“In a chocolate pond; through a chocolate field… (yada, yada, yada)”. Nonetheless, Donruss Elite Extra Edition brought back that thrill in a big way, even if high-gloss cardboard tastes nothing like chocolate milk.
Lucky for me, the box I reviewed was a “hot box.” The 12-pack hobby box contained 12 autographs, three die-cut parallels and two assorted, serial-numbered inserts.
Let’s cut to the chase, shall we. Of the autographs, I was lucky enough to pull an Aspirations die-cut Matt Tuiasosopo, serial-numbered to just 100 copies. In addition, the highlights of the remaining 11 autographs included Jeremy Sowers, Chris Nelson, Philip Hughes, Travis Blackley, Dioner Navarro and Mitch Einertson.
I also pulled “Turn of the Century” die-cut parallels of Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa.
All told, this box break was one of the best I have ever had in the course of my collecting history, which spans upwards of 25 years.
From a price-point perspective, Elite Extra Edition is one of the best boxes in the hobby today. Sealed hobby boxes are readily available for around $60-65. Figure in the ratio of “hot boxes,” which are seeded at approximately one per six hobby boxes, and you’re in for a real treat.
Hot boxes aside, certified autographs pack-out at a rate of three or four per hobby box, on average.
With Elite Extra being the only Donruss/Playoff baseball product permitted to contain rookie cards of 2004 Draft Picks, the checklist is simply outstanding. Look for certified autographed rookie cards from the likes of Tuiasosopo, Einertson, Nelson, Josh Fields, Blake DeWitt, Mark Rogers, and Trevor Plouffe.
In addition, there are dual and triple autographs, including a dynamite dual-autographed card of Tuiasosopo and Fields, as well as a triple-autographed card of Plouffe, Jay Rainville and Kyle Waldrop.
And what would a Donruss/Playoff product be without the inclusion of a massive “1 of 1” program.
Simply put, 2004 Donruss Elite Extra Edition baseball gets my vote for product of the year.
