SCF Official Review: 2010 Topps Finest

**Enigma** · 04-23-2010, 02:12 PM

First and foremost, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Topps for providing us with this box.

2 miniboxes per box
6 packs per minibox
5 cards per pack
Current Retail Price: 109.99-124.99 (online)

Product Description

Hobby Exclusive!
Autographed On-Patch Rookie Cards!
New! In the Name X-Fractor Rookie Book Cards

EACH MASTER BOX CONTAINS
- 2 Numbered Autographed Rookie Patch Card. 1 Per Mini Box!
- 10 Numbered Parallel Cards. 5 Per Mini Box!
- One 2010 Rookie Card Redemption

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS:

AUTOGRAPHED LETTER PATCH ROOKIE CARDS
- One Per Mini Box!
- Each card numbered* to 299 or less is highlighted with an autographed letter patch from the last name of any one of 20 rookie subjects.
- ON-PATCH AUTOGRAPHS - NO STICKERS!

Refractor Parallel Cards
- New! Purple - One of One!
- New! Printing Plate - One of One!
- Red - Numbered* to 5
- Gold - Numbered* to 10
- Blue - Numbered* to 25
- Refractor - Numbered* to 75

New! In The Name X-Fractor Rookie Book Cards
- One of One!

ROOKIE CARD REDEMPTION PROGRAM
- One Per Master Box!
- Get a first look at 10 top 2010 Rookies! Each rookie is represented with randomly inserted, numbered, redemption cards, which can be redeemed for an actual 2010 rookie card.

Refractor Parallel Cards
- Gold - Numbered to 50*
- Blue - Numbered to 199*

FINEST MOMENTS AUTOGRAPH CARDS
- 20 players each sign their cards which depict a highlight from the 2009 MLB season.

Refractor Parallel Cards
- NEW! Purple - One of One!
- Red - Numbered* to 25

BASE CARDS - 5 PER PACK!
- 125 top MLB veterans and 25 rookies!

Refractor Parallel Cards - 5 Per Mini Box!
- New! Purple - One of One!
- Framed Printing Plates - One of One!
- Red - Numbered* to 25
- Gold - Numbered* to 50
- Green - Numbered* to 99
- Blue - Numbered* to 399
- Refractor - Numbered* to 699

NEW! MLB ROOKIE CARD LOGO PATCHES
- The 25 rookies in a variation version, flaunting an MLB Rookie Card Logo Patch along with an RC logo and numbered* to 50.
- Available in a One of One Purple Refractor version!

WHAT WE PULLED

Base: 41/125 (32.8%)
Dupes: 0
Rookies: 6/25 (24%)
Dupes: 0
Rookie Redemption: 1
Refractors /599 (6) - Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder, Roy Halladay, Brian McCann, Kevin Richardson, Josh Butler
Blue Refractors /299 (3) - Jason Bay, Joey Votto, Kyle Phillips
Green Refractors /99 (1) - Mariano Rivera
Red Refractors /25 (1) - Michael Young

Dustin Richardson "S" Auto /217
Drew Stubbs "S" Auto /217

FINAL RATINGS

Base - 3.5/5
Design - 4.5/5
Fun - 4.25/5
Value - 4/5
Rebuy - 3.5/5

Total - 19.75/25 (79%)

Topps is back with it's chrome and refractor style set known as Finest. Finest has a 150 card regular set consisting of 125 veterans and 25 rookies. Players are displayed on a chrome card stock with a foil overlay. The photos are pictured on top of their respective team's logo. Traditionally with Finest, there are no insert sets. The different levels of refractors are substituted as the inserts. They are numbered from 599 down to 1. Also, each box will yield a redemption for a rookie card to be made in the future. Collectors are able to go to topps.com to see who the player will be once it has been announced.

The main attraction of Finest are the autographs. They are generally seeded one per minibox. The basic auto is the Rookie Letter Autographs. It features a manufactured letter and an auto on the letter itself from one of the 25 rookies in the set. New for this year is a Rookie Card Logo Patch Auto featuring the 25 rookies. The only other autograph are the Finest Moments Autos.

Finest does live up to its name with a great style and design. The use of the chrome and holofoil works well and draws in the eyes. Can't go wrong with cards that simply stand out. Each pack contains either a refractor, rookie redemption or an autograph. Always a good thing to receive a bonus in every pack. I did notice that you could tell right away which pack had the Rookie Letter Auto in each minibox. Even though there is a disclaimer about not being intended to be sold as individual packs, it still happens and it is too easy for someone to remove that pack. In addition, while there's a lot of glitz and glamour to the cards, the price point is rough. Including rookies, you would have to get lucky with a minimum purchase of 5 boxes to complete the regular set. OUCH! Accordingly, the likelihood of only 2 autographs overall is not appealing for the price paid.

Once again, I'd like to thank our sponsors at Topps for giving us the opportunity to open and review this release. For information on their products, you can check them out at www.topps.com.