Rack Pack Hit!

I wanted to follow up on the post Suzy did about the odds of a rack pack vs. a blaster.  While I had never read the two to compare them until that day, it makes much more sense to go with a rack pack now.  The difference in cards is not enough to warrant buying a blaster especially when the odds of hits goes up so much.

I bought two rack packs of 2014 Gypsy Queen a week or two ago just because I was bored and I hate money.  I never get anything so imagine my face when this card appeared...

Ben Revere, serial numbered /49 on card auto.

While I couldn't care less about this player or his autograph, it was nice to actually pull something cool from retail for a change.  Anyone that is interested in this card, I am more than willing to part with it for a pack of pens or something.

A free Robinson Cano autograph...

Today I get my mail and inside was a big envelope from Topps.  I was like oh maybe it's a blogger playing a practical joke since I haven't bought anything recently, or won any auctions that would come in the mail (especially from Topps).  So I opened it with the excitement and anticipation of a kid on Christmas morning, and holy smokes it's an on card Robinson Cano autograph...  Instant smile (despite wanting to kick him).  

So then I am sitting at the kitchen table staring into space wondering where the hell this came from and wondered how the cardboard Gods knew they needed to intervene in my disinterest in cards.  This went on for a few minutes until I realized I didn't look at the paper that was wrapped around the card.  I  opened it up and realized it was a redemption...   Which I apparently redeemed at some point.  I have literally no idea what I paid for this or when I redeemed it so it was basically like getting a free gift in the mail.  I vaguely remember buying it months and months ago.

eBay doesn't go back far enough for me to find the auction and Topps only shows shipping dates so whatever, it was free as far as I'm concerned.  My last purchase on eBay in January was a Callahan auto, and before that I made 3 purchases according to my feedback. One in August, September, and October so maybe it was one of those.  I should buy redemption cards more often so that when they arrive months later it's a fun surprise.

Anyone else ever redeem a card and forget about it or am I the only crazy person that's done this?

P.S. I went to label this post "Marie is crazy" and it was already an option... That made me laugh.

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: '10-'11 Panini Classics

This might have been the most fun box of cards I have opened in months. It might have had one of the single best pulls I could have asked for out of a box of basketball cards. I should hug Panini for sending this box to review.

Let's get right to it. The '10-'11 Panini Classics hobby box contains 18 packs with 8 cards per pack. According to Blowout Cards each box should also contain:

- 2 Autographs (including 1 Autographed Rookie #'d/699 or less) and 2 Memorabilia Cards
- At Least 1 Legend (#'d/999) per Box
- At Least 12 Inserts per Box

My first pack was a little annoying, I had tweeted that I pulled 2 LeBron James base cards. Upon further inspection, one was a Timeless Tributes card, and the other the base card. So that was kind of a relief. A double in the first pack would have worried me for the rest of the box.

Here are the scans of the loot in the box.

Sample of what the base cards look like. For those interested in building the set, it can be done with one box if you are just looking for the 100 card base set. The Legends cards are 101-140 and are short print serial numbered cards.

I was able to put together one base set, and have 28 doubles left over.


LeBron James Timeless Tributes /250



Chris Webber Legend /250

Jerry West Legend/999

Classic Combos Magic Johnson & James Worthy. I like this idea and the design looks kind of retro so that makes this a fun card. At least to me it's fun. It also makes me feel old to see players in a "classic" product that I watched as a kid.

Classic Moments Kevin Durant

Classic Greats Walt Frazier, he's stylin' and pofilin'. I may save this card to give my brother since he seems to find humor in the ridiculous things that fly out of his mouth on the Knicks games.


Dress Code - Dwayne Wade and Andre Iguodala


Blast From the Past - This is my personal favorite sub set in the product. There's just something about these cards that really appeals to me and for some reason they make me think of my Adidas superstar sneakers of the good old days.


Dress Code Prime Jason Kidd patch /25 The patch is technically 3 colors, you can see the turquoise color next to the white stripe... if you look very closely. Love this card, mostly because it is not just a boring plain swatch but the piece on the card is from the jersey lettering and it feels cool.



Membership Kevin Johnson /499 The design for this relic set is boring to me. It looks like those cards from the Topps America or whatever stupid set they put pieces of the space shuttle in. This card reminds me of the card I pulled with a piece of spaceship. Sorry Panini, this one is a dud.


I think this is definitely worth point out: the autographs are all on card. There are no silver stickers, there are no stealth clear stickers. Ink on card. I think the design of the autograph cards suits the set well, and also leaves plenty of room in case a player has a crazy big signature or a crazy long name.

Rookie Autograph Larry Sanders /699


Rookie Autograph Landry Fields /699

Rookie Autograph John Wall /199 Oh snap! A nice John Wall ON CARD auto just for me!

Overall this product delivers plenty of bang for your buck. (Especially when you end up with an extra hit.) For roughly $81.99 per box you are guaranteed 2 game used, and 2 autos plus a variety of serial numbered inserts. You are also coming away with a complete base set, plus extras to trade away. Throw in that the autographs are on card and not stickers or redemptions and Panini has themselves a winner with this product. I'm sure there are redemptions in the product as a whole but I'm basing this all on my experience.

If you have made it this far into reading the review you have earned the chance at a reward. Every person who leaves a comment on what they think of the product will be entered into a drawing to win the base set of 100 cards, plus the 2 Legends. Entries will be accepted from today until Wednesday at midnight.

Blowout Cards posts 2010 Bowman "Superpull"

When I woke up this morning I scanned through Twitter because it's what I do. Wait, no one else does this? Liars.

Anyway, I came across a tweet from Blowout Cards about a customer pull from the weekend and thought I would share it with you guys in case you don't have a Twitter account. Someone pulled a Martin Perez superfractor auto, and from what I have read sneaking around online there are people who think the card could end near $5,000. Your guess is as good as mine, and probably better. It is interesting to watch the refractor and superfractor auto's on eBay.

I don't know much about the kid, I don't really do prospecting but I will read through my Prospectus and see what the deal is with some of these auto's. Who knows, maybe I will pick up a couple of cheap guys. That's how I ended up collecting Adam Lind.

Hi Hater

Clearly if it's not Allen & Ginter most of you crush everything else released to dust and hate it. I said most, not all, before you all get ready to rumble. I happened to have liked the Topps 206 set, probably because the retail odds were so great for some reason.

A few months back Peter from Dropped Third Strike showed me a Phil Hughes redemption that he won on eBay and for a decent price. I dabble here and there with Hughes cards when I find ones I like, and I liked the autos from this set so I picked up one for myself for somewhere around $8 bucks I believe. Not a bad purchase in retrospect because his cards have shot up in price, and it's on card annnnddddddddddddd it is now in my hand.



I love it. "Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggghhhhheesss"