topps is tops!

I'm not a 'set-in-a-binder' type of guy. My sets get relinquished to that white box hell that is card storage. I just simply don't have the space to have binders for every set. The sets rest on the top shelf of my closet, in their respectively labeled (or factory set) boxes. Namely Topps flagship sets from 1982 to now. Oh sure, there is the 2009 T206 set and that 2007 Fleer set. Even that 1991 Upper Deck set too. I think most all would agree that a set looks way better in a binder. You know, displayed for viewing as opposed to sitting in a box. Well, some sets look better than others and I think Allen & Ginter to be one of them. Choose your year, any year would look great complete in a binder. Well, this year Topps went and made these:

I think themed binders are a good idea. Too bad you can't get them for 1988 Topps but from Topps website you can get one for at least the past two years of the base set, Heritage and A&G. I know those of you who bought A&G this year got some of these:

We all did. In droves. They do make good packing material though. The coupon is pretty useful too. Colbey of Cardboard Collections fame, recently posted about these, asking about quality. Well, his post prompted me into looking into them and I remembered the coupon and that I had the $10 off code from the Diamond Giveaway to use in the Topps Shop. These combined brought the price down to a more reasonable amount. They want $16.95 for the binder with ten pages. Not bad but then you factor in the $9.65 for shipping (UPS) and it makes it a little harder to swallow. Well, I ordered it on Sunday and it arrived today. Topps turn around time to me is quick, as they are in New York. After the item was placed into the cart and shipping was added, it came to $26.60. Add the coupon and the $10 and it dropped to $14.41. Surely an acceptable cost. The binder itself is well made and is padded on the top and bottom. A D-ring setup on the inside, some old-timey art that looks like a hobby box on the front and a nice black cover and inside, all adds up to one classy looking binder. So if you guys on the Diamond Giveaway site that it that $10 code, with an Allen & Ginter set (and coupon), may want to look into grabbing this. I may even want to grab the 2011 series 1 and 2 binder just to have that set in it. Bravo Topps, bravo.