Oren's Top 12

Yes, it's that time again. Time for another mail day reveal from my latest trade with blog reader Oren.

Since everyone loves a good countdown (sorry Jon from Penny Sleeves) and Oren partially suggested it, I am counting this one down from 12 to 1 and letting you see which cards were ranked my favorite from our trade. Not that I didn't enjoy all of the cards, but there is always one or two that are more favored than others.

Now time for the countdown (my inner Casey Kasem)

12.Upper Deck Special Report Foreign Focus subset card.

11.Hall Of Gold Manny Ramirez

10.Big Bats Manny Ramirez

9. Big Bats Kenny Lofton

8.Donruss Elite Elite Series

7.Black Diamond Diamond Debut

6.Leaf Rookies and Stars Dress For Success Dual Relic Curtis Martin

5.Topps Lords Of The Diamond Nomah

4.Upper Deck Rock Solid Foundation

3.Pinnacle Aficionado Cal Ripken Jr and Mo Vaughn

2.Leaf Limited Lumberjacks Juan Gonzalez

And you're NUMBER ONE...........

1. Donruss Preferred X-Ponential Power Manny Ramirez

It wasn't easy to do the Top 6, but I think my selections fit what I really like about 90's inserts. Shine, unique textures and acetate.

I want to know your thoughts on my selections and then I want you to make your Top 12 below if you don't agree with mine.

Cardboard Review:2021 Stadium Club Baseball Hobby Box

When it comes to the hobby, I can't list many products that get me excited enough to countdown to, but there are some.

One of those products, I know I am not alone on.

That product, Stadium Club.

It's the one product that you whisper it's name and it gives you goosebumps and makes your hair stand up on your arm.

Why do collectors seek this product out so much? Is it the hits? Is it the checklist? No, no, and the next question was a no before I even asked it. Let's see why collectors dig this product so much.

Every hobby box of 2021 Stadium Club baseball comes with 16 packs per box with 8 cards per pack. Each box has 2 autographs, a box topper and is around $120 per.

After opening up the box, your box topper is just there.

Certain players also offer up autograph versions of this card that are all numbered to 10.

BASE

Well, it didn't take me too long to get right to the answer of the burning question above on why collectors flock to Stadium Club. Believe it or not, it's the base cards.

NO OTHER, I mean no other product offers the kind of photography Stadium Club does and has for many years.

Here are a few of my favorites from this box break,

The base set overall has 300 cards and is built up of veterans, legends and rookies.

Parallels
Stadium Club offers the following parallels,

Red Foil, Black Foil, Sepia, Black & White, Blue Foil /50, 30 Years (30 copies), Rainbow Foilboard \/25, First Day Issue (10 copies), Members Only (1 per case), Photographer’s Proof , and Gold Rainbow Foil 1/1.

Red Foils fall 1:3 packs

Black Foil falls 1:8 packs

30 Years, which I missed in the break the first time, fall 1:199 packs.

And with most products, there are Sp's and Variations. These are tough pulls falling at 1:179 and I found this design variation of Ichiro in this break.

INSERTS

 

Stadium Club Chromes fall One-Per-Box and I found myself a nice one in Tatis. I know you guys don't want to hear this, but I sure hope Topps brings this back as a full time set again. Taking everything Stadium Club has to offer and chroming it looks amazing.

These also come with parallels,

Refractor, Orange /99, Pearl White /30, Gold Minted and SuperFractor 1/1.

Stadium Club Greats revisit old Stadium Club designs. These fall 1:8 packs and have 25 cards to collect in the set.

Super Star Duos falls 1:16 packs and has a player on the front and back. This one features Paul Goldschmidt on the back. This one features 15 cards in the set.

Virtual Reality falls 1:8 packs and have 25 cards in the set to collect.

HITS

There are on card autograph offerings in Stadium Club with a mix of Veterans, Legends and lots of rookies.

I pulled two rookie autographs in mine,

Not terrible, not great but at least no pitcher autos!

HITS
Stadium Club isn't about the hits, it's about the photography and the nostalgia as well. This years version is loaded with it especially with the throwback designs.

There are a ton of great photos as well that I didn't even post because it would have taken up the entire post to do so.

In comments, let me know your thoughts on Stadium Club whether it be past or present.

Nuttin' But The Hits:1996 Spx Baseball Box

With 1997 Spx baseball set done off from my Spx Project want list, I now take a turn at a need in 1996 Spx baseball.

What better way to try and build a set then breaking a box of the product?? Also what better way to try and land the needed Griffey autograph as well with the low box price vs the cost of the auto. I knew my odds were against me with that part, but was hopeful to get a good start on the set need.

Each box of 1996 Spx baseball has 36 packs and has one card per pack so I knew it wouldn't be a full set type of box. I think back in the day packs ran $6.99 per pack. Today, they are cheaper, but not by much as this product is still pretty popular especially for those chasing down those elusive autographs. This box however was on sale for $49.99 so it felt like a steal.

Why am I so crazy about this product...IT'S THE HOLOGRAMS! They just blend so well in the design of the product. It's nothing that the hobby has seen or will ever see again after it died off in the '98 card season. Upper Deck produced one big bomb-diggity with this products run like this.

Here are my gold parallel finds in the box. BIG UNIT!

 

When busting the packs, I somehow missed this card the first time around. A 1:24 pack Bound For Glory pull of Chipper. I knew a girl in my younger years who would had killed for this card. She was Chipper everything. Her LL Bean backpack had the name of Chipper on it.

And I didn't pull the 1:2000 odd auto, but did get for the third time the 1:75 commemorative card.

 

Overall, can't complain about the break. Some nice insert pulls and I found myself with 30/60 cards n the set. I plan on posting those set needs once I hear back from another trader on what cards they found for it.

Thoughts on today's break are welcomed in comments!

1997 Upper Deck UD3 Baseball Pack #2

Here are the results from Pack 2 I just busted. Another good pack with three name players included. 

Another thing I like about the cards are the  nice offset of the photos they used. Good balance.

Pack 3 will be busted tomorrow so stay tuned!

FORGOTTEN: 2003 Topps Bazooka Baseball

Here is our NEW segment on Sport Card Collectors. This segment is not about the players per say, its more about the cards and design. We will focus our efforts on bringing you brands you may have forgotten about over time. Sports for these products will include basketball, football and baseball products.

 

Bazooka Gum and Topps have been hand to hand forever so in 2003 Topps made a baseball card product called Topps Bazooka. With 24 packs, 9 cards per pack and 3 Relic Cards per box at a reasonable price it was a product for those young and old. 

There were also fun inclusions like Stamps, StandUps and of course comics to find as well. Another thing to note is Bazooka Joe could also be found in the product.

Boxes can still be found now for about $40 a box. 

Let us know your thoughts on Topps Bazooka.