Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards

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: 2023 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards
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 as well as a gallery of highlights.

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 48
Base set completion: 
28 of 300 (9 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Victor Wembanyama, Tony Gwynn, Bob Gibson, George Brett, Randy Johnson, Mariano Rivera, Matt Olson, Crystal Reed, Alex Rodriguez

RC logo cards (2) – Anthony Volpe, Hayden Wesneski

Insert cards: 20 (all in gallery below with some base)
Short-prints (Nos. 301-400) (4) – Hank Aaron, Yordan Alvarez, Miguel Tejada, John Smoltz
Mini parallel (2) – Blake Snell, Nestor Cortes
Mini short-prints parallel (1) – Gary Sheffield
Mini A&G backs short-prints parallel (1) – Gary Sheffield
Mini Black parallel (1) – Bryce Young
Mini Rookie Variation (1) – Nolan Jones
International Delights (1) – Stamppot
The World Of Wonder (1) – Stonehenge
Fun In The Sun (1) – Jet-skiing
Music To Your Ears (1) – Lute
Spotless Spans (4) – Bob Gibson, Bryce Harper, Willie Stargell, Felix Hernandez
Talonted (2) – Red Kite, Seriema

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: The Cardboard Gods wanted me to like this one with those Wembanyama, Young and Volpe appearances here but as a long-time, far-too-heavy buyer of Ginter -- my first ever pre-ordered case from Blowout was 2006 Allen & Ginter back in the day way before the Buzz years -- I think this one needs a reboot, rebrand or maybe even a break. The design is again more developed -- last year might have been a peak for revamped looks for the brand -- but the waist-up/essentially mugshot photo on seemingly every card is, well, not all that appealing card after card after card and I only opened this small box. I think a hobby box might be quite the rough rip. (This is an issue other past sets have also had ... but this one seems even more rigid -- too rigid.) A new take on the 1880s tobacco card aesthetic works for baseball but I'm not sure a lot of the pop culture throw-ins here really make sense on that style as much as they might for a Finest set or something that has a lot of razzle/dazzle Refractor feel to it. It just feels off ... and I don't think this retro, Victorian-style look is a good mainstreaming feel to draw non-collectors into cards in 2023. It just feels off. The color palette on the signed cards also just seems drab though perhaps it's a nod to some of the gold-ink styles for old tobacco sets. Hobby boxes once again include three hits -- sometimes that will be three Relics -- and then some cases have delivered a lot more ink than others and that could make for some fun breaks if you go there. I, myself, would rather have some consistency and for a more-premium price for these boxes these days I'll play the broken record and note that this one really does need an auto in every hobby box. (A lot of the names can't be pricey signers to land, either.) The big draws, as usual, are in there and the quirks are, too, but in this 18th edition I've not really spotted more than a couple I'd want to chase -- and I like the quirky and non-traditional stuff. Yet, at the same time some genres of signers here feel like they could anchor an A&G non-sports set -- or a new pop-culture brand with a feel for the here and now -- better than one that's supposed to be MLB with a lot of other quirky retro nods added in. This one will likely be a one and done for me -- at least until this one hits the bargain bin -- and that's more because the main draws here feel like they are too rare to expect to land when ripping a box or two or three (not a development exclusive to this brand at all) but because a brand that used to be known for serious surprises, big names and big chases feels like it just needs more or at least some real differently feeling inclusions.

Product Grade: B 
Box Grade: A- (good to find Wembanyama, Young & Volpe here ... but rest of this felt like Ginter needs a rest/reboot)
Fun Grade: B

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