Buzz Break: 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 (hobby box)

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The box: 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 racing cards (hobby box)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of highlights here.

Packs per box: 18
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
53 of 200 (27 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen & more ... see a sampling in gallery.

Insert cards: 19 (all in gallery below with some base)
Track Tags (3) – Max Verstappen, Daniil Kyat, Charles Leclerc
1954 Topps World on Wheels (6) – Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Raikkonen, Valterri Bottas, Pierre Gasly, Antonio Giovinazzi, Romain Grosjean
Refractors (6) – George Russell (RC), Pierre Gasly, MP Motorsport, HiTech Grand Prix, BWT Racing, Scuderia Ferrari
Gold 70th Refractors (1) – Esteban Ocon
Purple Refractors (2) – George Russell, Alexander Albon (/399)
Orange Wave Refractors (1) – Valtteri Bottas (/25)

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: Like my recent soccer break this week, a pair of cards for a newcomer -- a pair of George Russell Refractors this time -- gets this one an A- grade because they are sellers. That Purple card alone has eBay highs topping $180 but also sales as low as $89.99 with plenty of volume in between. For a card that generously numbered, those are impressive ... and I got him on a base RC and a different card as a regular Refractor atop of the what seems normal mess of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen cards. The only caveat here? It's popular so the prices are seemingly a bit all over the place -- but the big cards are big cards here and you get a lot of chances at landing those key names. ... As I said last time, the color and energy of Formula 1 racing meets the color and energy of Chrome in this one with a high-octane market where big names' big cards can command big money and others' can be far more erratic (and in demand) than you might think ... perhaps in part because of speculators but also because of first-time card appearances and collectors chasing sets or rainbows. ... This box's Orange Wave card is one in 136 packs -- rarer than finding an autograph -- but also too many logo cards for my taste, especially among the Refractors, but the Russell cards help make up for that. ... The Chrome stock here is sturdy, clean and in no ways warped or dirty -- these were printed, perhaps in lower volume than most stuff, in Italy. There are autographs (one in 64), insert parallels, printing plates and, of course, Superfractors to be found here and if you check eBay you'll see plenty of big-money asks and strong sales for this one. Switch to completed auctions and it will impress. Part of that is because it's new and it's Chrome but there's also plenty of global demand but with supply that's perhaps not that huge, helping spark higher sales. The numbers are really all over the place on sales here. I think the safe stuff is the numbered color Refractors but those who dare to build rainbows or even parallel sets could have a monster on their hands later. Why? Wax is scorching now ... but available. What happens down the line when it's nowhere to be found?

Product Grade: A 
Box Grade: A- (George Russell cards found here seem like they sell very well)
Fun Grade: B+ (huge potential)

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