First Look: 2011 Topps Tribute baseball cards

By Chris Olds | Editor

Topps released the basic product information and preview images for 2011 Topps Tribute Baseball on Friday, which means the high-end (and at times controversial) product returns for a third consecutive year.

The hobby-only product includes three autograph or autographed Relic cards and three multiple-piece Relic cards in every box with a hit remaining in every pack. Each of those cards will be limited to 99 or fewer copies. Also to be found one per pack are parallel cards, which will be limited to fewer than 399 copies.

Topps promises an expanded array of retired players in the product when it arrives in early April, a lineup that includes Tribute To the Stars cards that pair icons from the past with stars of today on dual- and triple-signed cards.

Also new is a Tribute Rookies Book Card, which will pair as many as 10 players’ autographs and memorabilia pieces in a multiple-page booklet card.

On the whole, the product carries many of the features from its past releases, which have had questions at times about the memorabilia pieces, and a heavy dose of parallels on the various cards. The base set consists of 100 cards — rookies, veterans and legends — each also with parallels. (A new color this year being Green parallels, limited to 99 for standard cards and 75 for the two types of Relics.)

Among those on the autograph checklist include Albert Pujols, Nolan Ryan, Alex Rodriguez, Ozzie Smith, Ryan Howard , Buster Posey, Duke Snider, Ryne Sandberg, Jason Heyward, Robinson Cano, Josh Hamilton, Ralph Kiner, Don Sutton, Cal Ripken Jr., Don Mattingly, Joe Morgan, Tony Gwynn, Willie McCovey, Wade Boggs, Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra, Stan Musial and many more.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.