2014 Topps Strata Football Preview

Returning for its third year, 2014 Topps Strata Football will be an 18-pack hobby box with three hits, including an autographed relic card when it hits card shops Christmas Eve. Priced as a mid-range product at about $70 per hobby box, the base checklist includes 200 subjects, half of which will be comprised from the 2014 NFL rookie class. There will be a gold parallel inserted 1 in 3 packs, while the rookies will have Bronze (#’d to 150), Topaz (#’d to 99), Sapphire (#’d to 50), Emerald (#’d to 10), and Ruby (1/1) parallels.

Topps has announced that each box will contain a Clear Cut Autographed Relic Rookie Card advertised with what they describe as the largest jersey swatch possible. This set will include up to 40 rookies and autographed on card. This set will have a slew of parallels including Bronze and Topaz patch, with Sapphire patch, Emerald, Patch, and Ruby patch being hobby exclusives.

Each hobby box should contain five die-cut cards broken into two sets: Quarterback and Strata. The Quarterback die-cut set will contain over 30 NFL quarterbacks, while the Strata die-cut set will have a 50 player checklist drawn from every position. The cards will be cut in the shape of the NFL shield and will have numbered autograph parallels.

Up to 50 rookies and veterans will be included in the Strata Autographs set, but it has not yet been disclosed whether these autographs will be on-card, sticker, or a combination thereof.

Examples of the Teddy Bridgewater rookie show his hurried ‘T- B'” signature that caused some consternation earlier this spring among collectors hoping one of this year’s top quarterback prospects could do better but if the sample images provided by Topps are accurate, he’ll have company with Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson, who continues his quick scribble.

Strata Autographs will have numbered parallels including Bronze, Topaz, Sapphire, Emerald, and Ruby with undisclosed print runs, while Quartz will be a 1/1 hobby exclusive parallel. Strata Signatures will be hobby exclusive on-card autographs #’d to 50 with a checklist of over 35 players. Each box should contain either a Strata Autograph or Strata Signature card. Another hobby exclusive will be the Strata Quad Autograph Book Card, each containing 4 rookie autographs and numbered a 1/1.

Each box should also contain a Strata Relic card with a checklist of up to 50 rookies and veterans. Strata Relics will have an assortment of parallels issued including Bronze (#’d to 150), Topaz patch (#’d to 90), Sapphire patch (#’d to 70), Emerald patch (#’d to 35), Ruby patch (#’d to 10), and the hobby only Quartz patch (1/1).

Four hobby only 1/1 parallels containing relics such as gloves and team logo, along with new for 2014 football and Nike Swoosh cards will also be inserts. Each 12-box case should contain 3 Clear Cut Autographed Relic patch parallels. Another hobby exclusive will be the Clear Cut Dual Autographed Rookie Patch Book Cards containing two on card autographs from the 2014 rookie class and numbered a 1/1.

Each case should also contain one numbered Strata Signature Relic Card, comprised of over 35 rookie signatures with a jumbo relic swatch. These cards will have a hobby only Ruby patch parallel, and two Rivet parallels that enable the layers of the card to swivel – including one version featuring the Nike Swoosh (1/1). 5 veterans will be included in a Veteran Strata Signature Patch Card, with Rivet (#’d to 5) parallels.

You can see Strata cards on eBay here.