Buzz Break: 2004 Topps Cracker Jack baseball cards

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The pack: 2004 Topps Cracker Jack baseball cards (retail)
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for other Retro Rips

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

Packs per pack: 2
Cards per pack: 9 overall (eight in main pack, one in Secret Surprise pack with checklist if it's not a Relic)
Set completion: 7 of 250 (3 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Tom Glavine, David Eckstein, Troy Glaus, Nomar Garciaparra, A.J. Pierzynski, Aaron Boone

Rookie Cards (1) – Ervin Santana

Insert/short-print cards: 2 (all in gallery below with some base)
Mini SP parallel (1) – Austin Kearns (mini SPs are one in 20 packs)
Mini sticker parallel (1) – Adam Dunn

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: When Topps Heritage arrived as part of the company's lineup of 50th anniversary products in 2001 and was a massive hit (one that has lasted to this day), there were a number of retro-styled releases that arrived after that with old-as-new card looks. Some stuck, many didn't (or have come and gone and come back again) and this one is, well, one that was nearly a one and done. This was the first of just two sets made in packs for a look back at the early 1900s. The minis here are the size of 1915 Cracker Jack baseball cards and the design is a re-do of that, too, and the set has some built-in quirks such as designed stains and card backs that have flipped directions and then, of course, some errors and variations to chase, too. The prize-per-box approach in Cracker Jack is emulated in every pack here with the hobby box box-topper a literal bag of Cracker Jack popcorn. (I'd suggest not eating that 21 years later if you can find a sealed box.) This set is a quirky one with the hits -- a decent grouping of Relics and auto cards -- all being the mini size and in the pack inside the pack. I remember the box prices here dropping pretty hard -- though they weren't that high back then -- though there also was not a massive volume made compared to other stuff back then or the stuff today. It's probably been 20 years since I've opened anything here, so I bit when I spotted this single pack. It didn't include anything too obviously special beyond the mini being an SP -- though 1915 buybacks, parallels with different colors than the red background and the hits are possible even in retail. Among the better autos possible here? Miguel Cabrera, Gary Sheffield and Scott Rolen. Not the best group overall ... but there are top names among the Relics such as Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Chipper Jones, Sammy Sosa and Mike Piazza among others. I did a decent amount of these boxes as they were cheap but the 2005 set, if you ask me, was better with more newcomers of note in the mix and more to chase. These were never pricey boxes back in the day -- and weren't meant to be -- but they can be now as a lot got ripped from what was made. If you do dare to go there, expectations of what you might find should be low ... while the box prices likely won't be because they are, for the most part, long gone.

Product Grade: B+ (this brand was not that well-received back then as it only lasted two years)
Pack Grade: A (mini SPs are one per hobby or retail display box ... so that makes this pack a statistical win)
Fun Grade: B- (good pack back then for names ... not as strong now)

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