Topps Insert Set of the Week: 2006 Topps 2K6 All-Stars.

So we all have these in our collections. Were this it for the set, or were there more???
Picture it...all over America...2006. The hysteria of Alex Gordon had not yet begun, yet many set collectors, more specifically, insert set collectors were banging their heads. Why??? Because of a joint venture between 2K Sports and Topps. Let me explain.

Inserted into packs of 2006 Topps Series I baseball (1:18 hobby, 1:18 retail, 1:18 HTA) were cards from an insert set called 2006 Topps 2K All-Stars. In conjunction with 2K Sports (a sports video game company) Topps created cards featuring eleven of the best players in baseball (from 2005) and put together an all-star "dream team" that gamers can unlock in the 2K6 Major League Baseball game for Nintendo GameCube, Playstation, and XBox. The problem was that inserted in the packs were five of the eleven cards in the set. Not the first five cards, mind you...the LAST five cards. So everybody who bought packs, boxes, you name it, of 2006 Topps Series I found cards of:

• 7. Vladimir Guerrero, lf
• 8. Albert Pujols, dh
• 9. Alex Rodriguez, 3b
• 10. Alfonso Soriano, 2b
• 11. Dontrelle Willis, p

Each card featured a normal picture of the player on a foilboard front and the back of the card showed what the player looked like in the video game. Each card also included a cheat code that can be used in the game. The codes were printed in a yellow colored field with white lettering (which made it extremely hard to read the text):

• Typing "Last Chance" unlocks the Super Wall Climbs cheat where any outfielder can scale the walls and keep balls in the park (found on Guerrero's card)
• "Crazy Hops" unlocks the Bouncy Ball cheat where any ball hit on the infield will bounce much higher than normal, testing the defense's fielding skills (Pujols)
• "Dream Team" unlocks the 2K6 Dream Team that can be used for exhibition play (the eleven players on this team (Rodriguez)
• "Gotcha" unlocks the Rocket Arms cheat giving all fielders supernatural throwing power (Soriano)
• "Unhittable" unlocks the Super Pitches" cheat that allows every pitcher to throw pitches that curve and break dramatically (Willis)

Other cheat codes that don't appear on the other cards include "Derek Jeter" (unlocks everything. Throw it into "God mode"); "Black Sox" (unlocks all cheats); "Game On" (unlocks all Extras); "Home Sweet Home" (unlocks all classic stadiums); "Ghosts of Greatness" (unlocks all classic teams).

But that still left many collectors wondering, "Where do you get the other six cards???" To find the first six cards, you'd have to buy the game MLB 2K6. It was said that each game had three of the first six cards you'd need to complete the 11-card set (thanks madding for the verification). While many card collectors were most likely video gamers too, many wouldn't dare just buy games for the cards. So what happened to card #'s 1-6?

So off to the world's greatest marketplace in search for the first six cards in the set. The cards were of:

• 1. Derek Jeter, ss
• 2. Andruw Jones, cf
• 3. Miguel Cabrera, rf
• 4. Derrek Lee, 1b
• 5. Mariano Rivera, rp
• 6. Ivan Rodriguez, c

Unfortunately for many, these cards rarely, if ever, showed up on eBay. And even when one card made an appearance, set collectors and player collectors went nuts bidding, just to get their hands on them. One enterprising eBayer took it upon himself to get all six cards and put them on the Bay. Guess who won the auction for them???

(raises hand sheepishly)
Now, I know that many want lists have gone incomplete because collectors have still been looking for the first six cards of this set three years later. I was lucky to be honest when the auction for the above cards went live. Looking on eBay right now will only turn up card #'s 7-11.

Did gamers who don't collect cards just toss them aside? Probably, because none of the six had cheat codes on them. It also has been reported that cards that did turn up weren't always in the best condition due to the fact that the cards were not secured and were probably shifting around the game packages. If ever these cards show up on eBay or other venues and they are not of Vlady, Pujols, A-Rod, Soriano, or DTrain, then absolutely go after them. Who knows when they might turn up again.

And no, I'm not giving these cards up. Sorry. Don't even think of asking me for them. They are staying right here, hidden amongst the cards from my 2006 Topps binder.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama