2011 Topps Opening Day
What I pulled--
Opening Day Parallels (#ed to 2011) – Andres Torres, Pablo Sandoval, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Dan Haren, Koji Uehara,
Jason Heyward
Mascots – Southpaw, Junction Jack, Bernie Brewer, Wally the Green Monster, Raymond, Paws, Gapper, Fredbird, TC
Presidential First Pitch – Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush (Nationals), Calvin Coolidge, George W. Bush (Yankees), Barack
Obama, Richard Nixon
Spot The Error – David Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Buster Posey, Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, Derek Jeter
Superstar Celebrations – Jason Heyward, David Wright, Evan Longoria, Cliff Lee, Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Ubaldo Jimenez,
Jimmy Rollins, Prince Fielder
ToppsTown.com – Justin Morneau, Hunter Pence, Gordon Beckham, Trevor Cahill, Ike Davis, Justin Upton
Stadium Lights – Chase Utley, Adrian Gonzalez, Pedro Alvarez, Miguel Cabrera
Opening Day Stars – Miguel Cabrera, Joey Votto, Joe Mauer
Review:
Topps Opening Day is the scaled back version of the Topps base set, geared towards the hobby’s
younger set. For some reason, though, this year’s edition feels like a step up from the norm.
Opening Day has always been a great concept. Take the base set, strip away the foil and other bells and
whistles, then drop the price point and encourage children to buy it. Somewhere along the way this year,
however, huge strides were made to make Opening Day feel like a little more than that. Yes, the base
cards are all there, which is great. But the inserts, something only done on a minimal basis in the past in
Opening Day, really make for nice inclusions.
You likely aren’t going to get any autographs (seeded at a miniscule 1:480 packs) and there are no relics
in the set. However, what you do get are some inserts sets that are different from the base set, but that
don’t lose the feel that a retail-only set like Opening Day usually drops.
For starters, I love the embossed feel of the Stadium Lights insert. These cards really do not feel like something you’d see in a
retail-only product. The same goes for the Opening Day Stars set, which has the same type of technology used in the 2010
base set’s Topps 2020 insert. For the kids, the Spot The Error insert set offers up a little fun, as you compare the pictures on
the front and back of the card to find the difference in the photo.
Sure, there are mascot cards (I really wished I pulled the Mr. Met!!!) and Opening Day parallels, as well as a couple of other
insert sets, but those simply add to the box value, and make each pack feel a little more special, since there is at least one
insert card in every pack.
I’ve always like the Opening Day concept in the past, but, as an adult, always felt opening a box was a little boring. Not this
year, though. I genuinely liked this set, and will gladly reflect that in the grade I’m giving itr........................
A
What I pulled--
Opening Day Parallels (#ed to 2011) – Andres Torres, Pablo Sandoval, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Dan Haren, Koji Uehara,
Jason Heyward
Mascots – Southpaw, Junction Jack, Bernie Brewer, Wally the Green Monster, Raymond, Paws, Gapper, Fredbird, TC
Presidential First Pitch – Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush (Nationals), Calvin Coolidge, George W. Bush (Yankees), Barack
Obama, Richard Nixon
Spot The Error – David Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Buster Posey, Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, Derek Jeter
Superstar Celebrations – Jason Heyward, David Wright, Evan Longoria, Cliff Lee, Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Ubaldo Jimenez,
Jimmy Rollins, Prince Fielder
ToppsTown.com – Justin Morneau, Hunter Pence, Gordon Beckham, Trevor Cahill, Ike Davis, Justin Upton
Stadium Lights – Chase Utley, Adrian Gonzalez, Pedro Alvarez, Miguel Cabrera
Opening Day Stars – Miguel Cabrera, Joey Votto, Joe Mauer
Review:
Topps Opening Day is the scaled back version of the Topps base set, geared towards the hobby’s
younger set. For some reason, though, this year’s edition feels like a step up from the norm.
Opening Day has always been a great concept. Take the base set, strip away the foil and other bells and
whistles, then drop the price point and encourage children to buy it. Somewhere along the way this year,
however, huge strides were made to make Opening Day feel like a little more than that. Yes, the base
cards are all there, which is great. But the inserts, something only done on a minimal basis in the past in
Opening Day, really make for nice inclusions.
You likely aren’t going to get any autographs (seeded at a miniscule 1:480 packs) and there are no relics
in the set. However, what you do get are some inserts sets that are different from the base set, but that
don’t lose the feel that a retail-only set like Opening Day usually drops.
For starters, I love the embossed feel of the Stadium Lights insert. These cards really do not feel like something you’d see in a
retail-only product. The same goes for the Opening Day Stars set, which has the same type of technology used in the 2010
base set’s Topps 2020 insert. For the kids, the Spot The Error insert set offers up a little fun, as you compare the pictures on
the front and back of the card to find the difference in the photo.
Sure, there are mascot cards (I really wished I pulled the Mr. Met!!!) and Opening Day parallels, as well as a couple of other
insert sets, but those simply add to the box value, and make each pack feel a little more special, since there is at least one
insert card in every pack.
I’ve always like the Opening Day concept in the past, but, as an adult, always felt opening a box was a little boring. Not this
year, though. I genuinely liked this set, and will gladly reflect that in the grade I’m giving itr........................
A
