Some Cards That Made Me Smile

I have gone the last four days without a SINGLE PIECE OF MAIL.

No junk mail. No bills. No Cards.

I am not sure what is up, but I am wondering if my mail isn't arriving.

I have never gone that many days without any bills.

Cards yes, bills no.

But, a couple of weeks ago, I did have a stretch of a few days with cards in the mail and I am just getting to posting them now.

First one is this Bowmans Best BEST CUT Refractor of Knicks Legend Patrick Ewing. I was on a Knicks and 90's insert/refractor kick. Speaking of which...the Knicks are ONE GAME AWAY from advancing the NBA Finals!!

Who else is excited?!

The next card came via trade on Twitter.

 

Yes it's a swatch of legendary Pop Princess Britney Spears. She was my very first concert, my friend and I had a big crush and worked hard for tickets before she became huge. So, having this will be a nostalgic piece. Some day, yes some day, would love to add an autograph and then create a shadow box with this card, an autograph and the concert ticket stubs I held onto.

Next card, well it's Dr Frasier Crane. Well, the actor who played him. This Kelsey Grammer autograph had been on my nostalgic PC list for a while. Even though I didn't deeply love the show, I still watched it and watched enough where I consider it nostalgic.

The final card is a new set need that I found under $5. This is a 1997 Pro Line Gems Of The NFL gem card of Warrick Dunn. One of these days I will finish this set up.

And there you have it! As I said on my other blog, Cards Over Coffee, I will be taking a hiatus from blogging to focus on family, school and healing from my shoulder surgery. I plan to be back at some point but cannot at this time pinpoint when and which blog.

Once again thanks for the support for this blog as I have been re-working it.

Happy Summer! (when its official)

Holy RAKMacatoney!

Each Monday on Twitter, I run a RAK thread, where you list off what you collect and hope that someone responds to you that they have something for you. If you do get that reply, you must find someone to give to. It's a pretty solid system, though sometimes I see it only as a one-sided RAK. Which I try to correct those who take advantage of it being just that.

I was happy to see a new person join in on the fun and was lucky to be one of the chosen ones by @yefnob1326.

At first was really busy and forgot to mail out, but then, he wanted to make sure it was worth the wait when he did and it certainly was.

I was searching for some Mac Jones cards to add to my rookie PC and he surprised me with a nice relic card of him.

The relic is from 2021 Elements.

Then on top of that, he hit me up with some Kadarius Toney!

A Supercharged Toney relic

 

And then a huge surprise with a Toney autograph. This is my first Toney Giants uniform autograph.

Big thanks goes out to @yefnob1326 for this spectacular mail day.

Anyone on here ever join in on my RAK Mondays on Twitter?

Cardboard Review:2021 Topps Update Hobby Box

Baseball season is over, but not the baseball card releases which is great news for collectors!

Today I am breaking a box of 2021 Topps Series 3..I mean Update.

In every hobby box of 2021 Topps Update baseball has 24 packs of 14 cards. Each box has either an autograph or relic and box prices run around $80.

Each box also comes with a hobby exclusive silver pack that has more of those 86 Topps designs.

Here are the parallel offerings,  Black /199, Blue /150, Green /99, Purple /75, Gold /50, Orange /25, Red /5, and SuperFractor 1/1.

Pulled a nice Black parallel of KeBryan Hayes! Other than that, not much to show.

BASE:

The base set is built up of 330 cards and uses the same design as Series 1 and 2. Players who were traded are also updated in their new uniforms.

 

As always, Update brings the fun with it's subsets.

 

Here's another. There are also All-Star and No Hitter subsets

To go along with Rookie Debut and of course the best part for me in Update, the rookie cards.

PARALELLS:

You can find the following parallels for Topps Update,

Rainbow Foil, Gold Foil, Gold /2021, Green Foil /499, Advanced Stat /300, Orange Foil /299, Red Foil /199, Vintage Stock /99, Independence Day /76, Black /70, Platinum Anniversary /70, Mother’s Day Hot Pink /50, Father’s Day Powder Blue /50, Memorial Day Camo /25, 70th Anniversary 1/1, and Printing Plates 1/1

 

Rainbow Foils fall 1:10 packs

Gold /2021

Orange Foil /299

Green Foil /499

INSERTS

Topps Black Gold. There are 25 cards in the set to collect and they are niiiiiiiiiiiiice.

More 1986 design to celebrate 35 years of it. I feel like this insert has gone on for 35 years. There are 50 cards in this set to collect.

70 cards, 70 years, this set has it all

 

There are 20 cards to collect in Platinum Players die cut.

HITS:

Just like my luck with both flagship series, I hit a relic. Which is what you will find 9 out of 10 times unless you decide to go Jumbo that actually guarantees autographs.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

Just like my thoughts with flagship, I am not a fan of the hobby box layout with only one hit and that one hit being a relic most of the time. Steep price for it as well. With that being said, I have always preferred retail blasters for both flagship series and update. It lands me the rookie cards I want for my collection which is what these types of products have always been about.

One more thing, NO MORE 86 TOPPS!

On a positive note, I really like the parallels in Update. They are shiny and attractive. There are also plenty of great photography in the base and subsets that helps bring you closer to the game. Or me at least who hasn't been to a game in almost 10 years.

Your thoughts below on Topps Update are welcomed below!

Summer Of Wes Card #65

Summer Of Wes Card #83

CARDBOARD REVIEW:2020 Topps Series 1 Baseball

It's here, it's finally here!

That's the chants from all baseball fans when football season ends, they know the newest Topps Series 1 release is just around the corner. And their favorite sport as well is coming up.

Topps Series 1 this year was out of order when it comes to releases as Topps Archives Signature took it's spot as the first release of the year. For me, that felt odd but it was quickly ignored as the site of the Pete Alonso covered box made its appearance.

I don't normally do well with hobby box breaks of this product, but this year is a new year. Let's hope for something good.

It's time to rip!

 Every hobby box of 2020 Topps Series 1 baseball comes with 24 packs of 14 cards. So you get a lot of cards in a box break. There is one hit per box either an autograph or relic card and boxes currently are running about $70 per.

One of my favorite additions to these are the silver packs, something I couldn't get before when they were only a hobby shop exclusive since I don't have one. It was also the very first pack I ripped. Sometimes I save it for last hoping for some boom.

Here's my rip

Vlad Jr

 The Kep

 Kris Bryant...will he remain a cubbie?

 Whit

Darn, was hoping for a Griffey Jr. Overall these silver pack cards have 50 cards in the set to collect including autographs and I believe parallels.

Up next, let's see how my first pack of 2020 Topps turned out......

All base, (Actually, my first three packs were all base) but hey, one is that Trout guy so I will take that. Mike was voted by fans as the victor in Card #1 in the base set.

BASE:

This years base card design once again goes borderless and many weren't happy when they first saw it. I didn't mind the design that much but it does remind me of Bowman quite a bit and I am still not bothered by it. I do think a lot of collectors changed their mind on the design once it was in hand as I have seen a lot of love towards it on social media.

There are 350 cards in the Series 1 base set. There are plenty of veterans

 (card back)

 

Rookies including lots of the big names, I never landed that guy from the Reds everyone is talking about. But he is in here.

And plenty of subsets,

Plenty of subsets as I said. I am always a big fan of the team cards, Topps does a great job with photo selection on those.

And speaking of photos in this years Series 1, they are probably some of the best I have ever seen for it. Here are a few of my favorites,

 This Bryce Harper is the most talked about base card in the set and you can see why

 I have always liked wall catches

Big hits and cheering, it's what baseball is all about to me. There are plenty others I could have shown, but these were top three to me.

Sp's

 Once again Topps comes in hot with Sp parallels with seventy-stinkin'-five of them.

Here's the CMP codes to break 'em down the easiest

• Base Cards end 269
• Advanced Stat Parallels end 283
• SP Variations end 284
• SSP Variations end 285
• SSSP Variations end 578

 Here's the CMP codes located at the bottom. This is the JD with an 84

Base card of Trout has the 69

PARALLELS
Lots of parallels to be found in Series 1 but at much harder rates than usual.

Overall look at the parallels,
Yellow (Walgreens), Purple (Meijer), Rainbow, Gold /2020, Advanced Stat /300, Vintage /99, Independence /76, Black /69 , Mother's Day Hot Pink /50, Father's Day Blue /50, Memorial Day Camp /25, Platinum 1/1, Printing Plates 1/1.

Gold. These are hard to spot so be sure to have your eyes checked before doing so. You only get two per box when they used to be four.

 Rainbow Foil. 1:10 on these

 INSERTS:

A good handful of inserts to be found in Series 1 but once again I am not overly impressed by them. I have grown tiresome of the reprinted cards in classic designs. I would like to see some new creativity brought to the insert line. Add more foil, come up with creative lines or maybe instead of 75 Sp's cut those back and do an insert line called Topp Photography and just show the best photos that way. Make the Sp's be legendary players only.

Just a thought. Let's check out my inserts.

 

Homerun Challenge in which I have yet to enter one of these. I usually give them away which I will be giving this one away as well on Twitter. There are 30 of these in all.

Topps Choice set brings back those classic designs... there are 25 cards in all to collect

 100 cards in all for the Decades best. I love the Griffey card and design. Nice PC find

And the least intriguing insert to me is this one. I prefer not having these at all as an insert, wished they were a bonus flyer type of thing. But, if they have to be, just reprint the card instead of taking a picture of it. There are 10 of these to collect.

 1985 Topps cards....100 cards to collect including some parallels

I got this blue one of Tigers Jake Rogers. I think I know of a Tigers collector who would like this don't you Dennis?

HITS:
Well, it says one autograph or relic but honestly, 9 times out of 10 it's going to be a relic and here is one,

 Austin Riley

However, there is some tremendous pulls to be found and you can possibly find them in your box. Here's what you may find,

• 1985 Topps Baseball 35th Anniversary Autographs
• Baseball Stars Autographs
• Baseball Stars Dual Autographs
• Decade of Dominance Autographs
• Decades' Best Autographs
• Decade's Next Autographs
• Player Highlight Autographs - Rhys Hoskins
• Player Highlight Autographs - Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Postseason Performance Autographs
• Topps Choice Autographs
• World Series Champion Autographs
• Cut Signatures
• Major League Material Autograph
• Postseason Performance Autograph Relics
• Topps Reverence Autograph Patch
• World Series Champion Autograph Relics
• Global Game Medallion Autograph Manufactured Relics
• Jumbo Jersey Sleeve Patch Autograph Manufactured Relics
• Rookie Card Retrospective RC Logo Medallion Autograph Manufactured Relics
• 1985 Topps Baseball Relics
• In The Name Relics
• Major League Material Relics
• Postseason Performance Relic
• World Series Champion Relic
• Global Game Medallion Manufactured Relics
• Jumbo Jersey Sleeve Patch Manufactured Relics
• Rookie Card Retrospective RC Logo Medallion Manufactured Relics

 

Before I close out this post, I wanted to also mention that there seems to be some chipping on these cards. I had quite a few packs with some corner issues. So keep that in mind when busting packs to be very careful.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: I always enjoy the first rip of Topps flagship. That thought that baseball season is right around the corner, and hopefully some green grass with all the white out my window and more base cards for the baseball card season makes it exciting.

 

I also enjoy collecting the newest rookie class which appears to be a good one and also collecting players in their new uniforms. You also add in a few Griffeys to find and all is good. 

One thing I will say is when I buy Series 1,2 or Update I always stick with retail blaster boxes. I always land a relic hit in my hobby breaks so for me the cost of a $70 hobby box to land a relic vs buying a retail blaster for $20 and land a relic seems more logical to me. I can even get three blaster relics and one hanger box for the cost of a hobby box. It's just my thinking.

It's a good product overall and if you have always bought Series one, this year won't disappoint.

Thanks to Topps for providing me this box to review and to giveaway some of the cards on Twitter. You can check out Topps website HERE. And find them on FACEBOOK  and TWITTER as well! Don't forget to give them a follow on each!