A Hanger Pack of 2014 Topps S1 and a Quick Puig Rant

A little late to the party, but not too late. Fashionably late, we'll say. I hope you're not sick of seeing these babies just yet.

Yesterday I picked up a hanger pack of 2014 S1 from the big blue box. From what I've seen and heard, this year's design is nothing to write home about. I decided to judge for myself:

It's nice to see a bonafide star gracing the cover, rather than a potential star. Let's get straight into the box contents.

Starting off the with base cards, they're not horrible. I've heard a ton from collectors about the design, and rightfully so. It's different, that's for sure. I don't have a huge problem with the wavy bottom, but it's the strange looking cut-out-tab looking thingy on the right side that really gets me. It's entirely unnecessary. In my opinion, one non-straight edge is plenty. It's also not necessary to have the team names spelled out on the right hand side when the logo is already in the bottom left. But I digress.

This was my only Pirate, which is disappointing. Better Cutch thatn no one though! I do like the Ripken insert, probably because it has the old-school look. Simple, colorful, effective.

Above is the new red sparkle parallels, which I prefer much more than the old emeralds. These look sharp. I also like the Upper Class inserts, which are also clean and effective. It's also cool to see Randy Johnson in a 'Spos jersey, about to hurl an 89 mile per hour slider (that will most likely break your knees).

And of course, the obligatory Puig insert. To be blunt, I am thoroughly sick of seeing this guy. I'm sick of seeing so much praise for a guy that hasn't even had 400 major league at bats. It's safe to say that I will root against this guy in 2014. Combine both his on and off-field antics with the fact he's completely reckless, and I've got plenty of reasons to dislike him.

The common rebuttal from collectors is often, "He's good for the hobby." Is he? Is he good for the hobby? Or is he good for Topps?

I'd argue the latter. Set builders in particular come to mind. It seems that set builders dread having to search for a Puig card to complete their set, because they're either too expensive or no will trade them.

Rant concluded. Moving on:

The top row is the good ol' blue Walmart blue parallels. Not much to see there. I also landed two canary yellow parallels, which are absolutely hideous. I will say however, that the Callaspo parallel looks excellent only because of the A's colors. I can't think of any other team that this would work with though; so A's fans, you've lucked out here. Everyone else: Sorry.

I was happy to see that the gold parallel was at least a relevant, everyday player. We'll see if Mr. Brown continue striking bombs in 2014 and stand out for reeling Phillies squad.

Every thing except for Cutch is for trade. Get in touch if you see something you like!

I'll be tearing open some hobby packs later tonight, so hopefully I'll have another post up sooner than later. 

Thanks for reading, 

Nate 

Atomic PC Additions and Some Topps Series 1 Previews!

I haven't posted in forever. That's a fact. I feel bad too, because I was having some great interactions and building somewhat of a following. However, even when I'm not posting I'm constantly reading and browsing blogs, and you guys have provided some excellent reading material. 

I've also been neglecting eBay and COMC somewhat, but I was able to sit down the other night and put together a few orders. Here's what I hauled in:

I actually stumbled across these by accident, in a way. I was searching eBay for 2013 Topps Chrome atomic refractors, which are numbered to 10. I absolutely love the "cracked ice" look to these parallels, but the 2013's are generally way too expensive, being so rare.

 In my search I learned that in 2011 Topps, the atomic refractors are exactly the same design, but numbered to 225. Boom! There were several of each of COMC, so I was able to pick and choose. The best part is, the Liriano is 47/225, his jersey number! I absolutely hate when eBayers use this gimmick to jack up prices, but that wasn't the case here. Happy to have it!

I'm still looking for this same card, but of Pedro Alvarez. Please let me know if you see one!

Next up:

This baby. What to say here. This is more or less a case of, "Whoa. Shiny. Must. Have." It also satisfied many of my conditions for buying a single:

Price? The price was right. Really right (I think). The same card has gone on eBay for waaayy more than I bought it for, although the grades were higher.

Rarity? Somewhat rare. It's an X-fractor RC, at least.

Value? People f**kin' love this guy. I'm sure the 9 brings the value down. 

Unique? I've never owned a graded card! Plus it's a just a beautiful looking card all-around.

That was enough for me. I guess this is technically for trade if there are any Harper super-fans out there that are dying for a card like this. I'd need a great offer though. 

Moving on: How about 2014 Topps Series 1?! Who's excited?! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. I'm definitely a bigger fan of S2, Update, and Chrome... but the novelty of a new product is always exciting to me. I've been avoiding the card isle all week and WallyWorld in an effort to save up for some packs of S1. I may even consider a blaster. Thoughts? Anyone out there buying a hobby box? Joining a group break? I'd love to hear some opinions. 

I've been keeping up with Topps' updates throught Twitter, and here are some of the cards that have caught my eye:

All of these autos are pretty damn nice. I've seen a ton of complaints about all of the autos being stickers. I actually don't mind the stickers for S1 and S2, because it means that other Topps products with on-card autos will remain higher end (Chrome, Gypsy Queen Five Star, etc). It also cuts down on redemptions, I believe.

A few quick housekeeping items; I 've updated my Trade Bait. There are over a dozen 2013 Topps Chome sapphire blue refractors /199 on there, as well as tons of other goodies. Check it out! I'd love to get some trades going.

Also, if you haven't checked me out on Twitter, please do so! @big44cards

Thanks for reading! Nate

2 Jumbo Packs of 2010 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects

Today's stop on WallyWorld meant the inevitable trip down the card isle. I wasn't too impressed with what I saw, however I was able to find some discounted packs. My favorite. 

Those glorious, glorious red stickers. I simply can't get enough. 

I was really happy to see some familiar faces in these packs... you never know with Draft Picks and Prospects. I really like the design of these cards. Simple and crisp.

I had the luck of pulling a jersey card out of one of the packs, and this guy actually isn't a total no name. He's ranked as the 19th prospect in the Indians system. He's a lefty, and he's only 19. Could be worth hanging onto. It's also numbered out of 949. A nice little hit, but not my favorite card that I pulled...

This is. I laughed out loud at this one, for one reason only: That 'stache. Not only does this guy have an electric arm, he seems to have the personality to match it. Only a goofball would rock that type of facial hair in this era. If you didn't catch this 4-minute clip of Mr. Harvey back during the All-Star break, give it a watch, you'll appreciate it.

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 Topps Chrome Hobby Box Break and Review

Topps Chrome is hands down my favorite baseball card. I'm a big fan of 2013 Topps, and the chrome versions are just beautiful cards. I pre-ordered a box back in August, along with a box of Bowman Chrome which I'll review next. I've been waiting for this moment for a while, so this was an exciting break for me. Without further ado:

 The box

I'll start off with the base cards as usual, with Yu Darvish as an example. On the right is the normal base card, on the left is the refractor version of the same card. Both cards look great. I had a total of 4 refractors in this box.

Some more base card comparison here. On the right is Robinson Cano's base card, at left is the X-factor version. these look fantastic as well. I also had 4 of these in the box.

Here are the die-cuts, which I am not a fan of. I'm not huge on die-cuts in general, aside from 2013 Topps Cut to the Chase, which I'm building set of. These die-cuts are a little too much for me, they just have too many edges.

A nice Machado die-cut refractor. These ones aren't so bad. Not awesome, but a cool pull.

1972 Topps Chrome refractors. A nice addition. 

 This one's a beauty. Chris Sale blue parallel /199. I love parallels, and I really love when they're numbered. Chris Sale is always a great pull with his Cy Young potential.

 On to the auto's!

Two rookies, and two nice names! Both of these autos look great, due to the blue ink and because they're on-card. The Hoes card is just a regular base auto. The Brantly card is a refractor numbered /499. Unfortunately neither one of these cards carries much value, probably due to their commonality.

Here's the real gem! Adrian Beltre camo parallel numbered /15. A fantastic pull. Nothing is more exciting than pulling a low numbered card, and there are few players that I'd rather see. This was an awesome surprise.

REVIEW

Overall Design: These cards look superb. I'm a huge fan of chrome, specifically Topps. The look of these cards simply does not disappoint. The players really pop off the card. 

Box contents: These boxes have of a ton of potential. A guaranteed two autographs is a good number for the price. There's also great variety in these boxes. There are parallels of all colors. Add refractors, X-fractors, memorabilia cards, and a bevy of inserts, and you've got a very diverse hobby box.

The Hits: 2 autographs for 70 bucks is pretty decent. I also appreciate that Topps has stayed away from memorabilia cards for the most part. In my mind, there are few things worse than "Guaranteed 2 autos/memorabilia cards."

Positives: Design, value, price, variety, autos on card.

Negatives: The only downside to Topps chrome is the card's tendency to warp. For whatever reason, these cards always seem to bend if they're not in top loaders. 

Rating: 9.5 out of 10. These cards are just awesome. So much so that I've already ordered another box! Stay tuned.

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.

2012-13 Panini Crusade Hobby Box Break and Review

With my latest box purchase, I decided to keep my streak of buying 2012-13 Panini Basketball products. I promise, I'll review something else soon. This is one those "high(er) end" products, so you're basically just buying a box of hits. 

6 packs, 5 cards per pack. 3 Autos, 3 Memorabilia Cards, at hit per pack.

The box:

Shinnnyyyyyyy. 

The shininess can seen by the reflection of my hands/phone. I'm a card collector, not a photographer.

The base cards. Very nice cards. Panini makes it very clear that this is a CRUSADE card. Not sure how I feel about that huge banner. I do like the gold font.

Knight Court Insert. These come one per box. Very similar to the base. They seem to have little value on the secondary market.

Here are the first three Prizms that I pulled. These are the regular Prizms, and are really gorgeous cards. That Andrew Bynum on the left, whom I managed to decapitate with my lamp. He's accompanied by Nick Young and Marcin Gortat.

These are my other three Prizms, rounding out the total of six per box. These come in variety of Parallels: Red & Gold /99, Purple & Gold /49, Green & Gold /25, Gold /10 and Black 1/1.

 At the far right is Jared Sullinger, he fits in with his buddies above. In the middle is Draymond Green, Red & Gold /99. To the far left is Rasheed Wallace, Gold /10.

I'm not high on Green. I loved him in college but he lacks NBA size. The 'Sheed Gold card is a great pull. Very rare and very attractive card.

Here are the jersey cards, all appearing on inserts. The Paul Pierce card is awesome, I love the green swatch. Thomas Robinson has the skills to be a beast, but his character issues seem to outweigh his abilities. I'm not too familiar with Rick Mahorn but another nice jersey.

The three autos. At left, Festus Ezeli. Center, Buck Williams, Right, Quincy Acy. Nothing too impressive here. I love Ezeli's story, but not his NBA potential. Quincy Acy is in the D-League, I'm assuming he'll be overseas soon. Buck Williams was a fun player to watch, I'd say he's the highlight here.

REVIEW

Overall Design: The base cards are nice. The picture is sharp as ever with exceptional contrast. As I've said with previous 2012-13 Panini Products, I'm not a fan of how they throw a huge "PANINI" on the front of the card. It's over-branding. Beyond the base set, the other cards are excellent, especially the Prizms. Some of the nicest cards I've ever seen.

Box contents: There's only 30 cards per pack, so it would take some hunting to complete the base set. It's only 100 cards though, so do-able. The fact that each pack contains a hit is exciting. The Prizms are definitely the highlight of this set. The Prizm checklist is massive 300 cards, with all sorts of names mixed in- past, current, and future.

The Hits: It's definitely possible to hit the jackpot with this product. The Prizm cards are a hot ticket right now. The variety of parallel colors generates excitement, especially the Gold cards and Black cards. If you search the Gold Parallels on eBay, many sellers are asking over $100 for guys that aren't even big names. The black cards are obviously the big prize. The J.J. Redick Black 1/1 is listed for over $400 dollars on eBay, to put it in perspective. Yes, J.J. Redick.

Positives: Design, prominence of short prints, Prizm technology, players from various generations, number of hits guaranteed hits (6), chance for 1/1

Negatives: Autos are stickers, small number of total cards

Rating: 8 out of 10. This is a fun product. It has the high-end feel, but for right around 100 bucks, it's affordable high-end. Also a great way to get your hands on Prizm cards without actually buying a box of Panini Prizm.

As always, thanks for reading and please feel free to comment!