2008 Topps Series 1: Collation Continued

As I began last night, here are the final 18 packs of my hobby box of 2008 Topps Series 1. But before I get to that, remind me that one of the things I'd like to address at the end of all this is the likelihood of getting a filler card within a pack.

Pack 19
158. Jose Bautista
40. Miguel Tejada
264. Byung-Hyun Kim
142. Chris Duncan
242. Manny Acta
INSERT: Year in Review Bartolo Colon
TOPPS OF THE CLASS FILLER
250. Jonathan Papelbon
210. Mark Teahen
184. Tadahito Iguchi
Only nine cards in the pack.

Pack 20
17. Cristian Guzman
254. David Murphy
61. AL Leaders: Home Runs
155. Carlos Zambrano
272. Anthony Reyes
127. Steve Pearce
INSERT: Mickey Mantle Story #50
INSERT: Trading Card History Teixeira/Francoeur
67. Wes Helms
237. Eric Wedge

Pack 21
134. Matt Stairs
105. Roger Clemens
330. Curtis Granderson
106. Josh Bard
149. Luke Hochevar
195. Todd Helton
INSERT: Gold Foil Zach Duke
TOPPS OF THE CLASS FILLER
176. Troy Patton
230. Roy Halladay
125. Tim Hudson

Pack 22
145. Magglio Ordonez
223. Odalis Perez
181. AL Leaders: Saves
197. Melky Cabrera
48. Zach Duke
INSERT: Year in Review Randy Johnson
INSERT: Gold Foil Melky Cabrera
Checklist 2/3
293. Gavin Floyd
102. Ross Ohlendorf
132. Ramon Vasquez

Pack 23
110. Justin Morneau
249. Chris Sampson
15. AL Leaders: Batting Average
265. Fredi Gonzalez
44. Jonathan Broxton
INSERT: Year in Review Jeff Kent
INSERT: Gold Foil Carlos Zambrano
TOPPS OF THE CLASS FILLER
277. Aubrey Huff
151. Adam Loewen
156. Brandon McCarthy

Pack 24
218. Clint Hurdle
101. NL ROY Ryan Braun
311. Jeremy Guthrie
186. Lastings Milledge
255. Brandon Phillips
INSERT: Own the Game Matt Holliday
INSERT: Gold Foil Steve Pearce
TOPPS OF THE CLASS FILLER
1. Alex Rodriguez
253. Bronson Sardinha
68. Kevin Millar

Pack 25
103. Jonathan Albaladejo
113. Kevin Frandsen
73. Mike Napoli
177. Josh Anderson
192. Jim Edmonds
69. Bobby Cox
INSERT: All-Rookie Team Darryl Strawberry
INSERT: Gold Foil Lastings Milledge
TOPPS OF THE CLASS FILLER
163. Doug Davis
318. Ned Yost

Pack 26
187. Dustin McGowan
120. Andruw Jones
160. Ben Sheets
282. Jon Lester
305. Carlos Delgado
47. Orlando Cabrera
INSERT: All-Rookie Team Brad Wilkerson
INSERT: Trading Card History 1983 Topps Tim Lincecum
TOPPS ROOKIE VOTE FILLER
96. Sam Fuld
221. Ian Snell

Pack 27
261. Josh Barfield
107. Shawn Green
98. Classic Combos: Howard & Utley
87. Maicer Izturis
274. Jermaine Dye
246. Jason Isringhausen
INSERT: All-Rookie Team Ichiro
INSERT: Trading Card History 1895 Mayo Cut Plug Roger Clemens
150. Alfonso Soriano
263. Nook Logan

Pack 28
190. Russell Martin
10. Miguel Cabrera
247. Edgar Gonzalez
216. Ryan Garko
20. Daisuke Matsuzaka
300. Chien-Ming Wang
INSERT: Fred Thompson Candidate
TOPPS ROOKIE VOTE FILLER
38. Preston Wilson
121. Mike Cameron
308. Felipe Lopez

Pack 29
94. Bud Black
4. Rick Ankiel
131. Norris Hopper
266. Ryan Doumit
214. C.J. Wilson
INSERT: World Champions Auto Relic Manny Ramirez (#40/50)
INSERT: Gold Foil Lenny DiNardo
Checklist 1/3
297. Jorge Posada
Pack contains eight cards.

Pack 30
209. Andy Phillips
251. Dan Johnson
12. Jason Bartlett
285. Tony LaRussa
91. Marcus Giles
INSERT: Year in Review Fred Lewis
INSERT: Gold Foil Brian McCann
Checklist 2/3
111. Ubaldo Jimenez
95. John Lackey
290. Edgar Renteria

Pack 31
108. B.J. Ryan
130. Justin Upton
287. Classic Combos: Morneau, Santana, Mauer
199. Adrian Beltre
30. Jimmy Rollins
89. Josh Willingham
INSERT: Mickey Mantle HR History #524
TOPPS ROOKIE VOTE FILLER
245. Dan Haren
329. Lou Piniella
212. Moises Alou

Pack 32
227. Alfredo Amezaga
35. Cole Hamels
58. NL Leaders: RBIs
14. Lenny DiNardo
173. Jamie Moyer
294. Brian McCann
INSERT: Mickey Mantle HR History #525
TOPPS ROOKIE VOTE FILLER
51. Erik Bedard
11. Yorvit Torrealba
36. Brendan Harris

Pack 33
153. Luis Mendoza
140. Brandon Webb
180. Jose Valverde
232. Clay Buchholz
191. Orlando Hudson
154. David Ross
INSERT: World Series Champions Red Sox Gold Bordered (#1450/2008)
13. Kendry Morales
193. J.J. Hardy
171. John Maine

Pack 34
208. David DeJesus
215. Bobby Jenks
63. Jason Michaels
203. Jason Tyner
133. Mike Bacsir
85. Jason Bay
INSERT: Lance Broadway Gold Bordered (#1953/2008)
138. Dan Wheeler
248. Jose Contreras
278. Xavier Nady

Pack 35
243. Akinori Iwamura
152. Bronson Arroyo
24. AL Leaders - RBIs
146. Aaron Hill
79. Omar Vizquel
165. Tim Lincecum
INSERT: Hillary Clinton Candidate
271. Chad Tracy
70. Dan Uggla
157. Tim Redding

Pack 36
100. Ryan Howard
295. Tim Wakefield
54. Victor Martinez
22. Ron Washington
84. Brian Fuentes
279. Damion Easley
INSERT: All-Rookie Team Francisco Liriano
INSERT: Gold Foil Anthony Reyes
Checklist 1/3
37. Jason Marquis
205. Gil Meche


I got 8 checklists, 9 Topps Rookie Vote cards and 10 Topps of the Class. So your chance of getting one of these three cards in a pack, per box, is

Checklist: 22%
Vote card: 25%
Class card: 28%

As far as overall box collation goes, I got 294/330 (89%) of the base set, with only 10 doubles. I didn't really expect to be able to learn very much about the actual order of card distribution, as one box is probably not the best population to work with. If I had opened two boxes, then this experiment would work (with at least a little bit more success).

The idea of collation has always intrigued me. As part of my old job I got to attend press checks at various printers around the New York City area, so I've become more familiar with the print process. Inevitably, on these visits I thought about card printing, cutting, collation and distribution. I've decided that Actual Card Distribution is not random. In fact, I'd hypothesize that it's very ordered. Cards are printed in large sheets, then cut down, so those cards printed next to each other are probably going to be found in packs together. If you get Card A, then you'll get Card B, Card C, and so forth. I know this is true for 1989-90 NBA Hoops Series I: if you got Larry Bird's regular card, there was a very good likelihood you'd also get David Robinson's supposedly short-printed rookie. Two summers ago I ripped a box of that set and pulled four Birds and four Robinsons. It's a little harder to pinpoint what inserts you'll get, but judging from the amount of supposed 'hot packs' for sale on eBay, someone thinks they've found a way. I don't condone feeling up packs for big ticket inserts, buying 'hot packs' on eBay or the dealers who sell them, but I've always found those who think they've found a way to beat the system interesting.