Buzz Break: 2024 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (mega 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: 2024 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (mega)
First Buzz preview & checklist/odds: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)

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

Packs per box: 16
Cards per pack: 14
Cards per box: 222
Base set completion: 
180 of 350 (51 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Shohei Ohtani, Bo Bichette, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Mike Trout, Bobby Witt Jr., Spencer Steer, Austin Riley, Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor

RC logo cards (34) – Notables include Heston Kjerstad, Nick Loftin, Jung Hoo Lee ... and not much else. (See all in gallery.)

Insert/short-print cards: 41 (all in gallery below with some base)
Blue parallel (2) – Texas Rangers, Zack Greinke
Holofoil parallel (1) – Emmanuel Rivera
City To City (1) – Alex Bregman
1989 Topps (2) – Mike Piazza, Triston Casas
1989 Topps Foilboard (4) – Gunnar Henderson, Sandy Koufax, Mickey Mantle, C.J. Abrams
1989 Topps All-Star (2) – Cal Ripken Jr., Freddie Freeman
1989 Topps All-Star Foilboard (4) – Mark McGwire, George Brett, Chipper Jones, Luis Robert Jr.
1989 Topps All-Star Purple Foilboard (1) – Mookie Betts (/75)
Significant Statistics (2) – Aaron Judge, Freddie Freeman
Covering The Field (1) – Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Around The Horn (1) – Paul Goldschmidt
Home Run Challenge (2) – Bo Bichette, Julio Rodriguez
Fantasy Favorites (1) – Corbin Carroll
Stars Of MLB (16) – Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jasson Dominguez, Joey Votto, Clayton Kershaw, Manny Machado, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman, Nolan Arenado, Jose Ramirez, Luis Arraez, Francisco Lindor, Kyle Harrison, Sal Frelick, Ceddanne Rafaela, Zack Gelof
Chrome Stars Of MLB (1) – Zack Gelof

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
1989 Topps Relics (1) – Freddie Freeman

What's Buzz-worthy: Remember last week when I ripped into some hangers of this one and I noted how Freddie Freeman and other Dodgers were coming out of this one heavily? Check out this box ... a bit nutty but I'll take it. The Relic and the Purple are both tough pulls (see box grade for those numbers below) while the run of 1989 foil cards was strong for both the past and present. Throw in some good names on Home Run Challenge cards (though both are having bad years) a color-match of sorts on a Texas Rangers World Series card parallel and then some more Dodgers among the retail-only inclusions here and it was a solid box. A solid box for me to end on with retail dabbling here. The last time I opened one of these, I landed three serial-numbered cards and marveled at the odds. This time with a hit and a rarer retail-only parallel only found here I marveled in a different way ... I still think neither of these card types needs to be that rare and together, if sold, wouldn't pay for half of this box. Now there's some safety in numbers for this one ... but as a collector it's a solid box for what it is. ... As I noted last time, it was a fun rip for all that variety and potential but when I was done the base stack was really not that impressive and the meaty insert stack was nice -- way better than other retail formats. This release is perhaps not as clean as Series 1 printing-wise as corners -- especially corners on parallel cards and foil inserts -- showed issues and there were some top/bottom denting issues. (It's somewhat common ... but I would prefer it not be there at all as I'd like to grade good finds here.) I think this format is the way to go if you're not doing a hobby or jumbo box.

Product Grade: A- (probably only thanks to Fun Face, which is an A+ homage inclusion)
Box Grade: A (one in 625 packs on that Purple, one in 438 pack on that Relic and a nice run of names on the 1989s)
Fun Grade: A-

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