Sunday, May 1, 2011

2011 Topps Value Box

I was in Target today and decided to try out one of these 2011 Topps "Value Boxes". I've seen Night Owl open a couple, and they seemed interesting enough. It's been forever since I purchased anything even somewhat new, and I had an urge to rip a couple of packs. In case you haven't seen these, for $14.99 you get 5 packs of 2011 Topps, 2 hobby packs of 2011 Heritage, 2 Diamond Giveaway redemption cards and a Chrome Refractor. Since I have next to no 2011 Heritage or base I thought this would be a cool way to get a small stack of cards from each set for less than the cost of a blaster.

Also included in the box is a "collector's guide":

Basically this contains a little blurb for each year between 1952 and 2011 with a photo of the design used on the base set that year:

The second half of the booklet contains team schedules for the 2011 season. It's a nice throw-in I guess, but I don't think I'll ever have a reason to consult this thing. I'd say it will end up in my Recycle Bin within a week or two. On to the cards...

#MBC1 - Mickey Mantle - Chrome Refractor

I believe there are 3 different Chrome Refractors, I pulled the Mantle. If anyone wants this card just let me know, I have no interest in keeping it. I scanned in every single card in the box, let's take a look at the base Topps packs first:


Pack 1:

#188 - Pablo Sandoval

It looks like Pablo might be blowing a bubble in this photo, but I'm not quite sure.

#33 - Max Scherzer

#221 - Scott Hairston

I wish the Padres would always wear these retro jerseys...

#287 - Scott Cousins - Rookie

Most of my baseball viewing consists of AL action, and I have to admit I've never heard of Scott.

#268 - Jake McGee - Rookie

#61 - David Price

#110 - Aroldis Chapman - Rookie

#KC-17 - Chris Carpenter - Kimball Champions

Not a big fan of these inserts.

#CMGR-21 - Lou Gehrig - 1933 DeLong Reprint

Now that's an insert I appreciate, very cool looking reprint of a 1933 DeLong Lou Gehrig. I can pretty confidently say that I will never own the real thing, so this one's nice to have in the collection.

#TT-45 - Hanley Ramirez - Ticket to Toppstown

These are an absolute waste of space as far as I'm concerned. I'd rather have an extra base card.

#128 - Manny Ramirez

What a pathetic end Ramirez's career came to. I'm glad the testing policy in MLB is more stringent now and is occasionally catching losers like Manny.

#104 - Ian Stewart

Pack 2:

#31 - Erick Aybar

#302 - Adrian Beltre

Anyone who's seen Beltre play a fair number of games is familiar with this unorthodox knee-to-the-ground swing. He had a hell of a season in Boston but I think management was right not to sign him.

#152 - Baltimore Orioles Team Checklist

The O's in this photo seem pretty happy, but they'll inevitably fall 23 1/2 games back in the division by August.

#15 - David Wright

Pretty good horizontal photo.

#293 - Justin Morneau

#KC-30 - David Wright - Kimball Champions

#60YOT-30 - Andre Dawson - 60 Years of Topps (1981 Topps)

#TT-11 - Chris Young - Ticket to Toppstown

#149 - David Aardsma

#76 - Tom Gorzelanny

#32 - Chris Johnson

#105 - Jonathan Lucroy

I like this shot of Jonathan in gear.

Pack 3:

#106 - Felix Pie

#281 - Kevin Slowey

#289 - Yuniesky Betancourt

#153 - A.J. Pierzynski

#203 - Dillon Gee - Rookie

#61 - David Price

I pulled David in pack 1 as well, I believe this was my only double in the box.

#125 - Evan Meek - Diamond Anniversary Parallel

Along with seemingly every other collector, I like these parallels. I'm only keeping the Red Sox though, so I'll gladly trade away Evan here.

#CMGR-29 - Ty Cobb - T205 Reprint

#TT-35 - David Price - Ticket to Toppstown

#113 - Arthur Rhodes

I can't believe this guy is still around!

#191 - Jay Bruce

#217 - Yunel Escobar

Pack 4:

#260 - Freddy Sanchez

#197 - Aaron Hill

#36 - Ted Lilly

#8 - Julio Borbon

#70 - Kyle Drabek - Rookie

#109 - Josh Hamilton/Miguel Cabrera/Joe Mauer - AL Batting Average Leaders

Sweet, a third Diamond Giveaway card. Hopefully this will net me something pre-1980 that I don't have...

#T60-21 - Tommy Hanson - Topps 60

#TT-50 - Albert Pujols - Ticket to Toppstown

#44 - Martin Prado

#290 - Ike Davis

#176 - Daniel Hudson

Pack 5:

#55 - Matt Joyce

#30 - Gio Gonzalez

#330 - Derek Jeter

Despite opening just 2 total packs of 2011 Topps prior to this value box, I already had the first 3 cards in this pack.

#157 - New York Mets Team Checklist

#24 - Neil Walker

#114 - Russell Martin

This is probably my favorite of all the base cards in this box, awesome photo.

#14 - Randy Wolf

#60YOTLC-2 - Duke Snider - 60 Years of Topps: The Lost Cards

#TT-17 - Aroldis Chapman - Ticket to Toppstown

#242 - Brad Lidge

#194 - Andres Torres

I only got 11 cards in my final pack, but oh well. That does it for the Series 1 Topps cards. Lets check out the two hobby packs of Heritage.


Pack 1:

#400 - Mark Teixeira

#136 - Babe Joins Yanks - Babe Ruth Special

The Mantle refractor, a Jeter base card, the Gehrig insert and now two straight Bronx Bombers to start off the first Heritage pack...this would've been a great box for a Yankees fan!

#38 - Coco Crisp

#276 - Darwin Barney - Rookie

I haven't seen this guy play, but I've heard plenty about him over at Can't Have Too Many Cards.

#131 - Brett Sinkbeil - Rookie

Is this really the best picture they had on file of Brett?

#119 - Scott Cousins - Rookie

I went from having never heard of this guy to owning his base Topps and Heritage rookies thanks to this box. Maybe I could become a Scott Cousins super-collector.

#380 - Tim Hudson

I can't stand the hatless cards. I didn't like them in 1962 Topps and I don't like them in Heritage.

#254 - Chris Carter

#179 - Mat Latos

Pack 2:

#256 - Ruben Tejada

#217 - Don Mattingly

Nice! I've always liked Mattingly, this is my first card of him as a manager.

#201 - Josh Beckett

Josh is enjoying a good year so far, with a 2.65 ERA and 32 strikeouts to just 9 walks.

#72 - Philly's Men Up the Middle

Am I the only one who thinks of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia every time I pull a Chase Utley card?

#320 - Jason Heyward

My first Jason Heyward card...

#175 - Adam Dunn

#425 - Kevin Youkilis

Awesome, this made the box for me! This is the only Heritage card I've seen that I really wanted to track down. I think it's the background I like.

#275 - Billy Butler

#4 - Ben Zobrist

Checklist 2 of 6

Here are the 3 cards I got using my redemption codes on the Diamond Giveaway site:


As you can see, luck wasn't really on my side. I have no interest in the 2005 Durham, and I'm pretty sure I have the Matt Williams around somewhere. I also have the '74 Clyde Wright. If I got one in the condition pictured it would be an upgrade, but there's a chance I could pay to ship it and get one that looks worse than my current copy. I doubt I'll end up shipping any of these.

Despite my bad luck on the Diamond Giveaway site, this was actually a lot of fun for $15. I don't really care about the Chrome Refractor, but ripping 7 packs and entering a few codes for $5 less than a blaster is pretty good value as far as I'm concerned. Pretty much all the inserts I pulled are available for trade, although I think I'll hang on to the Gehrig reprint. Both my Heritage packs were pretty decent and I'm glad I pulled the Youkilis. I could see myself buying another one of these at some point.

8 comments:

Captain Canuck said...

a Tommy and a Prado AND a Heyward in the same box?!?!?!?

Bonus box!!!!!!

BA Benny said...

I can use the Mantle refractor and the 2 Yankee Heritage if they are available. I will find something Red Soxy for you.

shoeboxlegends said...

BA Benny, I sent you an email.

Canuck, if you want those cards they're yours. I emailed you too.

Anonymous said...

Does that Jake McGee card have a "sparkle" on it on the Rays logo on the shirt?

thosebackpages said...

The Youk Heritage is an SP!

great stuff!

shoeboxlegends said...

ecloy, I thought the same thing when I looked at the scan of the McGee card, but there's no sparkle, that's just how the photo looks.

thosebackpages, I didn't realize the Youk was an SP, I couldn't remember if the SPs started at #425 or #426. Either way I was psyched to pull that one.

AJ said...

Are you trading the base set 2011 Topps cards? It seems like you pulled every card i'm missing...

Iam said...

The Mantle. Heck yea. You can send all unwanted Mantle Cards to me! Robert Domer 803 Bell Ave New Haven In 46774
Thanks!

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