End Of 2023

It's late, I know.

And I am not usually someone who stays up late on New Years Eve, but I felt like I couldn't go to sleep without putting up some kind of year end post like most bloggers have.

In the past, I have put up a post recapping my best pulls of the year. Well, I opened no hobby boxes and very little retail this year and there wasn't anything special to post about. Literally nothing.

Other times I would post about my best card from a trade of the year, but I can't think of one card that really stood out above the others I acquired this year. It was a down year for trading.

So, what will I post about? Well, it won't be about my hobby financial woes of 2023 or how I didn't reach my goal of 1,000 Eli Mannings by years end or how I didn't complete any of the sets I wanted to or open any of the wax I had hoped for.

I want this year to end out on a positive note.

I want to look at the positive parts of 2023 in my hobby.

For one, I closed the gap on getting to 1,000 Eli Mannings. I was well over one hundred away and I got it all the way down to three.

Two, I got caught up on a lot of sorting. Some of those cards sat around for a year and a half!!

Three, I was able to finally begin my binder numbering project. This was a project I had wanted to accomplish for so many years and finally took time to do some of it.

Four, I was able to re-organize my card area and move things into better positions where I can access stuff quicker. This was big as a lot of my stuff was hard to access and now trading can come easier when opportunities arise.

And finally, the biggest highlight was being able to write for BCW Supplies and Beckett online. Speaking of which, here is my latest article on Beckett, 1996 Topps Chrome Football , if you haven't read it yet. Please check it out!

This may not seem like a lot of positive, but it's something and something to grow off of for 2024.

 

Oh, and just to have a card for this post. This is technically the last card that came in the mail to me in 2023. It's a 2023 Certified Piece Of The Game Saquon Barkley jersey card /50. I always have had a fondness for die cut team names with the jersey swatches within the letters.

I hope all of you stay safe tonight, make smart decisions and that you will be around to read a new post on here for tomorrow.

Happy New Year, God Bless and here is hoping that 2024 is better for all of us!

Giant's Sunday: Brent Sent These

It's Sunday and another Game Day for the boys in Blue. Today, the Gmen are on the road after their home beatdown by the Seahawks.

It doesn't get any easier today on the road either as they face one of the league's best teams in the Miami Dolphins.

It could get ugly fast with both sides of the ball playing terrible.

 

All I can hope is that this guy can get healthy and play this week. They will need him.

I keep waiting for the guys from last year to step up their game as well. Kayvon had a sack last week but otherwise wasn't around. WanDale was probably the best receiver last week but that's not saying much.

It's almost like they forgot about this guy as well. He is a speedster who has decent hands that hasn't even been apart of the offense this season. 

Well, what offense they have had.

Okay, enough with my disappointing rant about this season.

Let's just look at some cards.

Always been fond of Landon Collins. Last year's Pick 6 that pretty much secured the Giants playoff spot against the Colts will always stick in my mind as the biggest play for this team since the Manningham catch in Super Bowl 46.

My third Darnay Holmes autograph.

Two relics I didn't have in my Darius Slayton PC. I am thinking some days maybe I need to put my Slayton PC on TCDB as well and see where I rank.

  

Julian Love autographs. I think Panini liked using this photo a few times.

Another Love autograph, but with a different photo this time.

 

The X-man is on the roster, but on the practice squad. He hasn't lived up to the hype that was around him for a while. I kept hoping he was going to help this pass rush that needs it.

Well, I am sure I will be watching today's game, maybe covering my eyes by the beginning of the second quarter.

Thanks again to Brent (@Brent3323) for the Giants cards. Even with a lost season, I at least have these cards to enjoy.

I must also note that Brent also sent me some stuff to help me build up a Christmas gift. Great guy!

Grady's Giants

A few times every year I get sent a huge box of inserts, parallels and team cards from Blog Reader Grady M. Grady has been a good friend of this blog, Twitter and my Facebook page for many, many years.

He recently sent me another box of goodies that covered all of the areas I mentioned above, but for today, I am just tackling the NY Giants portion of the box.

First up, a LT Green Prizm Parallel.

Next is a Daniel Bellinger Prizm silver rookie. This is my first Bellinger Prizm card. I think this guy has a lot of potential and with Waller alongside him, they could make quite the dangerous duo.

I like Prizm and Optic Parallels, but there is just something about Select that may put it above those two products. I think it's because Select uses actual photography in the backgrounds.

Watch out NFL, a second year healthy version of this guy could be very scary.

Mosaic Green? I hate telling the differences in Mosaic but love the looks. This is my boy Daniel Bellinger again.

Glad to keep you a Giant Barkley Green Elite Parallel.

This is just the beginning show off of this really fun box of goodies. There is plenty more to come so stay tuned for that.

Thoughts on today's cards welcomed in comments.

A Big Cup Of Giants

 

Isn't this such a cool mug? This came as a part of my gift at Christmas time from the legendary Wes formerly Area 61 and JBF blogger.

So far I haven't used the mug for it's actual purpose of holding my favorite coffee beverage but instead it has been displayed on my bookshelf with binders. I think it suits the shelf more.

While I am showing off this unique mug, I thought I would also show off my latest NY Giants card adds.

When news broke of the Daniel Jones long term deal, I knew I would be welcoming back my boy Saquon as well. I had to celebrate right? So I scored this relic card-color match for less than $5 of him

Then went on to snag this really cool looking card I hadn't seen before for under $2.

Solid deals for two great looking cards.

 

And speaking of good deals, when you can land a Top 5 pick autograph of a player who looks to be a dominating defensive player for $7 you take it.

I wished it had been in a Giants uniform but happy with what I got still. This is my second Kayvon autograph with both being in Oregon colors.

Thoughts on my mug and latest Giants adds welcomed in comments.

We Were Titans

We FINALLY did it.

We played a close game and won it.

Not to mention, we are above .500 for the first time in 6 years.

It was a long time coming for my NY Giants. Us, as fans NEEDED that win and that kind of win to prove us that the culture change wasn't just words being spoken. That those words were actually being put into motion.

The 21-20 win over the Tennessee Titans was huge for Giants players and Giants fans and kept us on edge throughout. Coming back from a sloppy first half down by 13, to taking a gamble on a late 2-point conversion when you could have simply kicked the extra point for a tie and possibly overtime, to the defense allowing the Titans to drive into field goal range only to miss it, it was like a Hollywood movie ending for the NY Giants.

I can't remember the last time I had a smile after a NY Giants football game.

On top of this, after a rough couple of seasons for Saquon Barkley, yesterday he looked like his rookie year self, tearing up Titans defense for 164 rush yards,1 touchdown and the key two-point conversion where he made two defenders miss. He carried the entire offense and team to victory. Basically, did the same for my Fantasy football team as well.

In honor of his performance, I thought I would post my Top 10 favorite non-hit cards I have of him.

1. Panini Instant "Barkley Caps Historic Rookie Season" card. Love the photograph on this one.

2. One of the most iconic plays for Saquon with the Legend Eli Manning watching in the background.

3. 2018 Prizm rookie card. The best non-autograph rookie card he has.

4.2019 Prestige Highlight Reel. This is the same photo from the Dallas game above, just at a different angle.

5. It's blue, he is all alone in the end zone, great photo again.

6. Shiny.

7. The face says it all on this one.

8. Throwback Zenith 1997 Zenith base card design, what isn't to like about this card?

9. Saquon always has his eye on the defense. He made sure yesterday to the Titans defenders were on his radar.

 

10. Zenith Z-Team. Anyone who collected Zenith knows how cool these cards actually are.

With those now being posted, I hope Saquon can continue to build off from his success yesterday. The Giants have their first home game of the season coming up this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Could the G-Men go 2-0? Fall flat at home? Will Saquon continue to build off last week? So many questions and the answers will be coming up in 6 days and I can't wait.

Rodney's Cardboard:2021 Illusions /25

Welcome back to the latest installment of Rodney's Cardboard.

Today, we will be kicking off a streak of Rodney Hampton Illusion adds. Well, are they technically Rodney's? They are to me.

The player featured on here is Saquon Barkley so technically it is his cards, but Rodney is featured in the background.

From what I have found information on, there are five cards to be chased. I don't know if there is more as this checklist is completely messed up and confusing.

Here are the ones I know that exist so far, /35, /25/ /10/ /5 and 1/1. If there is any others outside of those, that information would be new to me.

Today's card is the /35. As you can see, the main part of the card features Saquon.

 

But there is some faded Rodney in this card along with his name on the back as well.

Your thoughts are welcomed on the lastest Rodney Hampton add in comments.

A Fun Trade Concept

In the world of "values" and worrying about every nickel and dime, it's nice to see someone break outside the box and trade in a unique way I haven't seen before.

Yes, I have seen plenty of mystery trades such as people posting cards to be claimed and you sending back a surprise from their PC list, but to have a trade that is just send back whatever you find equal, is interesting and fun.

I was tagged in this fun trade thread hosted by @tonyaces by a fellow Giants fan that spotted a card he thought I would enjoy. Of course, he was right.

Along with that card, I found a couple more I needed for my collection as well.

I traded off most of my Jasson Dominguez collection regrettably, so I am now trying to rebuild it. This was a great piece to start with. I must also apologize for posting a non-Giants card on here.

I don't know what these parallels are called in Rookies and Stars this year, but they are pretty stunning. This was the card that the fellow Giants fan tagged me for and was the one that started my claims. I was not going to say no to this one regardless of Saquon's future status with the Giants.

And my final claim was this die cut parallel of Daniel Jones. I didn't find much Select, one hanger box last year, so there are lots of Big Blue gaps in my collection.

Thanks goes out to @tonyaces for this fun trade thread and I have got to gather your return cards still. I may have to steal your idea and use it too. I liked it that much.

Thoughts on this form of trading and my newest pickups is welcome in comments!

A Perfect Trade

*coffee smell is throughout the kitchen this morning waking up all of the senses. goes and pours creamer in, stirs, goes and sits for today's post*

Trading has really been slow for me in 2022 so far. It's not like I don't have the pieces to trade, it's just that I can't find the right collectors for those pieces and the few I have found didn't have anything for me in return.

That changed this past week where two decent pieces I had to trade found their way to new homes.

*takes a sip*

One of those pieces found their way to @ShoffJason who is a big White Sox fan and on top of that, had pieces for me in return. That my friends is called a perfect trade.

Speaking of perfect trade, this one was easy and fast which also makes it perfect.

I will start by showing off the bonus cards that Jason threw into this trade,

Shiny Derek Jeter I didn't have, awesome.

I only have a couple 20 Years Of The Captain, so all of these are new.

Christmas and Yankee PC all in one card.

Shiny Aaron Judge for my rebuilt Judge PC.

2008 Topps Chrome Uncirculated Gold refractor /199

Those were just the freebies, now onto the trade portion which will kick off with some new Kerry Collins,

1995 Playoff Draft Pick

1995 Ultra Gold Medallion (these still look better than most parallels today)

Team Pinnacle Collins and Marino

1996 Upper Deck Silver Team Helmets

1995 Ultra Extra Gold Medallion

Phone Card from Assets.

And now the finale but first....

*takes a sip*

The trade had started when Jason noticed I was a Giants fan and had a few Saquon Barkley available,

2018 Gold Standard Newly Minted Triple Relic with some guy from Cleveland, Saquon and a solid wideout from Carolina.

And the final card......

2018 Leaf Limited autograph patch rookie Saquon Barkley.

Thanks again to Jason for the trade.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I have another big trade to post coming up soon.

Thoughts on my trade today and if you feel your trading has gone down this year so far.

Have a thankful Thursday.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*