2005 Topps hobby boxes

2005 was the height of the madness and ridiculousness surrounding the baseball card hobby, before Major League Baseball laid the smack down.  The latest Beckett Baseball has 50 pages dedicated to 2005 baseball cards!  Compare that with 14 pages dedicated to 2006 cards.

After 2005, only Topps and Upper Deck remained licensed to produce official Major League Baseball cards.  Fleer had gone bankrupt and was bought out by Upper Deck.  Donruss was shut out from licensing for baseball cards.  And Major League Baseball instituted new rules for when official rookie cards could be produced and required labeling so that collectors can easily identify them.

For 2005 Topps baseball cards, there are 36 packs per hobby box.  Each pack contains 10 cards.  Packs with a relic card contain 8 cards.

The series 1 promotion is, “Look for 1-of-1 World Treasures Cut Signature Cards!  Randomly Inserted  (No Purchase Necessary.  See Pack for Details.)”.  Now this is a pretty exciting promotion.  It means for each pack you open, you have a chance… an astronomically tiny chance, but nonetheless a chance… to find an authenticated autograph from some important figure in world history.  Now that’s pretty cool.

The series 2 promotion is, “Barry Bonds base cards, exclusive autographs, relics & commemorative cards”, and “Look for 1-of-1 Power Brokers cut signature cards! Randomly inserted”.

2005 Topps packs

SERIES 1 AUTOGRAPH GROUP LIST:

Group A: Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran, Vernon Wells, Eric Chavez, Torii Hunter;

Group B: Jose Capellan;

Group C: Chad Tracy, Miguel Cabrera, Jeff Mathis, Zack Greinke, Casey Kotchman, Dave DeJesus, David Wright, Alexis Rios, Justin Morneau, Matt Holliday, John Maine;

Group D: Dallas McPherson

SERIES 2 AUTOGRAPH GROUP LIST:

Group A: Barry Bonds

Group B: Alex Rodriguez

Group C: Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana, Eric Gagne, Scott Kazmir, Ivan Rodriguez, Eric Chavez

Group D: Jason Bay, Milton Bradley, Carl Crawford, Felix Hernandez, Mark Loretta, Craig Wilson

Group E: Terrmel Sledge, Billy Butler

Group F: Matt Campbell, Glen Perkins, Landon Powell, Erik Cordier, Michael Rodgers

SERIES 2 WORLD CHAMPION RED SOX RELICS

Group A: Bill Mueller, Dave Roberts, Johnny Damon, Kevin Youkilis, Manny Ramirez, Orlando Cabrera, Trot Nixon, Pedro Martinez

Group B: Doug Mientkiewicz, David Ortiz, Kevin Millar, Pokey Reese, Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe, Bill Mueller, Orlando Cabrera, Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez

SERIES 1 ODDS

Approximate odds per pack of finding:

(Subsets in green are likely to be found in every hobby box)

*Sequentially Numbered Gold Parallel 1:11; Own the Game 1:12; Dem Bums 1:12; Grudge Match 1:24; Overall Autographs/Relics 1:57; All-Star Stitches Relic 1:97; Topps Autographs Group C 1:309; Celebrity Threads Relic 1:563; Team Topps Legends Autographs 1:846; Topps Autographs Group A 1:2,671; Topps Autographs Group D 1:3,240; Topps Autographs Group B 1:4,320; Topps Spokesman Relic 1:6,480; *Sequentially Numbered Derby Digs Relic 1:12,960; *Sequentially Numbered Touch’em All Relic 1:13,779; World Treasures Cut Signature 1:130,896; Dem Bums Cuts Signature 1:261,792

SERIES 2 ODDS

Approximate odds per pack of finding:

(Subsets in green are likely to be found in every hobby box)

Bonds Home Run Highlights 1:4; *Sequentially Numbered Gold Parallel 1:5; Topps All-Stars 1:9; Hit Parade 1:12; Topps Spokesman A-Rod 1:24; Topps Autograph Group F 1:285; World Champion Red Sox Relic Grouip B 1:311; World CHampion Red Sox Relic Group A 1:649; Topps Autograph Group 1:1,367; On-Deck Relic 1:1,493; Topps Autograph Group E 1:2,039; Bonds Chase To 715 1:2,539; *Sequentially Numbered Topps Spokesman MVP Bonds 1:2,613; *Sequentially Numbered Spokesman Bonds Relic 1:2,613; Topps Autograph Group C 1:2,751; *Sequentially Numbered All-Star Patches Rlic 1:3,495;  *Sequentially Numbered Topps Spokesman A-Rod Relic 1:3,550; *Sequentially Numbered Touch ‘em All Rlic 1:8,239; *Sequentially Numbered World Series Dual Match-Up Autograph 1:9,002; *Sequentially Numbered Midsummer Covers Rlic 1:17,474; *Sequentially Numbered Topps Spokesman A-Rod Autograph 1:22,279; Derby Digs Relic 1:63,655; Topps Autograph Group B 1:89,117; *Sequentially Numbered Topps Spokesman A-Rod Autograph Relic 1:89,117; Power Brokers Cut Signature 1:99,019; Barry Bonds Set Redemption card 1:178,234; Topps Autograph Group A 1:178,234; *Sequentially Numbered Topps Spokesman Bonds Autograph 1:222,792; World Series Cut Signature 1:297,056; Team Topps Legends Autograph 1:891,168

2005 Topps cards, front and back

KEY CARDS

Key rookie cards in the 2005 Topps base set include Melky Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, Andre Ethier, Billy Butler, Justin Verlander, and Andy LaRoche.

Other key cards include David Wright/Craig Brazell Future Stars, Barry Bonds, Ryan Howard/Cole Hamels, and Andy Marte/Jeff Francoeur.