Per Box Items:
3 cards
2 autographs
1 relic card
The cards in 2013 Topps tier One are thicker than standard issue cards. For the most part the cards are border-less depending on the sub-set they are a part of. Some cards will have a stylized graphic or a border on one side depending on if the card is a relic or autograph card. The cards I pulled all have a color picture of the player on a grey two-tone background. All of the cards are trimmed with sliver foil highlighting the set name, player name and serial numbering. The card backs are photo-less. The two-tone backs have gold trim and feature moderate career and personal highlights and player information.
What I Pulled:
4 cards
Felix Hernandez Dual Relic #/50
Todd Frazier Dual Relic #/50
Dexter Fowler ‘Crowd Pleaser Autographs’ #/299
Casey Kelly ‘On the Rise Autographs’ #/399
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The epitome of a hobby lottery ticket, 2013 Topps Tier One can make you rich or make you that much less wealthy. The pros: One relic card (total cards) over the stated odds per box. One card autos. The Cons: Plain old white relic pieces. ROV. (return on investment) To be honest, people buy a super high-end product like 2013 Topps Tier One hoping to pull a card that could be flipped to make a mortgage payment or down payment on a new car. The key word here is ‘hoping.’ No one expects to make it rich on any single card, however no one expects to pull cards like I did though. Congrats to Topps for adding a bonus card to this dud of a box. With all of the 1/1 bat knobs, autographed printing plates and heck even awesome sounding redemption cards, it would have been nice to get a little color in one of the jersey swatches or even a bat/jersey combo. Is it too much to ask for a card numbered out of 10 or even 25 of a no-name player at least? I understand that it is a lottery ticket, but I would be extremely upset if I paid retail for this box and pulled what I did.
The Bottom Line:
I give 2013 Topps Tier One a ‘buy the singles’ rating. You will be further ahead to buy individually what you want rather than buying a box.
The Final Score:
Final Ratings (Out of 10):
Base set collect-ability: NA
Big-hit Hunter: 5/10
Prospector Hunter: 5/10
Value: 5/10
Overall Quality: 9/10
Overall: 24/40 (60% = D)
Thanks to Topps for making this review possible!
