Topps Chrome Serial Number Question

[kent4801]

I am considering starting to exclusively collect Dolphins and Redskins Chrome singles for me and my brother, respectively, and am unsure how to contextualize the serial numbered cards.
For instance, examining last year's Chrome football versions:

Refractor - None
XFractor - None
Orange - None
Purple - /499
Black - /299
Blue - /199
Atomic - /139
Sepia - /99
Gold - /50
Red - /25

at what point do we start to get to rare and prohibitively expensive in terms of getting a version for each player? Do you guys consider anything under /99 to be a low quantity card?
I have no plans to attempt to be a Rainbow collector for these teams, so I guess the best way to put it would be, at what /# do you think I could cut off and still be able to have the entire team, especially this year with Tannehill and Griffin?
I have always avoided Chrome because of the inability to get /5 and /1 cards, but it is such a nice product, I want to find a fine line for enjoying the color of it without breaking the bank.
As a constant lurker, thanks for taking the time to consider my rare post. I appreciate any feedback.

[tajikey]

If you're talking autos, you'd be stopping at the refractor variation. If you're talking non-auto, you could get away with the black, I think, without losing your butt entirely.

[Texans81]

the gold and red refractors are pretty dang pricey. you're probably looking at $15-$20 on mediocre players and a lot more than that on the stars. the higher numbered stuff though are fairly reasonable...

[kent4801]

Thanks for the reply.

Are you suggesting that, once you get down below /200, you are starting to deal with scarcity?
Looking at COMC.com, even the Santana Moss Blue, Atomic and Sepia have "book values" of $10, $12 and $10
Cam Newton Black and Blue at $80 and $100

Are you expecting Griffin to be at those levels for the cards in the /199 to /99 range?

This is the only sports product across the board that I would collect, so I do have some room, but yeah, it sounds like Gold and Red are unattainable.

I've tried to dismiss this product, but man, I see those black refractors, and they just pop off the page. I love what they do with Chrome.

[trixstar]

Last years chrome is a different beast than any other year if you ask me, the prices for 2011 chrome are far and beyond higher than any other year. This year they are going to have even more parallels

Refractor - Not Numbered
Military Border #/499
BCA-Pink Border #/399
Prisim Refractor - 1 Per Hobby Box
Black Border #/299
Blue Border #/199
Sepia Tone #/99 - Hobby Only
Gold Border #/50
Red Border #/25
Superfractor 1/1 - Hobby Only
Printing Plates 1/1 - Hobby Only
will be the refractor and the autos will be

Refractor #/150
Military Border #/99
BCA-Pink Border #/75
Prisim Refractor #/50 - Hobby Only
Black Border #/25
Gold Border #/10
Red Border #/5 - Hobby Only
Superfractor 1/1 - Hobby Only

I think the military and pink will be hot this year and will probably make it expensive if youre going to chase autos especially at first release.

[kent4801]

What do the two sections represent? Base odds and Auto odds?

I appreciate the perspective on 2011 Chrome, too. A lot of the stuff before that seems reasonably priced, but that case is still, what, almost $1300 at Blowout?

[trixstar]

Originally Posted by kent4801

What do the two sections represent? Base odds and Auto odds?

I appreciate the perspective on 2011 Chrome, too. A lot of the stuff before that seems reasonably priced, but that case is still, what, almost $1300 at Blowout?

no not odds those are what the cards will be serial numbered to the top section is non auto bottom section is auto