Box 11
9 more spots left in the Finest Case Break. Since it is getting close to pay day, I would assume that it might fill up shortly.
The Jersey:
Mauer
The Auto: The Baseball Car Gods Mock me with:
Carmona-jo
The Rip card: My second of the case
Greinke
Nice looking cards. That Sayers is Sweeeeeeeet! Wouldn’tmind pulling that Georgia Dual auto either.
Release Date: Jun 10, 2009
Pack SRP: $6.00
Master Configuration: 5 cards, 20 packs, 12 boxes
Direct Configuration: 5 cards, 20 packs, 6 boxes
PER BOX ITEMS:
3 Memorabilia or Autograph cards (with at least one autograph)
2 Rookies
1 Parallel
I have had a couple comments on the Murad break that some people aren’t sold on it. I can see why and agree with the assessment, the design is a bit interesting. I do like murad however and when a value comparison is done, it can’t be beat. What else is out there for Basketball?
However, value can be good or pretty bad. Consider the 2009 Heritage Break over at Voice of the Collector.
I don’t want Rob to take this the wrong way, but I couldn’t disagee with his opinion more. Rob States:
“All in all it was a fun box that I would tell anybody to purchase.”
First, I am glad Rob enjoyed the box. Second, he paid $79 for the box, ouch. Third, his hits were a bat card of Miguel Tijada and a jersey of Kevin Mench. Wow. I know that Heritage isn’t about the hits, but for $79 you would expect a bit more than that. Plus he beat the odds, most of the time you get one relic.
In contrast, I averaged 3.6 hits in my Allen and Ginter Case and almost 3 per box in my Murad case. I also got complete sets out of both cases, whereas Heritage case breaks have been coming up 15 SP’s short. And, and the boxes were $25 less.
Again, I am glad Rob enjoyed his box, but Heritage just isn’t a good value at all. Which is a shame because I like the set. Sounds like Retail Heritage is the way to go. If you are a Heritage guy, 2008 High Number can be had for $42-$45 if you find a sale.
My ultimate point is, you put out a good product and the price doesn’t matter so much. What is value to me, is not to someone else. Why did I keep you hanging? I have no idea. So as I like Murad’s price and design, others don’t. The trick is to find enough people that find value in your product. Sometimes design is enough as long as the price isn’t too excessive. Maybe the manufacturers should give this some thought. The one component I think Heritage misses out on is Execution. Of course, Topps is making money hand over fist on this product, so maybe they executed Heritage just how they wanted to. I’m just not sure if they will get away with this next year.
As I mentioned earlier, I was shorted an auto in two out of my 12 Murad Boxes. I sent the following message to Topps:
I recently purchased and opened a case of 2008-09 Topps Murad Basketball. I understood that each box was guaranteed an auto and a relic card. In 2 out of the twelve boxes I didn’t receive an autograph card. In one of the boxes I got a relic card only. In the other I got a relic and a silk parallel. How do I go about receiving my promised autograph cards?
Topps Answered:
Thank you for contacting the Consumer Relations department for Topps.
We are sorry to hear that your recent purchase of a Topps product was missing cards Please note that the policy of the Topps Company regarding the request for missing product items requires that the consumer include the following items with their submission:
1) A letter of explanation
2) A copy of sales receipt
3) All pack wrappers & or mini boxes from the product
4) The UPC code (bar code) from the Main box
This should be sent to:
The Topps Company, Inc.
ATTN: Consumer Relations
401 York Ave.
Duryea, PA 18642
ATTN: Consumer Relations
We will then review your issue and begin taking steps toward rectifying it, please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. As always, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service team (By phone: 800-489-9149, or by Email:support@etopps.com). A customer service representative will be available to assist you between the hours of 9:00am – 4:30pm (EST), Monday through Friday.
Sincerely,
Consumer Relations
The Topps Company, Inc.
Box 10
11 spots left for the 2009 Topps finest group case break
An ok box,
I have been sorting my cards and think I have 4 complete base sets. Some cards I have 8 of.
The Jerseys:
The Autos: Yes 2 in the box.
I have a box of Murad that makes me think that the redemptions aren’t either packed correctly, or they don’t count as a hit in a box.
This is just stupid.
You ever find it funny that car salesman, realtors, bankers, lawyers (I am one) always wear suits while doctors, nurses, oil riggers what have you wear whatever they want to.
Its because car salesman, realtors and their ilk are trying to make you have a good impression of them while they are ripping you off. Their only incentive is to sell sell sell. Lawyers and bankers are the same way, they are trying to get you to give them your money, nothing more nothing less. If they spent as much time acting ethically and doing the right thing as they do “looking professional like” then they wouldn’t have the reputation that they do.
I show up in nice jeans, a button down, nice shoes, I look clean, neat and groomed. I have bigger problems to worry about (like the current legislative session) than getting my suits to the cleaners and back. I do have my shirts pressed now. If I go to court, I put a suit on.
I get it if the team wants to bar distractions like friends and family and have conduct agreements in their contracts. Hey no riding motorcycles Ron Gant.
Its just silly.
Box 1 of 12
I paid $645 for the case. That’s $53.75 a box, shipped.
Leading off the case. 24 packs/6 cards. 1 auto and 1 jersey a box.
odds:
sp’s 1:3 cards 201-230. I didn’t find these to be SP’s at all as I got 5 of each. Lebron is one of them.
Rookie variation 1:6 Some of these I got 4-5 of some and 1-2 of others.
Murad SP mini: 1:12 I got 3-4 LeBron’s
Mini Rookie Variation 1:18
Mini Black Border Parallel 1:12 These are not black bordered like the Allen and Ginter. The ink of the lines is black. At least I am pretty sure that’s what these are because I didn’t get any with black “borders”.
Murad Coupon: 1:3623. I didn’t get one of these. These were found in the original set and if you collected the coupons from the cigarettes you got a listed card of one of the listed individuals. I imagine this might be the same now. I have yet to see one show up on Ebay. Here is an auction of an original.
Framed Silks: 1:34 I got quite a few of these
Leathers 1:737 None
Press Plates 1:184
Autos
Group A Magic, Bird Russell: 1:2300
Group B 1:141. I demolished, well beat, the odds
Group C 1:67
Group D 1:99
Parallel Autos: These are kind of stupid
Black: 1:156
Silver: 1:389
Leather: 1:3700
Relics:
1:36
Black: 1:89
silver: 1:455
Leather: 1:3700
The Base Set: I didn’t get any doubles. I like the base set a lot although it is difficult to tell who the player is sometimes. Quality control was good. I found the backs of the cards to be generic in a good way. White back with a purplish tint to the printing. There are rookie variations and SP’s are numbered 201-230. 
The minis: Unlike my Allen and Ginter case, the minis were in great condition. These minis are slightly larger with only one parallel set and none of those additional sharks, world leaders, horses, ships and other crap that Mayo and Allen and Ginter have. It would be nice if these were two per pack.
The silks: These are /25 and an interesting insert. Very difficult to tell who the player is. In addition, these cards are slightly thicker and require a 100 pt toploader. The autos and jerseys fit into a 75 pt toploader.
Rasheed Wallace
The Jerseys: 
These look nice and I actually like the mini encased format that Murad, Mayo and Allen and Ginter have. In one of my later boxes, Topps is up to some Relic shenanigans. I won’t tell you what it is, but I was sorely dissappointed.
The Auto:
Yep, these are stickers. I can tolerate these because of the encasement, but this is an expensive product to be using stickers especially given the small checklist.
Who is that you ask? Yeah, it doesnt matter. It’s Mike Miller by the way.
My case arrived on Tuesday late afternoon and was ripped by 9.
Some boxes were very good, others absolutely sucked. Topps promises 1 auto and 1 jersey per box. Not on average, it is a guarantee. In one box I got 1 jersey, in another I got a jersey and a silk.
In one awesome box I got 2 or 3 autos. I suppose that over the case the autos averaged out, but that is not the point. One jersey and one auto per box guaranteed period. Topps will be getting a complaint letter. In fact I just sent them an email to see if I can get some satisfaction.
Base set and Collation: Collation was very good. I don’t recall getting any doubles in any of the boxes and I ended up with one full set with variations and 2-3 cards short of a complete second set of variations. I will have to find a list of variations to confirm that. I like the set a lot. Very nice. The metalic looking inks and the old school appearance really work.
Quality control: Pretty good overall. In each pack you get a thick filler card that is a checklist with an action shot on the front. Many of the cards were white on the back and others had a tanning effect around the edges. Interestingly enough I received the following “variation”
The one on the left is the only Yao that I got with a clear back, while I got 5 of the one on the right that had a significant printing defect. The reason why I refer to it as a variation is because it was repeated over and over again. One funked up copy does not a variation make. Five on the other hand is a different story.
Here is a pic of the mini v. regular:
Minis: I like the minis in Murad much better than Mayo and Allen and Ginter. The design seems to lend itself to the mini much better than the others.
Box Toppers: The box toppers look silly because they are blown up versions of the regular cards. Duh you say, but the problem is they really are blown up meaning that the resolution or picture quality looks bad. I did get a /10 silver parallel. They ae 1:48 boxes.
The hits: I did very well. No Bird, Magic or Russell auto.
Box 9
MORE BRAVES-JO!
Hudson
Abreu Bat
AJ
The Auto: Does anyone actually like the Yankees?
Joba
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