2014 Topps Tribute Baseball Box Break Recap And Review

The secret to good years for Topps Tribute can be found in the checklist.  But it's not just the presence of the biggest names in the sport, but the ratio to which they appear in comparison to other lesser players.  For 2014 Topps Tribute Baseball the checklist is deep and wide but the ratios are a little unbalanced.  All of this means the possibility exists of pulling a huge hit but the probability of doing so is not that good.  But if you are going to hit it big, Tribute has some great cards to pull.

To help with those odds somewhat, Topps has shifted to the longtime configuration from 3 autos and 3 relics to 4 autos and 2 relics for most boxes.  Another shift that probably wont concern many hit seekers but will be an issue for set builders and rainbow collectors is the longtime standard 5 cards per pack being decreased to 3 cards per pack.  Clearly that also decreases the number of base sets that can be built with this product and drastically reduces that number of color parallels.  In total, we pulled just one color parallel in our entire hobby box.

Another issue that will bother some, especially those who tend to collect a wide range of Topps products each year, is the obvious repeated use of player images.  While some have argued that retired players have a limited number of images that can be used, one has to wonder why the image used for Prince Fielder’s relic card

is the same image that was used on all of the 2013 Topps Baseball Series 1 packaging.

The image is so recognizable for seasoned collectors so it is surprising that it was used here, especially since it was just used in Five Star.

For collectors who focus their purchases to a few items a year, this probably will go unnoticed but for the avid collector, since the player image can be up to 80% of the card design, it does start to feel like you are chasing the same cards from release to release.

A final issue is one that I hope is isolated to the specific card we pulled.  It is with the Prime Patches card from our box that is clearly marked beyond as containing a game worn patch.  

Ours was a single color white swatch clearly from the bulk material of the uniform as indicated by the breathing holes, without any signs of a patch to be found.  This not only is a disappointment but will bring into question for any collector that seeks to trade for or buy the card whether the swatch has been tampered with or replaced.

2014 Topps Tribute Baseball fits into our Premium Cards category.  This Hobby Exclusive comes with 6 packs per box, 3 cards per pack and 1 autographed card or relic card numbered to 99 or less in every pack.  Collectors should expect 4 Autographs and 2 Relics per box.

Here are the cards we pulled from our box.

2013 Topps Supreme Football Video Box Break WIth A Nice Hit

Time is not my friend lately.  But when you've got a box with 4 cards its hard to use the lack of time as an excuse.  So for the first time in a while, not only have I been able to record a box break, but it's already uploaded and it is certainly a good one. 

2013 Topps Supreme Football contains 4 cards with 1 base, 2 parallels and 1 low numbered hit and without a doubt, we pulled one of the good ones.

2013 Topps Museum Collection Football Cards Box Break Recap And Review

Topps has taken a winning formula from Baseball and created Museum Collection for Football. In what has been a rather soft year for Football cards due to the Rookie centric nature of most releases, Museum Collection debuts with a shorten production run which has led to a more balanced checklist and lowered numbered cards. With Museum Collection’s marquee sharp design and a variety of really nice looking hits, it could be the surprise success of the 2013 release season.

Museum Collection fits nicely into our Premium Cards category.  Each Master Box contains 4 mini-boxes with 5 cards per mini, with 1 autograph or relic card per mini box.

Here are the cards we pulled from our box.

2013 Topps Premier Gold Trading Cards Box Break Recap And Review

To be upfront and honest, the extend of my involvement with Barclay’s Premier League is opening some packs of 2012/2013 Topps Match Attax trading cards.  With all the sports I follow and having a pretty good local team here in Los Angeles, the Galaxy, there hasn’t been much opportunity to follow what is happening overseas.  But I have done my due diligence, trying to absorb what I can about the league and its players, so I feel somewhat prepared to offer this review of 2013 Topps Premier Gold.  I think it is fair to say fans of Association Football/Soccer will be pleased with what Topps has put together for this higher end offering.

2013 Topps Premier Gold fits very nicely into our Premium Cards category. Each hobby box contains 10 Mini-Boxes with 5 cards per mini-box and 1 Memorabilia or Autograph card in every mini-box.  For the entire master box you should pull a total of 5 Autographs and 5 Memorabilia Cards.

Here are all of the cards we pulled from our master box. (Spoiler - we pulled one of the bigger hits of this product.)

2014 Topps Baseball Series 1 Sneak Peek On Instagram With A Chance At Some Free Cards

As much of the country braces for a snowstorm, it is hard to believe that Baseball is just 8 days away, at least for card collectors.  The release of 2014 Topps Baseball Series One is just about a week away.  To get a sneak peak at some of the first cards in Series 1 you can check out Topps on Instagram at ToppsSports.  In addition to posting photos Topps will be giving away a box of 2014 Topps Baseball Series One to 5 lucky new followers of their Instagram account so make sure while you are checking out the photos you follow them. 

We will have more details about the 2014 release all this week followed shortly after that by our hugely popular “Everything You Need To Know About...” article covering all aspects of 2014 Topps Baseball Series 1 cards.  

2013 Bowman Sterling Baseball Cards Box Break Recap And Review

There is something refreshing about 2013 Bowman Sterling Baseball.  Perhaps it’s the straightforward design, a player and his autograph.  Or maybe it’s knowing exactly what you are getting with each box, consistency within prospect collecting.  Either way, at 18 autographs a hobby box, it’s a solid, reliable product for hit seeking Bowman collectors.

Bowman Sterling Baseball comes in at the high end of our premium cards category.  Each hobby box contains 6 packs with 4 cards per pack.  Each pack contains 3 Autograph Cards.

Here are all of the cards we pulled.

2013 Topps Triple Threads Football Cards Box Break Recap And Review

2013 Topps Triple Threads Football comes on strong with some major design changes, almost all of them for the better.  From the etched gold foil under sticker autographs to make their appearance more regal, to the use of three circle swatches that almost mimic the much higher end Five Star line, collectors will appreciate these cards.  Of course, the iconic die cut sayings that overlay the relic pieces still remain for some of the cards, because it just wouldn’t be Triple Threads without it.

Topps Triple Threads Football fits into our premium cards category.  Each master box has two mini boxes.  Each mini box contains 7 cards with a low numbered autographed triple relic and a low numbered triple relic card.

Here are all of the cards we pulled.