Positive Start

*takes a sip of fresh brew, smiles, feeling great the way the week started*

This has been a great start to the week. First, I got an email saying my next shipment from Burbank Sport Cards Beckett Marketplace has shipped. I can't wait to show that off. Then I was chosen for a couple surprise mail days from my Monday RAK thread on Twitter and yesterday.....

 

I went into Walgreens to pick up a prescription and walked out with my first shot of Pfizer Covid Vaccine. How does that work, you may ask? Well after walking back to the pharmacy, I saw a sign that said Covid Vaccines were now available so even though I was scheduled for one on Saturday, I checked in and they had an appointment right then and there so I took it. I didn't blink an eye or think twice about doing so.

I know it's only the first shot, but it felt like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders when I walked out of Walgreens. And today, I have a minor sore shoulder from the shot, but overall, I feel great. My mood has changed as well. I can't wait until the second shot is done in three weeks so the overall worry weight will be completely lifted. The second shot is the one that gets you.

*lifts the mug and is thankful to be right handed since the left arm is where the shot was given. Takes a sip, then continues on*

Another thing that made this a great start to the week was a surprise in the mail from @JohnHollod. I knew something was coming, but had no idea what it was.

When I opened it though, I was amazed.

*takes a sip before the reveal*

I have been a long time follower of Johns and really enjoy seeing his Super Collection of Paul O'Neill that he tweets a new card of on a daily basis. John and I also have a common ground in love of 90's inserts.

So I wasn't a bit surprised when I saw a few in this package. It also was no surprise to find them as Yankees either since he is a fan like myself.

*takes another sip*

The first card I found was this 2000 Upper Deck Yankees Legends Pride Of The Pinstripes.

I know this isn't a 90's insert, but the early 2000's inserts up to 2003 were just as astonishing.

Up next, Topps Gold Label. This product pleases your eyes and makes you appreciate what the 90's brought.

Then there were the Matrix parallels from 1997 Stadium Club. These parallels fell 1:12 packs in probably what was my favorite Stadium Club design of the 90's and maybe all time. 

The last card in the package wasn't from the 90's, but was a player from the 90's and was also a jaw dropper.

This Tiki Barber was a card that John spotted in a Twitter stack sale and knew that I would enjoy so he grabbed it. He wasn't wrong, this is one of the coolest Tiki Barber cards I own.

It's also numbered to 50 and guess what, game worn. Remember those days? I do.

Thank you John for this nice surprise. I really appreciate our friendship and of course our passion for 90's cards.

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

 

I am hopeful that rest of the week goes as well as the first two days have. If not, I can always turn to extra coffee. That's my version of alcohol since I don't drink.

*finishes up cup, Coffee Card Blogger out!*

Coffee Break:2021 Inception Baseball

*box of newer product, cup of fresh coffee, it's time for some Cards Over Coffee in today's Coffee break*

Inception was a brand I wasn't sold on when it first released. Being a collector with action photography in mind I pushed off products that didn't include real photography. But, after giving it a couple of years and landing some of the cards actually in-person, my perspective changed and I realized I don't always need those full action shots. I could deal and enjoy the cards with an artistic touch.

So here we are today with a box of 2021 Inception to show off. Let's see how this Coffee Break goes. Grab a cup yourself and sit down and enjoy.

 

Every box of 2021 Inception Baseball comes with one pack of seven cards. Each box comes with one autograph, two parallels and four base. Each box is $185 currently so it's a gamble.

*takes a sip, begins to rip!*

The base set is made up of 100 cards and contains key rookies and veterans.

The design sticks to similar design of the past couple of years.

The back has a small write up along with one year of stats and career stats. 

Other base I found in my break were,

Ozzie Albies

Devin Williams

Alex Bregman

Now onto the parallels.

*takes a sip, moves onto the next part of the break*

There are multiple parallels to be found in Inception this year. These parallels include, Green, Purple /150, Magenta /99, Red /75, Orange /50, Blue /25, and Inception 1/1.

I got two base parallels in the Green.

Blake Snell

And Ronald Acuna Jr.

That does it for my two promised parallels. Now onto the last card of the box which is the hit.

*takes a sip before showing off the final card*

I have not had much success in hits in past breaks of Inception. It usually is a rookie pitcher autograph which does not tickle my funny bone.

This time however, I lucked out.

Pulled a PC card of one of the few Yankees I still collect in Gleyber Torres. It also marks the first time I pulled a patch autograph from the product as well. So not too shabby of a hit.

*takes another sip, then another because coffee is getting cold. Moves onto finishing up the post*

Inception looked good again this year especially that patch auto. That's a really sharp card. But, once again in the "new hobby era" with prices going up, the risk is there more than ever. You just gotta hope that one hit will be a big one.

*Here's to another Coffee Break, hope everyone has a great day and remember, coffee is best served warm. Coffee Card blogger out*

Ratings (ratings based on 1-5 🍵 on this break. Ratings are not based on overall product run)

Design 🍵🍵🍵

Photography N/A

Inserts N/A

Hits 🍵🍵🍵

Price 🍵🍵

Value 🍵🍵

Music To My Ears

*sits down for the early morning cup of coffee, grabs laptop, turns it on and fires it up. It's time for a new #CardsOverCoffee*

Today is kind of a piggyback off from yesterday's post where I discussed how during the pandemic I have learned to appreciate the little things both in life and in the hobby.

Another thing I took for granted is music.

I, just like everyone else in the world, love music. Music soothes the soul and can take you places. Certain songs can take you back in time, bring back warm memories, and work really well for a calming center point during a pandemic.

I felt the impact of music over the past year and how much I took it for granted before. Certain songs I have played over the past year brought me such joy and memories in my life that made me laugh and sometimes even tear up. Yes, men can admit that they cry.

Over the past year I have played music on the way to run errands, while I sort cards, while I worked out on the treadmill and even while I blog. Yup, I am jamming right now as I type and enjoy this mornings cup of coffee. Music is simply needed in my life.

What I didn't know was that MusiCards were also needed in my life.

*takes a sip*

If you were to ask me over a year ago if I had any interest in collecting music related cardboard, I would have said no way. Though I saw many forms of them across the blogging world especially the MusiCards. But, that all changed recently when I saw a few posts on Twitter about them so I sought out the checklist.

When I saw that some of the checklist consisted of musicians I had spent the past year listening to, I needed the cards.

That's when I posted my need on my Friday Twitter "I Need" thread. This thread is specifically is aimed at specific cards that you need and others can try to trade, sell, or RAK you them. You're technically supposed to put a specific card but instead I put any and all of the MusiCards. That's when @jrl1828x8 saw my cry for help and assisted.

He not only sent along the musicians that I wanted, but also sent me an almost complete set just out of kindness!!!! 

Lets check out some of my favorites in the set.

*takes a sip, flips through a few cards to upload and begins to type*

Eric Clapton has had a ton of hits, but none hit me harder than Tears In Heaven and Change The World. I can't explain my love of both songs but Tears In Heaven I am sure hits everyone in the feels.

One singer I have listened to the most during the pandemic is Huey Lewis. Not only does he have some of the greatest music videos ever, but his tunes are catchy. The Power Of Love, Stuck With You and Doing It All For My Baby are some of my favorites.

The sad news about Lewis I found out this year was that he is suffering from Meniere's Disease which sounds pretty awful because it consists of Vertigo, Hearing Loss and ringing in the ears. Which forced him to cancel all of his tours and possibly made it so he wouldn't be able to sing again.

Cheap Trick had many hits as well but my favorite is The Flame. Such a great tune.

Goo Goo Dolls was a band I couldn't stand in the 90's, but now I rock to. I actually bought a Greatest Hits CD within the last year. And yes, some people buy CD's still :) 

Some of my favorite songs by the Goo Goo Dolls are Iris, Slide, Black Balloon, Come To Me,Sympathy, Name, and by far my favorite song of theirs in Better Days. Better Days is a song we should all listen to.

Eddie Money just like the other artists on here had plenty of hits but none caught me like Take Me Home Tonight and especially I Wanna Go Back. Because I wanna go back and do it all over, but I can't go back I know.

And finally Tom Petty. Once again plenty of hits but none I liked more than Last Dance With MaryJane. I know the song probably relates to drug use but I ignore that part and use the song in my mind as a girl named MaryJane and his last dance with her. It's Good To Be King was another song I enjoyed.

Thanks goes out to @jrl1828x8 for the mail day. I really appreciate it.

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

I need to write down which numbers I am missing in this set and seek help in finishing it now. I would be interested in hearing your favorite songs from any of the artists I featured here today.

By the way, if you are curious what I am listening to as I blog today, it's a Pandora station on my phone from 1993. Songs like All That She Wants, In The Still Of The Nite, How Do You Talk To An Angel, and Have I Told You Lately.

*time for breakfast and another cup of coffee, Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Appreciating The Little Things

*it's time for a cup of coffee and some cards. Which means it's time for a new post of Cards Over Coffee*

One thing I have learned during the pandemic, other than that there is a lot of greed in the hobby and in the world, is that was finally time to appreciate the little things in life and in the hobby.

Things that I used to take for granted such as family and family get togethers, were things you became accustomed to, but didn't realize how deeply important they were until the pandemic.  There are some close parts of my family I haven't seen since Christmas of 2019 and it starts to get to you after awhile. You start to think, "why did I pretend to fall asleep during game night?" or "why didn't I go out to eat with them when they invited me?" Or "why didn't I push myself to stay up later those few extra hours to spend even more time with them instead of going to bed?" The answer is, I always thought it would be there next time.

During the pandemic, it was starting to get worrisome that there may not be a next time. I should have done those things at "those times" and taken advantage of every moment. As vaccines have started rolling out, I have my appointment set up for May 1st to get my first shot of Moderna, I feel like I may have those times again and this time you better believe I will soak in every second of it. Time to be that weird uncle who gives out the long hugs.

I not only find myself questioning little things in life such as above, but little things in the hobby as well. Something such as simple as following @CardsFromTheAttic.

*takes a sip, continues on*

When I first started following @CardsFromTheAttic years ago, some of his tweets felt like an attack on the blogging community and I couldn't have that. We are a close family in the blogosphere and I couldn't simply deal with someone who felt the way they did about us. So I unfollowed him and he followed suit later on as well and I went on with my Twitter life.

Fast forward to last summer, I started seeing some tweets from him being re-tweeted from others I followed. I then began to ask myself if I misread him years ago and gave him another follow. Come to find out, he is actually a good guy and his tweets I felt were attacks were actually apart of his personality and humor. You have to be a funny person, such as I consider myself to be, to fully get his humor.

Since I have re-followed him, I have joined in on some of his banter and enjoyed his content such as the March Madness Tournament in #CardboardChaos. Even though every brand I voted on, the late 90's ones, never made it too far.

 

Another thing you find out fast about him is his love of yellow in 1991 Fleer. He bleeds yellow. He screams yellow. He tweets yellow. Probably even has yellow socks and sandals on while he tweets. (The last part of that you would have to follow him to understand that sort of inside joke)

I questioned myself again about 1991 Fleer and maybe I missed something. Maybe I should give it another look and another chance just like I did in following @CardsFromTheAttic again. Come to find out, I did miss something in 1991 Fleer and it wasn't anything that Coldplay sang about.

*takes another sip, finds a snack to tie over before breakfast*

My favorite part of 1991 Fleer was staring at me the whole time and it was something with a black border, not yellow. Something that really stood out that I would have turned a blind eye to before. It was the Pro-Visions insert.

The 12-card insert set featured paintings by artist Terry Smith and featured "framed" black borders on each card front. The cards were randomly inserted in wax and rack packs to find. All I know is when I did open up some '91 Fleer "back in the day" is that I never once landed one of those inserts. I think they must be a little tough to find.

I am not sure how I didn't pay any attention to these before, but God Bless America that I am now.

And thanks to @CardsFromTheAttic, I have the entire set.

The artwork along with the black border really makes these stand out. I do wished that Griffey had been included, but it still doesn't disappoint.

Along with this full set, he also sent along some extras,

some of which I hadn't seen before including this Pete Rose.

Thanks goes out to @CardsFromTheAttic for the mail day and for the reminder that not everything about 1991 Fleer was bad.

*takes another sip before closing up today's post*

Whether it's family or something as simple as 1991 Fleer, I am no longer taking anything for granted. That includes waking up each day or even that cup of coffee in the morning (and of course the ones at noon and night as well). You just never know that day where it may not happen so take advantage of every second you are breathing.

*hope everyone enjoys a fresh cup of coffee today with this post and I hope you all have a great day as well. Coffee card blogger out*

Miracles

*brews an afternoon cup of hot joe, coffee not someone actually named Joe, to do a quick post for Cards Over Coffee. Let's get to this!*

Miracles happen every day. 

I haven't ever witnessed a big miracle in person, but have seen and heard stories of them happening. Things such as deaf babies hearing for the first time, Bible miracles where Jesus healed many with a simple touch from impossible situations, unsolved cold cases getting solved after decades, 105 year old's catching Covid-19 twice and surviving it, or missing people getting found are just a few examples of every day miracles.

*takes a sip, begins to tell a story*

I witnessed a very small miracle compared to those examples today myself.

Here is my story:

My wife randomly wanted to take the hour drive to Walmart today before my sister-in-law arrived for the weekend and I wasn't really feeling it. I don't really have the interest I once did in taking the trip to Walmart only to be disappointed checking out the card section and other than cards, I have no reason to even want to go. I have no other hobbies.

However, I said "let's do it anyways" and I went along for the trip. 

It was probably the McDonald's coffee I had just gotten doing the talking and convincing of me to go. Actually, I wasn't doing much talking after the first sip burned my tongue off. How does their coffee get so hot in comparison to others?!!

We arrived to the Walmart and I found myself in the store wanting to leave as soon as I entered, especially seeing the amount of people were shopping. Since Covid began, I don't like being anywhere near big crowds. 

I wanted to so badly rush out of there and started to turn away to leave before my wife insisted that I go and check out the card section while I was there and while she shopped. I figured might as well since the section was near the way out and that's when I witnessed my minor miracle.....

Donruss, Series 1 Tin, Topps Heritage, Leaf and Sage Hit 2021 football, oh my!

For the first time in months, I found cards at my local Walmart (the one box of Optic football I found awhile back was at a further away Walmart). I was in both shock and awe as I stood there staring at the section like I was staring at a supermodel. I could even feel the drool hang from the corner of my mouth.

*takes a sip; dripping some out of the mouth from seeing this picture again. In comparison, this picture was 90's Cindy Crawford good*

I immediately called, literally used my phone since she was in another section, my wife to come over to reassure me it wasn't a mirage. She not only pinched me, but assured me what I was seeing was actual cards. Even put one in my hand and I could feel it.

Wow.

Wow.

Did I say Wow yet?

Wow.

*takes another sip*

Knowing my funds are never great, I knew I couldn't take everything, not that I would ever do that anyways. I was actually hopeful that some kid or someone like myself who collects would land some of it after I left. Odds are though, some flippers came through after I left and bought it all like they usually do. Except it usually happens before I arrive.

At least my timing and payday helped me land a few fun things for myself. I plan to open those for future posts on here. Honestly and surprisingly, I still haven't opened a single pack yet as I am going to soak this in for awhile as I know I may never see this again.

*takes another sip feeling pretty good for once about the Walmart trip*

My miracle today was more comparable to to a bald man finding one strand of extra hair on his head then it is to something bigger such as someone beating Cancer, but it's still a miracle I got to witness and be apart of. It counts for something I think.

*takes another sip and smiles this time knowing some wax is awaiting to be opened, Coffee Card Blogger out!*

Coffee Break:2021 Topps Opening Day

*warm weather, baseball is underway, and cup of coffee. Does life get any better? Well, it does when the football season kicks off for me. But, this is definitely 1B*

I have never been to Opening Day in my life and have only been to a ballpark four times. But, it doesn't mean I don't celebrate opening day from home the way that most would at the ballpark.

Grilled hot dogs were the agenda for Opening Day this year. I don't know about you, but you have to darken them up a little to fully bring out their full flavor.

And before you ask, I didn't eat all of these to myself :)

Another thing I like to do around Opening Day is to open some Opening Day. Yes, this product isn't for the flippers, but it's for fun. Remember those days??

I didn't find any retail but am glad to at least have this chance to open some hobby.

*takes a sip, begins to rip*

Every hobby box of 2021 Topps Opening Day has 36 packs of 7 cards. Boxes are a little steep this year, once again like every product is, falling at $60 on average. But, it depends where you buy it I suppose. Boxes have no guarantees either.

*takes a sip before digging more into the product*

The base set is built up of 220 cards using the Series 1 design.

This is a great photo.

These are a bit hairy....I mean great as well.

There are some of the top rookies to be had as well and I was impressed to find them all. Though my Bohm sadly had an iffy corner.

*takes another sip, moves onto parallels*

Only two parallels to be found in Opening Day but they are stunners in Blue Foil OD Edition and Opening Day 1-of-1. I absolutely love these blue parallels that put every parallel in Series 1 to shame. They fall 1:9 packs. 

*now onto the inserts*

Mascots fall 1:3 packs. Even though these are in here every year, I never get tired of seeing them.

Legends Of Baseball fall 1:3 packs as well.

Opening Day falls 1:5 packs.

 

Outstanding Opening Day falls 1:8 packs

And my final insert..

At first what I thought was a subset card, turns out to be a Walk This Way insert that falls 1:321 packs!

Not a bad pull!

Usually I am all done with this review but for the first time ever in any Opening Day break I have had...I found a HIT!

Falling at 1:810 packs is Major League Momentos. This one I landed is of Joey Bart.

*takes a sip before finishing up this post and break*

Opening Day was fun. That's really what the product has always been about for both kids and kid adults. I do wish they would bring back the Ballpark foods insert, I really liked those. Maybe I can send in a suggestion or simply send a picture of my hotdog stack and try to get myself into the set. What do you guys think?

*time to get on with the day, Coffee Card blogger out*

Ratings (ratings based on 1-5 🍵 on this break. Ratings are not based on overall product run)

Design 🍵🍵🍵

Photography 🍵🍵🍵

Inserts 🍵🍵

Hits 🍵🍵🍵

Price 🍵🍵

Value 🍵🍵