SCF Official Review: 2011 Topps Platinum

[Enigma]

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



20 packs per box
5 cards per pack
Current Retail Price (online): 99.99 - 114.99

Product Description

Introducing The Soon-To-Be Top Performing Rookies Of The 2011 NFL Season On Platinum Technology

Each pack contains 4 Topps Platinum Veteran Base cards Plus 1
Chrome Rookie cards.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS:
All-New! On-Card Rookie Autograph Cards
All-New! Rookie Supreme-Sized Patch Cards
All-New! Rookie Autograph Jumbo Patch Refractor Card
All-New! Platinum Die Cut Cards

3 HIITS PER BOX!!
2 On-Card Autographed Rookie Refractor Cards* (* Multi Autograph Card Will Replace On-Card Autograph Card)
1 Autograph Refractor Patch Card
PLUS
1 Refractor Rookie Card per Pack

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

INSERT CARDS - 1 PER BOX!
New! Platinum Die Cut Cards: 15 exciting NFL Rookies and 10 noble Veterans have been seleted to appear on sculpted, Platinum enhanced cards. Hobby Only!


NEW! ON-CARD AUTOGRAPHED ROOKIE REFRACTOR CARDS - 2 PER BOX!
On-Card Autograph Rookie Cards: Variations of the 50 base Rookie cards, these cards are Chromed, Refracted, Numbered* and best of all - personally signed by each top NFL newcomer.
All on-card autographed Rookie cards are paralleled as follows:
- Superfractor - ONE OF ONE. Hobby Only!
- Printing Plates - 200 cards ONE OF ONE. Hobby Only!
- NEW! Gold Refractor - Numbered to 10
- NEW! White Refractor - Numbered to 50
- Blue Refractor - Numbered to 99
- NEW! Green Refractor - Numbered to 399


MULTI-AUTOGRAPH REFRACTOR ROOKIE CARDS
Dual Autograph Rookie Cards: 2 Rookies and 2 autographs grace these numbered to 25 refractor cards.
Triple Autograph Rookie Cards: Three's the charm with these triple-signed numbered to 10 Refractor cards. Hobby Only!
New! Hexagraph Autograph Rookie Cards: 6 Rookies and 6 signatures adorn these numbered to 10 double-sided cards. Hobby Only!


AUTOGRAPH REFRACTOR PATCH CARDS - 1 PER BOX!
Rookie Autograph Jumbo Patch Cards: Numbered and Refractored cards highlighted by a top Rookie and a player- worn multi-colored, JUMBO patch swatch with his signature. 35 Rookies in all.
All autographed Rookie cards are paralleled as follows:
- NEW! Red Refractor NFL Shield Patch - ONE OF ONE. Hobby Only!
- Superfractor - ONE OF ONE. Hobby Only!
- Gold Refractor - Numbered to 10
- NEW! White Refractor - Numbered to 25
- Blue Refractor - Numbered to 99
- NEW! Green Refractor - Numbered to 199

Rookie Dual Autograph Dual Patch Cards: Rookies pair-up on numbered to 25 cards highlighted by 2 autographs and 2 multi-hued patches with Refractor technology.

New! Autograph Platinum Patch Cards: 25 Rookies and 5 Veterans are each featured on Refractor cards with a colorful Supreme-size JUMBO player/game-worn jersey piece. Each card is numbered to 5. Hobby Only!

Autograph Veteran Patch Cards: 15 star Veterans showcased on numbered Refractor cards with their signature and a varied-colored game-used patch piece.
All autograph patch cards are paralleled as follows:
- Superfractor - ONE OF ONE. Hobby Only!
- Gold Refractor - Numbered to 10
- NEW! White Refractor - Numbered to 25


NEW! RELIC CARDS - 1 PER 12-BOX CASE!
Platinum Rookie Patches: 35 Rookies each with a brightly-hued Supreme-sized JUMBO patch relic on numbered cards. Hobby Only!


BASE CARDS - 5 PER PACK!
Veterans: The NFL's top 100 Veteran stars on rainbow foilboard at a rate of 4 per pack!
NEW! All 100 Veterans are paralleled on foilboard as follows:
- Ruby - Inserted 1:20 packs
- Emerald - Inserted 1:10 packs
- Gold - Inserted 1:5 packs

Rookies: An elite fifty 2011 Rookies on gleaming Chrome Refractor technology are inserted one per pack!
All 50 Rookies are paralleled as follows:
- Superfractor - ONE OF ONE. Hobby Only!
- Printing Plates - 200 cards. ONE OF ONE. Hobby Only!
- Red Refractor - Numbered to 25
- NEW! Gold Refractor - Numbered to 50
- White Refractor - Numbered to 99
- Blue Refractor - Numbered to 299
- NEW! Green Refractor - Numbered to 499
- NEW! X-fractor - Inserted 1:4 packs

WHAT WE PULLED



Base: 61/150 (40.7%)
Gold Parallel (18)
Platinum Die Cut (1)



Xfractors (5)
Emerald Parallel (2)
Ruby Parallel (1)
Emerald Rookie Parallel /499 (1): Austin Pettis
Ruby Rookie Parallel /25 (1): Julio Jones



Alex Green Autograph /250



Da'Rel Scott Autograph /1050



Jerrel Jernigan 2-color Patch/Autograph



Cam Newton 2-color Jumbo Patch /36 - CASE HIT



FINAL RATINGS

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

Total - 20/25 (80%)

Topps Platinum is back and it continues one important theme that has been prevalent in Topps football products this year, Rookies! The 150-card base set combines 100 veterans and 50 rookies meaning 1/3rd of the set features first-year players. Outside of the obvious RC symbol, the rookies are differentiated from the veterans a dotted background. All cards on a chrome stock with a gloss finish.

There are no inserts, but plenty of parallels to go around. The veterans have three parallels, none of which are numbered but can be found at a different ratio. The rookies are featured more prominently with seven refractor versions, including the eye-catching x-fractors. All are numbered except the x-fractors. Also, seeded one per box, Platinum delivers a Die Cut set that contains a mix of 25 players.

On average, expect to find three autographs in every box. This will usually be split up between two rookie autographs and one patch/autograph. There are other goodies such as multiple rookie autographs, up to six on one card. Even the veteran get there time with oversized patch/autographs. Be on the lookout as well for case hits, such as the Rookie Oversized Patch cards.

Topps Platinum is successful on many levels. There is a nice mix of rookies within the base set. Additionally, they are not seeded at the back of the set like a lot of products. The metallic design works well and adheres to the name of the release. There is an imbalance of parallels between the veterans and the rookies, but that is not a hindrance as most seek out the rookies anyway. However, having colored parallels that are unnumbered is not enjoyable. Why not just go the extra step and number some of them?

Then there's the dreaded thought that comes to mind upon seeing the rookie autographs numbered differently of knowing you are more likely to get one of certain rookies over others. I am whole-heartedly for limiting the number of the top-tier rookies. But after that, make them all the same. In the end, it is still worth the purchase based on the return.

Once again, I'd like to thank our wonderful sponsors at Topps for giving us the opportunity to open and review this release. For more information on all their products, visit them today at www.topps.com.

[WVcoltsfan]

nice to hit the Cam case hit!