Year End Wrap Up 2016

There are a few sets I’d love to complete thru trading.

2016 Topps Heritage –

I only need 4 cards! If you have any let me know!

• 444 Rizzo SP
• 481 Pujols SP
• Baseball Flashback BF-RM Roger Maris
• Then and Now TAN-CC Cabrera / Clemente

2016 Topps Series 1 & 2

I need a bunch, still. Follow the link for my needs!

2016 Topps Update

Also a pretty vast list.

2007 Topps Heritage

These are mostly SPs but there are a few base, as well. I do have some 2004 Heritage SPs I’d be willing to trade for the 2007.

This past year has been great from a set collecting standpoint! I’ve made almost 50 trades with other collectors!

I also started set building Allen & Ginter from 2011 to current. I have a box set aside with a hundred or so inserts and minis ready to be traded. Let me know what you need and hopefully you could fill in some of my needs here.

Also, if you are a collector of Gypsy Queen minis I have several stacks I’d like to find a new home.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and here’s to a Happy New Year of the hobby!

Topps Now – Arrieta’s 2nd No-Hitter

The past few years I’ve watched more Cubs games than Twins. This is partly do to my lack of Cable TV. I do get a monthly MLB.TV subscription once or twice a year and since the Twins are blacked out I watch the Cubs.

I think I started watching last night’s game around the 5th inning.

Since it was such a great game to watch I finally bit the bullet and bought a TOPPS NOW card.

http://www.topps.com/collectibles/trading-cards/topps-now-featured/jake-arrieta-2016-topps-now-card-30-only-available-until-12-30-pm-4-23-16.html

Rather than pay $10 for a single card I opted for the 5 for $30 option.

I’ll probably post one on COMC in the next few months so that means I have three copies to send to trading partners.

Let me know if you’d like a copy and we can hopefully work out a deal!

Hobby Box Break #16 – 2016 Topps Heritage

Here we go! Heritage is my favorite set of the year and I picked up my box last night. Here’s what I pulled.

Trout is on the box. That’s three years in a row that he’s been featured on the box. Congrats on the hat trick!

My box topper was a ad panel. I’m not really a fan of these since they feature cards in the set. I’d prefer a buyback or one of the rarer pulls.

Who wants it?

These three packs are traveling to the three lucky fellas my kids and I pulled from a Crown Royale sack. Congrats and thanks for reading-  John H, Chris R, and Jeff W!

My first card was this Reds team card. Frazier is currently a White Soxian(?), though.

Short Prints! My budget keeps me from collecting these each year. I really like the Cano pic, though!  I think I have a few readers who collect the Master set so I’ll probably be dividing these out. Let me know if you’d like 1-2 of them!

THOR gets a close-up! Sorry about the glare on these pics. I didn’t notice how bad it was until I started writing. I’m going to hang on to Noah since there are a few SP’s I’d like and he’s one. I think I should have received 8 total in my box so chances are one of the 3 packs I sent out has a shortie.

New Age Performers have never interested me. These are ready for a new home.

I do collect the THEN & NOW, now (presently (at this moment in time)). I also collect Kershaw so I’m happy with this pull!

I also enjoy the history lesson on each FLASHBACKS insert. I’ll need plenty of these to complete the sets!

My favorite animal is a Tiger. This is actually a pretty simple but pleasing design. I don’t collect Relics, though, so this one is set aside for Julie at A Cracked Bat.

I just noticed that I didn’t pull any Chrome. Did they finally do away with it? I’m not really a fan so that’s nice if they did.

Final Tally-

170 – base (425)

11 – inserts

1- relic

1- ad panel

7 – SP

NO doubles!

I think I’m going to buy the base set off eBay since I didn’t really pull money card from this box that I could turn into another box.

Let me know if you can help me with some of the inserts, though!

2016 Topps Heritage Wantlist

Also, let me know if you need some of my base!

Thanks for reading!

 

Giveaway #2 – The Winners are . . .

Addiction as Therapy Giveaway #2 – 2016 Topps Heritage

It’s time for my annual thank you giveaway to my readers!

On Wednesday I’ll be purchasing my first hobby box of the set and shipping out a sealed pack from the box to two lucky readers!

To be in the drawing for a pack all you need to do is comment on this post once. I’ll be posting a video of the drawing on Tuesday March 1st 12pm CST so the chance to enter will be cut off about ten minutes before then.

Thank you for reading and keeping the addiction alive!

Hobby Box Break # 14 – 2016 Topps series 1

It’s the 65th anniversary of Topps Baseball cards and this is my hobby box.

Country Breakfast? Is that his nickname? I really enjoyed the design of the 2015 series. This year’s seems hit and miss. Last night I read Night Owl Cards’ review. A lot of what he said rings true for me. Looking at Mr. Butler above I’m really annoyed that you can’t see the full A’s logo. This could have been some 9 year old’s first pack of baseball cards and he only gets 3/4 of a logo!

Berger’s Best inserts reprint one card from each of the 65 base sets released. I pulled 9, as you can see. I like these but I am a little annoyed that they used the same player multiple times. The checklists says Mike Trout and Cal Ripken, Jr each have a few cards. It’d have been nice to have 65 different players.

First Pitch inserts are back. I’ll be collecting these as well as the Berger’s Best.

Pressed into service is a Position player called upon to pitch theme. I like it especially since it has Ichiro’s pitching performance from last year.

Perspectives is the final insert set I’ll be collecting from Series 1. I really like the photography and it helps that they left the Base design elements completely off.

100 years of Wrigley Field is a fine set but I have no interest in collecting it. I do enjoy watching Cubs games on TV though. I think they do the best job broadcasting in all of baseball.

WHAT!?! Is this a “Tron” cross promotion? How did this design get through the approval process? I guess we all have different tastes and these are not for me.

These are alright. My son is old enough for Garbage Pail kids and he might get a kick out of these someday, too.

The Golds. I’m not really into these, either.

Strangely, I do like the Rainbow foils. I might attempt to collect the set as such. If you have any Rainbow foils you don’t want, send them my way, please!

I pulled this Black. 52/65. I’ll check with Remember the Astrodome and see if he’d like it.

I pulled a clear acetate! I’ll be checking with Remember the Astrodome on this one, too.

Design of the relic isn’t bad but I’m still not much of a fan of the jersey swatches. This is up for trade, too.

Yep. You’re jealous. I pulled the 1987 buyback. Black stamp means common so there are probably a LOT more 87’s out there being pulled.

Final Tally

310 of 350 base

48 inserts

0 doubles

I’m sure I’ll eventually pick up another hobby box but my indifference to most of the set has pushed me towards looking  at some of the other sets from the past, such as Gypsy Queen and Allen & Ginter, to fulfill my addiction until 2016 Heritage comes out next month. I don’t think I’ll be pursuing 2016 Topps Series 1 as vigorously as I did 2015.

Thanks for reading and let me know if you’re willing to trade!

PS – I almost forgot! I do have a few 2016 BUNT codes that I won’t use. Let me know if you’d like them!