I did something crazy...

 

I finally completed the 2022 Topps Batting Helmet insert set! I’ve been enamored with these ultra-thick, heavy cards ever since they debuted in late 2022. Surprisingly, they have been incredibly difficult to find in the wild. Every card show and local shop I’ve visited over the years showed a complete dearth of them. Sifting through countless dealer boxes was an unexpected grind, but crossing the finish line makes this victory feel incredibly sweet!

The cards were available in Series 2 (50 cards) and the Update series (50 cards).  These cards are super thick measuring just under a quarter inch. They are also heavy, averaging about 1.3 oz per card!  The whole set weighs in at nearly 9 lbs!

I like the design, with the team's oversized helmet and if you look closely you'll see that Topps color coordinated the team's colors in those wavey stripes.

If you want parallels, you got it.  These are examples of the unnumbered blue parallel and the numbered /299 black parallel.  There are also autographed parallels.

Here's a look at the card back.  This one is a numbered parallel (black) but they're all the same.

Jottings about the set:

Currently the most expensive card:  Ohtani

This really should come as no surprise.  I've seen prices range from $25 - $50 for this card.  I was fortunate and bought this card early and I think it set me back around $10 at the time.

Rookies:  There are 12 rookies designated with the 'RC' in this set.

Bobby Witt Jr. may be the most expensive rookie in the set ranging from $10-$20.

Parallels

Blue parallels can be had for roughly the same price as the base white cards.  As expected, the numbered parallels start climbing in price.

Freddie Freeman

When Freeman left the Braves to join the Dodgers in March of 2022, did anyone except Braves or Dodgers fans care?  Apparently Topps did because they produced two cards of Freeman - one for each team.

Matt Olson

This was a surprise to see.  Did we really need two cards of Matt Olson?

You learn something new

There are two Marte's in the set.  No they are not related.  Never knew that before now.

A digital 'uncut' sheet!

I can imagine a true uncut sheet would be unwieldy, but I think this digital version would make for some great looking wall paper.  And the helmets might be plastic, but the paint job makes them feel like either porcelain or some kind of plaster.  Someday I'll find out what it's made of.

A 'normal' cut?

The cards are so thick I noticed that it is very common to see a curve on one side.  I can only imagine the blade from a cutting machine slicing down and producing a noticeable curve along the edge.  Also that paper stock looks like it is 10-12 sheets of 100lb paper glued together.

Overall, I would say each card cost over $5 on average.  I did buy some bulk lots which helped keep the average price down, but holy cow, the shipping charges will get you.

This collection really stands out visually, making it an excellent display piece.  While I doubt anyone would realistically use a binder to preserve this, you truly never know in the hobby.  It’s also wild to think that collectors have actually gone through the process of having these graded and slabbed, but it’s a quirky reality of card collecting today.  Despite the frustrating omission of the elite hitter Luis Arraez from this release, the overall aesthetic appeal makes it a definitive keeper for the collection.

  

And in case you were wondering, here's a count by team (no Guardians!):

A's	2
Angels	5
Astros	5
Blue Jays	4
Braves	5
Brewers	3
Cardinals	5
Cubs	5
Diamondbacks	2
Dodgers	4
Giants	2
Mariners	3
Marlins	1
Mets	3
Nationals	2
Orioles	3
Padres	3
Phillis	4
Pirates	2
Rangers	3
Rays	4
Red Sox	5
Reds	3
Rockies	4
Royals	2
Tigers	3
Twins	3
White Sox	4
Yankees	6