,000 because clearly it is the rarest card around this year. Topps had to do the cut outs because under Major League Baseball Players Association rules the former University of Nebraska star, who was the second pick in last year's draft, did not sign a contract until September. After years of having baseball cards of players who never spend a day in the Major Leagues, the MLPA changed the rules so that rookie cards can now only be put out for players who make the 25-man opening-day roster or played in at least one major league game the year before. Topps anticipated Gordon would make the Royals' 25-man roster, but the third baseman was assigned to Wichita instead. Then again, when you get the complete factory set you get the 659 cards plus five exclusive bonus rookie cards, so now you are up to 664 and the deficit is more than made up.

That solves the mystery of the missing card for the 2006 Topps set. Personally, I think this rule change is great, because I like to see who was playing with each team each year. Granted, that is difficult today because this set already has Johnny Damon with the Yankees (#185), but Coco Crisp (#12) is still an Indian and not Damon's replacement with the Red Sox. Tom Gordon (#163) appears as a Phillie in the photo and on the back, but his card still says Yankee and Matt Morris (#238) is seen as a Cardinal on the front of his card with the Giants. The main thing is that when you get to the rookies, cards 296-325 in Series 1 and #616-45 in Series 2 (with Jason Papelbon, #355, one of two exceptions), you will actually find players who are in the major leagues right now, including the prohibitive favorite for the American League Rookie of the Year Award, Francisco Liriano (#309) of the Twins. This beats going back a couple of years and looking at all of the rookie cards and finding only a handful have made it to the show this many years down the road.

The Topps set remains THE set for me each year because it is the one with history behind it, so if you feel the same way it is a must have for your collection. Cards #243-59 are the American and National League Gold Glove Award winners, a set that is missing the A.L. Catcher, who was not I-Rod but Jason Veritek, who does not have a Topps card again this year. We then have the award winners in the two leagues for the Cy Young, Most Valuable Player, and Rookie of the Year awards (#260-65), followed by the Team Cards/Managers (#266-95, 586-615). What they are doing here is interesting, because they have the teams arranged alphabetically from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Washington Nationals, and what you have hear is the manager card or the team card for each, but never both (e.g., you get Mets manager Willie Randolph and the New York Yankees team card). In Series 2, you will find the appropriate counterparts. There are Team Stars in both series.

It is interesting to me that with both Series 1 and Series 2 when you look at the three checklist cards for each the cards for the series end on the front of the second checklist card. The rest of the checklists are devoted to the insert cards available. For Series 2 they list seven Trading Places Autographs and Trading Places Autographed Relics each, 27 Trading Places Relics, 20 Trading Places cards, 40 Signers of the Constitution, 31 Signers of the Constitution Cut Signatures (includes Franklin, Hamilton, Madison and Washington), 30 Hit Parade cards, 15 Topps Stars, 100 Mantle Home Run History cards ("MHR2-MHR101), 100 Mantle Home Run relics, 18 Walmart Cards, 15 Opening Day relics, and 15 Opening Day Inserts. For me the Trading Places and Hit Parade cards are of interest, because they are sort of basic and reflect what actually happened in the 2006 season, but the rest surely takes us into the realm of glorious excess. No wonder I am a "buy the complete series" rather than "tear open a hundred packs" sort of person, because I really do not want to be in the position of hoping for an autograph of Roger Sherman rather than Billy Wagner (or visa versa). Topps is the one baseball card set I get each year because of the history of the company and not because of the extras.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great cards, January 11, 2007

By 

Holly A. Moore (Benton, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

My son has just started liking baseball cards. This is enough to keep him busy for awhile. He is still sorting them from Christmas.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars 2006 Topps Baseball Card Factory Sealed Complete Set, January 9, 2007

By 

J. Savickis - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

First I would like to say that when I purchased this item it was advertised as the "Hobby" addition. When I received it I didn't think it was the hobby set so I called amazon, the operator said she did not know about this product and provided me with the phone number to who sold it to me. I called that number 3 times and left a message each time to please call me and I have yet to receive a phone call back.. When I gave this item to my husband for Christmas he confirmed my thought that it was not the "Hobby" addition. I was not only upset that I did not get what I was looking for but that no one had returned my call.