2011 Allen & Ginter Dodgers- Base Cards

The most anticipated Topps Baseball card set of the year is clearly Allen & Ginter. Collectors flock to the set because of its storied history as a knock-off of a late 19th Century tobacco set of the same name. Topps has incorporated the original design and concept with their own artistic flashes to make a annual set that everyone likes to collect to some degree. Like its vintage forbearer, it consist of stars from all walks of life, not just Baseball players. As proof of its popularity, even with the official released being today, numerous cards have already sold on eBay for huge bucks. Heck, a Manny Pacquiao autographed card just sold for $575 today, a wood "1 of 1" mini of Pacquiao sold for $400, a Josh Hamilton RIP card sold for $475, and a complete mini set sold for $379.99.

Anyway, there are 7 Dodger cards in the base set and 1 short printed high numbered card. Also, like in years past there are numerous parallel cards to chase after. All of the cards below are the normal base cards, with exception of the Furcal- which is a mini version.

#28, John Lindsey - RC
#77, Rafael Furcal

#106, Jonathan Broxton

#124, Chad Billingsley

#125, Clayton Kershaw

#127, James Loney

#226, Andre Ethier

The Matt Kemp card below is special and strange for a couple of different reasons. First, it is a short printed high number card. All cards numbered 301 to 350 are short printed. Secondly, it is a "Crack the Code" parallel card. What is that, you ask? Well, for several years, Allen & Ginter runs a "Crack the Code" contest where a special prize can be won by using certain cards in the set to decipher something. Since puzzles are not my forte (SOSG, you should be all over these), I never pay attention to this. Anyway, check out Kemp's card below. BTW, the code is the designs on the corners. What it means, I do not know.

#310, Matt Kemp, short print