Category Archives: Non-Sport

2016, Hobby Box, Star Wars, Topps

2016 Topps Star Wars Card Trader Hobby Box Break

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This is a new type of release this year. Over the past few years, Topps has really taken a hold of the digital trading card market. Thousands of people are spending real cash to purchase cards that exist only in a virtual realm. You can buy virtual packs and boxes to chase limited edition insert cards, as well as an assortment of base cards.

On the heels of a physical release for their Bunt cards this summer, Topps follows that up with a physical release for the Star Wars Card Trader app. It feel almost like it’s backward to me, though. Many of the cards come with a code allowing you to unlock the digital copy. I think I might prefer a way to get a physical copy of the ones previously only available in digital, though. Some of the inserts, along with the color parallels have these codes on them. I’m not sure I could see spending a lot of time putting in these codes for each card, however.

The cards themselves feel like rather cheap quality. I guess that should be expected with a lowered price tag. There are some digital hits possibly, but the box does not guarantee them. The box does advertise 24 packs of 6 cards, and a 100 card base set.

This box contained:

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2016, Box Break, Hobby Box, Star Wars, Topps Chrome

2016 Topps Star Wars The Force Awakens Chrome Hobby Box

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The Chrome releases are a staple for Topps. As usual, it features the same design as the original release, with a much thicker and glossy card stock. It also shows different images while keeping similar insert sets. The box advertises 24 packs of 6 cards, with 1 hit per box.

This box contained:

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2016, Box Break, Hobby Box, Topps, Wrestling

2016 Topps WWE Then Now Forever Hobby Box Break

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This is a new release for Topps WWE. While it is labeled Topps WWE Then Now Forever, it is essentially a second series of the flagship release. It continues after the base set numbering with 101-200, as well as a few of the insert sets that began in other WWE releases during the year. The exception to that is the NXT Prospects set, numbering beginning at 1 again, and the various autographs and relics which are not numbered to begin with. The set features many of the same stars as the original release, but it has a mix of new superstars recently called up and others who were not in the company in time for the original release.

This box advertises 24 packs with 7 cards in each pack, including two hits. With the various parallels and inserts, you might get very close to a set, but not necessarily the whole way there.

This box contained:

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2016, Hobby Box, Non-Sport, Star Wars, Topps

2016 Topps Star Wars Rogue One: Mission Briefing Hobby Box Break

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When Disney purchased the Star Wars franchise, there was a lot of uncertainty over what that would mean. Yes, they had done amazing things with the Marvel properties, but Star Wars always felt different. After 2015’s The Force Awakens, a lot of the fears seem put to rest. Now, a new stand alone movie is on the horizon, Rogue One, and the marketing machine is being cranked up again.

This release us a lot like the Journey to The Force Awakens from 2015. It acts as a bit of a teaser for the movie, a few months ahead of time. It contains a base set with a heritage feel and the design of the 1983 Return of the Jedi Series 1 cards, while combining many of the A New Hope era properties, including the Rebels cartoon. You also get many insert sets matching the previous release, although they are not a continuation of those sets. It’s a nice set, but it’s not really focused on Rogue One, like future releases will be.

The Hobby Box advertises 24 packs of 8 cards, including 2 hits per box. You also see quite a few parallels, including a blue which makes the base set look like Return of the Jedi Series 2. You see a lot of familiar faces, with just a few new ones mixed in.

This box contains:

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2016, Box Break, Hobby Box, Topps Heritage WWE, Wrestling

2016 Topps Heritage WWE Hobby Box Break

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I could start to like these WWE Heritage releases. For 2015, The Heritage release was using the 1985 style baseball release. This trend continues on to 2016, as this Topps trading card set uses the style from the 1986 baseball release. It differs from the yearly baseball Heritage set as it is targeting 30 years ago, rather than 50. That’s interesting when the flagship sets for WWE and Baseball use the same current style for the main yearly release.

This set draws heavily from the 1986 Topps baseball set, for the base card design, as well as insert sets featuring NWO and WCW All Star Cards, Record Breaks, Turn Back the Clock card, and an All Star inspired patch card. The set itself features stars from the WWF years, WCW, NWO, WWE, and up through NXT. The base set contains 110 cards, but the various inserts are very collectable as well. The hobby box advertises 24 packs of 9 cards, including 2 hits per box.

This box contained:

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