As always, we would love to thank Topps for sending us out this product for review. When I found out I was doing this review I was struck with glee as Topps Finest is one of my favorite products of the year.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/2009FinestBB.jpg

Product Description

2 mini-boxes per master box
6 packs per mini box
5 cards per pack
MSRP: $100 ($50 per mini box)

Content Highlights

-Each mini box contains 1 numbered rookie autographed patch with the autograph right on the patch!
-Each full box contains 1 rookie redemption!
-Find other autographs from some of the leagues top stars!
-Find one refractor per pack!

Break it Down For Me

Base Cards
- Veterans (125)
- Rookies (25)
- Autographed Rookie Letter Patch Cards (10) - Featuring an on-patch autograph and #'d to 299 or less Refractor Parallel Cards
Veterans/Rookies (150)
- White-Framed X-Fractor - One of one.
- Red - #'d to 25
- Gold - #'d to 50
- Green - #'d to 99
- Blue - #'d to 399
- Refractor
Autographed Rookie Letter Patch Cards (10)
- White-Framed X-Fractor - One of one.
- Red - #'d to 5
- Gold - #'d to 10
- Blue - #'d to 25
- Refractor - #'d to 75

Finest Moment Autograph Cards (16)
Refractor Parallel Cards (16)
- X-Fractor - One of one
- Red - #'d to 75
Rookie Card Redemption Program
Rookie Redemption Cards (10) - Can be redeemed for an actual 2009 rookie card
Refractor Parallel Cards (10)
- Gold - #'d to 50
- Refractor - #'d to 19


The Break


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXlcs-7_w2E

What Did We Pull?

Base - 47/150 (31.333333%)
Dupes - 2

The base cards done in Finest are made with their "Chrome" technology. The border is mostly black and silver with colored highlights on the sides that are generally near the team colors. It contains all your favorite refractor parallels which are easily distinguished by their color and reflectiveness.

Here is a Griffey base so you can check it out:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0508.jpg

Refractors fall about one per pack and here are the types we received.

Refractors: 4

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0510.jpghttp://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0513.jpg
(Including Xavier Nady and Scott Kazmir, I'll have those up after I fix a technical problem)

Blue Refractors #/399: 4

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0518.jpghttp://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0517.jpghttp://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0514.jpg
(Also includes Lance Berkman, will include picture when tech issue is fixed)

Green Refractors #/99: 1

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0516.jpg

Gold Refractors #/50: 1

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0511.jpg

Special Rookie Redemptions can be found at about 1 per box, and we pulled one:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0509.jpg

Rookie Patch Autographs can be found one per mini box!

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0507.jpghttp://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/spoodini/09%20Finest%20Break/IMGP0506.jpg
The M is a refractor numbered out of 75!

Final Ratings

Base Set: 3/5
Fun: 4/5
Design: 4/5
Value: 3/5
Re-buy: 3/5

Overall: 17/25 (68%)

First off, let this be said that I am a huge fan of this product. However, this year, had I bought this I would have been disappointed even if I pulled something amazing.

I gave the base set a 3. It's a solid 150 cards, however, there is absolutely no reason to be getting any duplicates when you can only pull a third of a base set from a box. To me, that's unacceptable. 2 duplicates is 2 too many.

The fun factor was definitely a 4. Pulling refractors in every pack is fun just like inserts in other products. You have the chance for star autograph and it's very exciting pulling a patch autograph, but I'll get into that later.

I gave the design a 4 too. I would have given the design a 5 except for one major flaw. The patch autographs are too small. You barely have enough room to write an autograph on some of those letters and that is noticeable by not being able to recognize the autograph on them. In person, it doesn't even look like a signature. I know people don't sign neatly, myself one of them, but it's just way too small of an area. Make the patches bigger, don't go to sticker autos on the patches like football though!

I gave the value a 3. $50 per mini box? I'm sorry but it's just not worth that much. The autograph selection is decent, but just one hit in that mini box with the possibility of a redemption or even more scarce, another autograph? I couldn't justify paying $100 total for a whole box or $50 for a mini box without the hits to back it up.

I gave the re-buy a 3 for the same reason as the value. The price is just too much for this product. Add in another guaranteed hit and I think it would be a little better. The lack of hits for $100 and the duplicate cards gives the rebuy value a low rating.

Overall, I like the product more than my score indicates, however, I have to be put in the shoes of the regular customer and I'm not sure a regular customer would give it that high of a grade.

I would like to thank Topps for sending us this product to review. As always, you can find them at www.topps.com (http://www.topps.com) and you can find the cards pulled across the site in contests, giveaways, and the CC Store.

overall it was a good break! at least one of the letters was a ref!

Not a big fan of the base design but I do like the rookie patches. I agree about the MSRP on the product.

Anything I get send your way for the base Kazmir refractor?

Nice review. I don't know why they went away from 3 minis per box, this seems a bit overpriced, but I do like the letter autos.

Nice write up and look forward to it being put up on youtube.

DOn

Anything I get send your way for the base Kazmir refractor?

That card will either be given away in a contest or put in the CC Store. This is all property of SCF, not me.

I agree with pretty much everything you said, too. I probably like the base set a little more. Having just gotten back into collecting at the end of 2007, I gave last year's Finest a shot and wasn't happy with it at all. This year, I was hesitant, but very pleased! The look of the base cards (and refractors) is very 'clean' which appeals to me. I also didn't get any duplicates from the single 'master' box I've opened to date.

I agree, too, that the value seems a little off. The rookie checklist just doesn't justify the price. I hit a red refractor (Ellsbury) and a Price refractor auto and that puts me a little above average for the break (I think), but still barely makes it to the MSRP based on ebay sales.

Overall, great write-up on an awesome product!

-Fred Bear...

Not bad from what I can tell. I know tutall would like pulling the Magglio!

Not bad from what I can tell. I know tutall would like pulling the Magglio!

lol, he defintly would. i'm not a fan at all of the product, i think Finest has completely ruined the idea of BTL Autos

First thanks to Topps for the box! I don't do baseball much but I don't think i ma a big fan of the design.

I agree if your pulling duplicates and only getting 1/2 to 2/3 of the set the collation should be better.

Just my 2 cents

nice look, nice pulls, thanks to topps!

where are the phillies!

great review Kevin, not a bad break either..

Ed

Nice job on the review man.

Nice break and review on this!

Thanks Topps!

Darin

Nice review. I personally love the letter auto's. I need to keep my eyes open for that Ka'Aihue "H" for my son Isaiah's name plate.

This is a wonderful opinion. The things mentioned are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone

cart

Excellent review first off. I've always been a fan of Finest but, it just seems like they're running out of ideas. I, truly, like the Auto'd 'By the Letter' campaign, but, it just seems they're overdoing it now. I LOVE the way the refractors look. Base design IS a bit bland..but, I did like the different colors for the team colors. It shows they actually care enough to change up the cards a BIT.
Not entirely happy with the whole 'MINI-BOX' thing. It does give people a chance at a nice pull though. So, props to Topps on that.
Overall...Finest did what Finest does this year again. Great cards..great designs.

Evan~~

Nice review.

Nice break and review...price does seem a bit steep though. Thanks Topps!