For those who prefer a quick box break that’s all about the autograph, Topps Five Star Baseball will return late in the season. Again this year, Five Star checks in as a two-card, high-end product, which means that the cards collectors pull from hobby-exclusive boxes should have some sizzle.
Expected to hit hobby shops on October 17, a pack/box of 2018 Topps Five Star will include either on-card autographs, autographs combined with relics or cut signatures. Look for boxes to hit somewhere in the $135-$150 range. There will be eight boxes per case.
A checklist is below.
Autographs
Topps is promising that all autographs will be on-card. Five Star Base Autographs will be the main signature line for the product, with up to 80 subjects drawn from the retired, veteran and rookie ranks. The on-card autographs will include parallels in purple, numbered to 50; blue (25), green (15), gold (10), orange (5) and red (1/1).
Making its debut this year, Five Star Dual Autographs will be limited to 10 or fewer copies. Silver Signatures and Golden Graphs will present player autographs in silver or gold ink. Both subsets will have parallels in purple, numbered to 25; blue (20); green (15); gold (10); orange (5); and red (1/1). Five Star Signatures will have a print run of 20 or less and will feature 50 different subjects.
Career Year Autographs will put the spotlight on players and the most notable years of their career. These cards will be numbered to 25 or less; a Five Star parallel will be a 1/1 card.
Relics and Auto Relics
Collectors who like relics can seek out the jumbo swatches offered in the Five Star Autographed Jumbo Patch cards. The signatures are hard signed, and the swatches are large. Parallels are offered in gold, numbered to 25; Silver Rainbow (10), Team Patch (1/1), Laundry Tag (1/1), Majestic Patch (1/1) and an MLB Silhouetted Batter Logo Patch.
Wrapping up the hot cards are Five Star Cut Signatures and Five Star Celebrity Cut Signatures. Each cut signature is a 1/1 card and will feature a baseball great (in Five Star Cuts) and a celebrity autograph (Five Star Celebrity Cuts).
You can see Five Star cards on eBay here.
2018 Topps 5-Star Baseball Checklist