The Unicorn Of Bloggers

The Unicorn; Informal definition, "the term unicorn is used to describe someone or something that is very rare and almost impossible to find".

I consider myself that when it comes to being a sports card blogger.

About 99% of the blogosphere is built up of baseball card collectors, a sport I don't dabble much into anymore other than Ken Griffey Jr, 90's inserts and a couple of NY Yankees players. I guess that makes me the other 1%.

So, when it comes to exchanging cards with fellow bloggers in the mail, things can get a bit more complicated since I don't have "that baseball team" like the other bloggers.

Despite the challenge, my latest mail day from Night Owl Cards showed that these types of exchanges can still take place despite me being that unicorn.

Just check out what he sent,

I think I made a comment about this Mondesi in one of his posts. Great 90's insert back when creativity was top shelf. These were found 1:30-1:36 packs depending on hobby or retail.

This is a nice tribute to the 1998 insert, I will take it. Volpe has also shown some bright spots.

I have the Griffey, the Frank Thomas and now own the Piazza. Such a cool looking insert. I am thinking it's set chase time. These fell 1:12 packs in 1997 Fleer.

I got quite a few of these from my father and surprisingly did not have this Piazza version. Each player has nine cards in the set.

Own The Game is a tribute to a past Topps insert line, they look really nice in hand. Nicer than the pictures I posted or ones I have seen online. I also won't ever turn away Aaron Judge cards. Love his story and his game.

Mining For Gold fell 1:12 packs of 1996 Metal Universe. It's shiny, gold nugget goodness.

I like inserts outside the usual; this is one of them. Once again, inserts in the 90's will always rule over today's stuff. These fell 1:8 packs.

 

I have always been a big Fleer Metal fan, this 1:8 insert falls into my category of a keeper.

Thanks again for the mail day Greg!

I was really happy with everything you sent and sorry for my unicorness (if this is even a word) which made your search a little harder.

I have more many Dodgers to send your way soon, just for a heads up.

Don't forget you can start to nominate cards for the 2025 Coffee Card Hall Of Fame!! Cards don't have to be autographs, patch cards, super star cards. It can be whatever you think is Hall Worthy! Find details and current nominations HERE.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Home Field Advantage

Hot coffee, warm morning, laptop open and a new card to show off. It's time for some Cards Over Coffee!

But, before I kick off today's post, I have a couple updates on my shoulder. 

First Update, on Wednesday I went to see Ortho, they examined me and decided to take my arm out of the sling because they don't want me to end up with a frozen shoulder and have the rest of my arm stiff either.

However, there was no clear answers on what to do going forward yet. There is still the fracture, but they are also trying to figure out if I tore anything. The consensus was there's a good possibility that I tore my rotator cuff, but need an MRI to tell if I did that or any other damage before they move on with a treatment plan. Hopefully I didn't tear it as that would stink as I didn't even pitch an inning in the big leagues yet and the fact it would take a long time for rehab.

Second Update, I called MRI yesterday and they are fully booked. I cannot get in until February 6th. So, even more waiting for answers to come when all I want is simply to have my arm back. You don't know how good life is when you have both of your arms. Especially your dominant one.

*takes a sip*

Speaking of update, my buddy Shane pulled a really cool card that I wanted from this year's Topps Update. It's an insert I have wanted for a few years now.

And guess what....now I own one.

 

Home Field Advantage. I think these are some of the coolest looking inserts out there and the bonus here is that it's a NY Yankee with future stud Anthony Volpe. I love the art appeal to these and how it showcases the player and the city they play for and how it's represented.

Don't tell me you don't agree.

I also like the fact that these cards are not easy pulls. I believe they are one-per-case hit so it brings me back to the good ole days of the 90's when inserts looked great and weren't easy to pull. Nostalgia hits with this one.

The ultimate goal in my collecting is to land a Ken Griffey Jr one. It's my main baseball PC and it features a coffee cup on the front. How does that not sound like a perfect fit into my collection?

Thanks again Shane for the trade.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

Speaking of Home Field Advantage, I have a feeling this weekend's NFL Championship games will belong to both home teams. There is just something about playing at home and it feels since the season started that this is what its been coming to.

I hope everyone has a great Friday. Take care and I highly recommend not falling on any ice.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

The Wes 30 Part 1

Coffee is hot and so aren't the cards I am showing off today, so let's get to a new Cards Over Coffee shall we?

Every Christmas since I have known him, Wes formally of Jaybarkerfan/Area 40 blog, sends a box of explosives at Christmas time. Well, not real explosives, just mind blowing, jaw dropping cards or as he usually calls it, bombs.

So, don't show up to my house FBI if you are reading the word bomb here, you won't find bombs, you will find a man in his underwear with a pile of cardboard at a table on his laptop sipping coffee. Okay, maybe not the underwear part, I just wanted to make sure you were reading.

*takes a sip*

Wes always sends so much cardboard that I usually don't post it all, not that I don't appreciate it all, but it's way tooooooooooo much to post.

So, instead, I am splitting it up. There will be some NY Giants posts on Big Blue Cardboard featuring some 1/1 Rodney Hampton love along with a few other players, and on here, I am doing a countdown of my favorite Top 30 cards. Which that alone wasn't easy, I could have done many 1A, 1B and 1C kind of cards, but I just stuck with the 30 the best I could.

Let's kick it off with 30-16.

#30 1997 Score Complete Player Brett Favre. 90's insert with some shine is always a win.

#29 Santa Claus under center. This card has been on my want list a long time.

 

#28 Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe Platinum parallels. I couldn't put one ahead of the other.

27.1998 Presss Pass Kick-Off Die Cut. 

26.1998 Topps Gunslingers Steve Young. Look at this beauty!

25. 1994 Upper Deck Holojam Reggie Miller. Despite my hatred of the player, holograms are always winners. Give me all of them!

24.1993 Pro Set College Connections Drew Bledsoe/Mark Rypien. The original Cracked Ice.

23. A new card towards my set, as I said earlier, holograms are always winners.

22. 2020 Panini Stickers Blue Foil Patrick Mahomes /299. Love me some Mahomies! I still side PC him.

21. 1998 Stadium Club Chrome Refractor Steve Young. They sure don't even make these like they used to.

20. 2017 Leaf Patch Auto of TY Jones. Not any player I have ever heard of, but it's a nice swatch and autograph.

19. 2014 Panini Country Music Tom Gossin

18. 2014 Panini Country Music Barry Knox. I don't know what it is, but I just like this product. Both 18 and 19 have no meaning to me other than that. Wonder how far I am along with the autograph set if I was to look since I have quite a few from this product. Hmmm...

17. 2019 Topps Allen And Ginter Autograph mini Burton Rocks. Sports attorney, agent and writer. Sounds like the career I would want other than being a coffee inspector.

 

16. 2018 Topps Star Wars Galactic Files Reborn Barion Raner Autograph. I am not familiar with this character from Star Wars, but a Star Wars auto is a Star Wars auto and it's a new one to my collection.

And that's it for this round. I will continue my countdown with cards 15-1 next time and it will be quite an ending, so I hope you have your coffee hot and ready for that one.

Til next time!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*