Introducing the 2021 Chachi Set

It certainly feels odd to be seeing pictures of cards from 2021 when we're only a handful of games into the 2020 season.  On Wednesday afternoon, Topps revealed the design for its 2021 flagship set on its social media platforms.  I've accepted I'll probably never love a Topps flagship design again, for the simple reason I prefer the design and design elements from several decades ago.  The 2021 Topps design is fine, and I'll add a Phillies team set and the factory set to my collection, but I won't go out of my way to open boxes and packs of the product.  Gone are the days when a new Topps flagship set's design makes me want to hand collate a set.

Which brings us to the reason for this post.  As has become tradition, whenever Topps teases its first look at the next year's set, I do the same for the next year's Chachi set.  Going with the 1986 Topps design for the 2021 Chachi set was a relatively easy choice.  First, I've already used all the sets from the 1970s, with the exception of the difficult to replicate 1972 Topps set.  Second, I wanted to go back to the 1980s since I'm spending this season working with the 1991 Topps design.  And third, the only sets from the 1980s I've not yet tackled are from 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1989.  I realize Topps will have 1986 Topps-inspired cards in its packs of 2021 Topps, so there will be some correlation there.  It's also a fairly easy design to replicate and after the strain of 2020, I'm all for something that's relatively simple.  Team name at top using the team's primary color and Novel Gothic font, centered photo, name at bottom, position in little circle - simple.  We all deserve an easy and uncomplicated 2021, right?

Here's a look at potential future Chachi set candidates, with dark horse sets from the 21st century entering the mix for the first time ever.

1965 - My favorite Topps design from the 1960s and now the subject of this blog of mine.
1972 - The only set design from the 1970s I've not used yet, given I'm not advanced enough to replicate the font used for team names.
1984, 1987, 1989 - I still can't seem to get the fonts quite right the 1987 and 1989 sets.  And the 1984 set scares me off somewhat as I'd need two pictures of each player.
2000, 2001, 2006, 2008 - How is it I feel more nostalgia for the 2000s than the 1990s at this point?  I've really come to appreciate the design of the 2000 Topps sets, and it could be one of their most underrated designs ever.  Somehow, this is an early favorite for the 2022 Chachi set.
Other Future Candidates - 1981 Donruss, 1981 Fleer, 1982 Donruss, 1983 Fleer, 1985 Fleer, 1987 Donruss

Memory Lane
2014 Chachi Preview #1 (8/8/13)
2015 Chachi Preview #1 (8/15/14)
2016 Chachi Preview #1 (8/11/15)
2017 Chachi Preview #1 (8/10/16)
2018 Chachi Preview #1 (8/7/17)
2019 Chachi Preview #1 (8/20/18)
2020 Chachi Preview #1 (8/2/19)
2021 Chachi Preview #1 (8/7/20)