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Showing posts with label 2008 Masterpieces. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2008 Masterpieces. Show all posts

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Mini Mall pt. 6 - Cheap Masterpieces

I've already got the complete base set for 2008 Masterpieces, but that doesn't mean I'm above picking up a good inexpensive SP here and there. I found not only two short prints that I didn't have at the flea market, but two that I really, really wanted. Found 'em cheap too!

2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces #110 Yogi Berra

75% off box + $3.00 sticker = 75 cents for Yogi. I might even have this one already, but who cares, it's Yogi. If there's one person I wouldn't mind having a Sandy Alomar Jr.-like pile of doubles of, it's the Zen master. Actually, with this card I can probably just put this set to rest. I for the Spahn and Yogi Short Prints, I'm not sure if there's any more I have to have.

2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces #114 Willie Stargell

This one is just ridiculous. I found this baby in the 2008 base card box. The one marked a dime each. I got Pops for a dime! How is that possible? That's the cool thing with short prints, every so often you find one where it shouldn't be and get a deal on it. Same thing happened with my Dave Winfield SP. you start to think that us card nerds are the only people who actually pay attention to this stuff.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Video - cheap Wal Mart blister packs

Sorry about the lighting on this one, I thought I could successfully film at late afternoon but apparently not. I've added actual card scans to the video for the first time to make up for the poor quality. The packs turned out to be better than expected.



Best card in the bunch? This one here:


Not bad for a couple of discount junkers.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Two Completed Sets

I'm kind of embarrassed about this, but that trade I made with Nachos Grande actually finished off my 2008 Allen & Ginter set. That Randy Johnson card I mentioned? The only one in the package I didn't scan? Well, that was the last one I needed. I was thrown by a couple of empty slots in the binder at first which is why I thought it wasn't completed. One of those holes was an AJ Burnett card I pulled to scan for a Hot Stove League post. The other was a Joey Votto card that I pulled out of my doubles box for someone in a trade, promptly lost the thing and ended up sendint them the one out of my set instead. I found the two cards in a box of stuff and now the set is officially complete. Time to work on filling holes in my 2006 set.

That's not the only set I completed this week, the past package from my Masterpieces begging post came in the mail yesterday. I now have the complete 90 card base set and the only short print I wanted, Warren Spahn. My '07 and '08 Masterpieces sets are now safely in their binder and I've got a year to wait for an '09 version. I don't mind the wait, just keep the quality up and ease up on the impossible short prints and I'll be happy. Each of the five readers who finished off my set sent soem extra stuff with them, so this is a good time to show 'em off. I picked 2 cards from each package to showcase.

grcl - sent Jake Peavy

1973 Topps Dave Lopes rookie

I'm honored that someone with Davey Lopes in their handle would send me one of his rookie cards! I've got it already, but I'm going to pass it on to someone in the Xmas giveaway. '73 had some neat triple rookie cards, the best of which has to be the Cey/Schmidt.

2002 Topps Super Teams Warren Spahn

2002 Super Teams was a one off set that featured cards from a handful of World Series winning teams. The '57 Braves were one of those teams. I tried to get a team set, but I'm not sure if I have the Spahn already or not. I kind of wish I had collected the entire set now. The cards are on an Archives-style clay card stock and it's sort of a retro precursor to the '04 Timeless Teams I'm so interested in now.

2008 Legendary Cuts Jeff Francouer

I really like the way the SP Legendary Cuts sets looks this year. I hate the way they short printed all the legendary players to hell. It's too damn expensive to boot. Luckily, I think I have the complete non-short printed Braves team set thanks to Jim. I included three cards from this package because it's pretty huge. Here are the rest:

23 1990 Topps cards including Glavine, Smoltz and Avery
28 more Glavines
3 more Smoltz
3 more Avery
12 Chippers
3 Lemmers
2 Murph (in Phillies and Rockies unis, ugh)
3 more McCanns
3 Andruws
5 Javys
4 Kleskos
4 Great Justice
6 Galarragas
and 46 more Braves that I'm not going to list out


Dan Wood - Jay Bruce

2008 Topps Updates & Highlights Brian McCann jersey

I really like this insert set. The foil Yankee stadium facade is neat and the oval design is different. I've got both Braves now so I'm feeling good.

2005 Topps Updates & Highlight Jair Jurrjens rookie card

I probably have at least a half dozen of this card, one of which I recently pulled out of a penny box. I'll take 'em all though, Jurrjens is the closest thing we have to an ace and I'm optimistic about his future. Sophomore years scare me for young pitchers though. I've seen too many Horacio Ramirez and Chuck James flops. I think he'll turn out all right though.

Also:
7 Chippers including: 08 UDX die cut (with notches intact), 08 Chrome trading card history, 08 Topps Stars, 07SP Authentic Power, 07 Fleer Perfect 10, 06 Bowman Heritage jersey and foil parallel.
08 Donruss threads Murphy & Aaron
06 '52 Rookies Tom Glavine retro
93 Upper Deck Strike Force Maddux Glavine Smoltz and Avery
89 Fleer Zane Smith
4 extremely crisp 1986 Fleer cards of Horner, Smith nad two combo cards featuring Murph. These must have come straight out of a pack!


jacobmrly - Gary Sheffield & A-Rod

2006 SP Authentic Chipper Jones #618/899

Ah, parallel cards. Simultaneously the bane and joy of player collectors. A bane when you're hunting 'em down, a joy when they fall in your lap. This one is from 2006 SP and it quite frankly is lazy. The card is the exact same as the base cards just with a serial number stamped on it. I always saw SP as a signature brand for Upper Deck, but they're really mailed it in the past few years. If they're going to abuse the brand like that UD should just discontinue it. I likey getting a Chipper I didn't have for the collection though.

2004 Playoff Prestige Chipper Jones Stars of MLB #70/100

Speaking of parallels, here's some Donruss. I'm not sure what flavor insert this is, but it's numbered to 100. I'm almost positive it's a parallel. I'm sure glad I'm not obsessive compulsive about having every one of Chipper's cards or these weirdo inserts and parallels numbered to a hundred or less would drive me to drink. It's a nice looking card though, even though the scan does not do it justice.

Max sent 15 other chippers including:
2007 UD Jersey, 07 Moments & Milestones black #7/29, 00 Finest Dreamcast, 98 SPX Star Force #2204/6500m 97 Finest uncommon, 03 Fleer Lumber Company, 98 Gallery auction card, 98 Pacific Crown Royale Pillars of the Game, 99 Powerdeck, 97 UD Predictor and five base cards.


Scott - Michael Young

2008 Upper Deck SP Chipper Jones .400 batting average

Scott send over some extra goodies with my spoils from the Updates and Highlights blaster break. I still think the SP set from this year is kind of boring, but this Chipper insert commemorating Chipper's run at .400 is pretty sweet. I'm looking forward to a few more of those kind of inserts next year.

Legends Masterpieces jersey of Joey Freaking Mullen!!!

I drooled over this card when it was first pulled in his Legends Masterpieces box break. The Flames, as you may know, were originally stationed in Atlanta before they were cruelly stolen by invading mounties. Man, it killed me when they won the Cup in '89. Joey, MacInnis, Otto, Gilmour, Fleury, Vernon... they should have been winning that cup for Atlanta! Now Atlanta has a new team whose terminal ineptness is killing my love for the sport. I need to buy a blaster of Legends, pull out the Super Nintendo and my EA Hockey cartridges and play a Stanley Cup tourney while ripping packs in between games to get me a good hockey fix.

Also: 08 SP Frenchy, 08Topps U&H gotay, Gold Ridgway

Chris - Warren Spahn SP

While there are other Masterpiece short prints I wouldn't mind having (Fisk for one) but Spahn is the only one I had to have. If I can just find a Chipper framed parallel I'll be golden.

2006 Ultimate Brian McCann 778/799

You know, Ultimate is one of those products I'd never give a second look to, but I have to admit the cards are really nice. Super thick, clean design and just a little bit of shiny. McCann in the catcher's gear is pretty cool too.

1997 Upper Deck Memorable Moments Andruw Jones

These die cut cards scan interestingly and were inserted into special packs of Collector's Choice back in '97. I got quite a few of those packs but I don't think I pulled this Andruw card commemorating his two World Series home runs. How the hell did we win two games in Yankee Stadium and then get swept? Why? How? Ugh.

Thanks everyone for the cool schtuff, some cards care coming back your way too. For the record the last card needed for the sets was a Randy Johnson and Warren Spahn. Not a bad pair of lefties.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Five Lousy Cards

UPDATE: I have offers in hand for the five I need. Still looking for the Spahn and Chipper though. Thanks for the offers!

Dan : Jay Bruce
Scott : Michael Young
Jim : Jake Peavy
Max : Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield

Thanks guys!

After three blasters, a handful of packs and a trade of 2008 Masterpieces I'm missing 5 stinking cards:

34 Gary Sheffield
59 Jay Bruce
62 Alex Rodriguez
77 Jake Peavy
87 Michael Young

Reader Chris of Project '62 knocked out about dozen I needed in exchange for 5 for his set, a couple of vintage cards and a whole mess 'o 1987 Topps. So now all I need is five stupid cards. So I did what any rational collector would do:

I bought a double blaster from K-Mart since they were on sale. Problem was I got through half the packs, didn't get a single card I needed and got cold feet. Now I have a pile of doubles and 8 unopened packs. These are the cards I have to trade right here:

1 (2)
2
4
7
9
15 (2)
18
19
21
23 (2)
25 (2)
28
29
32
33
37
39
43
44 (2)
45
46
51
53
58 (2)
60
63
65
67
71 (2)
74
81
85 (2)
86 (2)
90

SO HERE'S WHAT I'M A GONNA DO:

I want to knock this stuff out and move onto something else. I have a pile of doubles and a pile of packs. Here's my offer: Make me a trade that gets me closer to this set and I'll send you three cards for one and an unopened pack. I might even send you some more junk, who knows.

In addition to the set, I'd like to find the Warren Spahn short print #95. Base or parallel, I don't care. If someone out there has that card and is willing to send it to me, I will send you:

Five cards off that doubles list up there
One unopened pack
And your choice of any of the short prints I already have:

91 Eddie Murray
98 Johnny Bench
101 Cal Ripken Jr.
102 Nolan Ryan
105 Tom Seaver

That's 10 cards for one folks, so go find that Spahnnie.

Also - I desperately want a Chipper Jones framed parallel. Any and all Chipper Jones framed parallels*. Same deal as before: five doubles, a pack and any one of the framed cards I have already:

78 Barry Zito Black frame
50 Joe Mauer Blue frame #060/125
58 Ian Kennedy RC Brown frame #030/100
71 Ryan Howard Green frame #35/75

So if you have any of this stuff let me know and I'll get you some packs and cards. If you don't have anything I need but you need cards for your set that's cool too, shoot me an e-mail (in profile) and I'll help get your set finished.

* NO TEX. Framed Spahn cards would be cool too, but absolutely no Mark Teixeira.

Masterpieces Trade with Project '62

I made a friendly swap with Chris at Project '62 recently. We both needed Masterpieces for our set so I sent him all the ones off his want list that I had, a stack of '87 Topps and a couple of golden oldies. In return I got a huge chunk out of my set:


Aw yeah, Griffey. Someone needs to sign him, Junior's still got 151 more home runs in him. Here's some more Masterpieces...


And a few more for good measure.

Chris even threw in a few '85 Topps Braves too!

Rose Stopper, I-285 and We Coulda Had Rice. Nice mix of players there. I am now down to needing only 5 for the non-short printed Masterpieces set. Since I'm not bothering with the too-short-printed short prints, that means I only have 6 more cards to track down. I'm going to put up a begging post later today, in the meantime I'm going to bask in the glow of my 94% complete set. Thanks Chris!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

2008 Masterpieces Football

So these arrived at Target yesterday, and Thorzul and I got some. I ripped one pack over on APAD, but I saved two of 'em just for you. Awww yeah, you know I treat you right, baby. I'm guessing Basketball Masterpieces will be out sooner or later to take my money. There better be a 'Nique. I'm not holding out hope for any Falcons though, the only birds with a halfway decent moment in NFL history is Tim Dwight with his Super Bowl return and He Who Must Not Be Named with about fifty insane plays. Let's see what I got anyway. Pack 1:

83 Tom Brady
Artist: Ron Stark

Upper Deck finally credited the artists in this set. Ron does a very impressionistic take on Brady and the tuck rule on this card.

60 Malcom Kelly
Artist: Stephen Gardner

I don't know who this guy is, and I don't care 'cause he's a lousy Redskin. This is as good a time as any to show you the back of one of these cards. For some reason all the rookies in this set seem to be painted with etherial beckgrounds.

89 Wes Welker
Artist: Stephen Gardner

Wes Welker? Really? 90 cards in the set (I think) and Wes Welker makes the cut? There better be a fecking Falcon in this set if Wes Welker is in there, goddammit.

56 Silent Bob
Artist: Ron Stark

Silent Bob is looking over to the sideline where Jon Kitna is dancing and singing "Smokin' weed, smokin' wizz, Doin' coke, drinkin' beers, Drinkin' beers, beers, beers, Rollin' fattys, smokin' blunts, Who smokes the blunts? We smoke the blunts. Rollin' blunts and smokin'..." No wonder Jon's on the IR. Lions shouldn't have drafted a stoner like this, it only hurts the team. Lions fans need to blaze all they possibly can.

Scoring Drive Code Card

I give ToppsTown endless crap, yet I still want to log on and try this game. A hypocrite is me.

Pack 2:

34 Franco Harris
Artist: Ken Joudrey

Yeah! Franco! He's running so fast he's leaving Franco trails behind him. Immaculate Reception my butt, Franco's a time warping space ninja! Man I loved the Steelers when I was a little kid... Then I started following the Falcons and my life was ruined. Oh, to be young and not stupid again...

78 JACK OH MY GOD LAMBERT
ARTIST: ARTHUR K. MILLER
AKA THE REINCARNATED SOUL OF MICHELANGELO

HOLY
CRAAAAAAAAP

THIS
IS
THE
GREATEST
FOOTBALL
CARD
EVER MADE
PERIOD
I NEVER HAVE TO BUY
ANOTHER PACK OF FOOTBALL CARDS AGAIN

BECAUSE I WILL NEVER PULL A CARD
AS INSANELY AWESOME AS THIS ONE

EVER
I WANT THIS CARD
TATTOOED
TO THE INSIDE OF MY EYELIDS
HOLY
JUMPING
JESUS
ON
A
POGO
STICK
THIS
CARD
IS
AAAAAAAAWESOOOOOOOOOME
!!!!!
!!!
!


33 Some Bill
Artist: Ron Stark

Who is this fool? I don't care about him, I want more Lambert!


86 An Old Dude With Glasses
Artist: Ron Stark

This guy's not even a football player! What's he ever done?? I WANT A REAL FOOTBALL PLAYER!

THAT'S A REAL FOOTBALL PLAYER!!! I FREAKING LOVE UD MASTERPIECES!!!!!


Friday, November 7, 2008

Yet Another Masterpieces Blaster

This one was supposed to be used for a video, but after doing a pack rip on the webcam, I'm moved videos to the back burner. They are time consuming, low quality and right now I don't really know how to edit them or frame them properly. Once I have a little more free time I might try again. Blasters must be ripped, however. This is the third one I've opened, so at this point I'm just looking to pick up a few cards I actually need.

Pack 1:
23 Jim Thome
86 Carl Crawford
49 Harmon Killebrew
21 Derrek Lee

Not off to a great start as I have all four already. Killer seems to share my disgust.

Pack 2:
65 Jorge Posada
105 Tom Seaver SP
51 Justin Morneau
37 Hanley Ramirez

UGH. the one SP in the box and I already have it. I've only got three short prints in the first place, I don't need doubles.

Pack 3:
57 Pedro Martinez
29 Troy Tulowitzki
YSL4481 Rick Cerone
9 Brooks Robinson
30 Matt Holliday

This is quickly turning into a disaster. 0 for three on packs so far.

Pack 4:
15 David Ortiz
1 Brandon Webb
72 Bill Mazeroski
58 Ian Kennedy

Oh thank heaven for Maz. Halfway through the box and I've pulled exactly one card I need.

Pack 5:
36 Miguel Cabrera
8 Jim Palmer
44 James Loney
25 Joe Morgan

O-fered again. That's the risk you take trying to build a set through wax.

Pack 6:
78 Barry Zito
38 Lance Berkman
11 Carl Yastrzemski
74 Luke Hochevar

Woooo! My luck has changed! The Berkman and Yaz cards are both needed plus the Hochevar replaces one that was damaged out of a pack. Can the luck continue?

Pack 7:
24 Adam Dunn
87 Michael Young
YSL4456 Reggie Jackson
4 Chipper Jones
46 Robin Yount

Thats what I'm talking about, two more for the set in Dunn and Young. Chipper is always appreciated and I love Reggie. Pack of the box right here unless something crazy comes out of the last pack.

Pack 8:
17 Manny Ramirez
59 Jay Bruce
32 Justin Verlander
18 Alfonso Soriano

All four needed for the set! WOOOOOHOOOOOOO! This box finished off strong.

Lies, damn lies and statistics:

Base cards: 31
Short Prints: 1
Inserts: 0
YSL: 2
Cards I actually needed: 9
Holes left in my set: 15

Ok, so this was not the best box I've ever ripped. Most everything was a double including the SP, and I didn't even get a lousy framed card. There is a silver lining though, I now have over thirty doubles to dangle as trade bait. I'll have a trading post up later this afternoon for anyone needing a few to complete your set.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

2008 UD Masterpieces Fact Checking - Pack 2

I haven't done on of these in a while but I'm being hit with insomnia and I really want to make Night Owl's day night brighter, so I'm doing the fact check on my second pack of Masterpieces now instead of later.

Insomnia > procrastination.

#86 Carl Crawford


Now that's action! Great looking card of the Rays' vet. Now is the back as good as the front?

CLAIM: The outfielder from Texas
Verdict: TRUE. Born August 5, 1981 in Houston.
CLAIM: [has led] the American League in both stolen bases and triples during three of the past four seasons.
Verdict: TRUE. Led the American League in triples from 2004-2006 and led the league in stolen bases in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
CLAIM: When Crawford does something, it's almost always achieved with a tremendous amount of speed
Verdict: FALSE. Carl Crawford is a very considerate lover. So I've heard.

#65 Jorge Posada

This is one of the paintings with eerie ghostly faces in the crowd. I sure wish I knew who painted these things.

CLAIM: You can read all that up there, I don't want to type it all out
Verdict: ALL TRUE. .338 average, 4th best in the AL, first since Thurman, all correct. The Thurmon Munson line is almost verbatim in Wikipedia.

#4 Chipper Jones

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CLAIM: It's difficult to pinpoint one facet of the game that Jones excels in because HE CAN DO IT ALL
Verdict: YA DAMN RIGHT!. Upper Deck knows exactly what they're talking about! I feel good about the next card.

#64 Robin Yount

oops. Well, they got Chipper right at least and that's what's important. I'll try to fact check the next pack before Halloween. UD's doing a little better though!