Topps Prime Nine Promotion...What Is It???

You've probably found one of these cards when opening packs of the latest product 2011 Topps Series 2. With its striking colors and the huge number on the front of the card, with redemption information on the back, you're thinking that this is the Red Hot Rookie campaign for 2011.

And you wouldn't be more wrong!!!

Replacing the successful (depending on who you talk to) Red Hot Rookie campaign from 2009-2010, Topps, partnering with MLB Network, presents a whole new series 2 redemption program called Prime 9. Fans of the MLB Network know that Prime 9 is the channel's countdown series where the top 9 (because there are nine players, nine innings, yadda yadda yadda) plays, players, moments, or something significant depending on the topic of the show. Now Topps and the Network is incorporating this concept into their new redemption program.

Starting July 18, the MLB Network will announce the Prime 9 subject for the week. Ideally, the identities of the subjects being chosen will be kept a secret until the announcement. The subject could be an active player, could be a legend, nobody knows for sure. But the key is that there will be one player per position (so expect the announcements to follow along with the card number - this part is pure speculation...who knows how these will come out)!!!

Now collectors with these cards can bring the cards, after each announcement is made of course, to their nearby HTA store and the store, if participating properly, will reward him or her with a Prime 9 chrome refractor card. Each card that is submitted will enroll collectors in a sweepstakes. The grand prizes (2 of them) include either a trip to the World Series, or a trip to the MLB Network to meet and greet the talent. Other prizes will be announced later.





Now the card included in this article is just A SAMPLE!!! I am not saying that the player depicted is going to be in the final set. That would ruin the surprise element that Topps and MLB Network is trying to hold with this promotion. If indeed the subject is in the set, I do apologize for spoiling the surprise.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. Now if somebody can direct me to a complete set of this year's HTA weekly giveaway (the 25 card set), I'd greatly appreciate it. jba