Topps is raking it in.

For those of you who had their doubts on the MLBPA's product guidelines and were cursing the PA for revoking Donruss's license, comes this.

Topps has announced that profits for the quarter ending in August were up nearly 10% over the same period last year. Leading the charge were sales of sports cards (baseball cards in particular), which are up 75% over the same period last year and 66% for the six months ending in August.

All credit was given to the reduction of brands in the marketplace (i.e. no more Donruss) and The Hobby's new focus on low-end products.

In fact, according to COO Scott Silverstein, sales of 2006 Topps baseball at mass-market retail outlets (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, etc.) were up an impressive 124% over '05 Topps baseball. He also said that sales of '06 Opening Day and '06 Bazooka were up 101% and 42% respectively.

Info lovingly ripped off from topps.com and tuffstuff.com

Box Break: 2006 Flair Showcase

One Box of 2006 Flair Showcase baseball (paid $72.95)
18 packs per box, five cards per pack ($4.99/pack)

The Details

Base Set: 200 cards

Broken Down by Short-Print Scheme:

• 100 Upper Deck


• 50 Field Box (1:4/packs*)


• 50 Suite Level (1:8*)

Parallels:

• Legacy Blue: 200 cards (1:18, numbered to 150 copies)


• Legacy Emerald: 200 cards (1:18, numbered to 150 copies)


• Press Plates

Inserts:

• Wave of the Future: 30 cards (1:3*)


• Hot Numbers: 30 cards (1:6*)


• World Baseball Classic Moments: 50 cards (1:8*)


• Hot Gloves: 30 cards (1:108*)

*Stated odds of finding either an insert or a short-printed base set card: one-per-pack

Autogamers:

• Showcase Stiches (1:9#)


• Lettermen (odds not stated#, production varies from three to nine copies, per player)


• AUTOGRPAHics (1:36$)


• Fresh Ink (1:36$)


• Showcase Signatures (Numbered to 35 copies$)

# Stated odds of finding a game used card: two-per-box
$ Stated odds of finding an autograph: one-per-box

The Pulls

Base Set: 72 of 200 (36%)

Broken Down by Short-Print Scheme:

• Upper Deck: 65 of 100


• Field Box: 4 of 50 (Rolen, B. Crosby, Tejeda, E. Renteria)


• Suite Level: 3 of 50 (P. Polanco, P. Fielder, B. Webb)

Parallels:
2 Legacy Blue: B. Myers, C. Floyd
Inserts:
6 Wave of the Future: G. Sizemore, J. Francoeur, W. Nieves, C. Ross, J. Verlander, R. Weeks
3 Hot Numbers: A-Rod, M. Teixeira, R. Clemens
2 WBC Moments: J. Grilli, K. Fukudome
Autogamers:
2 Showcase Stiches: E. Gagne, T. Hudson
1 AUTOGRAPHics: X. Nady

What I got in the mail: 10/14/06

One box of 2006 Flair Showcase (paid $63)

Total Spent on Cards: $63
Shipping and Handling: $9.95
Grand Total: $72.95

Box break forthcoming.

What I didn't get at the Card Show: 10/8/06

Site: Moorestown Mall; Moorestown, NJ

Bought absolutely nothing, because I didn't go. I went to the Eagles-Cowboys game instead.

The Linc was amped up, giving it almost playoff atmosphere. (A 4:15 kickoff -- and the ensuing three extra hours of tailgating -- will do that to an already rabid fanbase.) I honestly can not recall being this fired up for a game since the Tampa Bay debacle. Lot's of "O-DEE, O-DEE, O-DEE, O-DEEEEEEE; O-DEE, O-DEEEEEE," chants, aimed at you-know-who (who was a non-factor). God Bless Sal Pal for getting through this teaser with a straight face.

The pass interference call against Michael Lewis, scared the bejesus out of all 69,268 of us. It gave us all a flashback to the 4th quarter collapse against the Giants last month. But atfer Lito Sheppard's "Pick Six," the Linc went absolute batshit. (Note how quick exit T.O. makes as soon as the clock strikes 0:00.)

The Birds are 4-1, and on top of the best division in the football by a game-and-a-half. And from the hills of Scranton, to the beaches of Cape May; from Dover to Harrisburg, and all points in between; all is well in Eagle Nation.


Game Ticket: $60
12-pack of Yuengling Lagers: $9
Subway and Patco Speedline Ticket: $6.40
Cheesesteak, Jumbo Dog, and five beers at the game: $40
Extra ticket I was able to unload on a parking lot scapler, because the guy I was going to the game with punked out on me: + $75
Grand Total Spent at (and to get to) Game: $40.40

What I got at the Card Show: 10/1/06

What to do on a football Sunday when your team is playing on Monday? Why, go to a card show, of course! Screw homework.

Site: A VFW hall in Port Monmouth, NJ

A stack of 2006 Bowman and Upper Deck singles (paid $34)

Total Spent on Cards: $34
Turnpike and Parkway Tolls: $5.50
Parking and Admission: $4
Grand Total: $43.50

The Philly Show was to have run this weekend, but was cancelled due to the closing of the Ft. Washington Expo Center. The good news is that the EPSCC found a new venue in Reading, so the December show looks like it's on.

I arrived in the VFW hall around 2:30, and as such, most of the dealers had already begun to pack up and leave. Don't you just hate that? I was able to spot one of the old Ft. Washington regulars, and bought a bunch of current season baseball commons (his specialty).

I have now completed my '06 Bowman short set (reds, greens, and blues), and am exactly one card shy of a full 1000 card Upper Deck set. Anyone have a spare '06 UD David Dellucci?