2018 Topps Allen and Ginter Review | How Allen and Ginter pushes forward a diverse collecting tradition

Since the advent of Topps issuing the Allen and Ginter series, the legendary baseball card manufacturer has used Allen and Ginter to push the boundaries of a traditional baseball card set. With the release of 2018 Allen and Ginter, Topps continues in that tradition by highlighting not only top baseball players, but also actors, rappers, writers, and even a card dedicated to Bitcoin cryptocurrency.

2018 Topps Allen and Ginter Box / Topps

The diversity that Topps strives for with Allen and Ginter is what also makes it one of the company’s most annually polarizing issues. If you are of the “hip hop” generation, the inclusion of Biz Markie and Method Man will capture your attention, as well as seeing the cardboard debut of actor Michael Rapaport who cut his teeth in the landmark film Higher Learning alongside Ice Cube. Other non-playing personnel include HQ Trivia host Scott Rogowsky, 2017 J.G Taylor Spink Award winner Claire Smith, and sabermetrics pioneer Bill James.

2018 Topps Allen and Ginter Base Set / Topps

Some collectors will openly welcome the opportunity to land an autograph of one of these luminaries, or a grab a card celebrating the cryptocurrency craze in between the likes of Ronald Acuña Jr., Aaron Judge, and Mike Trout. For other consumers who are diametrically opposed to these trading-card curiosities creeping into their pack ripping adventures, I encourage them to check out the myriad of other Topps releases, many of which have been profiled on this website.

2018 Topps Allen and Ginter Hits / Topps

Putting the merits of the base set contents aside, one will find that each box offers the opportunity to score three hits, which come in the form of autographs, booklets, buybacks, relics, or rip cards. The box provided for this review offered up two framed mini cards, an autograph of Oakland Athletics slugger Khris Davis, and a wood bat mini of San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey. The third hit was a relic card of newly minted Los Angeles Dodger, Manny Machado.

2018 Topps Allen and Ginter Mini Cards / Topps

When it comes to inserts, here is where Allen and Ginter gets creative. The mini cards celebrate baseball superstitions, such as the “No Talking About a No-Hitter,” card pulled in this box, as well as a Crazy Horse Indigenous Heroes tribute card. The standard sized inserts show off the evolution of baseball equipment over time with the "Baseball Equipment of the Ages" subset, highlight the heavens with a “Magnificent Moons” series, and spotlight all-time leaders in their respective statistical categories through the "Fantasy Goldmine" cards. The entire release is designed with an artistic flair that should put to rest whatever qualms one has about the makeup of the base set.

2018 Topps Allen and Ginter Inserts / Topps

With a well-established legacy amongst collectors, Topps Allen and Ginter continues to drive forward the reach of card collecting through its intriguing design and subject selection. If you are on the fence about Allen and Ginter because of the non-sport cards within in the set, after seeing your favorite baseball players in the crisp 2018 Topps Allen and Ginter design, you will remember just why you proudly keep your baseball cards on display for all to admire.

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2018 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Player Edition Review - A chance at a modern day marvel

Topps opens the door for collectors to have a chance to get up close and personal with today's superstars via the release of 2018 Topps Archives Signature Series (Active Player Edition). Each box features one on-card autographed buyback from over 65 different active MLB players, including the likes of Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Mike Trout.

2018 Topps Archives Signature Series / Topps

As the recent netting regulations at MLB parks have made it even more difficult to obtain an autograph before a game, Topps Archives Signature Series gives fans and collectors a guaranteed chance at a signed card from an active player without having to wade through packs of base set cards. This quick hit will attract many who don't want the hassle of sifting through boxes or spending hundred of dollars at a stadium hoping they can slide a baseball card through a slit in the netting during batting practice.

The full review of the box as well as the ensuing hit are featured in the video below. For more baseball card reviews and interviews, subscribe via YouTube at - http://www.youtube.com/Examinebaseball

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2018 Baseball Treasure Review - A diversion from the typical baseball card collectible

When it comes to sports memorabilia, copper, silver, and gold are usually associated with colored parallels in a Topps’ baseball card products; however, 2018 Baseball Treasure provides collectors with an opportunity to score a MLBPA licensed coin minted in a precious metal. Thirty of the top MLB players are included in this heavy-duty set.

2018 Baseball Treasure Packs

The coins come encased in a thick card that has the player’s name, team, and jersey number on the front, with similar info on the back, which allows the minted design to jump to the forefront. Each pack contains one of these cards, with the majority being of the copper variety. A deeper dive into the product could yield one of the .999 pure silver coins (1:432 packs) or an ultra rare gold Aaron Judge coin (52 in total).

Baseball Treasure gives different entry points that allow a wide range of fans to get their hands on the coins. On their website, coins are available in quantities as small as three packs, and options go all the way up to a 432-pack case, pretty much guaranteeing one of the silver coins at those levels.

2018 Baseball Treasure Coins

The three packs opened for this review drew copper coins of Justin Bour, Paul Goldschmidt, and Yoan Moncada. Each coin presented well in their cards and look like they would make a perfect display for a work or home office desk in a proper holder.

Baseball coins are not a new product, and while collectors looking to get into 2018 Baseball Treasure as an investment are probably better served putting their money into a mutual fund, a few packs would give most aficionados an interesting conversation piece that is a diversion from traditional baseball cards.

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2018 Donruss Baseball Review - How Donruss is creating marvels for the upcoming season

Cracking open a box of 2018 Donruss Baseball, collectors are kept on their toes with the robust assortment of variations and parallels that reside in each pack. While Donruss boasts the inclusion of Shohei Ohtani’s coveted autographs, the depth and historical connections of make a box 2018 Donruss Baseball a marvelous experience even for the most seasoned of collectors.

2018 Donruss Shohei Ohtani Mound Marvels / Donruss

The 270-card base set contains the Donruss Rated Rookie and Diamond Kings staples, combined with a wonderful mix of coveted young stars such as Aaron Judge, Rafael Devers, and Rhys Hoskins, as well as cards of past and present icons in the famed 1984 Donruss design that includes Mickey Mantle.

2018 Donruss Mickey Mantle / Donruss

Donruss added a new twist to the base set in 2018, inserting multi-player cards that feature some of the top pairings in the game. The Houston Astros keystone combination of Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, and Dodgers mainstays Clayton Kershaw and Corey Seager make up some of the modern duos featured in the set. Maintaining their bridge across generations, Donruss honors vintage duos such as Montreal Expos Hall of Famers Gary Carter and Andre Dawson, and Big Red Machine stalwarts Dave Concepcion and Tony Perez.

2018 Donruss Multiplayer Parallel / Donruss

Drilling down on the base set, collectors will find many curveballs that will force them to keep their eyes on each card. The first are the nickname parallels, with Aaron Judge being cleverly renamed the “NY 12th Judicial District,” teammate Gary Sanchez labeled as “The Kraken,” and Francisco Lindor as, “Mr. Smile.” The second are the image variations, which exist on both the regular base cards and the 1984 designs. A helpful tip for most of the base variations are the black baseball on the top left of reverse side of the card.

2018 Donruss Base and Variations / Donruss

The variations are so plentiful in 2018 Donruss Baseball, that after opening two boxes, I was still over 50 cards shy of a complete base set, while compiling doubles of each variation. Even though the difficulty of building a complete set might be frustrating for some collectors, the ensuing numbered parallels, autographs, and relics more than made up for it.

2018 Donruss Signature Series / Donruss

Each box guaranteed three hits, and between the two boxes, there were a total of three autographs, two Signature Series cards and one autographed relic card. The other three hits were relic cards, including that of New York Mets hopeful and former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.

The serial numbered parallels were plentiful between the two boxes, yielding inserts of Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Max Scherzer in a wide color palette that is sure to draw the interest of many collectors.

2018 Donruss Parallels / Donruss

Despite the long odds at a complete set, collectors have a lot to look forward to by opening a box (or two) of 2018 Donruss Baseball. The clean design and exciting inserts, combined with the player selection that is tinted with just the right amount of nostalgia, drive interest in the product that goes well beyond the prospect of landing a Shohei Ohtani autograph.

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The Top 5 Reasons to Love 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball

Topps resurrects their 1969 design with the release of 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball. This set is beloved by collectors for a variety of reasons, primarily due to the fine details they replicate as an homage to the throwback issue. We cracked open a fresh box of 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball and found these five hallmarks that will make you fall in love with this year's set.

5) Player Checklists –
Trying to keep track of your 2018 Topps Heritage set? How about some help from Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Kris Bryant? Staying true to form of the 1969 Topps protocol, 2018’s checklist cards feature face shots of today’s top stars, providing collectors with an additional look at their favorite players while they mark off their progress towards a complete set.

2018 Topps Heritage Aaron Judge Checklist / Topps

4) Seattle Pilots Autographed Tribute Cards –
A Ball Four revival anyone? Jim Bouton leads the signers from the limited edition 1969 Seattle Pilots 50th Anniversary tribute autographed cards. Former Pilot Steve Whitaker once referred to the team as, “the orphans of the league.” Fifty years later, Topps proves they still have a home in the hearts of fans and collectors with these special autographed cards.

Jim Bouton Seattle Pilots Autograph / Topps

3) Imperfections –
Most modern sets are bred to perfection with borderless images, high gloss finishes, and centered designs. While going through the first few packs of this 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball box, I drew the occasional off-centered card. By the time I opened the last pack, these 60/40 or 70/30 centered cards averaged one per pack. With so many modern issues made in perfect symmetry, pulling some cards that had centering flaws only added to vintage experience that Topps Heritage provides.

2) Variations –
Funky nicknames? Action shots? Color swaps? Newly traded players? Solo rookie prospect cards? Topps has all of the bases covered with the short printed variations in 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball. These detailed variants force collectors are to pour over the details on each card, savoring the nuances to see if they have landed one of these scarce issues.

Victor Robles Image Variation SSP / Topps

1) Shohei Ohtani –
Would it be anyone else? Topps wasted no time getting this year’s most coveted rookie in their 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball set by including Ohtani as a last minute short printed variation to the set. Early sales of his short printed rookie are selling for $200 each, while his autographed versions have sold for in excess of $3,000.

$3,000 anyone?

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2018 Topps Baseball Seres 1 Review - How Topps breathes life into the baseball season

Topps has proved annually that the true signal of the start of the baseball season is now when pitchers and catchers sport, but when their flagship baseball card set is released. With 2018 Topps Baseball Series One's January 31st arrival, Topps has rescued fans and collectors from staring out their windows to wait for the game to start.

2018 Topps / Topps

The fresh borderless designs coupled with the sparkling player names and team logos, push the action images to the forefront to breathe much needed life to the start of the 2018 season. To kick off the excitement of their inaugural 2018 release, Topps allowed fans to vote for the hallowed first card in the set. Their choice was none other than the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year, New York Yankees power-hitting phenom Aaron Judge.

2018 Topps Base Set Cards / Topps

As collectors rip away at packs of 2018 Topps Baseball, they will find an assortment of rookie cards of impact upstarts from last season including Rhys Hoskins, Rafael Devers, Amed Rosario, and Clint Frazier, all of whom have now received the official stamp of approval on their traditional debut issue. Other highlights of the base set include World Series Highlights and team Combo Cards. Parallel issues include the popular Rainbow Foil, Gold (#/2018) versions, and short printed image variations.

Digging into the inserts, collectors will have their hands full working on a master set, as many of the sets contain at least 50 cards. Topps honors the 35th anniversary of the 1983 Topps set with a 100-card subset, book ended by 1983’s top rookies, Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg and Wade Boggs. Topps runs down season highlights with its 100-card Topps Salute set, celebrating the milestones of the 2017, while also promoting the rookies they expect to impact 2018.

Each box also yields an interesting Home Run Challenge card where collectors can reveal a code on the back of the card that allows them to choose a date when they think the player on the front will hit a home run. If they guess correctly, they will win a parallel card of that player, as well as be automatically entered into a drawing for a trip for two to the 2019 Home Run Derby.

2018 Topps Home Run Challenge Card / Topps

While most that are cracking open a box of Topps’ premier product are doing so to explore the new release and go through the tradition of building a complete set, an added bonus is the guaranteed hit of a relic, patch, or autographed card. This box served up a Major League Material Black Relic of Albert Pujols numbered to 99.

Albert Pujols Relic / Topps

One strong memory as a kid was rushing to the store to get some of the new Topps release when it dropped, burrowing through packs to see who made the cut and admire the design. It became an annual event that helped the sorrows of winter pass more smoothly. Fast forward the time machine to 2018, Topps hasn’t changed the script, but has added a variety of inserts to keep collectors excited and created a layout to capture their attention.

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2017 Bowman's Best Baseball Review - Bowman saving the best for last

When it comes to 2017 baseball card releases, Bowman literally saved the best for last. The famed card manufacturer looks to end the year on a high note by closing out the season with 2017 Bowman’s Best Baseball.

The base card design drives the desirability of this release, as the rich colorful backgrounds help the player images jump off the cards, making this Bowman’s most visually appealing set of the year. The 100-card base set, which includes 35 Top Prospect cards, will please those searching for an easy path to completion.

For collectors seeking a greater challenge, Bowman keeps things interesting by favoring its trademark refractor cards. They offer a complete set of base refractors (1 per pack), atomic refractors (1 per master box), as well as numbered colored parallels that vary in scarcity (250 or less). These parallels will further drive collectors 2017 Bowman's Best Baseball just to hunt down "rainbows" of their favorite players.

The insert sets are equally attractive and intriguing. The 1997 Best Cuts insert set pays homage to a classic design, fitting both top-flight minor leaguers as well as retired veterans into the checklist. The Baseball America Dean List’s set gives report card grades to the next wave of prospects, and the Mirror Image inserts pair similar talents on the same card. All of the insert sets have numbered colored parallels, as well as autographed versions (save for the Mirror Image cards).

At a price point of $100 per master box, Bowman delivers value by guaranteeing four autographs. The base autograph set includes established young stars Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Kris Bryant, and Mike Trout, as well as upstarts Brendan McKay, Ronald Acuna, and Royce Lewis. For those lucky enough to pull a rarer autograph insert from this set, they could find themselves with one signed by Derek Jeter or Hank Aaron.

Closing Bowman’s release calendar for the year, 2017 Bowman’s Best Baseball provides an attractive mixture of design, diversity, and value that will please collectors looking for a place to spend their newly found holiday riches.

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2017 Topps Update Baseball Review - How 2017 Update is taking a mighty cut at the fences

One look at Aaron Judge’s stoic glare on the cover of 2017 Topps Update Baseball and it is evident that Topps has lofty goals for its postseason product. Topps has loaded the base set with the two most desired young players in the game, with the inclusion of three additional rookie cards of Judge, as well as four of Los Angeles Dodgers upstart Cody Bellinger. Packed with the magnetism of these two power hitting young superstars, Topps is hoping that the abundance of their cards in the set will draw collectors to 2017 Update as the World Series championship hangs in the balance.

2017 Topps Update / Topps

With Judge’s dominating performance in the 2017 Home Run Derby serving as the first card in the set, Topps also highlights his rookie debut and his All-Star Game selection. Bellinger gets the same treatment, as well as his official Topps rookie card in their flagship product, further increasing the attraction of this set for collectors in both the near and long term.

2017 Topps Update Cody Bellinger RC / Topps

Outside of the two aforementioned likely Rookie of the Year selections for their respective leagues, Topps Update provides lesser known players to get their first shot on major league cardboard, as well as team collectors finding their team’s recently acquired 25th men having their moment in the sun after potentially being passed over in Topps Series 1 and 2 releases earlier this year.

Topps forces collectors to pay attention to detail with 2017 Update as there are well over 100 variations of the short print and super short print varieties that include legends Roberto Clemente, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams. The lengthy set of variations could easily excite collectors to dive into a few boxes or chase a master set well into the offseason, giving this product room to run well after the World Series champion has been determined. Conversely, collectors craving simplicity could easily face burn out at this point in the season of having to track all of the different inserts within 2017 Update.

2017 Topps Update Variations / Topps

The box provided for this review yielded a complete base set with a few doubles to spare, an array of rainbow foil and Gold parallel cards (#’d/2017), nine of the aforementioned variations, and an All-Star relic card of Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak.

At a price point of $65 per box, collectors will find value in the fact that 2017 Topps Update Baseball will yield a complete set that includes a combined seven rookie cards of both the likely Rookie of the Year winners from each league. Add on the assortment of potentially scarce variations, parallels, inserts, and a guarantee of either an autograph or relic card, Topps has scored another winner with 2017 Update Baseball.

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2017 Topps Triple Threads Review - An exciting albeit expensive ride through baseball card collecting

Looking at their artistic relics, colorful design, and limited edition autographs, collectors are sure to be tempted to pull a box of 2017 Topps Triple Threads off of the shelves and get busy diving into its array of memorabilia driven baseball cards.

2017 Topps Triple Threads / Topps

Each master box contains two autograph cards and two relic cards, providing for multiple opportunities to walk away with a classic collectible. Exciting inserts for this product include autographed relics, as well as the coveted autographed relic combos, which feature multiple signatures from prominent franchise favorites with embedded game used memorabilia pieces. These combos are rather scarce, ranging from the singular white whale printing plate, to the base issues which are only made in quantities of 36.

2017 Topps Triple Threads Chris Sale Relic / Topps

Digging further into the depths of 2017 Topps Triple Threads uncovers cut autographs of Jackie Robinson, Ty Cobb, and Ted Williams, or even rarer dual cuts of the pairings of Williams and Stan Musial, or Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente. The idea of having even the slightest chance of scoring signatures for those who rank among the pinnacle of the sport is enough to tantalize hobbyists into taking a peek behind the Derek Jeter themed boxes.

2017 Topps Triple Threads Base Cards & Parallels / Topps

As for the 100-card base set, the colors pop right off the front, enhanced by the golden tinges in the background. Multiple parallels of the base set will send collectors chasing further for limited versions of their favorite player. Those who are searching for breadth in the base set might wind up dissatisfied, as half of the set honors retired legends, and the lists of current players leans towards the upper echelon of MLB, excluding this year’s hottest rookies, Aaron Judge, Andrew Benintendi, and Cody Bellinger.

The box provided for this review yielded the Chris Sale relic card, as well this Tyler Austin autographed rookie patch card.

2017 Topps Triple Threads Tyler Austin Autographed Relic Card / Topps

With Topps’ Triple Threads brand legacy firmly established, collectors know the risk they’re taking with this product. At a price point near $200 per master box, a strong leap of faith is needed, as a box could easily yield common rookie autographs and relics; however, one could find their fortunes quickly turned around if they can hit one of the aforementioned coveted inserts.

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2017 Topps Chrome Review - Boom or Bust for Collectors?

With the meteoric rise of Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, it was of little surprise that collectors bum rushed stores nationwide to pick up boxes of 2017 Topps Chrome Baseball. Whether was in search of the first Topps rookie this season of the second-generation Dodgers upstart Bellinger, or an insert of the 2017 Home Run Derby champ, this year’s Topps Chrome literally flew off of the shelves. Collectors almost immediately went online post-release either sharing photos of the joys of their finds, or desperate shots of empty shelves at nationwide retailers.

2017 Topps Chrome Box / Topps

Topps struck gold with this release due to the timing of the success of the two power-hitting rookies, as well as the anticipation of Bellinger’s first official Topps major league card. Many looked to jump on the heels of their ascent with the anticipation of turning a quick profit or snagging a rare parallel for their personal collections. With prices easily eclipsing those of suggested retail, collectors hoped for a huge payout knowing they might come up short of the big “hit” that they’re searching for.

With each of the 24 packs in the box yielding only four cards, there was a feeling of urgency going through each quartet, hoping that a coveted variation of the aforementioned East and West coast supernovas emerged. In between the anticipation of the big names also sat a host of refractors, a rainbow of colored parallels, glossy 1987 Topps themed inserts to keep the excitement level high while perusing the contents of the box.

2017 Topps Chrome / Topps

After the dust settled, we had good reason to shout, “All Rise,” as an Aaron Judge rookie was among the dividends, as well as a chrome refractor of fellow Rookie of the Year candidate, Andrew Benintendi. Unfortunately, Bellinger’s debut issue was absent, as well as a high end autograph, with the box serving up two rookie autographs of Donnie Hart and Eddie Gamboa.

Donnie Hart Topps Chrome Autograph / Topps

There are a bevy of reasons why baseball card collectors should be excited about 2017 Topps Chrome; the design is outstanding, the parallels are worth chasing, and the narrative of the young stars will have fans coming back to this product as the pennant race heats up. For the few left on the fence deciding whether to take the plunge into 2017 Topps Chrome, it’s an exciting dive that collectors hopefully know the risk of the waters they’re jumping into.

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2017 Topps Allen and Ginter Review - Does Allen and Ginter have enough to keep collectors on the ball?

Topps’ Allen and Ginter product has always been a source of mixed emotions for collectors. On one hand, it has perennially been a highly anticipated release due to its design and cultural variety; however, in the midst of a baseball season filled with an extraordinary amount of young superstars, those looking for a pure baseball play are growing frustrated with paying a premium to wind up with inserts of obscure celebrities and fishing lures.

For collectors who have embraced the widening scope of the set, 2017 Topps Allen and Ginter continues to deliver in the tradition of one of Topps’ most popular issues. Baseball die-hards will get their fix whether it is in the form of rookies from Aaron Judge, Andrew Benintendi, and Yulieski Gurriel, adored veterans Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, and Clayton Kershaw, or retired legends such as newly minted Hall of Famers Tim Raines and Jeff Bagwell.

2017 Topps Allen and Ginter Aaron Judge / Topps

The part of the set that annually attracts both excitement and controversy are the non-baseball inclusions in the series. Remember when MySpace dominated the social media landscape? Well Tom Anderson, everybody’s friend, now has his own baseball card to boot. Media personalities Stephen A. Smith, Peter Rosenberg and his wife Alexa Datt, Jay Glazer, Sage Steele, and Jayson Stark made their Topps debuts as well.

Inserts for the set went well off the landscape of the diamond, paying homage to the World’s Fair, Constellations, Magicians, Famous Revolutionary Battles, and yes, Sport Fish and Fishing Lures. While Allen and Ginter has always been about showcasing a diversity of interests, when half of the inserts culled from the box provided for this review fell into the non-sport category, it deflated some of the excitement that preceded this release.

2017 Topps Allen and Ginter / Topps

Looking at the baseball inserts for 2017 Topps Allen and Ginter, it is clear that Topps played to its strengths. The What A Day inserts beautifully chronicle remarkable single-game performances, such as Kyle Schwarber’s dramatic 2016 World Series return, Bo Jackson’s three home run performance against the Yankees, and Ozzie Smith’s improbable 1985 NLCS walk-off home run. The sequentially numbered rip cards continue to be sought after, as they yield low numbered parallels and the choice of keeping or opening these inserts have them actively trading hands. Also, the framed autographs and cloth inserts provide a regal touch for collectors looking for an affordable card they can easily put on display.

Each box guarantees three hits in the form of an autograph, relic, printing plate, rip card, or book card. The box provided for this review yielded a framed autograph of actor Joe Manganiello and two relic cards of Ryan Braun and Javier Baez.

At a price of $120 per box, 2017 Topps Allen and Ginter is a proposition that could give collectors a pause before adding it to their shopping carts. If you hit it right, a box could yield some attractive inserts, on the other hand, one could be left with oddball autographs and relics of disc golfers and B-list celebrities. If collectors intend to open their wallets, they must be more than willing to accept and embrace the assortment of genres in 2017 Topps Allen and Ginter, otherwise they might be more content picking apart singles on the secondary market.

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2017 Topps Stadium Club Baseball Review - A beauty marvel for collectors

Due to the myriad of baseball card variations that is exist today, it is easy for collectors to lose sight of what is on the front of the card. In the quest to find limited inserts, parallels, and signatures, rarely do collectors stop anymore to savor the images of their cardboard heroes. With the release of 2017 Topps Stadium Club, Topps has given consumers more than a reason to slow down and pause when ripping through their packs.

Immediately, it is obvious that Topps saved some of its best photography for this set, with the vivid shots putting you right on the field of action. Enhanced by its borderless design, the set captures every pixel of real estate to put the game’s full range of emotions on display. Furthermore, the contrasting black and white tones of the legends included in Topps Stadium Club provide the proper context for the heroes of the past in their own element.

While 2017 Topps Stadium Club is a buy if not solely for its imagery and design, those looking for a chase will find it in terms of 50 base card variations, an array of colored foil issues, and chrome variations that come one per every box. Also pleasing the autograph hounds are the guaranteed two signed cards in each box, which also have their own subset of parallel issues.

The box provided for this review yielded rookie autographs of Mets infielder Gavin Cecchini and Giants pitcher Ty Blach. For those who are concerned about collation, mysteriously absent were the base cards of Aaron Judge, Yoan Moncada, Kris Bryant, and Mike Trout — a tough group to miss out on when opening an entire box.

Collation issues aside, Topps Stadium Club brings the action happening on the card to the forefront of the release ahead of the shiny insert of the day. Fans and collectors searching for a product that they can get continued enjoyment from by browsing through their cards will find it in 2017 Topps Stadium Club.

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