SCF Official Review: 2013 Topps Archives

[Enigma]

First and foremost, I'd like to thank our sponsors at Topps for providing us with this box.



24 packs per box
8 cards per pack
Current Retail Price (online): $74.99 - $99.99

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

BASE CARDS (200 subjects)
Featuring Retired Stars, Veterans and Top Rookies
- 1972 Topps Design / Card Numbers 1 - 5 0
- 1982 Topps Design / Card Numbers 51 - 100
- 1985 Topps Design / Card Numbers 101 - 15 0
- 1990 Topps Design / Card Numbers 151 - 200
- 201-250 Fan Favorites Short Prints (1:4)


Fan Favorites Autographs
- Cards featuring classic Topps designs with an all new photo from the era, with an on-card autograph.

Triple Autograph
Featuring players from the '70s / '80s / '90s.

Topps Originals
- Vintage cards will be signed and numbered to 10 and include a Topps Originals foil-stamped logo. HOBBY ONLY

Framed Autographed 1973 Minis
- Cards will be signed on-card on the 1973 design. Subjects include reprints as well as current stars. #'d to 25. HOBBY ONLY

1960 Topps Relic Cards
- Featuring both active and retired stars with a unique die cut.

Cut Signatures
- Celebrities from the 1980s

Mini Tall Boys
- Modeled after the 1965 Topps football design. Featuring both active and retired MLB players. NEW!
- Autographs Fan Favorites sign on card. #'d to 25

1969 4-in-1 stickers
4 subjects per card, featuring active & retired players NEW!

Active and retired MLB players are featured on the 1972 Topps Basketball design NEW!

1983 Topps All-Stars
- Modeled after the 1983 Topps All-Star subset 1983 All-Star Card NEW!
- Autographs Featuring sticker autographs. #'d to 5 or less

Topps Originals - Vintage Topps buybacks.

Topps Originals Redemption - These cards can be redeemed for original cards, packs and complete sets

Topps Vault Redemption - These redemptions will be good for items from the Topps Vault.

Insert Printing Plates - HOBBY ONLY!


BOX LOADERS
1971 Topps Greatest Moments #'d to 99
- Autographs: Sticker autographs #'d to 10 or less

Case loaders
- Topps contracts from the Topps Vault

Touched by Greatness
- Showcasing the on-card handprint of some of the best MLB players.


PARALLEL CARDS
Archives Gold
- Gold Rainbow foilboard parallel. #'d to 199

Base Card Printing Plates
- Printing plates of each base card subject. HOBBY ONLY!

ADDITIONS 1/3/13

Archives Baseball looks awesome and we are going to make it even better! In addition to the already-solicited product including amazing designs and awesome hits, we are going to completely knock it out of the park with the following BIG additions!

1998 Stadium Club Triumvirate Illuminator
- Collect all 3 players from each team to complete the Triumvirate

Heavy Metal Autographs
- Autographs featuring Heavy Metal rock stars from the '80's. Including Tommy Lee, Sebastian Bach and Dee Snider. NEW!

Real Metal Autographs
- Printed on metal and #'d to 25. NEW!

Gallery Of Heroes
- Gallery of Heroes. NEW!

WHAT WE PULLED



Base - 164/200 (82%)
SPs (6)
Gold /199 (2): Darwin Barney, Mark Teixeira







Like previous years, Archives utilizes past card designs to feature current players. Each block of 50 cards uses one of the designs for a total of 200 cards. There is an extension to the base set with SPs of players of yesteryear. There is a gold rainbow parallel of each card numbered to 199.

1969 4-in-1 Stickers (3)
1972 Topps BK (1)
1983 Topps All-Stars (6)
Gallery Of Heroes (1)
1998 Topps Stadium Club Triumvirate (1)
Topps FB Tall Boys (5)
Topps Archives Vault Redemption (in store) (1)









There are a multitude of inserts in Archives, which basically encapsulates various inserts or card designs through the years. Most can be viewed above and are self-explanatory. One that is interesting is the Tall Boys, as it is actually a Football insert. However, the set was widely popular in Topps and Topps Chrome Football last year that Topps decided to bring it to Baseball. There is another addition that is a little confusing. There are redemptions for vintage cards. The redemption is taken to your LCS and you will receive a sealed wrapper with a vintage card inside. There is a different redemption that is listed as 1:27000 packs for the Topps Vault. This will appear on a blue card like a relic or auto redemption. I believe this entitles you to a random, surprise item from the Topps Vault.

Fan Favorites Paul Blair Autograph (on-card)



Heavy Metal Reb Beach (Guitarist From Winger) Autograph (on-card)



Each box will yield two autographs on average. Typically, they will be the Fan Favorites Autos, but as seen above there are other types to be found. Such is the case with the Heavy Metal Autographs. Be on the lookout for guys such as Sebastian Bach and Axl Rose (redemption). There are also Celebrity Signatures as well as Autographs on actual metal cards.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Base - 4.5/5
Design - 4.25/5
Fun - 4/5
Value - 3.5/5
Rebuy - 3.5/5

Overall - 19.75/25 (79%)

NPN Information:

NPN 2013 Topps Archives BB
PO Box 763
Pittston PA 18640

Limit 1 Request Per Household

Postmarked By: 8/28/13
Received By: 9/4/13

Canada Skills: 15 x 3 + 4 - 7 = ?

Once again, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Topps for giving us the opportunity to open and review this release. For more information on all of their products, you can visit them today at www.topps.com.

Cards are available for request. Please PM me with the card or cards of interest. Cards will remain available for 30 days from the time this review is posted. As always, only VIPs may make requests for the first 48 hours.