2011 Topps Update Preview: Parallel City

Images and details have just arrived regarding Topps Update, weeks before Series 2 even hits the shelf. Scheduled for release in October (as usual), the set will contain the expected 330 cards, including 55 rookies and the usual All-Star highlights and traded players.

Workout jersey relics return. I like the desert motif in the background - one thing Topps seems to really do well is theming the All-Star relics to the location.

With workout jerseys come workout patches. Again, the desert theme looks great. But there's nothing new here - All-Star jerseys have been used for years.

Here's something new - sort of. Next 60 will be (you guessed it) hot rookies done exactly the same as Topps 60. This preview image shows a 1/10 serial numbering and the card is in red, but I have no idea yet if this is a parallel.

Returning from the regular set will be the manufactured glove patches, more Diamond Duos (I have had enough of them and I haven't even seen series 2 yet), Kimball minis, Topps 60, sketches (including ones done by players), silks, and more of the 60th Anniversary autographs.

The diamond parallels will continue, and new in the Update set will be two additional parallels.

 The blue parallels will be known as Hope Diamonds.

The burnt sienna parallels will be known as Cognac Diamonds.

"But wait! Ichiro didn't change teams this year, and I want him in a Hope Diamond parallel!" you say. Well, fear not, because Topps is inserting Hope and Cognac parallels for series 1 and 2 into Update packs. This means that jumbo packs will have a whopping 4 parallels in each pack. No word on other packaging methods, though apparently regular packs will have only 10 cards each. And there's no word on how limited these two new parallels will be.

I like the look of the blue Hope Diamond parallel image, but this is something that should have been done from the start of the year, or not at all. I have to wonder if boxes containing regular packs will have more packs or perhaps a separate "parallel" pack.