Tex Carleton Visits Me On Halloween

Despite my love of vintage and vintage items, my collection is very, very weak with them. I don't know why it just is.

One of my favorite vintage follows recently has been @prewarcards on Twitter. He posts some really cool items and is full of knowledge and information about them. He also gives away some of the items which is where today's post comes in.

For a simple RT, I won this super cool Tex Carleton 1930s Diamond Matchbook cover.

 

 

I didn't know a lot about them til I read about them on his site HERE.  Like I said, my vintage collection is small and my knowledge of it is even smaller.

A big thanks goes out to @prewarcards for the mail day. I really appreciate adding this unique piece to my collection. I suggest you guys go check him out and his site. Lot's of useful information on there and cool items you may or may not have seen before.

REVIEW:2017 Topps Heritage Minors Baseball

For the prospectors in us, there is a great line of Bowman products but there is also a Topps minors line. Today's review is of one of those products and it's from everyone's favorite throwback product, Heritage.

Let's see how this break went.

In every hobby box of 2017 Topps Heritage Minors is 18 Packs with 8 Cards Per Pack. Boxes come with one autograph and one relic per. Boxes run around $50 currently.

Today's stars of Minor League Baseball are featured on the 1968 Topps base card design with the burlap bag look just like with the MLB version. 

There are 220 cards in the base set.

Some of the Key Prospects you will find in here are, Amed Rosario, Micker Adolfo, Leody Taveras, Mickey Moniak, Luis Alexander Basabe, Greg Allen, Chance Adams, Alex Kiriloff, Nick Senzel, Bobby Dalbec, Clint Frazier, Estevan Florial, Ryan Mountcastle, Zack Collins, Jake Bauers, Bobby Bradley, Fernando Tatis Jr., Gleyber Torres, Ozzie Albies, Austin Hays, Eloy Jimenez, Chance Sisco, Forrest Whitley, Kyle Tucker, Willie Calhoun, Michael Kopech, Walker Buehler, Rhys Hoskins, Bo Bichette, and Rafael Devers.

Just like the 2017 Topps Heritage MLB product, the minor leagues also have tough-to-pull variation short prints. There is Facsimile Signature Variations that fall 1:328 packs and Error Variations fall 1:82. You can confirm if you have one once again by using the code system in the small print at the bottom corner of the card. Base cards have two different endings this time around. Some end in 08, others in 13.  Short prints that run 201-220 end in 18. Facsimile Signature variations cards end in 19 while Errors end in 20.

There are also parallels to find in the product. Seems like they fall one-per-box. I pulled this Blue Border Parallel

 

There is also, Gray Border Parallel that are numbered to 25 and Orange Border Parallel  Numbered 1/1.

Insert time!

Baseball America All-Stars showcase top prospects across all levels of Minor League Baseball using the Baseball America name like a cover. These fall 1:6 packs.

1968 perimeter-cut cards pay homage to the originals in 1968 with today's top Minor League stars. These fall 1:5 packs.

I dig these. 1968 Topps Game Mascots. They fall 1:9 packs.

Every box also comes with two code cards, mine didn't upload into this post for some reason, that gives you a chance at the Make Your Pro Debut promotion. That promo allows you to get a full day experience of the minor leagues including your own baseball card. Really cool! Wished there was a MLB version.

Now onto the hits! 

Real One Autographs are simply just on-card autos featured on the 1968 design. They have parallels of, Blue Border Parallel, Gray Border Parallel and Orange Border Parallel.

'68 Mint Relics was my next pull. First time I have seen one of these. It's a nickel minted in 1968.I think it's a cool relic but don't think everyone will agree. Sometimes not finding a plain jersey swatch is a good thing.

 

There is also Gray Quarter Parallel, Black Quarter Parallel and Autograph Relic Parallel.

Other hits not found in my box are, Fantastic Feats Autographs, Looming Legacy Autographs

and Clubhouse Collection Relics

OVERALL, price is pretty solid for a prospecting product. Some big names mixed in with some lesser names which makes prospecting even more fun. If you are a fan of minor league collecting or like prospecting I can't see why you wouldn't want to dig into a box of this.

Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review as they help provide prizes for me to giveaway in the MLB Pick Em Promotion! Follow Topps on all social media sites and visit their SITE, as well 

Tradin' With The Boss

About a month ago, @BossHardy202 on Twitter posted that he was looking to do some trades and he has always been a great guy so I jumped into the convo to see what he had to offer.

He sent some very impressive pictures, so I went digging for him finding an equal amount of items he was interested in. Phew! My first worry about starting a trade is not having enough in return for the items I really want. This was also our first trade despite how long I have followed and we have talked.

This post is a bit behind as I got these items over a week ago, but let's take a look at what impressed me.

First up. some Yanks and a Paul Perkins he tossed my way.

Next, some shiny stuff he sent my way. Everyone knows me and my love of Chrome.

Next a numbered to 50 Mattingly and a Gardner Sp from Topps Update.

#AllRise. Two more rookie adds to my PC.

You better get up and #AllRise again for this Pink Refractor. I now have the base chrome, regular refractor and pink.

OBJ! This bad boy rookie is numbered to 75. I am hoping he can make a full recovery for next season and do what he does best.

My first Tanaka relic. As I posted awhile ago I really was hoping to add to my Yankees relic/autograph collection since it's so minimal.

Toomer!! He was so underrated and underappreciated in the league. I was happy to see him get a ring.

This guy has had a terrible season up to the last couple of weeks where he has done a little better. I am hoping he showcases more of his good play over his bad ones. He has a tendency to cause stupid costly penalties. I liked this card cause it's got Giants colors and it's groovy.

Paul Perkins has been somewhat of a disappointment. He not only couldn't run in this offense, but he got injured and most likely lost his running job to Orleans Darkwa and Wayne Gallman.

DJ! With a slice of pinstripe. I really like the design of this card as well. This marks my third DJ relic. Like I said, my Yankees PC is built of base cards mainly.

And the card that caught my biggest attention. another OBJ rookie auto for my PC. Another reason why I hope this guy gets healthy and turns things around. He will obviously get paid big time this offseason looking at how much of a difference maker he really is for this team. They have dropped in half of points scored and passing yards per game since his absence. If that doesn't say Team MVP or one of the best WR's in the game I don't know what does.

 

A huge thanks goes out to @BossHardy202 for the sweet trade mail day. I am hoping we can do this again down the road. I know you have another Judge I want :)

REVIEW:2017 Topps Update Baseball

Topps Update is one of those sneaky valuable products that you wouldn't even consider being worth as much as it is. For some reason or another, people want the rookie cards from the product. Some prime examples of valuable rookies from this product's past are Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Jose Altuve.

Is there a future in the 2017 edition? You bet there is! This has been the hottest baseball rookie class that I can remember in some time. So you better go snag some at the price or you may not get any.

While I leave you with that thought, let's check out a hobby box break of it.

In every box of 2017 Topps Update baseball, you will find yourself emerged with 36 Packs and 10 Cards Per Pack. So 360 cards. That's a lot. There will be one autograph or one relic card per box. Boxes run around $65.

The base set is 300 cards which a box will not get you there with all of the other stuff Update offers.

Updates base cards have players not from the first two series, highlights from the All Star game and rookies that weren't included in the first two series either. Part of why it's so popular.

  

Speaking of rookies, your boxes should give you plenty as I found a lot of packs had 3-4 rookies per. There are also plenty of Bellinger,

and Judge! #AllRise!

There is also plenty of short prints. Holy moly! I can't remember a Topps product where you could pull so many but they only fall 1:4 packs. Flip your cards around and check the bottom where the CMP code is and look at the last 4 digits. These Sp's end with the code #5557 while base cards have #5517.

 

There are legend sp's as well.

And SSP that are case hits at 1:256 packs. These end with code #5904.

 Now that we are done talking base, we can move onto parallels which there are plenty to find of.

Golds, 1:8 packs. That Hunter Renfroe guy is following me.

Black are numbered to 66 and fall 1:100 packs.

Rainbow Foil, my favorite of the group #shiny, fall 1:10 packs.

There are also,

• Vintage Stock Parallel
• - Mother's Day Hot Pink Parallel
• - Father's Day Powder Blue Parallel
• - Memorial Day Parallel
• - Clear Parallel
• - Negative Parallel
• - Platinum Parallel
• - Printing Plates

Now onto the inserts.

Topps All-Rookie Cup fall 1:8 packs.

The best thing about these cards are the backs where they put that these are reprints. I have been waiting for that. So many try passing off these reprint cards for real to unsuspected collectors. Now they can't.

Untouchables is a really nice looking insert line that has Cy Young pitches galore for the ones who helped lead their teams down the stretch. It looks like some may have more than one card. These fall 1:8 packs.

The third installment of this continuity showcases more of your favorite on-air personalities from MLB Network and falls 1:36 packs

Salute cards celebrate performances from superstars throughout the season! Themes to find are celebrating rookie call-ups, walk-off moments, pitching performances and web gem catches. These fall 1:8 packs.

More of this wood grained insert series from 1987 Topps continues in Update. This time featuring set 2017 MLB rookies, rising stars and traded veterans and falls 1:8 packs

And still continuing on this year is more of those Rediscovering Topps cards. I think the best one I have found all year is this Winfield. These fall 1:6 packs and come with a variety of stamp color variations.

Now onto the hits!

Here is my first pull. Yup, I found two. This is a All Star Game relic that falls 1:48 packs.

My second hit which was a surprise is this Hank Aaron Award of Jose Bautista which falls 1:477 packs.

 

Other hits not found in my box include, 

All-Star Stitches Autograph Cards, All-Star Stitches Dual Autograph Cards, All-Star Autographed Jumbo Patch, All-Star Jumbo Patch Cards, All-Star Stitches Dual Cards, All-Star Stitches Triple Cards, Topps Salute Autograph Cards, 1987 Topps Baseball - Rookies, Rising Stars, & Traded Autograph Cards,Own the Name Relics and Cut Signatures.

OVERALL, some collectors look at this and go, $65 for one hit, no thanks. I don't look at it that way like I used to especially after this rookie class. This is a long term investment of sorts is the way I appeal to it now.

There are also some really big hits to be found as well. This is one of those products that is a great find in retail as well if you don't want to fork out the hobby box costs. I think if you are in it for the big hits, you go jumbo box with this product. 

I think my box was pretty well. Some good sp's, an ssp, an extra hit and some top rookies. Can't say you can go wrong here.

Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review as they help provide prizes for me to giveaway in the MLB Pick Em Promotion! Follow Topps on all social media sites and visit their SITE, as well 

REVIEW:2017 Stadium Club Soccer

Soccer fans get excited! Stadium Club is making it's appearance in 2017 for your sport.

For those that are big SC fans, we all know what to expect from the line, amazing photography which was provided in this product that's for sure.

But, let's take a closer look at what Stadium Club soccer has to offer.

Every box of 2017 Stadium Club soccer comes with 16 Packs with 8 Cards Per Pack. You will also find two autographs per box with boxes running currently $45 and under. So a pretty solid deal on these right now.

The base set has the usual full bleed photography and some shots are really cool. The only disappointment for me was the names and Stadium Club logo do not have the touch of foil like with baseball. I think it adds to the appeal.

The base set is only 100 cards of stars of today and tomorrow. So not too tough of a chase.

Here are a few of my favorite images. Love the snow one.

 

The rookie cards aren't labeled on the front of the card which is a bother to me, but the backs state whether they have played in the MLS yet.

The 20 SSP cards come with the same design as the base cards but with a different photo. According to Beckett, the code ends in 541, it’s a base card. If it ends with 557, it’s a variation. However, this Jordan Morris has been a mystery cards that ends 7010. He is on the checklist for a variation, but this particular card was supposed to be a base card not the variation. I can only assume it's a Topps printing error.

There are parallels to be found as well in Stadium Club. Golds fall 1:8 packs.

Black and White can be had in 1:4 packs.

There is also Member's Only, Sepia and First Day Issue parallels as well.

Scoreless Streak insert falls 1:8 packs is for the best goalies in the game! These come with parallels as well in Members Only which I did pull one, the bottom card, at 1:293 odds. I didn't spot it at first til I re-sorted them. There is also a Sepia parallel as well.

A throwback to me from Donruss Studio type approach, Profiles well, shows the profiles of the top players in the game! These fall 1:4 and have Members Only and Sepia parallels as well.

Now time for the hits!

My box provided with me with two base card autograph pulls.

 

These are sticker autos in case you were wondering. Sticker Autographs still don't bother me.

The base card autographs have parallels of, Black and White, Members Only,and First Day Issue.

Other hits not found in my box include, Lone Star Signatures and Co-Signers. Both are long time collector favorites in the brand.

OVERALL, If you are a soccer fan, for $45 why not take the gamble here? Decent signers, great photography and a pretty simple clean product. Even if you are not a soccer fan but love SC, take the gamble. I can't give you a reason not to.

Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review as they help provide prizes for me to giveaway in the MLB Pick Em Promotion! Follow Topps on all social media sites and visit their SITE, as well