Buzz Break: 2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary (mega)

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The box: 2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary Edition baseball cards (mega)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby/LITE)
First Buzz preview with checklist: Click here

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

Packs per box: 9
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 36
Base set completion: 
28 of 700 (4 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Stan Musial, Rickey Henderson, Barry Larkin, Jose Canseco, Barry Zito

Rookie Cards (6) – Joey Bart, Jo Adell, Leody Taveras, Dane Dunning, Joey Gerber, Santiago Espinal

Insert/short-print cards: 7 (all in gallery below with some base)
Refractors (2) – Ichiro Suzuki, Max Muncy
Prism Refractors (3) – William Contreras, Jared Walsh, Lucas Giolito
Blue Prism Refractors (1) – Phil Niekro
Rose Gold Mini Diamond Refractors (1) – Ronald Acuña Jr. (/75)

Autographs: None

What's Buzz-worthy: My second one of these boxes that I found on the cheap was very, very lean on the current-player notables front -- there basically were no cardboard stars -- but it made up for it on the inserts with some future Hall of Fame representation and then a dead-centered big card. That was the Acuña on a parallel that's one in 77 packs (nine boxes). If you can find these cheap -- they should be -- they are worth the look but I'd rip the two formats at the link up top for more guaranteed stuff. (Ink here starts at one in 57 packs or eight boxes) That Acuña will go in a grading order for sure with its scarcity and that centering -- it's a 10 candidate in my mind -- while others here are part of the release's biggest problem ... centering. That Ichiro could have been a slabber but not off both ways and I like the Contreras here, too, though his trade doesn't make me like his cardboard potential now. All other finds were right with the odds, which make these boxes not bad options if you find them on the cheap. (I did ... on sale with a discount, too, so I grabbed five. Expect to see more of this one here in the coming weeks. Would I do these at regular price? Nah, I'd buy hobby which has guaranteed ink. Rip these after the hobby boxes dry up.) ... This release is a landmark one in that it's a massive 700-card Chrome checklist -- likely the biggest Chrome set ever made -- and it's one that meshes plenty of Heritage vibes as it includes stars from the past and present on a modern re-do of the iconic 1952 Topps set but on a modern finish. The main chase elements here are parallels -- a meaty lineup was initially announced but with its delays there are fewer in hobby packs, though other formats exclusives -- and then autographs. The Prism parallels are only found here and there are also Prism Golds to be had among several parallels found here. (I landed a few in my run.) ... The parallels here are nice and should draw people in -- and if you want any one player on a parallel be sure to multiply those odds by 700 to figure your chance on your guy's one particular card. ... The lone chase card beyond ink and parallels is a re-do on the 1952 Mickey Mantle -- that one is one in 11,416 packs in hobby but easier here at one in 8,046. So ... they made a lot of this one -- but that's a good thing if you're a collector wanting to rip something with long-ball potential.

Product Grade: A- (nice twist on a classic ... and a challenge if one wants to collect it all)
Box Grade: A (thanks to the Acuña)
Fun Grade: A-

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