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*

Completed The Trifecta

*sits down, takes a sip and gets ready for a new post on Cards Over Coffee*

*laptop is open and my fingers are getting ready to produce some magic*

Every year for the past five years or more, I pull off a trade with my buddy @ShaneSalmonson which usually leads me to landing some 90's wax to open around Christmas time. Which makes sense knowing he is the Cheap Wax Wednesday king of 90's so he can find the deals.

However, the last couple of years we have taken a step back on that as the crazy prices for unopened 90's wax has taken over. So there hasn't been as much unopened wax in our trades.

The ones that I have gotten though, I can't get myself to open. I know that sounds weird, but, that's just how it has been. I have roughly a half dozen 90's wax boxes that are currently being displayed on my shelves at home.

Three though, stand out above the rest.

*takes a sip before moving on with today's post*

I can't count the number of times I have posted about 90's Zenith football. I would need my hands along with your hands to do so. But, I don't want you to take your hands off from your coffee mug reading this or have me set down mine. That would be wrong.

I simply love 90's Zenith and it hits that Nostalgic heart of mine with a big arrow. Being the product, I hit my biggest 90's pull from (Emmitt Smith Z-Team), a product I am chasing the inserts and base sets of and a product with the simple memories of opening with my father, it really is a favorite.

So, when I added an unopened box of 1996 Zenith from our trade three years ago, I left it sealed.

 

Then, I was able to add a box of 1997 Zenith football sealed last year in a trade with Shane who acquired it from a fellow blogger, I decided it was time to chase the Trifecta.

I needed all three, but the cost of a 1995 Zenith football box wasn't getting any cheaper and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to complete the three.

That's until Shane went to this year's National knowing I was looking for a box, he found a cheap one and snagged it for me.

 

And it was delivered last week after we completed our latest trade.

Now all three sit on my shelf together. Maybe I should align all three in the shape of the Pinnacle logo :)

Thanks again to Shane for helping me complete this.

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

I am not sure how long I will keep all three unopened. There are days I get tempted but other days I feel I would regret doing so. It's sort of like having that devil and angel on your shoulders giving you the pros and cons of opening it. Both holding coffee mugs of course.

Your thoughts on my chase is welcomed in comments. Also let me know if you would open them or keep them sealed.

Have a Terrific Tuesday!!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

90's Cards Over Coffee:1997 Zenith Football Box Break

*takes a sip on this very nice day in July. This July has been one of the cooler ones we have had since 2009 with temperatures today being in the 70's which is more like fall weather. since it feels like fall and football is technically around the corner, let's do a football card break shall we? takes another sip and moves onto today's post*

Move over Beanie Babies and Furbys, we have some Zenith football to rip today thanks to my friend, Shane from Cheap Wax Wednesday who opens boxes like this all of the time on his blog and on Beckett online.

I landed this box in our last trade which was done around Christmas time so this has been sitting in my drafts for awhile now.

So let's get to posting this as Zenith ranks in my Top 5 favorite 90's products. The 1996 version is tops for me when it comes to Zenith with today's rip being right behind it.

*takes a sip, begins to rip*

1997 Zenith football boxes came with 24 packs of 6 cards per pack. What was fun about the 90's was the no guarantees and the thrill of the chase instead. Boxes I have no idea what prices are now, I think then it was $30 but I suspect they are more than double that now.

When you open up the box, the packs are laid out like this. My friend's uncle used to cheat the system and count packs. Meaning he knew which row and packs had the inserts while the others were duds. He used to buy boxes and boxes before knowing the strategy.

The base set is built up of 150 cards. The background I assume is a moon. There is 100 base cards.

15 season highlights

32 "rookies". These aren't true rookie cards as they feature the seasons before rookies.

There was one parallel to find in Zenith.

Artists Proofs that fell 1:47 packs. These are stunning to say the least. I pulled Bryan Still, regardless of player, the card looks great.

Now onto the part I know you have been waiting on.

Rookie Rising was already on my list of set needs and with this box I knocked down three of them. These fall 1:11 packs so I beat the odds.

What are the odds I would pull 2 Dolphins ones? And this one was tucked behind another card so I didn't see it at first. There are 24 cards to chase.

Up next, another set chase.

V2's were apart of the movie motion stage we were all fascinated by in the 90's. These fell one-per-box or 1:23 packs. There are 18 cards to chase.

And to my surprise I beat the odds once again.....

BOOM! 1:72 pack pulled Z-Team. I finished the 1996 Z-Team set, 1997 I am looking at you next! I now own two of the biggies in Jerry Rice (thx to @90sNicheFBCard) and now Marino.

That was a zinga of a box! Puts the caffeine in my caffeine-less coffee I will tell you that much.

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

Yeah, it's fun to pull a big rookie card or autograph from today's products, but I will tell you one thing, it doesn't match the intensity of beating the odds in the 90's. Those were the times to collect and why I still continue to collect cards from that era.

Thanks again to Shane for the box to rip. Memories came back and new ones were made.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Freshly Perked:Heroes

Freshly Perked is a new series that will be focused on my mail days throughout the week. I will only post this series on the weekend whether it's a Saturday or a Sunday to recap my mail days. Hope you enjoy!

This should be a fun new series on the blog that takes a look at cards I don't always show off on all of my social media reaches or even in a regular blog post on here. Not that they aren't as important, but it's more because they are smaller type mail days that don't require a big long rambling.

*goes over to coffee maker to grab a cup before moving into this post, but realizes the coffee maker didn't brew all the way through. Opens up the cover, sees that the a good chunk of the water is still held up with the grounds. Slams the cover back down, gives it another tap and for some reason or another, coffee maker is going. Being resilient for that need of a fresh cup will help you get what you want*

This weeks mail days come from a trade, a steal of a deal and some generosity.

First up, I saw a buddy of mine post a 2020 Prestige Heroes insert of Patrick Mahomes and instantly fell in love. Kinda of like when you see that big coffee mug you simply need.

So I went and found the checklist to see if any Giants players were on it and discovered that Eli Manning was. This led to a tweet by yours truly looking for that said Eli Manning card.

I ended up getting a pretty quick response after my tweet and the person wanted to do a pwe trade in which they were looking to trade for Braves cards. So I spent a good hour looking for a few of equal value and replied to that person's tweet to never hear back from them. There is nothing worse then not responding to someone. That is my biggest pet peeve in the hobby. Well, besides wasting time looking for stuff in a failed trade. This person hit both but I am not one to shout out there names from a hill top in song.

Remember that the next time you try to trade with me. I am looking at all of you.

*takes a big gulp a little angry, picks up the pile of cards nearby and looks through them again. Be one with the cards. Be one with the cards*

Fortunately, a Jets fan by the Twitter handle @pbasniper said he had a blue parallel version he would happily pwe for free my way before he threw it away. Read that again and catch the key word Jets fan in there to see why he would toss Eli away.

I was very happy to hear that after my first failed attempt to land this card.

The card arrived in a few days and was as spectacular as I expected, maybe even a little more with the Giants blue also involved.

Back of the card showcases more of the fun comic book art creativity.

This would be a fun rainbow chase, but probably a costly one. I will just be happy to own a copy of it.

A well earned thanks to @pbasniper for this mail day.

*takes a sip of coffee feeling better about the missed trade*

Next up, I pulled off a very quick trade with @GarrettAdair who had a couple of Xavier McKinney cards for sale. Yes, I put both trade and for sale in the same sentence. Knowing I couldn't buy, I reached out to Garrett about a trade and he happily obliged knowing they would be going to a good home.

Prestige Blue Extra points parallel /299

 

And autograph. My first Xavier autograph and it accomplishes my biggest want out of this years Giants draft class. His signature though, could use some coaching.

Xavier McKinney was a second round pick by the Giants and fills in a much needed position that has been a gaping whole for some time. With him and Peppers side by side, the Giants secondary got a little bit better. Big expectations are all around for Xavier.

Thanks for the trade Garrett!

*coffee coffee coffee...and cards. Three sips before the finale part of this post*

Finally, my wife could see my disappointment on one of our latest Walmart runs to look for cards and the shelves were so bare I could have set up my blogging station there with laptop and coffee and changed the name to this blog to No Cards Over Coffee.

Which wouldn't be quite as good as this one.

She and I share the same eBay account so she had a notification that one of my cards was ending and landed it for me as a surprise really cheap. I had actually forgotten it was ending.

 

This 1996 Zenith Z-Team Barry Sanders creeps me to only three more cards away from having the set. I am only missing Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders and Dan Marino from completing it. This is a slow moving snail of a 14 year set build. I know someday I will get there but first it would be nice to see a Aikman pop up. None are on eBay from what I can tell.

That does it for the very first Freshly Perked. I will see how this kind of post is received before I do another down the road. As I have said before, mail days for me right now are few and far between so I never know when the next could be!

*takes a sip of coffee, thinks over what breakfast could be today and decides on a bagel.......yes again. *