Hobby Box Break and Review: 2011 Bowman Sterling

As most of you know my interest in cards has more or less vanished recently for various reasons mentioned in a previous post. When I saw the box from Topps, that little feeling of excitement came back.... It was nice to know that it was still in there somewhere.

This year 2011 Bowman Sterling looked a little sharper out of the pack with the stealth stickers instead of those terrible silver ones, so that was an instant plus.... I shall wait for the day we see them on card... One day at a time, one day at a time...

Each box delivers 6 mini boxes, one pack per box with the following in each pack:

-1 rookie

-2 autographs

-1 game used

So as you can imagine this box does not come cheap, they retail for roughly $200 per box. If you like rookies and prospects, this is well worth the price of the box for the crazy number of hits you come away with.

Oh, I guess you want to see what was in the box? Fine.

The base cards

Refractors

Team USA game used cards and rookie game used cards.

Autographs (I feel so out of the loop reading these names. Then again I am not a prospector so I guess I shouldn't be upset if i don't know these dudes right off the bat.)

Now these guys are familiar. Hello, boys.

Joe Panik refractor auto /199 - This is the second autograph of Panik that I have pulled, which makes me think someone is trying to tell me to collect him.

Travis Harrison gold refractor auto /50

Team USA dual autograph /99 Hoby Milner and Andrew Mitchell (Hooray? I have no idea who these guys are but I'm hoping they are really good when they get to the majors.)

Box topper, dual game used of King Felix and Michael Pineda. I thought this card was pretty awesome before the Yankees traded for Pineda, so this is cooler now.

This product is absolutely loaded with hits and it a really great product- if you can afford it. The downside to liking a product packed with hits and not too many base cards is the price. I guess if you skipped the products that promise 1 hit per box and only picked up the higher end releases it would even out in the end? If i had money I would test that theory.

2011 Bowman Sterling Report Card:

Design: B+

The design is nice don't get me wrong, but I feel like it just looks recycled from other higher end products. I know continuity between years seems to be a thing with this type of product but when all the collectors are always saying they are looking for something new and fresh, well this isn't exactly the answer.

Value: A

Clearly if you collect veteran players you would not buy this type of product, but since it is marketed towards prospectors and rookie collectors it delivers big time. With 13 autographs and 7 game used cards you can't beat it for $200. You could hit one or two big cards in the box and easily justify the price point.

Quality: A

There were no centering issues with the cards in the box, everything was inside as promised. (And they did not smell like maple syrup.)

Overall: A-

It's really hard not to like a product that delivers 20 hits for $200. If you are someone who buys products to flip cards, I don't see how you could go wrong here. Heck, even if you do what I normally do (buy a box sell what you don't want a keep a couple), you could still stand to almost break even or completely break even. And if you don't break even.... well, that really wasn't the point of opening a product like this if you are a collector. You were looking for the high thrill of getting 2 or more hits per pack. Everyone wins here.

Hobby Box Break and Review: 2011 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects

I know, I know... You have all already opened this and seen it. However, it took me forever to get to writing this review and to be able to scan anything to do so. My apologies. I will make this one short and sweet.

Getting right down to business, here are the goods that were in the box:

I skipped scanning the base cards because they are the same as the rest of the Bowman releases from this year. I did scan a base card of the Draft Picks because I love that they are not white this year. I think they look so much sharper with black borders, and I said the same thing last year with the wrapper redemption cards.

I scanned this card obviously because he is a Yankee, but he is also Joe Girardi's best friend. Girardi also has a son named Dante, named after Sr.

Base RC refractors:
First Year/USA refractors. I must say, there is something about the USA refractors that makes me want a whole set of the USA cards. Considering I still haven't finished the one set I tried building in 2009, I don't see me trying this but I'd like to.
Blue refractor. My absolute favorite color refractor out of all the colors that are used in any set, any year. They are just the nicest looking to me.
Blue parallel. Contrary to the blue refractor, these do nothing for me. They aren't that nice in this color. Love the goofy face in the photo though.
Joe Panik autograph. Something is telling me that I should hold onto this kid.

I am going to forgo the usual report card because I would score this just as I would Bowman Chrome or base Bowman with the exception of one area. I was somewhat happy about not having a bajillion different inserts in this box and just straight cards that were a part of the main two sets (and the parallels obviously). I would also sooner build a set of Draft Picks than any other prospect set solely based on the black borders.

Did anyone pull any Dante Bichette cards they would be willing to send me or trade me? I would like to build a small collection of his cards.

Hobby Box Break and Review: 2011 Topps Tier One

When 2011 Topps Tier One was first introduced into the product line I thought it sounded exciting. It appeared to mirror some of the designs of products that are no longer being produced by other companies but were popular amongst collectors. Then when the product finally hit the streets it seemed to anger and disappoint many collectors. I must admit that made me all the more curious to see the cards in person and see what a hobby box had to offer.

While a product like this is hard to give a good review based on one box (there is only one pack), I will give it my best attempt (i.e. hiding my disappointment). The product offers one pack per box with 7 cards per pack, including 2 autographs and one game used card guaranteed. This is a hobby only product with a retail price around $100 per box at the release date and now they are currently about $75, which seems more reasonable based on this box.

The base cards are numbered /799, while the inserts range from being numbered /199 - /25, and the autographs and game used cards vary in the same fashion. The cards that I pulled are below. Am I excited about the base cards? Not at all.

The base cards are boring to me, with the exception that Topps actually went ahead and embossed the lettering on the cards which makes it a little nicer for the price point of the product but... the cards are printed on what basically feels like the decoy cards from the packs that we all used to pad better cards with in the mail.

The design appears to have been created to be simple and attractive. One out of two ain't bad.






The parallels look nicer than the base cards. Notice how the halo highlights how off-center the card really is...


I like the game used card, but I wish they would have laid off the gold a little bit around the Mets logo. Just a trim of it around the home plate outline would have been nice, but this is overkill on gaudy gold.


Rookie autograph- Brandon Guyer

Serial numbered? Check. Slightly raised lettering? Check. On card auto? Check. Design? No check. This doesn't feel like it fits in the scheme of things with the cards that I have looked up on eBay. This design just fails me in every way.


Pablo Sandoval on card autograph, picture appears to have been taken from a game in Heaven.


While this box was to serve the purpose of a review for the collectors and readers out there, it still grinds my gears that this product ended up turning out this way. The card stock is terrible, the design is so-so, but the bright side is that it seems to be moving in the right direction as far as working on making higher end sets that are more like the products we all loved from that company whose name rhymes with tupper neck.

I am going to skip the typical report card type of review here because I don't think it's fair to base it on one box when there is only one pack. If you want my honest opinion, if you haven't seen these cards in person and are a player collector who enjoys breaking wax- buy singles and wait for 2012 products. I don't see this product being up there with Triple Threads, Sterling, or the likes of those cards.

If you want a lower high end product to break for Christmas, this may be fun only because you get 3 hits for $75 and may be able to score one cheaper on a best offer on eBay.

Before you think I am totally throwing this product under a bus, there are plenty of nice cards you could pull on eBay. You need to check out these out, they are amazing I promise.

Hank Aaron jumbo Prodigious patch

Triple autograph with Aaron, Heyward, and McCann

Willie McCovey jumbo Prodigious patch

Sandy Koufax gold auto /25

Hobby Box Break and Review: 2011 Bowman Chrome

2011 Bowman Chrome arrived with the usual hype however much less so than last year. When last year's Chrome got close to the release date the prices were soaring because of Stephen Strasburg, this year we have Bryce Harper to chase but it seems like people are paying the kid a little less attention. Maybe that's because everyone chased Strasburg and he ended up on the DL and no one can really say for sure how he will pitch over the course of a full season at the major league level.

This year there is no shortage of hobby boxes and no shortage of the product at the retail level, at least from what I can see in Target. Shelves have had rack packs, packs, and blasters since the street release date. Granted I think Target only got 4 blasters, and the same one has been sitting on the shelf in the same spot for days... I won't say who owns one or two of those 4 blasters either.

So is 2011 Bowman Chrome all that and a big of chips? Not so much. Despite the fact that I am reviewing a box of the product, I have already opened my own hobby box and some retail items and I am a little concerned about a few things in the product. There are also some cool aspects that I think they did a great job of trying to incorporate some new ideas. Ideas = good, execution of ideas = needs a little work.

Ready to see what was in the box? Here you go:

Base cards (I forgot to count how many base and prospect cards were in the box, but I do know there were no doubles in the box. I would count them except they are in a pile with all the others...)



Base refractors



Prospects - Once I get my hands on the all chrome version of Bowman each year I always wonder what the point of the base version earlier in the year was.

I also feel that it's worth noting that I opened 2 hobby boxes including this one and got the EXACT same group of prospects with the exception of one card that wasn't a double. I think that is absolutely ridiculous. They were from two different places obviously, and had all the same collation? LAME.


Prospect refractor /500

Prospect blue refractor /150 - Chris Carpenter

Bowman's Best


Bowman Chrome Throwbacks - Now you would think that I would be stoked to have pulled the Pujols throwback except I'm not. If you enlarge the scan and see how grossly off center both cards are, it will make you see why I honestly don't care for the card. I thought maybe it was just this box, but when I show you the scans from the box at the card shop you will see they are all terribly off center.



Die Cut - This is something I know many collectors have been asking Topps to do for a while. They included die cut prospect cards in this years set, and in various colors of course. The xfractor version of this one is one of the cooler "low" end versions with the background looking like bubbles instead of the normal xfractor type background. It's nice that this version has a little kick to it. The only problem with the thought of the die cut was the execution... Many of these have creases or pressed edges around the top and have strings from the cut hanging or corners peeled on the back right out of the packs. Perhaps that is the price we must pay for something different.



Bryce Harper


Die Cut refractor



Die Cut xfractor



Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto Aaron Hicks - Jenkies! The auto's are all on card again this year which is awesome. The other awesome part about it is that there are no more goofy stickers on the back of the cards for the retail pack searchers to look for, so unless they have x-ray vision it's more of a fair game for all.


While this autograph is pretty well centered, I watched Jim (@BigBreakCards on Twitter) live tweet each box of his 20 cases of Bowman Chrome and saw PLENTY of 80/20, 90/10, and even one that was 100/0 on centering. Some of the cuts in this product are God awful and it should be noted to be fair.

2011 Bowman Chrome Report Card:

Design: B

I still agree with my original assessment of the 2011 Bowman in that this design is just a refreshed version of every other year. It doesn't do anything for me either way, it's not terrible- just kind of stale.

Value: B+/B

Depending on where you purchase the product it can range anywhere from $55 (eBay auctions) - $70 (hobby shop). On the low end I think you get decent value for the money but at $70 per box I don't see it. Sure the checklist has some great autographs, however with the amount of them that are extremely off center it certainly makes the product less desirable at least to me.

Quality: C-

Collation is terrible. Centering on many autographs and inserts is terrible. Edges of die cut cards are fairly poor. The upside? Well, the cards aren't as curvy as years past, the die cut xfractors are cool (if they are in decent condition), and the boxes aren't bombarded with insert sets.

Overall: B/B-

While the product doesn't jump out as much as it did last year, it probably has more to do with Strasburg vs. Harper than 2010 Bowman vs. 2011 Bowman. I think the lack of quality control on the cutting of the cards really killed it in a sense, but the redeeming factors are almost equal to the negative. The introduction of die cut cards to the product, plus the chrome throwbacks and on card autographs make it fun. Obviously I love blue refractors so sometimes the color variations will sell me on something.

The price of this product may also be a reflection of the hype associated with this years upcoming Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects which I know many people are holding out for that release. I am eager to see if that product will end up all that people are hyping it up to be.

Hobby Box Break and Review: 2011 Topps Finest

After opening a case of 2011 Topps Finest Baseball, I feel like I can give this a better review based on a whole lot of packs and boxes vs. just one hobby box. The product featured one thing we are all always asking about and looking for- on card autographs. Not all of the autographs were on card, the dual relic autographs were clear stickers and the case hit Finest Moments (veteran autographs) were also stickers. The solo rookie card autographs were signed on card and look amazing in person. Let's take a look at the product:

Here are the base cards, and of course Albert and Derek. They weren't actually in the box, but since we love them you get to look at this picture again.

The set design this year mimics last years bonus Chrome cards that you got in the value boxes. Not sure this would have been the insert design I picked to use on this product, but no one asked me. I like the fact that the set looks nothing like anything else they put out this year, but at the same time it appears that limited thought went into the design altogether.


Mini Box 1 - Here are the hits.

Hunter Pence refractor /549
King Felix Xfractor /299
Hector Noesi RC Orange refractor /99
Eric Sogard Xfractor autograph /299
The one thing I will say about the design that looks good- different colors. While I loathe the fact that every damn set I get stuck having to chase down 9 colors of every player I collect it's usually the blue refractors that I like the best. Often times the color refractors or parallels look nicer than the base cards, which is the case here. Doesn't mean I like spending money buying the same card 9 times and granted no one is forcing me to do so either.

Mini Box 2

Dillon Gee Refractor /549
Andrew McCutchen Refractor /549
Derek Jeter Green Refractor /199 ('Sup Soooooz)
Finest Freshman (gold) Zach Britton (these are not serial numbered but do come in different colors like the Finest Moments and Finest Foundations cards)
Ivan DeJesus, Jr. dual relic autograph /499
I feel like Topps is starting to get the hang of high end card designs, and what collectors are looking for as far as autographs on card and more out of the relic area than just a white swatch (which isn't true in this product, but Marquee did show patches on the relics for the price point).

Now it's time to get down to business...

2011 Topps Finest Baseball Report Card

Design: B-/C+

While this design is "fresh" from recent years of Finest, it has been noted that it strongly resembles inserts from last year which makes this set a little disappointing to me. The autographs on card redeem the product somewhat, but is it enough? Not so sure. The refractors make the set if you ask me, and really for the money the set should be nice enough and the refractors just a bonus.

Value: B

Hobby boxes are selling for roughly $100 per box, and you are getting 1 on card rookie auto and one dual relic autograph plus I believe 6 "guaranteed" serial numbered cards.

You end up with 51 base cards, 2 auto's, 6 serial numbered cards for $100. You could do worse. You could have bought a Series 2 Jumbo box for $100 and ended up with a white jersey swatch. You could also do better- if you can afford Triple Threads or Marquee I would buy one of those. If you like having a chance or 2 or 3 of pulling a big hit I would take my chances with those products over Finest.

Quality: B-/C+

While there were no cards off center, the collation of this set is TERRIBLE. In the case that we opened added to this box break we pulled ONE Oakland A's player, and ZERO Cleveland Indians. I am also pretty sure that there was only one Colorado Rockie (Tulo) in this product, either that or we didn't pull anyone else. There are 30 teams in baseball, please represent them all. If you are a Braves or Royals fan, buy lots of this product- if not.... buy singles.


Overall: C+

While the player checklist for autographs was very good, the design of the base cards and the lack of representation for all teams in MLB basically ruined the chances of this getting a better grade. While I like the atomic refractors from Series 2, I do NOT want to see a whole set that looks like this next year. I liked the inserts from the value boxes last year but never once did it cross my mind that they would make a great base set design for something.

The pro to picking up boxes of this product is that if you love prospecting the on card auto's are sweet, and you can pull different color versions of each similar to Bowman. Will they hold the same value amongst collectors as Bowman RC auto's and DP auto's? That we will see.

Do you guys like the design of this product? You think I am being too harsh or pretty dead on?

Hobby Box Break and Review: 2011 Topps Update Series

You know we are approaching the end of the year when the 2011 Topps Update boxes are out. This is both happy and sad times because the season is almost over and then we are looking forward to 2012 products.

While I understand what the purpose of this product is, I think there might be a "funner way" to do it.

Before I show you what was in the box, you should let me explain. If Topps were to release Series 2 later and include whatever would be in Update in that set there would be room for an extra release, which perhaps could be a Traded & Rookies set like they used to do. I'm just thinking it would be fun to see that product brought back and then just leave the flagship set at 792 or whatever. See, I didn't even say bring back Turkey Red.

Here is what was in the box:

245 base cards, no doubles.
2 SP's: Walker and O'Neill
Inserts are all scanned so you can see how those panned out.

Some of the boys: (for the record, I didn't get a single Cano in the box so help me out)
I have one issue with this set, and actually it has been annoying me for years but I don't know if I have ever brought it up. Maybe it's because this year the cards are numbered starting with US that it bothers me more, but I think having that US or UH in front of the numbers makes it so hard to collate the set. Maybe I am just old, but to me it's another reason to get rid of this set and move towards the T-99 type....

Diamond Anniversary

Neil Walker Blue Hope Diamond /60

Gold parallels /2011




Cognac parallels (which are not serial numbered and come just about 2 per









Topps Town



Topps 60



Diamond Duos



Kimball Champions



Yadier Molina GU Jersey card



Diamond Giveaway cards


2011 Topps Update Series Report Card:

Design: A

See Topps Series 1 and Topps Series 2 reviews.


Value: A

For this particular set, you get almost a complete set in a hobby box plus a TON of inserts and parallels to keep you entertained and interested while building your set. I would guess set builders would argue that one less cognac per pack would make it easier to complete the set, and I might agree for the most part.

The cognac cards probably should have been included in each series to avoid dumping a bunch of parallels into one set--- however, the reason they may have done that was to create more sales for a product that doesn't do well? That's the only reason I could think of for holding back essentially 3 series worth of parallels for the Update.

Quality: A

The quality of this set is on target for what we have all come to expect from Update, and it falls into line with Series 1 & 2. There were no damaged cards in the box, and no doubles so the quality control was not an issue in this product.

Overall: A

Would it be wrong to say B instead because this set is just not really that appealing from a consumer standpoint? I don't build sets so I see no real reason to not just buy the cards of my players from this set. There are a ton of cards per box which is great if you collect many players or teams, but otherwise you end up with a lot of clutter. The ton of inserts you get are great but it's another instance you can argue there are too many (vs. too little) but who knows.

I'm very wishy washy on this product not just this year but every year. I hardly ever see the need for it only because the included rookies are not what they used to be years ago. No one wants a Topps "base" rookie card anymore. People want higher end rookie cards or Bowman First Year or Bowman autos.

Do you guys see what I am saying about maybe bringing back the Traded set? Maybe making that 100 cards or so and a higher end card like along the Bowman Platinum lines?