I got primed!

I was at Bosco's for their monthly trade night and drawing. Every month the shop puts a pack of everything new that's come out in sports cards that month. If the person who has the drawn ticket isn't there the packs roll over to the next month.  Unfortunately I didn't win and someone else did. But since I won a couple years ago with 4 tickets I bought the night of I always try to buy a few packs before the big drawing. I ended  up picking up a few supplies I needed and two packs of 2013 Topps Prime.  I really like Prime it's always had a great looking design, very reminiscent of Upper Deck. I would love to put the set together, but packs are pricey at about 11 to 12 dollars a pack. And hobby cards are always on thick stock while the retail version of Prime is printed on a thinner stock.  

Anyway, my first pack only had a low numbered rookie in it. But I noticed that the second pack was a little thinker than the first and after opening it only had one card in it.

A pretty sweet Landry Jones book card.  This is the second book card I've pulled from Prime, HERE was my first one Prime's first year in 2010.

Landry had a pretty good college career at Oklahoma.  Time will tell if he ever gets to come out of the shadow of Big Ben, but it's still a pretty sweet card. 

2013 Topps Update Jumbo Box Break and Review

Another one of my day late and dollar short box breaks and reviews.  I finally picked up a jumbo box of 2013 Topps Update Baseball.  I won't bore you by rehashing the continuity inserts and base cards.

We have 330 cards in the set and in that set the super hot rookie Yasiel Puig has two cards, US250 and US330. The US330 is his rookie debut card but both cards have the rookie card logo on them. He also has 3 variations available for his US250 card. But I'll let the Dodgers bloggers tackle those cards. You can see photos here.

Topps continues with the Chasing History and Making Their Mark inserts. Those inserts also have auto and relic variations.

The first new insert for update is the Franchise Forerunners. These have auto and auto relic variations.

 The next inserts is the Postseason Heroes set. This is one I'm thinking about putting together.  I like the look of the cards and they feature some greats of the game. These also have auto and auto relic versions.

There are also the Rings, Coins and mini Silk cards which I got none of.

For some reason Topps did not continue it's mini insert from Series 1 and 2 into Update. Instead they opted to insert a new mini. The 1971 Topps Mini

I got 10 of these and true to form I'll be putting this insert set together as well.

As usual There were plenty of color parallel cards to chase of you favorite players.  I ended up getting 10 gold cards of nobody worth scanning and 10 emerald I did get a couple players of note.

No sapphire or black parallels, but I did wrangle one camo parallel.

I also managed to snag one photo variation. 

On to the hits!  I'm starting to feel like Topps is using false advertising on the boxes now, stating that you get one auto and two relics in every Jumbo box, when one of those "relics" is a manurelic. But I'm not the card police.  

First up we have a card I'd been following on ebay, but had not pulled the trigger on.

I love when I pull a card that I want for my team set or player collection.  And Jean is the lone Brewer in the set with a relic this year. These All-Star stitches have double and triple variations as well and auto relics and jumbo relic cards.

My auto was of Red's pitcher Tony Cingrani.  I have a feeling a certain Red's blogger out there might want to trade for this one, maybe?

And while I dislike that Topps advertises these cards as relics they are still really nice. I ended up with a Commemorative Pin card of Mike Trout.  These cards are thick and heavy and really look good in hand.

I also ended up with a complete set of base cards out of the box which is always a bonus.  Most of my hits are up on ebay right now helping me to recoup some cost and justifying the buying of the box to the wife. But I do have a few extra base if anyone has some set needs and I have a bunch of the other inserts still too.

2013 Topps Platinum Retail Three pack

I really have no idea why I like this year's Topps Platinum so much. I really wish I had the extra money to really put an effort into the set, but I don't.  That doesn't mean I won't and didn't pick up a few packs.  I wetted my appetite last time I was at Don' Sportcards and picked up a few hobby packs.  I got a few of the blue refractor parallels and a nice Aaron Rodgers for my Packers team set and this card.

A camo die-cut ribbon card with Arian Foster on it.  The odd thing about this card is the rookie card label on the front.  Are there two Arian Fosters that play for the Texans?  It's a great looking card all shiny and chromed out.   

It's interesting to me the way a few of Topp's football card sets tend to emulate the other card manufacturers out there.  Topps sets tend to have borders and while slightly different from year to year tend to have a certain style that is just Topps.  But Platinum is more of a card that you'd expect from Panini.  The base veteren cards are foil board, with the player cut out from the background and placed in front of some design.  Topps Prime Football reminds me of Upper Deck.  The cards are usually full bleed, meaning they have no borders on the edges and the lettering and logos tend not to interfer with the action on the photo.  That being said, I still can't figure out why this set has piqued my interest so much. I'm really not a fan of Panini cards.

Anyway, like I said the base veteren cards are on foil board and all the rookies are chromed out.

I couldn't reisist picking up a retail triple pack when I was out shopping this afternoon and for lack of better content to post about I figured I share it here on the Crack.

I was really interested to see what those Flame Refractor cards looked like.

Pack 1.  You get one rookie per pack. Meh.

Here's what the backs look like.

Pack 2.  Ohh a Mike Glennon rookie card.  I ended up pulling his auto from my Jumbo Topps box break. Maybe I'll have to become a Mike Glennon supercollector. Ah maybe not. How about that Anquan Boldin? He totally smoked my Packers in week 1.

Pack 3. Wow three very meh packs.  Alright lets see what these Flame Refractors look like.

Ah, well, rrrr, emmm, at least they're all rookies and all offensive position players. These are all chromed out as well, and honestly I was a little let down.  Of course the packaging doesn't say that the Flame refractors are all rookies, so I guess it's a bonus to get all rookies, or maybe not.

Overall I wouldn't mind putting this set together. At 150 base cards that probably wouldn't be too hard, but I promised myself to limit my set building this year and the final set I'm going to build is coming out middle of next month.  

And with the end of the regular baseball season coming to a close it's almost time for Almost the Easiest World Series Contest on the Web III!!

Stay tuned for that.

cb out.

2013 Topps Basball Series 2 Jumbo Box Break

I haven't bought many cards in the last few months.  Partly to save money and partly because there was really nothing I wanted to open.  But as a set collector and a collector that has tried to put together Topps sets since I started collecting it's hard to pass up opening a jumbo box of Series 2.  Collation has been really good lately and I know that I should get a complete series 2 set out of box, which I did

I won't bore you with pictures of the base design and the continuity inserts, but there are a few new inserts this go around.
First the 3 new inserts.. Making the Mark

Chase it down...

and the Elites

I really like the Elites, even if they look just like the Greats insert from Series 1 and have a lot of the same players in it.  The other two inserts are pretty ho-hum.
On to the "hits"

My dollar relic card

My auto and my manurelic.

I was also lucky enough to get a few extras in the box.  A black parallel..

a camo and a silk....

of Jacob Turner.  

All in all not a bad box. I always enjoy pulling a could extra hits even if they aren't the superstars.  And I did get all the other gold and emerald parallels and all the other inserts and code cards.

Just an FYI I won't be around much this summer, but everything is available for trade, just realize it might take a long while to get a trade done with me right now.

cb out.

My Silver Slate Redemption Pack is Here

..prepare to be disappointed.  Well maybe not all of you.

Anyways I was pleased to see a bubble mailer from Duryea, PA in my mail box this afternoon.

The packs are clear cellophane and you can see the top and bottom card so really it's the middle three cards that are the big surprise.  I didn't snag one of those Gray cards numbered to just 10 or autos, but the rumor is that there were only 150 of each card produced.  At least thats the skuttlebutt I see all over ebay right now.

I'm not sure why these are called silver slate cards they are more of a steel blue. Anyways all five are available for trade if you are  interested.  

2013 Topps Silver Slate Pack redemptions starting to show up!

I was just looking over at some forums and then did an ebay search.  Looks like Topps has finally started shipping it's Silver Slate wrapper redemptions out.  I haven't got my one pack yet, but when I do I'll do a full post on it with scans.  This year instead of just doing a completely new redemption set, Topps opted for a parallel redemption set. Here's a quick look at some of the cards.

The base redemptions look like a sparkly blue.

There are also silver gray parallels numbered to just 10 mixed in.

There are also autos mixed in too.

Looks like they are serial numbered to various sizes.

When I get my pack most will probably be for trade.  If anyone gets any Brewers cards out there I'll gladly trade for them.  Thanks cb out.

2013 Topps Heritage Baseball - Pass....for now

Before I get into the rant I know some of you our there really love Heritage.  And that's great.  I kind of like Heritage too.  I ended up going after last years set, because I really like the 1963 design and I'll probably go after next years set, because I really like the 1965 design, but sandwiched in the middle is 1964 that's just kind of boring for me.  So right off the bat this years Heritage has a strike against it.  Sure the 1964 is a classic clean design, but not my favorite for sure.  But the biggest kicker for me with Heritage is that it's a set builders nightmare and box prices are way too high.

I'm still trying to finish the 2010 and 2012 sets.  The high number cards do add value, but unless you're busting cases of this stuff it's almost impossible to put together a set on your own and then your at the mercy of others trying to get all those damn high numbered SP cards, all 75 of them.

Anyways my local LCS have this for about $75 bucks a box.  You can get it a little cheaper online for about $67.  I'm sorry, but this is just too high for a box of cards that you only get one hit in.  Sure there are a few other goodies like chrome and refractor cards, mini's, Venezuela backs, ect, but for the most parts your one hit will be this...

And your box topper will most likely be this..

So I'm sorry if I feel paying more than $50 for a box of this is too much.  I put this release close to Topps Flagship.  Hmmm Heritage Jumbo anyone?  That could be interesting.

That's not to say I haven't bought any new Heritage.  I broke down and picked up a blaster and couple loosy retail packs last week, and a couple hobby packs yesterday at trade nigh.  I have managed to pull two relic cards, both Royals, and both worth about a buck a piece.  And I'd be honest if it wasn't for all the SP's I might even go after this set again, because I do like the look of the cards and I think these would make great TTM's.

But that's not to say there's not some cool stuff you could get in a box. I mean if your lucky you could get one of these as a box topper.

Topps ruining perfectly good real 1964 cards.  Can anyone tell me what's up with the 50th Anniversary stamp?  I'm pretty sure Topps is 62 or 63 this year right?

You might also luck out and get this as your top loader..

Nice hair Joe.

Or if your really lucky maybe something like this...

And you might luck out on your hit and get one of these..

And I swear Topps listens to me from time to time.  Last year I was pondering on the blog if Topps would include buyback 1964 coins since that was the first year Topps tried Topps Coins.  And sure enough they did.

I haven't seen the a checklist for these and I'm not sure if they are all limited to just 4 per player or if other players have different hand serial numbering.  Still cool.  I also thought it would have been neat if Topps had added an insert with current players on a new coin insert.  It's been 20 years since the last Topps Coin set I think we're ready.  Speaking of coins.

Various denomination of the '64 Mint cards.  Funny thing is I have a 1964 nickel in my pocket right now.

I'm curious if your allowed to drink on the job at Topps.  Most of these Stamp cards I've seen are all crooked.
Here's some more of the cooler cards you might get, if your really lucky.

I like to think that Heritage is a little feast or famine depending on the box you get.  I mean there are those insanely nice bat knob books possible, haven't seen one hit ebay yet, and they might be redemptions.  But for the most part your going to get your semi star relic in your box with an advertising panel box topper.  That's just the way it is.  So this year I'm going to pass on trying to put this set together, and I impressed myself last night not springing  for at least one hobby box to have something to open. Although in a few months if I can snag a box for around half a C-note maybe.  But keep posting about your breaks I love seeing what people get and I'm probably going to just buy a Brewers base team set, but I'm up for trading for the 4 or so High Number SP Brewers cards if you get one and any of the Brewers inserts.

cb out