First Buzz: 2016 Topps Transcendent Collection baseball cards + final autograph signer checklist

What: 2016 Topps Transcendent Collection baseball cards
Arrives: Dec. 7
Box basics:  52 autographs per 168-card briefcase (one briefcase per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Topps is unleashing the priciest box of baseball cards in history as part of its 65th Anniversary celebration — a box loaded with ink, nods to the past, sketches and, well, plenty more in what Topps calls a “once-in-a-lifetime extremely limited release” that “will represent the most premium of trading card experiences.”

So, what comes in a case? Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images released so far.

The Basics: Every box of 2016 Topps Transcendent Collection will include one 1/1 Kris Bryant autograph using one of the past Topps baseball designs, one more 1/1 auto, one 1/1 sketch card, one oversized 1/1 cut signature box-topper, 49 autographs limited to no more than 52 copies, one set of Iconic base cards limited to just 65 copies, one set of 65 reproduction sketch cards limited to 65 copies and one “invitation to celebrate 65 years of Topps with a special guest.” … Every case will guarantee an autograph from every subject on what Topps calls “the most-elite autograph checklist ever assembled.”

So, how much is a briefcase? Click here to see the latest price.

The 2016 Topps Transcendent Collection Autographs will be limited to just 52 copies each with Blue (/25), Purple (/10) and 1/1 Red and Black parallels. Among the signers will be players from the list seen below. Each case will include at least one of the 1/1 parallels.

The cut auto toppers will include a heavy vintage sports checklist accented by notable names from pop culture and politics. They will include Connie Mack, Roy Campanella, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Jimmie Foxx, Cy Young, Barack Obama, Christopher Reeve, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, Herbert Hoover, Gerald Ford, Jerry Garcia, Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Pete Maravich, Howard Cosell, Johnny Cash, George Washington, Jesse Owens, Bill Clinton, Dwight Eisenhower, Audrey Hepburn, Honus Wagner, Judy Garland, Neil Armstrong, Sadaharu Oh, Christy Mathewson, Roger Maris, George Steinbrenner, Mel Ott, Lou Gehrig, Satchel Paige and Robin Williams among others.

Sketch cards will feature memorable images from notable past Topps cards with art by Mayumi Seto, while the base set will include 50 cards that are all inside a silver frame and packed in an acrylic box.

There will be just 65 briefcases made for 2016 Topps Transcendent Collection.

Update: With Derek Jeter signing with Topps there will be at least guaranteed Jeter auto in every case. There also will be three incremental bonus redemption cards in the product for autos from Griffey Jr., Seager and John Boyega from Star Wars.

A final signers list was also released by Topps:

• Hank Aaron – Atlanta Braves
• Johnny Bench – Cincinnati Reds
• Barry Bonds – San Francisco Giants
• Kris Bryant – Chicago Cubs
• Roger Clemens – Boston Red Sox
• Carlos Correa – Houston Astros
• Bryce Harper – Washington Nationals
• Rickey Henderson – Oakland Athletics
• Ichiro – Miami Marlins
• Reggie Jackson – New York Yankees
• Derek Jeter – New York Yankees
• Randy Johnson – Seattle Mariners
• Chipper Jones – Atlanta Braves
• Clayton Kershaw – Los Angeles Dodgers
• Sandy Koufax – Brooklyn Dodgers
• Greg Maddux – Atlanta Braves
• Kenta Maeda – Los Angeles Dodgers
• Pedro Martinez – Boston Red Sox
• Don Mattingly – New York Yankees
• Mark McGwire – St. Louis Cardinals
• David Ortiz – Boston Red Sox
• Pelé
• Mike Piazza – New York Mets
• Buster Posey – San Francisco Giants
• Albert Pujols – Angels
• Daisy Ridley – Star Wars
• Cal Ripken Jr. – Baltimore Orioles
• Frank Robinson – Baltimore Orioles
• Alex Rodriguez – New York Yankees
• Nolan Ryan – New York Mets
• Ryne Sandberg – Chicago Cubs
• Kyle Schwarber – Chicago Cubs
• Vin Scully – Los Angeles Dodgers
• Ozzie Smith – St. Louis Cardinals
• Masahiro Tanaka – New York Yankees
• Frank Thomas – Chicago White Sox
• Mike Trout – Angels
• Omar Vizquel – Cleveland Indians
• Carl Yastrzemski – Boston Red Sox

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