REVIEW:2020 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Players

With football season ending yesterday, it's time to put all focus on the upcoming baseball season which should be an interesting one with all of the controversy going on within the sport.

One controversial thing that hasn't even been discussed with it is happening with baseball cards. Why is Topps Series 1 not the first release of the card season?! I mean, Series 1 has been the first release since the dawn of time. Caveman waited by the edge of the cliff for a brontosaurus to arrive with their shipment. Gotta say I am a bit thrown off by the whole things and wondering how the baseball card collectors will feel about this.

Anyways, I can only assume the Astros are at fault here. Seems to be the ones to blame.

Regardless of why it changed, we still have a new baseball product to bust and to kick off the 2020 baseball card season. I know I am excited! Time to move on from 2019 and get some 2020 going.

Let's see how I did with first release of the baseball card season in Topps Archives Signature Series Active Players.

Each box of 2020 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Players comes with one encased autograph card. Each box currently goes for $45.

Topps Signature Series offers a variety of MLB brands adds an on-card autograph, foil-stamped logo and is numbered then is encased. Being active players, it suggests that it's players from today only. Not ones from the past or legends of the game.

Here is a quick look at the autograph player list,

A.J. Puk
Aaron Nola
Adam Ottavino
Andrew Benintendi
Anthony Rizzo
Austin Meadows
Austin Riley
Blake Snell
Bo Bichette
Bobby Bradley
Brendan McKay
Brendan Rodgers
Bryce Harper
Buster Posey
Carter Kieboom
Cesar Hernandez
Charlie Morton
Chris Sale
Christian Vazquez
Christian Yelich
Clayton Kershaw
Corey Dickerson
Corey Kluber
Daniel Vogelbach
Dansby Swanson
David Peralta
David Price
Dawel Lugo
DJ LeMahieu
Dominic Smith
Dylan Cease
Eloy Jimenez
Eugenio Suarez
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Francisco Lindor
Gavin Lux
George Springer
Gerrit Cole
Gleyber Torres
Hunter Dozier
Hunter Pence
Jack Flaherty
Jake Bauers
JD Martinez
Jean Segura
Joey Votto
Jorge Alfaro
Jorge Polanco
Jose Altuve
Josh Hader
Josh Naylor

Juan Soto
Justin Smoak
Keston Hiura
Ketel Marte
Kevin Newman
Kohl Stewart
Kris Bryant
Kyle Hendicks
Lance McCullers Jr.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Lucas Giolito
Luis Severino
Matt Carpenter
Matt Olson
Max Kepler
Max Muncy
Max Scherzer
Michael Chavis
Miguel Cabrera
Mike Clevinger
Mike Trout
Mitch Garver
Mitch Haniger
Mitch Keller
Nick Senzel
Nolan Arenado
Ozzie Albies
Patrick Corbin
Paul DeJong
Paul Goldschmidt
Pete Alonso
Renato Nunez
Rhys Hoskins
Ronald Acuña Jr.
Rowdy Tellez
Scott Kingery
Shane Bieber
Shin-Soo Choo
Shohei Ohtani
Tim Anderson
Tommy La Stella
Travis Shaw
Trevor Bauer
Trevor May
Victor Robles
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Whit Merrifield
Will Smith
Willson Contreras
Yasmani Grandal
Zack Wheeler

 

Some good ones mixed in with some lesser names. So 50/50 you land someone decent.

 

Here was my break,

Brendan Rodgers /33. Not too shabby and sadly one of my best hits from the product. It hasn't been kind to me. So a possible rookie stud I will take over the pitchers I usually get.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Well, honestly, this isn't really a product for me. I do like the concept of it, but one card-one hit products have never been up my alley. I prefer quantity over quality.

Just to toss this in there as well, there are also dual autographs to find as well!

Thanks to Topps for providing me this box to review. You can check out Topps website HERE. And find them on FACEBOOK  and TWITTER as well! Don't forget to give them a follow on each!

REVIEW:2018 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Player

Making it's return for 2018 is Topps autograph laden product, Topps Archives Signature Series. This is the Active Player edition. I expect the Postseason players edition to release this fall as well.

The checklist for the product is 67 players and most will have various Topps and Bowman cards. Some are big time throwbacks like the one I pulled which took me back to 2013 and some may be even as new as last year.

 

Each box of 2018 Topps Archives Signature Series comes with one buyback card in case that is signed per box. Boxes run $50. So it's definitely a risky product that you hope to score high with only one card.

Well, my box wasn't the best score in the world despite it being numbered 14/21. Alex Wood autograph back to 2013.

 

 

Other players you can find that I didn't include,

• Aaron Judge
• Aaron Nola
• Adam Duvall
• Adrian Beltre
• Alex Bregman
• Amed Rosario
• Andrew McCutchen
• Blake Snell
• Bradley Zimmer
• Brian Dozier
• Bryce Harper
• Byron Buxton
• Carlos Carrasco
• Carlos Santana
• Charlie Blackmon
• Chris Sale
• Christian Arroyo
• Clint Frazier
• Craig Kimbrel
• Dansby Swanson
• David Price
• Didi Gregorius
• Dustin Pedroia
• Edwin Encarnacion
• Eric Thames
• Francisco Lindor
• Francisco Mejia
• George Springer
• Harrison Bader
• Ian Happ
• Jake Lamb
• Javier Baez
• Joc Pederson
• Jon Gray
• Jordan Montgomery
• Jose Altuve
• Jose Berrios
• Jose Ramirez
• Josh Donaldson
• Josh Harrison
• Justin Bour
• Khris Davis
• Kris Bryant
• Kyle Seager
• Luis Severino
• Manny Machado
• Marwin Gonzalez
• Matt Olson
• Max Kepler
• Mike Trout
• Mitch Haniger
• Paul Goldschmidt
• Rafael Devers
• Raimel Tapia
• Raisel Iglesias
• Ronald Torreyes
• Sean Doolittle
• Starling Marte
• Stephen Piscotty
• Steven Matz
• Tim Beckham
• Trevor Story
• Trey Mancini
• Tyler Glasnow
• Yonder Alonso
• Yuli Gurriel 

OVERALL: Tough to swallow roughly a $20 card for a $50 box price. But like I said above, it's all apart of the gamble. There are some big names on the checklist like Trout, Judge and Bryant but there are also some lesser names like Wood, Alonso and Tapia. Combine that with 67 card depth, it becomes a challenge and the word gamble again. But, remember sometimes a gamble can pay off and pay off big time.

I always think that more cards are better than less. I think maybe an autograph, low numbered parallel and a base card of some-sort would help the value here. 

I have seen other breaks across Twitter and Facebook. A lot of collectors have mixed feelings on the product. Some had success and others had a box like mine.

So I am curious, how do you guys feel about a product like this? Good idea? Bad idea? How would you improve it? Let me know in comments!

Please take a minute out to thank Topps for providing the box to review. Some of the cards you see above will be included in the Fantasy Baseball contest! Follow Topps on all social media sites and check out their website HERE for cards and more! 

REVIEW:2017 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Player Edition Baseball Cards

As the 2017 MLB season comes to an end, we are also coming to the end of 2017 baseball card releases. I know it's a sad time.

Today's featured product is part one of the Topps Archives Signature series as the Postseason Edition comes out later on. Both products look very intriguing.

This years 2017 Topps Archives Signature Active Player Series mixes things up from last years release. Unlike last year, which focused on players of the past, this years focuses on active players around the MLB.

So why don't we take a dive in and see what's in this one card box.

Every box of 2017 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Player Edition Baseball Cards comes with one card. That card will be signed on-card of an active player and is encased. Boxes run $70 per.  This is also a limited release.

Each card in the product is encased original cards from a Topps or Bowman product of active MLB ballplayers. These buyback cards have been signed on-card by the player and each card is numbered and contains an gold Archives stamp.

The checklist has a mixed choice of players from superstars to low-end collector favorites. I assume like the rest of the 2017 baseball card season there will be a focus on landing Aaron Judge.

My pull from this box was Sonny Gray /99.

 

The Gray is an Opening Day base card from 2016.

You can find the overall player checklist, HERE.

OVERALL, Personally, I am not a fan of one hit boxes and finding Sonny Gray in a $70 box for my one hit is a big reason why. I know many collectors like to roll the dice, I am just not one of those type.

I do like the approach Topps is trying with this product but I just wished it had all strong names in it but I also know we can't have that either or the prices would really soar. Like with any product however, there is always a risk involved no matter if it's one card or three hundred.

Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review as they help provide prizes for me to giveaway in the MLB Pick Em Promotion! Follow Topps on all social media sites and visit their SITE, as well