1999 Topps Finest Dirk Nowitzki Rookie with or w/out coating

[BirdUp]

I see that some of the cards have the protective coating and some do not. This is card #234.

Which is worth more? Which is more preferred if I were to grade or buy a PSA graded card?

[rms13]

Many posts about Finest peels lately including one a few down from this about Kobe. If you are driven by dollars than probably keep the peel on. Personally I think it looks ugly and I don't want to see writing across the card so I peel them all off for my PC cards

Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk

[drobfan8]

True clectors have one of each.

[mjohnatgt]

How many peel vs. no peel threads do we need? Read the last few that are still on the first or second page...

[Beavers98]

1998-99 Finest had no peel cards though, so this isn't a preference thing. There was a multiplier for the no-peel version as it was more rare and the back looked like it had more of a "shiner" finish.

If it is another peel no-peel debate, carry on.

[davidantx]

Peel ...

[duron]

I see that some of the cards have the protective coating and some do not. This is card #234.

Which is worth more? Which is more preferred if I were to grade or buy a PSA graded card?

Beavers is right. If the back is chromium, it never had a coating. These were the “No Protector” parallels and had standard and refractor versions, both of which are tougher hits.

Graders still get these wrong all the time.

[NowitzkiRookies]

Just to elaborate on Duron's reply, here's a bunch of IG reels of these cards and their respective pack/player odds:

Base card (with protector): 6:1 pack odds, 1:21 player odds
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl93sN5v0YR/

No Protector: 1:4 pack odds, 1:500 player odds.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmMSNuKpxY0/

Refractor (with protector): 1:12 pack odds, 1:1500 player odds.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmakR4_twbi/

No Protector Refractor: 1:24 pack odds, 1:3000 player odds.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmkVSpRM78O/

[duron]

There’s another wrinkle with the no protector refractors where people claim they’ve pulled refractors without coatings even though the back is not chromium but refracts, like the 97-98 Finest refractors.

I used to think they weren’t pack pulled but I’ve had at least one person (angrily) insist to me they’ve pulled such an example. The nut thought I was purposely spreading disinformation. Lolz.

I’ve opened a box but at release, can’t remember all pulls. Should be easy enough to confirm with YouTube videos.