Buzz Break: 2022 Topps Archives baseball cards (hobby box)

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: 2022 Topps Archives baseball cards (hobby)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

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

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 193
Base set completion: 
171 of 300 (57 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Hank Aaron, Roger Maris, Derek Jeter, Stan Musial, Honus Wagner, Eddie Murray, Bob Feller, Yogi Berra, Randy Johnson, Tris Speaker, Brooks Robinson, Vladimir Guerrero, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ichiro Suzuki, Alex Rodriguez, Don Mattingly, Fernando Tatis Jr., Kyle Schwarber, Francisco Lindor, Albert Pujols, Nolan Ryan, Rickey Henderson, Babe Ruth, Tony Gwynn, Greg Maddux, Dale Murphy, Dave Winfield, Max Scherzer, Craig Biggio, Carlton Fisk, Yadier Molina, Ozzie Albies, Kris Bryant, Mike Piazza, Mark, McGwire, Roger Clemens, Satchel Paige, Bo Bichette, Pete Alonso, Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, Pee Wee Reese, Don Drysdale, Harmon Killebrew, Frank Thomas, Edgar Martinez, Bryce Harper, Whitey Ford, Mariano Rivera, Thurman Munson, Billy Williams, Pedro Martinez, Johnny Bench, Ernie Banks ... and many more notables and other Hall of Famers

Rookie Cards (33) – Notables include Seth Beer, Tylor Megill, Lars Nootbaar, C.J. Abrams, Seiya Suzuki, Reid Detmers, Oneil Cruz, Brandon Marsh, Jake Burger. (Nope, none of the biggest names here.)

Inserts/short-prints (Nos. 301-380): 20 (all in gallery below with some base)
1955 Topps Scoop (SPs) (4) – Shohei Ohtani, Chris Taylor, Randy Arozarena, Tyler Gilbert
1961 Topps MVPs (SPs) (4) – Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Liam Hendriks, Trey Mancini, Robbie Ray
2005 Topps Draft Picks (SPs) (1) – Nolan Ryan
1992 Topps Major League Debut (SPs) (4) – Bobby Witt Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Jeremy Pena
Postcards (3) – Fernando Tatis Jr., Javier Baez, Rafael Devers
Oversized Postcards (1) – Mike Trout (box-topper)
Rainbow Foil parallel (1) – Bryce Elder (/199)
2005 Topps Draft Picks (SPs) Rainbow Foil parallel* (1) – Hunter Greene (/50)
(* -- Could be a Red Hot parallel ... but it's not red sparkles like others are.)
Red paralel (1) – Luis Robert (/75)

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Fan Favorites Autographs (1) – Geoff Jenkins
Purple 1992 Topps MLB® Debut Autographs (1) – Brandon Marsh (/150)

What's Buzz-worthy: The stock is right, the price is closer to right, on-card autos is right with the potential for both long-odds superstars and legends but also young stars, too. The designs are old but the players are from yesterday and today but with cleaner printing and cutting then way back then ... there's really not a lot to not like here other than some tight wrappers that take a toll on some of the back cards (1987s) corners. Despite that last one and despite my not landing any of the bigger RCs in the base set portion of the release, this one gets an A+ from me. There are a number of clean photos here that could place them right back in the past as all-time great cards -- you know, back before hits, inserts and parallels were a thing that created value -- and they might be greats of today, too. (I'll be ripping more or buying some singles lots just to slab a few base cards here.) This box had a few rarer finds -- the numbered stuff here was rare -- and a rarer (odds-wise) auto that is of a guy who's had a solid run with a new team and has respectable numbers in the postseason. ... Throw in a boatload of Hall of Famers -- more than I showed -- and stars and this one really does have a lot of high spots. The SPs (Nos. 301 and up) feel more like inserts but they're numbered as part of the base set and that allows for some repeat appearances of key names without it looking too blatant. My box-topper here was a top name, too, as a nice start to what was a fun box to open ... and it would have been a big box had I landed some of those young new names. They're in there. I'll be doing more at some point soon.

Product Grade: A+ (some big stuff is possible here on rare side but also some good stuff for collectors past and present)
Box Grade: A (Purple auto is one in 562 packs and the one rare parallel is even tougher)
Fun Grade: B+ (would have been an easy A/A+ had I landed any of the biggest rookies here ... but I didn't)

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