2008 Topps Chrome Hobby Box Break

2008 Topps Chrome Hobby Box
24 packs, 4 cards per pack
2 autographs per box

All Topps Chrome is good Chrome, but not all sets are created equal.  Most feel 2008 Topps is a bit of a weak design.

Everyone and their dog has seen the set by now, so I'll keep this to inserts and hits.

Chrome Trading Card History still ring cool.

Seven total.  Super shine.

These 50th Anniversary All-Rookie Team cards are beautiful.  Combing shine with color, a giant trophy, and a nice pic, is a formula that can't fail in my book.

Topps wasn't able to kill my joy of pulling a Mantle card, but they sure have been trying.  Now if people pull a Mantle Topps card they are just as likely to be annoyed as they are to be happy.

Okay, okay...the hits:

Chrome Heritage serial numbered to 1959.

Kendrick refractor s/n to 599.

A rookie card!  Oh...Brian Bass (4.87 lifetime era).  Copper refractor serial numbered to 599.

Finally.  A copper refractor Griffey numbered to 599.

Ohlendorf auto.  After a terrible 2008 with the Yanks (6.46 era), Ohlendorf was shipped to the Pirates where he had a respectable season in 2009 (11-10, 3.92 era).

I don't mind getting this auto because it appears Ohlendorf might have a fairly long stay in the majors.  As long as I get players that stick around I usually am okay with the auto.  It's also his rookie card which is always more desirable.

Randy Wells auto.  Another rookie card.

At first glance a lot of baseball fans probably don't remember much about Wells' 2009 season.  He had a crisp 3.05 era in 165.1 innings (12-10 record) for the Cubs.  The 26 year old finished sixth in the Rookie of the Year balloting.

Wells kinda came out of nowhere (3.75 career era in seven seasons in the minors).  He impressed Pinella quite a bit and the Cubs will be counting on him to repeat his 2009 performance.

I'm definitely content with this auto.

Overall this was probably a slightly below average box.  The Griffey Jr copper refractor and Wells auto stand out above a sea of mediocre hits.

2008 Topps Series 2 Hobby Box Break (A Surprise Hit!)

2008 Topps Series Two Hobby Box

36 packs, 10 cards per pack

One Relic or Autograph per box

Cost: $21.00

Just about everyone has seen thousands of these 2008 Topps cards by now, so I'll keep it simple.

Great card of Prince Fielder doing what he always does:  Full barrel hustle.

This is the first 2008 Topps Series Two box I've opened.  I opened a lot of Series One.

Markakis Gold!  Me likey! (All gold s/n to 2008.)

Okay Andrew.  It's now or never.  Start dominating already.

Gold rush of commons.

This card is a bit bizarre.  It's ultra thin like a throw away contest card (because that's what it is), yet it's serial numbered to 999.  This is one of those cards you are supposed to fill out and mail off to enter the Home Run Derby contest.  I wonder if people actually did that.

I never tire of Mantle inserts.

I received numerous cards from this great subset but these are the two coolest.  Taveras because he is doing an old school pose while wearing an old school glove, and Pedroia because he loves dirt.

I know these Trading Card History cards are all over the place, but the retro look wins me over.  The only one of these I previously had is the Peavy card.

Topps Stars inserts.

Alex Gordon game used jersey.  Hm, where does black come from?  Aren't Royals jerseys powder blue, navy blue, and white?

But look!  A hit!  I was so unprepared for this type of hit that I nearly threw it out.  I mindlessly treated it like another expired contest or pointless code card.

This is supposed to be Evan Longoria.  Is this really going to be a Longoria auto?  By looking at Ebay it seems to be.  If and when I get this card I will pass out.

Obviously I am thrilled with this box.  You get heap plenty base stars (not shown) and a bunch of inserts and a game used card.  I lucked out on the Red Hot card but even without it this box gives a lot of bang for the buck.