One would expect that a 2021 Topps Museum Collection Baseball hobby box would contain some relics. And it does — along with some autographs.
The hit-based set returns the week of July 14 with four mini-boxes, with five cards to a mini-box. Topps is promising three base cards, one parallel and one hit per mini.
The hobby box will feature an on-card autograph, a relic card, an autograph relic card and a quad relic card — so, one big hit per mini box.
Case hits will feature a Jumbo Relic Autograph and a Museum Collection Framed Autograph.
A full checklist is available below.
The 100-card base set offers collectors a mix of current veterans and stars from the past. There are parallels in Copper, Sapphire (numbered to 150), Amethyst (99), Ruby (50) and Emerald (1/1).
Canvas Collection Reproductions are reprints reproduced on canvas stock. Hand-drawn 1/1 versions appear in Canvas Collection Originals, which features original artwork. Canvas Collection Originals Shaped Sketch cards offer unique artwork, while Canvas Collection Original Player Autographs feature hand-drawn art next to a player’s signature.
However, base cards are not the lure for Museum Collection. Relics and autograph cards are the main attraction.
Making its debut this year are Atelier Autographed Book cards. These will feature on-card autographs and sport iconic images of the best players in their “workshops” (atelier is defined as a workshop or studio). These cards will be numbered to 25 or fewer.
A more common signature hit will be Archival Autographs, which feature up to 100 different subjects and will be numbered to 299 or less. Parallels include Copper, numbered to 50; Gold (25) and Emerald (1/1).
Superstar Showpieces shows high-action imagery of some of baseball’s top players. The autographs are hard-signed. Dual Autographs are numbered to 15 or less, while Triple Autographs are numbered to 5. Cards are hard-signed in both issues.
Museum Framed Autographs are signature cards with a metallic frame. This case hit has parallels, too: Silver Frame, numbered to 15; Gold Frame (10), Black Frame (5) and Wood Frame (1/1).
When it comes to relics, there are several choices.
Meaningful Materials includes swatches of game-used memorabilia from rookies, veteran stars and retired players. There are parallels in Copper (numbered to 35), Gold (25), Ruby (10) and Emerald (1/1).
Combining two players, Dual Meaningful Material Relics has 30 different pairings with game-used relics and are numbered to 50 or less. This subset also has parallels in Copper (numbered to 35), Gold (25), Ruby (10) and Emerald (1/1).
Momentous Material Jumbo Patch cards are numbered to 5 and include large game-used patches. There is also a 1/1 Emerald parallel.
Other relic cards include Museum Memorabilia, which are 1/1 cards of up to 200 players. There are silhouetted batter logo patches from game-used uniforms. Museum Memorabilia Laundry Tags is another 1/1 offering that showcases 100 game-used uniform laundry tags. A third 1/1 card, Jumbo Lumber Bat Nameplate Relics, have more than 50 bat barrel nameplates from game-used bats.
Single-Player Primary Pieces Quad Relics are cards with four pieces of game-used memorabilia from the featured player. The cards are numbered to 99, with parallels in Copper (75), Gold (25) and Emerald (1/1). Single-Player Primary Pieces Quad Relics also has a subset for elite players and are numbered to 25. They also feature four pieces of game-used pieces. Parallels can be found in Gold, numbered to 10; and a 1/1 Emerald.
Four-Player Primary Pieces Quad Relics are numbered to 99 and feature four players on a card, with a piece of game-used memorabilia from each subject. Parallels are in Copper (numbered to 75), Gold (25) and Emerald (1/1).
The combination of signatures and relics can be found in several 1/1 offerings. Museum Framed Autograph Patch cards will have at least 25 subjects with on-card autographs and jumbo game-used patch pieces. Museum Framed Dual Autograph Patch Book cards will pair 15 sets of players with on-card signatures and game-used patch pieces.
Autographed Jumbo Lumber Bat Relics which are numbered to 5, combine jumbo game-used bat pieces with signatures for 25 subjects. There is also an Emerald 1/1 parallel. Momentous Material Jumbo Patch Autograph cards contain signatures and jumbo patch pieces. These cards are numbered to 15 or less and have parallels in Copper (50), Gold (25) and Emerald (1/1).
There will be at least 20 pairings of players in the Momentous Material Dual Jumbo Patch Autograph Book cards. The cards are numbered to 5 but also have 1/1 Emerald parallels.
Single-Player Signature Swatches Dual Relic Autographs combine a pair of game-used memorabilia pieces and an autograph. The cards are numbered to 399 or less, with parallels available in Copper (numbered to 50), Gold (25) and Emerald (1/1). Single-Player Signature Swatches Triple Relic Autographs adds a third piece of game-used memorabilia. Like the Duals, they are numbered to 399 or less and have the same configuration for parallels.
Boxes are online for around $350.