If release dates continue to be correct, we are closing in on less than one week until the release of one of my favorite sets of the year. This year, Topps Chrome will have a bunch of added elements that have not necessarily been included before, and I feel like it would be a good idea to go through them and talk about what I see being the cards I would chase for your 2010 targets. With Upper Deck out of the licensed game, that much more of my card budget for the year will be spent on this stuff, with last year’s cost already high to begin with.

For reference, here is the product info page on Atlanta Sports Cards website.

Base Rookies

Chrome is one of the only non-serially numbered (or serially numbered, for that matter) non-autographed rookie card that still carries value, even ungraded. For guys like Bradford and Tebow, you can expect up to 5-10 bucks per card at release, settling in around 5-7 bucks for a nicely centered raw copy. If Topps Chrome baseball is any indicator, refractor odds may be drastically skewed this year, so base rookies may carry THAT much extra value on them. I always keep the rookies I pull from Chrome as they are always some of the best looking affordable cards of the year.

Base Bowman Chrome Rookies

This year, Bow Chro is folded into the Topps Chrome release, and that makes me both very happy and very sad at the same time. I love both of the Chrome sets, and to think that Topps ditched an awesome low end set like Bowman Chrome for a crappy mid-high end set like Supreme or Unrivaled is so utterly frustrating to me that I want to scream. The last thing we need is more high end sticker autos with shitty designs, when Bowman Chrome accomplishes all of that and more in a product costing half what a normal box costs. Because of this fact, these inserts could easily bring some nice coin due to rarity, easily getting you an extra 10-15 bucks on a box if you get someone like Dez Bryant or the other top guys from the class. This is a huge plus for Topps Chrome in general, but overall is a downgrade for Topps’ calendar.

Topps Chrome Parallels (Rookie and Veteran)

With Bowman Chrome gone, the parallels become more desirable because there are not as many of them. Bowman was the more parallel focused set, but Topps Chrome, at least in football, could play on the same field. I would say that the Red, Blue, X-fractor and others will net you about 10-20% more in secondary value this time around, especially on good looking clean raws. Its almost stupid to sell possible gem chrome cards without getting them graded these days, so keep an eye out for color that fits the criteria. Grading may be a complete scam bathed in politics and favor, but to make good money in this market, you have to play by the rules.

Bowman Chrome Parallels (Rookie and Veteran)

Im not sure the extent of the Bowman parallels this year, they may not actually go as deep as they used to. Before they had the baseball structure with Refractor, Xfractor, Blue, Gold, Orange, Red and Super, but this year, I believe they cut a lot out, unfortunately. Again, watch closely when you pull any color from your packs, or buying on eBay, because with chrome, the money is in the grade.

Rookie Autographs

I love the way the rookie autographs look every year, and this year looks to be no different. The issue is that it is incredibly tough to pull good rookie ones out of your box unless you have Beckett level luck. Ebay is always a good place to look for the rookie autos you are chasing, and this year, they may be more expensive than usual. I can easily see Bradford topping $100 out of the gate, possibly even $150, and that is just the base version. Tebow should settle in around $80-90 and Best, Bryant and Mathews should end up around $40-50 if last year is any indicator. I havent decided if I want to chase the set, but it looks great and it is definitely worth the money. The problem remains that crap rookie autos come out of this products like water, and that could be a huge drawback to buying this wax. Luckily the other stuff will make up for it, parallels, inserts, bowman cards, etc, so maybe Topps is finally getting the picture.

Rookie Autograph Parallels

Last year, they started doing more colored refractor autos, and those were some bad-ass looking cards. The gold refractor autos from last year were some of the coolest chrome cards ever produced, and I expect that this year will be even better due to the improved design. Expect that some of the top cards will sell extremely high, with Bradford leading the way. If you are lucky enough to pull one of the poorly conceived but highly valuable jersey autos, sell as soon as you can. The cards are butt ugly because of where they put the patch, and they sell for enough for you to pick up a few nicer non-relic version. Collectors are so fixated on jerseys that they don’t realize they are paying a premium for non-game worn relics and cards that look awful.

Bowman Refractor Autos

Along with Bowman Chrome cards in this set, there are auto’ed parallels, and that is beyond awesome. These cards are numbered starting at 25, so they will be VERY valuable and should hold that value a long time. I may chase a few of them depending on price, but these are going to be ridiculously popular from what I can tell. The design isnt as nice as the Topps Chrome autos, but they are still cool enough that the design shouldn’t factor in. Expect Tebow at hefty sum with his counterparts, even high prices on guys that arent as top tier. I can easily see guys like Gerhart hitting 40 or 50 bucks.

Topps Red Zone Rookie Autos

This is a continuation of the promotion that has been going on throughout the whole product year, and the value shouldn’t change. Whatever they are going for now, that’s where they will stay. Im kind of over these cards, because the rookie premiere autos were much cooler this year, but its better to have extra content over no extra content any day of the week.

Dual and Triple Rookie Autos

This is a new thing this year, and it is always welcome. I would think that these cards may be some of the more valuable non-paralled cards of the set, and I think are an awesome thing to bring to Topps Chrome. Some of the pairs are bound to be head scratchers, but it wont ever hurt to get an extra auto in your box. I am truly loving every part of this set.

Topps Reprints Refractor Autos

Remember when Topps did this a few years ago and reprinted some iconic cards and used on card signatures for them? Yeah, those type of cards will be making a comeback, but they will most likely be stickers. Too bad, because they had a shot at being some of the best cards of the last five years if they had found a way to get them hard signed. They are numbered to 10 and will most likely be hardcore balls awesome, but incredibly expensive.

I really cant tell you how excited I am for Chrome, and have already pre-ordered a few boxes out of sheer joy. Expect this to be one of the best Chrome sets of the last few years, and probably some of the most valuable low end buys you can come across. If you are going to buy one product this year, Chrome is it.