Buzz Break: 2018 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (hobby)

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The box: 2018 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 25 (24 plus box-topper)
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion: 
127 of 300 (42 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Johnny Bench, Dave Winfield, bullpen car, Sloane Stephens, Manny Machado, Jose Altuve, Gary Sanchez, Theo Epstein, Lou Gehrig, Jim Thome, Anthony Rizzo, Genie Bouchard, Tommy Wiseau, Cal Ripken Jr., Corey Seager, Sandy Koufax, Kris Bryant, Bryce Harper, Bo Jackson, Ted Williams, Roger Maris, Barry Larkin, Ernie Banks, Albert Pujols, Lindsey Vonn, Cody Bellinger, Wade Boggs, Alex Bregman, John Smoltz, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, Brooks Robinson, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson

Rookie Cards (21) – Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Rafael Devers, Miguel Andujar, Dustin Fowler (SP), Sandy Alcantara (SP), Jen-Ho Tseng (SP), Victor Robles, Andrew Stevenson, Jackson Stephens, Anthony Banda, Austin Hays, Tyler Mahle, Parker Bridwell, Jack Flaherty, Chance Sisco, Luiz Gohara, Scott Kingery, Alex Verdugo, Dominic Smith, Francisco Mejia

Insert cards: 62 (a sampling of everything in gallery below)
Short-prints (Nos. 301-350) (12) – Dustin Fowler (RC), Sandy Alcantara (RC), Jen-Ho Tseng (RC), Mitch Haniger, Julio Urias, Whit Merrifield, Sean Newcomb, Andy Pettitte, Matt Chapman, Elvis Andrus, Todd Frazier, Corey Dickerson
Mini parallel (9) – Phil Coyne, Manny Margot, Travis Shaw, Raisel Iglesias, Willson Contreras, Marine National Monument, Mike Leake, J.D. Martinez, Michael Conforto
Mini short-print parallel (2) – Mitch Haniger, Ender Inciarte
Mini Black parallel (2) – Wil Myers, Chance Sisco
Mini Black short-print parallel (1) – Hideki Matsui
Mini Allen & Ginter back parallel (5) – Andre Dawson, Matt Carpenter, Bob Gibson, Scott Blumstein, David Ortiz
Indigenous Heroes (1) – Joseph The Younger
Folio of Fears (1) – Aviophobia
Flags of Lost Nations (1) – Yugoslavia
Postage Required (1) – George Washington
Baseball Superstitions (1) – Postseason beards
Fantasy Goldmine (6) – Jim Thome, Brooks Robinson, Mark McGwire, Cal Ripken Jr., Roberto Alomar, Randy Johnson
World Talent (6) – Ronald Acuña Jr., Didi Gregorius, Yu Darvish, Jharel Cotton, Julio Urias, Andruw Jones
World's Greatest Beaches (4) – Roatan, Paradise Island, Venice Beach, Harbour Island
Magnificent Moons (4) – Titan, 10, Enceladus, Ganymede
Baseball Equipment of the Ages (4) – Vintage uniform, modern cleats, flip-up sunglasses, vintage catcher's mitt
Topps Home Run Challenge (1) – Joey Votto
Cabinet (1) – Don Mattingly (box-topper)

Autographs/Memorabilia: 3
Full-size Relic Version A (1) – Ryan Zimmerman
Full-size Relic Version B (2) – Kyle Seager, Ian Kinsler

What's Buzz-worthy: Allen & Ginter has delivered big for me this year on the hobby box front but this one was my first "dud" of sorts as just a three-Relic box ... even so, you get to see it here. ... This box did include a crazy number of Rookie Cards (but, oddly, no Shohei Ohtani) and a number of notables among the inserts. Compared to all of my strong boxes ripped here before this one, though, it just didn't feel like it delivered. ... As said before, the base set this year feels like it's an improvement over the ovals of last year and the baseball-focused insert sets just feel right along with the oddities we've also come to expect since Ginter's revival in 2006. Poke around here on The Buzz and you'll see some crazy Ginter pulls -- they just weren't in this box. It's definitely one of my favorite releases of the year simply because of the surprises that are possible here both on the oddity side and on the big-name potential front.

Product Grade: A
Box Grade: C (an average box)
Fun Grade: B-

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