2020-21 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #1

I enjoyed the 2019-20 Topps Hockey Sticker Collection enough that I decided to collect the 2020-21 set. What really pushed me to collect this year’s set, though, was that certain stickers were designed to look like old Topps hockey cards. Nostalgia is a powerful drug — powerful enough for me to purchase four boxes of 2020-21 Topps Hockey Stickers. Over the next few days, I will post about what stickers I got, including how many were duplicates and how close it brought me to completing the 666-sticker set. 

Yes, you read that right. There are 666 stickers in the set. 666 is also the Number of the Beast (according to Iron Maiden), and this sticker set is truly a BEAST to complete. 

About 2020-21 Topps Hockey Stickers 

2020-21 Topps Hockey Sticker packs contain five stickers — four regular stickers and one shiny foil sticker — and cost $1 in the U.S. and $1.39 in Canada. A full box has 50 packs for a total of 250 stickers. Packs are made of foil and are “crimped” at the top and bottom like a pack of Topps cards. This is unlike Panini sticker packs, which were two pieces of paper glued together. And unlike Panini stickers of years past, Topps Hockey stickers are affixed to cardboard backings (instead of paper), making them more “card like.” To house the collection, Topps also issued an 80-page album, which costs $2 in the U.S. and $2.79 in Canada. 

Since I knew I was going to try to complete this set from the get-go, I decided to buy four 50-pack boxes, all from the same retailer. Here are the results of my first box. 

What I Got in My 1st Box

200 regular stickers; 12 were doubles

50 foil stickers; 0 were doubles

Breakdown by 100s

Since I have to sort these stickers anyway, I like to keep track of how many I get within each grouping of 100. I’m not sure if you or anyone else finds this information useful, but here it is: 

1-99

25 regular stickers (1 double)
8 foil stickers
= 33 stickers total / 13.2% of the box

100-199

30 regular stickers (2 doubles)
7 foil stickers
= 37 stickers total / 14.8% of the box

200-299

39 regular stickers (4 doubles)
6 foil stickers
= 45 stickers total / 18% of the box

300-399

30 regular stickers (1 double)
8 foil stickers 
= 38 stickers total / 15.2% of the box

400-499

25 regular stickers (1 double)
9 foil stickers 
= 34 stickers / 13.6% of the box

500-599

32 regular stickers (3 doubles)
10 foil stickers
= 42 stickers / 16.8% of the box

600-666

19 regular stickers
2 foil stickers 
= 21 stickers / 8.4% of the box 

Stickers like this one got me excited enough to build this year’s Topps Hockey Sticker set.

As you can tell from the numbers above, I got a pretty even distribution of stickers. However, I’m a little annoyed that 12 stickers were doubles. There are 250 stickers in a box and 666 stickers in this set, so it seems reasonable to open a box and expect to not get any doubles. But I guess 12 stickers out of 250 is a number I can live with.

So far, so good. After one box, I have 238 out of 666 stickers. Check back tomorrow for my next break. 

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.

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Author: Sal Barry

Sal Barry is the editor and webmaster of Puck Junk. He is a freelance hockey writer, college professor and terrible hockey player. Follow him on Twitter @puckjunk

12 thoughts on “2020-21 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #1”

    1. Yep. The collation of Topps Hockey Stickers ain’t pretty. I am down to needing just 8 to finish my set now.

  1. I bought 4 boxes thinking I would only have upwards of maybe 50 left.

    Nope… 150 missing stickers still.

    Breakdown = 1000 stickers bought. 150 stickers still missing. Meaning I only got 510 of the 660 stickers. Thus leaving 490 doubles…BRUTAL

    It seems like the same 5 stickers are in a pack. So if If you open and it’s a sticker you already have, that whole pack is a write off.

    To make things worse, Topps does not offer the ability to purchase missing stickers like Panini did. I will have to go to a online selling website to finish my set, where they can sell them for whatever price they want.

    I feel bad for the kids that don’t have $300 to spend on completing this set.

    1. Hi Michael, I feel your pain! As you can see, I also opened four boxes, and came up about 200 stickers short of finishing my set. Let me know if you’d like to trade stickers.

      1. Hi Sal,

        Lol. I wish I would have seen this earlier. Sadly I already purchased the missing stickers from the web. Another $85 US on this set spent. (Ahem I am Canadian, so that’s like 749 CAD)

        I am not collector for monetary value. I love collecting stickers and cards ever since I was a kid. I like the base sets. I don’t go chasing autos or the rare cards etc.

        So if you provide me the list of what ones you need. I will gladly send you any if I have those.

        I really hope Topps does a better job next year. Panini would at least let you buy your missing stickers directly from them for really cheap. 0.10 CAD / sticker with free shipping. Topps does not do that so the collector is on their own to complete it.

        Michael

        1. Hi all, I’m about to open my 3rd box of stickers with my 5-year old son. We’re enjoying filling out the book…..but getting LOTS of doubles!!
          I’ve been keeping all the doubles hoping to find someone to trade with. Based on what I’ve read I’m expecting I’ll need at least 4 boxes (or 5) to get close to finishing off the set.
          When I get to that point would anyone like to do some trades?
          Thank you!
          MikeH

  2. We have at least 200-300 doubles and are willing to trade. We need some help finishing our book, we’ll need about 93 more stickers to do so. Thanks!

  3. This is my first year collecting stickers. I bought 3 boxs. Im missing most of the 200s, 400s , and anything over 570. If anyone can help!
    If im able ill return the favor

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