REVIEW:2018 Topps Triple Threads (1/1 Found)

Topps Triple Threads makes it's return once again.

This high end product comes 'a poppin' with the greatest threads in the hobby. I haven't had much success in the past with Triple Threads but maybe this year is the year.

Check it out

In every box of 2018 Topps Triple Threads, you will find two mini boxes. There are 7 cards per mini box with two his in each. Boxes run roughly $190.

I really like this years base card design. Very elegant. As always the base cards are extra thick and the foil used is rainbow. Combine that with the clean design with a featured player in the forefront and you have a solid look. I think the only thing I would want from a high end base set, is having all of the base cards numbered for added value.

There are 100 cards in the non autograph part of the base set and includes veterans and legends.

Triple Threads has parallels of course like every product. This is Amber /199.

These are Amethyst /299 and Emerald /259

  

Other parallels to find include,Gold /99, Onyx /50, Sapphire /25, Ruby 1/1, and Printing Plates 1/1.

Without inserts, let's take a look at the threads. I mean, the hits.

Triple Threads Single Jumbo Relic. This one is a Emerald parallel /18 of George Springer.

Here is one of the base rookie autographs. Not a big name find in Tyler Mahle.

My next hit was a single relic autograph of Marcell Ozuna. This is a silver parallel, look at the background color, numbered to 75.

And my final hit, by far my best hit from Triple Threads ever, this 1/1 Triple Threads relic Ruby of Buster Posey. It was already a beautiful card even withou the 1/1 tag. Look at those nasty patches.

Other hits I didn't hit but you could include,

• Rookie Autograph
• Triple Threads Autograph
• Triple Threads Autograph Relic
• Triple Threads Jumbo Plus Autograph Relic Book
• Triple Threads Letter Plus Autograph Relic
• Triple Threads Autograph Deca Relic Book
• Triple Threads Deca Autograph Relic Combo Book
• Triple Threads Windows into Greatness Autograph Relic
• Triple Threads Cut Above Cut Signature
• Triple Threads Dual Cut Above Autograph Book
• Triple Threads Relics Legend
• Triple Threads Players Weekend Relic
• Triple Threads Relic Combo
• Triple Threads Jumbo Plus Relic Book
• Triple Threads Letter Plus Relic Book
• Triple Threads Deca Relic Combo Book
• Triple Threads Windows into Greatness Relic Book
• Triple Threads All-Star Patches
• Triple Threads All-Star Jumbo ASG Patch Book
• Triple Threads All-Star Jumbo Sleeve Team Patch Book
• Triple Threads All-Star Laundry Tag Book
• Triple Threads All-Star Majestic Logo Patch
• Triple Threads Bat Knobs Book
• Triple Threads Bat Name Plates Book
• Triple Threads Jumbo Patch Combo Book
• Triple Threads Jumbo Letter/Number/Logo Book

OVERALL: Once again, despite my big pull, I have to warn that this is a high risk high payback product. I haven't had much success in the past but have seen many many who have. This time I got a bit lucky with the 1/1 because up to that point it was getting ugly.

As for the product itself, beautiful. I don't care if it has sticker autographs or not, it looks really nice and I like the layout for the autographed relic cards.

If you can't afford to break a whole box, try to find someone who may sell you one mini box or you can jump on into a box break. I suggest using Midwest Box Breaks who have a Triple Threads one going on now with affordable prices. Did I mention they always pull the heat? Did you see their last break of it? Your mail box will burn down with these guys fire.. Go grab yourself a spot in the next 2018 Topps Triple Threads Break HERE.

Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review and to be able to add cards to the Topps Of The Month promotion. Enter now!.  Follow Topps on all social media sites and visit their SITE, as well.

The Autograph Finale!

We have finally reached the finale of my trade with @Jake1725 and even with all of the greatness before this part, today's is the boom.

We start it off with a tougher Shaq insert from the 90's. I think it was 1:36 packs but from some searches I don't see many around.

 

Three football rookie autographs I always wanted from the 90's. These are all hand numbered to 1050 and consist of James Stewart, Michael Westbrook, and Joey Galloway. They are also all signed on-card.

 

 

These two I added just for the fun of prospecting. Not sure if Pinder or Taylor will ever really pan out but at least I have an autograph of theirs before they do.

 

This guy has hit well for years and I have always wanted to at least get an autograph of him, I don't feel sometimes Paul Goldshmidt always gets the respect he has earned. That's probably because he plays for the D-backs. If he was in NY....

 

 

The next autograph was an in-person one that Jake was happy to get for me and wait in line for. Bregman is close to being a break out star. This was the only way I was getting his autograph.

 

 

Nice blue ink on-card. @Jake1725 also chose a solid card to get signed.

 

George Springer has hit, hit, hit this year. Could be an MVP. I really wanted his autograph so I added this one /25

 

and then on top of it, added a rookie autograph as well.

 

 

Overall I am very happy with the trade we made. I added a ton of great cards for many PC parts and not to mention some stinkin' awesome TMNT toys. 

Thanks @Jake1725 for the trade and all of the bonus surprises! I look forward to our next trade already after this whopper. 

If you don't know @Jake1725, he runs the Inception Baseball: A Very Simple Idea blog. Go check it out and see his exciting Inception autograph project over many years and maybe you have something that can help him with it. Not to mention, add him to your blogrolls. Great guy and trader.

REVIEW:2017 Topps Heritage Baseball

Anyone wanna take a trip back to 1968 sometimes? Yeah, me to. But only because it must have been a much simpler time without all of the technology (1968 as a year was a tough one however for the country and not something I would want to experience). I feel sometimes technology takes over our lives and isn't always the best. Just ask the two washers and dryers and the laptop I have gone through the last 2 years lol. 

So lets avoid the technology and going back to 1968, and instead why don't we just crack a hobby box of 2017 Topps Heritage baseball. Best of all worlds.

In every box of 2017 Topps Heritage baseball, you will find 24 packs of 9 cards. There is one autograph or one relic card per box and boxes currently run around $90. So you are hoping you can land an Sp or a decent autograph.

When you bust open the box, you will find a box topper from a variety of options.

• 1968 Ad Panel: 3-card strip
• 1968 Poster Box Loader that are limited to 50.
• 1968 Topps 3D Set Based on the 1968 Topps 3D set featuring today's best stars
• 1968 Topps Originals that are original cards from 1968 foil-stamped

 My box was lucky and had one of the 1968 Originals

 

So I opened that first to find Clarence Jones. Not the best find as he only was in the majors for two years.

The base card design, is well, based on the 1968 design. The checklist is REALLY DEEP. There are 500 cards to collect with 100 short prints. Players who changed teams in the offseason are updated as well (some are even variations more below on that)

There are a ton of subsets to collect with a checklist that deep. Look for League Leaders, World Series Highlights, Topps News All-Stars, Rookie Stars, Team Cards, Combo Cards.

I got Bregman and Dansbury rookies in my box. Find other key rookies like David Dahl, Andrew Benintendi, Aaron Judge, Tyler Austin, Orlando Arcia, Alex Reyes, and Tyler Glasnow. 

I think my favorite subsets is the World Series ones done in the black/white and the team cards with some photogenic moments. All of them are themed and designed from that '68 set.

 The Topps News subset. Cool throwback design and as an added bonus.....

The back is a puzzle! These are base cards 361-380.

 

Here are those short prints in the base set. I pulled 6 so they are roughly 1:4 packs. These are cards 401-500.

As with most Topps products, base cards have Sp variations. I pulled an action variation of this guy,

How did I know that's what I pulled, well, lucky for us, Topps made it easy.

Like with past releases, Topps issues codes at the bottom of the base cards. Plain base cards have the code ending in 1867 like this:

 

High number Sp's, cards 401-500, have 1869 as their mark.

And anything else, such as this 1871 I found on the back of Noah, has different numbers I will list after the picture jump. Which is an action variation.

 

• Color Swap Variations – 74
• Error Variations – 70
• Throwback Variations – 72
• Traded Variations – 73

The base cards not only have variations, but they also have parallels. These are tough finds. I was lucky to find a /50 (not actually numbered on the card that I can find) blue border.

Other offerings that may not be as easy to spot are, 

- Gray Backs are limited to 10
- Bright Yellow backs are limited to 25.
- Blue-bordered Parallel are limited to 50
- Flip Stock Parallel are limited to 5

Speaking of trying to spot those, I suggest you use the Beckett spotter. That will be a huge help. You can find that, HERE.

If the product doesn't quench your thirst so far, we are just getting to the inserts.

Topps "rediscover" card give-away continues in Heritage. Two million cards from past releases over the lifetime of the Topps company will be randomly inserted into packs. You can find these in Heritage at a rate of 1:6 packs.

 

New Age Performers is a common insert theme in Heritage that showcases current players whose performances have eclipsed the giants of the past. These fall 1:12 packs

News and Baseball Flashbacks that look at moments from 1968 and fall 1:20 packs

Then and Now compare stats of a 1968 player to a 2016 player and fall 1:20 packs

And one of my favorites that I think makes the '68 design even sharper is the Heritage Chrome! These are 100 Cards from the Base Set featured on Chrome Technology! Base versions like this Springer are numbered to 999.

As with anything chrome, you know refractors are involved....

• Chrome Refractor Parallel that are #'d to 568.
• Chrome Blue Bordered Parallel that are #'d to 68.
• Chrome Gold Bordered Parallel that are #'d to 5
• Chrome Superfractor Parallel that are #'d 1/1.
• Chrome HOT BOX Refractor Parallel

Now time for my one and only hit!

And speaking of Springer, guess you can say this was a Springer Hot Box! My first every Heritage autograph find. From my understanding, autographs are 1:7 (thanks to Stubby for the info) boxes so they are not easy finds.

Other hits not in my box but are exceptional finds are, Clubhouse Collection Autographed Relics,

Clubhouse Collection Dual Autographed Relics, Flashbacks Autographed Relics, REAL ONE Autographs, REAL ONE DUAL Autographs, REAL ONE TRIPLE Autographs, 1968 Poster Box Loader Autograph, Clubhouse Collection Relics, Clubhouse Collection Dual Relic, Clubhouse Collection Triple Relic, Clubhouse Collection QUAD Relic, 1968 MINT that are relic cards featuring retired stars from 1968 and current stars along with a coin minted in that year that include Nickel #'d to 15, Dime #'d to 10, Quarter #'d to 5 and JFK Silver Half Dollar - #'d 1 of 1. There are also

1968 U.S. Postage Stamp Relics that feature stamps from 1968 and are #'d to 50. 1968 Baseball Cut Signatures that features players from the 1968 set and are #'d 1/1. and finally I wished I could have found, 1968 Celebrity Cut Signatures that features musicians and celebrities that were popular in 1968. #'d 1/1.

OVERALL, this product has it's following. If you loved it before in the past, you will love it again. This is also a product for those set collectors who like a bit of a challenge. If you love nostalgia too, you will like it as well. 

With only one hit per box and autographs running 1:3 boxes, it may not always be the best per-box hit chaser product especially for the price right now. It's more of a cardboard appreciation type of product that you may get lucky on. But, it's very solid from top to bottom when you do hit it big. 

Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review and to be able to add cards to the MLB Pick Em promotion. The above Springer may be the prize up for grabs in April. Follow Topps on all social media sites and visit their site, HERE, as well.

REVIEW:2016 Topps Series 2 Baseball (Giveaway)

I must admit, I missed out for the first time in many, many years on Series 1. Not even one pack cracked and that is something that will go down in my hobby history as a disappointment. However, I wasn't going to let Series 2 slip by and I plan on getting more after this break.

Let's see how this rip went first.

 

In every box of 2016 Topps Series 2, you find a ton of cards. You get 36 Packs Per Box with 10 Cards Per Pack with One Autograph or Relic Card Per Box. Boxes currently run around $70. 

The base cards, which I didn't get to see in Series 1, are better than I thought. I kinda questioned the design at first preview with the white fuzzy clouds in one top and one bottom corner, but they look pretty snazzy in person. I especially like the player name and team logo positioning. The photography has gotten really good the last few years on these as well as I enjoyed looking at multiple base card photos.

There are 350 base cards in a set made up of vets, rookies, team cards and other fun additions.

 

Future Stars subset returns once again.

 

And some key rookies are found in series 2 including Kenta Maeda, Brandon Drury, Kyle Waldrop, Peter O'Brien, Max Kepler, Frankie Montas, and Socrates Brito. I pulled most.

 

Topps also included team cards and some fun subsets. Even a Yankees fan like myself can dig the "fun" tupe of card like this David Price/David Ortiz one represents.

 

As with past releases, base card short prints are in play. There are SSP's which are fun/different photos and there are Sp's which are Jackie Robinson Day related with players in their 42 jerseys. For the first time in my Topps busting career, I was actually able to pull one. Sp's like this Jackie Robinson one below fall, 1:69 packs while the SSP's fall much tougher at 1:683.

These variations used to be also much tougher to distinguish til they started the code change on the back. Usually the code at the bottom of the card goes unnoticed, now Topps changes the last two digits which will help you, as it did me, find photo variations without all of tough work. Now you just gotta see in this years if the code ends in 85 which makes it a Base card, or if it's a Jackie Robinson SP Variation that ends in 33 or the tougher Photo Variation SSP Variations which end in 35.

Now it's time for the inserts. Not something I dug in previous years but the last two years of inserts have been much more impressive and I like that only one, if one, is found per pack. Felt like before they were over-flooded with inserts now they are not.

 

Up first, let's discuss base card parallels. I was impressed to pull many different ones. These are the gold parallels numbered to 2016. They have a gold foil where the white fluffy cloud would be. These fall 1:6 packs. I actually pulled 7 but needed to make my picture square lol.

 

These are rainbow foils. I really like these. It's like pulling a refractor in regular Topps form. They fall 1:10 packs.

 

Up next, I pulled my first ever vintage stock. They not only have the old Topps logo on the front, but the backs have vintage stock feel. They are numbered to 99 and fall 1:148 packs.

 

And black parallel which is similar to the gold but black on the edges. I almost missed this one if it wasn't for the small foil look to it. These are numbered to 65 and fall 1:50 packs.

Other base card parallels are:

• Pink - Numbered to 50.
• Platinum - Numbered 1/1
• Clear Parallel - Numbered to 10
• Printing Plates - Numbered 1/1
• Framed Parallel - Numbered 1/1 

Up next, Berger's Best named after Sy Berger. They feature another 65 memorable cards from Topps history (the others were in Series 1) and are inserted 1:4 packs. I got two times the Griffey action!

 This insert also has memorabilia and autographed cards!

• Berger's Best Autographs that are numbered to 25
• Berger's Best Relics that are numbered to 99
• Berger's Best Autograph Relics that are numbered to 10
• Berger's Best Cut Signatures that are numbered 1/1

Topps' tribute to 100 years of Wrigley that continues from Series 1 covering players and moments from Wrigley.

 This insert also has memorabilia and autographed cards!

• 100 Years at Wrigley Field Autographs that are numbered to 25.
• 100 Years at Wrigley Field Relics that are numbered to 99.
• 100 Years at Wrigley Field Autograph RELICS that are numbered to 10

Hallowed Highlights feature great achievements from 15 retired stars and legends and they are inserted 1:8 packs. Found Nolan Ryan among others. I do like that Mays photo angle on the bottom row.

 This insert also has memorabilia and autographed cards!

• Hallowed Highlights Autographs that are numbered to 10
• Hallowed Highlights Relics that are numbered to 25
• Hallowed Highlights Autograph Relics that are numbered to 5

First Pitch, probably my favorite insert set the last few years, makes another return.These fall 1:8 packs.

I wished this one had autograph and relic cards!

 

One of the cool additions to Series 2, takes me back to the 90's when they did Homerun cards for McGwire and Bonds. This time they did 30 cards chronicling Ichiro's pursuit of 3000 hits in the MLB and they fall 1:9 packs. I would have loved to had seen all of them chronicled up to this point and made some tougher to find like they did in the 90's. But, it's also a huge difference between 70 home-run cards and 3,000 hit cards, so it's understandable why they weren't done that way.

 

These also have autograph and relic versions

• CHASING 3000 RELICS that are numbered to 1
• CHASING 3000 AUTOGRAPHS that are numbered 1/1
• Ichiro Stamped Originals that have a foil stamp on them.

 

And obviously, my favorite part of Series 2. The Griffey chase. Griffey makes it to the HOF and Topps has been commemorating it along the way. This time it comes in the form of an insert set called Tribute To The Kid. This is a 30 card set, that I need to chase down, that falls 1:8 packs. I really like the design and that he is featured on all of the teams he played for.

These also have:

• "Tribute to The Kid" Autographs that are numbered 1/1.
• "Tribute to The Kid" Relics that are numbered to 50.
• "Tribute to The Kid" Autograph Patches that are numbered 1/1
• "Tribute to The Kid" Stamped Originals that are Ken Griffey Jr. buyback cards that will be randomly found in packs with special stamping

 

It's a Griffey collectors dream come true! I opened every pack looking forward to the next Griffey find.

Topps Series 2 also offers a variety of code related things and even a couple of coupons for 50 cents off Topps items. You find one of the FREE Bunt Packs per box at 1:36 odds. I will be giving that away on Twitter since I don't do Bunt or digital cards.

 

And now onto my hit. As with all of my Topps flagship breaks, I pull a relic. This time I pulled a George Springer Scouting Report one that falls 1:65 packs.

There is so much in terms of hits and pulls you can find in Topps Series 2, I am not even sure I can list them all for you. I guess you might have to check it out for yourself if you wanna really know, but I did offer a good list above of some.

Overall, Topps Series 2 probably isn't for the big hit collectors even though there are ton of great pulls to find but tough at landing. However, Topps Series 2 is for the collector and is even great for those new and younger collectors. It offers a great base set to put together, fun chase inserts with great themes, and that occasional wow factor pull. It's built as a winner to collectors as it always has been and to me is like wine, it's gotten better with age.

NOW TIME FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!!

Enter to win some cards of YOUR favorite team (excludes Griffey lol)!

20 or below entries= 1 winner

30 entries =2 winners

50 entries = 3 winners

It's as easy as can be to enter to win some cards above. Just read and follow these rules:

1. Please make sure to take a minute out to thank Topps for providing this box for me to review and to host this/these nice giveaways with. Follow them on all social media sites and visit their site, HERE, as well.
2. ***VERY IMPORTANT***MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT to enter or have a shipping address in the U.S. Shipping costs have gone haywire and I can't afford to ship everywhere.This is always hard to do as I appreciate all readers but I hope you all understand non-U.S. readers.
3. Random winner will be chosen after 7 randoms
4. Card may be shipped PWE. I like to forewarn on this.
5. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW telling me ONE PRO AND ONE CON OF THE PRODUCT.
6. EARN AN EXTRA ENTRY FOR SHARING THIS CONTEST ON YOUR BLOG AND/OR ON TWITTER. Make sure to leave your link in comments too so I can count it. If not, I won't be able to give you the credit. Commenting with it is very important or you WILL LOSE OUT an extra entry!
7. Sport Card Collectors or it's owner (person who runs the blog), WILL NOT be held responsible for lost, stolen or damaged mail. Sorry had to add this in since someone tried to scam me once about this.
8. Contest starts today, ends on June 22nd 2016. Winner will be announced in a separate post on June 23rd 2016. 
9. Don't forget to thank the above sponsor of this contest and I won't mind a thank you as well :)

Good luck to all that enter and thanks for reading!