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 all cards in gallery.

Insert cards: 19 (all in gallery below with all base)
Track Tags (3) – Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Daniil Kyat
1954 Topps World on Wheels (6) – Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, Jack Aitken, Sergio Perez, Renault R.S. 20, Alfa Romero Racing Orlen C39
Refractors (6) – Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, ART Grand Prix, BWT Racing Point, Kimi Raikkonen, Alexander Albon (RC)
Orange 70th Refractors (1) – Sebastian Vettel
Purple Refractors (2) – Toto Wolff, F2 Prema Racing (/399)
Gold Refractors (1) – Roy Nissany (/50)

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: 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. For example, the Toto Wolff Purple Refractor found here (/399) isn't a particularly tough find odds-wise (one in nine packs, two per box) has asking prices between $12 and $175 on eBay with actual sales from $9.99 to $58. Long-term realities are probably somewhere in between on the low side. This box offered up a one-in-68 Gold (tougher than landing an auto), a 70th Anniversary Orange (logo on front, no serial-numbering) that's one in 46 but otherwise pretty standard stuff. There were a lot of logo cards for my taste but that was balanced by a number of Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel appearances, though the standard Hamilton card would be more appealing to me (a F1 newb at best) than the highlight cards showing his victories. 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 -- and that also helped make it a strong rip, though with so few cards per pack and a good volume of non-drivers and logos that did dull things slightly. 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 -- my Verstappen Refractor, for example, has sales as high as $67 and as low as $3 with plenty in between -- and that's the sign of a hot one but with plenty of people looking to sell. 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: B+ (rare parallel but no ink this time)
Fun Grade: B+ (huge potential)

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