2007 Topps Chrome Box Break (Black Friday Box #4)

We’re back on track with our 4th box from the Black Friday specials, this time of another For Card’s Sake favorite, 2007 Topps Chrome. While the set has awesome photography and decent inserts, the autograph checklist is putrid and the design isn’t exactly desirable. However, I fell in love with the set for the spectacular red-bordered parallels that come as a top loader in every box. These cards are, simply put, stunning, especially in person. I busted a box of this many moons ago and enjoyed it, so I figured why not? I snagged up the box with a pretty good discount and I figure if the break goes well, I should be pretty close to a complete set. So, buckle up, and enjoy the ride.


To start things off, let’s rip the first boxtopper, the beautiful, talented Red Refractors!
Red Refractor #46: Hideki Matsui (Numbered to 99)
Sooooo hot. But, wait, what’s this?

Red Refractor #96: Chipper Jones (Numbered to 99)
Two in one pack! Byah! And of quality players to boot. In regards to this, I’m left wondering if I just had awesome luck and received two red parallels in the same pack, or I was jipped out of a card in my other pack from my last box break. The world may never know.

Here is the other boxtopper, two Alex Rodriguez Road to 500 cards.
ARHR 226: Alex Rodriguez


ARHR 243: Alex Rodriguez
Pretty good start so far; let’s see what the packs offer us.


Pack 1:
#158: Ichiro Suzuki
Am I the only one who sees this as a bad quality photo? Ichiro looks pretty out-of-focus here for some odd reason. I really don’t blame the chrome because this is the same exact quality that’s found on his base card.

#218: Alex Rodriguez
I’ve always been fond of this shot of A-Rod. Maybe it’s just because I’ve seen this same exact card 20,000 times.

Refractor #145: Adrian Beltre
What are the chances Beltre puts up Mariner-like numbers for the Rangers this year?

#317: Jared Burton (RC)


Pack 2:
#146: Endy Chavez
#170: Melky Cabrera
Mickey Mantle Story MMS12: Mickey Mantle
Oh, these things again. Yay. As much as I love Mantle, these inserts are extremely annoying. But hey, where else are you gonna see the Mick play the violin?

#216: Brian Roberts


Pack 3:
#38: Lastings Milledge
Oh damn son, that’s a huge bee! Get da @$*% away from me motha#&^@*%!

#176: Takashi Saitor
Generation Now GN360: Nick Swisher Like I mentioned in my previous break, I do enjoy these Generation Now inserts. Hint, hint.

#42: Johan Santana


Pack 4:
#307: Mike Rabelo (RC)
#72: Bill Hall
Mantle Home Run History MHRR170: Mickey Mantle
#68: Jack Wilson Remember the excellent photography I mentioned? Yeah, this would be a pretty damn good example of it.


Pack 5:
#290: Jamie Burke (RC)
#249: Lance Berkman
White Refractor #144: Cliff Lee (Numbered to 660)
Color-cravers would have a hard time coping with the minimal color parallels in the hobby set. The blue refractors are seeded one in every six retail packs while the red refractors were boxloaders only. White refractors are numbered higher and four are pulled from a box on average. Oh yeah, and Cliff Lee’s a tool.

#204: Matt Garza


Pack 6:
#64: Gary Sheffield
#302: Drew Anderson (RC)
White Refractor #273: Andruw Jones (Numbered to 660)
Another thing about these white refractors is that they come in bunches. The Yanks recently signed Jones to be a fourth outfielder and I’m pretty happy about the pickup. Yes, he’s obviously not the same, but he still brings some pop against lefties and he’s an awesome defensive replacement.

#265: Albert Pujols I’m not even a damn Cardinals fan but I still have to show every Albert Pujols card I pull.


Pack 7:
#45: Scott Rolen
White Refractor #194: Jhonny Peralta
I’ll give Jhonny Peralta this, he has some pretty slick cards.

#361: Tim Gradoville (RC) (Auto)
Uh, right. Who is this again?

#228: Jeremy Hermida
Checklist


Pack 8:
#39: Austin Kearns
#270: Ichiro Suzuki
Refractor #361: Tim Gradoville (RC) (Auto) (Numbered to 500)
No, I am not kidding you. In two consecutive packs, I pulled the same exact autograph, albeit this one’s a refractor, but who gives a crap? It’s still a bum prospect. And Topps couldn’t even get the sticker on straight? Good Lord. But in hindsight, I wouldn’t be complaining if it was a Troy Tulowitzki auto.

#85: Carl Crawford
Checklist


Pack 9:
#194: Jhonny Peralta
#277: Chase Wright (RC)
Mickey Mantle Story MMS29: Mickey Mantle
#240: Randy Johnson


Pack 10:
#319: Elijah Dukes
#200: Xavier Nady
Mickey Mantle Story Refractor MMS7: Mickey Mantle (Numbered to 500)
Who thought this was a good idea again? At least they numbered all the refractors.

#126: Jonny Gomes


Pack 11:
#289: J.D. Durbin (RC)
#312: Ryan Braun (RC)
Mantle Home Run History MHR300: Mickey Mantle
#102: Reed Johnson


Pack 12:
#134: Sean Casey
White Refractor #254: Justin Verlander (Numbered to 660)
It seems like Verlander has been in the league for longer than five years. This will be the end of the white refractor slew, and I don’t think we see another one for the rest of the box.

Generation Now GN281: Russell Martin
#186: Ken Griffey Jr.
If there was ever a “Most Epic Cards” contest, Griffey would win hands down.


Pack 13:
#51: Joe Blanton
#272: Vernon Wells
Refractor #323: Zack Seovia (RC)
#150: Kevin Millwood
Checklist


Pack 14:
#141: Mark Prior
#219: Kenny Rogers
Refractor #304: Jose Garcia (RC)
#222: Bartolo Colon
The Yanks also picked up this has-been, but mostly for minor league work and eating all the left over hot dogs.


Pack 15:
#147: Ramon Hernandez
#171: Dan Haren
Generation Now GN359: Nick Markakis
The color scheme really works on this card, especially the back. You can definitely see the pop.


#156: Chris Capuano
Checklist


Pack 16:
#267: Brad Ausmus
#206: Jose Contreras
Refractor #220: Jason Kubel
#305: Shane Youman (RC)


Pack 17:
#237: David DeJesus
That swing is as textbook as it gets. I’m a big fan of DeJesus, not only is he a Jersey boy, but he’s a solid player that can give you production on offense and defense. Injuries took away some valuable playing time, which in turn made the Royals trade DeJesus to the A’s a few months ago. For Card’s Sake is rooting for you, and if that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is.

#296: Don Kelly (RC)
Sorry, Don Kelly, but For Card’s Sake is not rooting for you.

Refractor #292: Rick Vanden Hurk (RC)
#132: Carl Pavano


Pack 18:
#248: Brad Wilkerson
#97: Robinson Tejada
Mickey Mantle Story MMS11: Mickey Mantle
The money it took to create this card could have fed a starving child.

#98: Scott Hatteberg
Dayum! Play at the Plate, if you don’t have this card, I’ll hook you up.


Pack 19:
#246: Brian Bannister
Generation Now White Refractor GN219: Ryan Zimmerman (Numbered to 200)
This is the first white refractor of a Generation Now insert I’ve ever pulled, and they definitely look nicer than their regular counterpart.

Mickey Mantle Story MS9: Mickey Mantle
#224: Alex Rios


Pack 20:
#9: Jason Varitek
#213: J.J. Hardy
Refractor #66: Prince Fielder
#89: Carlos Beltran


Pack 21:
#284: Devern Hansack (RC)
#260: Derek Jeter
Generation Now GN205: Ryan Howard
#308: Josh Fields (RC)


Pack 22:
#8: J.D. Drew
Refractor #166: Jason Bay
#330: Daisuke Matsuzaka (RC)
Ohio. That’s hi in Japanese right? In the last box, we pulled a Kenji Johjima Japanese variation of his rookie card, but traded it away because Kenji Johjima sucks. This one might stay a little bit.

#320: Juan Lara (RC)


Pack 23:
#189: Ted Lilly
#111: Curt Schilling
Refractor #217: Brett Myers
#63: Albert Pujols
Resist… the… urge… to… scan…
Sigh.

Checklist.


Pack 24:
#105: Anibal Sanchez
#73: Jeremy Bonderman
Mantle Home Run History MHR210: Mickey Mantle
#108: Jimmy Rollins


Well another box of Chrome in the books, and I say it was pretty successful. I’ll organize everything and compile a list of everything I need. I want to start collecting the red refractors and perhaps the blue, and maybe the white, and maybe the regular refractors, and maybe the inserts, and maybe just everything that’s associated with 2007 Topps Chrome. Eh, we’ll see.

Also, I need your input. Now that I’ve figured out how to scan multiple cards at once, I’ve been more willing to put more pictures up for box breaks. However, this can create pretty lengthy posts. Are you guys okay with this? Do you want me to cut out some cards? Let me know.