Retro Review - 1992-93 Topps Basketball Series 2 @topps

[scottkoz20]

This review is for a 1992-93 Topps Basketball Series 2 box that I acquired as a part of a garage sale lot on June 10, 2019. This article is the second in a Retro Review Mini-series!

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If you were interested in finding a box at this point, expect to pay between $25-$40 on eBay for a similar box. Jumbos and Rack boxes of this product is also available

Configuration of the Box

36 packs / 15 cards per pack

~1 Gold Parallel per pack
Packs that do not have a Gold card should have a 1 of a 7 card Beam Team insert set.


My hits

2 Shaq Base Rookies (1 pictured)
1 Shaq Gold Parallel Rookie
34 other Gold Cards
2 Beam Team (including a Shaq)
1 Complete Base Set (#199-#396)

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Checklist information (via SCF Card Database/Inventory Manager)
Base Cards (Series 2 goes from 199-396) - https://www.sportscardforum.com/scf/inv/viewset/84104
Gold Parallels - https://www.sportscardforum.com/scf/inv/viewset/84110
Beam Team - https://www.sportscardforum.com/scf/inv/viewset/84108
Beam Team Gold (#/10000) - https://www.sportscardforum.com/scf/inv/viewset/84109


My thoughts of the box
Unlike the first box I opened in this series, 1995 Topps Finest, this was a product that I remember vividly opening. I was working as a stock boy / cashier at a pharmacy in high school and I had to fight with my manager at the time as she typically got to these boxes first as we both were looking for Shaq's.

In opening this box, my recall for 1992 Topps products (Baseball, Football and Hockey) did not have a Series 1 / 2 component. I bring this up because there are around 540 total cards in this box. For the other 3 sports, it was virtually impossible (Baseball was impossible) to get a full set. However, having a 198 card base set, it was completely possible to get not 1 but 2 complete Series 2 sets. Not knowing the print run of this product, it's completely possible that the amount of cards out there are like most anything else from the 1987-1993 era of Sports cards.

From a quality standpoint, this product is for the most part good. This box that I opened had fairly good centering, collation was decent getting 2-3 cards of most all of the Rookies from this product. However, there are 3 Uncorrected Errors in this product. 2 of these relate to numbering and 1 is a checklist error

• Checklist card #395 lists card 286 as Kennard Winchester. However, this should have been Randy Woods.
• That Randy Woods card is actually #'d as card 272, which Stephen Howard is ALSO card 272
• There are 2 cards numbered #332 - Greg Kite and Frank Johnson (card should have been numbered 387)

Overall, like almost every box that I acquired, this brought me back to a "simpler" time in my life where most of my money was spent on Sports Cards. I was happy to hit a Shaq Gold and I MIGHT look to get it graded - not sure I want to take a swing on it. Additionally, I did get a complete base set. I might look to see if I can find a Series 1 set so I can have a true complete set, but this is not going to be a priority for me.


Thanks for reading - please leave your comments below!
Scott


NOTE --> On June 10, 2019 while out hitting garage sales locally, I found a seller that was moving a bunch of boxes from the 80's and 90's. While some of them were not good, some were boxes that I have not seen in years! This series of articles are reviews of some of the better / odd ball boxes that I acquired in that purchase. Cards in these articles are my personal items, but may be available for trade or purchase but their will not be available in the SCF Reward Store like other Sponsored Breaks.

[bballkm32]

Very nice. As I have been going through my stuff and scanning them, I am making lists of boxes that would make good gift ideas for families. Gives me something that I will enjoy and possibly hit an older PC item that I don't have.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I remember opening a pack of this as a kid coming back from a family vacation (this is back when gas stations sold tons of packs due to overproduction) and pulling a Spud Webb base card. My first TTM auto was of Spud signing that card for me.

When I went through a nostalgic kick a few years ago and either bought or put together a bunch of 1990s sets, this was one of the ones I chose to keep in my permanent set collection. I'd have to dig through my hallway closet or garage cabinet to verify, but I think I have both series sets.

[key2win]

When I first saw the box you were opening, my first thought was I wonder if you pulled a Shaq Gold RC and you did. Congrats!

[Boinks]

Nice hit on the Shaq gold, always wanted one of those back in the day. For some reason I didn't buy a lot of these back in the day, but I did buy a lot of '93-94.