As of now, 2012 Topps Football is live around the nation and is likely being busted in crazy amounts. With any release like this, there are bound to be numerous people looking to get the cards that have made this product everything it has become. So far, there are a bunch of auctions that have been posted, including some of the first big hits.
Take a look at these bad boys:
2012 Topps Football Golden Ticket Contract /10
2012 Topps Andrew Luck Rookie Premiere Red Auto /10
2012 Topps Robert Griffin III/Kendall Wright Dual Red Auto /5
I have to admit that I am a bigger fan of the rookie premiere autos this year than I am usually. As someone who doesnt like helmet off cards, I really think the design for these is one of the best I have seen in years. I really liked the design of 2010 and 2011 with a focus on presenting a card that is different from the usual base cards one would find in a pack, and the numbering has prevented many of the fakes.
As for the duals, they still struggle to showcase the player in a way that I find appealing. Although the cards are difficult to design in such a short amount of time, they are in need of a little love to give more of a focus to the player signing the card. Right now, everyone is pushed over to the side, and I think there is a lot of wasted space where there doesnt need to be.
Overall, I was really surprised by the autographed rookie patch cards that are numbered to 10. Last year I wasnt so happy with the way some of them turned out, but this year they are 100% better. 2011 suffered from stickers that didnt show up on a dark design, and this year I think it will be different. I think its so rare to have a vertical auto relic card that doesnt look incredibly busy. These are well designed, have a large player photo, and the busy look is minimized by the lowered placement of the swatch window.
Take a look:
2012 Topps Ryan Tannehill Auto Relic Patch /10
2012 Topps Alshon Jeffery Auto Relic Patch /10
Even the regular box hit autos have relic auto parallels, and Topps has found ways to make sure that each card looks as good as it can. These auto jersey cards could have easily just been a relic added to the base auto, which would mean a disastrous design with packed in elements, but they didnt do it that way. Instead the auto relics have a different look, and I might even chase a few of the ones for players I collect:
2012 Topps Adrian Peterson Auto Patch 1/1
Topps Football is always one of my favorites, and when it comes time for Topps Chrome, Ill be doing a similar happy dance if the set turns out as well as this product did. Design wise, Topps never disappoints.
I absolutely love Topps and every year it just gets better and better. I bust only 3-4 boxes a year and it’s Topps flagship because I am never let down by what I get. In one of my two boxes I got a one-color Boldin jersey. Let down? No. It’s what I was expecting for the sell sheet and what it has brought to the table every other time. It also helps that I put together the set (inserts too) so every pack with something new is just icing…
I picked up a jumbo case of this stuff and have busted 5/6 boxes so far. I haven’t hit anything big but it’s still the most fun I’ve had in a long time. The QB rookie reprint inserts and tall boy inserts are really fun and I think the veteran autos are a really underrated aspect of the set. Overall a great product!
There are some really cool hits, but I think breaking jumbo is like burning money. Topps overproduces every product they make, which is why I only break Chrome football if it drops in the 40-60 dollar range. Enjoy your scrub vet auto, scrub rookie auto, and one color patch.
Id think the potential of breaking a jumbo case gives a good chance of hitting something pretty solid especially this year with all the different autos they have in the product. Its nice to see some veterans and star autos in the product not to mention the varied on card rookie autos that seem to be going well right now.
At $500 for the case(12+ autos) I cant think of many other products that would come close when you look at the entry price.. One box of Nat treasures(4 autos), 5 contenders(20 autos). 6 chrome(6 autos). Qty wise Contenders looks like it has the lead but a chance at any of the veteran rookie reprint autos and the numbered rookie premiere and the 1984 rookie version autos that are numbered to lees than the Contenders qty is better for me…
Of course Im still taking the $500 dollars and looking for a Unitas auto that I dont have or waiting for the Eli Ring of Honor for last year…