As it is two weeks since the release of 2011 Topps Baseball Series One, no doubt you have seen and read many things about this product already. I merely wish to do nothing more than breakdown and analyze the set as I see it. While this account has been open for months (mainly to post on other bloggers pages) I felt with a new year and one filled with products that will get a lot of buzz (both negative and positive), why not give my two cents on these products as well?
I was torn at the outset to make a review based solely on someone else’s box break, or use the sneak peak images, or buy a box myself and break it. The advantages of each were weighed and I ended up buying a hobby box from my local LCS. Here is how my box broke:
207 of 330 cards from series one set: While I ended up with a total of 249 base cards, I had 39 doubles (some of which were nice to get, including Strasburg rookie cup, and both Buster Posey’s, as well as AL and NL MVP cards) and 3 triples. I have to say I am a fan of this years design. It takes me back to the mid-90’s in its simplistic style. The full card photos are nice, as previous years have had too much extra commotion. The card backs, while being very similar to the last two years, clears away the unneeded comparison stats, which makes these a noted improvement. As Topps tradition continues into the 60th Anniversary set, with important numbers going to star players (ex 1 to Ryan Braun, 20 to HanRam, 50 to A-Rod, etc.) I noticed number 42 is Mariano Rivera, in both the base set and the Kimball’s Champions mini set (which I’ll get to in a moment).
Base card design – 8.5 out of 10
10 of 50 cards from Kimball’s Champions of Games and Sports: I very much like this insert set. Perhaps because I’m partial to retro themed cards, or simply it’s the well designed aspect of the card. The colouring and portrait/action shot combination work well on a mini. I received several of the big names including Derek Jeter, up-and-coming star Starlin Castro, Albert Pujols and Mariano Rivera, which as I mentioned in number 42 in this set. The only real drawback for me on this set is that the checklist appears on all backs. I much would have rather preferred some kind of bio info or player trivia.
Card score – 7.5 out of 10
6 Topps Diamond Giveaway cards: While I enjoyed the Million Card Giveaway last year, this looks to be a much more fun giveaway with much more interesting prizes. I redeemed my six cards and came away with what you’d expect, but did get one Diamond Cut card of Wade Boggs. The Diamond dig game is a nice addition, as well as the rings, which give the chance to win other prizes as well once a certain number are collected.
Giveaway score – 8 out of 10
1 Manufactured Leather Nameplate: Frankly these are better than the one per box hits last year to me. I get it isn’t a game used piece of memorabilia, but I wasn’t a fan of the no name GU hits or autos found in the 2010 product. At least I got reasonably good one as it were, with the current AL MVP Josh Hamilton.
Nameplate score – 7 out of 10
1 Veteran SP: Over the last few years I’ve received at least a half dozen of these. I am yet to get any player that would elicit a reaction of joy. This time around I found #250 Mel Ott. This is not to say I haven’t gotten some great players, but just none that overjoyed me. Instead of the couple dozen of these, they should really cut these back to just a handful. I understand that the Walter Johnson collector is happy, but seriously, why are they even made?
SP score – 5 out of 10
2 History of Topps: The premise of these cards is good, but the execution is lame and downright brutal. Ok, so Topps has been around for 60 years, and some of the cards are the likes of 1994 - Topps moves to NYC. That has very little to do with the hobby. I would have preferred cards that celebrated firsts in Topps history, such as the first use of All-Star cards, or perhaps the introduction of the rookie card (labeled as such).
History of Topps score – 5 out of 10
4 Reproductions: As I stated, I like retro themed sets, and this is not an acception. It’s nice to be able to collect cards that predate Topps and enrich and speak to the current hobby products. There is a nice assortment of players here. I pulled a 1932 U.S. Caramel Babe Ruth, 1934 Goudey Jimmie Foxx, 1933 Goudey Mel Ott, and a 1909 T204 Walter Johnson (for the Walter Johnson collector perhaps). The only thing that Would make these a spectacular insert would be if they were printed at original size.
Reproduction score – 9 out of 10
4 Gold parallels: As I understand it, these while still being numbered to 2011 are much harder to find as a result of the addition of the extra base parallel set (the Diamond set). It seems to never fail that I get a combo card as one of my gold cards. This year it was card #11 Halladay/Wainright/Jimenez. My Brian Duensing stretch continues with pulls in both flagship and A&G last year (another gold, and an auto).
Gold score - 9 out of 10
8 Diamond Duos: This is by far the best improvement, over last years Legendary Lineage. While lacking the HOF credentials of the LL inserts for the most part, it makes up with the ability to see two of the games current players in a head to head portrayal. Whether they are rivals, teammates, or even statistically similar players this seems a much more fun insert set. The design isn’t as misdirecting either, with simple action shots, and very little else in fanfare.
Diamond Duos score – 8 out of 10
9 Diamond parallels: While they look nice, and probably will be fairly popular, I personally would have much preferred another 9 base cards. The only noteable player I pulled was Ichiro.
Diamond score – 7.5 out of 10
9 Topps 60: An improvement over Peak Performance last year in design, the concept falls short. Some of the stats heralded on the front of the cards make no sense to be worthy of a card. For example one of the cards I found was Tommy Hanson, 2010 NL Srikeout-to-Walk Ratio Leaders. Well where is Tommy? #1? No. #2? No. How about #10. Yes. Ah, of course, that deserves a card.
Topps 60 score – 6.5 out of 10
13 Topps 60 Years reprints: So the concept is to chronicle the 60 different sets from 1952 to 2010, except the method is almost identical to the Card Your Mother Threw Away from last years set. I don’t think there are any reprints of the 100+ cards from the CMT set, but still, a redundant idea.
60Y reprints score – 5 out of 10
1 Topps 60 Years reprints Original Backs: See above (honestly I couldn’t tell you without close inspection if a card came from 2010 or 2011).
60Y OB reprints score – 5 out of 10
3 The Lost Cards: This is an idea that’s been done in similar but not exact fashion before. The fantasy collector has seen or even made a 1955 Mickey Mantle to “complete” their Topps set. The Mickey Mantle Home Run History used the card as its template even. This a set that I think as is, is nice to collect, but could have benefited from using original type card stock instead of the supergloss that today’s cards are printed on.
Lost Cards score – 8.5 out of 10
36 Toppstown: A marked change from previous years; these cards have collectible quality to them now. Before seen primarily as pack filler, they at least have a much nicer design to them. I’ll admit I’ve actually redeemed some of the cards from 2010 to see what the Toppstown thing was all about, and if you are not 10 or under it’s a waste of time. At least there is a semi-decent card to have now.
Toppstown – 7.5 out of 10
There you have it my hobby box review. Any insert sets that I did not get may be reviewed as those cards are added to my collection. I will add a Want List as soon as I have one.
The overall score of this product is 7 out of 10.
Next on deck: 2011 Topps Heritage. This should be a fun set, always one of my favourites. I’m thinking of buying a case. Maybe I’ll do a group break in the future. Who knows?
