The Martian Has Landed

*sits down, has coffee in hand and a stack of cards. takes a sip, is ready for the latest cards over coffee post*

I am not sure how many of you were watching the skies a few days ago, but if you missed it, a UFO was spotted over Yankee Stadium and a Martian was left behind.

A Martian that can truly hit a baseball and it wasn't just talk all of these years.

Jasson Dominguez came out swinging in New York hitting a homerun in his first at bat, which is about the only thing exciting about this season for the Yankees. The future is bright in the city though.

Even though his numbers aren't complete fire yet, hitting .231 average with two homeruns, I think it was the right time to call up the kid and get his MLB career underway.

Even though I don't collect a lot of baseball anymore, just 90's inserts, Ken Griffey Jr, Aaron Judge, Derek Jeter and a few specific cards that catch my eye, I have been collecting Jasson Dominguez some since his first Bowman came out.

I thought to celebrate his MLB debut, I would show off some of my favorite cards from my collection of him...with coffee of course.

Yes, it's Panini card, but it's purty isn't it?

1st Bowman

1st Bowman Chrome Mojo (it's a nice looking card and I gave up Texas Rangers to acquire it so was all gain for me)

Once again, I know it's Panini, but I like the design of this one with the throwback to Donruss and the pinstripe relic.

Prospect Relic from Elite.

Upper Deck Goodwin included Dominguez in their product one year with autographs, base, parallels and relics like this one.

As soon as I saw this one a couple of years ago for trade, I jumped on it. This may be my favorite card of Dominguez I own.

 

If it wasn't for this one. This one has to be the favorite one right?

I have others that could have made the list, but I focused on the top ones. I have roughly 25 cards in my Dominguez collection which isn't big to anyone else, but I think it's a good one.

I just hope he keeps on hitting.

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

I haven't watched much Yankee baseball this year, but I hope they put a game on so I can see Dominguez swing at least once this year.

Thoughts on my collection, Dominguez, your collection of him, any other prospect you are excited about welcomed in comments.

I hope you enjoy your cup of coffee this morning and this post.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Late To The Party

This isn't usual for me, but I was late to the party.

Being someone who is all about being on time, I was quite late this time. Fortunately for me, all of the snacks or in this case, Topps Series 1 was still waiting for me.

This will be the first time in seven years I won't be ripping open a hobby box and I am okay with that. Both hobby and retail come with one hit and 99% of the time for me it's usually a manufactured or plain swatch relic anyways for both. I am really only losing out on the extra base cards, and I don't chase the set anyways.

One of the main reasons I am late is that my Walmart didn't have any in stock when many others did. They are always late with new releases, so I wasn't surprised when I went to look for some and none was there.

When they finally did show up and made it on the shelves, I had the option of a Hanger Box or a Blaster Box. I went blaster since I wanted the guaranteed hit instead of mostly base cards.

So, here we go!

*takes a sip, begins to rip*

The blaster boxes come with 7 packs of 14 cards each. There is one commemorative patch and each box is roughly $25.

There was a lot of talk early about the design for this year's product and I don't have any issue with it. It reminds me of Sunday Night Football when they announce the players, and their heads pop up with their name. Of course, we can't hear the cards talk to us like the SNF players but maybe someday. Who knows where this hobby is heading.

Here is the card back for this year for those of you who haven't seen it yet.

Along with the regular base there is also subset base of,

Future Stars,

 

Rookies (I didn't pull any of the main guys I still need for my rookie card PC)

MLB Leaders

 

Team Cards

and Celebration Cards. Great photograph on this one.

Overall, there are 330 cards to chase in the base set. This number always feels like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Not too many cards, not too few, it's just right.

In Walmart related Series 1 products you can find Blue Border parallel cards,

I found Aaron Nola as mine and it was oddly the only parallel I found in the whole box. I had expected to pull at least a rainbow foil.

The inserts this year for Topps are a little more jazzed up than usual. I like the improvements made but would fix one spot as you will see below.

Welcome To The Club has 24 cards to collect. It's always fun to see a name like Eric Davis still getting some recognition on cardboard.

1988 Topps set. I am so tired of these throwback sets. There are 100-too-many in this set and these re-used sets need to go!!!!!

Greatest Hits has 25 cards to chase. I really like the design and shine to these.

Speaking of that rainbow shine, Stars Of The MLB fall one-per-retail pack and have 30 cards in the set. 

Home Run Challenge card. I never do these and usually give or trade them away. I would rather get something for nothing.

And in my last pack, well I made it my last pack since you can feel which one the "hit" was in,

Team Logo Commemorative patch of Aaron Judge. This is a better hit than I have had in Series 1 hobby the last seven years. Always feels good to pull a PC card especially when you are drinking coffee doing so.

This will probably be my only rip of Series One this year as I felt satisfied enough with what I got. No need to get into trouble and double dip like George Constanza did as my helping of one round was good. Though I do need to find the other rookie cards for my collection and if any of you have doubles of the key guys, let me know!

Hoping to be on time for the next product release, but if my Walmart continues the way it has been, it will be someone else's fault for me being late to another party.

Coffee Card Blogger Out.

Coffee Break:2021-22 Prizm Basketball Blaster Box

*tips mug towards the screen hoping for you to do the same, cheers for coming back for another new Cards Over Coffee post*

*takes a sip*

It's amazing two years later how basketball cards have fallen back under the radar again. No more hearing about flippers shoving collectors to the ground for product they can flip that would have Zion and Morant rookies in them. There are actually basketball cards on the shelves again. 

Including Prizm!

Since I saw some recently and since I like Prizm and collecting rookie cards from it, I grabbed a blaster and going to show off how I did on here.

*takes a sip before beginning the rip*

In every blaster box of 2021-22 Prizm basketball, you will find 6 packs of 4 cards per pack. Each blaster has no hit guarantees except three blaster exclusive Ice Prizm parallels. Each blaster goes for $35 each. I miss the $20 days.

BASE:

I won't show off the regular base, but here were the key rookie cards I found in break. They have the same design as the base.

Not anyone I have heard of among this group. Overall, there are 330 cards to collect in the base set.

PARALLELS:

As always, Prizm is loaded with parallels. LOADED. Here are the options for this years basketball,

PRIZMS PARALLELS: Blue Wave, Green, Green Ice, Green Wave, Hyper, Ice, Blue NBA 75th, Orange Ice, Pink Ice, Pulsar, Purple Wave, Red/Gold Wave, Red Ice, Red/White/Blue, Ruby Wave, Silver, White Sparkle, Red /299, Blue /199, Purple Ice /149, Blue Ice /125, Purple /99, Red NBA 75th Diamond /75, Orange Wave /60, Orange /49, Pink Pulsar /42, Choice Blue /39, Purple Pulsar /35, Blue Shimmer /30, Green Pulsar /25, Mojo /25, Gold /10, Gold Shimmer /10, Gold Wave /10, Lucky Envelope /8, Black Gold /5, Green Shimmer /5, Black 1/1, and Black Shimmer 1/1.

CHOICE PRIZMS PARALLELS: Blue/Yellow/Green, Tiger Stripes, Red /88, Blue /39, Red/Blue/Purple /15, Green /8, and Nebula 1/1.

FAST BREAK PRIZMS PARALLELS: Base Fast Break, Blue /150, Red /100, Purple /75, Pink /50, Bronze /20, Neon Green /5.

FACTORY SET HYPER PRIZMS: Blue, Green, Orange, Purple, Red.

PREMIUM FACTORY SET PRIZMS: Base /150.

Green and Purple Wave

 

Silver

Blaster Ice Prizm parallels in the blaster

And the best hit of the group, Jalen Green!

INSERTS:

Instant Impact has 25 cards in the set to collect and Emergent has 30 to collect.

There are 10 cards to collect in the USA Basketball set. This one is a silver parallel.

Not a bad break, the Green definitely saved the cost here.

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

I think I have fallen into the basketball cellar as well. I haven't really been chasing any recently other than a few 90's inserts and a couple of Allan Houston's since he was 90's related. Those are always welcomed. But, as for my newer player PC's I started, I have had no interest in adding more RJ Barretts, Obi Toppins or Immanuel Quickleys right now. I am happy where those collection are at.

Let me know your thoughts on newer basketball card collecting and if you feel it has taken a back seat some.

Have a great Thursday!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Coffee Break:2021-2022 Panini Hoops Basketball Blaster Box

*these repulished posts make for a good weekend read don't they? time for another break*

You ever have one of those so-called "blonde moments"? Well, I can admit that I did recently.

And I am far from blonde unless you call dark hair and growing bald just that.

I saw a box of 2021-2022 NBA Hoops sitting on the shelf at Walmart and thought I saw it as the NBA Hoops Winter edition that comes with a Christmas Sweater so I snagged it. Everyone knows how much I love my Christmas cards.

I never noticed that I grabbed the wrong box until I opened it and saw no holiday sweater card. 

Then I read it. UGH.

Well, regardless, I still got to open some basketball cards something you couldn't do a year ago.

Let er rip!

*takes a sip, begins to rip*

In every blaster box of 2021-22 Panini NBA Hoops basketball, there are 8 packs of 11 cards. Each blaster has no guarantee other than some inserts and possible parallels and hits. Blasters currently run $27.98 each.

The base card set is Hoops like. Good photography along with an outside white border.

270 cards make up this year's Hoops checklist. There is some incredible photography used in this set such as this Zion and the main base set is built up of 200 veterans

And 70 rookies. My box was weak rookie card wise.

There are plenty of photography packed inserts as well.

You can find the following parallels in this years Hoops,Anniversary Edition, Blue, Green Ice, Hyper Blue, Neon Green, Purple, Purple Winter, Red Backs, Teal Explosion, Winter, Yellow, Silver /199, Green /99, Hyper Red /99, 75th Anniversary /75, Red /75, Blue Explosion /59, Artist Proof /25, Hyper Green /25, Orange Explosion /25, Red Explosion /15, Artist Proof Gold /10, Hyper Gold /10, and Artist Proof Black 1/1.

 

These are blue and purple.

Inserts can come with the following parallels, Holo, Hyper Red /99, Artist Proof /25, Hyper Green /25, Artist Proof Gold /10, and Hyper Gold /10.

There are 30 cards to collect in Lights Camera Action

15 cards make up the Frequent Flyers set.

Arriving Now is 25 cards deep in its checklist featuring rookies.

25 cards in the Class of 2021 insert set.

Sky View has 25 cards to collect.

The Slam inserts return featuring the basketball covers from the magazine.

My favorite card from this break was the holo version. This card looks amazing. Would make for a great set chase.

Not too much excitement in this break other than that last card. But, maybe a buddy of mine needs some more set help and I am willing to help out.

Thoughts on this break welcomed in comments.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Upper Deck Made Me Happy

*fresh brewed cup of coffee uplifts the spirits on the cool 50 degree fall day. Finding a new box of retail product is also just as uplifting and being able to share my thoughts on this product on my favorite blog is a bonus. It's time for some, #CardsOverCoffee*

I am not a big hockey guy. I don't watch it, don't have any teams or players I follow and I rarely collect it. But, after seeing some previews for Upper Deck's latest hockey product in Metal Universe and knowing my love of the 90's, I was actually hoping to find some to open. 

And guess what.....I found a blaster!

It's just too bad it wasn't at normal blaster price of $20 anymore. I became hesitant after seeing the price of $30 knowing I don't collect hockey that much, but decided in the end the nostalgic me needed to try it. So I did.

Was it worth the gamble? Let's see.

*takes a sip and looks around wondering what should go with this cup. Donuts? Bagel? Toast? Hmm...takes another sip*

I ripped into the first pack and felt the kid in me come back out after seeing the first base card.

Upper Deck absolutely nailed the base card design. This is exactly what I would have expected from Metal Universe and this design is a mix of all three 90's Metal.

Even the back of the card is perfect.

Here are the other base cards I pulled in the break,

And there are even a couple of subsets that still stick with the theme of the product. Both subsets fall 1:2 packs which makes the chase even more fun.

The subset offerings are,

All-Stars keeps the design but adds on Stars to the metal side and the word All-Stars behind the players.

\

And Rookies. I don't collect hockey as I said so I am not sure if any of these guys are good or not, but they still will work great in my rookie card PC.

The rookies don't appear to be any different than the base other than the word rookies behind the players.

*takes another sip and is still indecisive on breakfast*

I found a parallel in every pack, not sure how common that is. Blue Spectrum Parallel for base fall 1:2 packs while rookies and All-Stars fall 1:4 packs.

The cards have a shine and are similar to PMG's (Precious Metal Gems) which aren't in this product sadly.

There is some Skybox Premium add-ins however with these Prospects which fall 1:4 packs.

They also have a superfractor looking parallel in Star Sapphire parallel that falls 1:10 packs.

Upper Deck also had me very excited when I found out they did a throwback to the 97-98 Metal Universe set. These fall 1:4 packs.

Intimidation Nation is a throwback insert to the late 90's rare insert. These ones are not as rare, but just as stunning. They fall 1:8 packs.

And now my favorite card from the break,

Net Deposits which falls 1:6 packs. What an amazing card and definitely brought me back to the 90's.

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

Upper Deck made me happy with this break. Was there any big hits? Not really. Was there any "investing"? No. But, was it a trip back in time and the most fun I have had out of a retail rip this year? ABSOLUTELY. I was left wanting more but may not be able to find more.

So I will end with a thank you Upper Deck for making something this much fun. This was better than the time I found a box of Dunkin' Decaf Coffee Pods hidden behind the caffeinated boxes and believe me, I thought that was the greatest thing ever.

Leave your thoughts below on this product!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*