The Great Griffey Frankenset: Page 11

Welcome to Page 11 of the Great Griffey Frankenset!

If you're not familiar with the idea of a Frankenset, it is a customized set of cards properly sequenced by card number that all tie into a connecting theme. Some frankenset themes include whole teams, mini-collections, and even just generally great cards or photos. This is the first Frankenset I'm aware of that is made up of just one player: Ken Griffey, Jr., the man of a million cards. I took the liberty of including things like inserts, parallels, cameos, and oddballs for the sake of variety and because it's just more fun that way. Enjoy!

Here is page 11 of the Great Griffey Frankenset:

Completeness of page: 9/9

Completeness of the Frankenset so far: 100% (99/99)

Team distribution so far: Mariners: 69/99 (70%), Reds: 27/99 (24%), White Sox: 1/99 (1%), No team indicated: 2/99 (2%)

Approximate retail value of this page: $79.00 ($1893.25 running total)

Page 11 Notes: It's Christmas - what are you doing reading this?!?

Page 11:

91. 2000 SP Authentic #91 #/2500

A short-printed base card - it was only a matter of time. I like the use of blue shading and negative space on this one, but it’s nothing to write home about.

92. 2013 Topps Archives #92 (1982 Topps Design) Day-Glow Orange

I actively collect Griffey on vintage Topps designs, so finally having one in the 1992 design helped that collection a lot. Frankly, I’m not crazy about the day-glow orange with those colors, but it was just too weird a card not to include in this spot.

93. 2009 Upper Deck #93 SP (Mariners)

Aw, hell yeah. This is probably my favorite SP of all time (the Tony Gwynn from 2013 Topps Update is a close second). Junior is back in Seattle to wrap up his storied 20-year career. I’d like to say it was a moment of triumph, returning home to finish out in a blaze of glory. Sadly it just didn't feel that way. The return to Seattle was more of a resignation move, sort of like transferring a grandparent to hospice. You know the end is near, and it’s only downhill as we go. And all of that is evident in this one perfect photo. Feel the feels.

94. 2008 SPx Ken Griffey Jr American Hero #KG94

I knew the instant I thought up this project that card #’s 1-100 were covered no matter what because of this 100-card insert from SP. I also knew that I must do everything in my power to avoid including any of those cards for the Frankenset because that would be lame. Then I met #94. There is no alternative to the 2008 SPx American Hero insert card for #94 – it seems to be the only Griffey with card #94 in existence. And here we are. Still, we could do worse. Shiny.

95. 2005 Topps Opening Day #95

There were a few contenders for this spot in the Frankenset, but none were up to the task of showing up the dap (aka fist bump). Frickin’ love the dap card.

96. 1993 Studio #96

A landmark set of sorts. This is the first year Studio portraits were all done outside the studio. Where the ’91 and ’92 sets were clearly photographed at an actual photo studio a la Olan Mills (with a couple of exceptions in the ’92 set), this year they were are just close-up photos taken on game days and at training camp just like normal card photos. Oh, and I should mention that this is the best Studio base set ever looked. Period.

97. 2012 Topps 1987 Minis #TM-97

Yet another Griffey on a vintage Topps design. These throwback minis, along with Archives, have been my number one source for throwback design Griffeys. Great to finally see Junior on an ’87 woody.

98. 2010 Topps The cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT98 (1991 Topps base card)

Ah – God bless lovely, glossy reprints of junk wax era cards. They shouldn’t even exist, yet here they are.

99. 2005 Upper Deck Pros & Prospects #99

Holy Cincy Throwback, Batman! There’s one thing there simply are not enough of, and that’s Griffey cards featuring throwback uniforms. That being said, this beauty from 2005 Pros & Prospects almost single-cardedly makes up for just about every other set lacking them.

Here's the back of Page 11:

Thanks for reading, and look for Page 12 next Friday!