Why are we spending time talking about this Detlef Schrempf card? In fact, this is the third card from the 1997-98 Topps Chrome, Topps 40 insert set we have in the video collection and, in terms of value, all three would be among the lowest priced cards in the set. See, the Topps Chrome, Topps 40 inserts were meant to be a collection of the top 40 players currently playing in the NBA. As you get to the end of that 40, that’s where the fun comes in. More disagreement, more personal choices, more decision making… Who’s in your top 40 of ’97-98? We’d all select Michael Jordan. Would anyone not have Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson and Grant Hill in the top 40 that season? But the lower valued cards can spark more debate more interesting… We looked at the Dikembe Mutombo and Topps made a strong case for him pointing out that he is the all-time leader in blocks and the previous season’s Defensive Player of the Year. Their argument for Joe Dumars wasn’t as strong. They actually mention that he recently dropped below 20-ppg, but he was at a career-high in three-pointers. He certainly had a great career, but notice they needed the word “but” to argue for the ’97-98 season specifically. So onto Detlef Schrempf.
Let’s read the back. This set gives nice, concise summaries about why these players are selected. Topps makes a good point here. There are many players who, although they might not top the charts for any reason, are simply very solid, fundamentally sound basketball players. They’re part of the foundation that makes the difference between a team with stars and a good record, versus a team with stars and too many losses. Would Schrempf make the cut in your top 40? Maybe another player of this type?
Let’s talk about the 1997-98 Topps chrome, Topps 40 inserts. For the second year in a row, Topps applied their Chromium technology to their regular set and produced Topps Chrome, basically a large parallel set. Some inserts from regular Topps were also reproduced in Chrome versions, including this Topps 40 insert set. Here, in ’97-98, Topps wanted to mark 40 years from its first basketball set, the legendary 1957-58 Topps cards. This wasn’t technically 40 years of producing basketball cards, because Topps took a really long break after its 1981-82 set, not returning until ’92-93. So this “40 years of cards” idea isn’t the strongest considering this long gap. The idea behind this insert set was that players, coaches and writers would work with Topps to come up with the 40 best who are currently playing. And just in case you missed the theme, the number 40 really isn’t subtle in the design with the large “40” behind the Topps logo on the front. The first twenty insert cards were found in Series I and the remaining twenty in Series II. The cards are numbered with a “T40-” prefix before the card number. They were 1:6 packs, but there are refractor parallels at 1:18 packs.
Some trivia about this particular Topps Chrome insert set…Does Topps have something against Latrell Sprewell? There’s no T40-7 Latrell Sprewell in the Chrome Topps 40 set, but it’s in the regular Topps inserts. He’s missing. But here’s what’s interesting…they made the same mistake in the Topps Chrome Season’s Best insert set too! Topps forgot to make a Chrome version of the #8 Latrell Sprewell for the Chrome Season’s Best! Seriously, is there a reason why he’s consistently missing from these ’97-98 Chrome insert sets?
When talking about any Topps Chromium card, we have to discuss the disappointing fact that many of these cards are turning green. Topps’ innovative Chromium technology and patents give cards a unique, metallic shine and a strong reputation. Unfortunately, with this technology came what collectors today call “greening,” or for a touch of humor, “Hulking.” This Detlef Schrempf card has the advantage that green is a Supersonics team color, so the green on the jersey is less noticeable and the green on the player almost seems like light, less noticeable than the kryptonite glow of the Dumars card we looked at. But it’s definitely still there. There’s not too much we can say about greening that’s conclusive. Lots of stories…only half a set turned green, cards turning green after slabbing, cards fine for 15-plus years and then suddenly beginning to turn. Some swear that if humidity and light are avoided at all costs, there is no change but others seem 100% confident that the fate of all early Chromium cards is to eventually turn green. So what can we say for sure? First, it never hurts to avoid best practices and avoid humidity and sunlight when storing cards, whether this is the solution to greening or not. Some good news though! Many factors probably contribute, but there seems to be a reaction between the ink and other materials in the cards causing the greening because this 1997-98 season does appear to be the end of it. Changes were made and cards produced after 1998 aren’t yet affected by this phenomenon.
This Chrome insert set is overlooked because collectors can search for the regular Topps insert set and the Chrome refractors. But no matter which set you search for, the idea of honoring the 1957-58 Topps cards with the forty best current players is a really fun idea. And with these Chrome inserts, collectors can obtain the set easier than the refractors while still having the quality that the Chromium technology brings.
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