It's Not Jon Jay Nice, Still......

I have really enjoyed some of the cards Topps has made over the past several years using acetate, some people prefer the term plastic, over card stock.  I think plastic and acetate are pretty interchangeable.  In some ways the whole acetate/plastic card media start long ago.  Topps has just picked the idea up in recent years and ran with it.  I think my first "plastic" set of cards that I really enjoyed collecting were the 1998 Skybox EX-2001 set.  These weren't specifically deemed acetate cards, plus the silver part and player picture is actually made out of cardboard on these cards.

These are a modern classic.  If you do not own one, I would highly recommend it.  I still take the cards out of from this set and look at them from time to time.  Fast forward nearly twenty years and we still have some nice acetate/plastic cards that are being produced. 

My favorite current patch of acetate cards are the Topps clear parallels that have been appearing in the base set for the past few years.  They are limited to a print run of just 10, so they can be a little hard to find, but they are really well done.  My favorite was the 2014 Jon Jay card.    

The colors on the front of these cards really pop out on the acetate media and the card backs are spectacular with the reverse image of the players done in black and gray.  

Just a really nice look.  Topps has had other acetate card products that haven't been as nice as the clear parallels, but still I have enjoyed collecting.  The Strata cards come to mind.  Nice looking set, not everything was acetate or plastic, but still very fun to collect.  

Not an obvious acetate card at first spot, but the backs of these cards have some of the same cool features of the Topps base card parallel.  Again, not quite as nice as the clear parallel.   

Here you can see the signature on the front of the card showing through to the back.  Which brings us to our newest entry into the world of acetate cards.  I was initially worried about this product.  Nothing would be more disappointing than promising collectors an all acetate set and then making it somehow really mediocre.  I seriously feared this when I saw the previews for Topps Clearly.  

It has it's plus and it's minuses.  Here is my first card from the set, there are more on the way.

First off, this is one of those products that you want someone else to open.  50 some dollars for one autograph?  Open away, I will buy your $5 Luke Weaver cards off of Ebay.  I am also a little disappointed that the cards are in magnet cases with a seal over the top.  What is so cool about these cards that they have to be in a case?  I get that Topps has done this with Archives Signatures and a few other products recently.  Let me hold the card in my hand.  Seriously thinking about taking this out of the one-touch.

and the best thing?  If you read my other acetate card posts you'd know it's always these cool looking card backs.....

Same basic idea as the acetate cards in the Topps base set, but I love that you can see the player's autograph showing through on the back of the card.  This card doesn't have a very clear background, but there is a color background with a Cubs player standing behind Weaver.  It's just not totally obvious at first glance... My other Topps Clearly card will be here in a day or two, looks like it has a clean card front aside from the player photo, curious how it will compare to this card.....

Still waiting to find a nicer acetate card than the Jon Jay.  This card is not Jon Jay, but still, it's nice.