June and July Mail Roundup

At this rate, this blog is amounting to monthly "Mail Roundup" posts, which will have to do for now. Life is getting very busy, and I'm starting to learn how much free time I was granted during my quarantine-life. Life is back to normal (for now) and it really has been tough to sit down and write.

It's still better than the blog dying all together.  I think writers in the blogging community put a lot of pressure on themselves to write consistently and often. Two years ago I made the commitment to write one post a month, and I've more or less stayed true to that, and frankly it's something I'm proud of. 

The other good news is, while I'm having a hard time getting in front of the computer to write, I'm still collecting at a decent pace and I'm making it a point to carve out time for my hobbies, and I've had some fun maildays that are worth showing off here. And, since I missed a post in June, I'm back to round up two months worth of card mail.

Bryan Reynolds - 2020 Topps Chrome

(L) Sepia

(R) Negative

Some exciting news, I've decided to chase after the 2020 Topps Chrome Bryan Reynolds rainbow, and I've gotten off to a nice start. I did the same for Reynold's 2019 Topps Chrome Rookie Card (and since that post, I landed the super), and I'm still one card away from wrapping up that rainbow. 

It's been about a year since the release of 2020 Topps Chrome, and I certainly did not help myself by waiting. I haven't seen anything lower than the gold #/50 listed on eBay or COMC. Aside from two Pirates collectors who each have one of the Orange #/25, there is no trace of anything out there that I need. At this point I'll just hope that a big breaker does a 100 case break of 2020 Topps Chrome and maybe some of these will surface...

Until then, here's what I've got so far:

(L) X-Fractor

(C) Prism Refractor

(R) Refractor

(L) Blue #/299

(C) Purple #/199

(R) Pink

(L) Gold Wave #/50

(R) Green Wave #/99

The best part about building this rainbow: Bryan Reynolds cards are pretty dang affordable. Don't forget that this dude was the starting Center Fielder  for the National League All-Star team this year. 

Some more Buccos:

Nick Gonzales - 2020 Bowman Draft Refractor

I'll wager that you'll see a lot more of Nick Gonzales on this blog in the future. Since last posted about him in May, he has moved from the #32 prospect in baseball to #29.  This is my second copy of this card, and I'll likely grab a few more. He has been playing this season in High-A, and I imagine we'll see him rise through the ranks quickly next year. 

Travis Swaggerty - 2018 Bowman Draft Gold Refactor #/50

Another top prospect in the Pirates system, Travis Swaggerty. Excited to pick up my first gold refractor of his. 

Elijah Hughes - 2020 Panini Contenders Draft Picks Autograph #89

Elijah Hughes - 2020 Panini Contenders Draft Picks Autograph Variation #89 

Grabbed a two autos from Elijah Hughes, one of the best Syracuse guards in recent memory. These were a few bucks apiece. Both cards are #89 on the checklist, so one of these is a variation but I honestly don't know which is which. 

A few more hoops cards:

(L) LeBron James - 2009-10 Panini "The Franchise" Insert, Artist Proof #/199

(R) Kobe Bryant - 2009-10 Panini Artist Proof #/199

The two cards above actually came as a lot, and therefore I think I got a fair deal on them. Lots are typically not advised for sellers hoping to maximize profit, so I feel good about snagging these as a package.

(L) Kobe Bryant - 2018-19 NBA Hoops Silver #/199

(C) LeBron James 2016-17 NBA Hoops Silver #/99

(R) LeBron James 2017-18 NBA Hoops Silver #/199

In the May Mail Roundup, I talked about how I'm hoarding LeBron serial numbered cards. I'm doing the same with Kobe. There's not a specific strategy behind this. Both of these guys are legends, and some day I'd love to have a box full of short printed cards of two of the best players of all time. Maybe it will bring back great memories. Maybe it will pay for my kid's tuition. Who knows. 

That's it for this month. It was another great month of card mail. Thanks for following along.

September Mail Roundup

How many times have you read this on the blogosphere: I've been slacking on here over the past month. No excuses, just haven't gotten around to posting much. Despite my journalistic failures, I've made plenty of purchases and a few TCDB swaps. Time to show off some the highlights from September:

Derek Jeter - 1993 Topps RC

A good friend of mine was cleaning out some old possessions and came across a small card collection from his childhood. He hasn't collected in a long time and has no intentions of getting back in. He's an experienced eBay seller - so he was able to liquidate and make some money. While doing so, he gave me a good deal on this Jeter rookie. It's not an expensive card by any means - I think there are about a million copies of this card out there - but I'm super pumped to add this to my collection. It's my first Jeter rookie. I feel like it's almost a must-have for any baseball collector. 

 Eloy Jiminez - 2019 Topps Chrome RC Refractor

My first eBay pickup of the month. The White Sox were tons of fun this year,  and their young nucleus of players is firing on all cylinders. Their "window is open," and they've got a few great years ahead of them. Hitting in the middle of the lineup you'll find slugger Eloy Jiminez. His career is off to a blistering hot start. After hitting 31 homers his rookie year, he followed it up by hitting 14 homers and hitting .296 in 213 at bats. 

Eloy was the hot prospect last yearbut has since been eclipsed by fellow CWS outfielder Luis Robert. He's already been slept on, so I felt it was a great time to grab a nice rookie of his.

(L) Ke'Bryan Hayes  - 2015 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects - Chrome 

(R) Ke'Bryan Hayes  - 2015 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects - Chrome Purple Refractor #/250

Ke'Bryan Hayes joined the Pirates big league roster this year, and as one of their top prospects, he did not disappoint. In just 24 games, he hit .376, played Gold Glove caliber defense, and had a WAR of 1.8. I really should dedicate an entire post to his season and I have plenty of his cards to show off. Hayes has the potential to be one of the best 3B in the league, although I fear his prime may be wasted with the Pirates inability to contend over the next several seasons. 

Gavin Lux - 2020 Topps Turkey Red

Acquired via TCDB trade. Lux is another exciting young rookie. I was able to add this in a counter-offer and my trade partner agreed.

Kyle Lewis - 2017 Bowman - Prospects Silver #/499

Also acquired via TCDB trade. Lewis was a surprising rookie this year and I was happy to pick up a cool prospect card of his.

Javier Baez - 2015 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autograph Refractor #/500

As a Pirates fan and Cubs-hater, this one pains me a little bit. When Baez first came up, his demeanor was a little triggering. After developing into a well-rounded and popular ball player, he's earned my respect. "Real recognize real," I suppose. Doesn't mean I'll root for the Cubs. 

Now onto some basketball...

Bam Adebayo - 2017 Donruss Optic Bam Adebayo RC Lime Green #/175

I had a blast watching the NBA finals, specifically watching the Heat make a really special run. I've been following Kentucky basketball closely since 2015, almost never missing a game. I liked Bam's game at UK, but I'll be honest, I didn't predict this kind of early success at the NBA level. In college he was very much a traditional big man, but he's done an exceptional job of adjusting his game to the NBA style. He's developed a great dribble-drive, a reliable jumper, and he's a good inside-out passer.

I actually acquired this card via a Twitter sale. For the record, I don't endorse buying cards on Twitter. I've been part of the Twitter-card community for a while now, so I have a decent eye for red flags and such. Even so, there are no real buyer protections and you could easily get burned. There are definitely some dodgy characters on there. The upside is that you can find some really great deals. Sellers love it because they can avoid the fees. I've made a handful of purchases via Twitter (less than 10) and never had a problem, but I hold my breath every time.

(L)  Ja Morant - 2019-20 Panini Contenders Draft Picks School Colors Insert

(R) Ja Morant - 2019-20 NBA Hoops RC

These two were part of one eBay sale. I went on looking for the just the Hoops base card, but the lowest priced BIN included the Contenders insert so I jumped on it. I think Morant is the best player last year's draft and I'm adamant that he'll have a better career than Zion Williamson. I don't want to spring for any of Ja's other rookies, so Hoops is a great middle ground.

2003 Skybox Autographics - LeBron James/Kobe Bryant Rookies Affirmed Insert

Saved the best for last. This was also acquired via Twitter, but not blindly. I had already traded with the seller through TCDB and I was very happy with our trade. The cards were sent quickly and packed well, and the purchase of this card was no different. This was a bigger purchase for Twitter and I probably wouldn't have done it if I wasn't familiar with the seller. 

This card is awesome. Two of the greatest players on one card . It's also from 2003, LeBron's rookie year, so we'll call it half of a rookie card. My only gripe is the gigantic Skybox logo across the middle of the card which doesn't make a ton of sense to me. We would have been way better without it.

 I have a nice little collection of both LeBron and Kobe and this will fit right in.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

7 Day Trading Card Challenge: Day Four

Today's subject: Favorite basketball card in my collection

I collect basketball nearly as much as I do baseball so there were plenty of options here. After narrowing it down to a few finalists, this will take the cake:

Kobe Bryant – 2008-09 Topps 

In my mind, I always think of this card as the “Kobe/LeBron card” and I often forget that it’s actually just Kobe’s base card, not an insert. The card is number 24 in the set which is a really cool touch. Topps assigned card numbers based on jersey number on many occasions in this set. Allen Iverson has card #3, Carmelo has #15, Dirk #41, and so on.  I’m not sure if that’s unique to this set, of if that’s a trend that Topps uses often.

A few months back I purchased a whole box of 2008-09 Topps basketball. I had a few “hopes” with the purchase, and my primary desire was to pull this card (I dedicated a whole post to the box break if you're curious).

The photograph on this card is perfect. I may be looking too deep, but I like to think this is a symbolic “passing of the torch.” The ball represents the most dominant player in the NBA and LeBron is reaching to take that moniker from Kobe. 

I’m simply in love with this card. It might be a pipe deam but I'd love to get my hands on the chrome version of this card as well as the gold parallel numbered to 2009. Some day…

Hobby Box Break: 2008-09 Topps Basketball (Mamba Tribute)

This is my first basketball-related post since the passing of Kobe Bryant, so let me start by expressing my sadness. Like all basketball fans, Kobe meant a lot to me. Kobe was basketball. I grew up with Jordan, then Kobe, and now LeBron. Rest in peace Kobe, Gianna, and the others that lost their lives on Sunday.

Like many collectors, I began to sort through my collection, looking for Kobe cards that to remember him by. It also reminded that there's one Kobe card that has been on my mental wantlist for some time: Kobe Bryant, #24 from 2008-09 Topps Basketball. Prices for this particular card skyrocketed, of course - but I still felt like there was no better time to honor Kobe and try to add this card to my collection. 

I did some research and learned that 2008-09 Topps Hobby boxes are actually somewhat affordable. They contain 36 packs of 10 cards - so the odds were in my favor to pull the exact card I wanted. I jumped on the DaCardWorld and they had just one box in stock, so it seemed meant to be.

There are some really awesome cards in this box - dig in for a minute and enjoy the ride with me.

Upon opening the box, I was greeted with the sticker below. On the back of the sticker, it says to stick it your set once it's complete. That's a cool little touch that definitely became lost in collecting sometime between then and now.

To showcase the base design, I'll use my favorite Knicks pull out of the box. I'm a huge fan of this design, which will look familiar if you collected Topps baseball in 2008. When Topps had the basketball license, they would use the same design for both basketball and baseball flagship. I think the design works a little better for basketball.

Check out the text on the names above. It's hard to see, but the text is gold foil. I pulled about 32 of these, so they fall just about one per pack. Duncan and Carter are two of the best that I pulled. How about the photo of Vince Carter!

Possibly the most prized rookie in the class, Russell Westbrook. 

This could possibly be the greatest LeBron James base card ever printed. I mean, wow. What a beauty. Capturing what is likely the most iconic pregame ritual in sports. I was hoping to pull this card, so I was over the moon to see this show up.

There aren't a ton of inserts in this set which I really like. I'm a big fan of parallels but overloading inserts can be a real turnoff for me. I think these are technically variations, not inserts. I recognize this design as Topps 1958-59 which has shown up recently as a throwback design in Topps baseball products.

I pulled four gold parallels - which, in typical Topps fashion are numbered to the year of the set, so in this case #/2008. They commemorate 51 years of collecting across the top of the picture. These are the better of two of the four gold pulls. 

Each box guarantees one autograph or memorabilia card, and here's my hit. When you're promised either a relic OR an autograph, you can basically bet the house that you're getting a jersey card. I was almost entirely certain that I'd be taking away a Martell Webster jersey patch or something similar. To pull an autograph from a proven vet is a BIG win. Nowadays, Agent Zero is more familiar to me as an outrageous yet hilarious social media personality (if you've haven't checked him out yet, do it), but not long ago he was prolific scorer in the league.

The mojo keeps coming! How about this guy? Kenynon Martin magenta printing plate. 1/1. You never expect to pull something this rare and I'll certainly take it. 

I really liked K-Mart back in his New Jersey Nets days with Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter, Kerry Kittles, and so on. I'm not exactly sure what to do with his card aside from stash it away as a really unique piece of my basketball collection.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I came across this guy. A classic "rip" card. I didn't know this set had rip cards until coming across this, so I dove in and did some research. Because this set is over 10 years old there's really not a lot of information out there. I learned that the rip cards are case hits, and I was able to find a couple YouTube videos that show actual rips. From what I can tell, the miniature cards inside are just like an Allen & Ginter mini. It doesn't appear that they're ever autographed or serial numbered, so the play might be keep it unripped. But, what's the fun in that. You might say I'm pretty "torn" on what do with it...

And for the grand finale: The reason I bought the box in the first place. I was lucky to pull this card in my first few packs, so the rest of the box was house money for me.

 Card #24, for number 24. This card... it speaks for itself. This card is about more than just Kobe. The imagery and symbolism is outstanding. 

How's this for symbolism: The year is 2008. In the picture, the basketball represents the best player in the NBA. Kobe is stretching to keep that title from LeBron, and LeBron is reaching for it. It's just out of reach. Someday LeBron might take that ball from Kobe. But not today.

If the perfect sports card exists, this is it.

Mamba forever.