2008-09 Topps Treasury Basketball

Product Details

Topps' most recent Rip Party featured a case of soon-to-be released 2008-09 Topps Treasury Basketball. This video prompted us to take a closer look at the product.  The strongest points of this product include Inserted Rip Card, an abundance of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Autographed Cards, and a relatively low price tag of $70 - $80 per hobby box.  These benefits are outweighed by the fact that Topps has reduced the Rip Cards inserted in the set to glorified lottery tickets - probably more so then any other card product to date.  Of the many thousands of Rip Cards produced for the set, 429 of them will literally contain U.S. Currency. Each of these lottery tickets....er... "Rip Cards" will include either $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 or $1000. Further blurring the line between where this product is a collectible hobby product or a dressed up low stakes casino game is the inclusion of of 15 Rookie cards that are literally made of 14k gold. These gold medallion cards each have a print run of 25.

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2008-09 Topps Treasury Basketball

Release Date: 10/1/08
18 packs 5 cards per pack

Product Overview

• 1 Autographed Card and 1 Rip Card Per Hobby Box
• 1 Rookie Card per pack
• Every case will contain a Magic Johnson or Larry Bird All-Rookie Team Dual autographed card and 2 rip cards that contain autographs exclusive mini cards
• “They're money" rip cards that contain actually US Currency in amounts up to $1000. Rip cards also feature autographed and relic versions.
• 14K Gold Medallion Rookie cards
• 140-card base set with 4 parallels numbered to 999
• 280 one of one framed press plates
• 140 autographed one of one press plates

Rip Cards

• Rip Card Exteriors
• 50 subjects appear on sequentially numbered* cards.
• Rip Card Interiors
• The same 50 subjects in a mini-card version found only inside the rip cards.

AUTOGRAPHED MINIS

• 20 subjects, including Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, will be featured on Mini-cards with their Autographs. All are numbered* and found only in Rip Cards. 2 Per Hobby Case!

LOGOMAN MINIS

• 30 players are shown on mini-cards with a logoman relic piece. All One of One! HOBBY EXCLUSIVE!

Rip Card Parallels

• Exterior and Interior Rip Cards are featured in the following parallel versions.
• Platinum - All One of One! HOBBY EXCLUSIVE!
• Gold - Numbered* to 10.
• Silver - Numbered* to 25.
• Bronze - Numbered* to 99.

"They're Money Rip Cards"

• 10 sequentially numbered* Rip cards that feature players that are known for being “money." The Rip Cards contain actual money or redemption cards issued for U.S. Currency between $10 and the ultimate prize a $1,000 dollar bill!
• Available in a One of One version!
• "They're Money" Rip Card Interiors
• HOBBY EXCLUSIVE! 429 total Rip cards can be opened to reveal $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1000.

14K Gold Rookie Medallions

• Hobby Exclusive!
• 15 Rookie cards featuring an actual 14k GOLD Commemorative Rookie Medallion! Numbered* to 25.
• Available in a All One of One gold version.

Base Cards

• Veteran/Retired
• 100 NBA pros.
• Available in 4 parallel versions numbered* no higher than 999 and including Hobby Exclusive One of Ones.
• Rookies
• Twenty 2008-09 Rookies.
• Available in 4 parallel versions numbered* no higher than 2008 and including Hobby Exclusive One of Ones.
• Autograph Rookies
• The same Rookies above are highlighted on 20 additional cards with their signature.
• Available in 4 parallel versions numbered* no higher than 50 and including Hobby Exclusive One of Ones.

Bird and Magic All-Rookie Team Autograph Cards

• Magic's Dual Autographs
• 10 Rookies appear with Magic Johnson on dual autographed cards. These 10 subjects were picked by Magic as Rookies to watch for in the 2008-09 season. Numbered* to 50 or less.
• Bird's Dual Autographs
• Larry Bird appears side-by-side with 10 of his favorite Rookies on dual autographed cards. Numbered* to 50 or less.
• Magic and Bird's Triple Autographs
• Bird and Magic will both appear with 5 different Rookies on triple autographed cards. These 5 players will be personally selected by Magic and Bird after the 2008 Draft. Numbered* to 10.
• All-Rookie Team Autographed cards are available in a One of One version. Hobby Exclusive!

Framed Printing Plates

• Veteran/Retired
• Four printing plates from 70 of the 100 Veteran and Retired Player base cards. 280 plates in all. All One of One!
• Autograph Veteran/Retired
• Autograph printing plates from 30 of the 100 Veteran and Retired players. 120 plates in all. All One of One!
• Rookie
• The printing plates used to create the 20 non-autograph Rookie base cards. 80 plates in all. All One of One!
• Autograph Rookie
• The printing plates from the 20 Autograph base Rookie cards. 80 in all. All One of One!