downsizing part two

Many sets were claimed yesterday but there are a few left. Here they are:

1994 Upper Deck Collectors Choice- Two retail boxes worth, silver and gold sigs included.

2007 Upper Deck- About 700 or so (I'm just kinda guessing here, its a pretty full 800 ct. box)

2008 Upper Deck- About 150 cards.

2009 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes- 30 or so cards.

2009 Upper Deck Piece of History- 30 or so cards.

2009 Upper Deck Signature Stars- Maybe 50 cards out of 100 card set.

2009 Upper Deck Spectrum- 40 or so cards.

2009 Upper Deck Timeline- 30 or so cards.

2010 Upper Deck- 125 or so cards.

Really what I did was take the sets I had a decent number of cards for, or the sets that seem to have a following, even if they didn't have too many cards (Goodwin, Masterpieces). If none of these are claimed by Thursday, I'll just sort them by team and add them to the other cards that are currently sorted by team (about 2000 cards right now). After Thursday, I'll offer up teams for the picking. I may have an idea of what to do with them too, it may be a break type style. We'll see though.

new favorite set

Upper Deck has had some great products over the years. From their groundbreaking 1989 debut set, changing the baseball card landscape as we know it, to their excellent 2009 Goodwin Champions set, a wonderful homage to the original, and many sets in between.

This is one such set. 2001 Upper Deck Hall of Fame. I had picked up a few of the base cards a while ago, to add into my Hall of Fame personal collection. Guys like Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, Honus Wagner, etc. They featured great black and white pictures on the front so I grabbed a few. Well, flash forward to that show I talked about a few days ago. Some of the dime box cards I grabbed were from this set also. It was enough to make me want to finish up the set. I had roughly about half and I remembered that my local shop had a bunch in his HoFer box. I headed over and pulled a bunch more I needed (I had a list this time). I am now 11 cards shy of the 90 card set. I know he probably has the last couple I need, I'll just have to do some looking. Enough of the backstory, on to the cards!

Here is the base set:

These cards are 1-50. These are the main cards of the series and most all feature black and white photos (even on some of the more recent Hofers like Mike Schmidt, which looks awesome in b&w). Jackie here is one of the few color pictures, which are about 10% of the set. The fronts feature the year they were inducted into the hall. The most recent being 1999 (Yount, Brett and Ryan). One of the best aspects of the set is the inclusion of Negro League players like Josh Gibson here, Satchel Paige and Cool Papa Bell.

The backs feature full stats:

Its really cool to see full stats on every player in here. These are some monumental careers here and to have it all listed is fantastic. Even the Negro Leaguers have full stats too. Its also pretty cool to see how many of these players stuck with one team their whole career.

This is the 'Origins of the Game' subset:

These are cards 51-60. The idea of this subset is to showcase the best of the originators in the game. Legendary names like Tris Speaker, Christy Mathewson and Cy Young reside here.

The National Pastime subset:

These are cards 61-80. This subset goes into depth and talks about some of these legendary players. The base cards have nothing but stats on the back (but not an issue) and these cards go into a little detail about these guys careers.

The Hall of Fame Records subset:

These are the final cards of the set, 81-90. This focuses on the records that will probably never be broken (or at least any time soon). Like Walter Johnson's 110 career shutouts, Cy Young's 511 career wins and Joe DiMaggio's incredible hit streak of 56 games.

Overall this set is exactly for what I am looking for in a set focused on baseball's history. Incredible photos, legendary players and a great design for each of the subsets are a whole great package for me. The hits, from what I red, were great too. Getting jerseys and bats (and autos from living players) of these guys, plus more that weren't in the base set, is always a good thing. Upper Deck done right.

bustin a box on a rainy sunday

2009 Upper Deck Icons is the box today. I've actually busted maybe three of these now, including this one. Its a great set with some good pulls. Here are what the base cards look like:

Nice looking set. 100 card short set and they have 30 rookies that are serial numbered and tougher to pull (numbered 101-130). Then those 30 rookies have an autographed parallel (numbered 131-160). Each box will net you three hits (usually two jerseys and an auto) and two of the numbered manu-letters, called 'lettermen'. These can range from young players to immortal letter men for retired players to celebrity lettermen. Here are my five 'guaranteed' hits:

Nothing too fancy really, both the Wang and Kershaw are numbered to 30 each. The Jepsen auto (which is my second auto of him by the way) is numbered 007/600. Well, that box would have been kind of a letdown if it weren't for my two extra hits:

A Tulo auto and a Paul Molitor immortal lettermen auto numbered 2/4. For some reason Paul's letters spell out 'ignitor'. Maybe a Twins fan could clear that up for me? Anyway I presume there are 4 of each letter made and auto'd, making the full print run 28 cards total. That's how the lettermen are numbered. They only made four 't' cards but the full run according to Beckett is 28 cards (7 numbers in 'ignitor' times 4 of each card). Weird, yes. The Tulo is numbered 120/199. This box is probably the second best box I've ever busted (the first being the 2009 T206 when I pulled the Ruth bat relic), and maybe I'll even do another. I just can't get enough of this set.

in the mail...

I feel like another giveaway. I have one 200 count card box and I'll fill it with random Topps cards. Anything from basic stuff to inserts to sets they may not make anymore. A little bit of everything. I'll try not to make it too much 2010 series 1, 2 or Update, although there will be some. First one to comment and send me an email gets the box. In the email, include your address, even though chances are I may have it. I would prefer the person who claims it to be someone I haven't sent stuff to already. I'll send the box out next time I go to the post office, which will be soon, and shortly it'll be..........in the mail!! (lame...I know...)


You know what? I'll do one for Upper Deck too.


Two boxes for two commenters. Claim 'em now! (in the comment and email state which box you want)

2009 o-pee-chee

While out finishing up my Christmas shopping, I stopped by the other card shop. The one I don't usually frequent. This one has more Yankees/Red Sox/Mets sporting goods than cards. Its been there for quite some time, as I went there in the mid 90's. I saw some of these 2009 UD O-Pee-Chee blasters for ten bucks, so I picked one up. I like this set a lot, very colorful with a great mix of action and posed shots as seen above. The set has a black bordered parallel, which come one per pack. There is also a mini black bordered set too, which seem more difficult to come by because I only got one. I also really like the team checklist cards (see Dodgers card above), which show really nice wide angle stadium shots. The blaster also yielded a seriously colorful triple relic of boring white swatches but of three pretty decent players. I like the set enough to consider completing it but it may have to wait a while during the 1954 project.

I mentioned going to a show today but I didn't end up making it due to it seeming like it wasn't going to be held. Usually this show is on the third Thursday of the month at a local VFW. The show is also listed on a show calendar I found online and it wasn't listed under the months of December and January but is for February. I may just have to wait until then for some more 54 goodness (but hopefully not).

the (first) annual year end clearance! (part 2)

Ok, now that most of the packages are sent out and you guys are receiving them, its time for round two. This time around I have only three lots and only one of each. So that means the first three readers who claim these will get them, so long as they haven't already claimed a lot from me in the first round. Alright, here we go:

Lot# 1- Bowman and Obak. This lot contains nothing but Bowman and Obak cards. All from different years, teams etc. I don't care much for Bowman and I really don't know why I keep buying it but here it is, my Bowman collection. Obak too, I've just decided that I won't be collecting these anymore, so like Bowman, I'll stop buying the Obak.

Lot# 2- Upper Deck. This lot has a handmade 'frankenset' of nothing but Upper Deck cards numbered 1-100. This was really difficult to choose who went in where. I did have to add in about three 2007 Fleer Ultras to complete the set, and while they are Fleer, they were owned by Upper Deck at the time, so it works. I do apologize in advance if there are duplicate players in the lot, but Upper Deck likes to make small 100 card sets, and they tend to use many of the same players. Also included are some Upper Deck cards with weird numbers. Examples: AW-11, UD12, X2-DO, stuff like that, anything that isn't just a number by itself. Also added are just some random UD cards to fill out the box.

Lot# 3- Another kinda random box. This box will contain random cards that are not Topps or Upper Deck. Stuff like Donruss, Score, Fleer, etc....that about sums up that box, nothing else to say there.

There you have it. Round two is the aforementioned three lots. Three lots for three readers, no multiples this time and only if you didn't claim one previously. As with the last giveaway, please leave a comment, then send me and email with your address. Sorry, no favorite team cards included in this round. Its ok though, I've got something really fun cooked up for the extra Topps cards that I'll post soon. Thanks for reading!

thanks

A many thanks to the folks that commented on my last two posts. I figured I'd address them here, rather than in comments. Everyone made good points on the Upper Deck subject. While their photo quality was above and beyond everyone else, they did have collation issues. I've run into that many times with their products and sometimes their sets seemed...irrational. They took the Topps excess with parallels to a whole new level of absurdity. Topps was more complete with their stats too, and most of the time have better backs to their sets. Upper Deck's seem to all feel the same really when you compare their stuff through the years.

The other topic was of my (lack of) collection. You are all right. I thought of the birthday thing and even was thinking about a hometown/state sort of thing. The OCD thing stops me, but I plan on telling it to shut up and sort some damn cards out that I want to keep! I did find some stuff when I looked after I posted. I pulled all my Jackie Robinson, Lou Gehrig and Hank Aaron cards, as I feel these guys are the true heroes of baseball and I probably don't want to trade their stuff off anyway. The other cards I did pull were something I've spoke of a couple of times:

Team cards! I really like these and decided to pull them out of my Topps box. They stayed in the sets, and the Jays stayed in the Jays box, unless I had a duplicate, then it went to my new team card pile. Collecting, here I come!

its sad really...

Business is business. Topps won. Yeah yeah yeah, we all know Upper Deck is a ghost in the baseball card industry, but here are three fantastic reasons why they shouldn't be:

Bar none, Upper deck KILLS with their photography. Yes, I've stated this before, but recently I got a box of 2007 UD really cheap and cards like these make me want to finish this set off. Maybe someday...

set appreciation

Generally I consider myself a Topps collector, almost exclusively. I'll dabble in other brands stuff but more often than not, I'll stick to Topps (well....now I have no choice). Target sells these repack packages of 10 packs for 10 bucks. Its an interesting mix of stuff, usually from 2006 to 2009. Much of it is 2007 and 2008 though. They are fun to open up when I'm looking for something to rip open and I don't want anything else on the shelf. Many of these repacks have a lot of 2007 Fleer Ultra and 2007 Upper Deck, both of which I've grown to like very much. Especially the Upper Deck set. The minimal silver border on two of the sides, the as usual great photography, it just really appeals to me. I won't collect the set, its well over 1000 cards but I definitely won't pass them up when I get them in these repacks or where ever I find them. Nice set. I think 2007 seems to be a year I like most of the set designs, seeing as how I stated in an earlier post that I'm a big fan of 2007 Topps and Fleer.

wal-mart blaster mania!!!!!

..............was not to be found at my local store. It was laaaaaame. Their card section is lacking to start, on top of that they had one discount blaster...ONE. Here it is:

YAY!!! 2008 Upper Deck X!!!......Hey, at least it was only ten bucks. A buck a pack I can deal with, pretty much no matter what set it is. Did I mention that I HATE these X die cut cards? I have a few of them for some Jays and these cards and I don't get along. I did get the *guaranteed* jersey card, it was Jeremy Reed, with a white swatch (booooooring). I do however like the insert set they have going with the Xponential series. They are shiny and raised and just kinda cool. Overall.....eh. Fun to open packs as usual but the blaster itself was kind of a bust. Can't win 'em all I suppose.

seeing double

Topps LOVES to recycle images on their cards. I know it. You know it. As one blogger had pointed out in a review of 2010 Ginter's, the Albert Pujols is a recycled image from the 2009 base set. Weird. No new shots of Mr. Pujols lying around? Well here are a couple that caught my eye.

Both retro style sets, AND from the same year (2006). No Topps, I did not notice. You have won again.

The next two however, I found a bit more weird.

Both 2010 issues, but obviously one is Topps and the other Upper Deck. A slight difference in the shot, with the UD more than likely being taken first. Topps looks a little washed out in comparison, where as the UD is probably closer to how "real life" looked when it was taken. No complaints really, a good shot on both cards. Thats something I could never fault Upper Deck for is their photography. Always quality shots in every set and usually a hefty number of them to boot. I picked up more 2010 UD a few days ago, and I'm this close [____] to wanting to put that final UD issue together. Maybe sometime soon.