Buzz Break: 2021 Topps Allen & Ginter MLB cards (hobby)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2021 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (hobby box)
First Buzz preview & Checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

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

Packs per box: 25 (24 standard plus box-topper)
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 194
Base set completion: 
129 of 300 (43 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Kirby Puckett, Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn, Bryce Harper, Alex Rodriguez, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Jose Andres, Marc Anthony, Steve Carlson, Rose LaVelle, Leo Kelly, Sarah Spain, Jim Koch, Chris Brickley, Daniel Kim, Bob Gibson, Mike Piazza, Cody Bellinger, Lou Brock, Eddie Mathews, Jim Thome, Harmon Killebrew, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Randy Johnson, David Ortiz, Rogers Hornsby, Eddie Murray, Joey Votto, Andre Dawson, Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager., Don Mattingly ... and plenty more.

Rookie Cards (21) – Notables include Joey Bart, Ian Anderson, Cristian Pache, Ha-Seong Kim, Spencer Howard, Brady Singer, Dylan Carlson, Luis Garcia, Jo Adell

Insert cards: 62 (a sampling of everything in gallery below)
Mini exclusive (1) – Alex Bregman (inside Rip Card)
Box-topper (1) – Christian Yelich
Short-prints (Nos. 351-400) (12) – Fred McGriff, John Kruk, Deion Sanders, Yu Darvish, Kent Hrbek, Trent Grisham, Zach Plesac, Elvis Andrus, Derrek Lee, Aroldis Chapman, Eugenio Suarez, Marcell Ozuna
Mini parallel (10) – Larry Walker, Sarah Tiana, Jeff Carlson, Mike Soroka, Sam Huff, Marcus Stroman, Jake Bauers, Rafael Devers, Pedro Martinez, J.A. Happ
Mini short-print parallel (3) – A.J. Puk, Darryl Strawberry, Max Fried
Mini Black parallel (3) – Hank Aaron, Eloy Jimenez, Rod Carew
Mini Allen & Ginter back parallel (4) – James Kaprielian, Marcus Stroman, Jeff Carlson, Pedro Martinez
Hats Off (1) – Bowler
The World's Largest (1) – White Rhino
Far Far Away (2) – Exoplanet, Caldwell 93
T51 Murad Reimagined (6) – Jackie Robinson, Clayton Kershaw, Nolan Ryan, Hank Aaron, Aaron Judge, David Ortiz
Birds of a Feather (3) – Sun Conure, Rose-breasted Cockatoo (2)
Arboreal Appreciation (3) – Blue Spruce, Black Birch, Silver Maple
Rallying Back (3) – Giant Panda, Humpback Whale (2)
Deep Sea Shiver (3) – Mackerel Shark, Blue Shark, Bull Shark
Historical Hits (6) – Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Piazza, Joe Morgan, Luis Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria

Autographs/Memorabilia: 3
Rip Card (1) – Cody Bellinger (/99) (Alex Bregman mini inside)
Full-size Relics Design A (1) – Elvis Andrus
Framed Autographs (1) – Dane Dunning

What's Buzz-worthy: Landing a framed baseball plater auto in this one is one in 69 packs and a Rip Card is one in 147 so those two odds-defying cards get this one an A grade for the box -- and it doesn't hurt that there's a Black Mini of Hank Aaron in the mix, too. (Plus, the World's Largest and Hats Off minis are both one in 50 packs.) But, for me, as a buyer since the second I could pre-order back in 2006 this one feels a little lackluster compared to the past releases for the brand. I'm not going to compare it to the best years of Ginter -- the base design, for example, is perhaps the best ever for the brand -- but the autograph lineup just feels like it's missing some top-tier ink on the celeb side, which is a big draw here. I don't think it needs a bunch more -- just more to entice me to pony up for the higher prices seen here. Don't get me wrong, there are some big autos possible here at least for right now -- see that checklist up top for the full list -- with Kim Ng, the Slap Shot Hanson Brothers, Trevor Lawrence, Jose Andres, Jason Biggs and Marc Anthony to name a few of note and then there are, of course, a ton of MLB notables who are tougher pulls. My ink? I don't want to look but I know I beat the odds to land it and it wasn't that much of a needle-mover. The box's Rip Card is one I shouldn't have ripped as it was the top highlight and I regretted it once I pulled the tab. (I didn't even remove it from the card.) Ginter is one that even in the past is historically best ripped in some volume -- a few boxes or ideally a case -- to land a better feel for the mix inside. With some luck you can land some huge cards -- and some case-openers have had Rip Cards over-deliver -- but that also doesn't mean you'll be blown away, either. All in all, this one is a master set collector brand with enough weird stuff that it can deliver big -- and all the minis can have some deceiving value as well -- but I think buying more than just one box is the key. The big box will pay for a few while others might not. If you've been in on the brand you know this feeling -- it may not have as many "big" autos as some years but it's still on par with the Ginter legacy and that means there's a lot of unique stuff here that will likely not ever be done again. And that helps with longer-term holds and value. If these boxes dip, I'll be watching and ripping.

Product Grade: B+
Box Grade: A
Fun Grade: B

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com