Buzz Break: 2013 Topps Chrome baseball cards (blaster box)

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The box: 2013 Topps Chrome baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 8 (seven standard packs and one Purple Refractor pack)
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 32
Base set completion:  22 of 220 (10 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – Jose Bautista, Cole Hamels, Starlin Castro, Max Scherzer

Rookie Cards (8) – Melky Mesa, Didi Gregorious, Alex Colome, Zack Wheeler, Robbie Grossman, Eury Perez, Carter Capps, Shelby Miller

s-l1600 Insert cards: 10
1972 Topps Chrome (1) – Manny Machado
Chrome Connections (1) – Derek Jeter
Dynamic Diecuts (1) – Andrew McCutchen
Purple Refractors (4) – Buster Posey, Paul Goldschmidt, Oswaldo Arcia, Derek Holland
Refractors (2) – Jose Bautista, Kendrys Morales
Xfractor (1) – Anthony Rizzo

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What’s Buzz-worthy: Statistically, this box over-delivered with three of the inserts found here all having odds higher than one per blaster. The Dynamic Diecuts are one in every three boxes, while it would typically take two for the 1972 and Connections cards. On top of this there was a decent amount of star power here, making this a quality rip for a discounted price since this was found at retail. Overall, Topps Chrome can be a bit of a dull break — see the base set stars and RCs lists for how that looks here — but this one wasn’t bad. Perceived overproduction on this one makes base cards pretty cheap, but there are highlights — RCs of Manny Machado, Will Myers, Jose Fernandez, Yasiel Puig, Michael Wacha, Nolan Arenado and Jackie Bradley Jr. There are rarer Refractors, autographs and more to be found in these blasters — just not that easily. If you’re looking for a simple, cheap rip with some good high-end potential (though not guaranteed), Topps Chrome offers that.