2009 Topps Chrome..any good?

[cdub6238]

im not much of a baseball card guy, but i remember when Topps Chrome used to be really popular, but seems to have been pushed down to the lower end with the Bowman/Bowman Chrome/Bowman Draft kings of the past 5-6 years..

does anybody think this might be a pretty decent break-as long as its fairly cheap? dont see any pricing for boxes/cases yet..but apparantly theres 2 Rookie Autos per box with all the Refractors/Colors as usual...
im sure most have already had Bowman/etc Autos before but with guys like Schafer/Andrus/Rasmus/Zimmerman on the checklist would it be decent?

not to mention the WBC cards with all the parallels...maybe around $60/box would be good deal? any thoughts?

[DadofTwins]

If you buy in right away and sell right away I think you can do OK. But its all the same players over and over again that sell much better in Bowman Chrome. Because of the refractor parallels and a smaller demand for 2nd third and fourth year autos Topps Chrome is usually short lived.

[bmc398]

If laporta, andrus, schafer, rasmus and zimmerman are in this product liek advertised, at $60 this will be a winner. the 2007 RC class was SO WEAK but I still amde a ton of money off of this product because of the parallels and refractors. Actually made some decent money off of a case last year and the autos were only slightly stronger than 07.

Literally out of a $55 box last year i'd get about $8 on average in the 2 autos. I found a lot of guys looking for parallels and also sold my complete base set for $325 and killed it

If you get an Andrus and a laporta you're looking at some good $$$ already and you havent even touched the parallels

[petyparamoreAHS]

If laporta, andrus, schafer, rasmus and zimmerman are in this product liek advertised, at $60 this will be a winner. the 2007 RC class was SO WEAK but I still amde a ton of money off of this product because of the parallels and refractors. Actually made some decent money off of a case last year and the autos were only slightly stronger than 07.

Literally out of a $55 box last year i'd get about $8 on average in the 2 autos. I found a lot of guys looking for parallels and also sold my complete base set for $325 and killed it

If you get an Andrus and a laporta you're looking at some good $$$ already and you havent even touched the parallels

Did you say that the 2007 Draft class was weak?????Or just TC, TC used to be a good buy from 2005 back, but now it's just watered down with 3rd and 4th year autos of guys who have BC auto's already, it may sell decent at first, but all of those guys besides Andrus will not be worth all that much.

[ohiomike]

Is there a checklist released yet? Considering some of the rookies that were in Series 1 and 2 base Topps plus a couple others being talked about, this product has some real potential if they can deliver Autos of most or all these names...

Brett Anderson RC
Elvis Andrus RC
Trevor Cahill RC
Alcides Escobar RC
Dexter Fowler (RC)
Mat Gamel RC
Kenshin Kawakami RC
Matt LaPorta RC
Rick Porcello RC
Colby Rasmus (RC)
Jordan Schafer RC
Travis Snider RC
Koji Uehara RC
Jordan Zimmerman RC

Not to mention RC or (RC) cards of Trevor Crowe, Ryan Perry, Jason Motte, Ricky Romero, Scott Lewis... so even the lesser names should mostly be contributing major leagues instead of no-name AAA players that played in a few games in September last year (which is what Topps Chrome has mostly been made up of the last couple years).

I'm sure not all of these guys will have autos, but if most do I'd say many of them will be $10-$20 SV autos, instead of mostly being $3-4 SV autos (with a couple exceptions) like in 2006-2008.

[bmc398]

Where did I say the 2007 draft class was weak??? The RC autos in 07 chrome were extremly weak. If I remember correctly Tulowitzki was the only guy who sold for more than .99 cents and Fred lewis and Ubaldo jiminez were the 2 best Autos after him.
It doesn't matter if its a 3rd year auto...a laporta will probably get $20 easy. Andrus and porcello probably the same (since its hs first Topps mainstream auto outside of the AFLAC) The other guys will be solid $10 sellers at least. That sets you up decently to make your money back. Last year I had the contents of one box make me $120 with a printing plate, a black heritage refractor and a bucholz ref auto and a galaragga bronze.

I think a case at $600-650 or so could be a winner. You're not going to pull a $1000 card but if you can sell your base master set for $200, get at least $10 average SV for an auto and sell the heck out of the refractors and parallels you could probably make $200 profit.

I think Topps can finally reap the rewards of the RC logo in this set. While they arent true RCs by prospectors definition, these will be most of these guys first Beckett and MLB classified RCs and I know plenty of guys who pump money into both, especially if its a good prospect or one of their guys. Most of the RC logo guys in the past had already had a real beckett recognized RC which REALLY diminished their value. When the Razor guys get their first RC autos in licensed products it will raise the level of legitimacy of guys who have true RC autos in other products as well

[Zacky1053]

Topps Chrome has really gone downhill since the new "Rookie Card" regulations came into effect. I really don't see what good this is doing the hobby. Let's hope things change this year. It's probably worth it to buy a little to see what it's like, but I wouldn't make a huge committment to it...

[ohiomike]

I think Topps can finally reap the rewards of the RC logo in this set. While they arent true RCs by prospectors definition, these will be most of these guys first Beckett and MLB classified RCs and I know plenty of guys who pump money into both, especially if its a good prospect or one of their guys. Most of the RC logo guys in the past had already had a real beckett recognized RC which REALLY diminished their value. When the Razor guys get their first RC autos in licensed products it will raise the level of legitimacy of guys who have true RC autos in other products as well

Exactly. Whether the player already has a Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto in their first or second year of being in the 'prospect' subsets, the Rookie Card logo cards will be their first RC tagged cards and there will always be interest in those... especially once we see the phasing out of all of the (RC) cards of players who has 2005 and prior RC's.

This 2009 product has the potential to yield a dozen or more top quality rookie card autographs and a lot of other solid major league rookies. I'm not by any stretch of the imagination saying these will be better than or outsell each player's first prospect autographs... but these cards WILL be very desirable. The key will be whether Topps goes all out and uses all quality names for their rookie autographs. There are definitely enough names they COULD use to fill all 20 spots without any of them being worthless players. Topps could EASILY restore the Topps Chrome name in baseball starting with this release if they really wanted to. My fear is that they won't though, and that half the autos will be of guys like Brad Nelson, James McDonald, etc that nobody really wants and will sell for only $1-2.

[cdub6238]

wow glad to see i can actually start a decent discussion lol as far as the Checklist unless its one of the Topps Switcharoos i got my info from Magazine-Exchange.com

heres what they have:

Rookies
Travis Snider
Josh Outman
Dexter Fowler
Matt Tuiasosopo
Bobby Parnell
Jason Motte
James McDonald
Scott Lewis
George Kottaras
Phil Coke
Jordan Schafer
Joe Martinez
Trevor Crowe
Sharon Martis
Everth Cabrera
Trevor Cahill
Jesse Chavez
Josh Whitesell
Brian Duensing
Andrew Bailey
Ryan Perry
Brett Anderson
Rickey Romero
Elvis Andrus
Kenshin Kawakami
Colby Rasmus
David Patton
Donald Veal
David Freese
Rick Porcello
Bobby Parnell
Luke Gregerson
Edwin Moreno
Koji Uehara
Jason Jaramillo
Ramiro Pena
Brad Nelson
Michael Hinckley
and 12 more that are still listed as TBD

Autographed Rookies:
Ryan Perry
Brett Anderson
Elvis Andrus
Kenshin Kawakami
Colby Rasmus
David Freese
Bobby Parnell
Koji Uehara
Jason Jaramillo
Rickey Romero
Jordan Zimmerman
David Patton
Josh Whitesell
Luke Gregerson
Joe Martinez
Brian Duensing
Everth Cabrera
Andrew Bailey

Theres also a list of 100 World Baseball Classic Cards which im assuming is the same that was in the regular Topps Series release, but also includes refractors and colors etc..


looks like Blowout just posted the price-12 box case for $669.99

[ohiomike]

Ugh. I like this product a whole lot less after actually seeing the checklist. Is Topps just afraid of raising the bar in fear that customers will expect it from then on?

Remove These 10 Autos:

David Freese
Bobby Parnell
Jason Jaramillo
David Patton
Josh Whitesell
Luke Gregerson
Joe Martinez
Brian Duensing
Everth Cabrera
Andrew Bailey

Add these guys as autos:

Travis Snider
Dexter Fowler
Jordan Schafer
Trevor Cahill

And then add guys like LaPorta, Porcello, Gamel, and maybe a mystery redemption or two (Hanson? Strasburg? Heyward?). That would be a PHENOMENAL product! Unfortunately, thats not reality though, and instead Topps will put out yet another forgettable Chrome product.

[dashouls]

Wasn't Shafer the headliner auto for this product?

[bmc398]

I've read somewhere that laporta was going to be an auto...that would help. Id love a Topps Ryan Perry auto as well being a Tiger fan...that and his Contenders auto sucks!!!

The argument that RC logo cards arent worth a damn will slowly go out the window once solid prospects start having their first licensed cards be RC logo cards. This is the frist year in a long time Topps Chrome autos outside of a player or two might be worth a damn.

[ohiomike]

I've read somewhere that laporta was going to be an auto...that would help. Id love a Topps Ryan Perry auto as well being a Tiger fan...that and his Contenders auto sucks!!!

The argument that RC logo cards arent worth a damn will slowly go out the window once solid prospects start having their first licensed cards be RC logo cards. This is the frist year in a long time Topps Chrome autos outside of a player or two might be worth a damn.

Yeah, and I suppose that argument can be made for all of the Tier B and High-C rookies... I know I'd love a Scott Lewis or Trevor Crowe. I'm sure A's fans would like a Bailey, etc, etc. And I don't have a problem with good contributing major leagues like this making the set. But there is an amazing opportunity for Topps to load this product up with BIG name rookies, almost all of which would be real RC cards this year... with the exception of Fowler/Rasmus who would still be (RC). I really think Topps is dropping the ball by giving Chrome such a weak Auto checklist. Heck, I'd rather have MY checklist and 1 Auto per box, than THEIR checklist and 2 Autos per box!

[petyparamoreAHS]

Yeah, and I suppose that argument can be made for all of the Tier B and C rookies... I know I'd love a Scott Lewis or Trevor Crowe. I'm sure A's fans would like a Bailey, etc, etc. But there is an amazing opportunity for Topps to load this product up with BIG name rookies, almost all of which would be real RC cards this year... with the exception of Fowler/Rasmus who would still be (RC). I really think Topps is dropping the ball by giving Chrome such a weak Auto checklist. Heck, I'd rather have MY checklist and 1 Auto per box, than THEIR checklist and 2 Autos per box!

Topps hasn't come through since 2005 TCU and 2005 BC...

[ohiomike]

Topps hasn't come through since 2005 TCU and 2005 BC...

Well, their hands have been a little tied by the (RC) tag. This is one of the first years where the (RC) will largely give way to the real RC tag... the one many collectors still care about. Again, the Bowman 'Prospect' Autos will still be the top sellers, but the RC autos will sell very well too. The one thing I think everyone can agree on is that the (RC) tag is relatively meaningless. Otherwise the 2006 product would have been great with Kinsler, Ramirez, Liriano, and Uggla. This year's product could be great with as many as a dozen big name RC autos... instead, we get Andrus, Zimmerman, a Rasmus (RC), and little else.

[bmc398]

I was just about to bring up 2006...it wasn't a great product but you generally got a decent auto hit and the (RC) logo guys were some decent names Fielder, Verlander, Zumaya and Papelbon top that list. I think the TBD autos will be better than what is currently listed.