Topps is in very deep trouble! They owe out several tens of thousands (if not hundreds) of redemption autographs to people. <<<<<To those not familiar with REDEMPTIONS, card companies pout these in packs in place of autograph cards because the card company was negligent in getting the autographs in time to put them in packs. In some instances it's the signer's fault, but not most of the time like card companies claim.>>>>> Many if not most at this point are almost or over a year old, for one example they only redeemed ONE redemption out of the (40) or so from 2012 Allen & Ginter & 2013 A&G is out in less than a month. For the last month it has been very difficult if not impossible to get in touch with Topps. If you call them now, you will be caller number 8-15 if you call within 30-minutes after they open (used to be the best time to call). If you are caller number 8, your REAL hold time will be more than 20-minutes IF YOU ARE LUCKY! They completely stopped responding to e-mails several weeks ago as well.
So this is their lame solution: create redemption replacement cards that are only available via replacement. In other words these cards don't exist in packs or boxes. The worst thing is THESE ARE ALL STUPID STICKER AUTOGRAPHS! Topps has it on their records that I am only to receive ON CARD autographs- especially if that's what I was originally owed. Plus Topps is putting THEIR OWN value on these cards which is not only morally wrong, but it's ILLEGAL according to their licensing agreements with the leagues! If this sounds familiar, it is. This is similar to what Score Board was doing RIGHT BEFORE THEY WENT BANKRUPT IN 1998.
I am personally owed more than (30) redemptions. These REPLACEMENT REDEMPTIONS which I decided to call CLONE CARDS since they are not really Certified Autograph Insert (CAI) cards at all since they do not exist in any products and do not say anything on the cards except the name Topps. The back only has the autograph authenticity statement & NOTHING ELSE! There are two versions that I've seen both in-person and on eBay: SILVER (not numbered) & GOLD (serial numbered to 199).
8/7/13 Update- I was sent a Duke Snider CLONE unnumbered sticker autograph card for a 2012 Allen & Ginter MAX SCHERZER (just happens to be one of the hottest pitchers in baseball now) SP ON CARD Autograph & a Ferguson Jenkins #/199 CLONE sticker Autograph for a 2012 Ginter RULON GARDNER Event-Used Card that I paid $10 for on eBay (the cheapest you could get them for in 2012).
To add insult to injury- literally days before they started sending the CLONE CARDS, they sent me four REAL but COMMON PLAYER refractor replacement autograph cards (NFL- Taiwan Jones, Dwayne Harris & UFC- Phil Barroni <<<Retired before his career really started>>>) for four listed STAR cards in Beckett that I was owed. Anyone knows that Beckett overprices common autograph cards at $10.00 each average (almost ALL can be bought on eBay for $2.00 or less) and refractors at 1.5X so in Topps twisted mind that's an equal trade for the (3) MARK BARRON RC Autographs I wanted & was owed (I'm a huge Buccaneer fan)! I was also sent a STICKER Torrey Smith autograph (which I already have THREE On Card autos of) for a UFC Tim Kennedy ($25 listed star) autograph I was owed for 16-months. THIS IS BULL! But since there's still no policing agencies to cover collectors from getting screwed by card companies, there's NOTHING I can do. I'm too sick to fight like I used to and no one else fight for others like I used to do EVERYTIME someone asked me to.
Also 8/7/13 Update- SO ALL YOU JACKASSES ON BLOWNOUTCARDS.com (that's not the real site, I'm mocking the name for a justified reason that I'll gladly explain to anyone who asks me) MESSAGE BOARDS/BLOGE LISTEN UP: Instead of being little bitches spreading unproved rumors like soap opera stars on the boards which helps NO ONE, why not ban together and FIGHT TOPPS TO STOP RIPPING COLLECTORS OFF BY SENDING THEM JUNK CARDS AS REDEMPTION REPLACEMENTS (whether collectors asked for replacements or NOT) FOR THE STAR PLAYERS THEY ARE OWED!!!
Or at the very least have Topps make a list online of available players and their card characteristics (numbered/non-numbered, what year & set, ON CARD or sticker auto) and trade vale and let collectors CHOOSE what cards they want as a replacement. The web site could EASILY be set-up like a store and the collector would have automatic credit for each redemption they are owed, then once the time period comes when a replacement is possible the collector can automatically add items to the SHOPPING CART until their credit is gone. HOW MUCH EASIER CAN I MAKE THIS FOR THE GUYS/GALS ON BLOWOUTCARDS.COM & TOPPS? I gave them the problem, AND THE TOPPS: Your calls/e-mails to Customer Service will drop by 50% by doing this (if you do it as I stated) I guarantee it! ONLY VIABLE & BEST SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE! Now someone needs to get it to the right people at Topps- that's all you have to do!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~You can buy common RC Autographs of THREE YEAR OLD RC's on eBay all day long any day for $2.00 or less each! I know better than most because I've bought THOUSANDS of these over the last few years to donate to hospitalized/poor children. Topps knows I donate much more than I collect as well. I donated over 2-million cards (superstars always included) since 1989. If they treat me like this, then how will they treat everyone else?
As for the CLONES- I was owed a 2012 A&G Guy Buford Autograph (which I told Vincent the CS Supervisor at Topps on 5/28/13 that I want to wait for Buford to sign) and Topps sent me a Dwight Gooden CLONE CARD a week later without me even asking for any replacement. So Topps is making YOUR DECISIONS for you now too! Guy Buford is an American Astronaut and the first African American Astronaut as a footnote. Dwight Gooden is a cocaine addict for his entire life and probably did as good as he did in the mid-1980's BECAUSE of the cocaine! THIS UNWANTED TRADE-OUT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE LOP-SIDED AGAINST ME!
For the second 2012 A&G Buford Autograph I was owed Topps sent me a Gary Carter CLONE. I was a personal friend of Gary Carter as he was the person who inspired me to donate cards starting in 1989. He signed many items for me over the years and I still own EVERY one (except for the TWO I gave to very close friends as gifts). I also bought (6) different Gary Carter Certified ON CARD Autograph inserts I liked & one sticker auto/jersey for $10.00 in late 2011 because it was serial number 17/99. He was elected to the Hall of Fame on 1/7/03 & 1/7 happens to be my birthday. DO YOU THINK I WANTED ANOTHER GARY CARTER STICKER AUTOGRAPH? Of course not, especially that Topps is using his death as a factor (worth more) in continuing to put these sticker autographs in packs as well WHICH IS HIGHLY INSULTING TO HIS MEMORY in my opinion!
Topps was the only card company I trusted since 2001 after investigating EVERY card company and discovering intentional fraud that EVERY ONE of them (but Topps) committed! Now I can't trust Topps ever again. I'm dying from a rare (very painful, very weakening) disease so it's too late for me to find a new hobby - BUT ALL OF YOU WHO READ THIS SHOULD!
James McCay
cardcop04@gmail.com
