Random Cardboard Of The Day:2020 Optic Illusions Mookie Betts

A Trade Sandwich

*it's 34 degrees, my wife's car was frosted and had to be started ten minutes prior to leaving. That time will need to be increased as winter creeps closer. At least the warmth of coffee will keep me going this morning before my 38 year old body falls apart from the aches and pains of coldness. takes a sip, begins to sit down and hears a snap crackle pop as the sitting process begins. takes another sip and begins to type*

Is it just me or does almost every trade turn into what I would call a trade sandwich.

There is that bottom later of bread, the start of any good built sandwich and the start to any good trade.

Then there is the mayo or special sauce on that piece of bread as your sandwich continues to build. You need this layer and it needs to be thick.

Then comes the meat. I prefer turkey or chicken breast myself, but sometimes I go spicy or add some ham to that turkey. The meat is not only an important piece to a sandwich, but to a trade as well. Without the meat, the trade dies off at the bread or in sandwich terms, enjoy your toast.

Then comes the veggies. I like the basics on my sandwich. Tomato, lettuce, onion. Sometimes I feel a sandwich needs pickles and/or banana peppers depending on the sauce and the meat I use. The veggies in a trade are the surrounding pieces to the part of the trade.

You then enclose the veggies and the meat with the cheese and another helping of sauce or mayo. For me, give me swiss cheese on my sandwiches or a few more 90's inserts in this case.

And to finish up a sandwich, you need that top layer of bread which finishes up the sandwich or the trade in this case. I like to make sure my top layer is worthy to finish off my sandwich or trade.

Thanks again to @NickLoffer1 for the trade. There was more layers to this trade sandwich, but I wanted to capture the most important ones.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post. looks outside and sees how cold it still is and realizes that errands still have to be run...sigh....takes another sip*

Not all of my trades are sandwiches, sometimes they are just a piece of toast or two. Usually if I am going to mail a bubbler, it better be sandwich worthy. Otherwise, those will be going PWE.

I got a lot of great cards from Nick above as I targeted 90's inserts as the main part of the trade. As I stated it started with the Betts for my Unleashed collection and then was built from there. The Toney I really wanted as the top piece as that is one great looking card with Giants blue against the Press Proof blue.

In comments, I want to know if you make trade sandwiches, what your favorite sandwich is and what your favorite sandwich place is.

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

25 Days Of Cardmas Day 11:'Mookie' Around The Christmas Tree

Mookie around the Christmas tree, have a happy holiday.....Later we'll have some pumpkin pie and do some caroling....

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee brings back some fond memories of when I would go to my grandmother's apartment during this time of year. She would break out her cassette tape of taped songs off of the radio, remember those days, and would play those songs all day long. One of those songs she favored and danced to was Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree. Though she was older, she still had some moves and would occasionally invite me in to join her which would lead to lots of laughs. It was always fun to see her happiness come out during this time of year. So every time I hear that song on the radio or even played on my Pandora app on the Christmas station, I turn it up a little bit louder than rest of those songs.

Is there a holiday song that connects you with a memory? Which one and if you don't mind, share that memory!

Cardboard Review:2019 Topps Series 2 Baseball

It's already June folks. June! This summer and baseball season has flown by so far. I remember just reviewing Topps Series 1 to open up the 2019 card season and here we are already to Series 2. Before I know it, Update will arrive. This is crazy! I hope it doesn't fly by too fast, I haven't really had summer yet. Still stuck in spring with the rain. At least the temps have gone up.

Enough with my rambling on about the weather, Let's take a look at Series 2 now shall we?

In every HOBBY BOX of 2019 Topps baseball, you will find 24 packs of 14 cards. Each box comes with one hit, either a relic or autograph, and boxes currently run right now just under $60.

The base set for Series 2 is the same design as always as Series 1 and starts where Series one ended in terms of the set. There are 350 new cards in Series 2 to collect.

In the Series 2 base set it includes,

Some of the hottest rookies including Vlad Guerrero Jr who is an Sp, but not that tough of a pull, found as an unnumbered card in the product.

Future Stars subset.

Stadium Scenes

Team and player highlights (rookie cup as well but I didn't cover those)

And some great photography.

Speaking of great photography, there are some really great shots on the Sp cards. Yup. More Sp photo variations to find in Series 2.

There are 75 Sp cards and 25 SSP cards to find in Series 2.

The best way to distinguish the difference is as always, going onto the back of the card, looking for the CMP code.

Here are the codes you are looking for,

• Base Cards end in #962
• Advanced Stat parallel ends in #968
• SP Variations end in #031
• SSP Variations end in #032

Here were my pulls of them. Both just plain Sp which are way easier to find than the SSP.

(despite my hatred of the Red Sox, hard to deny this is a great card)

Here is the front of a Advanced Stats parallel

The backs in comparison. Notice how there is numbering and how condensed the stats are on the card compared to the full stats on the other.

And as we always have, there are some parallels to find! I can't think of any products without parallels.

Gold /2019

150th anniversary with a foil stamp on the front that fall 1:6 packs

Rainbow Foil that fall 1:10 packs

Other parallels to find are,

• Purple
• Vintage Stock
• Independence Day
• Black
• Mother's Day Pink
• Father's Day Blue
• Memorial Day Camo
• Platinum 1/1
• Printing Plates 1/1

 Now onto the inserts in Series 2. Most inserts have the following parallels, Blue, Black /299, 150th Anniversary /150, Gold /50, Red /10, and Platinum 1/1.

1984 Baseball Rookies and All Stars. There are 100 cards to collect.

Black /299!

Iconic Card Reprints has 50 cards to collect. If only this Trout wasn't a reprint!!!!!

150 Years Of Baseball has 100 cards to collect in the set.

Evolution has 25 cards to collect and digs deep into the back history of advances in baseball.

Significant Statistics has 25 cards to collect

Gary Vee's Top Entrepreneurs in Baseball has 10 cards to collect.

And there are 35 cards in the Home Run Challenge set. But, most won't be collecting this as a set. they will be using the codes to win cards.

Now onto the hit. I am going to be brutally honest, 9 out of 10 times, you should be expecting a relic or manu relic. Out of all of the years I have been busting flagship baseball or even football when they had a license for that, I pulled one autograph total. One.

And I did this year to.

Other hits I didn't find that you might are,

• 1984 Topps Baseball Autographs Set
• Aaron Judge Highlights Autographs
• 150 Years of Baseball Autographs Set
• Franchise Feats Autographs
• Gary Vee's Top Entrepreneurs Dual Autograph
• Iconic Card Reprints Autographs
• Legacy of Baseball Autograph
• Legacy of Baseball Dual Autographs
• Significant Statistics Autograph
• Cut Signatures
• Major League Material Autograph
• Significant Statistics Autograph Relic
• Topps Reverence Autograph Patch
• 150th Anniversary Commemorative Medallion Autograph
• 150th Anniversary Manufactured Patch Autograph
• MLB Logo Golden Anniversary Manufactured Patch Autograph
• In The Name Relics
• Mookie Betts Highlights Relic
• Major League Material
• Significant Statistics Relics
• 150th Anniversary Commemorative Medallion
• 150th Anniversary Manufactured Patch
• MLB Logo Golden Anniversary Manufactured Patch

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Well, Series 2 was exactly what I thought it would be. Nothing new to me besides new inserts and what appears to be more inserts as well. Keep in mind that this product is mainly a set collectors kind of product. Meaning don't go chasing the big hits even though they are in here.

For me though, I look at this kind of product as a two option product and not three. I would either buy a jumbo box meaning a guaranteed auto with relics or some blaster boxes since you are most likely going to hit a relic anyways. Just think for the cost of this box I could have gotten three blaster boxes that would have given me three manufactured relics instead of just one plain relic I got from a hobby. Just a thought.

Wanna give it a try without the risk/cost of a hobby box, well I suggest a box break with  Midwest Box Breaks. They pull heat and always look out for their customers first. And newbies get freebies as well.

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 giveaway on Twitter I am hosting. Please follow me there to enter @SportCardCollec. Also follow Topps on all social media sites and visit their SITE, as well. 

REVIEW:2018 Topps Big League

One of the most hyped products recently wasn't one that had all the bling like a high end product, it was one that focused on the simple things in the hobby. One that is for both kids and kid grownups alike!

So let's check it out.

 

Every box of 2018 Topps Big League baseball comes with 24 packs with 10 cards per pack. Boxes don't have any guaranteed hits, remember those good times, but I have been told that 1:4 boxes will have one. Boxes currently run under $45. Or if you prefer, go find yourself some retail.

 

I just had to showcase the packs on here as well. Four different designs. An added chase for us opened pack collectors or hoarder as my wife calls it.

 

The base set is simple and wonderful. A 400 card deep checklist full of fun photographs and action packed ones. There are rookies, veterans, legends and stadiums all in the set. Like I said, focus on both kids and kid adults.

Here are some of my favorite base cards. But, there are many others just as great.

 

(this was probably my favorite one. That's tough to say about a Red Sox card from a Yankees fan)

 

Stat Kings subset

 

Rookie and Legends

  

 

And the Ballparks

 

PARALLELS:

 

As with every product, there are parallels. In this product, there are one-per-pack parallels in gold versions. So 24 per box of these should be found.

 

I pulled a Black And White parallel /60 and a Rainbow 1:30 in this box as well. I like the rainbow foil.

 

Time to take a glance at the inserts.

Base Players Weekend Nickname Image Variations. I think these should have been a nickname subset or something. Eye catchy. These fall 1:3 packs and are 30 cards to collect.

 

Ministers of Mash fall 1:12 packs. The leagues best hitters are included. There are 10 cards in the set to chase.

 

And finally, Star Caricature Reproduction. These fall 1:8 packs. These are a fun add.

Other hits not found in my box but could be in yours include,

• Base Error Variations
• Big League Autographs
• Rookie Republic Autographs
• Star Caricature Originals Sketch 

OVERALL: This product is geared toward kid collectors and I think they did well with that. There are still chances for kids to land an autograph, the inserts are eye appealing, the parallels are easily defined, and most importantly, the base set captures the fun of baseball and has names that most would know.

I also think this is a fun one for the adults. For once a product not focused on the hits. One that is fun all around and maybe a set collectors dream. Not to mention, not many of those dreaded player variations. Just a few that are limited which works here. If it wasn't for the codes however, they would not be easy to spot.

 

Please take a minute out to thank Topps for providing the box to review. Some of the cards you see above will be included in the Fantasy Baseball contest! Follow Topps on all social media sites and check out their website HERE for cards and more!