BIRTHDAY BOOLSHEET BLASTAR - PART 19: 50 CENT REJECTS - J

 TIME FOR MORE ABANDONED CHEAP-BUT-NOT-QUITE-DIME-BOX-CHEAP CARDS. THIS TIME WE'VE GOT PLAYERS FROM THE J SECTION OF THE BOX. THERE WEREN'T AS MANY OF THESE AS I EXPECTED, NAMES STARTING WITH J ARE PRETTY COMMON

ONE OF THE REASONS I HAVE SO MUCH 1992 DONRUSS TRIPLE PLAY CARDS (BUT STILL NO COMPLETE SET, GRUMBLE GRUMBLE) IS BECAUSE THE JUMBO PACKS HAD ONE OF THESE DIAMOND KING SPINOFF CARDS PER PACK. THESE LOOKED REALLY GOOD IN 1992 AND WERE SUPER EASY TO GET AT ONE IN SIX PACKS FOR A SMALLISH TWELVE CARD SET. WALLY JOYNER WAS A FAVE OF MINE SINCE HE WENT TO A HIGH SCHOOL NEAR WHERE I GREW UP AND EVENTUALLY PLAYED A SEASON AT FIRST BASE FOR THE BRAVES. I NEVER COMPLETED THE GALLERY OF STARS SET EITHER DESPITE ALL THOSE PACKS I RIPPED AND ALREADY HAVE TWO OR THREE WALLYS. THAT'S HOW JUNK BOXES WILL DO YOU SOMETIMES

DAVID JUSTICE CARDS GETTING PURGED BY A CARD SHOP IN ATLANTA IS A LITTLE ODD, BUT NOT WHEN HE'S IN A CLEVELAND UNIFORM. I REMEMBER LOOKING UP TRADE DETAILS ON A COMPUTER IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AT MY UNIVERSITY WHEN A BUDDY OF MINE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WHILE WE WERE DEALING WITH SOME SORT OF COLLEGE PAPERWORK. I'M NOT SURE IF WE WERE ACTUALLY AUTHORIZED TO USE THE COMPUTER BUT WE DIDN'T GET BUSTED AND I WAS SAD WHEN I FOUND OUT MARQUIS GRISSOM GOT TRADED TOO. I THINK I ACTUALLY NEEDED THIS CARD FOR MY LEAF SET WHICH MAKES UP FOR THE SAD MEMORIES

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS CARD WAS MIXED UP WITH THE REST OF THE PLAYERS WHOSE NAMES START WITH J? I GUESS IT WAS MIXED IN WITH THE RANDY JOHNSON CARDS BUT RANDY IS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN ON THIS CARD. HE WAS WEARING A JACKET DURING THE CELEBRATION. MAYBE SOMEONE FIGURED THAT OUT AND GAVE IT THE BOOT. I DOUBT THERE'S A HUGE MARKET FOR A SUBSET CARD FROM THE UPDATE SERIES OF A COMPLETELY DEFUNCT RETRO-STYLE SET

AHH, HERE'S AN ACTUAL RANDY JOHNSON CARD. YOU ALL ARE CHASING HIS 1989 CARD WITH THE MARLBORO AD BUT HERE'S A CARD FROM 1983! DIDN'T KNOW RANDY WAS ORIGINALLY AN OUTFIELDER ADN ABOUT A FOOT SHORTER DIDJA. OK, SO IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RANDY JOHNSON BUT YOU ONLY NEED TO FOOL ONE COLLECTOR TO GET THAT SWEET, SWEET FIFTY CENTS

ADAM JONES OFFICIALLY RETIRED LAST YEAR WHICH MADE ME A FEEL A LITTLE SAD AND A LOT OLD. I LIKED SEEING HIM PLAY AND WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE PHOTO OF HIS INSANE CATCH IN THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC THAT LOOKED LIKE A RENAISSANCE PAINTING WITH ALL THE FANS IN THE BACKGROUND. THIS IS A GREAT LOOKING CARD BUT THE DESIGN REALLY HITS HOME JUST HOW MUCH HEAVY LIFTING THE RED STRIPES WERE DOING IN THE ORIGINAL 1985 DONRUSS DESIGN

GREGG JEFFERIES ROOKIE CUP!!! TOPPS WITH THE DEFINITIVE JEFFERIES ROOKIE CARD. TWO YEARS AFTER EVERY OTHER BRAND PUT HIM IN THEIR BASE SET. AND A YEAR AFTER TOPPS' OWN GREGG JEFFERIES FUTURE STARS CARD. NOT TO MENTION BOWMAN. STILL, ROOKIE CUPS ARE RAD. NOT FIFTY CENTS FOR A 1990 TOPPS CARD RAD BUT THAT'S HOW IT GOT INTO THE JUNK BOX

WHILE THERE WEREN'T MANY PLAYERS WHOSE NAMES START WITH J IN THIS PILE THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WAS A SMALL PILE OF CARDS. EVERYONE'S FAVORITE BLAZING SADDLES REFERENCE HOWARD JOHNSON WAS REPRESENTED QUITE WELL IN THE BOX. FROM TRASH (1987 TOPPS, 1991 FLEER) TO HIGH END CLASSY STUFF (STADIUM CLUB, LEAF, 1989 UPPER DECK) TO ODDBALL (1987 DONRUSS UHHH THE ROOKIES? OPENING DAY ROSTERS? WHICH IS THE BLUE BORDER ONE). DECENT STUFF. BUT THAT'S NOT THE BEST STUFF

DENNY'S HOLOGRAM FOR THE WIN! THIS ONE IS FROM THE INAUGURAL 1991 SET AND IS SO SHINY I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITHOUT AN UNINTENTIONAL HAND SELFIE. THESE EARLY HOLOGRAM CARDS ARE UNDERRATED IN MY OPINION AND I ENJOY PICKING THEM UP WHEN I CAN. I DIDN'T DISCOVER DENNY'S EVEN HAD A BASEBALL CARD PROMOTION UNTIL ABOUT 1995 SO THERE AREN'T MANY CARDS FROM THESE THESE EARLY SETS IN MY COLLECTION. LITTLE GEMS LIKE THESE ARE WHY I KEEP BUYING BOXES OF JUNK

BIRTHDAY BOOLSHEET BLASTER: PART 13 - FIFTY CENT REJECTS D

THE NEXT BATCH OF FIFTY CENT REJECT CARDS FEATURES NAMES STARTING WITH D AND THERE WAS A JOHNNY DAMON BLOODBATH IN THE FIFTY CENT BOX

THERE WERE WELL OVER A DOZEN DAMONS WHICH SEEMS LIKE A LOT BUT THERE'S ANOTHER PLAYER IN THE BOX THAT BLOWS JOHNNY OUT OF THE WATER. JUST WAIT TILL WE REACH THE H'S. THIS IS STILL A WHO'S WHO OF ODDBALL 00S CARDS FROM THE PRETTY NICE (TRIPLE THREADS, FINEST, 1996 UPPER DECK) TO THE HIDEOUS (PLAY BALL, UD ARTIFACTS, THAT BOWMAN HERITAGE DISASTER). THERE WAS EVEN ONE CARD I NEEDED!

HERE'S A 2007 FLEER TRADITION CARD I INEXPLICABLY HAVE A WANTLIST FOR AND I NEED A JOHNNY. DO I REALLY THOUGH? DO I NEED A JOHNNY DAMON UPPER DECK ERA FLEER TRADITION CARD FOR A SET I WILL NEVER EVER COMPLETE? EH, IT'S ON THE WANTLIST I GUESS

HERE'S A BETTER JOHNNY CARD. A 1996 SPORTFLIX UC3 CARD. GET IT?? YOU SEE THREE??? MOAR PUNS ON CARDS, PLEASE! THIS IS NICE. I PREFER KANSAS CITY ROYALS JOHNNY DAMON TO COMPLAINING HE WAS ARRESTED FOR A DWI BECAUSE HE'S A TRUMP SUPPORTER JOHNNY DAMON

THERE WAS ALSO A HEALTHY PILE OF SHAWON DUNSTON CARDS BUT IT WAS HALF THE NUMBER OF DAMON CARDS AND THEY WERE ALL JUNK WAX-ERA BASE CARDS. EXCEPT THIS FINEST CARD, FINEST IS NEVER JUNK. THIS CARD HAS GONE A LITTLE GREEN BUT YOU DON'T NOTICE AS MUCH WHEN THE BORDER'S GREEN TOO

90S INSERT CARD ALERT!!! HERE'S A 1997 UPPER DECK ROCK SOLID FOUNDATION INSERT OF CARLOS DELGADO WHO WAS ON A TON OF 90S INSERTS. THIS IS A VERY NICE LOOKING SET WITH THE HOLOFOIL AND BLACK MARBLE BORDER AND IS ONE OF THE MORE COMMON INSERTS FROM 1997 SO THEY'RE NOT DIFFICULT TO FIND. CARLOS ALSO HAD A COUPLE TRIPLE THREADS CARDS IN THE BOX, I SHOULD FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH OF THE SET I HAVE ONCE I'M DONE SORTING THESE OUT

THIS LEN DYKSTRA ROOKIE IS A CARD I ACTUALLY NEED, I HAVE 86 DONRUSS IN A BINDER AND EVERYTHING. IT WAS REALLY FUNNY TO SEE THIS CARD MIXED IN WITH ABOUT TEN 2020 DONRUSS RETRO 86 CARDS OF LENNY

BUCKY FUCKIN DENT ON TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CARD WITH THE SAME DAMN PHOTO. THEY'RE FIVE YEARS APART THOUGH AND THE 2016 ARCHIVES CARD IS ZOOMED IN SO THAT MAKES IT OK, RIGHT? NEW BUCKY CARD INCOMING IN 2026

GOOD: A TOMMY DAVIS 2001 SP LEGENDARY CUTS CARD I DIDN'T HAVE. EVEN BETTER: IT WASN'T IN THE PILE OF LEGENDARY CUTS I PICKED UP FROM THE CARD SHOW!

HERE'S A NEW SHINY CARD OF DANNY DUFFY FROM THE 2017 REHASH OF THE 87 TOPPS SET. I CARE NOT FOR THESE BUT I APPRECIATE THE SHINY

RICK DEMPSEY WAS NOT A PLAYER I EXPECTED IN THIS PILE BUT IT'S COOL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN INSERT ATT FIRST BUT I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY A 2005 DONRUSS SIGNATURE BASE CARD? I WAS UNAWARE THAT 2005 DONRUSS SIGNATURE EXISTED UNTIL NOW. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY PANINI DESIGN YEARS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED UP. ESPECIALLY THE MINIMALIST BACK WITH TWO TEAM LOGOS AND NOT MUCH ELSE. IT'S SORT OF UNCANNY

ROB DIBBLE MAKES AN APPEARANCE ON DONRUSS' VERSION OF A LEGENDS SET, 2005 DONRUSS GREATS. I DON'T KNOW WHY I NEVER GOT INTO THESE WHEN I WENT ALL GOOFY OVER ARCHIVES, UD LEGENDS AND FLEER GREATS. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE BABY BLUE AND SEPIA (??) DESIGN, MAYBE BECAUSE DONRUSS DROPPED DEAD SHORTLY AFTER THIS SET WAS RELEASED

HOORAY! A 2013 1972 MINI CARD! I COLLECT THESE! I'VE COLLECTED ABOUT FOUR OF THE RA DICKEY CARDS ALREADY BUT I LIKE FINDING THESE ANYWAY. DICKEY IS ONE OF A LONG LINE OF VET PITCHERS THE BRAVES PICKED UP OUTTA NOWHERE FOR A SEASON OR TWO. I REALLY HOPE CHRIS SALE THROWS 190 INNINGS LIKE RA DID  

THE LAST CARD OF THE D'S IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WHOLE BOX. IN 1997 TOPPS INSERTED INTER-LEAGUE MATCHUP CARDS ON DOUBLE-SIDED FINEST STYLE STOCK WITH PEEL-OFF PRETECTORS AND EVERYTHING. THEY LOOK REALLY GREAT EVEN WITH THAT UGLY BAR OF LEGALESE AND COPYRIGHTS AT THE BOTTOM. THIS ONE HAS BRAVES LEGEND BRIAN JORDAN ON THE FRONT. GUESS WHO'S ON THE BACK?

THAT'S RIGHT, WE'VE GONE FULL CIRCLE WITH YET ANOTHER JOHNNY DAMON CARD. I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THIS IS A BRIAN JORDAN CARD HOWEVER. I NEED TO FIND A FINAL HOME FOR THIS CARD SO I CAN PERFORM THE RARE DOUPLE-PEEL MANUVER. FREE YOUR FINEST, FOLKS!

NEW BATCH OF FIFTY CENT CARDS

WHEN I BOUGHT MY TOPPS HOBBY PACKS I ALSO PICKED UP FIVE BUCKS WORTH OF THE 50 CENT CARDS. WHILE I AM ENJOYING RIPPING THE OCCASIONAL PACK AGAIN, CHEAPO ODDBALLS ARE THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF MY COLLECTING NOW. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE GOLD I WAS ABLE TO MINE

THREE 1992 KELLOGG'S HALL OF FAMERS

LOVE FINDING CHEAP KELLOGG'S EVEN IF THEY ARE THE 90S VERSION. THREE HALL OF FAMERS TOO! I AM NOW VERY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE 92 SET, I'M ONLY MISSING MADLOCK AND QUIZ. I'M FINDING THE 1991 SET TO BE MUCH MORE CHALLENGING, EVERY TIME I FIND ONE, IT'S STILL IN THE WRAPPER AND WHEN I LOOK IT UP ON THE CHECKLIST IT TURNS OUT I ALREADY HAVE IT. SPEAKING OF ALREADY HAVING IT, I PULLED OUT THE BINDER TO PUT THESE AWAY AND DISCOVERED JIM PALMER STARING BACK AT ME. I'M NOT MAD AT HAVING EXTRAS OF JIM THOUGH

1998 PINNACLE MINT RANDY JOHNSON WITH GOOBERED UP FOIL

LATE 90S ODDBALL ISSUES ARE DIFFICULT TO FIND NOW, AND GOOFED UP CARDS OF HALL OF FAMERS ARE INCREDIBLY SCARCE. PINNACLE MINT CARDS HAD TWO VARIATIONS: ONE WITH A FOIL STAMP IN THE MIDDLE AND ONE WITH THAT BIT PUNCHED OUT WITH A DIE CUT SO YOU COULD SQUEEZE IN A PLAYER COIN. THIS FOIL MISHAP IS EXTRA INTERESTING AS THERE'S A BLANK WHITE CIRCLE UNDERNEATH THE STAMPING. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S POSSIBLE BOTH FOIL STAMPED AND DIE CUT CARDS WERE PRINTED THE SAME AND JUST FED INTO DIFFERENT MACHINES. IF THEY HAD THOUGHT UP THIS IDEA A FEW YEARS EARLIER THEY COULD HAVE SOLD THE LEFTOVER DIE CUT TRASH AS POGS AND MADE A MINT

1985 DRAKE'S REGGIE JACKSON

LAST TIME I RAIDED THE FIFTY CENT BOXES I PICKED UP THE 1982, 1983, AND 1984 REGGIE DRAKE CARDS. I'M NOT SURE IF I JUST MISSED THIS ONE OR IF IT WAS NEW TO THE BOX, BUT I DIDN'T PASS IT UP THIS TIME. I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO COMPLETE ALL THESE DRAKE'S SETS BUT IN 1986 THEY TRANSITIONED FROM THESE TOPPS WITH A DIFFERENT FRONT CARDS TO CARDS YOU HAVE TO CUT OFF THE BOX AND THEY SEEM TO BE MUCH HARDER TO FIND. I GUESS IN THE 80S NO ONE WAS THROWING AWAY TOPPS CARDS BUT THEY HAD NO PROBLEMS TOSSING A SNACK CAKE BOX

2018 HERITAGE HIGH NUMBER REGGIE JACKSON HIGHLIGHTS

I WAS COMPLETELY CHECKED OUT ON HERITAGE AFTER 2014 OR SO AND I THINK I SAW THESE JACKSON HIGHLIGHTS CARDS ONCE OR TWICE ONLINE AND THOUGHT 'COOL!' AND IMMEDIATELY FORGOT ABOUT THEM. I'M OK WITH THIS BECAUSE MY BRAIN GOT TO EXPLODE ALL OVER AGAIN ONCE I REDISCOVERED THIS CARD IN THE CHEAPO BOX. I'M NOT SURE I HAVE ANY OTHER CARDS OF REGGIE WITH A KANSAS CITY A'S LOGO ON THE UNIFORM SO THIS IS EXTRA COOL. LIKE THE 1993 UPPER DECK CLARK BAR SET, THIS ONE'S ONLY FIVE CARDS SO I THINK I NEED TO TRACK DOWN THE OTHER FOUR NOW

THREE UPPER DECK INSERTS OFF MY WANTLISTS

1992 HOMERUN HEROES MARK MCGWIRE

I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT COMPLETING INSERT SETS BUT I'VE BEEN PUTTING SOME EFFORT IN FINISHING UP MY 1993 UPPER DECK INSERTS LATELY. THE HOMERUN HEROES CARDS WERE INSERTED ONE PER SERIES ONE JUMBO PACK. THIS IS ONE OF THE NICER INSERT SETS OUT THERE WITH A VERY CLEAN DESIGN FEATURING AN EMBOSSED BASEBALL BAT THAT WORKS MUCH BETTER THAN IT SHOULD

1992 BASEBALL HEROES BENCH & MORGAN

I WAS CRAZY ABOUT THE UPPER DECK BASEBALL HEROES SERIES, ESPECIALLY THE HANK AND REGGIE SETS, BUT I FELT IT STARTED TO JUMP THE SHARK WHEN THEY SPLIT THIS ONE BETWEEN JOHNNY BENCH AND JOE MORGAN. AS A RESULT I STILL NEED A BUNCH OF THESE TO FINISH OUT MY BASEBALL HEROES RUN. SADLY I AM JUST FINDING OUT NOW THAT THERE WAS ONE LAST ONE-PER-BOX BASEBALL HEROES SET OF BABE RUTH FROM 1995 SERIES TWO THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE

1991 SILVER SLUGGER EDDIE MURRAY

ANOTHER ONE-PER JUMBO PACK INSERT. I GOT QUITE A FE OF THESE IN 1991 BUT AM STILL MISSING SOME. IT'S AN 18 CARD SET TO MATCH THE NUMBER OF SILVER SLUGGER WINNERS, SOMETHING MY INSERT BINDER APPRECIATES. EDDIE MURRAY CARDS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

2020 ARCHIVES FRED MCGRIFF

MY FIRST FRED MCGRIFF CARD AFTER HE WAS ELECTED TO TEH HALL OF FAME. I HAD TO GET THIS CARD WITH ONE OF MY FAVORITE DESIGNS, IT'S FRIGGIN BEAUTIFUL. I DON'T EVEN MIND THE SKINNY LETTERING ON THE NAME OR THE GOOFY FAKE AUTOGRAPH ON THE BACK. EVERYTHING IS IS SO PERFECT RIGHT DOWN TO THE 1994 ALL STAR MVP CARTOON THAT THE FLAWS JUST ENHANCE THE ENJOYMENT

1994 MOUND MARVELS MIKE MUSSINA UNPEELED

ANOTHER ORIOLES CARD I LIKELY ALREADY HAVE, THIS WAS FOUND WHILE SCROUNGING THROUGH THE M'S LOOKING FOR THE 1992 KELLOGG'S BIL MADLOCK. I DIDN'T FIND IT BUT THIS WAS A NICE CONSOLATION PRIZE. I REMEMBER PULLING SOME OF THESE FROM PACKS IN 1994. PROTECTIVE FILM WAS A BRAND NEW THING AND DONRUSS DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT SO THEY SLAPPED THIS GIGANTIC WARNING LABEL TO REMOVE THE FILM SO PEOPLE WOULDN'T GET CONFUSED. IT WAS FUNNY AS HELL THEN AND IS STILL FUNNY TODAY. WHILE I HAVE NOT PEELED THIS CARD YET, I AM 90% CERTAIN I HAVE ANOTHER COPY OF THE MUSSINA MOUND MARVELS CARD SOMEWHERE AND YOU MAY REST ASSURED WHEN I FIND IT ONE OF THEM IS GONNA GET PEELED

FIFTY CENT GIFT CARD BINGE - PART 2: EVERYONE ELSE

MOARER FIFTY CENT CARDS WHICH ENDED UP BEING FORTY CENT CARDS BECAUSE I BOUGHT A TON OF EM. NEXT TIME I COULD CONCIEVABLY GET THIRTY-FIVE CENT CARDS IF I BUY SEVERAL TONS. THERE'S MORE THAN ONE PLAYER THIS TIME, SO STRAP YOURSELVES IN

2022 TOPPS FIRE OZZIE ALBIES

RONALD ACUÑA IS MY #1 BRAVES PLAYER BUT HE DOESN'T SHOW UP IN THE 50 CENT BOX EVER UNLESS IT'S ON A MULTI-PLAYER CARD SO OZZIE IS ALWAYS MY FIRST DIG IN THE BRAVES BOX. 90% OF THE NEW CARDS SEEM TO BE FLAGSHIP OR BOWMAN OR MAYBE HERITAGE SO WHEN SOMETHING BRIGHT AND FLASHY SHOWS UP I TAKE NOTICE. I AM NOT THE BIGGEST FAN OF TOPPS FIRE BUT IN SMALL DOSES LIKE A SINGLE OZZIE ALBIES CARD I ENJOY IT

THE BACK IS PATHETIC THOUGH, THIS IS PANINI LEVELS OF PHONING IT IN. JUST REALIZED THESE ARE ATLANTA HAWKS COLORS, NO WONDER I LIKE THIS CARD

2020 PANINI CHRONICLES CERTIFIED AUSTIN RILEY

RONALD AND OZZIE ARE #1 AND #1a AND AUSTIN IS LOCKED DOWN AS MY #2 BRAVE FAVE. THE LAST TIME I HIT A 3 FOR $5 BOX THOSE WERE THE THREE PLAYERS I CHOSE. IT'S NICE WHEN YOU COLLECT PLAYERS WHO ARE SIGNED THRU MOST OF THE DECADE. NEXT THREE ARE PROBABLY MONEY MIKE, SPENCER STRIDER AND VAUGHN GRISSOM BUT I NEED THEM TO GET A FEW MORE CARDS UNDER THEIR BELT BEFORE I'M GOING TO SEE THEM IN THE FIFTY CENT BOX. THIS CARD IS SHINY AS HELL SO OF COURSE IT DAZZLED ME INTO TAKING IT HOME

I'VE BEEN TRAINED TO EXPECT ANY PANINI BASEBALL PRODUCT I RUN ACROSS NOWADAYS IS FROM CHRONICLES AND THIS IS NO DIFFERENT. THIS IS FINE WITH ME AS I LIKE THE PRODUCT AND ENJOY GETTING MY HANDS ON SOME OF THE WEIRDER SETS. IS PANINI STILL MAKING BASEBALL AFTER THE SHAKEUP? I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT 2023 CARDS AND I'D BE SAD IF FANATICS MURDERED CHRONICLES. I STILL HOLD A MASSIVE GRUDGE ABOUT NEVER GETTING MY 2010 GOUDEY AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ADD THIS TO MY LIST OF GRIEVANCES

1997 FLEER ULTRA JAMAL ANDERSON TALENT SHOW

IF I SEE A SHINY INSERT CARD FROM THE 90S I GOTTA BUY IT, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLAYERS. THIS IS FROM THE FIRST SERIES OF 97 ULTRA AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE HARDER TO GET INSERTS BUT IT TURNS OUT IT'S JUST 1:4 PACKS. I BET IF I DUG IN MY FALCONS BOXES I'D FIND I HAVE ONE OR TWO OF THESE ALREADY. I LOVE THE SHINY THO

90'F FLEER INSERT BACKS ARE SO COMFORTING TO ME. BIG PHOTO, BOX O TEXT, CARD NUMBER IN AN AWKWARD PLACE. SO ICONIC

HERE COMES A WHOLE MESS OF PLAYER COLLECTION STUFF. I GOT THESE WHEN I WAS PUTTING STUFF INTO TCDB AND I REALLY WANTED TO RISE UP THOSE RANKINGS

2009 PANINI AL HORFORD

I THINK THIS WAS PANINI'S FIRST BASKETBALL SET AFTER GETTING THE EXCLUSIVE. I BOUGHT TWO PACKS AND THEN MORE OF LESS IGNORED PANINI HOOPS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I LOST TOPPS BASKETBALL FOR THIS?? I TOLD YA, I HOLD GRUDGES

2009 PANINI THREADS AL HORFORD

THREADS IS ONE OF THOSE SETS THAT IS COMPLETELY OFF MY RADAR BUT ADDS SOME SPICE WHEN YOU'RE PLAYER COLLECTING. THE DESIGN KINDA SUCKS BUT SEEING THE THUNDERSTICKS IN THE BACKGROUND GIVE ME A LITTLE NOSTALGIC SMILE. THOSE THINGS HAE BEEN BANNED FROM EVERY ARENA BY NOW, RIGHT

2008-09 SP ROOKIE THREADS AL HORFORD

ONE OF UPPER DECK'S LAST BASKETBALL HURRAHS AND IT'S UGLY AS SIN. I'M SURE THE PATCH CARDS ARE PRETTY THO

2012-13 SELECT AL HORFORD

I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT PANINI UNDERSTOOD THAT PINNACLE SELECT WAS THE RED-HEADED STEPCHILD OF PINNACLE SO IT MADE SELECT THE RED-HEADED STEPCHILD OF PRISM. DOES ANYONE COLLECT THIS OR IS IT JUST ANOTHER PRODUCT TO CRAP OUT? IT SURE IS SHINY, HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY MY HAND SELFIE HERE

2008-09 UPPER DECK MVP AL HORFORD VICTORY INSERT

 

THIS ONE CONFUSED THE HELL OUT OF ME WHEN I FOUND IT, I HAD NO IDEA UPPER DECK PUT OUT A VICTORY SET AFTER ABOUT 2001. TURNS OUT THEY DIDN'T, THIS IS AN INSERT SET IN MVP (WHICH I ALSO DIDN'T REALIZE IS STILL A THING). TO FURTHER CAUSE CONFUSION, THE HOBBY VERSION IS CALLED ULTIMATE VICTORY AND IS ON SHINY STOCK. I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF VICTORY AND CONCIDER THE MONEY I SPENT ON IT BACK IN THE DAY WASTED BUT THIS CARD GAVE ME THE NICE FEELS OF SIMPLER DAYS GONE BY WHEN YOU COULD BUY A WHOLE-ASS PACK OF CARDS FOR A BUCK

2015 PRIZM AL HORFORD ALL-STAR TEAM

THIS ONE MADE ME HAPPY. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS AN INSERT BUT THIS IS PART OF THE BASE SET. BASE SET ALL-STARS WITH A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DESIGN IS COOL AND OLD-SCHOOL. I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE COLORED LAZER BEAMS IN THE BORDER, GREAT LOOKING DESIGN HERE. I'M A FAN OF PRIZM WHICH IS WEIRD BECAUSE I LOATHE CHROME. I GUESS IT'S BECAUSE IT IS IT'S OWN THING AND NOT JUST A REHASH OF ANOTHER SET. I HATE OPTIC TOO, SO THAT MAKES SENSE

2020 PANINI CONTENDERS DRAFT PICKS AL HORFORD PARALLEL?

I'M NOT A BIG COLLEGE BASKETBALL GUY, THERE'S TOO MUCH PLAYER CHURN FOR ME TO KEEP UP WITH AND MY TEAM SUCKS ASS ANYWAYS. BUT I DO LIKE SEEING MY GUYS IN THEIR COLLEGE UNIS. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT AL PLAYED FOR MY SCHOOL'S BIGGEST RIVAL BUT HE'S NOT IN A FOOTBALL UNIFORM SO IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S UP WITH THIS CARD, IT'S ON FOIL BOARD AND HAS HOLOFOIL STAMPING. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT 'TICKET' VARIATIONS IN THIS SET BUT IS CAMPUS TICKET THE PARALLEL? OR IS THE HOLOFOIL A PARALLEL FOR THE CAMPUS TICKET VARIATION? IT'S HELLA COOL LOOKING EITHER WAY, I REALLY LIKE THE PHOTO WITH THE ARENA ROOF IN THE BACKGROUND

THESE CARDS GOT ME UP TO 88 DIFFERENT AL HORFORD CARDS WHICH HAS ME CLINGING TO THE #10 SPOT ON THE HORFORD RANKINGS BY MY FINGERNAILS. ENTERING IN CARDS FOR AL IS AN ENORMOUS PAIN IN THE ASS SINCE EVERY CARD HAS A HUNDRED PARALLELS TO SCROLL THROUGH. VERY UNLIKE THE CARD LIST FOR THIS NEXT GUY:

2021 PLAYOFF JESSIE TUGGLE

TCDB IS FANTASTIC FOR COLLECTING PLAYERS WHO PLAYED IN THE 20TH CENTURY. JESSIE HAS 266 CARDS LISTED AND THERE ARE A FEW PARALLELS AND A COUPLE VARIATIONS BUT NOTHING LIKE HORFORD WHO PROBABLY HAS WAY OVER 266 CARDS FOR SOME YEARS. HE ONLY HAD 240 UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN PANINI STARTED ADDING HIM AS AN AUTOGRAPH IN SOME RECENT SETS. AUTOGRAPHS WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT COLORED PARALLELS. TO MY DELIGHT, I FOUND THERE WAS AN ACTUAL BASE CARD IN 2021 PLAYOFF! I DIDN'T KNOW PLAYOFF EVEN STILL EXISTED! I CHECKED THE FALCONS BOX (WHICH IS WHERE I FOUND THE JAMAL ANDERSON INSERT) LOOKING SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS DUMB CARD AND I HIT THE JACKPOT. IT'S A DIRT COMMON AND IS PROBABLY IN A TOM OF DIME BOXES AND LOTS OF BULK CRAP HEADING TO THE SHREDDER BUT SPECIFICALLY LOOKING FOR ONE RANDOM CARD IN THE SEA OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTS OUT THERE AND ACTUALLY FINDING IT IS AKIN TO A MIRACLE THESE DAYS. OF COURSE THERE ARE ABOUT A DOZEN PARALLELS TO THIS CARD INCLUDING A ONE OF ONE AND A COUPLE AUTOGRAPHS BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE AS OF THIS POSTING I AM THE NUMBER ONE TUGGLE COLLECTOR IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE

THE ABSOLUTE BEST THING ABOUT COLLECTING TUGGLE IS IF YOU CHUCK ALL THE SERIAL NUMBERS AND PARALLELS AND AUTOGRAPHS AND NONSENSE OUT THE WINDOW THERE'S WAY LESS THAN 200 DIFFERENT CARDS OUT THERE TO COLLECT SO ALREADY I'M OVER HALFWAY THERE. AND A LOT OF THE STUFF I'M MISSING IS SIMPLE BASE CARDS LIKE BOWMAN AND WHATNOT. IT'S GREAT! I CAN PROBABLY HIT 150 PRETTY EASILY AND CHEAPLY IF I CAN STAY FOCUSED FOR MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU ALL PICK A RANDOM FAVORITE PLAYER WHO RETIRED BEFORE 2000 OR SO TO COLLECT, IT'S GREAT FUN AND WON'T BREAK YOUR BRAIN