2011 Topps Finest Baseball Break Discussion

[houdini]

Ok everyone, lets get started early!

2011 Topps Finest is coming out in September according to Beckett: 2011 Topps Finest

So, do we want to do a poll on the kind of break: player, team, draft...

How many cases will depend on the interest that we generate with this discussion. We will do as many cases as we have interest. We would only need $200 a case to reserve it.

So, what do you think? Interested?

No manufactured patch autos this year!

In their place? Autographs. On-card Rookie Card autographs.

Each 12-pack box will include one serial-numbered autographed Rookie Card signed directly on the card, one numbered autographed Rookie Dual Relic, two Finest Moments inserts and six parallel cards when it arrives in late September. As with past releases, Finest will have mini boxes — each with an autograph and six packs inside.

The preliminary checklist includes 19 rookie who will have the following Refractors and parallels: SuperFractor (1/1), Printing Plates, Purple (/5), Diecut Mosaic (/10), Red (/25), Gold (/59), Orange (/99), Green (/199), XFractor (/299) and the standard Refractor.

New this year are jumbo patch cards, which will have Orange (/10), Purple (/5) and SuperFractors (1/1), while there will be another helping of 60th Anniversary sigs and three insert sets: Finest Foundations, Finest Freshmen and Finest Moments.

The Finest Moments inserts also have an autographed Relic version — found one per case — which will consist of 18 veterans and be found with SuperFractors, Purple, Orange and standard Refractor versions.

For the 100-card base set, there will be 14 versions of each card. Canary Diamond, SuperFractors and the four 1/1 colors are the rarest, while Diecut Mosaic, Red, Gold, Orange, Green, XFractor and standard Refractors round out the field.

The rookies signing for the product, according to the preliminary checklist, include Brandon Belt, J.P. Arencibia, Freddie Freeman and Michael Pineda among others, while the autographed Dual Relic includes Jerry Sands, Mike Minor, Freeman, Jeremy Hellickson, Kyle Drabek, Brandon Beachy, Pineda, Darwin Barney, Julio Teheran and more. Autographed Jumbo patch cards will include Minor, Freeman, Hellickson, Pineda and more.

The Finest Moment autographs checklist will include Joe Mauer, Carl Crawford, Ryan Howard, Alex Rodriguez, Stephen Strasburg, Buster Posey, Jason Heyward, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay among others.

Unofficial reserve spot list:

1. reddeer (2)
2. reddeer
3. The700Level (1)
4. DCN12586 (2)
5. DCN12586
6. Troybuilts (multiple)
7. pakman916 (1)
8. ExpFacilitators (large number)
9. grahamgdogg (3)
10. grahamgdogg
11. grahamgdogg
12. YanksBillsFan (4)
13. YanksBillsFan
14. Axeldog15 (2)
15. Axeldog15
16. paul1013 (2)
17. paul1013
18. ReinholdMessner (2)
19. ReinholdMessner
20. JDK16 (2)
21. JDK16
22. oldgoldy97 (1)
23. YanksBillsFan
24. YanksBillsFan
25. Anderdale (1)
26.

[reddeer]

I'd be in for a couple slots. Any type is ok with me.

[bboi30]

Interesting Rays patch. Im sure you hand picked that one lol. I might be in for one depending on the slot cost and format.

[houdini]

Originally Posted by bboi30

Interesting Rays patch. Im sure you hand picked that one lol. I might be in for one depending on the slot cost and format.

What? That's crazy talk!

[pakman916]

Need to see a checklist before I make that decision.

[houdini]

Originally Posted by pakman916

Need to see a checklist before I make that decision.

Agreed. I jumped the gun by about 3 months on this one. Got all excited seeing the patch.

Still, I am thinking a team draft or a hit draft. A hit draft would be a lot cheaper too.

Back to your point, I will not make the official break thread until the checklist is live. This is just to gauge interest and to get a guaranteed spot (eventually).



BTW, we do have a tentative partial auto checklist:

The rookies signing for the product, according to the preliminary checklist, include...

1. Brandon Belt
2. J.P. Arencibia
3. Freddie Freeman
4. Michael Pineda

Autographed Dual Relic includes:

1. Jerry Sands
2. Mike Minor
3. Freeman
4. Jeremy Hellickson (go Rays!)
5. Kyle Drabek
6. Brandon Beachy
7. Pineda
8. Darwin Barney
9. Julio Teheran

Autographed Jumbo patch cards will include:

1. Minor
2. Freeman
3. Hellickson
4. Pineda

The Finest Moment autographs checklist will include:

1. Joe Mauer
2. Carl Crawford
3. Ryan Howard
4. Alex Rodriguez
5. Stephen Strasburg
6. Buster Posey
7. Jason Heyward
8. Cliff Lee
9. Roy Halladay

[The700Level]

Chris,

I'll be any break. THE700LEVEL. John

[DCN12586]

Id be in for a couple of slots for anything but team. I would prefer draft, but by the hit works for me as well, just not team.

[Troybuilts]

You can count me in for MULTIPLE spots.

[pakman916]

Originally Posted by houdini

Agreed. I jumped the gun by about 3 months on this one. Got all excited seeing the patch.

Still, I am thinking a team draft or a hit draft. A hit draft would be a lot cheaper too.

Back to your point, I will not make the official break thread until the checklist is live. This is just to gauge interest and to get a guaranteed spot (eventually).



BTW, we do have a tentative partial auto checklist:

The rookies signing for the product, according to the preliminary checklist, include...

1. Brandon Belt
2. J.P. Arencibia
3. Freddie Freeman
4. Michael Pineda

Autographed Dual Relic includes:

1. Jerry Sands
2. Mike Minor
3. Freeman
4. Jeremy Hellickson (go Rays!)
5. Kyle Drabek
6. Brandon Beachy
7. Pineda
8. Darwin Barney
9. Julio Teheran

Autographed Jumbo patch cards will include:

1. Minor
2. Freeman
3. Hellickson
4. Pineda

The Finest Moment autographs checklist will include:

1. Joe Mauer
2. Carl Crawford
3. Ryan Howard
4. Alex Rodriguez
5. Stephen Strasburg
6. Buster Posey
7. Jason Heyward
8. Cliff Lee
9. Roy Halladay

Guaranteed interest. That comment was directed towards the style of break. You know I will be there for a few slots. Finest is my favorite Topps product...even the manufactured patches from last year. I must be the minority. You can count me in for whatever break you do.

[ExpFacilitators]

I will be down for a large number of slots if it is a hit draft break. A LARGE number of slots.

[houdini]

Originally Posted by ExpFacilitators

I will be down for a large number of slots if it is a hit draft break. A LARGE number of slots.

LOL - that settles!

I think a hit draft would be fun. Plus, the slots could be much more affordable that way. Someone could just get 1 or 2 and only spend a small amount of money.

Unless anyone has a great reason to oppose, lets do a hit draft break.

[grahamgdogg]

Originally Posted by houdini

LOL - that settles!

I think a hit draft would be fun. Plus, the slots could be much more affordable that way. Someone could just get 1 or 2 and only spend a small amount of money.

Unless anyone has a great reason to oppose, lets do a hit draft break.

Love it--I'm in for sure, for a 3-5 spots...

[YanksBillsFan]

I'd be down for a few spots. Always a big fan of the Finest product.

[peterose4hof]

How many "hits" would there be per case?

[ExpFacilitators]

Originally Posted by peterose4hof

How many "hits" would there be per case?

I think this is an important point. One thing I want to consider is that because many hit drafts put one base/parallel spot for every few boxes, we need to figure out how that would work for a product like this with tons of parallels. I wont claim to know how to do it best, but we should figure out how far down the "hits" go (i/e do we count a base refractor veteran a "hit").

This will be fun though

[DCN12586]

Awesome glad its draft!

[houdini]

Originally Posted by ExpFacilitators

I think this is an important point. One thing I want to consider is that because many hit drafts put one base/parallel spot for every few boxes, we need to figure out how that would work for a product like this with tons of parallels. I wont claim to know how to do it best, but we should figure out how far down the "hits" go (i/e do we count a base refractor veteran a "hit").

Ok, let's do this: let's create a mock-up based on the assumption that this product will hold true to form. Then we will have a rough "guesstimate" on slots and ballpark pricing ideas.

Then we can actually reserve slots - to give us an idea how many cases we are going to bust. You can reserve your spots but if you change your mind later, you are free to pull out. Please do not reserve a bunch of spots if you know you are more than likely to drop out though...

Based on previous Finest products, we can assume that it will be a 8 box case with 16 autos, a few bonus autos, 8 rookie redemptions, 6 xfractors /299, 4 green /199, 4 rarer refractors (orange, gold, red... /99, /59, /25), and ~26 regular refractors. There will also be three different insert sets.

Since the base set is only 100 cards, I think we should be able to get 5 sets and most of a 6th...

So spots...

Autos (16)
Bonus autos (2 or 3?)
Rookie redemptions (8)
Gold/Red REF (3)
xfractor lot (1)
green REF lot (1)
orange REF lot (1)
reg refractor lot (1)
Base insert lot (non auto/relic, non parallel) (1)
Base sets or partials (7)

If we do not count the bonus autos at all and add in a 7th partial set as a safety net... I see 41 spots. I think there WILL be bonus autos though.

Lets say we did 40 spots and randomed off unclaimed spots at the end?

Lets guess $1000 for a case - could be as high as $1200 eventually... I know that 2009 was closer to $800 on pre-order if I remember correctly.

That would make the slot price $25 before shipping/supplies/fees.

What are your thoughts on my figures? All help is appreciated - and yes I know none of this is guaranteed, just looking for a starting point.

[ExpFacilitators]

I think this is a good first pass. I would keep the idea of randoming off unclaimed/undrafted stuff. If for some reason we did 40 slots, and using the above estimates, we should be good.

Obviously the only way to make sure everyone gets something is to be conservative with the number of slots, so we are erring on the side of having to random off extra stuff at the end.

[jusdukky]

Definitely interested in this!!

[lionsrule54]

Im definately interested. I dont think they are doing the rookie redemptions this year though since the season will be almost over by the time it comes out, but I could be completely wrong.

[cardinalscards4]

Team and lock in asap finest always goes UP

[Axeldog15]

Finest is always a product I go after. I would definately be in for a few slots

[houdini]

Originally Posted by lionsrule54

Im definately interested. I dont think they are doing the rookie redemptions this year though since the season will be almost over by the time it comes out, but I could be completely wrong.

You could be right. They were not mentioned exactly, but the right up was overly brief. Still the finest moments inserts seem like they may be pretty popular... maybe a lot for each of the three insert types?

Also, there is a thread saying 2011 Finest can be had as low as $710. I would think IF that is true that BO would have it at a competitive price, right? At least the pre-sale price at <$850? That would make a HUGE difference.

We could say 35 slots (if no rookie redemptions) and have the basic slot still at <$25.

[DCN12586]

Yeah I think they quit doing redemptions on players as they aren't doing the Red Hot Rookies in series two this year.