It's Gotta Be Golden

*sits down, has card nearby, takes a sip of hot beverage and gets ready for new post*

*another sip*

When I was thinking about what title I should come up with for today's card, I immediately thought of the big hit song Golden by KPop Demon Hunters group Huntrix.  If you haven't seen the movie-the movie was meh to me-but the song is very catchy as were most of the songs in the movie.

I have Golden stuck in my head right now.

The title I felt fit today's card since it is gold and shines like its golden, so I felt good about it whether any readers connected the song to the post title.

This is a card, or a set, I have been wanting to add a card from for a long time and a deal finally popped up to be able to add one.

Everyone knows how much I love the Z-Team 90's sets and most collectors give love to the 1995 version. I give most of my love to the 1996 version. But there was also a just as impressive 1997 version, but mainly the parallels to them. The 1995 and 1996 didn't have parallels but they wanted to try something new in 1997 I guess.

The base version of the 1997 Z-Teams were just a basic silver and fell 1:71 packs. Kinda bland in comparison to the previous two years.

But....the parallel has a wow factor.

The 1997 Zenith Z-Team Mirror Golds fell 1:191 packs and stood out big time.

 

I was able to add this Kordell Stewart pretty cheap for such a rare insert.

 

The card back is the same other than the word Mirror Gold on the left side.

I am not sure if I am done with adding these yet. Will there be a set chase like the 1995 and 1996 versions, probably not. I cannot imagine what some of the better players must go for.

It's still fun though!

Let me know in comments your favorite Z-Team year and design.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, golden Wednesday.

*final sip of the post*

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

It's GRIFFening Day!

Opening Day was yesterday, but today, it's Griffening Day.

This is the day I show off my latest additions to my Ken Griffey Jr PC in celebration of MLB's Opening Day.

*takes a sip from a freshly brewed afternoon cup*

Before I show them off, let me backtrack with a quick backstory to my Griffey collecting that you have probably read on here or one of my other blogs a million time so bear with me. Some of you may be reading it for the very first time.

Ken Griffey Jr was my very first hobby PC. I started collecting him in 1996 and chased every card I could. I spent hours at card shows searching, I spent countless dollars trying to pull him from packs and when I did, it was a celebration. I hoarded every card he was on. I collected every figure, beanie baby or statue I could. I even collected food containers that featured him. I was in deep.

So deep that I was featured in Beckett baseball once for my collection and some random Beckett reader mailed me a free Griffey card because of that article.

Then came 1999. I met a girl, took two years off from collecting because she didn't like it, and yada yada yada (I will occasionally use this Seinfeld quote because it fits everywhere) we broke up and I got back into collecting again.

I came back into the hobby deep buying all that I could, but not particularly chasing Griffey like I once did. That fell off, but I would add the occasional card when I could and did.

In about 2010 when Griffey retired, I decided I only wanted to collect cards and traded off all of my Griffey items including Starting Lineups, figures, food items, beanie babies, etc for NY Giants cards at that time. I wished I had gotten Griffeys.

Fast forward to a few years ago, I have found myself going back to a Griffey faze again. I don't have the means I once did to collect him, but I add the ones I can when I can and I never turn down a new Griffey. Base card or not. It's all new to me.

Though I do have some preferences, 90's inserts/parallels are always first wants because they are the most nostalgic to me. Then comes the newer stuff that I like the shiny cards of. After that, I will literally welcome any Griffey I don't have.

Recently, I was able to add a healthy balance of Griffeys to my Griffening Day diet.

*takes a sip*

 

1996 Score Dream Team. Probably my favorite add of the group. This one falls 1:72.

 

 

1995 Score Hall Of Gold falls 1:6. Can't turn down a cheap insert.

This card sounded cooler and looked cooler in the photo I got it from, not as cool in person.

 

Ultra Respect fell 1:18 packs. I fell for this one because of the shiny part on the Respect.

Old man Griff. For some reason I am feeling this. I have been ageing with him.

And finally, the 1998 Zenith Z-Team. These fell 1:35 packs. I now have the 1995 and the 1998. I really want the 1996 version which is my favorite design of them all, maybe some day.

There you have my latest additions. I will need to update my Ken Griffey Jr spreadsheet, you can find that HERE, before I can update my overall numbers. Last I checked I was sitting at 1400 different.

I hope to add more Griffeys as I go along this year as I am chasing 2k!

In comments today, let me know your favorite Griffey of the group or let me know how you are celebrating Opening Day!

*takes a final sip for this post*

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

My Top 10 Acquisitions Of 2025

It's been a cold few days here with temps in the single to low teens during the day and below zero at night. Before I can get my fingers going on another new post, I will need a hot cup of joe to warm me up.

*takes a sip, feels it warming the body up already*

I originally was going to tackle my Christmas gifts posts, but thought I must tackle today's post so I can finish up all of my 2025 series posts the first three days of the month.

You must be impressed to be able to come here three days in a row.

I guess this shows what time I have open with school break, we will see how much blogging I do after January 26th.

Today's post is showing off my Top 10 Acquisitions of 2025. There is no particular order below for my Top 10 acquisitions as they are all equal. I could have added more and made this a Top 20. But I just wanted to narrow it down.

*takes a sip trying to get warmer*

First card up is this /5 Rodney Hampton autograph. Low numbered Rodney's are being harder to come by. There seems to be someone else who is chasing them down and competing with me.

Next up, a card with a great story (search for it from last year) and from a fellow blogging friend who saw my Top Want List. This was an obvious choice to make this list.

Following that up is my way of cheating three cards on here. But, I feel the trio of Boy Meets World autographs have to stick together.

The next card was a huge set knocker. thanks to a RAK on Twitter With this one, I should be able to finally complete this set in 2026. Hopefully I can stay focused!

 

Yes, I cheated again, but just like Boy Meets World, Impractical Jokers belong together on this list.

A tough-rare Ken Griffey Jr card that someone just sent me just as a friend and fellow Ken Griffey Jr collector? Yeah, that makes the list.

Lou was one of three major additions to my non-sport autograph PC of 2025.

Geena Davis was another big knockdown of 2025 for my non-sport autograph PC.

Shark Tooth, ooooh haha. For those of you that have seen Finding Nemo you will get that reference. For those of you who haven't, well, it's a cool memorabilia relic, it's worthy of this list.

And finally, Alec Baldwin with his Schweddy balls had to make it since he was one of the three big non-sport autograph adds last year.

Well, there you have them. Let me know which card(s) you thought should have made the list I left out or which one is your favorite and why.

Hope everyone has a great Saturday and.be there for others today. Sometimes we all get caught up in our own lives way too much and forget that others exist.

I also hope it is warmer where you are reading this today.

*takes another sip*

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

side note, my first basketball game as a head coach of the 3rd/4th grade girls is today! Wish me luck! I will let you know how it all went next post.

Ps: If you haven't yet done so, please vote in Trading Card Database Site Awards. Voting ends January 10th with winners being announced on January 11th. There are a great variety of categories to vote in...including Favorite Blog :) You can vote on those HERE.

Unfinished Cup:1995 Zenith Z-Team Football

By now you may be thinking....how many sets is this guy chasing all at once??

And by now I may replying....too many!

It would be nice just to finish up one set, but, another one pops up and I have to chase it.

There is just so much nostalgia for me and so much of it I want to chase as sets.

Not all of my set chases are even under the Set Chase tab on here. There are so, so, so many I would need hours and hours of time to list them all. There are base sets, there are insert sets and there are even relic sets. I know I am never going to ever complete them all, so I am just trying to narrow down the most important ones first and try to complete those.

One of those is 1995 Zenith Z-Team football. If you remember, a couple years ago I completed the 1996 version which was my favorite Z-Team design but today's chase is pretty good too.

There are 18-cards in the set and each card fell at a rate of 1:24 packs.

Dufex was the name of the game with these with a simple but on point design.

So far I have 7 of the 18 in this slow chasing set. Two of those are the bigger ones.

But, that's why I am turning to you! Do you have some I need? You can check HERE and then comment below or even better, drop me an email to sportcardcollectors@hotmail.com and let me know!

Thanks for coming to read today's short post. I will now get back to accomplishing some more school work.

Have a great day!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Unfinished Cup:1996 Zenith Noteworthy

I have so, so, so (times this by infinity) sets that I need to finish up.

There are some that are so close that I need to just finish so I can cross them off and move onto the next. But, instead, I end up adding more sets to that chase.

What is wrong with me?

While I wait for analysis on that question, I will show off another set that I need to finish that I am only a few cards away from completion on.

 

1996 Zenith was one of my favorite products to rip in the 90's. The inserts were stunning; the base cards were the best I have ever seen (this was before Spx hologram ones) and it felt like high quality all around.

With so much opening of it back then, I began to piece together some sets I wanted to chase including the base. I will post those numbers at some point. I finished up the 1996 Zenith Z-Team which was one of the best designed ones of the Z-Team run. Which now leads me to wanting to finish up the Noteworthy insert.

Noteworthy captured noteworthy performance numbers from the previous season. These inserts fell 1:12 packs and is an 18-card set.

I have officially narrowed it down to just four cards needed and here they are:

1996 Zenith Noteworthy

3,6,13,15

If any of you have these, please hit me up at sportcardcollectors@hotmail.com. Thanks in advance!

Hope everyone has a great Saturday and once again, thanks for any help.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Coffee Break:2024 Zenith Football Value Pack

 

So, I am officially back from a swamped/busy vacation break and now need to catch up on mail days, mailing stuff out, your comments on this blog (I reply to everyone), new posts, along with some upcoming appointments, errands and who knows what else in-between. 

Oh, and a dead washing machine today. Seems to be my luck. I had to sell both kidneys, my nose and one of my webbed toes but a new one will be delivered on Monday.

Sigh.

But here I am making a new post and because it's late, coffeeless. It's okay though, I am happy to finally get back on here.

*yawns, but continues on*

In my last post, I mentioned that my mother had grabbed me a value pack of 2024 Zenith football. Zenith as many long-time readers know, was one of my favorite 90's product lines (I know I probably say this line too much, but I simply love the 90's)

I am sure like most products that get revisited and brought back from the dead, it won't be the same kind of product it once was but hoping for some fun anyways.

Here are some of the "best" cards I found in my pack.

We kick it off with the 90's, well some players from the 90's I liked watching.

Up next....

A NEW ELI! (need to update my PC numbers on TCDB in my haha spare time)

A top pick who should be even better in year 2 with more help for Caleb Williams.

And another guy who should be better as well.

I don't know much about Washington, but with the Dolphins trading everyone away, this guy may be important next year.

A solid oline piece for the Chargers, but finding o-lineman and.....

d-lineman in packs is like finding rookie pitchers in baseball. They are simply dreadful to find (unless they are NY Giants of course)

And I found an insert, cool looking with design and being chromed, but wished it was the Nabers version!

The break wasn't overly exciting. A lot of bland base and I felt it was missing the charm of the 90's Zenith as expected. The 90's were so much better.

*yawns again, probably should finish up post and go to bed and not have a repeat of blacking out with the phone in hand from being too tired*

I will be back soon with tons of things to share including highlights from my week of vacation. I also have a couple blogger mail days, a huge reader Grady M mail day, a year in waiting mail day and all kinds of other fun stuff. 

So, have your coffee ready. Maybe dessert to. More to come.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

All The Feels

*coffee is ready, I am ready for a new post*

Have you ever been blown away by someone else's collection?

Like really blown away.

I am.

I have been following @GriffeySuper and his Ken Griffey Jr collection for a few years now and he owns Griffey cards and memorabilia I can only dream about. Like the level of dreams I had about Amy Jo Johnson and Helen Hunt when I was a kid.

Yeah, those levels (and you can just use your imagination for that)

*tries to imagine that again for a second, refocuses on a sip then on cards*

His collection has an incredible 142,000+ Griffey cards. He owns some of the coolest and rarest Griffey collectibles out there including a Pepsi soda machine. Yes, you read that right. He also has been featured in ESPN and Sports Illustrated articles about his collection and I believe a sports card one as well.

But it wasn't just his collection that got me, I was also awestruck by his story. He went through a journey to be where he is today, you can read it HERE.

Let's see if it gives you all of the feels it gave me.

*takes a sip, re-reads the article again, feels hit by the feels again*

One day he posted a huge lot of Griffeys he had just acquired which included a card I have always wanted but couldn't ever afford, so I made a comment about the card.

After a short conversation about the card, he asked for my address. I was left flabbergasted.

Along with that card, he also sent another I have been wanting for a while now.

Which is this 1997 Topps Team Timber. I remember pulling a couple as a kid, but never Griffey. It was one I had been chasing and just never landed for my Griffey PC.

Then came the card that left me floored and the one I saw in his lot that caught my eye was....

 

1995 Zenith Z-Team. What a beautiful card. Never thought I would ever hold one, not to mention own it.

STUNNED!

I had all of the feels.

I am so glad to have found @GriffeySuper on Twitter/X. Super nice guy, super cool collection, super cool story and super generous. I love to follow him to see what he adds next.

Thanks again so much for these Griffeys!!

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

With the 1995 Zenith Z-Team knocked down, my biggest want is now the 1996 Zenith Z-Team which features my favorite Z-Team design. Hopefully can add one of those by years end!

I should make a post of my top 10 Griffey wants in a future post.

I hope today's post hit all the feels for you and hopefully you took a minute to read his story.

Thanks for reading.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

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.

Also, check out my Ken Griffey Jr wants HERE.

Hospital Coffee

2024 has been brutal for me.

First, I injured my shoulder which led to a broken bone and a bruised bone/rotator cuff. From there, it has been rolling down a cliff. My car got backed into, my uncle passed away, my septic backed into my house, everyone in my household has been sick and now the latest was yesterday's early morning visit to the ER.

On top of everything else, I was buckled in pain soon after waking up on my left side yesterday morning and knew that I had to go to the ER with a suspected kidney stone. Which was confirmed once I had blood work and a Catscan done. The stone is 5x3mm and most likely won't come out on its own. So, this most likely means a fun journey to having multiple surgeries to remove it. The first surgery is to put a stent in place that I will have to stay in for a week or two, then the second surgery will be to retrieve the stone and stent. I have had this procedure done the last six stones I have had. Only once I was I able to pass one.

This means there is a long road ahead. Along with the kidney stone finding on the Catscan, there was also an umbilical hernia spotted as well. That will most likely need to be fixed with surgery later on, I will need to discuss with my surgeon first.

I cannot countdown to the end of this year fast enough. I didn't expect it to kick off like this.

At least I have the hobby to fall back onto when I need an escape.....and coffee.

 

Like this latest Emmitt Smith add to my 1995 Zenith Z-Team set chase. This is now my fourth towards the seventeen-card set thanks to another trade with @levy2628.

If you have any I don't and want to PWE trade, let me know! Always up for trading. Here is my spreadsheet of needs HERE.

Hope everyone has a great Monday. I will hopefully have more cards to post about soon and more updates on my journey with my health.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Cafe Trade #3 2024: @levy2628

Coffee, Cards, Blogging. A fun way to kick off my Sunday....or any day.

Today I am showing off my third trade of 2024 and it happens to be my second trade with @levy2628.

And once again, my trade with @levy2628 brought a variety of fun cards.

Let's see what was sent this time.

*takes a sip*

Clarence Birdseye. I bet you can't guess what he is connected to....yup...he was known as the founder of the frozen food industry including you guessed it, Birds Eye.

If only he had created Frozen Coffee.

Booming Cities mini insert

X-Ray Allen and Ginter base. Who doesn't want an X-Ray rookie card? Especially someone like me who has had plenty of them in my lifetime.

 

Always wanted one of these. Next up on my want list is the 2012 Allen Ginter People Of The Bible Jesus.

1995 Zenith Z-Team Sterling Sharpe. This is my next set chase now that I finished 1996. I will do a separate post on this in Unfinished Cup soon.

Kenneth Choi autograph from Spiderman Homecoming. Choi has starred in a variety of TV shows and Movies. Most recently on the TV series 9-1-1. Which is a much different show than what I grew up watching.

Laura Harrier played Peter Parker's love crush in Spider-Man Homecoming but has also played roles in other TV and movies along with being a model.

I am glad now to have three of the autographs from Spider-Man Homecoming and hope to add more from it and other Marvel ones as well.

Thanks again to @levy2628 for the trade. We have actually just finished another one recently so he could become Trade #4 as well.

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

I am always welcoming trades for Marvel cards like the ones above or the 1995 Zenith Z-Team needs. Maybe one of you will become the next Trade on my countdown.

Hope everyone has a great Sunday full of coffee and card happiness.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Zenith

 

Coffee and a blaster box to open....what can make this better? Oh, that's right, my asiago bagel with jalapeño cream cheese. Now I am ballin' out as some would say.

I picked up this Zenith blaster about a month ago and I am just finding time to sit down and open it.

This is the first time since Panini brought back the Zenith brand that it was offered in retail form and from images I had seen, I was pretty happy to find a box.

Each blaster comes with 6 packs of 4 cards each. There is also one autograph or memorabilia card per blaster and blaster boxes are $27.98 each. Which isn't bad with a guaranteed hit.

The base card design sticks with the Zenith feel. They were always known for a football related background. I think visually, these are fun. Still won't ever top the 1996 design, but what ever matches it's 90's counterpart? Not even my coffee!

 

I really wished they stuck with the base card design for the rookies or came up with something more creative than the word rookie in the background.

I did pull this guy though, it made me happy.

I pulled three Red Zone parallels. Red Zone was a parallel that was in the Playoff football brand line. But, Panini decided to axe the brand and must have crossed over some parts of it to Zenith.

Then came the inserts which was a mixed bag for me.

Pacific looks and feels cool, it's a thicker card, but feels out of place in this product.

Same goes with Thunder and Lightning which was brought over froim the Playoff product. The card is beautiful, but it's a meh feeling in this product.

And speaking of beautiful cards, they nailed this Revolution card. But, once again, it doesn't feel right in this product. Revolution was a standalone product in the 90's like Pacific above.

There we go! Finally a real Zenith insert! The card is also very thick an a lot more shiny than it is showing on here.

And last,

 

My hit which I expected all along to be a relic and it was. Russell Wilson who I actually like as a player and person, was my pull. I am fine with it even though he had a really rough 2022 season but I expect a bigger 2023 especially with a Coach Payton in place.

Overall, I liked the product. Even though it felt like a better version of Chronicles. I hope to open another at some point.

Good breakfast, good cup of joe and a fun break. Couldn't ask for a better Thursday.

Your thoughts on this product welcomed in comments and also let me know your favorite Zenith brand design over the years.

I need to finish my cup and grab another cup. 

So....

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*