This is the first card we’re looking at from 1994-95 Topps Finest. It’s not the first Finest set in basketball card collecting, but it is the first for another important reason. Here, in 1994-95, the peel-off laminate protector was placed on the cards for the first time. Topps made a huge deal out of this film this year with advertising saying, “Now it’s even tougher to get your hands on our cards.” “In fact, you may never get your hands on them at all.” This plastic really does protect the cards against damage and scratching. I have a video of a Tim Duncan rookie card where I peel off this protector and it makes a huge difference in eye appeal. Leaving the film on keeps the card closer to its original state from the pack. And there’s less risk of damage to the surface, and especially the corners and edges, when removing it. It’s intimidating to start picking at those edges or corners when peeling. But there is also a valid argument to be made for removing the film. The design of Finest cards is usually busy enough to begin with and the film really clutters it with the words “Topps Finest Protector, Peel and Remove Coating” scrawled across the front. Also, I’ve heard that when grading cards with the protector on, scratches and defects on the plastic might lower the grade of an otherwise nice card. And the company clearly intended for the film to be removed, so it’s the only way to see the card as it was meant to be enjoyed. In my opinion, if you can enjoy the card with the film on, leave it on! It protects the card! But if the film becomes so scratched and damaged that you don’t enjoy the card, or the film itself might cause a drastically lower grade if you’re submitting, then I’d remove it.
By the way, do you see that this Chris Mullin card is turning green? All the hype about the peel-off protector this year makes you even more sad about Chromium cards turning green. In the advertising I mentioned earlier, Topps was saying, “never see a scratch, watermark, a damaging UV ray or even so much as a human fingerprint…they are forever kept in absolute pristine condition.” Well…you never told us they would turn green! Topps’ innovative Chromium technology and patents gave the cards a unique, metallic shine and strong reputation. Unfortunately, years later, we learned that this technology brought what we call “greening,” or “Hulking” for a lighter touch. Some swear that if humidity and light are avoided, there is no change. Others seem 100% confident that the fate of all early Chromium cards is to eventually turn green. What can we say for sure? First, it never hurts to avoid humidity and sunlight, whether this causes greening or not. On a positive note, the 1997-98 season does appear to be the end of it. Many factors probably contribute to greening, but there seems to be a reaction between the ink and other materials in the cards. Changes were made and cards produced after 1998 aren’t yet affected by this phenomenon.
Back to this exact card…well, I don’t particularly like it or this Collegiate Best subset! I prefer the base cards from 1994-95 Finest where the colored comet-looking things fly from the background. These are blocky. Literally, I guess, as the blocks in the background were probably intended to show off the effect of depth you could get with that Chromium technology. And they make the set feel disorganized. In ’94-95 Finest, the players are scattered and not grouped by team, and in Series II, this Collegiate Best subset is also scattered to the point that it intrudes and breaks up the set too much. The cards are found as cards #200-209 and #225-234 and #250-259 and #275-284. As you move through the set, you start to think, “Really, can’t we have a different subset here?” This Chris Mullin finishes off the second group of Collegiate Best. Finally, the theme feels forced. Obviously, some of the best NBA players would be the best collegiate players. And many of the players in this subset didn’t even attend college recently. And what’s Collegiate here? Not the jerseys. Literally the only thing college-related here are the two barely visible paragraphs with surface level information on the back. So that’s about all I have to say about this particular card.
And since this is the first time we’re looking at ’94-95 Finest, a quick note, the #331 Jordan has two variations, both the 23 and 45 jerseys.
You must be logged in to post a comment.