The Great Griffey Frankenset: Page 17

Welcome to Page 17 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 17 of the Great Griffey Frankenset:

Completeness of page: 9/9

Completeness of the Frankenset so far: 100% (153/153)

Team distribution so far: Mariners: 109/153 (71%), Reds: 41/153 (27%), White Sox: 1/153 (1%), No team indicated: 2/153 (1%)

Approximate retail value of this page: $52.00 ($3051.25 running total)

Page 17 Notes: With this page we pass the $3000 mark on total Frankenset value. The average card value sits just over $20 at this point and has nowhere to go but down, sadly. But if you're a price guide snob, don't fret! There are still a handful of premium Griffeys yet to come. I should also mention that this page includes a Ken, Sr. card that really is just a Ken, Sr. card and not a Junior, but there's a twist that makes it still valid for the purposes of the Frankenset. Enjoy!

Page 17:

145. 1997 Metal Universe #145

Some of you may already know I’m a total slut for early Metal Universe, particularly when the player on the card is playing chess against and evil tree monster.

146. 1996 Topps Gallery #146 The Masters

I’m equally enamored with Topps Gallery, a brand I honestly believe we will be seeing again someday soon. That filigreed half-border and candid portrait make this one of my favorite Griffey base cards from this brand, and that’s saying a lot.

147. 1998 Topps Opening Day #147

All the cards were a dark gold color in 1998 Topps. Not everybody was a fan. Personally I prefer the silver of Opening Day from this year. It goes well with the blue/green behind the nameplate and Junior’s Seattle grays. I even like the big, shiny Opening Day emblem.

148. 2010 Topps Heritage Chrome #C148 #/1961

One of the more low-key base card designs from Topps, even by vintage standards, all gussied-up in shiny chrome. This card is a warlock, and it needs to be stopped.

149. 1998 Pacific Invincible #149 AL MVP

Griffey’s regular base card in this set is #64 – the card you’re looking at here is a special base card created just for his AL MVP win. Larry Walker, the MVP of the National League, also got a special MVP card at #150, but his has him looking ridiculous with his hat turned forward. Not like this zesty lil’ number.

150. 2007 Topps Turkey Red #150 Refractor #/999

A refractor version of a design from 1911, this Dick Perez-painted card shows Griffey playing at Palace of the Fans, the Cincy baseball stadium until Redland Field (Crosley Field) was built in 1912. If I’m looking at this right, Griffey just hit a ball from somewhere along the first base line. Take THAT, rules of baseball.

151. 1999 Fleer Mystique #151 Super Star #/2500

Here’s another base card that isn’t really Junior’s base card. He also got a short-printed base card (#1) in the regular set – this is a serial-numbered “Super Star” subset made up of the last ten cards in the checklist. This one had a layer of opaque film on it at one time that someone had to peel off to reveal its Griffeyness. Another strange artifact of 90’s cardboard.

152. 2008 Topps Chrome #152 Refractor

At 1:3 packs, refractors from 2008 Chrome were not all that rare – not like the old days. With the thick borders and ample use of white in this design the regular refractor is not quite as impressive as some of the colored parallels, but you’ve got to love that swing-away shot.

153. 1992 Upper Deck Comic Ball 3 #153 (w/ Ken, Sr.)

Here’s a first: a Frankenset Griffey that only counts as a Frankenset Griffey if you look at the back. In the strictest sense this is a Ken Griffey, Sr. card with a Junior cameo, but I don’t count it among the regular Junior cameos as this Comic Ball set only featured three players: the two Griffeys and Jim Abbott. However, it is card #153 and it does have Junior on it – that’s good enough to earn it a spot in this Frankenset.

Don't look at me in that tone of voice. It counts.

Here's the back of page 17:

Thanks for reading, and look for page 18 coming soon!