2020 Topps Total Wave 6 Pack Break

This release ticks up just a bit from the print run of wave 5 with 3059 packs. The errors once again return in this wave, with every card seemingly having an error on it. To begin with, there are three cards that feature a different player on the back than they do on the front. In addition to that, the text on the back of the cards mention “The 2019 Topps Total set”, rather than the 2020 set as the rest of the waves have to this point.

By now, the release pattern is very well known. The wave contains one hundred cards, along with red, black, and gold parallels. There are also a handful of autographs and retired legends included, but there are no specific odds given for those. Each pack contains 10 cards, unless there is a parallel, autograph, or retired legend, which is included as an extra card.

This pack contained:

Continue reading 2020 Topps Total Wave 6 Pack Break

2020 Topps 206 Series 2 Hobby Pack

This series seemed to ship a little quicker than the last one. The print run of 33914 is a little less than half of the print run for Series 1. It will be interesting to see how that goes for the remaining series. I had not received the Series 1 shipment until after the Series 2 order window had closed.

This series follows closely the first release. The cards aren’t numbered, but you have a similar assortment of advertising backs in the style of the original T206 release. For Series 2, Old Mill has been replaced with cards without black print. While there are some possible hits, they’re not very likely, beyond different backs. This series includes 50 cards. Each pack comes with 10 cards, including 2 Piedmont backs.

This pack contained:

Continue reading 2020 Topps 206 Series 2 Hobby Pack

2020 Topps Total Wave 5 Pack Break

Wave 5 comes quickly on the heels of wave 4. During the early stages of the pandemic, Topps started following behind on the print on demand products such as this. Regular releases were halted completely, but these continued, with slower shipping. They’ve pledged to catch up in the next month or so, so we’ll see how that goes.

Production has dipped just a little bit from wave 4, down to 2865 packs. That previous wave was not error prone in the same way the previous releases had been. Will the quality control continue in wave 5? No. Three cards in this wave are misnumbered. Mike Moustakas is numbered 270 rather than 470, Trevor Williams is 371 rather than 471, and Rick Porcello is 375 rather than 475. All of these numbers are occupied by cards released in other waves, but as there is a single print run, these won’t be corrected.

Once again we see the standard format with a 100 card base set with three possible parallels, red, black, and gold. There are also possible inserts with a few autographs and a retired veteran Ted Williams. Each pack advertises 10 cards, with no guaranteed hits. Any parallels or inserts are additional cards in the pack.

This pack contained:

Continue reading 2020 Topps Total Wave 5 Pack Break

2020 Topps Total Wave 4 Pack Break

This is the fourth wave of the release this year, and we’re seeing the lowest print run this year at 2935 packs. It’s still coming out during the uncertainty of the pandemic, as well as a lack of baseball being played, yet. Summer camps are just starting, so hopefully baseball will be returning soon.

The good news is it seems like many of the production problems have cleared up. There don’t seem to be as many obvious issues as there have been in previous waves. The checklist features some stars like Justin Verlander and Francisco Lindor, but it doesn’t have as many anticipated rookies, which may explain the lower print run.

The format is the same, with additional packed in red, black, and gold parallels. There are also a possible retired veteran and a few autographs scattered throughout the release. A pack advertises ten cards. Any parallel or hit is an additional card.

This pack contained:

Continue reading 2020 Topps Total Wave 4 Pack Break

2020 Topps 206 Series 1 Hobby Pack

Topps is bringing back their tribute to the iconic T206 set from the early 1900s after a ten year hiatus. This time, the set is an online exclusive print on demand. Series 1 had a print run of 74,997 packs. Each wave is on sale for a four week window, with shipping advertised in a short period after that. The pandemic has delayed and spread out the shipping quite a bit, with some people receiving their shipment direct after the Series 2 order window had completed.

This release consists of mini cards, in the size of the original tobacco issue. It comes in small packs of ten in silver packaging within a box resembling a cigarette box. While there are some available autograph pack-ins, they are not in any advertised ratio. Two of the cards are Piedmont backs, leaving eight regular base cards, which do not feature any retro advertising on the back. Other backs are available, some with a limited print run and some at a certain pack ratio. Any additional parallels are in place of a normal base card.

This pack contained:

Continue reading 2020 Topps 206 Series 1 Hobby Pack

Collectible Trading Cards News and Checklists