Official Review: 2008 Topps Mayo Football

[Enigma]

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



PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

24 packs per box
8 cards per pack
MSRP: $89.99-$99.99

2008 Topps Mayo Football pays tribute to the first Football Cards ever created from more than 100 years ago!
Originally honoring top players in the Ivy League, Topps Mayo continues the tradition and recognizes the best in another League –
The National Football League.


</U>Cut Signatures from the Turn of the Century!
Original 1894 Mayo Cards!
Public Figures and Personalities!
Every Autograph is Signed On-Card!

Two Relics OR One Autograph and One Relic Per Hobby Box!*

*Insertion rates reflect hobby box configuration




Base Cards

8 Cards Per Pack!

330 Subjects!

All 330 subjects are featured on the classic Mayo Football card design in a standard 2 1/2” x 3 1/2”, color, 16 pt. format.
Veterans, Legends, Rookies, Coaches, Public Figures, Short Prints

Autographed Cards--Signed On-Card!

Two Relics OR One Autograph and One Relic Per Hobby Box!

Mayo Autographs

Rookies, Veterans, and Retired NFL players appear with their signatures on mini-cards that are framed to regular size.

Mayo Americana

Notable celebrities autograph their mini card.

Autograph subjects will also appear on a parallel version, signed with red ink, and hand numbered* to 10.

Cut Signatures

Cut signature cards featuring personalities such as Norman Rockwell, Mark Twain, and Orville Wright!

Relic Cards

Two Relics OR One Autograph and One Relic Per Hobby Box!

Mayo Relics

NFL players highlighted with a jersey relic on framed mini cards

Mayo Americana

16 prominent personalities, such as Colin Powell, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Al Franken appear with a relic piece on framed mini cards

Mayo Century Series

Cards featuring public figures from 1894 with original memorabilia from the era, such as stamps, coins, and actual pieces from the USS Maine!

1894 Original Mayo Cards

Only in Mayo!

Mayo Cut Plug Cards From 1894!

Original cards from the actual 1894 Mayo Cut Plug Football Set are framed and randomly inserted!

Insert Cards-8 Per Box!

Late Addition--Super Bowl Logo History!

Team Logo History

NEW! Super Bowl Logo History. These puzzle cards chronicle the iconic logos of the last 11 (SB XXXII-XLVII) Super Bowls as well as the dueling contenders for the Lombardi Trophy. Each "card" consists of three 2-1/2" X 3-1/2" cards featuring the Super Bowl logo flanked by 2 helmets which represent the competing teams for each specific Super Bowl!

Famous Ships

20 of the most renowned ships of all time, including the RMS Titanic, USS Moniter, Andrea Gail, etc.

Mini Parallel Cards

All 330 base cards are paralleled in the original Mayo size - 1 9/16” x 2 7/8”

One Per Pack!
1894:
Each card back features the original Mayo logo and is numbered* to 5
Harvard:
The iconic Harvard crimson “H” highlights each of these numbered* to 25 cards
Princeton:
Each card sports an orange Princeton “P” on each back. 1 Per Box!
Yale:
The same 330 subjects featuring a Yale blue “Y” on each card back
Mayo:
The original black and white design. 1 Per Pack!
Mini Printing Plates:
Each of the 4 printing plates from the base set in a mini size and framed. Each Is One Of One!

VIDEO BREAK

PART 1



PART 2



WHAT WE PULLED

Base (138/330) - 41.82%
Dupes - 0
Super Bowl Logo History (21/33) - 63.64%
Dupes - 0



Topps Mayo is based on the design of the 1894 Mayo's Cut Plug cards. The base cards have a black border with the player's picture in the middle. The photos looks like paintings as there are not action photos. Under the photos, you find the player's last name and team. The immediate bottom has the Mayo logo and the words "For Collecting and Trading."

The last 11 Super Bowl (not counting this year's) is commemorated in a 33-card set called Super Bowl Logo History. These cards feature the helmets of the teams that participated in a specific Super Bowl along with the logo from that Super Bowl. When the three cards are put together side by side, they line up perfectly to showcase everything.



Each pack of Topps Mayo has 1 mini card. Most will be a variation of the base card. They look the same on the front and back, just smaller in size. There are other mini back variations to highlights some of the Ivy League schools or the original Mayo logo.

Mayo Black & White Design
Mayo Logo /5
Harvard "H" /25
Princeton "P"
Yale "Y"

The Princeton back is 1 per box and the Yale "Y" is 2 per box on average.

Princeton (1) - Mario Williams
Yale (2) - Laurent Robinson, Jason Witten

There is a 20 card mini set devoted to various famous ships of history. The ships are featured with a full-card picture. The name of the ship is listed below it. The back of the card details the importance of each ship.

The final mini set is devoted to breeds of Horses. Much like the Ship series, the horses are given a full-card photo with the name of the breed underneath the photo. The back of the card shows a checklsit for the 15-card set.



The relic and auto cards are done as mini cards. They are encased in a hard plastic case and encircled by a black border with a white swirl design. The relic pieces are in a football shape and are located at the bottom of the player's photo. The autos are in the same place as the relic piece and are hard signed.

Relic (1) - John David Booty
Auto (1) - Eddie Royal

Ratings (Out of 5):
Base - 4.5
Fun - 4.0
Overall Design - 4.0
Value - 3.0
Rebuy - 3.0

Final Grade - 18.5/25 (74%)

As a huge fan of the Allen & Ginter series in baseball, I have to admit I was ecstatic at the prospect of a similiar series being released in football. I had plans to do all the base and mini sets. Even started shifting funds to the side to save up for purchasing a case for myself. But then, Topps made changes to the release.

Originally, the boxes were going to be 1 auto and 1 relic. Then right before the release, it was announced it had changed to either 1 auto and 1 relic or 2 relics per box on average. There's a lot of excitement behind the autos because they are hard signed and highly coveted in that form. But that's not the bad part.

The worst part was the complete overhaul of the auto lineup. Numerous autos were taken off the checklist and collectors were not notified until late in the game. Sure, Topps tried to replace these autos with others, but the anticipation behind the opportunity to pull certain names on the original checklist was wasted.

However, I have to admit I do like the base cards and design. Sticking with the 1894 Mayo theme, the cards are done as paintings instead of the regular action photos. The mini variations using the college letters and colors is a nice touch. Unlike A&G, (and a nice thing), there's only two other mini series to chase.

I'm not sold on the Super Bowl cards. I think I'd much rather have the 50 States set in football like you found in this past year's A&G release. If you were going to go this route, why not do all the Super Bowls? Why just the last 11?

Once again, I'd like to thank our fine sponsors at Topps for providing us with the box and the opportunity to review it.

[trevorp121]

Cool looking cards! Nice review Tony, and Thanks Topps!

[TheTGB]

This product looks great just like baseball's A&G and love the style. I am disappointed in the auto change right before release...it took out a lot of great possible autographs. Other than that, I still really like the design and would agree with Enigma, why just the last 11 Super Bowls?

Anyway, thanks again Topps for the product to review.

[etmill01]

definitely a great looking product...Thanks to Topps for the box to review...Thanks Ed

[doniceage]

Nice review.

DOn

[JKC]

Nice break and review, Tony!

Thanks Topps!

Darin

[dallascisco]

Nice break tony.

[StainLss]

really like the design, but Tony i have to agree with you, I am not a big fan of the Super Bowl cards. But it would be cool if they had them all that way you could get all the ones your favorite team won.

[htwheelz01]

Nice review Tony.

[maple19]

Nice Break Tony

PS Look What A&G Started

Mike