2019 Topps Update Series Baseball Hobby Box Break & Review

Posted on October 22, 2019 by sportscardinfo

Of the three flagship sets, I believe Topps Update Series is the biggest one collectors look forward to the most. It features players in their new uniforms if they were recently traded, and newly called-up rookies. I’m not one to think of modern-day sports cards as investments, but have you seen the price of last year’s Update Series? With rookies of Juan Soto and Ronald Acuña Jr. those boxes have skyrocketed. A sealed hobby box now goes for over $200, while jumbos have topped $300. As I said, today’s cards shouldn’t be thought of as investments, but price increases can happen. Just because 2018 Update Series has gone up in price doesn’t mean 2019 Update Series will. Collect what you like, and don’t worry about the money.

2019 Topps Update Series consists of (300) cards. Parallels include Purple (Meijer), 150th Anniversary (1:6 packs), Rainbow Foil (1:10 packs), Gold #’ed/2,019, Vintage Stock #’ed/99, Independence Day #’ed/76, Black #’ed/67 (Hobby/Jumbo), Mother’s Day Pink #’ed/50, Father’s Day Blue #’ed/50, Memorial Day Camo #’ed/25, Platinum #’ed 1/1, and Printing Plates #’ed 1/1. (100) subjects have Clear (Hobby) parallels #’ed/10.

You can’t have a Topps flagship set without a few photo variations. There are a bunch to look for. Luckily they tend to be located near the center of the pack. I tend to use the CMP codes:

Base – #010
SP Variation – #055
SSP Variation – #057

Autographs include 1984 Topps Baseball Autographs, Legacy of Baseball Autographs, 150 Years of Professional Baseball Autographs, Bryce Harper Highlights Autographs (Walmart only), Est. 1869 Autographs, Iconic Card Reprints Autographs, Shohei Ohtani Highlights Autographs (Target only), The Family Business Autographs, and Cut Signatures.

Autograph Relics include All-Star Stitches Autographs, All-Star Stitches Jumbo Patch Autographs, All-Star Stitches Dual Autographs, Topps Reverence Autograph Patch (Hobby/Jumbo), 150th Anniversary Manufactured Medallion Autographs (Hobby/Jumbo only), and 150th Anniversary Manufactured Patch Autographs (Relic Blaster only).

Relics include All-Star Stitches Relics, All-Star Stitches Jumbo Patch, All-Star Stitches Dual Relics, All-Star Stitches Triple Relics, Major League Material, Own The Name Nameplate Letter Relics (Hobby/Jumbo), 150th Anniversary Manufactured Medallion Relics (Hobby/Jumbo), and 150th Anniversary Manufactured Patch Relics.

Inserts include 150 Years of Professional Baseball, 1984 Topps Baseball, Bryce Harper Highlights (Walmart only), Est. 1869, Iconic Card Reprints, Perennial All-Stars (Retail only), Shohei Ohtani Highlights (Target only), The Family Business, All-Time Great Redemptions, and 1984 Oversized Box Loaders (Hobby/Jumbo).

One of the best things Topps did was insert the Silver Packs inside the actual box. In the past these were meant to be handed out at hobby shops and online retailers. Hobby boxes come with one, and jumbos are packed with two. Having them packed inside the box guarantees that you’ll receive them.

A single hobby box will come with (1) hit. That hit will most likely be a relic. As you’ll see that wasn’t the case for me. There are tons of high-end hits to pull, but Update Series has really become about the rookies.

Its time to say goodbye to the 2019 Topps Baseball flagship design. 2020 Topps Baseball Series 1 will be here before you know it.

Checklist

Here is what I pulled:

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