What's In The Bag?!

*takes a sip of hot piping joe and gets ready for another new post in the New Year on Cards Over Coffee*

 

Jeff Parrett best described the mood when my mother-in-law this fall said she had a neighbor who dropped off some baseball cards to her. It was pretty obvious where she would be dropping them off to next.

When I saw her car pull in the driveway, I looked out the window like a dog waiting on it's owner to return from a quick shopping trip. The only difference was I didn't pounce on her when she came into my house. I can't say that I didn't try to rip the bag from her hands though.

The excitement of new cardboard soon diminished when I looked in the bag,

Jim Snyder best sums up my reaction.

*takes a sip with the same reaction behind the mug*

My eyes are not as great as they used to be, but even they could see cards tossed in a bag and apparently from the "junk wax" era as well.

Yup, I have that same feeling Sparky.

 

The "Junk Wax" era has its nostalgia and hits home for a lot of collectors, for me though, it doesn't. I started collecting in late 1993 into 1994 which is past that era so those cards for me are more annoying than anything as I have already more than filled up my collection with needs from that timeframe.

So my only hope was that something magical was hiding in this bag. Maybe even a unicorn.

*takes another sip, revisits the bag again in my mind*

 

Larry Walker rookie cards. Not a bad start.

A couple of big names, maybe this bag will surprise me after all.

My anticipation to keep digging expression

Then came the endless pit of 1990 Donruss, 1989 Topps, 1989 Donruss and 1988 Topps I expected. Not a single solid player in that mix either and the condition was questionable as you could already tell from the ravaged cards.

How I was feeling at this point

Then I caught a bit of a break and found a few decent cards in the mix.

(I consider this one decent because I am a fan of oddball food releases)

 

(once again, oddball)

(I always like finding earlier SI for Kids cards)

In the bag picture above, if you spied it correctly, there was a baggie in there. That baggie I set aside and saved for last just "in case" it was the "bigger cards" in the bag.

It appears to be a baggie full of basketball cards. Larry Nance kicks it off.

*takes a sip, begins to.....unseal? Rip? Open?*

And I was right about it being all basketball,

Sam Vincent, Mark Price, James Worthy, Karl Malone and John Stockton were great names to find.

 

Then followed up with another James Worthy, Byron Scott and Magic Johnson.

Not a bad way to end the bag of mystery.

Mike Young best describes my overall feeling of the bag

 *brews another cup of coffee to finish up the post. Sits at the table to type and takes a sip*

That moment hot coffee hits your tongue scalding it and you don't want others to know

I pulled out some of the cards to add to my collection while others will find a new home in my box of dupes. That box gets picked through for extras in trades and sometimes given to kids who come to my yard sales as my help in expanding the hobby initiative.

Let's Chrome It All

*takes a sip of early morning coffee. Coffee is good any time of day, but something about that first cup first thing in the morning is where it really hits the sweet spot. It's like watching Ken Griffey Jr hit a home run with that swing*

I haven't had the chance yet to update my health on here so thought I would tackle that first then lead into today's post.

Before I had my second kidney stone surgery, I had to have a "health call-in" with my PCP since he no longer is taking in-person visits currently and my internet is crud so I couldn't do an online virtual call. He wasn't too happy with my blood pressure still, I have had to test it at home the past month so he stuck me on a third blood pressure med that has so far been decreasing it though it's not where it needs to be quite yet. It's a working progress.

On the better health news front, I had my second kidney stone surgery which was a success. Both stent and stone were removed and I am currently recovering. I will be having a checkup with an ultrasound in a few weeks to make sure my kidneys are still properly working after having those surgeries but so far, so good.

*takes a sip of coffee feeling better about a clean slate to start off 2021*

For one of those kidney stone surgeries, my wife made a quick trip to Walmart-something we have avoided with the pandemic-and surprised me with a blaster box of 2020 Stadium Club Chrome baseball for a cheer-me-up.

I was more impressed by the fact she was able to find any cards but the fact it was Stadium Club Chrome was a bonus.

*takes a sip*

2020 Stadium Club Chrome is a new, but old product, as it was in the 90's for a very short period. It appears they are finally understanding collectors love of chromed items as they have now in 2020 put chrome on Stadium Club, Allen and Ginter (really wanted to open some of this) and even came out with a second round of Topps Chrome and called it Topps Chrome Black.

I guess if chroming things works, stick with it!

*takes a sip, begins to rip*

 

Every blaster box of 2020 Stadium Club Chrome baseball comes with 4 packs per box with 6 cards per pack. Each blaster comes with a bonus 1 pack of 4 bonus card X-Factor parallels. Boxes when not being flipped are $20.

 

The base card design is the same as Stadium Club except it has a nice layer of chrome on it. Up close, these look superb when you have that photography and open non border design as well. I actually liked it more than Topps Chrome which says a lot for me who is a die-hard "chromie". It's like a groupie but for Topps Chrome.

The base set is a pretty big sized one at 400 cards, which is really large for any chrome products and includes players like Baez above

and legends of the past

along with all of the rookies.

*takes another sip, feels the tummy grumbling for some breakfast. Will have to think on breakfast while I tackle the parallels*

When I saw another chrome product, I expected a year long list of parallels like all the other products. The good news is, there isn't a lot of parallels to seek out. You can find Base Refractor, X-Fractor, Wave, Gold /50, Orange /25, Red /5, and SuperFractor 1/1.

I pulled only one, yes one, refractor in this blaster and it looks outstanding. The image combined with the shine may have made this one of my favorite cards of 2020. That's coming from a Yankees fan about a Mets card.

The only other parallels I found were the four card bonus x-factors,

Cespedes

Rogers (seems like I pulled this guy often when I did open baseball)

Soto (solid!!)

And lookie here, one of my main NY Yankees pc players and my favorite Yankee player of all-time in Derek Jeter. Great PC add.

*decides on a bagel, puts it in the toaster and moves onto the inserts*

Inserts have the following parallels to search for in Gold /50, Orange /25, Red /5, and SuperFractor 1/1.

Emperors Of The Zone has 25 cards in the set and has all of the top pitchers in the game.

And the always exciting and included Beam Team. These fall 1:4 packs and have 25 players to collect.

*bagels ready, time to sum this up so I can eat*

I really enjoyed this box break, despite how short it was. I doubt I will find anymore blaster boxes around even if I did make the trip to Walmart but it left me wanting more.

Speaking of wanting more, there are a few cards I am specifically looking for in the product I may need help landing,

• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Refractor Ken Griffey Jr
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome X-Factor Ken Griffey Jr
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Inserts Ken Griffey Jr
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome base Derek Jeter 
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Refractor Derek Jeter
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Kyle Schwarber
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Refractor Kyle Schwarber
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome X-Factor Kyle Schwarber
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Orange Refractor Kyle Schwarber
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Wave Refractor Kyle Schwarber
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Gold Refractor Kyle Schwarber
• 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Red Refractor Kyle Schwarber

There are reasons for this list I will tackle at a later date.

I hope 2021 has kicked off positively for you so far and I hope you have had at least one cup of coffee while checking out this post. I will be on my third cup soon.

The Year Of No Resolutions

 

*takes a sip of a New Years brew and a bite of blueberry muffin*

Happy New Years Coffee Card Loving Fanatics!

Today marks the day I usually make a list of resolutions in the hobby and do my best to stick to them. Sort of similar to the non hobby resolutions except I actually accomplish some of my hobby ones. I am still on Year 10 in a row of the same weight.

After experiencing 2020, I decided this year I won't be making a Hobby Resolutions List. Last years list went down the drain and looking at the way the hobby is continuing to head, making a list could lead to more disappointment and I think I had more than enough of that last year.

So I decided I would just go with the flow and see where the hobby takes me. No lists of sorting, no lists of chasing certain cards or making a list of sets I want to complete. I will just sit back and try to accomplish what I can however I can whenever I can.

I wish all of those who are making Hobby Resolutions lists the best in their journeys. 

*takes another sip*

I am wishing you all the best in the hobby, health and life in 2021.

You Serious Clark?

*it's Christmas morning, time for a quick cup of coffee and a post before the day fully begins*

I cannot say enough how much I love Christmas. The traditions, scents, tastes, lights and most importantly family brings this holiday into full force like no other holiday.

Christmas also means multiple viewings of my favorite ALL TIME MOVIE, notice how I didn't say the word ALL TIME CHRISTMAS MOVIE, in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

Christmas Vacation is by far the best movie out of the Vacation Series and is probably Chevy's best film as well. Though he is my favorite actor and there are other films of his I do enjoy.

The past few years I have been adding items to my Christmas Vacation collection. Last year was a huge year when I was able to land Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid Leaf autograph cards through trades. I also added a popcorn tin that featured the movie as well.

This year I would have to add more to keep the collection growing though there was no way of adding any autographs. But some form of shopping would have to take place even if it was just a small item or two.

"Wouldn't be the holiday shopping season if the stores weren't hooter than they—hotter than they are." — Clark

*takes a sip before showing off the goods*

 

"You Serious Clark?"-Cousin Eddie

I can't remember if I showed off this shirt yet or not, but it's one of two I own and wear. It goes well with the Christmas Vacation pajama bottoms I have as well.

"I hope nobody I know drives by and sees me standing in the yard staring at the house in my pajamas." — Audrey

The first item I added this year was something that actually released last year. I found this bobble head for $5 at Dollar General. Glad I grabbed it when I did before they sold out.

I don't own a lot of Funko's, though I would love to, but my wife found both Clark Griswold and

Cousin Eddie. The saying goes that every family has a Cousin Eddie, if you don't know one, its you. Glad I know one because nobody wants to be the Cousin Eddie.

"Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?" — Clark

There are still a few other Funkos I hope to add to this at some point.

My wife then gave me a couple of early Christmas presents, who doesn't do that? It turned out she was helping me search for new pieces as well.

I didn't know how many ornaments that Hallmark made of the movie. IT IS AWESOME. This one features one of my favorite lines and scenes from the movie. It actually says it but I am not sure if I will open up the box to give it a try or not yet. You know, a collectible kinda thing.

Todd: Hey Griswold. Where do you think you're gonna put a tree that big?
Clark: Bend over and I'll show you.
Todd: You've got a lot of nerve talking to me like that Griswold.
Clark: I wasn't talking to you.

 

The other she got me was the movie cover ornament of a fun, old-fashioned family Christmas.

"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here." — Clark

Still a lot more ornaments I need to add. Some are not very cheap and are tougher to get.

And that does it for this years adds. Hopefully I can find some more next year!

*takes a sip before closing*

When today ends, I usually pull down my decorations the next day and start a countdown to summer and warm weather again. But I wouldn't be honest if in the back of my mind there wasn't also a countdown to next year's Christmas.

Before the decorations go down tomorrow, I will probably spend a couple more hours in my favorite decorated spot in the house. Just so bright and colorful. Just makes you smile and also looks better in-person.

"Dad, you taught me everything I know about exterior illumination." — Clark

Though for me it's interior though I do decorate some outside but not to Griswold extent...yet. My wife sees its coming.

I actually look forward to having a good Old-Fashioned family Christmas some day when I am older. I would love to have the family all under one roof, well maybe, and just enjoy whatever it brings for a week or so with all of the mixed personalities in one spot.

*takes a sip before finally closing out the post*

I hope everyone who is reading this will have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!

The New Mentality

*brews his cup of coffee, pours the last little bit of Peppermint Mocha creamer that's in the bottle and decides that's probably it for the Christmas season on that.*

  

The New Mentality in the hobby is spreading and spreading fast.

When I got my father back into the hobby three years ago, he was all about adding cards to his collection and opening packs for the thrill of the chase. 

Then 2020 hit and he caught The New Mentality.

He started to see how others were making big time money off from retail flips and decided to dip his feet in. That's the starting point of The New Mentality. First it was a fat pack. Then a blaster. Then a blaster and a hanger. And then he started to do the thing I hate most, clearing off most of the shelves of products and even attempting to flip the unflippable products like Score. It had gotten so bad where he wouldn't even tell me what products were on the shelves when I texted for him to pick me up something. He preferred to flip it for more than have me be able to open some. 

That was a painful realization.

The New Mentality is an ugly disease in the hobby. It's when greed and money means more than card collecting. It's all about the money and not about the fun. I believe the only cure for people who have caught The New Mentality is to show them how to have fun collecting again.

I am currently working on that with my father. It's a slow, slow cure especially if someone has had that mentality for awhile.

*takes a sip of coffee while game planning the next part of my cure*

Before The New Mentality fully hit him, I was able to land myself one more blaster box from him in trade. It wasn't the hottest product on the shelf but it was better than nothing at the time.

*takes a sip, begins to rip*

In every blaster box of 2020 Panini Optic baseball, there are 27 cards. There are 6 packs of 4 cards of Optic then an extra 3 card pack of Pink parallels. Each blaster is $20 unless you are buying from a flipper.

There wasn't much in terms of names of note for base, so I will skip to the rookies which I was impressed with. There was almost two in every pack which seems odd to me. Feels like the last time I ripped Optic on here there was maybe a couple total. 

Even found a Gavin Lux Rated Rookie. He's no Luis Robert in terms of value, but maybe down the road he will be.

*takes a sip happy at what I have seen already*

 

Now onto the shiny stuff and inserts

Nelson Cruz Silver

Inserts of Illusions with Trevor Story, The Rookies AJ Puk and Stained Glass with Ketel Marte

This Lindor was my favorite designed insert of the group, Mythical.

*takes another sip before another rip*

Now onto the bonus Pink Pack Parallels.

Each of these have three cards. Could be insert parallels, subsets or base. It's all a surprise.

Andres Munoz. Not sure who this is.

Acuna! 

Hiura

Not too bad at all!

*finishes up cup of coffee with the remaining Peppermint Mocha creamer, now back to Hazelnut for the next cup and to finish up this post*

Remember above where I mentioned the spread of The New Mentality is fast, since my father started doing that, others around the area caught it. They have the disease much more than my father does as they follow the vendor store to store to store taking all they can and leaving the scraps. Scraps are known as Hockey cards. This has helped me out some in trying to fix my father's catch of The New Mentality. He isn't getting the opportunities as much to flip anymore and I have been trying to take advantage of that and remind him how great the hobby is just collecting again.

And believe me, collecting is great. So isn't coffee.

Before I close, I wanted to give you some insight on what to look for when you or someone else you know has caught The New Mentality.

Here are the signs to look for to know if you or someone you know has caught it, it's as simple as one, two, three.

1. Buys a pack, blaster, hanger or mega box of a popular product when its able to be found
2. Looks up value online to see what it goes for.
3. Flips it.

It will be pretty obvious when you have or someone you knows does.

How do you know if you are cured or don't have it? Well, that's as simple as one, two, three as well.

1. Buy a pack, blaster, hanger or mega box of a popular product when its able to be found.
2. Barely make it to the car before ripping it. It's okay to rip it just outside the Walmart or Target door. We all have been there.
3. Enjoys the cards that were opened.

I hope this helps. If you or someone you know has caught The New Mentality, remember to remind them why they got into collecting in the first place. It may or may not work but it's worth a try.