Cubs Breakdown - 2011 Topps

2011 ToppsTopps flagship product continues to be the #1 overall product in the hobby with a little bit of something to make everyone happy. This is one of the only products I open packs of myself, and I really enjoyed the product this year, both Series 1 & 2, plus the Update series. The Diamond Giveaway is not my thing, but it allows me to recoup some of my cost and lower my overall cost of opening the product. As for the product itself, I like the base set design, I give it about an 8 out of 10. Plus it looks good on the parallel cards. And the parallel cards are part of the story this year, with the Diamond Anniversary parallels being among the best looking in recent memory. From a player selection standpoint, I am disappointed that they didn't do a Mike Quade card, but they skipped the manager cards altogether this year.

There isn't much else to say, but lots to look at. Here's the breakdown!

Base Set - 15 Versions - Base, Target Grey Backs, Walmart Black Backgrounds, Factory Set Variation (with Diamond Anniversary Logo), Diamond Anniversary, Cognac Diamond Anniversary (available in Topps Update packs), Hope Diamond Anniversary (#/60, available in Topps Update packs), Canary Diamond Anniversary (1/1), Holiday Factory Set Parallels (#/75), Sparkle Variations (Partial Parallel), Gold (#/2011), Black (#/60), Platinum (1/1), Diamond Collection w/real embedded diamond (1/1), Silk (Partial Parallel #/50), plus four colors of printing plates
#12 Carlos Marmol - Silk #63
#16 Aramis Ramirez - Silk #80
#38 Ryan Dempster
#48 Andrew Cashner
#76 Tom Gorzelanny
#86 Carlos Silva
#137 Xavier Nady
#154 Marlon Byrd - Silk #53
#247 Starlin Castro - Has Sparkle Variation on his batting glove in his back pocket, Silk #65
#247B Ernie Banks SP
#256 Tyler Colvin
#309 Cubs Team Card
#347 Darwin Barney
#356 Alfonso Soriano - Has Sparkle Variation on his batting glove, Silk #154
#370 Matt Garza - Silk #186
#405B Ryne Sandberg SP
#431 Marcos Mateo
#481 Randy Wells
#502 Jeff Baker
#558 Carlos Zambrano
#564 Jeff Samardzija
#582 Kosuke Fukudome - Silk #183
#611 Geovany Soto - Silk #185
#628 Blake DeWitt
#655 Starlin Castro


60 Years of Topps Reprints (Series 1 & 2) - 2 Versions - Base & Original Back
#4 Ernie Banks 1955 Reprint
#26 Bruce Sutter 1977 Reprint
#36 Dennis Eckersley 1987 Reprint
#37 Greg Maddux 1988 Reprint
#76 Ernie Banks 1968 Reprint


Topps 60 (Series 1, 2, and Update) - 8 Versions - Base, Relic, Diamond Anniversary Relic (#/99, Series 2 Relics only), Relic Auto (#/50), Auto, Diamond Anniversary Auto (#/10, Series 2 Autos only), Next 60 Auto, Jumbo Patch (#/20)
Not all players have all versions

#AC Andrew Cashner - Has Auto from Series 2 (Pinstripe Jersey) and another auto in Update (Grey Jersey)


#AD Andre Dawson - Has a Base set card from Update (#123), and a Cub Auto parallel from Series 1. Also has a Base, a Jersey Relic, and a Jersey Relic Auto which are Expos cards. All from Series 1


#AR Aramis Ramirez - Has Bat Relic & Jersey Relic from Series 1 (Throwing Photo) and Jersey Relic from Series 2 (Batting Photo)


#AS Alfonso Soriano - Has Base (#92) and Jersey Relic from Series 2


#BD Blake DeWitt - Has Auto from Series 1


#CM Carlos Marmol - Has Jersey Relic from Series 1 (Pitching front view) and Jersey Relic from Series 2 (Pitching side view)


#CP Carlos Pena - Has Auto from Series 2


#CZ Carlos Zambrano - Has Jersey Relic from Series 1


#GS Geovany Soto - Has Jersey Relic from Series 2


#KF Kosuke Fukudome - Has Jersey Relic from Series 1


#MB Marlon Byrd - Has Base (#98), Jersey Relics from Series 1 & 2 (same photo both series, there is a small note on the card back identifying which series it is from), and an Auto from Series 1 (different photo)


#RD Ryan Dempster - Has Jersey Relic from Series 2


#RS Ryne Sandberg - Has Jersey Relic auto from Series 2


#RW Randy Wells - Has Auto from Series 1 and Jersey Relic from Series 2 (different photo)


#SCA Starlin Castro - Has Base (#84), Jersey Relic from Series 2 (Shows his back), Auto from Series 2, a Jersey Relic from Series 1 (Shows his front), and a Next 60 Auto from Update (Red Border)


#TC Tyler Colvin - Has Auto & Jersey Relic from Series 1 (Batting Follow Through with Bat Behind), plus Bat & Jersey Relics from Series 2 (Batting Follow Through with Bat Out Front)


#105 Rogers Hornsby - Has Base Only from Update


Topps 60 Dual Relics #/50 (Series 2)
#13 Carlos Marmol & Mariano Rivera


60th Anniversary Reprint Relics & Autos (Series 1 & 2) - 3 Versions - Relic Only #/60, Auto Only #/60, Relic Auto #/6
#EB Ernie Banks Bat, Auto (Redemption Only), and Jersey Auto (Redemption Only)
#RS Ryne Sandberg Jersey, Auto (Redemption Only), Jersey Auto (Redemption Only)


Baseball Legends Cut Autos 1/1 (Series 1 & 2)
GCA Grover Cleveland Alexander (likely not a Cub)
DD Dizzy Dean (has two versions, one may be a Cub)

Before There Was Topps (Series 2 Only) - No Cubs Included

Commemorative Patches (Series 1, 2, and Update)
#FJ Fergie Jenkins (Update)
#MG Matt Garza (Series 2)
#RS Ryne Sandberg (Update)
#SC Starlin Castro (Series 1)


Diamond Duos (Series 1, 2, and Update) - 2 Versions - Base & Dual Relics #/50
Series 1 #MH Greg Maddux & Jeremy Hellickson - Base only, No Dual Relic version
Update #7 Starlin Castro & Darwin Barney (has Dual Relic parallel)


Diamond Giveaway Code Cards (Series 1, 2, and Update) - No Cubs Included

Diamond Giveaway Diamond Die-Cut Redemptions - 2 Versions - Base & Black Diamond #/60
#22 Carlos Marmol
#54 Ernie Banks
#92 Starlin Castro
#94 Marlon Byrd
#134 Aramis Ramirez
#137 Tyler Colvin
#153 Ryne Sandberg



Diamond Stars (Series 2 only) - No Cubs IncludedHistory of Topps (Series 1 only)
#4 Ernie Banks w/Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Eddie Mathews
#7 Ryne Sandberg & Greg Maddux w/George Brett, Cal Ripken Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., Ozzie Smith, Nolan Ryan, Mike Schmidt, and Don Mattingly


In the Name All Star Letter Patches (Series 1 only)
#48 Marlon Byrd - 4 different 1/1s, B-Y-R-D


Kimball Champions (Series 1, 2, and Update)
#11 Starlin Castro
#72 Ernie Banks
#84 Ryne Sandberg
#138 Rogers Hornsby
#141 Andre Dawson


Leather Nameplates (Series 1, 2, and Update) - 3 Versions - Brown Leather (Base), Black Leather (#/99), Brown Leather Nicknames (1/1)
#AD Andre Dawson (Series 2)
#FJ Fergie Jenkins (Series 2)
#RH Rogers Hornsby (Update)
#RS Ryne Sandberg (Series 2)
#SC Starlin Castro (Series 1)



The Lost Cards (Series 1 only) - 2 Versions - Base & Original Back - Cool Set! But, no Cubs Included
Mickey Mantle 1964 Reprint Relic (Series 1) - No Cubs Included
Mickey Mantle 1965 Reprint Relic (Series 2) - No Cubs Included
Mickey Mantle 1966 Reprint Relic (Update) - No Cubs Included
CMG Reproductions (Series 1 only) - No Cubs Included
Sketches (Series 1, 2, and Update) - All 1/1s
#EB Ernie Banks

Target Red Diamonds (Series 1 & 2) - No Cubs Included

Topps Town (Series 1, 2, and Update)
Series 1 #21 Starlin Castro
Series 2 #28 Aramis Ramirez
Update #14 Matt Garza
Update #28 Alfonso Soriano


Toys R Us Purple Diamonds (Series 1 only)
#9 Starlin Castro


Walmart Blue Diamonds (Series 1 & 2) - No Cubs Included
World Series Champions Relics & Autos (Series 1 only) - No Cubs Included

Wrapper Redemption Black Diamond 1952 Style Redemptions
#59 Starlin Castro


Wrapper Redemption 1952 Style Autos Redemptions
#9 Roy Smalley
#20 Randy Jackson


Happy 60th Birthday Autos (Inserted in all Topps Products in 2011)#EB Ernie Banks
#AC Andrew Cashner
#AD Andre Dawson
#FJ Fergie Jenkins
#RS Ryne Sandberg