Random Blaster Box- 2012 Topps Heritage Baseball

I picked up a blaster box of Topps Heritage to take a look, I am not a big fan of the product but I usually open at least one blaster each year just to see firsthand. Who knows, someday I may find a reason to like the Heritage series. This year’s cards are based on the 1963 Topps set right down to the error cards, floating head cards and short printed high numbers.

Besides a couple of floating head 2012 Rookie Stars cards I did not pull any Mariners but I did come across a couple of ex-Mariners including one of my favorites, Yuniesky Betancourt. I am still a little bummed Pineda trade, I know that Montero fills in a needed position at catcher but losing a solid pitcher stings.

I pulled three high numbered short prints including a Mike Stanton error-back card.

One Wal-Mart Blue Parallel made its way in to my hands in the shape of super-fastball pitcher Aroldis Chapman.

I also pulled a 2011 National League Home Run Leaders Chrome Refractor #/563 so not a bad blaster overall.

Closing out with a couple of inserts; a Sandy Koufax Baseball Flashback, a Roy Halladay New Age Performers and a Mike Stanton Stick-On.

Overall this is not a bad release, I like the design but I really do not care for the gimmick intentional error cards. I think my favorite part of the set is the Clubhouse Collection, there is a heritage look to the design and the on-card autographed versions are pretty sweet.

Preview: 2012 Topps Heritage Baseball

2012 Heritage - free slideshow

Schedule Release Date: March 14, 2012

Box Configuration: 9 cards per pack/24 packs per box
SRP: $60/box


Box Break:
1 Auto or Relic
1 1963 Buyback or 3-card ad box topper

My Thoughts:

Based on the 1963 set we will see a release that is pretty similar to previous years, 500 base cards with the final 75 cards being short-prints (1:3 packs). Additionally there will be various Flashbacks inserts, New Age Performers and Then-And-Now inserts plus a 100-card Chrome, Chrome Refractors and Black Chrome Refractors and like the original 63 Topps set there will be a Stick-Ons insert, a 46-card sticker set. As a Hobby bonus there will also be over 100 stickers from the original 63 Stick-Offs set inserted in packs.

As a final tip-of-the-hat to 1963 we will also see a 7-card John F Kennedy set including stamp relic card parallels and a JFK Mint card with a JFK Half-dollar #/48.

The Real One autographs will probably be the big draw with 40 players signing including Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Jesus Montero, Adrian Gonzalez, Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda. Additional autographs (on relic cards) include Matt Holliday, Pablo Sandoval, Starlin Castro, Frank Robinson, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Jones, Luis Aparicio and Carl Yastrzemski. The Real One autographs will also include red ink versions #/63. 

 I am really drawn to the Clubhouse Collection inserts, I like the coloring used and it has a nice design. I like the way the autograph and relic are used in the design. I am not sure why but the Flashbacks relics are appealing to me, I would even be happy to pull a seat relic card as long as it was the Mantle card.

Pros:

Based on the nice 1963 design

Clubhouse Collection Relics/Autos

Cons:

Another throwback set

Coin relics (I am not a big fan of coin relics, just as bad a manu-patch)

Rating:

I give this set a solid 3(3 ½) out of 5, nice design, not over burdened with parallels and pleasant autographs and relics.