2008 Topps Finest
What I pulled--
A-Rod Road to 500 Boxtopper - 339, 342
Mini Box 1--
Inserts and Autographs:
Rookie Logo Cards - Radhames Liz, Donny Lucy, Bronson Sardinha
Refractors - Jim Edmonds, Dmitri Young
Blue Refractor - Troy Tulowitzki (#40/299)
Green Refractor - Alex Rodriguez (#167/199)
Finest Moments - Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez
Finest Moments Refractor - David Ortiz
Topps Team Favorites - Robinson Cano, David Wright
Topps Team Favorites Refractor - Jose Reyes
Finest Moments Autograph - Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Mini Box 2--
Inserts and Autographs:
Rookie Logo Cards - Josh Newman, Luke Hochevar, Erick Threets, Joey Votto, Jeff Clement
Refractors - Johnny Damon, Frank Thomas
Blue Refractor - Gary Sheffield (#254/299)
Black Refractor - Alberto Gonzalez (#46/99)
Finest Moments - Roy Halladay, Miguel Cabrera
Finest Moments Refractor - Pedro Martinez
Finest Moments Green Refractor - Hanley Ramirez (#35/199)
Topps Team Favorites - Felix Pie, Alfonso Soriano/Felix Pie
Rookie Autograph - Josh Anderson
Mini Box 3--
Inserts and Autographs:
Rookie Logo Cards - Dan Giese, Emilio Bonifacio, Nick Blackburn
Refractors - Freddy Sanchez, Jeff Francis
Blue Refractor - Alberto Gonzalez (#250/299)
Green Refractor - Joe Blanton (#144/199)
Finest Moments - Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa
Finest Moments Refractor - Trevor Hoffman
Finest Moments Gold Refractor - Eric Byrnes (#14/50)
Topps Team Favorites - Melky Cabrera, Bobby Crosby
Rookie Autograph Refractor - Jonathan Meloan (#296/499)
Rip Girl Autograph - Felicia
Rookie Redemption Card #8
Review:
There are certain products that I look forward to breaking each year. Topps Finest is one of them.
And this year, Topps might just have done their (pardon the pun) Finest job ever.
Finest was the very first Super Premium set on the market, and has never lost its luster. The
Chrome technology and the gorgeous designs are there year in and year out, but this might just
be my favorite design of them all. It is crisp, sleek and fitting of a high end set. We all know the
bang that Finest packs in a box, but this year, it almost seems as though it was a bonus. All of the
usual refractors, varying in color and numbering, are back, of course, making this one of the most fun
breaks of the year...again. However, Topps has added a second insert set, Topps Team Favorites, to go
along with the returning Finest Moments and creating two very nice looking sets
Of course, one of the staples of Finest is the abundnace of autographs. Each six pack mini-box
guarantees one autograph, which of course, might come in one of those aforementioned colored
refractors. The two insert sets also have autograph parallels, with colored variations, and include some of
the biggest names in the game, such as Jose Reyes and Ryan Howard. One interesting addition to the
autograph checklist is "The Ripmaster" and the "Rip Girls", stars of Topps' rip party webcasts. I'm not quite
sure exactly why they are here, and think they might be more appropriate in a lower end product, but since
the autograph did not replace one of the player autos, I'm fine with it. And let's be honest, an autograph of a
pretty girl, even if only a handful of people know who she, can't be all that bad.
Oh, by the way. The autographs? All on card!!! No stickers in my box. Right there, the product jumps a grade or two.
Topps really spared no expense this year. Even the packaging is great, with the main box unfolding to expose three sleeves
that hold the three mini-boxes. THIS is how you do a high end product.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have an early front-runner for Product of the Year. Finest is just that.......................
A+
What I pulled--
A-Rod Road to 500 Boxtopper - 339, 342
Mini Box 1--
Inserts and Autographs:
Rookie Logo Cards - Radhames Liz, Donny Lucy, Bronson Sardinha
Refractors - Jim Edmonds, Dmitri Young
Blue Refractor - Troy Tulowitzki (#40/299)
Green Refractor - Alex Rodriguez (#167/199)
Finest Moments - Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez
Finest Moments Refractor - David Ortiz
Topps Team Favorites - Robinson Cano, David Wright
Topps Team Favorites Refractor - Jose Reyes
Finest Moments Autograph - Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Mini Box 2--
Inserts and Autographs:
Rookie Logo Cards - Josh Newman, Luke Hochevar, Erick Threets, Joey Votto, Jeff Clement
Refractors - Johnny Damon, Frank Thomas
Blue Refractor - Gary Sheffield (#254/299)
Black Refractor - Alberto Gonzalez (#46/99)
Finest Moments - Roy Halladay, Miguel Cabrera
Finest Moments Refractor - Pedro Martinez
Finest Moments Green Refractor - Hanley Ramirez (#35/199)
Topps Team Favorites - Felix Pie, Alfonso Soriano/Felix Pie
Rookie Autograph - Josh Anderson
Mini Box 3--
Inserts and Autographs:
Rookie Logo Cards - Dan Giese, Emilio Bonifacio, Nick Blackburn
Refractors - Freddy Sanchez, Jeff Francis
Blue Refractor - Alberto Gonzalez (#250/299)
Green Refractor - Joe Blanton (#144/199)
Finest Moments - Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa
Finest Moments Refractor - Trevor Hoffman
Finest Moments Gold Refractor - Eric Byrnes (#14/50)
Topps Team Favorites - Melky Cabrera, Bobby Crosby
Rookie Autograph Refractor - Jonathan Meloan (#296/499)
Rip Girl Autograph - Felicia
Rookie Redemption Card #8
Review:
There are certain products that I look forward to breaking each year. Topps Finest is one of them.
And this year, Topps might just have done their (pardon the pun) Finest job ever.
Finest was the very first Super Premium set on the market, and has never lost its luster. The
Chrome technology and the gorgeous designs are there year in and year out, but this might just
be my favorite design of them all. It is crisp, sleek and fitting of a high end set. We all know the
bang that Finest packs in a box, but this year, it almost seems as though it was a bonus. All of the
usual refractors, varying in color and numbering, are back, of course, making this one of the most fun
breaks of the year...again. However, Topps has added a second insert set, Topps Team Favorites, to go
along with the returning Finest Moments and creating two very nice looking sets
Of course, one of the staples of Finest is the abundnace of autographs. Each six pack mini-box
guarantees one autograph, which of course, might come in one of those aforementioned colored
refractors. The two insert sets also have autograph parallels, with colored variations, and include some of
the biggest names in the game, such as Jose Reyes and Ryan Howard. One interesting addition to the
autograph checklist is "The Ripmaster" and the "Rip Girls", stars of Topps' rip party webcasts. I'm not quite
sure exactly why they are here, and think they might be more appropriate in a lower end product, but since
the autograph did not replace one of the player autos, I'm fine with it. And let's be honest, an autograph of a
pretty girl, even if only a handful of people know who she, can't be all that bad.
Oh, by the way. The autographs? All on card!!! No stickers in my box. Right there, the product jumps a grade or two.
Topps really spared no expense this year. Even the packaging is great, with the main box unfolding to expose three sleeves
that hold the three mini-boxes. THIS is how you do a high end product.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have an early front-runner for Product of the Year. Finest is just that.......................
A+
