BOUNTIFUL TRIP TO THE LCS

TODAY'S TWEVE DAYS OF DRAFTSMAS RECOUNTS A TRIP TO THE LCS MANY MONTHS AGO. I CHOSE THIS POST BECAUSE I MIGHT END UP AT A CARD SHOW TODAY IF THE UNIVERSE COOPERATES. I DIDN'T GET MUCH BUT WHAT I GOT IS QUALITY. FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS OF QUALITY AT LEAST. THE BEST QUALITY IS THE QUALITY YOU FIND IN THE BARGAIN BOX BECAUSE THAT QUALITY IS CHEAP

I'VE BEEN A BIT OBSESSED WITH UPPER DECK SPX RECENTLY AND I LOVE FINDING SOME OUT IN THE WILD. EVEN IF IT IS A SCRATCHES UP CARD OF ONE OF MY NOT-SO-FAVORITE PLAYERS. THIS ONE'S A GOLD CARD AND NOT A BASE CARD AS WELL BUT I DOUBT IF MANY PEOPLE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TWO ANYMORE. THIS PICTURE IS UGLY, I CAN DO BETTER

THAT'S MUCH BETTER. REAL HOLOGRAPHIC SHINY RIGHT THERE

DID YOU KNOW MICKEY MANTLE HAD A BASEBALL HEROES INSERT SET? IT WAS IN THE 1994 SET AND HAD A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DESIGN FROM ALL THE OTHER BASEBALL HEROES BUT HE DID. EARLY UPPER DECK INSERTS ARE ANOTHER OF THOSE THINGS THAT HOLDS MY ATTENTION IN THESE DAYS OF CARDBOARD EXCESS AND I WAS THRILLED TO FIND ONE IN THE BARGAIN BOX

I AM NOT AS OBSESSED WITH LEAF LIMITED AS I AM WITH SOME OTHER HIGH-END 90S CARDS BUT IT REALLY IS A DAMN GOOD LOOKING CARD. FOILBOARD WITH SHINY HOLOFOIL IS VERY LEAF RIGHT DOWN TO THE FOIL LOGO, BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE

SERIAL NUMBERS! HELL YEAH. JEFFREY HAMMONDS DIDN'T QUITE  REACH BONDS LEVELS OF STARDOM BUT HE DID PLAY UNTIL 2005. THIS INSERT MISSED ME FOR YEARS BUT ENDED UP IN THE BARGAIN BOX FOR FIFTY CENTS

THE LAST CARD FROM THE BARGAIN BIN WAS THIS 1986 FLEER ALL STAR OF DAN QUISENBERRY. OLD INSERTS JUST HIT DIFFERENT. IT'S GETTING HARD TO FIND THESE THINGS AND EVEN HARDER TO FIND ONE I ACTUALLY NEED. THIS ONE WAS LOOSE IN THE BOX SO I ENDED UP GETTING IT FOUR FOR A BUCK WITH THE NEXT THREE CARDS

THERE'S A COUPLE BOXES FILLED WITH RANDOM BRAVES, FALCONS, HAWKS AND A DEW OTHER ASSORTED ODDS AND ENDS THAT I LIKE TO GO THROUGH WHEN I VISIT THIS SHOP. I KNEW I HAD THIS HEYWARD ALREADY WHEN I SAW IT BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE TARGET EXCLUSIVE BOX OF TOPPS CHROME IN 2010 WITH THIS SET JUST SO I COULD GET MY HANDS ON THE HEYWARD. IT'S SHINY AND PRETTY THOUGH, WHY WOULDN'T I GET A SECOND ONE

SPEAKING OF CHROMEY STUFF I COULDN'T PASS ON THIS 1993 FINEST CARD OF OTIS NIXON. I DON'T HAVE A TON OF FINEST FROM 93 WHICH IS A SHAME SINCE ITS ONE OF THOSE ICONIC FIRST YEAR DESIGNS THAT ARE SO POPULAR TO REPRINT NOWADAYS. EARLY FINEST DESIGNS ARE SO WONDERFULLY STRANGE, IT'S HARD TO PASS THEM UP. THERE WAS ANOTHER FINEST CARD THAT CAUGHT MY EYE IN THE BOX

WHY YES THAT IS A REFRACTOR. I WAS AS SURPRISED AS YOU ARE. THESE THINGS ARE PRETTY SOUGHT AFTER AND THERE'S SUPPOSEDLY ONLY 241 COPIES OF EACH CARD SO IT WAS A BIT OF A SHOCK TO SEE ONE LOOSE IN A BOX OF RANDOM STUFF. MIKE STANTON (AT LEAST NOT THIS ONE) ISN'T REALLY THE KIND OF STAR PLAYER THAT WOULD CAUSE A LOT OF COMMOTION AMONG COLLECTORS BUT A 1993 REFRACTOR IS A 1993 REFRACTOR. I WAS HOPING I COULD GET IT FOR LIKE FIVE BUCKS BUT NAH, 4 FOR A BUCK. IT'S GOOD WHEN THE OWNER OF A SHOP RECOGNIZES YOU AS A REAL COLLECTOR SICKO

SPEAKING OF SICKOS, I LOOKED THROUGH A BINDER OF FALCONS CARDS AND FOUND SEVERAL PAGES OF JESSIE TUGGLE CARDS. WHY, *I* COLLECT JESSIE TUGGLE! I WAS THE #1 JESSIE TUGGLE COLLECTOR ON TCDB FOR A WHILE BUT I GOT PASSED. THIS IS HELPING ME REGAIN MY FOOTING AT LEAST. I WASN'T SURE WHICH ONES I NEEDED AS I FORGOT MY TCDB PASSWORD AND COULDN'T ACCESS IT ON MY PHONE SO I NABBED EVERY ODDBALL I COULD. NO-DISCLAIMER ROOKIES, ACTION PACKED, TOPPS HOLOPARALLEL, SCORE GOLD RUSH, COLOR FOIL IMPACT, FOUR DIFFERENT FLEER GAMEDAYS, A PLAYOFF UNSUNG HEROES INSERT AND ACTUAL FRIDGE MAGNETS. MAN I LOVE OLD ODDBALLS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE OF A PLAYER I COLLECT

MY LAST PICKUP WAS 15 PACKS OF 1983 DONRUSS ACTION ALL-STARS. THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SETS WHEN I WAS A KID AND I COMPLETED IT WITH A COMC PICKUP I STILL NEED TO SHOW OFF. BUT I COULDN'T PASS UP THESE PACKS FOR A BUCK A POP! WHY SHOULDN'T I HAVE TWO SETS? I WENT THROUGH AND TRIED TO PICK AS MANY DIFFERENT PLAYERS ON THE FRONT AND BACK AS I COULD (EXCEPT FOR TWO RICKEYS, I LIKE RICKEY) AND PLANNED TO SEE IF I COULD BUILD A SET ONLY OUT OF PACKS. I DIDN'T EVEN COME CLOSE, BUT THAT'S OK BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO RIP THESE CARDS FOR THE EXCLUSIVE MICKEY MANTLE PUZZLE CARDS SO I COULD TRY TO COMPLET THAT SET. I ALSO DIDN'T COME CLOSE. I HAD FUN THOUGH!

ONLINE MEGA BOX - PART 25

IT'S ODD I GOT STUCK ON THIS POST SINCE I ALWAYS GUSH ABOUT HOW I LOVE FOILY, SHINY ODDBALL CARDS AND THESE CARDS ARE ALL THREE. A PILE OF SPX HOCKEY POPPED UP  AND WHILE I INSIST THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT HOCKEY ANYMORE I KEEP BUYING COOL HOCKEY CARDS. 1997 SPX IS ABOUT AS COOL AS YOU CAN GET,WITH TEXTURED FOIL ON THE FRONT, FOILBOARD BACKS, A HOLOGRAM WITH AN ACTION SHOT AND A PORTRAIT THAT SOMETIMES SHAKES THEIR HEAD AT YOU AND TO TOP IT OFF THEY'RE DIE CUT ON EXTRA THICK CARD STOCK. UPPER DECK SAID ENOUGH OF THIS MESS AND ABANDONED THE HOLOGRAM GIMMICK AFTER THIS SET BUT THE ONES THEY MADE WERE ALL TOP NOTCH. I DIDN'T CLEAR OUT THE SPX CARDS BUT I PICKED UP A FEW GOOD ONES TO START OFF A BINDER PAGE

CATEGORY - SHIIIIIIIINY

1997-98 SPX ED JOVANOVSKI

I WAS INITIALLY CONFUSED ON HOW ED JOVANOVSKI MADE THE CUT. HE'S A GOOD PLAYER AND HAS A COOL NAME BUT I AM NOT A FAN OF ANY OF THE TEAMS HE PLAYED FOR AND DON'T RECALL EVER USING HIM IN A VIDEO GAME. THEN I CHECKED MY LIST OF PICKUPS AND THIS CARD WAS POSTED BEFORE THE BIG PILE OF SPX WAS SO I JUST PICKED IT UP PURELY ON COOLNESS ALONE. AND IT IS A REALLY COOL CARD, I TRIED TO PHOTOGRAPH IT TO MAXIMIZE THE HOLOGRAM PORTRAIT BUT I NEGLECTED TO WIPE OFF MY GREASY FINGERPRINTS. DON'T STEAL MY BIOMETRICS, BRO

1997-98 SPX THEOREN FLEURY

THEO WAS A ROOKIE ON THE CALGARY TEAM THAT WON THE CUP IN 1989 SO HE'S ALWAYS BEEN ON MY RADAR AS A JILTED ATLANTA FLAMES FAN. I HAVE A SMALL COLLECTION OF HIS CARDS AS I LIKED TO GET ANYONE FROM THAT 88-89 TEAM I CAN FIND BUT HE'S BEEN UHHH.. "ACTIVE" ON SOCIAL MEDIA LATELY SO I PREFER CARDS OF JOEY MULLIN, AL MCINNIS AND LANNY MCDONALD AT THE MOMENT. STILL A COOL CARD FROM MY WAYWARD TEAM

1997-98 SPX OWAN NOLAN

A LOT OF THESE CHOICES WERE ME THINKING ABOUT HOW MANY 90S INSERTS I PULLED OF THESE GUYS AND NABBING THE PLAYERS I GOT A BUNCH OF. OWEN NOLAN HAD A LOT OF 90S INSERTS. PLUS I'VE ALWAYS LOVED THAT SHARKS LOGO. I BOUGHT A SHARKS T-SHIRT IN COLLEGE BUT THAT WAS WHEN I WAS AN EXTRA LARGE AND I BECAME A 2X PRETTY QUICK AFTERWARDS

1997-98 SPX ADAM OATES

THE FIRST HALL OF FAMER IN THE BUNCH. MY ROOMMATE IN COLLEGE WAS A BIG CAPS FAN SO I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH OATES. THE PORTRAIT LOOKS BLURRY IN THIS PHOT BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE CARDS THAT HAS A 3D MOTION HOLOGRAM. ADAM IS WINKING AT YOU ON THIS CARD AND I REALLY WISH I KNOW HOW TO MAKE A GOOD GIF OF IT. IF YOU SEE THIS CARD GET IT AND SEE FOR YOURSELF

1997-98 SPX PETER BONDRA

PETER IS THE OTHER CARD WITH A 3D HOLOGRAM. PETER GIVES YOU A SMILE AS YOU WIGGLE THE CARD BACK AND FORTH. I'M NOT SURE WHY THE WASHINGTON GUYS GOT THE 3D TREATMENT BUT IT'S NEAT

1997-98 SPX BRENDAN SHANAHAN

ANOTHER HALL OF FAMER! NO HEAD SHAKING ON THIS CARD THOUGH. I KIND OF ARBITRARILY PICKED THE RED WINGS AS MY TEAM ONCE ATLANTA HOCKEY LOST THEIR THIRD TEAM TO CANADA, MAINLY BECAUSE I LIKED PLAYING THE WINGS ON THE EA SPORTS SNES GAMES. BRENDAN IS A GREAT PLAYER BUT WHEN I WAS PICKING STEVE YZERMAN CARDS OUT OF MY HOCKEY INSERT BOX EVERY TIME A RED WINGS INSERT POPPED UP I WAS LIKE YEAH!... AWWW. ANOTHER SHANAHAN

2008-09 UPPER DECK HOCKEY CARD DAY GORDIE HOWE

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR SURPRISE

I'VE LIKED GORDIE SINCE I WAS A KID AND NOTICED CAM'S DETROIT SWEATER IN FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF. I'M PRETTY SURE I TRIED TO GET THIS CARD BUT I DON'T REMEMBER WINNING IT? LIKE, I'M SURE IT WAS IN MY CART AT SOME POINT BUT IT'S NOT ON THE LIST OF CARDS I MADE AFTER I BOUGHT THE SAME CARD TWICE FOR THE THIRD TIME. MAYBE MY LIST MAKING SKILLS ARE SUSPECT OR MAYBE IT WAS A BONUS, WHO KNOWS. I KNOW I ALMOST PUT THE SAME CARD IN MY CART AGAIN LATER ON THOUGH LOL

I ESPECIALLY LIKE HOWE CARDS WITH MR. HOCKEY ON THEM. WAYNE GRETZKY ISN'T MR. HOCKEY. SIDNEY CROSBY ISN'T MR. HOCKEY. THAT DUDE ON THE BLACKHAWKS EVERYONE IS FREAKING OUT ABOUT AIN'T IT EITHER. GORDIE HOWE IS MR. HOCKEY! I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SPECIFICALLY COLLECTING GORDIE CARDS BUT LIKE WITH RICKARD PETTY, IF I SEES A GOOD ONE I'M GETTIN IT

1997-98 SPX JOHN VANBIESBROUCK

ANOTHER DUDE I DON'T TECHNICALLY COLLECT BUT MAYBE PROBABLY SHOULD CONCIDERING HOW MANY CARDS I HAVE OF THE GUY. HE PLAYED FOREVER AND HIS CAREER OVERLAPPED MY YEARS OF COLLECTING HOCKEY CARDS PRETTY CLOSELY. ONE OF MY BEST HOCKEY RELIC CARDS HAS A CHUNK OF ONE OF HIS PADS ON IT

1997-98 SPX BRETT HULL

WE END UP WITH ONE LAST HALL OF FAMER IN BRETT HULL. HE'S LIKE A TOP-5 OF THE 90S KIND OF GUY SO I WAS STOKED TO PICK THIS ONE UP. I ALWAYS ASSOCIATE HIM WITH ST. LOUIS AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HE WON CUPS WITH DALLAS AND DETROIT. THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES

HERE'S A PICTURE OF THE BACK THAT DOESN'T REALLY DO JUSTICE TO THE SHINY FOILBOARD. I SHOULD HAVE TIRED TO GET SOME GLARE INSTEAD OF AVOIDING IT LIKE I NORMALLY DO. I LOVE THESE WEIRD HIGH-END CARDS AND AM GLAD UPPER DECK GOT A FEW SET OF THEM OUT BEFORE PIVOTING TO RELICS AND AUTOGRAPHS

UP NEXT: BACK TO THE NONSENSE, LOL

ANTIQUE MALL DOLLAR BOX GOODIES

 A FEW WEEKENDS AGO I GOT BORED AND DECIDED TO GO TO A CARD SHOP. I FOOLISHLY LET TWITTER DECIDE WHERE I SHOULD GO AND THEY CHOSE 'SOME PLACE I HAVEN'T BEEN TO BEFORE". THIS WAS A TERRIBLE DECISION AS NOW I HAD A NEW CHOICE TO MAKE. I WAS ABOUT TO DRIVE AN HOUR TO GET TO A COUPLE PLACES THAT LOOKED BRAND NEW WITH BRAND NEW STORE PRICES AND NO CHEAPO BOXES OF CRAP AT ALL WHEN I DISCOVERED AN ANTIQUE MALL WITH A CARD SHOP INSIDE. THE DRIVE WAS MUCH SHORTER AND AS A BONUS I HAVE A NEW 5000-PHOTO POST FULL OF ANTIQUE MALL DETRITUS THAT I'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE WRITTEN BY CHRISTMAS. NOT GONNA LIE, THE CARD SHOP WAS UNDERWHELMING WITH A TON OF STAR BASE CARDS AT FIVE BUCKS A POP AND A BUNCH OF JUNK WAX BOXES PRICED FROM TWO TO FIVE BUCKS PER PACK. FUN TO LOOK AT AND THEY PROBABLY MAKE A NICE CHUNK OF CHANGE OFF IMPULSE BUYS FROM NORMIES BUT NOT FOR ME. THERE WAS A DOLLAR BOX THOUGH, AND WHILE A LOT OF THE CARDS WERE QUARTER AND EVEN DIME CARDS IN MY ESTIMATION, MY SPECIALTY IS FINDING THE HIDDEN GEMS AMONGST THE CRAP. ONCE AGAIN I SET A GOAL OF KEEPING IT TO FIVE BUCKS AND ONCE AGAIN I ENDED UP WITH SIX CARDS

2017 TOPPS MATT OLSON RC

2020 OPENING DAY SEAN MURPHY RC

UNLESS THERE IS A MAJOR TRADE, A CATASTROPHIC INJURY OR THE COLLAPSE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, THESE TWO DUDES ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING FOR THE BRAVES THROUGH THE REST OF THE DECADE. I'M FINE WITH DROPPING A BUCK EACH JUST SO I CAN HAS THEM ROOKIE CARDS. REALLY WISH THERE WAS AN ACTUAL TOPPS MURPHY RC IN THE BOX INSTEAD OF OPENING DAY BUT OH WELL

1997 SPX KENNY LOFTON BOUND FOR GLORY 4 OF 20 #783/1500

SPX IS ONE OF THE MANY PREMIUM SETS THAT MADE THEIR DEBUTS IN THE MID 90S AND LOOKED ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. THEN AS THE YEARS PASSED AND GREAT LOOKING CARDS GAVE WAY TO SMALL BITS OF LAUNDRY AS THE MOST DESIRED THING AMONG COLLECTORS, THE SETS GOT SHITTIER AND SHITTIER UNTIL THEY WERE STRAIGHT GARBAGE BY THE 2000S. 1997 SPX IS THE APEX OF GORGEOUS UPPER DECK DESIGNS FEATURING ETCHED FOIL, HOLOFOIL WITH LITTLE UPPER DECK LOGOS, AND THE HOLOVIEW HOLOGRAM PICTURE ON EACH CARD. THIS IS THE LAST TIME UPPER DECK USED THE HOLOVIEWS ON BASE CARDS ALTHOUGH IT SORT OF SHOWED UP ON LATER INSERT SETS. THIS MAKES ME SAD AND I REALLY WISH NOW I'D PONIED UP THE 6 BUCKS A PACK FOR THESE THINGS BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE. FINDING ANY OF THEM CHEAP IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE NOWADAYS AND I WAS HONESTLY A LITTLE SHOCKED TO SEE THIS IN THE DOLLAR BOX

THIS HERE IS AN INSERT CARD AND A SERIAL NUMBERED ONE AT THAT. I CAN'T FIND THE BASE CARD ONLINE FOR A BUCK AND YOU KNOW HOW PRICEY SERIAL NUMBERED 90S INSERTS CAN GET. HOW THIS ENDED UP IN A DOLLAR BOX WHEN BASE GLAVINE AND SMOLTZ ROOKIES WERE PRICED AT FIVE BUCKS IS BEYOND ME BUT I AIN'T COMPLAINING. POOR KENNY LOFTON GETS NO RESPECT AT ALL. I FRIGGIN LOVE IT AND WISH I COULD GET LUCKY ON SOME MORE 97 SPX CARDS

1993 WHATABURGER TRIAD NOLAN RYAN'S RECOLLECTIONS HORSIE CARD

I SPEND A LOT OF TIME BELLYACHING ABOUT HOW NOLAN RYAN CARDS ARE SO OVERPRICED, AND I NEED HIS CARD FOR ALMOST ALL THE SETS I'M BUILDING, AND IT'S SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS, AND HE'S NOT EVEN THAT GOOD ANYWAY. THE FOUR PEOPLE WHO READ THIS BLOG RELIGIOUSLY HAVE TO BE SICK OF MY NONSENSE BY NOW. 

BUT.

LENTICULAR THREE-DEE FOOD ISSUE FROM WHATABURGER WITH A COCA-COLA LOGO ON THE BACK OF NOLAN RIDING A GOSH-DARN HORSE

OHMYFRIGGINGODITSSOBEAUTIFULIMGONNADIE

GEORGIA GOT THEIR FIRST WHATABURGER LAST WINTER SO THIS CARD WAS NEVER ON MY RADAR AND I THINK FINDING IT IN THAT BOX MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME I EVER HEARD OF IT. THIS IS ONE OF A TEN CARD SET AND IS THE ONLY ONE WHERE HE'S IN COWBOY GEAR INSTEAD OF A BASEBALL UNIFORM. THIS OF COURSE IS PERFECTLY FINE WITH ME AS THIS CARD WILL LIKELY END UP THE CENTER POCKET OF A PAGE OF HORSEY CARDS IN MY NEXT COOL CHAOS BINDER*. I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THE HELL TRIAD IS OR IF THEY EVER PRODUCED ANY OTHER TRADING CARD SETS. A GOOGLE SEARCH COMES UP WITH A TON OF RESULTS FOR A FINAL FANTASY CARD GAME AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE DIGGING THROUGH ALL THAT MESS TO RESEARCH IT. I ALSO HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE HORSE NOLAN'S RIDING IS OWNED BY DELTA AIR LINES. THIS IS JUST A STRANGE CARD ALL AROUND

1996 PINNACLE MANNY RAMIREZ PINNACLE POWER

HOO MAN THIS IS A PRETTY CARD. I BOUGHT WAY TOO MANY PACKS OF 1996 PINNACLE BACK IN THE DAY AND I LOVED PULLING THESE OUT OF PACKS. IT'S GOT A DIE CUT WINDOW FOR THE STRIPEY SHINY HOLOFOIL AND THE REST OF TEH CARD IS EMBOSSED, INCLUDING THE GOLD FOIL TEXT. THIS CARD REALLY MADE THE PACKS LUMPY. THE CHECKLIST IS FANTASTIC, A REAL WHO'S WHO OF MID 90S TATER MASHERS. MANNY'S ONE OF THE TOP GUYS ON THAT LIST DESPITE WHAT HALL VOTERS THINK

JEEZ, LOOK AT BABY MANNY ON THE BACK. PINNACLE WAS RIGHT, IT WAS SCARY HOW MUCH BETTER RAMIRÉZ GOT IN LATER YEARS. ALSO SCARY HOW LITTLE RESPECT HE GOT FOR IT. I DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT STERIODS, THE LAST PRESIDENT SENT A MOB AFTER HIS VICE PRESIDENT AND KEPT CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS IN THE TOILET. AIN'T NOBODY CARE ABOUT STEROIDS ANYMORE. MAYBE THE VETS COMMITTEE WILL LET MANNY IN BEFORE I DIE, UNTIL THEN I'LL KEEP PICKING UP CHEAP PRETTY MANNY CARDS

1998 LEAF BIP ROBERTS FRACTAL MATRIX PARALLEL CARD

SO YEAH I'M OFFICIALLY COLLECTING BIP ROBERTS CARDS NOW. I ALREADY HAVE SEVERAL DOZEN UNIQUE ONES NOT COUNTING ONES STUCK INSIDE SET BOXES. RECENTLY I'VE GONE FROM MERELY YELLING OH NOEZ! WHEN I STUMBLED ACROSS ANOTHER BIP WHILE SORTING TO ACTIVELY HUNTING OUT WEIRD BIPS. THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE WEIRDER ONES. 1998 LEAF HAD PARALLELS CALLED FRACTAL MATRIX. THE FRACTAL PART COMES FROM THE THREE DIFFERENT FOIL COLORS THE CARD COULD BE (BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD) AND THE THREE DIFFERENT DIE CUTS IT COULD HAVE (X-AXIS, Y-AXIS, Z-AXIS). IT'S ALL VERY COMPLICATED, BUT IN REALITY EACH CARD COULD ONLY HAVE ONE TYPE OF FOIL COLOR WITH ONE TYPE OF DIE CUT. BIP GOT THE MOST COMMON FOIL TYPE OF BRONZE** AND THIS ISN'T DIE CUT ANYWAY SO IT DOESN'T MATTER. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW HOW IT ALL WORKS BASEBALLCARDPEDIA DOES A GOOD JOB EXPLAINING THE MESS

1998 LEAF IS A SNEAKY GOOD SET. IT'S GOT A NICE DESIGN, GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY, AND SOME AMAZING INSERTS. THE BASE SET IS A LITTLE SMALL WITH SOME SHORT PRINTED SUBSETS, BUT IT'S A NICE CAP TO THE ORIGINAL 1990-1998 LEAF RUN. IF THE SHORT PRINTS AND PARALLELS PUT YOU OFF THE BASE SET, YOU SHOULD AT LEAST LOOK OUT FOR THE INSERT CARDS. STATISTICAL STANDOUTS, STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND ESPECIALLY HEADING FOR THE HALL ARE THREE OF THE BEST LOOKING INSERT SETS OF THE 90S. TOP TOPS STUFF. THE BRONZE PARALLELS ARE PRETTY NICE THEMSELVES, THIS IS THE CLOSEST THING YOU'LL PROBABLY EVER GET TO A BIP ROBERTS SUPERFRACTOR

ALL IN ALL THIS WAS A SUCCESSFUL WASTE OF AN AFTERNOON. ALSO PURCHASED WAS THAT PACK OF 1987 DONRUSS ALL-STARS, A JAMES BOND DVD AND AN OLD LEGENDS COLLECTABLES PRICE GUIDE WITH GRIFFEY ON THE COVER. FUN STUFF AND MUCH BETTER THAN A NEW STORE WITH A BUNCH OF SLABS

*REMIND ME TO DO A SERIES OF POSTS FOR THE CHAOS BINDERS ON HERE. THE PREVIOUS ONES WERE THREADS ON TWITTER AND WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THAT PLACE IS GONNA LAST

**MAN, THE ATLANTA OLYMPICS REALLY DID A NUMBER ON TRADING CARDS. HOW MANY LATE 90S SETS HAVE A BRONZE/SILVER/GOLD THEME WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RARITY. HOW MANY SETS STILL DO THIS NONSENSE