2016 Topps Chrome baseball will once again mirror the top cards from Series One and Two of the company’s flagship set. Set for release August 3, this year’s edition includes some new wrinkles. A full checklist for the product is below.
The base set of 2016 Topps Chrome will consist of 200 cards, and as usual a hobby box will contain 24 packs, with fou
r cards to a pack. Expect the price range to be in the $65 to $75 range. For big spenders, a case will include 12 boxes. Hot hobby boxes will be very hot, as every base card will be replaced by black refractor parallels.
Topps is promising two 
autographs per hobby box and five in every jumbo box. Many will be derived from rookie cards. Along with the base, on-card autograph version, there will be refractor parallels (regul
ar), purple, blue, gold, orange (hobby exclusive, numbered to 25), red (numbered to 5), 1/1 printing plates and 1/1 SuperFractors that also are limited to hobby boxes.
New Content in 2016 Topps Chrome
New features include a chrome First Pitch insert set, low-numbered veteran autographs and colorful refractors. Topps also will be including the 2015 Topps Chrome rookie autographs of American League Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa. Those cards were not ready in time for the 2015 release, so Topps is including them in the 2016 set — with the 2015 design, of course.
A new case hit will be the Rookie of the Year Chronicles. This insert will feature active player who have won Rookie of the Year Awards. The inserts will have orange parallels numbered to 25, re
d to 5, and 1/1 SuperFractors. 
This insert also will have on-card autograph versions, with parallels in orange (numbered to 25), red (5), SuperFractor (1/1) and printing plates (1/1).
Future Stars inserts have that logo that reminds collectors of Topps cards from the 1980s (remember when that 1987 Topps Bo Jackson Future Stars card was hot?). The 2016 versions will have a stained glass look and will come in green, orange, red and SuperFractor parallels.
First Pitch was a popular insert in the regular Topps sets (you just knew you could throw better than 50 Cent, right?), and the debut of the chrome versions will have orange, red and SuperFract
or parallels. Y
outh Impact is a colorful, rainbow-like insert that ought to play well in chrome technology. Definitely a bright look, which is appropriate since Topps will be highlighting “the brightest rookies of 2016.” Regular inserts will be supplemented by green, orange, red and SuperFractor parallels. There also will be autograph versions of this insert set, with parallels in orange (numbered to 25), red (5), SuperFractor (1/1) and printing plate (1/1).
MLB Debut autog
raphs will use the design of the retail insert from Topps Series One, celebrating the first game of selected stars. Parallels will be offered in orange (numbered to 25), red (5), SuperFractor (1/1) and printing plate (1/1).
Another insert making its debut is called Team Logo Autographs. They were inspired by the 2016 Topps Series One team logo pin ca
rds. The players featured are those considered the “face of the franchise,” and parallels will be available in orange (numbered to 25), red (5), SuperFractor (1/1) and printing plate (1/1).
Chrome is all about the shiny cards, and with some new parallels and a good assortment of autographs, it’ll be interesting to see if collectors take a shine to this year’s model.
2016 Topps Chrome Baseball Checklist
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