2019-2020 Panini Prizm Basketball Review

Panini Prizm hype is absolutely OFF THE CHARTS this year. Though Prizm is basically a mid-tier product, it is being priced at levels 2 and 3 times what it's suggested retail price is. And you know what? Collectors are buying it up like crazy still! For me, Prizm has been near impossible to find at the retail level and very pricey when it comes to group breaks and online purchases.

Product Thoughts
I remember when Panini first came out with Prizm many years back. They actually sent me a few boxes to review. I wasn't too impressed back then as I thought it was a Topps Chrome ripoff. Prizm hasn't really been huge for other sports, but in basketball, it is one of the premier products because basketball collectors are probably the most fanatical when it comes to parallel cards. And as of now, Prizm is the product with the most desired parallels.

Prizm comes in many forms at both the retail and hobby levels, and each product seems to have their own unique Prizm content. There are so many different types of cards! It can get really confusing where to find certain types. For the most part, many of the serial numbered parallels are found in hobby packs. A few very difficult to find serial numbered cards can be found at retail, but mostly they aren't numbered. Surprisingly, the most desirable parallels are the common silver ones. These unnumbered cards are found throughout hobby and retail and are sought after above and beyond other rarities. They look great and give collectors hope of actually getting a good one.

With Prizm it's all about the parallels. Panini has included insert cards inside of Prizm packs, but these are by far the least popular cards to find in the product. Because of the chrome nature of Prizm, all the inserts pretty much look the same. They are quite flat looking. It's hard to do a good insert in Prizm because of its nature. Even the parallels of the inserts aren't too desirable. I'd certainly take base rookies over these cards.

Autographs are even second fiddle to the parallel cards! Panini doesn't exactly put a ton of effort into these. The autographs are on sticker with a design that is pretty pedestrian. Sure, a big name auto pull would be great, but lots and lots of Prizm autographs are of vet or retired players that don't carry much value to them. 

Interestingly, at the retail level collectors can find jersey cards in blasters. Mem cards haven't been a associated with the Prizm concept much, but they do exist. I'm sure these cards have a ton of print run to them, but for those who want some cloth action, you can actually find it!

Positives:

• Very hot and desirable cards - especially the rookies.
• Parallel cards look really good.
• Huge variety of formats to select from and purchase.

Negatives:

• Very expensive and can be hard to find at retail.
• Autograph content is mediocre.
• Inserts are uninteresting.

Overall Rating:

9.5/10

2019 Topps Mini Review

Topps puts out a never-ending array of products it seems! I decided to try out the online exclusive Topps Mini cards that are a smaller version of the standard Topps base set. I'm not usually a fan of smaller cards, but Topps stated that these cards would have a pretty limited print run, so I gave a couple of packs a shot.

Product Thoughts
I paid about twenty five dollars per Topps mini pack. I actually wish I had gotten more as they are completely sold out at Topps.com. The cards come in a black Topps box with a silver pack containing all the cards. You get a nice stack of cards with the first portion of the pack being parallel cards. The standard cards come after the parallels and are from all of the different Topps base sets from the 2019 year. Series One, Two, and Update are all here. Besides being smaller, these cards also lack any foil, so they have a very flat matte look and feel to them.

Topps gives you a slew of numbered parallels. My first pack actually had a number of very low colored parallel cards. I got both a red numbered to 5 and this Dansby Swanson 1/1! It was very cool to find a 1/1 in one of my packs. Collectors really love Topps numbered parallels, and I think these will be very popular with collectors looking for distinct versions of certain cards. Getting a Pete Alonso rookie or someone of that ilk would be very lucrative.

The 1984 retro cards also can be found in the packs. These cards mirror the '84 cards in the standard series, but again lack the foil. I guess Topps didn't want to splurge with these smaller cards. In any case, these cards aren't too special. The parallel cards, however, look very nice. The colored border on them as well as the serial numbering elevate the cards nicely. Check out my video break to see a sweet pink bordered Matt Olson numbered to just 25. It's probably my favorite pull of my 2-box break!

Besides parallels, autographed cards can be found in mini versions. These cards are sticker autos and look rather pedestrian. Still, getting a good one would make any collector pretty happy. 

Positives:

• Many colored and numbered parallels per pack/box.
• Certainly a different product than what you usually see.
• Limited.

Negatives:

• The standard mini base card is flat looking without the foil Topps usually uses.
• Sold out already and pricey on the secondary market.
• Not an easy product to store away because of its size.

Overall Rating:

9/10

2019 Topps Gallery Review

Topps Gallery is a product that is exclusive to Walmart stores, so if you're at your local Walmart, keep your eyes open for these beautiful cards. The cards come in a mega box form, blasters, and also packs. There are a number of insert cards, parallels, and even autographs to be found when breaking into this product.

Product Thoughts
Now this is a classy looking product. The base cards are extremely crispy and clean with a huge touch of class. They certainly live up to their 'gallery' namesake. The cards look as though they have been painted to be hung in a fine arts gallery. The feel of the cards is also excellent. The cards of are of a good thickness that doesn't feel cheap and are finished with a nice texture that feels both matte and glossed at the same time. There aren't many cards that look as nice as these.

The set combines rookies with vets and retired players. Collectors will find a large sample of players from all of baseball's present and past here. For those looking for more of the big rookies from this year, Topps Gallery has them. In fact, I found many rookie cards when going through my packs. This product is a great place to add some of the hot newcomers from the 2019 season without breaking the bank. As this product is a Walmart release, the price point is very affordable with packs in the five dollar range and blasters at $20.

Different types of parallel cards are placed in different configurations of Gallery. If you're going the route of blasters, you'll get a special 4-card pack of Artist Proof parallels. These parallels are exactly the same as the standard base card except for a foil 'Artist Proof' stamp on the front of the card. I personally don't find these cards to stand out much. The little foil stamp denotes that it is a parallel, but it's not too exciting. For those folks who remember 90's Pinnacle products, there were these Museum collection foil cards that were easier to find than their Artist Proof companions. I liked the Museum cards better because they had a fully foiled look that was incredible compared to the single stamp of the Artists Proofs.

Bordered parallel cards come in packs of Gallery. The brown look of these parallels doesn't impress me. The white border game the cards a much classier look. This brown frame look cheapens the product in my opinion. Neither standard parallel does much for me. I think Topps needs to go back to the drawing board for their Gallery parallel cards next year.

The Master & Apprentice parallels have a different feel than the base cards. These cards are glossier and feature more color. These cards pair a couple of players from the past and present on the same card. The pairings are from the same team and showcase a nice history of great players for a certain organization. The foil on these cards stand out well and team collectors should enjoy these a great deal.

Another insert that I quite like are these Heritage cards. These cards resemble a card that could have been released in the 50's or 60's. They have an extremely nostalgic feel to them and look great. It's just amazing how clean these Gallery cards all look.

If you're going for a mega box, you'll find two sticker autos waiting for you. I didn't get a mega box and was lucky to pull this autograph out of a blaster. If you're going for autographed content, I would definitely go the mega box route as other methods have much leaner odds. Unfortunately, autographs in Gallery aren't the best as they are simply a sticker hastily pasted onto the front of a base card. It's a bit lazy of an effort by Topps here.

Positives:

• Crispy and clean looking cards.
• Boxes and packs don't cost too much.
• Guaranteed autographs in mega boxes.

Negatives:

• Autographs are not presented well on the card.
• The product can only be found at Walmart.
• Parallel content could use a makeover.

Overall Rating:

8.5/10

2019 Topps Transcendent Review

 

Topps is absolutely crazy with the most expensive card product ever produced - Transcendent. A box of this stuff costs nearly $30,000. It is jam packed with legendary autographs, rare cards, and even a special invitation to a party with Ken Griffey Jr. I guess if you have money to throw around, you can spend it on this! Most mortals will have to settle for getting a lucky hit in a group break (of which is NOT cheap either)!

Product Thoughts

Transcendent is a beautiful product - that can't be denied. The base cards have a shimmer to them that is unreal in person. The cards are of the highest quality and are certainly special. Of course, the base cards are not what make this product. The most interesting products are the Derek Jeter 1/1 cards represented on a throwback Topps designs, the Superfractor that you get, the cut-autograph, and the Griffey meet and greet party. In the group break that I was in, a 1/1 Babe ruth cut/bat barrel book card was pulled. I held my breath for a second until I saw someone else's lucky name attached to it. Transcendent is an amazing product that most can only just grasp at. 

Group breaks for Transcendent ranged from a hundred plus dollars to a smidge under six hundred for a single card. Lower priced group breaks included every card there (including the base). More expensive group breaks would lump all the base cards together as one spot. I got lucky pulling this Bryce Harper/10 from a break that cost just over a hundred dollars. Doing this truly is a gamble, but like I said before, it's probably the only way to get a hold of Transcendent. I certainly wouldn't buy a box of it. The box price is as much as a very nice new car!

Looking on eBay, many of the cards you might want to pick up can be found for a relatively low price. The only cards that hit stratospheric numbers are the huge hits like the desirable cuts and 1 of 1 rarities. But if you're just going for a player that is decent, you can find the singles for moderate prices.

Positives:

• The most elegant cards produced.
• Chances at 1/1's, amazing cuts, and more.
• Group breaks offer a chance at greatness.

Negatives:

• Its price tag is insane.
• Group break prices are high and high risk.
• Not as sought after of a brand because of its prohibitive price point.

Overall Rating:

9.5/10

2019-2020 Panini Absolute Basketball Review

Absolute is a brand that is known for its quality cards that contain a ton of different basketball related memorabilia. It's a brand that is flashy, full of hits, and a great product geared toward higher-end collectors. This year's box price comes out at just under $200 with each box of Absolute containing two mini boxes inside. As traditional with Absolute, the cards are wrapped in cellophane packs - which you can pretty much see through. I'm not sure why that's the case, but that's just the way it's always been with this brand.

Product Thoughts
Absolute is a fun product to break. There is a lot to see in the product with many of the cards being flashy in design. Collectors can expect to find two autographs and two relics inside of their boxes. Absolute is a rookie-centric brand so there are many rookie autos and memorabilia cards to find. Because of the early season release of these cards, the rookie materials are all just player worn rather than game-used. Veterans will have game-used material though. Just make sure you check the back of the card to verify where the embedded memorabilia came from.

Being a higher-end product, you'll find plenty of autographs and serial numbered cards. The big draw this year, of course, is Zion Williamson. Any cards of his - including his base cards - will have a nice value to them. As of this review, Zion has not yet played a second of an NBA regular season game. Collectors can only hope that his on-court play will match the extreme hype his cards are carrying at the moment.

Some of the rookie cards in Absolute are on-card autographed. These cards should carry a nice premium as on-card autographs are much more desired than those of the sticker variety. The cards in Absolute come in a variety of parallel variations. This particular Cam Reddish autographed card is a blue bordered parallel numbered to just 49.

Speaking of parallel cards, the base cards also have many variations to them. The card that comes at the end of the pack are usually the ones that has serial numbering on them. Parallel base cards stand out from their base counterparts as they shimmer with a radiant color. The parallels look quite nice, and in basketball, parallel cards have always been sought after - especially those of the hottest players.

In Absolute you'll find not only standard jersey cards, but cards that feature patches and even chunks of basketballs. I've got to admit I'm not a huge fan of the basketball relics, but they do have some visual appeal to them. If you happen to pull a basketball relic, you'll find that the card is quite large as to fit that chunk in there.

Positives:

• Shiny cards that have eye-popping looks.
• Lots of rookie card content.
• 4 hits per main box.

Negatives:

• Mostly on-sticker autographed content.
• Rookie memorabilia is player-worn.
• Basketball pieces look cool, but aren't very significant as an embedded relic.

Overall Rating:

8.75/10

2019-2020 Upper Deck Black Diamond Review

Upper Deck Black Diamond is the first high-end hockey product to come out. Upper Deck packs Black Diamond full of 'innovative' inserts as well as a the full rookie class for 19/20. Each box comes with two packs - a single card Exquisite pack and a thick pack of Black Diamond cards. The boxes of Black Diamond run a shade under two-hundred US dollars... so... not cheap.

Product Thoughts
I honestly haven't been a fan of Black Diamond since it's changeover from a mid-tier product. The cards are definitely more premium, but the value really isn't there in terms of what you get in the pack. Though there is some nice memorabilia content, there are also cards that are nicely made 'insert' cards. They may look nice, but collectors don't seem very enthusiastic about them. My thought is that Upper Deck is trying to elevate insert cards so that they have more collectability. Sadly, I don't think they have caught on much. I find that collectors are disappointed when they see these cards - even though they can be quite good looking in design.

Speaking of insert cards, back again are these fake patch cards. These jumbo manufactured patch cards have been in Black Diamond for a couple years now, but I really wish they weren't. To the unsuspecting collector, this card could be considered a 'sick patch', but this patch was never part of a jersey. It was just sewed up by Upper Deck and inserted into the card for collectors to create a team logo puzzle. It's a big waste of space and something that I've found collectors to really dislike. At two-hundred dollars a box, who's going to put these puzzle cards together? 

On a positive note, you can find all of the 19/20 rookie crop here in Black Diamond. In Upper Deck Series One, you only got a portion of the best rookies. Here in Black Diamond you get pretty much all the tops guys. The standard Rookie Gem card is well designed and has a unique look that is pretty impressive. The more rare rookie gem cards have actual diamonds embedded in them. Though I'm not a huge fan of this trend of putting diamonds into cards, it does work for Black Diamond since diamond is in its name. Plus, the cards really do look quite nice.

Being a very early season release, there is no way that Upper Deck could put game-used content of the rookies they have in the product. The relic cards here are all player-worn - but that's expected. I'd much rather get a card like this than that big jumbo fake patch.

Autographed content in Black Diamond is available, but I've seen some breaks that have no ink in them. To me that's sad. The autographs look great even thought they come on a sticker. The gold ink really pops and having each card serial numbered is a nice touch. I'm definitely liking the autographed content here.

Exquisite packs will yield lots of rookie content. Many of the Exquisite cards feature serial numbered rookie cards. These thick cards have a nice premium feel to them. Besides those rookie cards, you can also find memorabilia. I was lucky enough to find this Carey Price patch card. it is a gorgeous card with a great patch embedded in it. I definitely feel that I got lucky with this card!

Positives:

• Great looking card designs.
• All the top rookies are available.
• Actual diamond rookie cards look good and have nice value to them.

Negatives:

• Insert cards are not a hit with collectors.
• Manufactured patch cards are not a hit with collectors.
• The price point is not a hit with collectors.

Overall Rating:

7.25/10

2019-2020 Hoops Basketball Review

I've been waiting for Hoops to hit my retail shelves, and it's finally here. It's a bit strange to be so excited for a very low-end retail product, but I was excited nonetheless. Basketball fever is high in these parts and Hoops brings it with all the exciting rookies in their NBA uniforms. Hoops also has a huge array of inserts and parallels that make it fun to open and enjoy.

Product Thoughts
I had the option of purchasing some hobby boxes of Hoops a couple of weeks ago, but I held off as I thought the price was quite high. It was around the $100 mark, which is really unheard of territory for a product like Hoops. The Zion hype is real! I decided to hold off and see when it would hit retail, and it finally did. Panini sure did take their sweet time getting it out to my neck of the woods though! I picked up a few rack packs and blasters for their retail of price of $4.99 and $19.99 respectively. The store also had gravity packs going for a few bucks each, but I held off on those.

Hoops has a myriad of insert cards. One of the popular sets so far are the Arriving Now cards. Panini has done a great job on the design of these cards. I love the bright yellow background with the player in black and white with their jersey in color. It's a stunning look that works really well. These inserts come in both a standard paper version as well as a foil parallel. This set features all the top rookies from the draft. These cards likely won't hold high values, but the appeal of these cards will get collectors to chase them.

Hoops has been around for a very long time. I actually remember buying the very first Hoops set back in 1989 and '90. It was a really exciting time for basketball cards. This year Hoops has a special tribute to the 90's with a very 90's inspired design. Not only do you get players who were from that era on the cards, the rookies are also part of this tribute set. 

Hoops is a product that is really geared towards a younger audience. Though they have cards like the tributes above, most of the inserts have a modern feel to them. One of my favorites this year are the Get Out The Way cards. These cards are very busy looking with a colorful, eye-popping design. The foil variations have an extra pop to them that I really enjoy.

For the parallel collectors out there, Hoops throws in quite a few parallels to chase. Retail packs have special orange and teal foil parallels that look really nice. Filling in the border with shimmery color makes the cards really stand out. Other parallels have a more plain colored border and you'll find some parallel cards with serial numbering on them.

While Hoops is a low-end product, Panini does a good job of still providing collectors with the chance at getting hits. Most of the hits found in Topps are going to be plain jersey cards. Blaster boxes state that you will find either a jersey or an autograph, but for the vast majority of the time your hit will be a jersey. Plain jersey or not, it's still great to find hits in retail blasters - this is something that Panini does really well.

I actually pulled an autographed card out of a hanger rack pack. The Great SIGnificance set doesn't really inspire anyone to collect it, but it is a nice surprise to pull out of a pack. These cards have sticker autographs and a very mundane design. This type of autographed content is correct for a brand such as Hoops, so I won't complain too much about it.

On store shelves now are Hoops Holiday Edition blasters. These boxes have base and insert cards that feature a photoshopped snowy background. I can't help but compare these to their Topps counterparts. It's no contest. The Topps Holiday cards a heads and shoulders above these in every way. But I'm just glad Panini did something with the holidays. Upper Deck needs to follow soon!

The coolest thing to find in the Holiday blasters is the player-worn ugly sweater cards. These cards feature a piece of an ugly sweater that the player wore. You can see the shirt right on the front of the card. It's a really fun idea and perfect for Christmas coming up!

Positives:

• Inexpensive product.
• Hitting at the retail level is guaranteed in blasters.
• Huge number of different things to collect within the Hoops checklist.

Negatives:

• These cards will not be worth too much.
• Lackluster design on some of the cards - particularly the sticker autographs.
• Exciting now, but anything but later.

Overall Rating:

7.5/10

2019-2020 Panini Certified Basketball Review

Zion mania is totally here and he isn't even playing right now. It's total hype right now and I can't help but join in on the fun. Certified came out this week and I decided to purchase a box and see if I could pull a Zion autograph. Long story short... nope! But the cards do look slick and they remind me of when Certified hockey was a thing those many years ago. This is a crisp set that not only looks great, has a good number of valuable cards in it as well.

Product Thoughts
This year's Certifed is a good looking product. The cards of of high quality and they really do shimmer and shine beautifully. As a hockey card collector, Certified always reminded me of the hobby version of Artifacts. Both products had about 10 packs per box and guaranteed a couple of hits. Both products were also early season releases that really started the season for collectors looking for autos and mem. While Artifacts went for more of a classy look, Certified always came at collectors with an ultra modern sleek design full of color. And that still holds true with this release.

This year's big draw is Zion Williamson and everyone is going bonkers looking for his rookies and autographs. Each 10-pack box of Certified comes with an autographed rookie card. The most common are the Freshman Fabric cards that feature a jersey and a sticker auto. The standard version of these cards are not serial numbered and go with a plain jersey swatch. In typical Certified fashion, there are numerous parallels that up the rarity and desirability considerably.

Perhaps more than any other sport, basketball card collectors covet parallel cards. Even standard unnumbered parallels can go for insane amounts of coin if it's of the right player. Certified provides collectors with many colors bursting out of packs. The most common are the red and blue parallels that are unnumbered. You'll find a handful of that type in a standard break. Orange parallels to 99 are also pretty common and come about one per box. Lower serial numbered cards get much more difficult to find.

A sweet looking insert out of Certified this year are their graffiti cards. These inserts have a 90's in-your-face style of design that goes well with the game of basketball. Inserts such as these have always drawn collector interest because of their fun nature. More traditional looking inserts like Certified Gold Team and Raise the Banner are also found in the product.

Each box of Certified has about two hits. I've found that besides the rookie hit, a standard sticker auto on an insert is what the other one is. Unfortunately the sticker on the shimmery Certified stock sticks out like a sore thumb. An on-card autograph would make the card look heaps better, but I understand that would probably cost Panini too much to do. These can be nice cards, but they are essentially throw ins to add a bit of value to the release.

Positives:

• Excellent looking cards.
• You'll find a couple hits and a number of colored parallels in a box.
• Hitting a Zion will make your day.

Negatives:

• More expensive than in previous years (Thanks Zion).
• Autographs are mostly on-sticker.
• Condition out of the box can be an issue (I've seen lots of lines on the cards).

Overall Rating:

8.5/10

2019 Topps Dynasty Review

Topps sure does come out with a lot of one-card-per-pack products... and they keep getting more expensive! Dynasty is a whopping $350 plus break should you decided to partake in it. That being said, Dynasty is chock full of amazing hits with large memorabilia pieces and on-card autographs. It's a pretty huge risk, but Topps does deliver some great content here.

Product Thoughts
Though it is pretty outrageous, I like Dynasty quite a bit. Topps does their best to include only the best of the best in the product. It's probably the best chance of pulling a really noteworthy name in the entire Topps lineup. I think the highest number you can pull is out of 10, so the cards are very limited.

I participated in a group break of Dynasty and was lucky enough to actually receive a card. In a 10-spot break with only 5 cards available, going home with anything is a win. The Chris Sale card shown above was the card I got with the 7-spot in a serial numbers break. The best card in the case was an Ichiro out of 5. It was a great card! I didn't do too bad though as the break was less than half the cost of a box of Dynasty. It does suck that many people in the group break went home empty handed.

If you have the money, I would wholeheartedly go after Dynasty cards. The actual card design is elegant to the max! The scan doesn't do them justice as each card has a textured shimmer look to it when in light. It's absolutely beautiful. The 2019 design has to be the best I've seen since the product released. Topps did a great job with these cards and hopefully I'll be able to add just a few more to my personal collection in the future!

Positives:

• Gorgeous cards.
• The cream of the crop in terms of players (except for Chris Sale :p).
• Low numbered, on card, big mem.

Negatives:

• Very expensive.
• High risk.
• Many cards in the set won't reach the asking price of a box.

Overall Rating:

9/10

2019 Topps High Tek Review

2019 Topps High Tek changes it up a little this year to give collectors even more content. Hobby boxes come with three mini boxes inside that contain one autograph each. From what I've seen, some very nice content has been popping out of Topps High Tek breaks. 

Product Thoughts
I personally don't really like the look of High Tek. The acetate with the 'tech-y' backgrounds are rather boring and borderline cheesy. There is just something about these cards that give them a cheaper feel as if it's a set that's not to be taken too seriously. I'm not sure what Topps can do with this product to change my mind - in my opinion it needs a complete design overhaul. That may sound harsh, but it's only my opinion and others may like the way these cards look. It's just not my cup of tea.

The best thing about High Tek are the on-card autographs found in the product. A sticker autograph on an acetate card would look absolutely hideous, so I'm glad these aren't of that variety. There is a lot going on with the face of the card - even with the white area for the autograph, the signature does get a little lost with all that clutter.

Packs contain 6 base and numbered cards along with the autograph. Boxes are about $150 or so dollars, so that works out to about $50 per autograph. I suppose that's inline with Topps' other offerings like Archives Signatures and Clearly Authentic. If you just buy one mini box, it's akin to purchasing one box of those types of products. Like I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, some good hits have been surfacing from High Tek. Though I'm not a huge fan of it, I think there is some good potential to pull a good auto from this product. If you're into it, I'd give it a shot!

Positives:

• On-card autographs.
• Collectors can purchase a box of 3 autographs or just 1 mini box with an autograph in it.
• Seen some good pulls out of online box breaks.

Negatives:

• The card designs are not strong.
• Cards and parallels are very similar looking.
• High Tek is not a Topps brand that collectors clamor over.

Overall Rating:

7/10

2019 Topps Chrome Update Review

I wasn't sure I was going to review 2019 Topps Chrome Update, but I decided to in the end because there are a few things I'd like to say about it. 2019 Topps Chrome Update is a release that's only available through Target stores and gives the beloved Chrome look to the recently released standard Topps Update set. Collectors can find Chrome Update in both a value pack and mega-box format.

Product Thoughts
Topps Chrome Update draws from Topps Update, obviously. You'll find rookie cards and players who have changed teams as well as commemorative cards throughout the set. Most of the big rookie cards came in regular Topps Chrome, but there were a few holdovers that you'll find in this release such as Keston Hiura - who has some mild popularity at the moment. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also has his true Chrome rookie in this set as the version found in Topps Series 2 was an un-numbered 'extra'. The value of this set will really depend on the rookies who have a home here. If they end up being significant players, this Chrome Update set could have a very high ceiling in terms of future worth. But of course the opposite could happen if the crop of rookies here ends up busting.

You'll find the big names in this set in terms of both rookies and star players. The only caveat is that many of these cards are commemorative cards highlighting a rookie's debut or All-Star appearance. Historically these cards pale in comparison to their standard counterpart when it comes to collectibility. I pulled a Pete Alonso green refractor numbered to 99. It's a great card (and I do like it . quite a bit), but his standard rookie green refractor will have a value many times this one.

Topps has inserted both The Family Business and Greatest Moments/Seasons/Players cards into packs. Each of these sets has gotten the refractor treatment and both look significantly better than their paper counterparts. Something about the shimmer these cards have make them stand out in a big way.

Value packs of 2019 Chrome Update will include a bonus 2-card pack of pink refractors. These pink refractors are similar to the ones that came in value packs of regular Topps Chrome this year. They are a nice incentive for purchasing value packs over a Mega Box. In fact, I would say that it would always be better to purchase the value packs over the Mega Box. From the packs and boxes of Topps Chrome Update I've opened this year, the value packs have by far had the better cards come out. Even my lone autograph pull was out of a value pack! In my opinion, the value packs are the way to go!

Positives:

• Great looking Chrome inserts.
• Lots of star players available to be found.
• Could be a limited set due to availability only at Target stores.

Negatives:

• Many commemorative cards that aren't popular to collectors.
• Future value very dependent on the rookies in the set.
• Only 4-cards per pack.

Overall Rating:

8/10