Due to an overwhelming demand for Stephen Strasburg cards during his phenomenal 2010 rookie season, Topps extended its original 660-card set by an additional card for Strasburg. Due to the legalities surrounding the MLBPA-licensed set, Topps was not allowed to include Strasburg in the original 660-card set until he debuted in a Major League game. In order to meet the demand for Strasburg, Topps offered six different versions of card #661 in the Topps set.
This guide is intended to educate you on the various versions of the #661 card of Stephen Strasburg in 2010 Topps.
Version A
Randomly inserted into 2010 Topps packs were redeemable code cards for their Million Card Giveaway promotion. These code cards allowed for you to unlock version A, which ended up being exclusively available on through this promotion. The card features a photo of Strasburg taken during his first MLB pitch.
Find 2010 Topps Stephen Strasburg Version A on eBay.
Version B
This version was announced as a late addition to remaining 2010 Topps factory sets. A telling characteristic of this version is locating Strasburg’s right hand directly under the Topps logo in the upper left hand corner.
Find 2010 Topps Stephen Strasburg Version B on eBay.
Version C
Identical to version A, except the card features an on-card autograph. Once again, exclusively offered to those who unlocked version A through the Million Card Giveway, owners were given the opportunity to have the card autographed. Each card was machined stamped, and has a production of 299.
Find 2010 Topps Stephen Strasburg Version C on eBay.
Version D
Available in packs of 2010 Topps Update.
Find 2010 Topps Stephen Strasburg Version D on eBay.
Version E
A short-print variation of version D, this version features Strasburg in a road-game grey jersey.
Find 2010 Topps Stephen Strasburg Version E on eBay.
Version F
Another short-print variation of version D, this version features Strasburg in a Elvis wig and pie in his face.
Find 2010 Topps Stephen Strasburg Version F on eBay.
In typical Topps fashion, they have added a few Super Short Print cards to this years 2010 Topps Update. Of course, one of the SSP cards is Stephen Strasburg, as he remains the golden child for all 2010 Topps products.
Rookie Cup variations
Topps also added three “Rookie Cup” variations to three players who originally appeared in the Series 2 set. Omir Santos, Chris Getz, and Nolan Reimold each have Rookie Cup variation that shows a different photo from the Series 2 card, as well as a small Rookie Cup above the team logo on the front of the card.
Pie-in-the-Face variations
Along with each of these varaitions, Topps has continued the “Pie Face” variations for this set. The players with these variations are: 661 Stephen Strasburg, US-59 Jeanmar Gomez, US-251 Jake Arrieta, US-315 Edwin Jackson, and US-399 Matt Garza.
Legends Variations
Some of the base cards in the set have a Legends Variation that shares the same card number, here are the legends that appear in the Update set:
2010 Topps Chrome Baseball has been on the streets for about two full weeks now. Without a doubt, the biggest buzz around this product has been the Stephen Strasburg Chrome Autographs that were inserted in the product. Even after Strasburg’s season was cut short due to his injury, his secondary market prices have not bottomed out, completely.
I have compiled some data from eBay on the sales of all of the 2010 Topps Chrome Stephen Strasburg Autographs to date. Check out the table to see some very interesting data:
There has been 12 more sales of the Refractor version of the Chrome Autograph, for a card that is numbered to 499 verse a card that is unnumbered and has better odds of pulling, this is a bit of a head scratcher why there hasn’t been more base chrome auto pop-up for sale.
To date, there has been 78 successful sales on eBay regarding any variation of a 2010 Topps Chrome Strasburg Auto, collectively selling for a grand total of $14,958.16, or an average of $191.77 per card.
Topps has been keeping Stephen Strasburg busy.
Topps recently sent out a bunch of redemption only Strasburg autographed cards, and they are slowly finding their way to the secondary market. Most notably are the 2010 Topps Tribute cards, which feature Strasburg’s auto along with relic’s from his first MLB game. These seem to come in single and dual relive forms. With variations of numbered to both 99 and 75.
Along with the Tribute autos, Strasburg was the cornerstone of the Topps Million Card Giveaway promotion. Collectors who were lucky enough to redeem a Strasburg were given the opportunity to have their cards autographed prior to receiving them. It was reported that there are only 299 of these autographs issued.
After just one game. Well, two if you count tonight’s pinch hit appearance. Dom Brown’s 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospect has surged in the last 24 hours, with single cards closing at $20.50 and even $18.40, his prices have seemingly quadrupled over night. Earlier in the week, the same card was selling for $3.75 and even $1.80.
Not a bad return on investment.
Without a doubt, the only person to receive more hype in their young career than Stephen Strasburg is Bryce Harper. Fresh off consensus 2010 Golden Spikes award, given out to the years best amateur player, and his Number 1 overall selection by the Washington Nationals in this year’s MLB Draft, this 17-year-old phenom has caught the eyes of the media and made believers out of many baseball fans.
When Topps announced the addition of the USA set in their 2010 Bowman release, collectors began to speculate about the possibilities of Haper being included in the set – and the possibilities of the Harper Superfractor.
Harper has had previously released USA themed cards released by Upper Deck in 2008 and 2009, along with a promotional 2009 Bowman AFLAC card handed out at the 2008 AFLAC All-American game. Not until now, has anyone released a real “chase” card like the Superfractor.
The 2010 Bowman Chrome USA Bryce Harper Superfractor is currently (back) on eBay. Much like it’s much publicized Strasburg counterpart, it’s original listings were all ended due to improper and false bidding. The current auction, at $4,600 with the reserve not met, is just a fraction of what the Strasburg superfractor sold for. Red refractor version of Harper, which are numbered to 5, have been selling anywhere from $2,200 (ungraded) to $13,000 (BGS Pristine).
This card certainly has the potential of reaching near-Strasburgian heights in regards to price, however, I am not sure how well the price will maintain once Harper is included in a Draft version of Bowman, presumably at the end of this year. Hopefully, as an autographed version.
This our first look at the 2010 Bowman Chrome Baseball product. A much anticipated release from Topps after the resurgence of the Bowman line from the first 2010 release. The 2010 Bowman product, fueled by First Prospect cards of Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper the release has surged towards Upper Deck Exquisite-esque prices nearing $400 per box.
With Strasburg slated to have another autograph in the set, the newly crowned hobby hero, should help fuel the release of this product. Topps has also announced that Strasburg will be available in the rest of their 2010 products.
Quite a few other coveted prospected have been rumored to appear on their First Bowman Prospect Auto card as well:
- BCP197 TBD
- BCP198 Adeinis Hechavarria
- BCP199 Aroldis Chapman
- BCP200 Dee Gordon
- BCP201 Brett Wallace
- BCP202 Kyle Gibson
- BCP203 Max Kepler
- BCP204 Shelby Miller
- BCP205 Miguel Sano
- BCP206 Brett Oberholtzer
- BCP207 Gary Sanchez
- BCP208 Jacob Turner
- BCP209 Josh Satin
- BCP210 Matt Davidson
- BCP211 Arodys Vizcaino
- BCP212 TBD
- BCP213 Robinson Chirinos
- BCP214 Trayce Thompson
- BCP215 TBD
- BCP216 Corban Joseph
- BCP217 Noel Arguelles
- BCP218 Tim Beckham
- BCP219 Yonder Alonzo
- BCP220 Juan Urbina
While this may only be a preliminary checklist that Topps has issued for the set, it is leaving most prospector salivating at the idea that once Razor exclusives could possible be featured in the product. Other top prospects include Cuban defector and Reds Top Prospect Aroldis Champan and the Minnesota Twins 2009 First Round pick Kyle Gibson, who has a consensus top 10 pick going into the draft, but was injured prior to the draft, causing him to slide to the 22nd spot.
Be sure to check back for updates, as we will be updating information as we receive it.
The product is scheduled to hit shelves on Wednesday, October 13, 2010.
After just about every major media outlet picked up the story of the coveted Stephen Strasburg 2010 Bowman Chrome Prospect Superfractor hitting eBay last month, there has been much anticipation to when the Red Auto parallel would surface.
While the $50,000 price tag slapped on the Red Auto edition of the card, may deter many novice collectors, as of 6/15 there had 16 offers submitted on the card. For a card of this caliber, I feel a straight auction is the best approach, and I am unsure if this version of the card can command the same premium as the Superfractor version, which sold for $16,000 and some change.
The recent national exposure of Strasburg has sent a resurgence of enthusiasm into a hobby that had been clinging to life support for the past few years. Beckett recently published an article on the gentlemen who won the Superfractor, who admitted he hadn’t collected cards since the mid-1990’s. This is also evident across numerous web forums, like FreedomCardBoard, where new collectors and other sport collectors have been religious seeking out any and all Strasburg cards in hopes of cashing in on some of the hype.
Now that every major “chase” card of Strasburg has surfaced, aside from the 1/1 Printing Plates, prices of the 2010 Bowman products have reached all time highs, and continue to climb. The market is flooded with Stephen Strasburg cards, yet prices have kept a steady price. Beckett reported that last month the average sell price of all Strasburg cards was $67.77.
And there is plenty more room for growth and profit.
