Cheap Wax Wednesday Box Breaks: 2020 Topps Heritage High Number Baseball

Topps Heritage is split into two releases each year. The main set comes out early in the year, with High Number releasing later on. In 2020, the set combined for 725 cards. Just 225 were featured on the High Number checklist. Of those, the last 25 cards (#701-725) are short prints. 

The design of the whole set is based on 1971 Topps. Base cards look just as they did in the ‘71 release, with those same condition sensitive black borders. In addition to the base set, there are a multitude of different variations, including Action Image, Silver Team Name, Missing Signature, Nickname, Errors, and Throwback. Chrome parallels were tough in this release, and found just once in every 38 packs. There are also relic cards and autographs, but as usual, autographs are tough to find in Heritage.

2020 Topps Heritage High Number Baseball Box Break

Cards per pack: 9
Packs per box: 24
Price paid: $50

Shop for 2020 Topps Heritage High Number Baseball boxes on eBay.

Box topper:

Johnny Bench Baseball’s Greatest Moments

Pack 1 highlights:

Nick Castellanos, Dustin May Rookie Performers (1:8 packs) & Cole Hamels

Pack 2:

Nestor Cortes High Number SP (1:3 packs) & Kwang-Hyun Kim RC

Pack 3:

Luis Robert RC & Jacob deGrom Award Winners (1:8 packs)

Even as an opponent of my favorite team, I miss watching deGrom pitch.

Pack 4:

Brooks Robinson 1971 World Series Highlights (1:12 packs)

Brooks hit .318 with five RBI during the 1971 World Series.

Pack 5:

Gerrit Cole, Yoenis Cespedes & Starling Marte High Number SP (1:3 packs)

Pack 6:

Tim Anderson Now & Then (1:8 packs)

Pack 7:

Corey Kluber & Aristides Aquino Rookie Performers (1:8 packs)

Remember Aquino? He has played 59 games in the Mexican League this season, hitting .296 with nine home runs. 

Pack 8:

Yasiel Puig & Kyle Garlick High Number SP RC (1:3 packs)

Pack 9:

Marcell Ozuna High Number SP (1:3 packs)

Pack 10:

Anthony Rendon, Brusdar Graterol RC & Zac Gallen Rookie Performers (1:8 packs)

Pack 11:

Edwin Encarnacion, Salvador Perez & Albert Pujols Now & Then (1:8 packs)

Pack 12:

Hunter Pence, Jonathan Lucroy & Wilmer Difo High Number SP (1:3 packs)

Lucroy, for whatever reason, is seen here batting left-handed. He also appeared in just one game for the Red Sox, catching two innings. 

Pack 13:

Carlos Rodon

Pack 14:

Willson Contreras Clubhouse Collection Jersey Relic (1:26 packs)

Pack 15:

Michael Kopech, Emmanuel Clase RC & Justin Verlander Now & Then (1:8 packs)

Clase has turned into the most dominant closer in the game. He currently holds a career ERA of 1.74.

Pack 16:

Carlos Gonzalez & Alec Mill High Number SP RC (1:3 packs)

Pack 17:

Felix Hernandez & Steve Blass 1971 World Series Highlights (1:12 packs)

Pack 18:

Yandy Diaz & Pete Alonso Award Winners (1:8 packs)

Pack 19:

Wade Davis High Number SP (1:3 packs)

Pack 20:

Mookie Betts, Zack Wheeler & Eloy Jimenez/Luis Robert Combo Cards (1:20 packs)

Pack 21:

Stephen Strasburg Missing Signature Variation (1:628 packs)

Wow! Tough pull on this one!

Pack 22:

Cody Bellinger Award Winners (1:8 packs)

Pack 23:

Yoshi Tsutsugo RC & Jake Cave High Number SP (1:3 packs)

Pack 24:

Josh Donaldson, David Price, Stephen Strasburg & Albert Almora Clubhouse Collection Jersey Relic (1:26 packs)

Lastly, the Strasburg card back.  Sad to think he pitched in just eight more games over three seasons after 2019. 

This was a pretty typical break for Heritage. I did luck out with an extra relic card in the last pack, though. That doesn’t happen a lot. I didn’t find any of the Chrome parallels in this box. That’s not shocking considering the odds had become pretty long in this release. They have actually become even tougher since then.

Want more installments of Shane Salmonson’s Cheap Wax Wednesday? Check out his other breaks in the archives.