By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor

Not long after the retro-filled, quarterback commemorative, Andrew Luck-infused goodness coming in basic Topps football,  2012 Finest should hit hobby  shops with distinct, higher-end appeal.

The fourth brand in Topps’ early-season release schedule lands on Aug. 20  — leaving plenty of time  to swap these airbrushed mockup images for fully-licensed NFL photography. According to the manufacturer, 2012 Topps Finest will include even more on-card autographs which should make for a lineup of big hits in Rookie Refractor autograph variations, Finest Atomic rookie autograph Refractors, and, let’s be honest, anything with Andrew Luck’s signature on it.  More details after the jump.

Among the Luck-y charms, the Topps press release highlights the allure of pulling one of his exclusive “Lucky Cuts” autograph die-cut cards.

• Lucky Cuts autographs parallel the plain, but desirable Lucky Cut insert with on-card autographs and will be numbered to 10.
• Lucky Cuts Patch Relics feature multi-color swatches and are numbered to 25.

Obviously, autographs from the projected top pick aren’t a guarantee, but the product does offer a more-than-mediocre “Master Box” manifest. Here’s the rundown on what to expect from each 12-pack (six packs in each two-per-box mini box) break:

• One numbered Rookie Autograph Patch
• One numbered autographed Jumbo Relic
• Two Atomic Die-Cut Refractor Rookie Cards
• Two Finest Moments inserts

Autograph patch cards showcase up to 40 rookies with multi-color patches and signatures on refractive chrome printing. The plethora of parallels include:

• Blue Refractors (numbered to 99)
• Gold Refractors (numbered to 75)
• Red Refractors (numbered to 50
• Pulsar Refractor (new, numbered to 25)
• Prism Refractors (new, numbered to 10)
• Black Refractor Pigskin NFL Shields (new, featuring Rookie Premiere footballs, 1/1)
• Superfractors (1/1)

One-per-box autograph Jumbo Relics feature up to 55 rookies and veterans alongside penmanship and large jersey swatches. Parallels include:

• Blue Refractors (numbered to 99)
• Gold Refractors (numbered to 75)
• Red Refractors (numbered to 25)
• Prism Refractors (numbered to 10)
• Black Refractor Logos (1/1)
• Superfractor patches (1/1)

2012 Finest will also feature numbered, hard-signed versions of the base Rookie Cards, each with increasingly exclusive parallels.

• Red Refractors (numbered to 15)
• Pulsar Refractors (numbered to 10)
• Superfractors (1/1)

Finest Moments inserts fall one per mini box and highlight key moments in 25 veteran and rookie careers. These also come in Refractor parallels and in rarer autographed variations:

• Pulsar Refractors (numbered to 10)
• Superfractors (1/1)

The 150-card base set in 2012 Finest will be comprised of 50 rookies and 100 veterans with the following per-pack parallel odds and numbered allure:

• Refractors (1:3)
• Prism Refractors (1:6)
• Blue Refractors (numbered to 99)
• Gold Refractors (numbered to 50)
• Red Refractors (numbered to 25)
• Pulsar Refractors (numbered to 10)
• Superfractors (1/1)
• Printing plates (1/1)

Stay tuned to Beckett.com after the Rookie Premiere to see what these cards look like after official NFL photography and more details become available.

By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor

Topps just added yet another release to its early-season production schedule. Sandwiched between 2012 Bowman Signatures and 2012 (basic) Topps, Inception will make its sophomore debut in the high-end realm.

Slated for an early-July arrival, 2012 Topps Inception returns with a three-hit-per-box guarantee. Images and more details after the jump.
Headlined by Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Justin Blackmon, and Trent Richardson, the stated hit promise indicates that the three box hits will be comprised of  two autograph or autograph Relic cards and one Jumbo Jersey or Patch Relic card. Collectors can also expect to find two base parallel cards and two veteran base cards on 72-point stock inside each box.

Hard-signed Rookie Cards include 35 rookie autograph base cards with blue, gold, green, red and Inception parallels limited in the following fashions:

• Blue (numbered to 150)
• Gold (numbered to 99)
• Green (numbered to 50)
• Red (numbered to 25)
• Inception (1/1)

Other on-card rookie hits include:

• Rookie Silver Signings (nubmered to 25)
• Dual Rookie Autographs (numbered to 25)
• Triple Rookie Autograph Cards (numbered to 10)
• Quad Rookie Autograph Cards (numbered to 5)

This year, Inception will also feature 1/1 Autograph Relic Logo parallels and numbered-to-25 Rookie Gold Autograph patch cards. Topps has also amped up the Relic Card mix with green patch parallels (numbered to 25), red patch parallels (numbered to 10), and 1/1 Inception patch parallels.

Stay tuned to Beckett.com for more information and images as we reach the second inception of Topps Inception.

By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor

Just as we thought we’d seen a preview of the first Topps football product of the 2012 season, the manufacturer swooped in and unveiled another brand.

High-end 2012 Bowman Signatures comes with one autograph or autographed Relic card per pack and hits hobby shops in late May. Unless the card maker has any other tricks up its sleeve, this product will feature the first Topps Rookie Cards of the season.

Playing Pomp and Circumstance for the forthcoming draft class, Bowman Signatures will mostly revolve around 2012 rookies.  In addition to NFL Combine-focused inserts, parallels and a 100-man rookie roster on the checklist, the product boasts on-card autograph allure with each hobby box.

Inside the box:

• Fivepacks comprised of:
  • Two base veterans
  • Two base Rookie Cards
  • One Autograph or Autographed Relic
• Five Autographs or Autographed Relics comprised of:
  • Two hard-signed Chrome Refractor rookie autographs (on 48-point stock)
  • Three autographed Rookie Card parallels (on 32-point stock)

Signature and Relic hits, including main-chase Chrome Refractor Rookie Autographs, come in various forms with limited parallels.

• Chrome Refractor Rookie Autographsinclude hard-signed autographs from 40 key rookies
  • Red parallel (red ink autographs, limited to 15)
• Rookie Autographs showcase signatures from 60 rookie subjects on thick, 32-point cards
  • Red parallel (red ink autographs, limited to 15)
• Dual Autographs feature 15 cards  with veteran and rookie autograph combinations (numbered to 25)
  • Gold parallel (numbered to 5)
• Triple Autographs feature 10 different cards with veteran and rookie trios (numbered to 25)
  • Gold parallel (numbered to 5)
• Inside the Numbers autographed Relics feature 20 veterans with authentic swatches
• Inside the Numbers autographed patches are premium material parallels (numbered to 10)
• Inside the Numbers Autographed Jumbo Relics showcase 30 veterans with larger swatches (numbered to five)
• Inside the Numbers Autographed Jumbo patches feature larger patch swatches (1/1)

Inserts in 2012 Bowman Signatures revolve around prospective and past player achievements.

• Inside the Numbers salute the statistical merits of 40 veterans
• Combine Competition cards showcase 15 different combinations of top-prospect rookies of the past and present

The 200-card base set is divided evenly with 100 star veterans and 100 rookies with numbered parallels.

• Silver Rookie Card parallel (numbered to 99)
• Green Rookie Card parallel (numbered to 25)
• Red Rookie Card parallel (1/1)
• Printing Plates (1/1)

Stay tuned to Beckett.com for more information (and non-mocked previews) as the release date approaches.