Buzz Break: 2023 Topps Heritage baseball cards (mega box)

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The box: 2023 Topps Heritage baseball cards (mega)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was found in this one.

Packs per box: 15
Cards per pack: 9-10 (Blue Sparkle Chromes are extra card)
Cards in this box: 138
Base set completion: 
123 of 400 (31 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, Ozzie Albies, Rafael Devers, Adolis Garcia, Miguel Cabrera, Yordan Alvarez, Clayton Kershaw, Andrew McCutchen, Jazz Chisholm Jr.

RC logo cards (30) – Notables include Adley Rutschman, Corbin Carroll, Michael Harris II, Nolan Gorman, J.J. Bleday, Mark Vientos, Yainer Diaz, Ezequiel Tovar

Insert/short-print cards: 16 (all in gallery below with some base)
Short-prints (Nos. 401-500) (5) – Joey Votto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cristian Javier, J.T. Brubaker, Yasmani Grandal
New Age Performers (2) – Nolan Gorman, Shea Langeliers
News Flashbacks (1) – Freedom of Information Act
Baseball Flashbacks (1) – Nolan Ryan
1974 Topps Baseball Stamps (2) – Reds, Orioles
Then & Now (1) – Rod Carew & Luis Arraez
Blue Sparkle Chrome (3) – Giancarlo Stanton, Bo Naylor, Wander Franco
Chrome Refractor (1) – Charlie Blackmon (/574)

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Clubhouse Collection Relics (1) – Mike Yastrzemski

What's Buzz-worthy: The Relic here, though with retro-styled "off" centering, is one in 69 packs. The Refractor? One in 212 though with a bad corner/surface issue. Those two things make it a top-level box statistically no matter who you land though those condition issues are not good. Could it have been better? Sure, but it's still an A- kind of box because of other finds. This one started with a bummer -- Franco as my Blue in my first pack -- but it ended up delivering well for the top rookies (minus maybe Gunnar Henderson) and a smaller but decent crop of veterans from a set that's meaty. The SPs even had two top names -- I dig that simple Votto -- and, well, at a modest price this one was a win ... though you can win perhaps bigger and more easily more often with hobby boxes that have dipped in price quite a bit and aren't a boatload pricier than these (so do some power shopping). ... I'm not a big fan of the 1974s but this one at least has more of a good feel to it with some thought vs. some other releases out in the retail wild where the boxes just feel way too lean among 2023 and 2024 MLB releases.

Product Grade: B+ 
Box Grade: A- (it's not flashy and it can be topped with a better hit, but odds-wise and player-wise this box delivered on all fronts)
Fun Grade: A-

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