Mailday Roundup: A Superfractor, Some Bucs and a Trout

Welcome to this week's mailday roundup!

I usually try to start these posts a little slower and work my way up to the big guys. This week is a little different. Let's start off with a bang.

Chris Archer - 2019 Topps Chrome Sapphire Superfractor #1/1

You are looking at my first-ever Superfractor. It only took me seven years of collecting but I have finally added one to my collection. I've wanted one for a long time and this was the first one that really made sense to purchase. Although I'll probably never open a box of Tops Chrome Sapphire, it's the cousin of Topps Chrome - my favorite set. 

When Archer was traded to the Pirates at the deadline in 2018 it was a really, really big deal. The Pirates had a reputation for protecting prospects and not trading for proven vets. The trade was received very positively by Pirates fans. From our end, we were giving up a bust of a pitcher (Tyler Glasnow) a Single-A Prospect (Shane Baz) and potential MLB starter (Austin Meadows). Two years later, 95% of Pirates fans will tell you they hated the trade back then. They're lying.

I was able to get this at a really reasonable price. Due to extreme underperformance, the value of Archer's cards have absolutely plummeted. I watch his cards pretty closely. Last night an auction for his first Bowman Chrome autograph went for $6.00 and change. For a guy that's made the All-Star twice in the last five years, that's brutal. I haven't lost hope just yet - He's still only 31, he was playing through injury last season and I don't think the now-ousted coaching staff was doing him any favors. 

I hope the best for Archer... but I have my doubts too. Either way, he's a good man who's easy to root for and I'm ecstatic to add this card to my collection.

(L) Josh Bell - 2017 Topps Chrome RC Gold #/50

(R) Josh Bell - 2017 Topps RC Gold #/2017

The Chrome Josh Bell on the left has been on my target list for a very long time. Due to JB's great season last year, it's way over-valued. One finally popped up on eBay at .99 cent auction. I watched it throughout and swooped in at the last minute with a winning bid. I ended up paying about 1/3 of what most BIN sales are asking but what I paid is probably about what it's actually worth. Nothing like a .99 cent auction to prove the true value of a card!

The card on the right came my way via a TCDB PWE swap. The same over-value effect was in play, and I had to send my trade partner a nice Manny Machado rookie as well as a Hunter Pence rookie, both of which I pulled from packs many years ago. I was sad to see them go but they went to a great home and I was able to add another JB rookie to the PC. A gold serial numbered rookie, nonetheless.

(Clockwise)

Tyler Glasnow - 2017 Topps Silver Pack

Tyler Glasnow - 2017 Topps Chrome Refractor 

Cole Tucker - 2019 Topps Update

Josj Bell - 2017 Bowman Chrome

Some more goodies from TCDB trades. The Glasnow silver pack card is super shiny and it looks stunning with the Sunday alternate 1979 throwback jersey.

Bryan Reynolds - 2020 Topps Rainbow Foil

(L) Giancarlo Stanton - 2017 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Blue #/99

(R) Stephen Strasburg Gold Label Class 1 Blue #/150

The three card above came my way via Alex and Chavez Ravining. The Gold Label blue parallels were part of a recent contest in which I was fortunate enough to finish in the prize pool. Alex was also kind enough to throw in the Reynolds rainbow foil card as well as few other Pirates. I'm still chasing down his rookie cards, and now his second year cards are showing up in every set. It will feel overwhelming, but it's more to chase! The rookie cup cards are always cool.

Mike Torut - 2013 Topps Chrome Update

We finish up with a random yet rare non-Pirate. I'm not a Trout collector, but of course I'd love to own some cards of the greatest player of this generation and undoubtedly one of the best ever. I don't own any of his rookie cards, and I've more or less written that off as a possibility. 

His third-year cards are in my all-time favorite set, 2013 Topps Chrome. I'm not entirely sure how the Topps All-Star Rookie Gold Cup works, but it shows up on his 2013 Topps Chrome card making it more valuable. I'm more or less obsessed with the set. So much so that I built a set of the blue parallels #/199 over the course of six years. Through that project, as well as opening several 2013 Topps Chrome hobby boxes, I own several Trout third-year cards. The card above appeared in Update and I didn't own a copy. I grabbed the card above for just $9. It's a great addition to a tiny Trout collection.

Thanks for stopping by.

My Wax Box

A few weeks ago, I came across a blog post that presented a brilliant idea: Buy packs, and don’t open them. Yep, that’s right. It sounds difficult I know, but it’s actually been one of the best decisions of my collecting career.

(I can’t recall whose blog it was, but if this sounds like your idea: A. Thank you and B. Please drop a comment and take credit!)

So it works like this: If I’m at Target or Walmart shopping for items aside from cards, I hit the card aisle and grab some packs. I approach it with two simple guidelines: Look for bargains, and buy in bulk. If anything decent is discounted, I grab that. If I’m at Target, I usually grab a box of packs from the Fairfield Company, which is basically the only way to “buy in bulk” without using the internet. Here's an example:

When I get home, I take my packs and throw them in a designated box- my Wax Box! My goal is to build up a nice collection of packs, so when I get the urge to rip some retail, I have a variety of packs available to me. If I buy a bunch of packs, I may open one or two immediately and throw the rest in the box.

Above is my accumulation thus far and I hope it continues to grow. Not only is this type of collecting tons of fun, but it eliminates the impulse to run out and buy packs. If I want to open packs, I've got them. It takes a good deal of self control to avoid shredding them all at once, but it really does pay off! 

Now this isn't to say that I don't still run out and buy new products, because I absolutely do. It seems like yesterday that I was eagerly making my way out grab some 2014 Bowman.

I'd love to hear some feedback. Aside from the mystery blogger who prompted me- Anyone else do this? If not, would you consider trying it?

Thanks for reaading!

Trade Bait Tuesday

I stole that flashy title from my good buddy Alex over at Chavez Ravining. Unlike Alex, however, there's no way in hell that I can consistently keep this up as a weekly tradition. Admittedly, it's also a total coincidence that I've happened to have the time to do this a Tuesday. Hopefully I can get on and post some trade bait more often.

Below are pictures of a bunch of random baseball parallels, inserts, and rookies that are up for trade!

Drop a comment if you're interested in anything. If you have any questions, let me know! 

Last thing, I have recently published similar trade bait posts that are worth checking out:

This page has all of my 2014 Gypsy Queen Trade Bait. Everything pictured is available, aside from the James Shields blue border and the Xander Bogaerts mini which have been traded away.

And this page has a ton of autos and relic cards that are for trade. There are few cards on that page that have also been traded away, so check with me before getting your hopes too high!

Thanks for reading!

2013 Topps Cut to the Chase - SET COMPLETE!

It's glorious. I'd never tried to chase a set of inserts before, but for some reason this set really appealed to me. I think my favorite aspect of the set is the player selection; lots hall of famers, future hall of famers, and of course... three Pirates. 

I picture myself skimming through this set ten years from now and being overwhelmed with great baseball memories- Mike Trout's huge splash onto the scene, Cutch's MVP year, Manny Machado's Web Gem of the year, and so on.

And the best part is, this is all pre-Puig- an era of baseball which I enjoyed. It could be the last set of Puig-free inserts that Topps ever produces.

A huge thanks to everyone was helped me out with this set! Its great to sit back and enjoy these, finally.

Free Stuff!

Today I'm here to present a unique opportunity to my fellow bloggers: FREE STUFF!

Not just any stuff, but 5 packs of early 90's football cardboard. Hard to resist, right? One of them even comes with a piece of gum that's over two decades old!!

I received these as a throw-in in an eBay purchase. I have very little interest in these types of cards, but I know there are some people out there that can offer a warm, loving home!

First come, first serve. Just drop me a comment or an e-mail.

Thanks for reading, 

Nate

A Quick PSA for an Awesome Group Break Opporunity

Just a quick announcement!

Judson over at the awesome blog "My Cardboard Habit" is hosting a Bowman Chrome group break. He's planning on cracking two boxes- maybe three if he can get enough people.

He's still in desperate need of participants! SIGN UP HERE!! He's an awesome guy, and he's dying to host this break! Help him (and yourself) out and sign up! Each spot is only $18 bucks for your team and a random team. TONS of teams are still available! Again - SIGN UP HERE!!

Thanks guys! This is sure to be a fun one.

2013 Bowman Chrome Hobby Box Break and Review

With the release of Topps Chrome and Bowman Chrome in the same week, it made sense to grab a box of each at the same time to save on shipping. It also made for a very eventful day of box breaking! Here's the box:

Wil Myers graces the cover here. I wonder if he'll live up to the hype. 

Here's a look at a base card of Jose Fernandez. The regular base card is pictured on the left. On the right is the refractor version. Both look great.

Above is an example of the "Risin' Thru the Ranks" inserts. As a Pirates fan, this was an exciting pull. I'm a huge Alen Hanson fan, and I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the big leagues soon.

Here are the two numbered parallels that I pulled. The Zimmerman blue is numbered to 250, the Ryan Howard pink is numbered to 35. Both of these guys are great players, but I feel like neither has been able to reach their full potential- specifically Howard, who has been riddled with injuries. Nonetheless, I'm always happy to pull a low numbered card.

Here are my two autos. Yes, two! Bowman promises an additional autographed prospect card in every third box, and I was lucky enough to beat the odds. Both of these guys are great young prospects with lots of potential. The Hak-Ju Lee card is refractor, numbered to 500.

REVIEW

Overall Design: These cards look good. Printing is sharp and clean.

Box contents: This product is less diverse than Topps Chrome, but it does dive into the minor leagues. A huge chunk of the set is unproven prospects, so you'll have to be patient when determining value.

The Hits: Only 1 guaranteed autograph is tough for the price ($60-$70). As with Topps Chrome, I appreciate the diminishing use of memorabilia cards. There is the potential to pull some low numbered parallels, course.

Positives: Design, autos on card, abundance of young stars.

Negatives: The obvious con here is the price. Bowman Chrome is a collector favorite- Topps knows it, and charges accordingly.

Rating: 8 out of 10. Bowman Chrome will continue to be a staple within the cardboard world. These are fun boxes with some decent potential. If you're looking for more instant value, I highly recommend Topps Chrome, which I feel is the better product overall. To each his own!

Thanks for reading, as always!

2013 Press Pass Parks and Recreation Hobby Box Break and Review

I've always considered myself a card and memorabilia collector, but more specifically, a sports collector. So much so, in fact, that I've never considered purchasing collectables of any other type. 

That is, until I saw that Press Pass made some Parks and Rec Cards. This is the first time I've ever bought a hobby box from Press Pass. Their sports cards simply don't appeal to me. However, Parks and Rec is my favorite comedy on television right now, and it will easily go down as one of my all-time favorites. I couldn't resist this product, especially for the price- which comes in around 55 dollars.

Here's the box, with 24 packs, 5 cards per pack:

And right on to the base cards:

More or less, there are two types of base cards: Cast member cards, and "episode" cards. Each pack in the hobby box contains a foil base parallel, which can be seen above.  The episode cards highlight the synopsis of the indicated episode, and the cast member cards are self explanatory.

 Here are my two auto's. I was of course hoping for a big name, but these still satisfy. Neither character has a lead role, but both are prominent members of the show. Jay Jackson's signature is the definition of a scribble, and does not resemble his name what so ever. Mo Collins' sig is the exact opposite- perfectly legible- which I always appreciate. Her card is also numbered to 96 with red ink, which is a pleasant bonus. All autographs are on-card which is fantastic. There's the potential for special inscriptions cards in these boxes. Below is an example of these cards:

Next up is the one relic card in the box:

My relic card was my best hit in my eyes. Rob Lowe plays my personal favorite character, Chris Traeger. When I purchased this box, I pictured myself pulling a card like this. This was undoubtedly the climax of the break.

What makes this card so special, interestingly, is the back of the card. Press Pass did an excellent job here, going the extra mile and specifying exactly which article of clothing your swatch came from. It just so happens that this outfit was worn by Rob Lowe during one of my favorite scenes which makes this card all the more valuable to me. 

As a side note, I do have to question whether the swatch is actually from the suit jacket. The swatch itself is clearly light blue, and the suit jacket is an obvious dark blue- almost black. The swatch matches his button-up more closely, so I wonder if there was a mix up here? Or maybe the swatch is from the inside of the jacket? We'll never know!

REVIEW

Overall Design: The base card design isn't anything revolutionary. I really like the cast members cards, and the foil cards work pretty well. The autograph cards look great, leaving almost half of the card for the signature. As I mentioned with the relic cards, I absolutely LOVE seeing where my relic originally came from.

Box contents: Not at lot to chase here. The base set is small. Having a foil card in each pack may be nice for single pack buyers, but if you're buying by the box they lose their appeal. Three hits per box is a great bang-for-your-buck at only 55 bucks. 

The Hits: These boxes truly have a ton of potential as far as value goes. The autograph list is stacked: Amy Poehler, Rob Lowe, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari and Paul Rudd all signed, as well as many other lesser characters. The inscriptions leave potential for unique one of a kind autos, and I think I've made it clear that the relic cards are awesome.

Positives: Price, number of hits, big name autos, inscriptions, back of relic cards, autos are on card.

Negatives: Card design is average, overuse of foil cards. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10. This is a must have for any card collector who is a Parks and Rec fan. This is an affordable chance to own unique pieces of your favorite television program. Press Pass did a magnificent job here.

Why We Collect

Blogging about my hobby has opened my eyes and changed my attitude about card collecting. Thanks to all of the wonderful blogs out there, I've learned that collecting cardboard is about so much more than card value and money. It's about making the hobby special to you, and collecting cards that you like because of the player, team, or unique image on the card- not the value of the card. 

With that said, I'm making a much greater effort to find cards that I enjoy, not cards that will make me money. As you may know, I grew up a Pirates fan, and I spent my summer in Pittsburgh this summer with much of my time being spent at PNC park. I've grown very close to the team this year- closer than ever, in fact- and it inspired me to focus my collection on the Pirates. I've been scouring eBay for some nice (cheap) Pirates cards, and I've started a special page just for my Pirates PC. If you've got a second, please check it out! Here's the link! 

2013 Bowman Platinum Blaster Box + Value Pack Break

I was peer pressured into this. Two days ago, I logged onto my blog seeking some good reading, and it seemed like all anyone was talking about was 2013 Bowman Platinum. Bowman platinum is an awesome product, no doubt about. I've never had the privilege of tearing open any packs, although I own several BP cards.

So here I am, reading through blog after blog, hypnotized by these shiny magical cards. The devil on my shoulder was kind enough to remind me that I had the time to make to make a run to the store to at least grab some repacks. The angel on my opposite shoulder reminded me that I'm broke. 

Guess who won? Not only did he win, he talked me into buying a blaster box AND a value pack. I'm not huge on blaster boxes, but I have read so many good things about BP blasters. I also read that autographs are possible when it comes to BP blasters, and that it's easy to get your money's worth. Damn you, internet!! 

I digress. I'll start with the value pack, which runs you $10:

The packaging promises three purple parallels, and here they are. 

The highlights are pictured here. I was ecstatic to pull an auto. Calixte is a top ten prospect in the Royals Farm system. He's supposedly a graceful athlete in the field, but has no concept of a strike zone. A beautiful sig, however. I really like the Tony Cingrani parallel. I saw him pitch against the Bucs at PNC Park this summer and his stuff is electric. He has serious potential. And from what I understand about this Taveras guy, he's good... really good.

Now let's take a look at the blaster:

Here are three more parallels. These cards are just gorgeous, and I couldn't be happier with the names. The Machado card is a real gem.

Three more interesting cards, each in their own way. Tyrone Taylor is another guy that's supposed to be a freak athlete, and he's rising through the shallow Brewers farm system relatively quickly. He looks great on an X-Fractor, too. C.J. Cron appears here on a strange but decent looking die-cut. He has been dubbed as Albert Pujols' heir... we'll see. The Duke Snider insert is different, but I like it.

Overall, I have absolutely no complaints. Some big names, an auto, some nice parallels and inserts, an x-fractor and a die-cut. A nice mix of everything! If you haven't had the privilege of ripping through some of this year's Bowman Platinum packs, I recommend that you cave into that devil on your shoulder and drop the 20 bucks for a blaster box.

Thanks so much for reading!

Need your help! 2013 Topps Cut to the Chase Set Update

Hello again friends. If you haven't already read it, I'm working to compete a set of the 2013 Topps "Cut to the Chase" inserts. I'd love to make some trades and try to obtain some more of these cards. To see what I need/already have, please click HERE.  

As far as what I can offer in return, there's lots of options. I have lots of cards from Topps baseball- 2012. 2013, and Gypsy Queen. I also have a mix of other cards.. please see HERE for that. I have a pretty large collection, don't hesitate to ask about a favorite player, team, etc. I'm a generous trader! My e-mail is nsbell440@gmail.com. Let's chat!

RIP

Who likes die cuts?

I like die cuts. Alot. Especially when they're shiny. Who doesn't love shiny things?

Because of my passion for die cuts, things that sparkle, and Topps baseball cards, I've decided to attempt to complete a set of the Topps Cut to the Chase inserts. These cards were inserted into both Topps 2013 Series 1 and Series 2. 48 total cards. Here's what they look like if you need a quick refresher:

This is a PSA to those of you who have any of these lying around! I'll list the ones I already have at the end of this post. If you have any of these that I don't already have, I'd love to trade with you! To see what I have available for trade, please refer to my "List of additional cards" page, here. I also have tons of base cards, parallels, and inserts from Topps 2013 and Topps 2012. Or, if you have a favorite player or team, don't be afraid to ask me about that too! You can reach me at nsbell440@gmail.com.

As always thanks for reading!!

CTC's I have so far:

CTC-2 Ken Griffey Jr.

CTC-6 Carlos Gonzalez

CTC-7 Stan Musial

CTC-11 Yu Darvish

CTC-13 Brett Lawrie

CTC-14 David Price

CTC-19 Mike Schmidt

CTC-21 Andrew McCutchen

CTC-27 Ralph Kiner

CTC-35 Chris Sale

CTC-38 Prince Fielder

CTC-39 Yeonis Cespides

CTC-40 Cal Ripken Jr.

CTC-41 Stephen Strasberg

CTC-42 R.A. Dickey