Another COMC Haul and MAIL!!!

Hey everyone, lately any cards I sell on eBay the money goes straight into my COMC account. So I hit the shipping button on another haul last week. I really love COMC's new shipping policy, the cards get here faster and it's only $3.00. Nice... so here's the first set of cards:

Four nice Bagwell relics! And an on-card Nolan Fontana autograph from 2012 Bowman Chrome! Nice! I really like the Berkman All-Star game jersey as well. As for the last card of Berkman, that's just the front... here's the back of the card:

SWEET! A Bagwell relic on the back, and the whole thing numbered /125!

Next up, a couple of Nolan Ryan pick-ups!

Always like the retro Astros uniforms and logo. There is a nice little stitch mark across the top there. I really like this design!

Finally, a nice pick-up even if it's a Mets-centric card:

That is a SICK pin-striped relic from Nolan's Mets days. I could cut the right and left sides off for all I care, but I'll keep it in tact... ;) I love it, it's a keeper in my Nolan collection!

Next up, reader Jeffrey sent me a couple of vintage Nolan's:

What they lack in condition (there are some creases you can't see in the scan) is totally made up for in the fact that I don't have these already in my collection! I've got to put together a little package of something to send back Jeffrey's way.

I also got another package in from eBay! The one silk card of an Astro this year:

AWESOME! Anyone else wonder why these show up yellow'ed instead of white? The original ones looked EXACTLY like the base cards, but the past couple years, they've been yellowed like this one. Odd. But still, I love it. Topps previewed this one before release and it sparked my "Get all Astros Silks" quest.

Finally, I had entered a few case breaks for my Astros, hoping beyond reasonable hope that I'd get lucky and get one of the ultra-rare Craig Biggio autographs or relics. Of which, I now have had confirmation of just 1 being pulled in all of the world. Thanks Topps... I have Astros base sets out the wahzoo... plus these:

I apologize to anyone else out there who thinks differently, but I am already convinced that the Altuve base card is the best card of 2013 Topps. The colors, the action shot, the uniform Jose is wearing, all make for one epically awesome card! I love the green parallel too. Awesome.

For those who are curious, yes, the 2013 Gypsy Queen CASE group break is going to happen. I'm working out a few more details and then I'll be getting something posted soon. It will involve a non-refundable deposit at this point (same amount for all teams) and then once the checklist is released and I'm able to evaluate things a little closer, the additional money will be added to each team for the full value. I will be able to say at this point that no team will cost more than $65 and with 12 teams overall that will cost the minimum slot value ($25). Anyways, sign-ups will be posted soon... 

Gauging Interest - 2013 Gypsy Queen Group Break

Hey everyone - I am itching to bust a case. Yes, a CASE. And 2013 Topps Gypsy Queen's release is right around the corner. So I want to gauge interest in a case break here on the blog.

Slots would be for 1 team. And would be weighted based on the overall seeding of cards per team within the set. Mainly within the "value" categories of hits but also with consideration for base cards and inserts. The average cost per team would be somewhere in the $40 range, including shipping.

Here's another twist, considering there are 10 boxes with 24 packs, with 8 base cards (plus one mini and an insert or SP), that's 1920 base cards. Every slot would get at LEAST one set of base cards for a team set and we would pool the remaining duplicates into complete 300 card (non-SP) base sets with full sets of inserts. These base sets would be randomized amongst ALL participants. I'm thinking at least 2 of not 3 complete sets should be pulled from a case. So there would be that added bonus.

Of course each slot would get all their mini cards, hits and inserts. Most importantly, there would be a total of AT LEAST 40 hits in this case. The Gypsy King & Queen cards would be randomized.

I think this would be a really fun case to break. There are no checklists officially released as of yet, but if we are going to do this in April, I'm thinking I need to start the wheels turning on this.

So what do I need to know from you? I need to know if this adventure would interest you? Would the cost of 2 blasters be too much for your team? For you guys like the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Giants, Nationals and Rangers... would $75 be too much for your team? 

Let me know A) What team you'd be interested in? and B) Does the format above appeal to you?

Quick Trade Post

Hey guys, got a couple trades in today...

First up, Dennis from Pictures of Men... I sent a couple of Jays his way and I ended up with a couple great cards that fit in my chase set needs:

I've flirted with picking up the Dominic Brown on eBay a few times, only to find it over-valued. Glad I waited and picked it up in a trade! Next, a silk of Angel Sanchez. Inching closer and closer to that goal!

Next up, a trade with Facebook acquaintance Richie. He wanted some Rays autos in my trade bait, and I was happy to oblige since I rarely find a Rays trader. He didn't have any Astros to send back, so I decided to pick up some quality trade bait:

 Not sure what Billingsley and Glavine have in common but a nice looking card none-the-less... I'll let those Dodgers and Braves fans battle it out to the death for this one...

 And whomever loses can have this consolation prize...

 Next up, a nice Fisk and a pretty low number. Pretty sure I'm not going to have a problem trading this one.

 Or this one, sorry Red Sox fans, had to get this one as a counter point to the Fisk... Bucky Bleepin' Dent. Nice.

Finally, the greatest card from this trade:

It's PEE WEE!!! With a nice swatch of jersey in the C. Again for the many Dodgers fans I deal with...

Have a great day!

Mail Day! eBay and a Group Break

Got a bunch of cards in the mail lately!

First, a silk from eBay:

Next up, another eBay pick up... another lonely card on my slow journey to completing the 2011 Gypsy Queen Autograph Set...

Really guys, if anyone has an autograph from the 2011 Gypsy Queen set, I'd LOVE the opportunity to trade for it.

Finally, I got my group break look from Colbey over at Cardboard Collections. I picked up the Texans in his first ever Football Group Break for $7... figuring I might get a nice Foster or Schaub... never in all my life did I think I'd hit mega-paydirt... FREAKIN' SWEEEEEEET... DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR!!!!! J!!! J!!!! WAAAAATTTTT!!!!!

And what's even better... look at what it's numbered to:

2 out of 10?!?!?! Are you kidding me?!!?!?! AWESOME!!! I got other cards, but honestly I'm a bit too excited about this one to really look at the others right now!!!! Thanks Colbey for a fun break!

Trade Night - February 2013

I went to trade night the other night at my LCS... it was a great month since Series 1 just came out. Lots of pack wars. I won a pack war and a trivia contest. Nothing special from the trivia contest, but I did win this from the pack war:

No COA, but still a cool mini helmet for sure! By the way, any Packers or Favre fan can gladly make me a trade offer...

Well, I made the mistake of scanning everything I bought in two scans... so here it is:

 From 2.5 Jumbo Boxes and 3 regular packs, I got the above and below cards... The Mercilus was a gift from my buddy Bobby as he knows I'm a big Texans fan, after he pulled what will be a $1,000 card (/25 autograph relic of RG3). Nothing too exciting from Topps other than that redemption! Apparently it thought I wanted Rockies relics and pitchers' autos. Can't complain about the Rizzo either.

News hit today that Webb is retiring, talk about your flashes in the pan... I know injuries played a major part, wish he'd have had a longer career. I love the Silver Slugger cards. I was not too happy with the Belle. I don't know why Topps/public hasn't vilified Belle as much as others in the "era" but I have never considered Belle one of the "clean ones" where I have no doubt.

Alright, that was my trade night! Any and all are for trade...

COMC Pickups

I got a package in on Saturday with my latest round of pick-ups from COMC.com... love the site and I keep throwing more money at it to pick up some great cards!

Just missing the blasted "E"!!!! They look pretty awesome in a row like that, don't they? Can't wait to snipe the "E" some time!

A couple more silks to my growing collection! Plus a sweet Pettitte relic from A&G. But my favorite of the bunch is in the top right, that Maddux/Bagwell combo is sweet! A match up I watched a LOT...

A couple of awesome Berkmans, with a patch on the left one, numbered /99! The Oswalt/Clemens is nice too! Now that last one on the right, that looks like the back of the card with an Alou/Lane relic, let's see what's on the other side:

WHAT?!?!!? AWESOME!!!! Bagwell and Biggio! Any card with 4 relics is awesome to me! 

Finally, the big awesome super great fantastic amazing card:

Whoa!!! Numbered 02/40!!!! SWEEEEEEET!!!!! I got this for a VERY fair price and I LOVE the piece of hat relic in there that is obviously part of the star and part of the H!!!! Love this one!!!!

Well, I've already got another package from COMC on the way, including another Nolan Ryan that I can't wait to get in hand!

February Group Break - Box #3 - Topps Jumbo 2013!!!

I figured I'd get this up well in advance of the Super Bowl...

Scans after the page break...

February Group Break - Box #2 - Limited

Here's the video:

And as always, a page break before the scans:

February Group Break - Box #1 - 2005 U&H Topps Chrome

Here's the video:

And as always, scans after the break:

2013 Topps Tribute Want List

Base Cards Needed:
NONE

Duplicate Base Cards for Trade:
TONS - Send me a Want List!

Parallels for Trade:
Stanton - Blue - 57/99
Marichal - Green - 71/75