Preview: 2012 Topps Baseball Series One

Scheduled Release Date: 1/29/14

Box Configuration:

36 packs/box, 10 cards/pack (Hobby)
10packs/box, 50 cards/pack (Jumbo)
SRP: $55-60 (Hobby) $100 (Jumbo)

 

 

Box Break:

1 Auto or Relic (Hobby)

1 Auto and 2 Relics (Jumbo)

 

 

What to Expect:

Series One will consist of 330 base cards made up of veterans and rookies with each base card 8 parallels. The parallels will be Red Hot Foil (1/6 packs), Gold (#/2014), Camo (#/99), Black (#/63), Pink (#/50), Platinum (1/1), Printing Plates (1/1) and a new hobby only Clear parallel (#/10). There will also be silk versions (#/50) for 100 players.

 

Relics will be made up of manufactured relics and standard game-used relics. The popular Strata autographs will make an appearance as a hobby only insert. There will be two promotional programs, one will be a Pennant Chase card that can be redeemed for prizes after the 2014 and one Spring Fever redemption card will be included in each box which can be exchanged at participating hobby shops.

 

 

My Thoughts:

This set is a standard Topps set; basic base cards with tons of parallels, inserts and subsets will be loaded in to the boxes. Oddly the set designs have changed very little since Clay Luraschi’s “Game Changer” announcement a couple of years ago. It seems that with exclusive baseball license Topps has become complacent. For decades Topps design changed from year to year, some worked and some did not but no matter what Topps designers tried, now it seems like the designers take a blank design, add a whoosh and a couple of lines and they call it a base card. Toss in some minis, reprints and redemption cards and you have a set.

 

On the flip side, it is a cheap set and it is easy to complete a set. If you are a fan of parallels and minis, you will be satisfied and getting a hit in a box for less than $60 is not something to complain about.

 

 

Pros:

Reasonable Price

One Hit (3 in Jumbo boxes)
Easy Set to Build
Tons of Parallels (If you like parallels)

 

 

Cons:

Similar Design to Previous Years

Tons of Parallels (If you do not like parallels)

 

 

Rating:

To be fair I will give the 2014 Topps Series One Baseball release 4 out of 5 because it is a complete set with positive attribute.

 

Sometimes ratings are difficult for me because my personal feelings will step in and sway my initial rating and this would be one of those sets. I am disappointed that the design has stayed stagnant but there are positives to the release.