Print Runs

One of the things that bugs me about card collecting is not knowing how many cards are out there. Sure, it doesn't really matter when we're talking about building Topps Flagship, but when an autographed or relic set is considered, a print run sure comes in handy.

I have been working on the 2010 Topps Magic Football Relics set. Each card is serial numbered to /25. I knew what I was in for when I endeavored to build it.

I completed an autographed set, 2006 UD Artifacts Auto-Facts. Those were serial numbered too. I was not able to get a checklist until about I was halfway through building it. When I found out that one of the 89 cards was /5, I knew the odds were long finding one. A fellow blogger, The Spastik Mooss, graciously tracked one down for me.
With those two examples, the sets I chased were known quantities.

As I ponder whether to build all or part of the 2011 Topps Lineage '75 Mini Relics set, I have no idea what the print run is. That bothers me a bit. Am I gonna find out someday that there are only 10 Stan Musial cards? Why can't we know more than; there are Group A and Group B relics?

Does anyone have an answer to the question; How many of these dang relics are there?