2011 Topps Finest MLB
Per Box Items:
2 mini-boxes
6 packs per mini-box
5 cards per pack
1 RC auto of dual relic RC auto per mini-box
Topps Sell Sheet
The Standard sized cards feature a color action shot of the player. The picture is super-imposed over a washed out background that fades form solid chrome bottom to a "sun-burst" effect at the top of the card. Framed in red with a stripe of the team's primary color at the bottom, only the set logo, player name, and team name adorn the front. The card backs are photo-less. Trimmed with the team's primary color, the card backs offer moderate biographical information, moderate career highlights and career statistics.
What I pulled:
60 unique cards
52/100 base set cards = 52% of the base set
6 serial numbered refractors
1 autograph
1 dual relic autograph
Base card front and back:
The Inserts:
Green Refractor #/199 Barney
X-Factor #/299 Ortix, Beachy
Refractor #/549 Hernandez, Strasburg, Beachy
The Hits:
Eric Sogard Gold Refractor RC autograph #/75
Freddie Freeman dual relic autograph Refractor #/499
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I love Topps Finest products. I always have and always will. I love the designs, the refractors and inserts. Any year, any sport, I will find myself gravitating toward a box of Finest over titles. One autograph is a sticker and the other is on card. The high gloss fronts will take finger prints and smudges very easily and all of the cards have the "chrome curl," even in the individual packs some of the cards were warping. Some of the corners and edges were flaking and peeling, especially on the badly curled cards. For every collector though, I find that we all have that one special set that we always like and will always buy. Topps Finest products are that product for me!
The Bottom Line:
I give 2011 Topps Finest MLB a buy rating. Plan on two master boxes (four mini-boxes) for a chance at the complete set. Several tiers of cards to chase will be fun. There are lots of RCs for the prospectors. Go buy a master box and trade your Tigers cards to me!
The Final Score:
Final Ratings (Out of 5):
Base set collect-ability: 3/5
Big-hit Hunter: 3/5
Prospector Hunter: 5/5
Overall Design: 5/5
Fun: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Re-buy: 4/5
Overall Quality: 3/5
Overall: 32/40 (80% = B)
Topps sent me this box to review for Baseball Digest. I am also offering base and insert cards to members of The Bench for a SASE.
Thanks to Topps for making this review possible!
Tal