Category Archives: Topps

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, Baseball, Hobby Box, Topps, Uncategorized

2016 Topps National Baseball Card Day Hobby Pack

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Topps is starting to get in to the business of National Baseball Card day. Six card packs were given away at hobby stores, as well as a bonus Kris Bryant card with a certain purchase. The full set consists of 49 cards, but the packs also include random autographs as well. There’s not much too it, but for free, you can’t really complain. It’s a bit of a different design, and seems a little out of character for Topps. It’s a nice change of pace, though.

This pack contained:
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2016, Box Break, Jumbo Hobby Box, Topps

2016 Topps Series 2 Jumbo Hobby Box Break

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There’s not much to be said about series two of the basic Topps release that hasn’t already been said.  I guess I’ve gotten more used to the design, but it still doesn’t feel like Topps, for some reason.  It features the continuation of many Series One insert sets, including the Wrigley Field celebration.

They also seem to really be cutting back on the amount of inserts in a box.  This is great for set collectors, but not as much for the value of a box.   Maybe it will lead to better values for the inserts in the long run.

The jumbo box advertises 10 packs with 50 cards each, including one autograph and two relics per box.

This box contained:
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2016, Box Break, Hobby Box, Star Wars, Topps

2016 Topps The Force Awakens Series 2 Hobby Box Break

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This follow up the very successful movie release late in 2015, with a second series of cards. The first series was released in late 2015 along with the movie. This one is officially called a second series, even though the numbering has been reset.

The base set is 100 cards, featuring scenes from the entire movie, with a number of possible parallels. There are also two reported short prints in the set, numbered 101 and 102. Many familiar inserts return from series 1 or the Journey to The Force Awakens set, with Character Stickers, Concept Art, Heroes of the Resistance, Power of the First Order, and manufactured Medallion cards.

The Hobby Box release advertises 24 packs of 6 cards, with two hits per box.

This box contained:
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2016, Baseball, Jumbo Hobby Box, Topps

2016 Topps Series 1 Jumbo Hobby Box Break

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The first baseball release always brings an early taste of spring each year. It seems Topps has started taking some more chances with the base card designs, after many years of primarily a solid white border. Last year, they ventured in to a multi color border, but this year, the border is almost completely gone.

I really liked the design when I initially saw it online. It’s different from the standard releases. Then someone from the comic shop completely changed how I saw them by saying one word. Panini. After he said that, I do see it. It feels a lot like the types of designs Panini would release. Somehow, despite not having a border, the cards have more of a flat feel than usual.

It’s possible it will grow on me, but my initial feel is a bit of a let down. I still like seeing Topps change it up a little bit, even if some years end up missing the mark a little bit.

There is the usual assortment of inserts, including autograph and relic versions. In what seems almost a yearly occurrence now, buyback cards are featured once again. It looks like they go beyond base topps this year, and include other releases and even stars. They’re also starting to include different parallel levels of buybacks, based on the color of the foil stamp up to a 1/1 gold stamp.

This box contained:

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