Base Set
 |  |  |  |
#3 Ty Cobb | #19 Jim Bunning | #22 Al Kaline | #48 Hank Greenberg |
 |  | ||
#65 Miguel Cabrera | #81 Ty Cobb (T-205) |
Game Used & Autographs
 |  |  |
#TR-AK Al Kaline | #TR-GK George Kell | #TR-HG Hank Greenberg |
 |  |  |
#TR-HN Hal Newhauser | #TR-JBU Jim Bunning | #TR-MC Miguel Cabrera |
 |  |  |
#TR-TC Ty Cobb | #TAR-MCA Miguel Cabrera | #TAR-MS Max Scherzer |
 |  |  |
#TAR-MS2 Max Scherzer | #TAR-MS3 Max Scherzer | #TAR-MS4 Max Scherzer |
 |  |  |
#TAR-RP Rick Porcello | #TAR-RP2 Rick Porcello | #TAR-RP3 Rick Porcello |
 |  |  |
#TAR-RP4 Rick Porcello | #TADR-GK George Kell | #TADR-JE Rick Porcello |
 |  | |
#TATR-MC Miguel Cabrera | #TTR-RP Rick Porcello |
Read the full breakdown of this set after the jump
So, how do you like the new format? Are all of your refractory desires satiated?
Let's start with an analogy. Topps Tribute is to ________ as ____________ is to Allen & Ginter
The answer is A) Triple Threads; Topps T-206. Sure, there are some distinct features and some interesting quirks, but Topps Tribute is essentially Triple Threads "Lite" and with Triple Threads hitting eBay hard right now, it just seemed an appropriate time to get that out there. That's not to say that Tribute is either particularly bad or particularly good, it just is.
The Good I have to say, I like the way the base set looks, especially in scans. In person the cards suffer from a little too much over-reflective dead-space, although they still look pretty nice. To me, the single relics are perhaps the nicest cards in the set, which goes to show you just how detrimental adding those sticker autographs can be. Without them, you see a subtle team logo variation that corresponds to the appropriate era of the player on the card. The subjects on these cards are also larger and in more interesting poses than they are on the autographed cards.
The Bad Do I need to make a list? Sigh...
1. There are four autographed cards EACH of Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer. This is insane. On the plus side, each features a different picture (although sometimes only marginally so), but this is excessive and stupid. No one can convince me otherwise.
2. Parallels. You don't see any in my pictures because I avoided them, however, every "hit" shown in the gallery has a base version (#/99) and variations in Blue (#/75), Black (#/50), Gold (#/25) and Red (1/1). That is too many, although less egregious than some other sets.
3. Numbering snafu. The Rick Porcello Dual Relic Autograph is numbered TADR-JE. JE? Whatever.
4. Sticker autographs. A necessary evil, perhaps but a real detractor. Just look at the mis-cut stickers and off-center autographs.
5. Inserts in the base set. The Topps Tribute base set is nice. There was absolutely no reason to throw in a chrome-y T-205 parallel. Completely superfluous
6. Hal NEWHAUSER [SIC!] --thanks Jeremy in the comments
The Takeaway Topps Tribute is one of those releases that I don't buy because it just doesn't appeal to me. That being said, there are some very nice singles in the product that would appeal to player collectors or just those looking to add some mid-high end cards to their collection. It's not for me, but if these cards appeal to you, I strongly recommend seeking out singles and avoiding buying this in packs.
