2004 Topps Cracker Jack - Pack 01

It's time to bust one more pack today - this time the first pack out of the 2004 Topps Cracker Jack box.  When I opened the box, I was first greeted by a bag of six year old cracker jacks...perhaps later during the group break I'll be brave and open the bag of food and see what has survived over time...(plus I gotta see what the prize is right?!)

This is a hobby box that contains 20 packs (8 cards per pack plus 1 secret surprise per pack).  I have no idea what they mean by a "secret surprise" in every pack but it is an obvious riff on the Cracker Jack motif so no complaints.

According to the pack wrapper, we can expect to find the following:
Short Print: 1:3 packs
Short Print Red:  1:20 packs
Blue Parallel:  1:10 packs
Short Print Blue:  1:60 packs
White Parallel:  1:6,189 packs
Team Topps Legends Autographs:  1:755,000 packs
Secret Surprise Signature: Group A:  1:1,448 packs
Secret Surprise Signature: Group B:  1:451 packs
Secret Surprise Signature: Group C:  1:323 packs
Secret Surprise Signature: Group D:  1:372 packs
Cracker Jack Autographs:  1:258 packs
1,2,3 Strikes You're Out Relic:  Group A:  1:5,045 packs
1,2,3 Strikes You're Out Relic:  Group B:  1:103 packs
1,2,3 Strikes You're Out Relic:  Group C:  1:177 packs
1,2,3 Strikes You're Out Relic:  Group D:  1:157 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group A:  1:654 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group B:  1:645 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group C:  1:152 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group D:  1:131 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group E:  1:99 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group F:  1:201 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group G:  1:211 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group H:  1:190 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group I:  1:126 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group J:  1:149 packs
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Relic:  Group K:  1:89 packs
Vintage Repurchased:  1:2,598

Since this a rather confusing set, I'll let Beckett.com try to explain it:

This 250 card set was released in April, 2004. The set was issued in nine-card packs which came 20 packs to a box and 10 boxes to a case. Please note that many cards in this set were issued in shorter supply than others (we have notated those cards with an SP) or have variation poses. In addition, to mirror the original Cracker Jack set the managers of the 2003 World Series were included as well as the Marlins Owner, Jeffrey Loria. In addition, to acknowledge the late trade of Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees a Rodriguez card in a Yankee uniform was a late addition to this set and was issued without a card number. In addition, 550 original cracker jacks were inserted into packs, those cards were issued at a stated rate of one in 2598 hobby and one in 3084 retail packs.

Pack 01:
32.  Lima - Dodgers
55.  Hoblitzel - Boston Americans (error card) - Goes to the Red Sox pile
64.  Olerud - Mariners
76.  Garciaparra - Red Sox
104.  Brown - Yankees
109.  Kearns - Reds  (Short Print)
132.  Seo - Mets
215.  Santana - Angels
223.  Pierre - Marlins

I didn't scan the cards upside down - if you orient that backs of the cards so that the card number is at the top, some of the cards end up "upside down" when viewed from the front...  I didn't notice that until the scan - but it kind of drives me crazy as a set collector!

150.  Burroughs - Mini parallel - Padres

The secret surprise inside the main pack was a small red and white striped pack...

I forgot to scan this before I ripped it...hence the rip at the top.

Which contained:
Mini Checklist 1 of 2

145.  Harden - Sticker Parallel - Athletics

The sticker mini looks just like the regular minis except for a "peel here" sign on the back.  For those that end up with sticker minis in the group break, pay attention!

Woah, I was not expecting such a convoluted set when I ordered this box!  That said, it is a LOT of fun to open, each pack is really two packs - and there are a ton of interesting cards.  I think I might try and find another box of this set for myself...I'm really digging it so far!

And there you have it - day one of the group break is complete.  So far, 4 packs have been opened and we already have 9 inserts/parallels/short prints - including eight different teams (the Athletics have two inserts already)!  There have also been 28 other base cards added to the team piles - and we are a looooong way from over!  Stay tuned for more packs coming up in future days!