Saturday, April 30, 2016

REVIEW:2016 Topps Soccer And Autograph Giveaway!!

For the first time in my hobby career, I take a dive into a full hobby box of soccer cards. Now, it's not like I haven't ever opened soccer cards as I have opened plenty of packs before, but never a full box.

Let's see how things went.
 In every box of 2016 Topps soccer you should find the following,
  • 24 Packs Per Box, 8 Cards Per Pack
  • Insert per pack
  • Two Autograph Cards per Box
  • One Jumbo Relic Card per Box
  • Boxes just under $75
Usually, I am not a huge fan of base cards designs like this with the player name in the middle of the card. But, with it being Soccer and the excitement that it brings fans and the announcers, I can feel the game with it being done this way. It's bright and bold.
 
I am a big fan of the open photography and team logo slant at the bottom of the base.

There are 200 cards in base set featuring veterans, rookies, team cards and “24 Under 24” up-and-coming players.

 
Topps also has a few subsets in the base set. These are the rookies

 
Here are the 24 under 24. This one is ranked #1

 
Team cards are here.

 
It also wouldn't be a Topps product without some form of base card sp's especially photo variations. These ones were easy to spot in packs as they were face down as you went through each card. They also fall roughly 3 per box or 1:8 packs. I think it's a nice addition and not really overdone.

 
Up to this point, I am pretty happy with what I see til I realized this whole time I was skipping over the parallels. I found these to be unnoticeable and really hard to distinct in the packs as the only thing separating them from the base was a shade of color in the background. Some of the backgrounds I really found myself looking because the photo angle had some purple or blue in the back adding on an extra challenge. In the end with comparing base and supposed parallels I got it figured out. I think either an added foil or changing the border on the bottom would have helped make these be a bit more distinct.

Here are the parallels you can find:
Blue: sequentially numbered
Orange: numbered to 25 (I pulled a rookie one below)
Red: numbered to 5  (only in retail so it adds a fun chase there)
Black: numbered 1/1
Printing Plates: numbered 1/1

 
Now onto the inserts. Last years product included the All-Stars in the base set as Sp's. I liked that more but these still work. My favorite design of the group was Presence Of The Pitch. Really like the stadium excitement in the background.

Just like the base cards, the inserts as well have parallels.

Here ya go:
Orange: sequentially numbered
Red: numbered to 5
Black: numbered 1/1
Printing Plates: numbered 1/1
 
I didn't find any in this box break.
Now onto the hits!

There were two autographs per box and I got just that. Both were base card ones and one was a parallel. Yes, the autographs have parallels too.
 
Green: sequentially numbered
Orange: sequentially numbered
Red: numbered to 5
Black: numbered 1/1

 
This is a green numbered parallel.
 
You can also find Admired Alumni Autographs and Focal Point Autographs and parallels.
 
Every box also has one memorabilia card. Great pull here of Clint Dempsey and it's also a patch (some dirt on it) and it's orange parallel #d to 25. 
 
Parallels for these memorabilia cards include:
Orange: sequentially numbered
Red: numbered to 5
Black: numbered 1/1
Printing Plates: numbered 1/1
 
Other memorabilia cards you can 
Team Colors: Designed to showcase a prime patch piece of the MLS Shield. HOBBY ONLY.
Sketch Patches: Artist-drawn player sketches that feature a multi-color jersey piece. Numbered 1/1.

Overall, there could be some value to find in here with the price point, three hits per box the Sp's and multiple parallel levels. If you are a fan of soccer, this is a good place to start collecting.
 
Now onto the contest.

You are entering to win THIS CARD:
 
IF WE CAN GET 25 ENTRIES ON THIS, A SECOND PLACE WINNER WILL TAKE HOME SOME PARALLELS/INSERTS
 
Now onto the small print.
  1. Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review and to host this/these nice giveaways with. Follow them on all social media sites and visit their site, HERE, as well.
  2. ***VERY IMPORTANT***MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT to enter or have a shipping address in the U.S. Shipping costs have gone haywire and I can't afford to ship everywhere.This is always hard to do as I appreciate all readers but I hope you all understand non-U.S. readers.
  3. Random winner will be chosen after 7 randoms
  4. Card may be shipped PWE. I like to forewarn on this.
  5. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW telling me your thoughts on this product
  6. EARN AN EXTRA ENTRY FOR SHARING THIS CONTEST ON YOUR BLOG AND/OR ON TWITTER. Make sure to leave your link in comments too so I can count it. If not, I won't be able to give you the credit. Commenting with it is very important!!
  7. Sport Card Collectors or it's owner (person who runs the blog), WILL NOT be held responsible for lost, stolen or damaged mail. Sorry had to add this in since someone tried to scam me once about this.
  8. Contest starts today, ends on Saturday, MAY 7TH 2016. Winner will be announced in a separate post on Sunday MAY 8th. 
  9. Don't forget to thank the above sponsor of this contest and I won't mind a thank you as well :)
Good luck to all that enter and thanks for reading!

16 comments:

  1. I'm a big fan of this product every year. Plenty of color and great photography and I really dig the base design on this year's. Good value, too, with lots of inserts and always nice to find a relic and 2 autos in a box.

    Big shoutout to Topps for a great looking product and for providing the review box! And as always, thank you for the contest. 😀

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  2. I have passed on this each year, mainly because....well really, I have no good excuse. But I like the look of these. The design is a bold statement, but it works. So A+ to Topps on the look and on them providing the box for the review. And as always, a big thanks for all your contests and giveaways.

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  3. I've started to look forward to the checklist release of this product now that Syracuse has a strong college soccer club. Love seeing Ben Polk and Julian Buescher in the set. As for the cards, they look pretty cool. I might actually have to buy some this year. Thanks for the contest and to Topps!

    @fitchjr1

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  4. Love going to soccer matches. Thank you topps for a great product. Shared @tomgurn. Sorry for multi posts phone is acting up

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  5. NOT A FAN OF SOCCER BUT MY NEPHEW LOVES IT. I WILL GIVE THE CARD TO HIM IF I WIN! :)

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  6. I love Topps' MLS cards, especially since the league and its popularity are growing/ I do think the parallels in the 2016 set could be more unique or have a flashier design but the set overall looks nice

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  7. I like those jumbo relics. Let's see them in baseball!

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  8. I LOVE soccer! MLS is on the rise and this product Topps has put out looks pretty slick.

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  9. I have gotten into watching soccer because of my boys playing the sport but not sure that I would spend $75 on a box of soccer cards over a different box ( basketball, baseball, football, racing, hockey ) of sports cards.

    https://twitter.com/scoochnew/status/727150258992476160

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  10. I bought a blaster got an orange auto and a press plate. Love this product look to get a hobby box or two. Thanks for giveaway to both topps and you.

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  11. Topps has done a geat job with its Soccer products great photos nice inserts

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  12. This product looks like a great value for what you get in return

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  13. I like the rookie cards, who always have their team's scarf on

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  14. I'm not such a fan of the borderless cards, but likley will be cracking a box or two to chase some sounders. :)

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  15. Intrigued. Quite like it even though soccer isn't my first choice of sport card

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  16. Soccer is huge at my college. Pensacola Christian College has this HUGE event at Thanksgiving called the Turkey Bowl.It's a battle of the 2 best collegians and they go all out teams come out of Limos stretch Hummers helicopters whatever they come up eith. It is crazy. Never been a fan of the sport but respect those athletes.

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