Released the week of March 23, 1998

Pack Price: $5.00

Packs per box: 24

Cards per pack:  6

Cards in set:  150 base cards

Inserts:

    Mystery Finest - 50 cards at 1 per 36 packs
    Mystery Finest Refractor - 50 cards at 1 per 144 packs
    Centurion - 20 cards at 1 per 153 packs
    Centurion Refractor - 20 cards at 1 per 1020 packs
    Power Zone - 20 cards at 1 per 72 packs

Parallels:

    No Protector - 150 cards at 1 per 2 packs
     Refractor - 150 cards at 1 per 12 packs
     No Protector Refractor - 150 cards at 1 per 24 packs

Andy's Thoughts

Gone are the gold, silver, and bronze themed base cards. Gone are the embossed, embossed die-cuts, embossed refractors, and embossed die-cut refractors. And in my opinion they went out none too soon. Replacing them is a great looking base set with a new twist to parallels, the unprotected cards. The argument has gone on for quite sometime about whether to peel or leave the protective coating on Finest (and other protected cards), so now Topps gives you the choice with No Protector cards and refractors. Of course they also had to do something to make the No Protectors different then just a regular card that's been peeled so they made both sides in the Finest chrome. The results? Well, that's up to you, but I know that I prefer the No Protector versions and I have a feeling the prices will be much nicer on these parallels. On the insert front we have three basic varieties including the tough Centurions (numbered to 500) and Centurions Refractors (numbered to just 75). If you're tired of the old rare, uncommon, common theme then take a shot at some 98 Finest because I think you'll like what you see.