The global pandemic has delayed a lot of things, including many trading card releases. For me, this release wasn’t delayed, but the local store was shut down preventing me from picking it up. So this will be a little bit late, but the release looks worth the wait!
This wasn’t a surprising release from Topps, given their success with WWE Women’s Division cards, but it’s something new for Star Wars. I initially wondered how they were going to fill out a set, not realizing the cartoons were included so there was a very wide range of characters available.
The release features a 100 card base set, along with a few insert sets. Each has its own array of parallels. A box contains 7 packs with 8 cards per pack. One autograph is guaranteed per box, with possible sketch cards being an addition to these. It’s a fun release and can provide a lot of hits you don’t often find in other products.
The first wave of 2020 Topps Total had a print run of 4812 packs. It’s not a cheap set, but by now, I think most people should be familiar with it. This wave features hot rookies like Yordan Alvarez and Aristides Aquino along with stars such as Bryce Harper and Mike Trout.
The configuration is basically the same as last year, with three parallels, numbered /10, /5, and /1. There are also a few possible autographs, although there is no guarantee. New this time is an insert of retired legends, featuring Ken Griffey Jr.
This isn’t really a normal break, and I went back and forth on whether to include it. Rather than individual packs, this box contains one large clear pack. The box advertises 32 card complete set, but that isn’t quite correct, either.
There are no real hits available with this set, but there are numerous parallels possible. I guess that would be closest to a hit, if you were to find a limited version. There’s not much here, but if you’re a fan of “Baby Yoda”, here’s your chance to get a set dedicated to him!
The 8th wave of Topps Total sees another drop in print run. This time with 3455 packs released. This wave starts with Shohei Ohtani and continues with stars and rookies like Buster Posey, Paul Goldschmidt, and Ramon Laureano. There is the standard set of parallels, along with a few extra autographs mixed in once again.
There are no guarantees for anything in the packs, aside from ten cards per pack. Low numbered parallels are a little more available as the print run trends lower, however.
The print run continues to decline with Wave 7 of Topps Total. This release has a run of 3653 packs. This wave leads off with Kris Bryant and features stars and rookies such as Keston Hiura, Manny Machado, and David Price.
The one advantage of the smaller print runs is that the parallels are slightly more likely, although none are guaranteed with pack purchase. There are some possibly autographs, but they were not advertised before the purchase window completed.
