2011 Topps Triple Threads Football Box Review

by Rich Klein

When Topps began using the Triple Threads name back about five or six years ago, I honestly thought the product might be one of those one-offs and not have a long term place in the Topps family of products. Several years later, Triple Threads has been one of the most consistent of the higher end brands that the company produces. A good mix of players both old and new in football and baseball along with reasonable price points makes this product a consistent winner for them.

We recently received the 2011 Topps Triple Treads football box which consists of two mini-boxes (or packs) of seven cards each. Each mini-box contains both an autograph card as well as a triple relic card. It is possible for the autograph card to also be the triple relic card. Topps increased the hit factor by two per master box (display box) this year, a move applauded by collectors.

Topps clearly wasn't planning for the injury to Peyton Manning this year. The Colts' still recuperating QB adorns the cover of the display box and the mini boxes.

Here's the breakdown of what Topps promises per two-pack box.

Each 4-Hit Box Contains: One Unity Autograph Single Relic Card, One Unity Single Relic Card, One Autographed Triple Relic Card and One Triple Relic Card.

Every Case Contains: a 1 of 1 Autograph Triple Relic Card and a Triple Autograph Relic Card, Numbered* to 36 or less.

The current online pricing for two-pack boxes is in the $170-180 range while my local card store has sold about 20 boxes at the $200 per box level. Since 14 cards multiplied by $12 per card is $168, that means that at the very least each card is costing between $12-15. As we say on many occasions, these types of packs are not for the faint of heart.

Here's what our master box yielded:

Base Cards (#d to 999): Joseph Addai, Matt Cassel, Rashard Mendenhall, Matthew Stafford, Tim Tebow, Roddy White

Sepia (#d to 300): Chris Johnson

Emerald (#d to 250): DeSean Jackson

Gold (#d to 99): Sidney Rice

Ruby (#d to 25): Joe Flacco

Unity Relic Sepia (#d to 27): Brett Favre

Autograph Unity Relic (#d to 90): Shane Vereen

Emerald Autograph (#d to 50): Jamie Harper

Relic Combo Ruby (#d to 3): Cam Newton/Jake Locker/Blaine Gabbert #1/3

My beloved wife is getting very well trained in the hobby. I gave her this box to open and she runs into the office and says "this card is numbered 1/3, it must be very good." Yes honey, that card is very good indeed.

Those are 14 very nice cards but a collector would be very thrilled indeed to pull any card with three leading rookie quarterbacks. If Newton continues to develop after a great rookie season in which he has already scored 13 rushing touchdowns and passed for more than 3200 yards after just 12 games, this card will be in demand and anything either Jake Locker or Blaine Gabbert adds to the card is just icing on the cake.

2011 Topps Triple Threads football does bring a little more bang for the buck this year, but it is heavy on rookies. The design has generally been well received by collectors.

Rich Klein can be reached at [email protected]