Revision as of 21:00, 9 November 2018

File:Finestbox.jpg

1997 Topps Finest box

Description

1997 Topps Finest is a 350-card fractured set, issued in two series of 175 cards each:

Series One is divided into five distinct themes:

Finest Blue Chips (up-and-coming future stars)
Finest Hurlers (top pitchers)
Finest Warriors (superstar players)
Finest Power (formidable hitters and pitchers)
Finest Masters (top players)

Series Two is also divided into five distinct themes:

Finest Blue Chips (up-and-coming future stars)
Finest Acquisitions (latest trades and new signings)
Finest Competitors (hottest players)
Finest Power (formidable hitters and pitchers)
Finest Masters (top players)

All five themes of each series have one of three distinctions:

Common (1-100 and 176-275) with bronze trim
Uncommon (101-150 and 276-325) with silver trim and an insertion rate of one in four for both series (designated with a "S" in the list below)
Rare (151-175 and 326-350) with gold trim and an insertion rate of one in 24 for both series (designated with a "G" in the list below)

Thus, there are not Bronze, Silver, and Gold versions of every card in the set; rather, each card in the set has a designated theme and distinction. For example, card #342 features Ken Griffey, Jr. with the 'Power' theme and 'Rare/gold' distinction. There are no 'Common/bronze' or 'Uncommon/silver' versions of card #342.

The only notable rookie card in this set was Brian Giles.

Distribution

24 packs per box, six cards per pack (MSRP: $5.00)

Reviews

Insertion Ratios

Cards	Total Cards	Numbered To	Odds
Base	350	-	?
Common (Bronze)	200	-	6:1
Uncommon (Silver)	100	-	1:4
Rare (Gold)	50	-	1:24
Bronze Refractor	200	-	1:12
Silver Refractor	100	-	1:48
Gold Refractor	50	-	1:288
Silver Embossed	100	-	1:16
Gold Embossed Die-Cut	50	-	1:96
Silver Embossed Refractor	100	-	1:192
Gold Embossed Die-Cut Refractor	50	-	1:1,152

Checklist

Promos

This five-card set features one promo card for each of the five themes found in the 1997 Finest Series One set. The fronts, backs, and card numbers are identical to the regular set with the exception of the words, "Promotional Sample Not for Resale" printed in red across the back. The cards are checklisted below according to their numbers in the regular set.

1 Barry Bonds
15 Derek Jeter
30 Mark McGwire
143 Hideo Nomo S
159 Jeff Bagwell G

Base Set

Series One

1 Barry Bonds
2 Ryne Sandberg
3 Brian Jordan
4 Rocky Coppinger
5 Dante Bichette
6 Al Martin
7 Charles Nagy
8 Otis Nixon
9 Mark Johnson
10 Jeff Bagwell
11 Ken Hill
12 Willie Adams
13 Raul Mondesi
14 Reggie Sanders
15 Derek Jeter
16 Jermaine Dye
17 Edgar Renteria
18 Travis Fryman
19 Roberto Hernandez
20 Sammy Sosa
21 Garret Anderson
22 Rey Ordonez
23 Glenallen Hill
24 Dave Nilsson
25 Kevin Brown
26 Brian McRae
27 Joey Hamilton
28 Jamey Wright
29 Frank Thomas
30 Mark McGwire
31 Ramon Martinez
32 Jaime Bluma
33 Frank Rodriguez
34 Andy Benes
35 Jay Buhner
36 Justin Thompson
37 Darin Erstad
38 Gregg Jefferies
39 Jeff D'Amico
40 Pedro Martinez
41 Nomar Garciaparra
42 Jose Valentin
43 Pat Hentgen
44 Will Clark
45 Bernie Williams
46 Luis Castillo
47 B.J. Surhoff
48 Greg Gagne
49 Pete Schourek
50 Mike Piazza
51 Dwight Gooden
52 Javy Lopez
53 Chuck Finley
54 James Baldwin
55 Jack McDowell
56 Royce Clayton
57 Carlos Delgado
58 Neifi Perez
59 Eddie Taubensee
60 Rafael Palmeiro
61 Marty Cordova
62 Wade Boggs
63 Rickey Henderson
64 Mike Hampton
65 Troy Percival
66 Barry Larkin
67 Jermaine Allensworth
68 Mark Clark
69 Mike Lansing
70 Mark Grudzielanek
71 Todd Stottlemyre
72 Juan Guzman
73 John Burkett
74 Wilson Alvarez
75 Ellis Burks
76 Bob Higginson
77 Ricky Bottalico
78 Omar Vizquel
79 Paul Sorrento
80 Denny Neagle
81 Roger Pavlik
82 Mike Lieberthal
83 Devon White
84 John Olerud
85 Kevin Appier
86 Joe Girardi
87 Paul O'Neill
88 Mike Sweeney
89 John Smiley
90 Ivan Rodriguez
91 Randy Myers
92 Bip Roberts
93 Jose Mesa
94 Paul Wilson
95 Mike Mussina
96 Ben McDonald
97 John Mabry
98 Tom Goodwin
99 Edgar Martinez
100 Andruw Jones
101 Jose Canseco S
102 Billy Wagner S
103 Dante Bichette S
104 Curt Schilling S
105 Dean Palmer S
106 Larry Walker S
107 Bernie Williams S
108 Chipper Jones S
109 Gary Sheffield S
110 Randy Johnson S
111 Roberto Alomar S
112 Todd Walker S
113 Sandy Alomar S
114 John Jaha S
115 Ken Caminiti S
116 Ryan Klesko S
117 Mariano Rivera S
118 Jason Giambi S
119 Lance Johnson S
120 Robin Ventura S
121 Todd Hollandsworth S
122 Johnny Damon S
123 William VanLandingham S
124 Jason Kendall S
125 Vinny Castilla S
126 Harold Baines S
127 Joe Carter S
128 Craig Biggio S
129 Tony Clark S
130 Ron Gant S
131 David Segui S
132 Steve Trachsel S
133 Scott Rolen S
134 Mike Stanley S
135 Cal Ripken, Jr. S
136 John Smoltz S
137 Bobby Jones S
138 Manny Ramirez S
139 Ken Griffey, Jr. S
140 Chuck Knoblauch S
141 Mark Grace S
142 Chris Snopek S
143 Hideo Nomo S
144 Tim Salmon S
145 David Cone S
146 Eric Young S
147 Jeff Brantley S
148 Jim Thome S
149 Trevor Hoffman S
150 Juan Gonzalez S
151 Mike Piazza G
152 Ivan Rodriguez G
153 Mo Vaughn G
154 Brady Anderson G
155 Mark McGwire G
156 Rafael Palmeiro G
157 Barry Larkin G
158 Greg Maddux G
159 Jeff Bagwell G
160 Frank Thomas G
161 Ken Caminiti G
162 Andruw Jones G
163 Dennis Eckersley G
164 Jeff Conine G
165 Jim Edmonds G
166 Derek Jeter G
167 Vladimir Guerrero G
168 Sammy Sosa G
169 Tony Gwynn G
170 Andres Galarraga G
171 Todd Hundley G
172 Jay Buhner G
173 Paul Molitor G
174 Kenny Lofton G
175 Barry Bonds G

Series Two

176 Gary Sheffield
177 Dmitri Young
178 Jay Bell
179 David Wells
180 Walt Weiss
181 Paul Molitor
182 Jose Guillen
183 Al Leiter
184 Mike Fetters
185 Mark Langston
186 Fred McGriff
187 Darrin Fletcher
188 Brant Brown
189 Geronimo Berroa
190 Jim Thome
191 Jose Vizcaino
192 Andy Ashby
193 Rusty Greer
194 Brian Hunter
195 Chris Hoiles
196 Orlando Merced
197 Brett Butler
198 Derek Bell
199 Bobby Bonilla
200 Alex Ochoa
201 Wally Joyner
202 Mo Vaughn
203 Doug Drabek
204 Tino Martinez
205 Roberto Alomar
206 Brian Giles
207 Todd Worrell
208 Alan Benes
209 Jim Leyritz
210 Darryl Hamilton
211 Jimmy Key
212 Juan Gonzalez
213 Vinny Castilla
214 Chuck Knoblauch
215 Tony Phillips
216 Jeff Cirillo
217 Carlos Garcia
218 Brooks Kieschnick
219 Marquis Grissom
220 Dan Wilson
221 Greg Vaughn
222 John Wetteland
223 Andres Galarraga
224 Ozzie Guillen
225 Kevin Elster
226 Bernard Gilkey
227 Mike Macfarlane
228 Heathcliff Slocumb
229 Wendell Magee, Jr.
230 Carlos Baerga
231 Kevin Seitzer
232 Henry Rodriguez
233 Roger Clemens
234 Mark Wohlers
235 Eddie Murray
236 Todd Zeile
237 J.T. Snow
238 Ken Griffey, Jr.
239 Sterling Hitchcock
240 Albert Belle
241 Terry Steinbach
242 Robb Nen
243 Mark McLemore
244 Jeff King
245 Tony Clark
246 Tim Salmon
247 Benito Santiago
248 Robin Ventura
249 Bubba Trammell
250 Chili Davis
251 John Valentin
252 Cal Ripken, Jr.
253 Matt Williams
254 Jeff Kent
255 Eric Karros
256 Ray Lankford
257 Ed Sprague
258 Shane Reynolds
259 Jaime Navarro
260 Eric Davis
261 Orel Hershiser
262 Mark Grace
263 Rod Beck
264 Ismael Valdes
265 Manny Ramirez
266 Ken Caminiti
267 Tim Naehring
268 Jose Rosado
269 Greg Colbrunn
270 Dean Palmer
271 Dave Justice
272 Scott Spiezio
273 Chipper Jones
274 Mel Rojas
275 Bartolo Colon
276 Darin Erstad S
277 Sammy Sosa S
278 Rafael Palmeiro S
279 Frank Thomas S
280 Ruben Rivera S
281 Hal Morris S
282 Jay Buhner S
283 Kenny Lofton S
284 Jose Canseco S
285 Alex Fernandez S
286 Todd Helton S
287 Andy Pettitte S
288 John Franco S
289 Ivan Rodriguez S
290 Ellis Burks S
291 Julio Franco S
292 Mike Piazza S
293 Brian Jordan S
294 Greg Maddux S
295 Bob Abreu S
296 Rondell White S
297 Moises Alou S
298 Tony Gwynn S
299 Deion Sanders S
300 Jeff Montgomery S
301 Ray Durham S
302 John Wasdin S
303 Ryne Sandberg S
304 Delino DeShields S
305 Mark McGwire S
306 Andruw Jones S
307 Kevin Orie S
308 Matt Williams S
309 Karim Garcia S
310 Derek Jeter S
311 Mo Vaughn S
312 Brady Anderson S
313 Barry Bonds S
314 Steve Finley S
315 Vladimir Guerrero S
316 Matt Morris S
317 Tom Glavine S
318 Jeff Bagwell S
319 Albert Belle S
320 Hideki Irabu S
321 Andres Galarraga S
322 Cecil Fielder S
323 Barry Larkin S
324 Todd Hundley S
325 Fred McGriff S
326 Gary Sheffield G
327 Craig Biggio G
328 Raul Mondesi G
329 Edgar Martinez G
330 Chipper Jones G
331 Bernie Williams G
332 Juan Gonzalez G
333 Ron Gant G
334 Cal Ripken, Jr. G
335 Larry Walker G
336 Matt Williams G
337 Jose Cruz, Jr. G
338 Joe Carter G
339 Wilton Guerrero G
340 Cecil Fielder G
341 Todd Walker G
342 Ken Griffey, Jr. G
343 Ryan Klesko G
344 Roger Clemens G
345 Hideo Nomo G
346 Dante Bichette G
347 Albert Belle G
348 Randy Johnson G
349 Manny Ramirez G
350 John Smoltz G

Parallels

Refractors

Each of the 350 1997 Finest base cards is available in a Refractor parallel. Just like in the base set, the Bronze Refractors are the easiest to pull (1:12/packs), Silver tough (1:48), and Gold toughest (1:288). Unlike the previous year, Topps made no statement in regards to the production of Gold Refractors

Embossed

Embossed is a 150-card partial parallel of the Silver and Gold fracture levels. Each card features the player's raised image. In addition the Gold Embossed cards have a die-cut "deckled" edge.

Each Embossed card is also available as a Refractor parallel.

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 All five themes of each series have one of three distinctions:
-* '''Common''' (1-100 and 176-275) with bronze trim (designated with a "B" in the list below)
+* '''Common''' (1-100 and 176-275) with bronze trim
 * '''Uncommon''' (101-150 and 276-325) with silver trim and an insertion rate of one in four for both series (designated with a "S" in the list below)
 * '''Rare''' (151-175 and 326-350) with gold trim and an insertion rate of one in 24 for both series (designated with a "G" in the list below)