heritage; check your codes!

First things first: I have posted my 2011 Heritage want list on the right side bar there. I do need a gross amount of short prints but I think it'll be achievable.

Secondly; just in case you haven't noticed yet, there is a way to tell if you have short prints hidden in your base cards. Topps, as of late 2009, started to put a small code on the back of each card, see here:

This is the back of two 2011 Heritage cards with the codes enlarged for easier reading. Yes, the print is incredibly small but it gives you the key to finding cards that aren't part of the base set. Check those codes above; the base card is on top (#9911101) and a black bordered Target parallel is on the bottom (#9911112). The chrome cards (even if green, refractors, black or Target black) are numbered with the same code. Basically any card that has the 'C' before the number (in the shown card's case, C65 Ty Wiggington) has this same code. The code #9911101 is used for each base card in the set, including the high number short prints (426-500) but will tell you if you have one of the variants like the green tints in the 110-196 card spots. The only different codes that are used in the base set are the Ruth specials (cards 135-144) and will vary from codes #9911101 through #9911104. Anything higher in the final digit will be a variation. I noticed this difference when I pulled a Target red Ruth variant that had the code #9911109. I had two of the base card so this one stuck out.

I first noticed the codes and their differences once I pulled the Carlos Gonzalez sparkle variant from 2011 series 1. The base cards from series 1 have the code #3621101, #3621102 and #3621103. The sparkle used code #3621126 and the short print legends use #3621125, although those are easy to pick out with the dirty ball on the front plus well, they're legends. Hard to mistake. This made it tremendously easier to find out if I had any sparkle variants hidden in my base cards.

Small print and it is kind of confusing, I know. If anyone has any questions on Topps and their codes, definitely feel free to email me. I'll answer any questions I know how to.