For as long as I can remember, Topps Chrome has been one of my favorite sets of the year. Even back in 1998, I scrambled to get a Topps Chrome Randy Moss Rookie Card in my collection as soon as it came out. Chrome was the best of the best back then, and everyone knew it. Now that high end means a box that costs 200-400 dollars, Chrome has become one of the lower end sets released each year. However, its staying power relies on the fact that Topps always designs a great looking set, and delivers what Chrome has delivered for years.
Lately, with other products like Five Star or Triple Threads taking center stage on the calendar, Chrome hasnt had the type of attention from the manufacturer that it deserved. Much to my happiness, 2011 is different, and Chrome is finally being done the way I have always wanted it to be. On card autos, a great looking design, and of course, the same structure that made it the set I loved to collect.
Per the sell sheet, there were only supposed to be a handful of hard signed cards in the set. The Black refractors and rarer parallel autos, the Bowman Chrome autos, and the Rookie Recognition set were the only ones labeled originally as on card. From Topps’ tweet this morning, we may be getting more than originally advertised, and I cant tell you how happy this makes me.
Looking at the four pictures below, we can see that the Bowman Chrome and Rookie Recognition cards are there, and I must say that I am excited. Although I am not a fan of the concept behind the rookie recognition set, it looks cool at least. The BC cards look even more awesome on the Chrome stock than it did for the flagship set, and with a hard signed auto, it makes me sad that it wont be a stand alone set again this year. They look that good.
As for the two other autos, this is where it gets interesting. First, we can see the atomic style refractor that is hard signed, something I believe was advertised on the sell sheet. Im not a big fan of the weird refractor patterns they use, but I dont hate them either. It looks kind of cool with the design from base Topps this year, and I think these cards will be HIGHLY sought after. We also see the other picture, which looks like a base auto with a hard signed signature. This is beyond wonderful for all the Chrome collectors out there, but without confirmation we can only speculate as to whether or not they will be a rare parallel.
UPDATE FROM TOPPS: 75% of signatures in Chrome will be hard signed, no word yet on which players will be stickers.
Chrome is slated for release on 10/26, but that may change. The sooner the better, as I count the days each year for the set to be released. One can only hope that what we see is actually what will happen, and if previous sets are any indication, that is exactly what will occur. Kudos to Topps again!
If the football is anything like the baseball, then this set should be awesome. The on-card autos in the baseball version are the best looking chrome rookies yet. I just wish Topps would insert 2 rookie autos per box in the football like they do baseball. This is one of the best designed chrome sets in a long time.
Digging these, as always, but I sure would like to see some veteran autos. I’m also not too thrilled about the number of autos and inserts. eBay will be flooded with autos from each of these players, just like with Inception.
I don’t know know why, but I have always loved Topps Chrome! I’m glad I reserved two boxes this year!
Given the number of products which you claim have taken it to the next level recently, maybe the next level isn’t that hard to get to.
But seriously…time to use a little variety in your writing me thinks….
In all fairness, Chrome is probably the worst value on the Topps Calendar. It turned out to be $60 for one guaranteed auto hit (which drew a very high percentage non-numbered no-name rookie), a parallel, and a bunch of base that carried no value. I bought two boxes and got about $15 worth of cards for $120.
Whereas most sets out now, like Finest or Inception, are about $45 a hit and you get a patch auto and jersey auto, more numbered parallels, and about the same chance, or higher, of a big money card.
You are correct, but its definitely a good thing when the bar gets raised continually. I dont think its cause for me to adjust.
apparently only Topps raises the bar anymore…….until the next Topps product
At this point, yes.
nah, thats hogwash and you know it……
After looking at the Panini release with stickers or black and white photos. It makes me think Topps is the only one trying.
Gregg,
Everyone knows that Gellman would be falling over himself for Upper Deck if they had their NFL license and were producing multiple sets of players in their NFL jerseys, but since it is Topps and Panini only he is stuck touting Topps all the time.
Do you disagree?
Agreed, whomever succeeds in design and concept gets my praise. Prior to 2010, Upper Deck succeeded the most in design, so they were my favorite. Now, that UD has lost their license with the NFL, and Topps has stepped up their game, I buy Topps almost exclusively. They just produce the best cards right now.
Gregg-
So are you saying that Panini has put out great products that are more aesthetically appealing than Topps this year?
If you want to argue Upper Deck that is fine but we all know that Gellman is talking for the NFL collector who wants the stars in their NFL Jerseys….I am willing to bet Upper Deck would be under rave reviews if they continued to have their NFL License (at least they would on this blog).
Heck, pretty much the fact that he said that Topps produced an “Exquisite-esque” set proves that he is saying that Topps is finally raising to the level that Upper Deck was at before they left the scene.
Thankfully for the NFL collector this is the case because if Topps would have rested on their laurels there would be a big vacuum but instead they decided to finally take a page from Upper Deck (and literally I would argue they did this…their design is straight from the portfolio aesthetic of Upper Deck)
Totally agree with Gellman. And I am speaking as someone who has gotten onto Gellman for his Upper Deck fan boyism in the past. This year’s Topps products as a whole just look better than most of what Panini is producing and they are making a conscious effort to put more on-card autos in their sets. Panini is churning out the same old stuff, same old tired designs for the past 5 years now. Some of Panini’s products have gotten worse. Rookies in workout clothes and more sticker autos and solid white jersey pieces. Who cares? Plus, Panini has stuck to the same hit formula in most of their products again – 1 sticker auto, 3 jersey cards with a piece of all white jersey, maybe 2 sticker autos, 2 jersey cards. Sorry, I’m not going to drop $90 – $120 on the same old recycled shit.
If all you care about is rookie autos, then yeah, it’s probably not that great of a value. However, I’ve found that you get more bang for your buck if you buy the Topps Chrome blasters. There are more rookie refractors and it seems that there is a rookie auto in every third box.
mR. Gell does start sounding repetitive after a while, BUT its because the results are repetitive themselves , Panini repeats at churning junk and Topps continues to produce class product and is striving to put more on card autos….