Buzz Break: 2021 Topps U.S. Olympic Team & Hopefuls (blaster)

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 U.S. Olympic Team & Hopefuls cards (hobby box)
First Buzz Preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

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

Packs per box: 5
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 25
Set completion: 
19 of 76 (25 percent)
Duplicates: 1

Base cards – Monica Abbott, Cat Osterman, Megan Rapinoe (2), Jordan Burroughs, Matt Grevers, Carissa Moore, Sakura Kokumai, Kelsi Dahlia, Kyle Snyder, Brady Ellison, Sam Mikulak, Madison Hughes, Trish Bourne, Carlin Isles, Michael Andrew, Trevor Crabb, Damon Huffman, David Brown

Inserts & short-prints: 5 (see entire box in gallery)
Bronze parallels (2) – Megan Rapinoe, Tri Bourne
Silver parallels (1) – Rose Lavelle
U.S. Olympic Heroes (1) – Lilly King
For Pride & Country (1) – David Boudia

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: This one was originally slated to arrive last year -- hence the year on the box to match the original event year  -- but with the Olympics cancelled the cardboard waited ... and yet the bottom panel here carries a 2021 trademark as do the cards. The checklist is perhaps a little smaller than other past releases and the list does not include any women's gymnasts or men's basketball stars so a few things could have been in play here beyond it having been shelved and then revived. Rather than dwell upon what's not here I'll just ponder the idea of whether we'll see Olympians on Topps Now cards this year ... I have no inside info but it could make sense for some sports. We'll see. (I wouldn't expect basketball but other popular sports might be game.) This box's only duplicate was a pretty high-profile name (though she has a lot of cards vs. others here) and then she was among the parallels. Two very notable USA Softball stars also showed up in the box to help give it a little better feel for such a small box. I'd suggest doing a hobby box with some guaranteed hits and a lot more volume here. The checklist limits some of the break-out potential here but there are typically a few names who fare well in events and then have their autos or rarer cards blow up as people want their cards but may not know where to find them other than on eBay. You can find autos and other inclusions here but at pretty long odds considering there are only five packs per box (at least the blaster boxes are $10 SRP) -- autos start at one in 152 while Relics start at one in 116.

Product Grade: B+
Box Grade: A- (some good names helped here)
Fun Grade: B- (buy hobby for guaranteed hits and much more ... these boxes are tiny)

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