2022 Allen and Ginter Framed Mini Relic Cubs

 Today, the good ones... the framed mini relics!

These are the original Ginter relics, included in the first set back in 2006.  Topps added the full sized relics in 2013 and at the same time the number of the framed minis was reduced.  That was a shame!

This year  there are 62 framed minis.  There were 174 in 2012, the last year without the full-sized.  Again, a real shame to see the numbers cut back so much.

While there are just 62, the Cubs hit the mother lode this year, with 5 cards.  Only the Yankees with seven (of course the Yankees) had more.  Here's how the cards per team went:

0 cards: 5 teams -- Diamondbacks, Tigers, Guardians, A's, Rangers

1 card: 13 teams -- Orioles, Rockies, Marlins, Brewers, Expos, Phillies, Pirates, Padres, Mariners, Cardinals, Rays, Blue Jays, Nationals

2 cards: 4 teams -- White Sox, Astros, Royals, Twins

3 cards: 2 teams -- Angels, Reds

4 cards: 2 teams - Mets, Giants

5 cards:  4 teams - Braves, Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers

7 cards:  1 team - Yankees

I feel very fortunate that there were five Cubs cards.  However, I also had to spend more than usual because of two of the five Cubs players.  Can you figure out who were the expensive ones?

 

 

First, notice that three of the five are retired.  

The two that were expensive were the Banks and Suzuki cards.  Both seem to be fairly rare.  Right now there are none of the Banks cards currently listed on eBay and just six have been sold.  Seiya Suzuki's cards are similar with none listed right now and just eight sold.  

None of the online checklists show either to be short-printed, but the are obviously less of these available than of the other cards.  I sure hope that Topps doesn't turn the framed minis into a hard to get item.  If they do that, then I'll have to be done with them.