Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Archives baseball cards (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: 2023 Topps Archives baseball cards (blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

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

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 56
Base set completion: 
49 of 300 (16 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Ty Cobb, Ronald Acuña Jr., Ichiro Suzuki, Chipper Jones, Tony Gwynn, Ryne Sandberg, Tris Speaker, Mariano Rivera, David Ortiz, Mel Ott, Albert Pujols, Dylan Carlson, Sammy Sosa, Mookie Betts, Ozzie Smith, Eddie Mathews, Ted Williams, Willie Mays

RC logo cards (11) – Corbin Carroll, Nolan Gorman, Bo Naylor, Adley Rutschman, Miguel Amaya, Matthew Liberatore, Anthony Volpe, Matt McLain, Grayson Rodriguez, Cade Cavalli, Gunnar Henderson, Dominic Fletcher

Inserts: 7 (all in gallery below with some base)
Green foil parallel (1) – Willson Contreras (/99)
1957 Topps Hit Stars (1) – Tris Speaker
1969 Topps Single Player Foil (3) – Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Carlos Delgado
1979 Topps Comic (1) – Jackie Robinson
1989 Topps Doubleheaders (1) – Bryce Harper & Mike Schmidt

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: Buzz should be happy with a blaster that yielded Carroll, Henderson, Volpe and Rutschman among the rookies alone along with a parallel that's one in 70-some packs, but this one once again fell flat -- way flat -- with damaged cards from what I'd think would be the packaging process along with maybe a dropped-box scenario, though not all cards suffered that fate so maybe not. All of the 2003-styled (blue) cards had mangled corners as well as roller dents on the opposite side, while the 1965s had corners on both sides that feel slightly lifted/warped and the rest had smaller doses of that same touch. It wasn't good and it certainly overwhelmed what I landed in the box. Atop that, a number of the inserts had scratches on foilboard or errant spots in the stock used ... throwback finds for sure but ultimately not good. It was rougher than my first-impression box. ... As I noted last time, Topps tricked this one up for its hobby channels with the standard box having some exclusives, adding a smaller box still having a guaranteed auto and arriving in a lunch box (a good move for the ballpark price point) and then, well, the blasters felt lean to me. It might be the format talking, but this one just felt flat with three cards per year (1956, 1965 and 2003) per pack unless an insert flipped that around. The Silvers here are a blaster-exclusive and I'd really wonder how these boxes would feel without them. (With them, there's just not much going on here at all ... and, well, foilboard ain't doing much for me as it is.) ... This one is a collector release -- those two autos per hobby box aren't likely to get you ahead value-wise with most boxes but the collective total should have some potential here and there with a selection of good names past and present found here. It's fun but condition issues two blasters in a row pretty much make them worthless to me ... again. Maybe it will be cleaner if I were I dabble with a lunch box but my expectations are dampered there and I probably won't though I had intended to. There are perhaps more chase elements to liven this release up this year and the set's build is a bit simplified but fundamentals like basic print quality also matter. After two rough blasters I can say they matter a lot.

Product Grade: B (it may be the format here talking ... but it just felt flat)
Box Grade: B (good names but not very generous beyond base in this format ... plus see below)
Fun Grade: C- (most of the 1965s and 2003s with curled corners, cards with surface scratches and spots/dents)

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