Preview of 2014 Topps Finest

In 2013, Topps celebrated the arrival of Finest within its new packs of Finest — and with the new inclusions for 2014 the company is clearly hoping for the finest Finest yet.

It’s added color, it’s added nods to the past, it’s added Hot Boxes and more. And it all arrives in 2014 Finest when it arrives in hobby shops on Aug. 13.

With eight boxes per case and two mini boxes inside each one — each packing an on-card autograph — the formula is largely the same. The 100-card base set will include 11 parallels — 1/1 Superfractors and printing plates along with Refractor and Xfractors with Green (/199), Blue (/125), Black (/99), Gold (/50), Red (/25), Magenta (/15), Atomic (/5) Refractors to chase, too.

This year, there will be Hot Boxes with every base card inside being an Orange Refractor, while a rookie redemption card program also will up the ante with those rookie autos limited to just 100 copies.

The autographed rookies will be found with eight parallels — 1/1 Supers and plates along with Xfractor (/149), Blue (/125), Black (/99), Gold (/50), Red (25) and Atomic (/5) versions to chase. The Autographed Finest Greats inserts will have the same rainbow and volume while showcasing notable players from the Finest years.

Insert-wise, this one turns back the clock to 1994 and 1996 with nods to Finest from those years. There will be 1994 Refractors using the base design limited to 25, while there also will be 1/1 Supers. The 1996 nod will be to the Sterling subset from that year with Gold Refractors limited to 50, Reds to 10 and 1/1 Supers also in the mix.

For inserts, there will be a few options for collectors with Finest Competitors, a nod to 1997, with Refractors limited to 50 and Golds (/25), Reds (/10) and 1/1 Supers. Autographed versions will be limited to 15 or fewer copies. Also to be found with ties to 1997 are Warriors diecuts. These will be limited to 25 for Gold, 10 for Red and 10 or less for autos. There also will be 1/1 versions.

Finest Vintage inserts will showcase players from the 1950s to current with Gold (/25), Red (/10) and 1/1 Supers along with autographed versions as well.

More pics.

Any idea on the McGwire print runs?

To me, the 1994 Finest set is hugely underrated. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out in this set.

That base set design is the sort of awesomely horrible that makes me want to open product.

Meh on the inserts though, never felt that 94 or 96 finest were worth a rehash personally.

Suddenly I have an insanely strong craving for a lot of rainbow ice!

Looks pretty nice though, especially the inserts and kudos to hot boxes.

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They should just make an official full-fledged Topps Finest Heritage set.
The 94 and 95 designs aren't nearly as iconic as the 1993 set, but those autographs, especially the McGwire looks promising.

Fool me once...

Will there be any nods? I enjoy sets with lots of nods. I hope it will be a nod-laden product.

That Bogaerts looks awesome, like a paint store exploded all over the printing press. Would buy.

Hell's Bells, August 13? That's like forever away. Also, my dad's birthday. He's never liked cards, or baseball, or sports in general, but maybe ripping a case will turn him around finally.

D-Lite said:

Fool me once...

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How many?

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The base set is hideous.

All In Cards said:

How many?

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Haha, probably a couple.

Topps really jammed us last year with Finest. You'd have thought the 20th anniversary release would've been treated special, but they let the release slip into horrible territory (during the playoffs, between several other releases, months late) and no one bought. I had great breaks on it with lots of quality hits and I'm not close to break even on it. After breaking a lot of Archives over the last two years, I've sold every set of that. I haven't sold ANY Finest sets and haven't even gotten an offer.

I should just blow my money on hookers and blow.

In my opinion, over the last 2 years, the Finest base set designs have been terrible (though i did like the 2012 Finest patch sets).

the best part about 2013 Finest was the 93 and 97 throwback subsets, and from what I see the best part about 2014 Finest will be the 94, 96 and 97 throwback subsets. Basically Topps is leaning on its past, which is great, but should really think about being more creative and innovative with its new set designs. Because if they're still making Finest in 20 years, they won't want to give a "nod" to the 2013 or 2014 base design...

p.s. love that gold sterling Puig!

Jaypers said:

The 100-card base set will include 11 parallels — 1/1 Superfractors and printing plates along with Refractor and Xfractors with Green (/199), Blue (/125), Black (/99), Gold (/50), Red (/25), Magenta (/15), Atomic (/5) Refractors to chase, too.

This year, there will be Hot Boxes with every base card inside being an Orange Refractor, while a rookie redemption card program also will up the ante with those rookie autos limited to just 100 copies.

Click to expand...

Maybe I can't count or am just being picky. They are saying 11 parallels: 1 Super, 2 plates, 3 Refractor, 4 Xfractor, 5 Green, 6 Blue 7 Black, 8 Gold, 9 Red, 10 Magenta & 11 Atomic. But in the Hot Boxes every base card is an Orange Refractor. Isn't that a 12th parallel?

I love the base set. Clearly with 1998 UD3 being my favorite set, random gaudy design elements, done with vigor yet following some principals of organization, have a place in my heart. Most sets kinda sleepwalk through it these days. This one does not.

I think if they just continue with the 1993 finest design as insert people will love buying it. Any players who played since 1993 to now 2014 should all have 1 card design with the 1993 iconic set. That alone U can bring back a lot of fan favorite or auto refractor will keep the pack chasing going. Since this is insert they can even include some Bowman rookie with that design it will make Finest always item to buy every year due to scarcity & demand.

championMan said:

I think if they just continue with the 1993 finest design as insert people will love buying it. Any players who played since 1993 to now 2014 should all have 1 card design with the 1993 iconic set. That alone U can bring back a lot of fan favorite or auto refractor will keep the pack chasing going. Since this is insert they can even include some Bowman rookie with that design it will make Finest always item to buy every year due to scarcity & demand.

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Agreed. It should be an on-going insert set, 5-10 players per year

marterburn said:

I love the base set. Clearly with 1998 UD3 being my favorite set, random gaudy design elements, done with vigor yet following some principals of organization, have a place in my heart. Most sets kinda sleepwalk through it these days. This one does not.

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I agree -- at least it is different.

However it's nowhere close to UD3 in terms of sheer wackiness and detail. No one puts that level of energy into sets anymore. I miss it.

Brewer Andy said:

Agreed. It should be an on-going insert set, 5-10 players per year

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Just imagine if they have extra HOF 1993 finest insert chase adding guys like Mantle, Mays, Hank Aaron etc.. Add them to refractor limited to 10-25 each it will even create more demand.