SCF Official Review: 2011 Topps Chrome

**Enigma** · 09-29-2011, 04:13 PM

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

24 packs per box
4 cards per pack
Current Retail Price (online): 57.99 - 69.99

Product Description

Every year collectors can't wait to see their favorite stars twinkle even brighter on radiant Topps Chrome Baseball cards. This year, Topps Chrome delivers two sparkling Chrome insert sets, and dazzling parallels of every Autographed Rookie, Base, and Insert card.

2 On-Card Autographed Rookie Cards in Every Hobby Box!

NEW AND HOBBY EXCLUSIVE!
- Black-Border Refractor Parallels
- USA Baseball Redemption Autograph Cards
- Topps 60th Anniversary Autograph Continuity Program

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

BASE CARDS (220)
Veterans - The top 170 MLB pros from 2011 Topps Baseball Series 1 and 2
Rookies - 50 newcomers to "the show"
Available in Refractor Parallel Versions
- NEW! Canary Diamond: ONE OF ONE. Hobby Exclusive!
- Super-Fractor: ONE OF ONE. Hobby Exclusive!
- Printing Plates: 880 ONE OF ONE plates. Hobby Exclusive!
- Red: Numbered* to 25. Hobby Exclusive!
- Gold: Numbered* to 50
- NEW! Sepia: Numbered* to 99. Hobby Exclusive!
- Blue: Numbered* to 199
- Refractor: 1:3 packs

AUTOGRAPH ON-CARD ROOKIE BASE CARD VARIATIONS
Rookies - 20 rookies pen their names directly on base card variations. Available in Refractor Parallel Versions.
- Printing Plates (100+) - One of One! Hobby Exclusive!
- Super-Fractor - One of One! Hobby Exclusive!
- Red - Numbered to 25!
- Gold - Numbered to 50!
- New! Sepia - Numbered to 99
- Blue - Numbered to 199!
- Refractor - Numbered to 499!

NEW! 60th ANNIVERSARY AUTOGRAPHED CARDS - HOBBY EXCLUSIVE!
Three players sign their names directly to these cards along with an additional inscription commemorating Topps 60th Anniversary. Each card is numbered* to 60.

TOPPS CHROME INSERT CARDS
2011 Topps Heritage: A continuation of the Chrome parallel cards that appeared in 2011 Heritage Baseball featuring the Topps 1962 card design. Cards will be numbered starting at 101 and sequentially numbered* to 1962.
Available in Refractor Parallel Versions
- Black-Border: Hobby Exclusive!
- Refractor: 1:3 packs

Vintage Chrome: The game's biggest stars shine on the 1996 Topps Chrome design.

NEW! BLACK-BORDERED REFRACTOR PARALLEL CARDS - HOBBY EXCLUSIVE!
On-Card Autographs: Another chance to get an on-card autograph from one of twenty young stars. Numbered* to 100.

Base Cards: The top 110 Chrome rookies and veterans are paralleled in a numbered* to 100 version.

NEW! USA BASEBALL REDEMPTION CARDS - HOBBY EXCLUSIVE!
USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Autographs: Collectors can look for randomly inserted redemption cards. Each card can be redeemed for a pack containing five autograph variation cards from 2011 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team members. Twenty autograph subjects in all.
Also available in the Following Parallel Versions
- Super-Fractor: ONE OF ONE
- Printing Plates: ONE OF ONE
- Red: Numbered* to 5
- NEW! Diamond Die-Cut Atomic: Numbered* to 10
- Gold: Numbered* to 50
- Blue: Numbered* to 99
- Refractor: Numbered* to 199

USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Set: Collectors can look for randomly inserted redemption cards. Each card can be redeemed for a set of 2011 USA Baseball National Collegiate Team members. Cards are numbered USA1-USA20.
Available in the Following Versions
- Super-Fractor: ONE OF ONE
- Printing Plates: ONE OF ONE
- Red: Numbered* to 5
- NEW! Diamond Die-Cut Atomic: Numbered* to 10
- Gold: Numbered* to 50
- Blue: Numbered*
- Refractor: Numbered*

WHAT WE PULLED

Base: 74/220 (33.6%)
Refractors (8)
Refractors Gold /50 (1): Jordan Zimmerman
Atomic Refractors /225 (2): Brett Myers, Hank Conger

Topps Heritage Chrome /1962 (3): Ian Kinsler, Kosuke Fukudome, Alfonso Soriano
Topps Heritage Chrome Refractors /562 (2): Danny Valencia, Alex Rodriguez
1996 Topps Chrome (4)

Brandon Belt Autograph

Ivan DeJesus Blue Border Autograph /199

FINAL RATINGS

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

Total - 22/25 (88%)

Topps Chrome is one of the staple products of the company. It all starts with a 220-base card set infusing 170 veterans with 50 rookies, which includes names such as Freddie Freeman, Jeremy Hellickson and Brandon Belt. There are numerous parallel versions for each card. This includes a new type called Atomic Refractors in which the card looks like it is covered with shards of glass of multiple prisms.

Typically, Chrome products streamline inserts in favor of parallels. However, the Heritage Chrome series is back. Players are featured on cards utilizing the design from 1962 Topps. In addition, the other insert set features players on cards with the design from 1996 Topps Chrome. This set is known as Vintage Chrome.

With an average yield of two autographs per box, collectors are drawn to Chrome. The kicker with these autographs, they are on-card signatures as well as rookies. As a bonus, the Topps 60th Anniversary Autograph program continues in Chrome with the addition of three more players. To round things out, randomly inserted are redemptions for packs of 5 Autographs of the members of Team USA Baseball.

Topps Chrome is a solid product this year. Almost every pack contain a bonus of some sort outside of base cards. If lucky, it will take 3-4 boxes to complete the 220-card set. Not too bad for the price point. It's always refreshing to have products that favor either parallels or inserts instead of besieging you with both. Rainbow collectors will enjoy the chase. Fans of on-card autographs will flock to Chrome as you have the double positive when you add that the autos are all rookies.

If there is one knock on Topps Chrome, it's that pack opening is not really that exciting. Each pack is fairly cut and dry since there are no relics. But that's a minor issue, especially when you look at cost and what you get overall. Topps Chrome has something for all collectors, from sets builders to secondary market hunters.

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 their products, visit them today at www.topps.com.