There are some 2014 football card sets released near the beginning of training camps in August, and while this approach allows for a wide range of rookie autographs, it also means that there are players included who are not likely to make an impact in the 2014 season.
2014 Topps Platinum Football will not release until November, which should give the product plenty of time to ensure that it holds the rookies collectors seek, and provide collectors with a chase element for cards that matter. Of course, this is what it “should” do for the card set…only time will tell if it works out that way. Platinum has been fairly successful for Topps over the past few years and the company has released information on what to expect when the product makes its return this year.
The release date, currently set for the week of November 12, aims to take full advantage of the rookie excitement by promising one Autographed Rookie Refractor Patch Card and 2 Autographed Rookie Cards (including hard-signed cards) in every 20-pack box, which should retail at around $100. Of course, the autographed cards will not be the only rookie cards to chase in the product. Topps is also stating that each box will contain 5 X-Fractor Parallel rookie cards, 1 Black Refractor Parallel rookie card, and 1 Platinum Die-Cut rookie card.
Rookies won’t be the only hits out of 2014 Platinum either. Topps is set to include Autographed Veteran Refractor Patch cards that might be pulled out of the 5-card packs.
It’s part of a product makeover that Topps is hoping pushes Platinum toward more of a high end look.
There will be Dual Autographed rookie cards, Triple Autographed rookie cards and Hexagraph Double-Sided rookie cards, but it is likely the Autograph Rookie Refractor Patch cards promised to fall one per box that will be getting most of the hobby attention. This is so not only because of the promise of pulling one out of every box, but also because they will come in a variety of parallels. Featuring player-worn, patch pieces on cards utilizing chrome refractor technology, the plan is for there to be 11 parallels:
- Black Refractors (numbered to 125)
- Green Refractor (numbered to 99)
- Pulsar Refractors (numbered to 50)
- Blue Refractors (numbered to 25)
- Purple Refractors (numbered to 10)
- Gold Refractors (numbered to 5)
These will also boast several 1/1 red refractor parallels: NFL Shield Parallel; Team Logo Parallel with team logos from player-worn winter hats; NFL Pigskin Parallel with pieces from NFLPA Rookie Premiere footballs; NFL Glove Parallels and Superfractors.
And the color assortment does not end with the rookie refractor patches, as the two Autograph Rookie Refractor cards per box will also come in an assortment of parallels. These will be variations of the regular rookie card designs but using chrome refractor technology and including hard-signed autos. These parallels will include Black Refractors (sequentially numbered), Blue Refractors (#’d to 99), Pulsar Refractors (#’d to 50), Purple Refractors (#’d to 25), Gold Refractors (#’d to 15), BCA Refractors (#’d to 10), STS Refractors (also #’d to 10), and Red Refractors (#’d to 5).
In addition, in Hobby boxes there will be the possibility of Autographed Rookie Refractor cards in both a Superfractor or Printing Plate (all of which are 1/1). Also found exclusively in Hobby boxes will be Platinum Die-Cut Rookie Autograph Parallels (1/1), and the aforementioned Triple Autographed rookie cards and Hexagraph Double-Sided rookie cards. BCA Die-Cut Ribbon Autograph Parallel (#’d to 10), and STS Die-Cut Ribbon Autograph Parallel (#’d to 10) will be randomly placed throughout the product, as will be the Dual Autographed rookie cards mentioned earlier.
Also mentioned above are the Autographed Veteran Refractor Patch cards. Although these will not be common pulls, they will likely be highly sought. These cards will include standard-sized patches on chrome refractor technology. Four types of parallels will be in all 2014 Topps Platinum packaging:
- Purple Refractor Parallel: sequentially numbered to 25
- Pulsar Refractor Parallel: sequentially numbered to 15
- Gold Refractor Parallel: sequentially numbered to 10
- Red Refractor Parallel: sequentially numbered to 5
And for those seeking cards more scarce, there will be Autographed Veteran Refractor Patch cards in Hobby product that will fit the scarce description. SuperFractor Parallels (#’d. 1/1); Autographed Refractor Platinum Patch Cards: featuring surface-applied stickers and jumbo-sized patches of rookies and veterans on chrome refractor technology (#’d to 5); Dual Autographed Rookie Refractor Jumbo Patch Book Cards: dual surface-applied autograph stickers and jumbo patches featuring rookie pairings on chrome refractor technology (#’d 1/1); and , Dual Autographed Dual Patch: dual autographs and standard-sized patches on chrome refractor technology with surface applied stickers (#’d to 25).
In an interesting twist, Topps has decided to call a more or less regular rellic card their “case hit” in 2014 Topps Platinum Foot 
ball. The Platinum Rookie Patches cards, containing jumbo-sized patch relics, will be sequentially numbered and fall at a rate of one per Hobby case.
The 2014 Topps Platinum base set will consist of 150 subjects, including 50 rookies on chrome cards. Hopefully, by the time of this November release, which rookies will be making the biggest impact on the NFL will be known as collectors rip into packs.
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