If you know me, you know I am a FREAK for Topps Chrome. I wait and I wait each year for it to come out, and then I spend a crapload of money on purchasing the singles from the players I collect. Last year, I must have busted close to a case worth. Since I have collected cards, I have always chased the Chrome rookies of all of my favorite players, and for the first time this year, it looks like we are going to have some MAJOR hits to chase.
First off, Topps continues their quest to obtain as much hard signed rookie content as possible. There will now be hard signed rookie content in Inception, Platinum, Finest, Flagship Topps, and Chrome, a HUGE accomplishment and an even bigger reason why this year will be one that I spend more money than I ever have on cards.
As you can see from the preview pics below, we are going to get three different sets of hard signed rookie cards in Chrome, the black refractors, the rookie recognition set, AND the Bowman Chrome autos. I have waited close to five years for hard signed base chrome autographs, and I am beyond excited that there will be some available in this product. I am going to have pay through the nose to buy them, but that is something that is a small hurdle in the overall race. The Bowman chrome autos look GREAT this year, more so with the hard signed autographs, and again I am disappointed that it wont be a standalone set for 2011. I also LOVE the fact that we are getting more rookie based insert sets, as it will no doubt add a lot of value to the content of the product. As long as we get RC variations, and the usual slate of refractors, this product will easily live up to last year’s in just about every way. The base design is great this year, so I think its going to be a year to remember all around.
Lastly, it looks like Topps is going to be incorporating die cut cards into 2011 Chrome, something that has been hugely popular when used in sets like 2010 Finest. I think it’s a shout out to the old school way of doing insert cards, and I can see how these would be VERY popular with collectors who lived the nineties the way a lot of us did.
Overall, I am putting in my preorder as soon as possible, cant wait to see how this all turns out. Thank to you Topps for actually putting in all the effort they are putting in to delivering the content they are promising, as it is not being shown the same way over at the other companies at all.
Here are the goods:
you can call me excited.
I like the base design very much. It’s simple, sharp and kind of old school. This year’s base set looks a little more distinct from the last two years’ sets. I’m glad because I was beginning to fear Chrome would start looking indistinguishable from year to year much like Absolute or some other crappy retread product. Looks like I have to target Chrome yet again this year.