I was fairly vocal last year about my disdain for Topps Chrome. I didn’t buy any, I didn’t like it, I was just done with that whole product. I remember having lunch with Sam back in September and discussing Chrome in general and how this year, allegedly, retail was “loaded” and that (factually, not just allegedly) they had moved some of the harder to find colored parallels out of Hobby and into Retail boxes.
I promptly forgot the entire conversation until I was standing in the card isle days later. No blasters to be found, but there were a couple 3-pack hangers. “What the heck”, I thought, “might as well try it.” I liked what I found, then I ran back to the store and bought two more. I officially retract my previous statements about Chrome as a whole. They seem to have made it considerably more interesting again. In a few measly hanger packs, here’s what I found…
Base cards galore. I like the shortened checklist for Chrome, it was never part of my beef with the product. Picking the 100 best players is a great way to have a “star studded” product and make sure each pack at least has a little something in it.
Rookie cards. Solid group this year as well. Some have declared 2015 as the year the “RC returns”. I don’t know if I believe all that, but Bryant mania seems to have helped sales quite a bit.
The rack packs were the exclusive home of these pink parallels. Not a bad cross section.
Now we’re starting to roll. Bryant rookie, Soler and Baez and Liriano too. A Moya sepia and a Lamb pink. Ok, I’m starting to believe that retail might have some fun in it again. Lots of good stuff so far.
Keuchel pink parallel, always nice…
And a Jeter. Ok Chrome, I get it, you’re compensating. I appreciate it, but really I just need to stop while I’m ahead and…
Blue refractor /150 for Austin Jackson. Nice. But really, I can’t just…
Pederson “whatever-its-called” refractor?! Damn Chrome, are you trying to get me addicted again…
Ok, now this is just getting nutty. Next you’re going to tell me…
Ok, I give up. I yield. Just take my money. Just shut up and take it…
Christian Walker, gold RC auto, #/50, FROM A RACK PACK.
I’d say you did ok!
Yeah, I was pretty surprised to pull a gold auto out of rack pack. The second pack had the blue border and a sepia and the third was the one with all the good refractors.
I think they honestly tried to give retail buyers a little more bang for their buck this year. It’s been a complaint for years (nothing cool in retail) and I’m glad they did something about it.