2010 Topps Chrome Baseball and Chrome Football
What I pulled (Baseball)--
Refractors – Evan Longoria, Mark Buehrle, Justin Morneau, Jose Reyes
Blue Refractor – Joe Saunders (#89/199)
National Chicle Chrome – Chris Coghlan (#410/999)
Topps Heritage Chrome – Yadier Molina (#787/1961)
Base Autographs – Wade Davis, Brian Matusz (redemption)
What I pulled (Baseball)--
Refractors – Joe Haden, Steve Smith (NY), T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Nnamdi Asomugha, Eric Berry, Javier Arenas, Jonathan
Vilma, Tony Pike, Major Wright
Gridiron Lineage – Percy Harvin/Dexter McCluster, Tony Dorsett/LeSean McCoy
Topps Flashbacks – Chad Johnson 2001, Mark Sanchez 2009, Reggie Wayne 2001, Adrian Peterson 2007
Bowman Chrome Previews – Arrelious Benn, C.J. Spiller
Base Autograph – Dexter McCluster
Review:
Welcome to two reviews for the price of one. Normally, I’d separate things, but 2010 Topps Chrome
Baseball and Football are so similar that rolling them into one package works very nicely.
Since my opinion of the base card design for this year’s Topps base sets has been nothing but raves, it
should come as no surprise that I think the cards translate very well once the Chrome technology is added
into the equation. I will admit that I prefer the white Baseball borders to the silver Football ones, but that is
nothing more than quibbling, since both look great. The translation also works very well with the Refractor
cards, which seem to pop more than they have in past years, and really tend to stand out when cracking
packs open.
As for the chase cards, we’ll start with those Refractors, which are more plentiful in Football over Baseball.
However, the colored Refractors might be a little Baseball skewing, if my box is an indication (no colors in
Football). All of the normal chase cards are there, and in a very heavy year for rookies, especially in
Baseball, there will be plenty for collectors to try and track down, from Strasburg to Heyward to Stanton with
many in between and most with autographed versions.
The inserts are more plentiful on the Football side, with the inclusion of the Rookie Flashbacks and the
Bowman Chrome Previews upping that number, but doing so in a way that should make pack openers
happy. Baseball keeps the inserts at a minimum, but here is a case where I wish there was more, since I
would have loved to pull more of the National Chicle and Heritage cards, not to mention a T-206 Chrome,
as well. All of these cards in both sets, with the possible exception of the Gridiron Lineage cards, really
look great in Chrome, and feel like they add some value to individual packs.
Of course, we cannot forget about the autographs – one in the Football boxes, two in Baseball. The big difference between the
two is very easy to see, as the Football autos are stickers, while the Baseball ones are on-card. I have a feeling I know which
way collectors will prefer, of course. I could have done without a redemption for one of my autos (no big shock on that
statement), but we all know that is part of the game for necessary reasons. I haven’t had one in a while, so I really won’t moan
too much about it.
The bottom line is this, though. These sets are a staple of the Topps production line for a reason. They are sharp and rookie
collectors love them. The technology remains solid year in and year out, and in that case, since it ain’t broke, there is no
reason to ever change the formula. Both boxes are a solid purchase for collectors in that sport.........
Both sports: B+
What I pulled (Baseball)--
Refractors – Evan Longoria, Mark Buehrle, Justin Morneau, Jose Reyes
Blue Refractor – Joe Saunders (#89/199)
National Chicle Chrome – Chris Coghlan (#410/999)
Topps Heritage Chrome – Yadier Molina (#787/1961)
Base Autographs – Wade Davis, Brian Matusz (redemption)
What I pulled (Baseball)--
Refractors – Joe Haden, Steve Smith (NY), T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Nnamdi Asomugha, Eric Berry, Javier Arenas, Jonathan
Vilma, Tony Pike, Major Wright
Gridiron Lineage – Percy Harvin/Dexter McCluster, Tony Dorsett/LeSean McCoy
Topps Flashbacks – Chad Johnson 2001, Mark Sanchez 2009, Reggie Wayne 2001, Adrian Peterson 2007
Bowman Chrome Previews – Arrelious Benn, C.J. Spiller
Base Autograph – Dexter McCluster
Review:
Welcome to two reviews for the price of one. Normally, I’d separate things, but 2010 Topps Chrome
Baseball and Football are so similar that rolling them into one package works very nicely.
Since my opinion of the base card design for this year’s Topps base sets has been nothing but raves, it
should come as no surprise that I think the cards translate very well once the Chrome technology is added
into the equation. I will admit that I prefer the white Baseball borders to the silver Football ones, but that is
nothing more than quibbling, since both look great. The translation also works very well with the Refractor
cards, which seem to pop more than they have in past years, and really tend to stand out when cracking
packs open.
As for the chase cards, we’ll start with those Refractors, which are more plentiful in Football over Baseball.
However, the colored Refractors might be a little Baseball skewing, if my box is an indication (no colors in
Football). All of the normal chase cards are there, and in a very heavy year for rookies, especially in
Baseball, there will be plenty for collectors to try and track down, from Strasburg to Heyward to Stanton with
many in between and most with autographed versions.
The inserts are more plentiful on the Football side, with the inclusion of the Rookie Flashbacks and the
Bowman Chrome Previews upping that number, but doing so in a way that should make pack openers
happy. Baseball keeps the inserts at a minimum, but here is a case where I wish there was more, since I
would have loved to pull more of the National Chicle and Heritage cards, not to mention a T-206 Chrome,
as well. All of these cards in both sets, with the possible exception of the Gridiron Lineage cards, really
look great in Chrome, and feel like they add some value to individual packs.
Of course, we cannot forget about the autographs – one in the Football boxes, two in Baseball. The big difference between the
two is very easy to see, as the Football autos are stickers, while the Baseball ones are on-card. I have a feeling I know which
way collectors will prefer, of course. I could have done without a redemption for one of my autos (no big shock on that
statement), but we all know that is part of the game for necessary reasons. I haven’t had one in a while, so I really won’t moan
too much about it.
The bottom line is this, though. These sets are a staple of the Topps production line for a reason. They are sharp and rookie
collectors love them. The technology remains solid year in and year out, and in that case, since it ain’t broke, there is no
reason to ever change the formula. Both boxes are a solid purchase for collectors in that sport.........
Both sports: B+
