Topps really hoodwinked collectors with the Million Card Giveaway
It was billed as a
<audio for this video is screwed up … I covered the microphone by accident.>
Million Card Giveaway. Th promotion seemed simple enough: Topps supposedly bought back the cards your mother threw away and stashed them until collectors unlocked the cards via their Web site and then asked for them to be shipped.
The condition of some of these cards have left some collectors less than satisfied. But what’s a bigger sin is that some collectors are not even receiving the cards they unlocked or traded for.
About a month ago I received my initial package from Topps and in my post I noted that one cards, probably the most valuable card, that I unlocked was not shipped. Instead, the shipping list stated that the card was back logged.
Initially, I was curious how a card was backlogged when the premise of the giveaway was the Topps had re-purchased these cards to giveaway. And then about a week ago I started receiving comments and messages regarding the same card I didn’t receive, the 1961 Topps Phil Rizzuto MVP card.
Collectors who contacted me stated that they received a single 1954 Topps common instead of their Rizzuto, no one seemed happy. And then on Tuesday I received my envelope from Topps. I filmed my opening of the envelope as you can see above and received the same thing — a 1954 Topps common. (sidenote: the video sucks because I accidentally covered the microphone while shooting with my iPhone.)
It’s ridiculous that Topps was unable to secure a card that as been out for five decades. And to think that collectors would be OK with a older common is a smack in the face. And to make matter worse MY 1954 Topps Frank House card is creased and looked like someone stepped on it. I’m not sure what condition others collectors have been receiving.
The end results of the MCG go to show that Topps cannot be trusted with its buy back program. Who knows how the current promotion — the Diamond Giveaway — will turn out. Maybe those who unlock real rings will get a nice vintage silver plastic ring with a spider on it instead of their newly created ring holding gemstone.
To be continued …
cardboardicons.com 
May 31, 2011 at 12:15 pm
It seems the Phil Rizzuto card is the real sticking point with the giveaway. This is now the fourth time I’ve heard this story and it’s all related to the Rizzuto.
Otherwise, I haven’t read many stories about people not receiving the cards they unlocked. I have ordered cards four times through the giveaway and always received the cards I ordered.
Condition has been all over the place. A pleasant surprise AND disappointing for me, but I don’t really fault Topps for that.
As someone who’s redeemed several of those cool Diamond Cut cards , and received one already, I think the Diamond Giveaway is pretty cool and slightly more interesting than the Million Card Giveaway.
Bummer that Topps didn’t ship the Rizzuto card, and not cool, but I’m not willing to throw the whole Giveaway concept under the bus because of that.
May 31, 2011 at 1:23 pm
A quick Google search of “1961 Topps Phil Rizzuto MVP card” shows at least a couple dozen copies of this card for sale on eBay and elsewhere, most falling in the $10-$20 price range. Topps (or rather, the fulfillment company Topps hired to run the promotion) needs to suck it up and purchase the backlogged Rizzuto cards that are readily available and send them out to their customers who paid for them. Of course, fraud and deceit are pretty much standard operating procedure in today’s business world, so good luck with that.
June 2, 2011 at 10:00 am
I recieved the “best” cards I redeemed, but they were in sorry shape, one even with a large ink mark on the front.
On the flip-side, I redeemed a bunch of Wallach’s and they were better than expected, with a few tiffany’s and rockies/marlins inaugurals mixed in. I was willing to pay the ridiculous shipping charge hopping they would come in an envelope or case with the Million Card Give-Away logo, no such luck.
June 2, 2011 at 1:06 pm
I failed to receive a 1968 Dave McNally that I had traded for. I sent them a note through their website and received the response “we have a ton of orders coming in … it takes 3-6 weeks for the order”. I waited, then sent another note. The response was “the promotion is now over”.