Cards you don't see on the blogs.

 

So, I've never liked Roberto Alomar. Even before he was the guy who spat in an ump's face.

But I've always enjoyed this card. Can you think of any other card which shows a broken bat AND the ball in the same photo?

Me either.

Short, but sweet.

Silver Packs. Everyone loves silver packs.

 

Well, it's been a difficult time in the last few years to be able to write or blog as much as I feel the need to. As most of us know, it's an outlet and sometimes we just need to do it. I've spent most of the last ten years writing awful jokes on Twitter, mostly because brevity is appreciated there, and there's a lot of others doing the same.

Back to baseball cards, 1985 Topps is one of my favorite sets of all time, mostly because of the large team name, logo, and team color-coded design. The following cards are the cards that accompanied the 2020 boxes I have bought over the last 3 years. The Strawberry is 059/199 and the Bellinger is 22/50, two of the best parallel cards I've pulled in years.

None of these guys have really inspired anything on the field in 2023, but they're still great cards to have in the collection, particularly the Hiura, because I need more cards of Californians whom I had mistakenly thought were Hawaiians.

There's a lovely Griffey, which happens to include year by year career stats on the back, not that I can read them any more. I still don't know if the Bichette will be included by collectors as a version of his RC. I don't recognize it as such.

Not much to say here, except Kieboom has been a real disappointment. Still, cool cards to have.

Gwynn, even to this Dodger fan, makes me so happy. It's also a great thrill to own an alternative version to Roger Clemens' RC of 1985.

Some of the lesser names round out the list of 1985 Topps silver packs. I will always love these cards, as much as any of the silver pack cards from any of the years, They're just so well made and so pleasing to the eye.

I had one more bunch of 85 reprints, because 85 is much more appeasing to the eye than 2020 Topps. That Neuse is 33/50. Buying jumbo boxes of every series in 2020 gave me no complete series like they used to, but they gave me some good 85 reprints!

When you become friends with a Hollywood screenwriter on Twitter.

 This is my first post that is not on the subject of baseball cards.

But I just had to share it, not so much for my own gratification, but for the kindness of a stranger. It occurred back in 2017, when I was more active on Twitter, rather than the blogs.

My joke writing had caught the eyes of several Twitter "elites" and thus some of the people who actually wrote for a living. Included among this bunch, was Ed Solomon, writer of Men in Black, Charlie's Angel's, Bill & Ted. etc.

I had just complained briefly about the fact that I loved Cheez-Its, and they weren't available anywhere in Australia. Ed sent me a private message asking for my address, and I gave it to him, anticipating one box of Cheez-Its. 

This is what he sent me.

What a great gesture, from a great man who has repeatedly asked for nothing in return.

Ed Solomon. What a guy. I owe him a beer or 10!

Nick

Look what I got! 2023 Topps Jumbo Box Review

 No, this isn't so much of a 'Look what I Got' post, but more of an I'm still alive and I want to start blogging again as often as I can. Basically, this is my therapy. I endured 3 strokes early last year and I've only just returned to full time work after spending months in hospital and rehab. And what would someone like me do with extra cash once they were back on their feet? Buy cards, of course! I needed to catch up on the previous 24 months of cards which I had missed out on due to other circumstances. I did that nice and early. But earlier this month, I had the chance to nab a jumbo box of 2023 flagship series 1, and it arrived from NY less than a week later. By now, everyone has seen the base cards. I still need 4 to complete series 1, a trend which has become unfortunately common since 2020 series 2 jumbo boxes.

Here are my awful silver packs :

Don't get me wrong, I still love the shiny, thick cards, but this is my least preferred batch of players.

How did I go on the regular 88's?

Not too bad. I'm supposed to hate the Giants and the Padres, because I'm a Dodger fan, but anything Mays and Gwynn will always make me happy.

Now it's on to the other 88's and randoms..

That blue bordered Maddux would look so much better if he were pictured as a Dodger. Or even a Cub.

The Aces are by far the best insert this year, and I was genuinely happy to land an Aramis auto, instead of some rookie pitcher from the Rockies whom nobody will know about this time next year.

How about some numbered parallels?

That orange Trout is /299 and I absolutely love it. I remember getting similar looking cards in heavily discounted retail packs of 2015 Bowman from Walmart in Hawaii back in 2016.

Gold and silver rainbow foil cards aplenty!

I think that Adley cards are overrated. Not his fault, but the fact that he was born in 1998, which makes his too old to be a hobby prospect. Like Judge in 2017.

Cool, but boring.

Apart from not completing the entire first series from a Jumbo Box, this was a very satisfying bunch of packs to rip. Can't wait for series 2!

Nick

Still hanging around...

OK, folks.

Despite my lack of posting recently, I am still going strong and collecting.

This post is mostly experimental, as I haven't posted since I moved to my new house in June 2014. That was the last time I used my computer, and it has now been replaced by a phone and tablet.

Basically, if this post works, I will be able to resume blogging at a reasonable rate.


Guess I might have to take a few photos of cards with this thing!

OK,  just one to begin with. 

Hope it works!

Thanks for reading,  Nick J.

Collecting in 2013 is complete.

G'day folks!

 I really wish I had more time to write here these days. The above pic is what I want my stash of cards to look like. Imagine an Earthquake has caused this beautiful set of shelves to topple forwards onto the floor. That's what my stash of cards currently resembles.

 The only place that I am able to read and comment in the Blogosphere is at work, and since I can't really take my cards there to photograph and post, I'm essentially confined to being just a reader & commenter.

 Over the last month, I set aside about a thousand bucks to purchase sets of cards that I have always wanted, or always get. Naturally, the 2013 Topps Factory Set was first, and the complete Update Series was second.

 I also found some cheap junk-wax boxes here in Australia which had free shipping - 4 boxes of 1993 Stadium Club came my way for less than $70. 1 x Series 1, 1 x Series 2 & 2 x Series 3. I had decided on 2 of the Series 3 boxes, because I knew that another Blogger has wanted the Charlie Hough Insert for a very long time. I didn't even land one of them for myself. 3 copies of the David Nied card from the same insert set made me angry at Topps collation, even if it was over 20 years ago.

 Some other sets came my way : 2008  & 2009 Upper Deck, as well as 1998 Fleer Tradition, including all SP's in the checklist, and the complete '63 Fleer Retro set issued alongside the '98 Tradition set. There are some absolutely amazing cards in that set!

 To the guys who may have been waiting for PWE's or Blogger Boxes from me, you've just read about the reason why I haven't sent them out yet - I really wanted to see if I could nail some wants for you with my new cards before I sent 'em out.

 So, the packages have been put together, and they'll be thrown your way on Monday.

 Thanks must also go to Night Owl and Nick @ Dime Boxes for mentioning me in the last couple weeks. To me, you guys are THE blogarometers (it's a thing!), and for me to be mentioned by you guys recently really means a lot. Expect a friendly reward!

Cheers,

Nick J

Father time...

G'day folks!

 It's been a while since my last post, but I do have a good excuse : My Wife gave birth to our first child 13 days ago.

 I've looked at maybe 100 baseball cards since that day, and it really is impossible to keep up with everything going on around here.

 Mr. Night Owl, I did read your comment over at Dime Boxes, and I also found that I have the other 1995 Stadium Club card you require (Eric Karros) here in my doubles pile. It will be heading your way, along with Delino.

 I will email you in the morning, man!

Hopefully I'll be able to find the time to blog about cards soon enough, but at this stage I really have to prioritize my priorities!

Nick J