2016 Topps Series 2 Baseball preview

2016 Topps Series 2 Baseball provides collectors with the second half of the company’s flagship release and also delivers some attention-grabbing inserts and hits. Hobby boxes will offer one auto or relic per box while jumbo hobby box guarantee an autograph as well as two relics.

The base set features cards #352-701 of the 2016 Topps Baseball set. Base cards eight levels of parallels, including Vintage Stock (#’d to 99), Clear (#’d to 10) and one-of-one Framed parallels.

2016 Series 2 also has two special insert set that pay tribute to two of the best hitters of the past 30 years. Chasing 3000 is a 30-card set devoted to Ichiro’s quest for 3,000 hits in Major League Baseball. He will begin the 2016 season just 65 hits shy of that hallowed mark. Chasing 3000 also features relic cards (#’d to 10) and rare signed cards (#’d 1/1). Topps is also inserting Ichiro buybacks that will be foil stamped with the “Chasing 3000” logo.

A similar set that honors another famous Seattle Mariner is Tribute To The Kid. This traces the career of Ken Griffey, Jr. with a 30-card collection. Tribute To The Kid also offers relic versions (#’d to 50) as well as signed cards (#’d 1/1) plus patch auto editions (#’d 1/1). Buyback cards of Griffey, Jr. will also be included in Series 2 with a “Tribute To The Kid” foil stamp.

Five additional insert sets in 2016 Series 2 Baseball, four of which are holdovers from Series 1, feature autograph, memorabilia relic and auto relic versions numbered to 99 or less. Berger’s Best returns to commemorate 65 more cards from previous Topps releases. Look for the special one-of-one cut signature versions of Berger’s Best. Topps Laser booklets return with the specially cut cover featuring the team’s logo. Base versions are numbered out of 99. Hallowed Highlights is the one set new in Series 2 and it showcases memorable moments from the careers of 15 different players. These have the hardest to find autograph and relic versions with numbering of 25 or less. 100 Years at Wrigley Field is an extension of the celebration of a century of baseball at 1060 W. Addison in Chicago. Scouting Report breaks down the game of MLB stars with signed and memorabilia version (not numbered).

The celebrity focused First Pitch cards return with a new batch of famous people to throw out first pitches at MLB games during the 2015 season. Look for special Bunt Code Cards and Bunt Player Cards (#’d to 25) if you play the popular Topps digital app.

A new feature in Series 2 are Double Play rip cards. Topps has previously used rip cards in Allen & Ginter releases, which feature a smaller card hidden inside a regular-sized card. If the collector chooses to rip their Double Play card, they will reveal a predicted statistical outcome for a player on a predetermined game in 2016. If the player on the card replicates that feat on the date printed then the collector will a prize. Prizes are printed on the rip card.

You’ll find a familiar collection of manufactured relics in Series 2 Baseball. Team Logo and All-Star Futures Game pin cards have autographed versions numbered out of 25. World Series Champion coin and stamp cards return again with a stamp and coin from the same year as the World Series winning team depicted on the card. You can find penny, nickel, dime and quarter versions. Signed versions include a quarter and are numbered out of 25.

Additional relic hits include one-of-one Own The Name jersey letter cards. Each card features a letter from a jersey nameplate. Glove Leather Autographs have a player signature on simulated glove leather and are numbered out of 25.