搶先看:2022 Topps Finest Baseball

Ysponder

While a lot of Topps’ chrome portfolio draws inspiration from other brands, 2022 Topps Finest Baseball walks its own path. Like it has been many times over the past three decades, it’s a bold path that will speak to some but probably not everyone.


Typical for Finest, there are lot of parallels and a steady flow of autographs. Hobby boxes, which come as a pair of six-pack mini boxes, have two total signed cards (one per mini box).


2022 Topps Finest Baseball Checklist Overview


The base set has 125 total cards. However, it’s split into two sections. The first 100 cards are the main shell set.


These have more than a dozen parallels:

• Refractors -1:3 packs
• Sky Blue Refractors – /300
• Purple Refractors – /250
• Blue/Aqua Vapor Refractors – /250
• Aqua Refractors – /199
• Aqua Shimmer Refractors – /175
• Blue Refractors – /150
• Green Speckle Refractors – /125
• Green Refractors – /99
• Lava Green Refractors – /99
• Rose Gold Refractors – /75
• Gold Refractors – /50
• Rose Gold Mini Diamond Refractors – /50
• Orange Refractors – /25
• Red/Black Vapor Refractors – /10
• Red Refractors – /5
• Purple/Pink Vapor Refractors – /3
• Superfractors – 1/1
  

The final 25 cards are Extended Series short prints. Already harder to pull, parallels for these are limited to Gold Refractors (/50), Red Refractors (/5) and Superfractors (1/1).


Finest Rookies Design Variations (1:24 packs) offer a different look for select first-year cards. Refractors (/99), Gold Refractors (/50), Red Refractors (/5) and Superfractors are also available.





Autographs

Finest Autographs take the base design and add some ink. It’s the same for Finest Rookies Design Variation Autographs.

For both of these, the parallel rainbow includes:

• Blue Refractors – /150
• Green Refractors – /99
• Green Wave Refractors – /99
• Gold Refractors – /50
• Orange Refractors – /25
• Orange Wave Refractors – /25
• Red Refractors – /5
• Red Wave Refractors – /5
• Superfractors – 1/1
  

Finest Moments Autographs return, featuring a major highlight or milestone of the player. Gold Refractors (/50), Orange Refractors (/25), Red Refractors (/5) and Superfractors (1/1) are available for these as well.


Collectors who pull a Finest Mystery Redemption won’t know who the signer is until Topps announces it somewhere down the road. A total of 99 copies are available.


Finest Originals Buyback Autographs use old Finest cards.


Inserts


2022 Finest Baseball has a trio of additional insert sets. Like the rest of the checklist, it’ll be hard to describe these as bland.


Aura of Excellence (1:6 packs) uses vibrations as the theme to showcase a mix of vets, rookies and greats.






Finest Career Die-Cut (1:48 packs) return, but with a bit of a twist. Over the past few years, individual sets have put the spotlight on an individual player like Mike Trout and Derek Jeter. This year, it’s a Career Years theme that has a more standard mix of superstars.


1994 Topps Finest Cornerstones is where things get retro. These are based on the insert set from 1994-95 Finest Basketball.






All three of these insert sets have Gold Refractor (/50), Red Refractor (/5) and Superfractor (1/1) parallels. Select cards also have autographs. For Career Years Die-Cuts, they’re numbered to 10. Aura of Excellence and Cornerstones Autographs have varying quantities as well as Orange Refractors (/25), Red Refractors (/5) and Superfractors (1/1).







2022 Topps Finest Baseball cards at a glance:


Cards per pack: Hobby – 5
Packs per box: Hobby – 12 (two 6-pack mini boxes)
Boxes per case: Hobby – 8
Set size: 125 cards
Release date (subject to change): August 10, 2022


What to expect in a hobby box:

• Autographs – 2
• 1994 Finest Cornerstones – 3
• Aura of Excellence – 2
• Refractors – 4