Buzz Break: 2021 Topps 1989 Bowman x Keith Shore (Wave 1)

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The box: 2021 Topps 1989 Bowman x Keith Shore baseball cards (Wave 1)
Where to buy: Initially via Topps.com ... BlowoutCards.com (when available)
First Buzz preview/checklist: Click here

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

Packs per box:1
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 99
Base set (all waves) completion: 
10 of 40 (25 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Mike Trout, Francisco Lindor, Max Scherzer, Fernando Tatis Jr., Freddie Freeman, Alec Bohm (RC), Dylan Carlson (RC), Joey Bart (RC), Jasson Dominguez (prospect), Wander Franco (prospect)

Insert/short-print cards: None

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: This one is admittedly an oddball release -- at least in my mind -- as it takes one of the more-popular artists (and also one of the more not-popular styles for some) from last year's Project 2020 release and has one pose, the 1989 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card, and applies it to 40 players across four series only initially sold via Topps.com. This box? It was just the basics ... and that made it a bit of a dud in how it felt opening this one but based on the production run and the parallels in the release you have a one in five box chance at a parallel if you do. None for me this time. Parallels include Green (/99), Purple (/25), Red (/10), Orange (/5) and 1/1 Gold and there is a Ken Griffey Jr. chase card limited to only 100 copies. (Autographs and proofs were sold separately ... no in-pack presence.) This wave sold 7,015 packs, while Wave 2 did 3,864, Wave 3 did 3,422 and Wave 4 did 3,534 -- so your odds got about twice as better if you did the later series. I contemplated a Wave 4 pack based on the players -- a couple I like were in there -- but passed even before getting these in hand. Sadly that's been a trend for some online releases ... by the time one gets a first in-hand reaction to these the whole series is gone -- at least as the suggested retail price via Topps. Had I had these in hand I might have done a Wave 4 pack. Why? I like the printing quality here. It's crisply done though the style may not work for some from the get-go or if dug into too heavily. (That's art for you.) Little details here make this one fun in spots -- check out Max Scherzer and his eyes here -- and this wave doesn't hurt having Trout, Franco and Dominguez. Mixing in RCs and prospects into these could easily make for some sleeper cardboard over time. That thought alone should have prompted me to grab one of each ... but I didn't. Had there been some kind of chase assured in every pack I would have for sure.

Product Grade: B
Box Grade: B- (the minimal/typical result here)
Fun Grade: C (no frills in this one)

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