Boxes of the hobby-exclusive 2021 Topps Tier One baseball set may not have many cards, but they try to make up for it with quality.
A slightly higher end product, due out the week of May 5, Tier One will have two autograph cards and one memorabilia card per hobby box; no base cards. There are 12 boxes to a case and each case is guaranteed to have one rare Tier One autograph.
The set will offer a mixture of current players, rookies and former stars.
According to Topps, on-card autographs will be a major selling point.
Autograph Cards
Break Out Autographs, numbered to 299 or less, will feature rookies and young, upcoming stars. Prime Performers Autographs focuses on past and present major league stars and are also numbered to 299 or less. Topps says Tier One Talent Autographs, numbered 299 or fewer will key on “celebrating players and their elite skills.”
Each subset will have parallels in Bronze Ink, numbered to 25; Silver Ink (10) and Gold Ink (1/1).
Tier One Autographs, a case hit, is numbered to 199 or less. Topps notes that this subset “features only the most collectible names in baseball.”
Next Level Autographs are numbered to 50 or fewer and have a multi-layered look. These cards also have parallels in Bronze Ink (numbered to 25), Silver Ink (10) and Gold (1/1).
Dual Autographs (numbered to 25) and Triple Autographs (10) feature on-card signatures of multiple players.
Break Out Autographs highlight the 2021 rookie class and up-and-coming stars, with cards numbered to 299 or less. Parallels can be found in Bronze Ink (25), Silver Ink (10) and Gold Ink (1/1).
Meanwhile, Prime Performers Autographs concentrates on modern-day greats and living legends with on-card signatures and cards numbered to 299 or less. Parallels come in Bronze Ink (25), Silver Ink (10) and Gold Ink (10).
Clear One Autographs highlights signatures on an acetate surface and feature MLB greats from the past and present. Dual One Clear Autographs feature a pair of signatures and will be numbered to 10 or less.
Cut Signatures will be 1/1 cards and feature 25 baseball legends. Cut Signature Relics add a swatch to the card and is also a 1/1 offering.
Autographed Relics
Autographs continue to dominate 2021 Topps Tier One, playing a major role in memorabilia cards. Autograph Tier One Relics are numbered to 99 or fewer. Dual Patch cards, numbered to 25, and Triple Patch parallels (1/1) are also possibilities for collectors.
A new offering to this year’s set is the Perfect Contact Autograph Bat Relic card. The cards are numbered to 5 and contain a large piece of a game-used bat with a signature on the wood. There is also a 1/1 Platinum parallel.
While autographs take most of the bows in Topps Tier One, memorabilia cards are also plentiful. Tier One Relics are numbered to 399 or less in a base version. Parallels can be found in Dual Patch cards, numbered to 25, and Triple Patch, which are 1/1 cards. Tier One Legends Relics are numbered to 199 and showcases retired stars.
Returning this year are Prodigious Patches, which lives up to its name with jumbo swatches. The cards are numbered to 10, while parallels are 1/1 offerings. Some cards include on-card signatures and are numbered to 10.
Tier One Bat Knobs and Limited Lumber feature cards with pieces from the jobs of game-used bats. All of them are 1/1, and some have autographs.
Finally, Uniform Button Relics include a button from a game-used jersey and are numbered to 5, with autographed 1/1 versions.
You can check out current box and case prices here.
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