Guess The Set – April 2, 2021

Can you Guess The Set?  This evening I’ll post the correct answer in the comment section and on Twitter.  Good luck!

Hint – Dick Allen RC #243

2020 Topps WWE Finest Wrestling Hobby Box Break & Review x 2!

Collector Type: Set/Autograph/Refractor Nuts

2020 Topps WWE Finest is every wrestling fan’s dream! It is the stylin’, profilin’, limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin’ n’ dealin’ son of a gun! Woo! Woo! Woo!

If you enjoyed the refractor-filled goodness of 2020 Topps Chrome WWE, you should have a lot of fun with 2020 Topps WWE Finest. This is the first time the WWE has received the Finest treatment. Each master box comes with (2) mini-boxes. Inside each mini-box you’ll find (6) packs, (2) parallels, and (1) autograph. That’s a total of (12) packs, (4) parallels, and (2) autographs per master box.

The base set consists of (100) cards covering both the Men’s Division and Women’s Division for WWE and NXT stars. Parallels include – Refractor, X-Fractor (Blasters), Blue Refractor #’ed/150, Green Refractor #’ed/99, Orange Refractor #’ed/50, Black Refractor #’ed/25, Gold Refractor #’ed/10, Red Refractor #’ed/5, and SuperFractor #’ed 1/1.

Cards #101-#125 are part of the Extended Base set (Short Prints). People like The Big Show, Kane, John Cena, The Rock, Bret “Hit Man” Heart, Goldberg, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin have cards in here. Even Gronk got a card! Parallels of the SPs include Gold #’ed/10, Red #’ed/5, and SuperFractor #’ed 1/1.

Both Finest and Chrome are a refractor lovers paradise. The main difference between the two are how the photos are displayed. Chrome goes full bleed and leaves the background intact. Finest crops out the background and swaps in a shiny patterned backdrop.

Pulling a SuperFractor is always atop the mind’s of collectors. Its incredibly difficult to do, but exciting when it happens. The SuperFractors found in 2020 Topps WWE Finest are a bit toned-down. What I’m trying to say is that the pattern doesn’t overtake the card and become the main focus. Very nice looking!

Autographs include Finest Autographs, Decade’s Finest Debuts Autographs, Decade’s Finest Returns Autographs, Decade’s Finest Superstars Autographs, and Finest Tag Teams Autographs.

Inserts include Decade’s Finest Debuts, Decade’s Finest Returns, Decade’s Finest Superstars, Finest Careers Die-Cuts Steve Austin, and Finest Tag Teams.

I really like how the Finest Careers Die-Cuts Steve Austin cards came out. They’re in the shape of a skull.

Members of the Topps 582 Montgomery Club have been offered some interesting non-baseball products to purchase so far for the 2021 membership – Garbage Pail Kids Chrome Sapphire Edition, 2019/20 UEFA Champions League Chrome Sapphire Edition. I wouldn’t put it past Topps to see them come up with a WWE Chrome Sapphire Edition or something along that line. Just something to think about.

Checklist

Here is what I pulled from (2) master boxes:

Autos:

• Dolph Ziggler
• Sasha Banks
• AJ Styles Decade’s Finest Debut
• The Miz/John Morrison Finest Tag Teams

Parallels:

• Rezar Green Refractor #’ed/99
• Lacey Evans Blue Refractor #’ed/150
• (2) Roman Reigns Refractor
• (2) Cameron Grimes RC Refractor
• (2) Damian Priest RC Refractor
• (2) Akam Refractor

Inserts:

• Zamboni Mayhem Finest Careers Die-Cuts Steve Austin
• Booker T Finest Returns
• Goldberg Finest Returns
• The Rock Finest Returns
• Samoa Joe Decade’s Finest Debut
• AJ Styles Decade’s Finest Debut
• Daniel Bryan Decade’s Finest Superstars
• Kofi Kingston Decade’s Finest Superstars
• Erik/Ivar Finest Tag Teams
• Kyle O’Reilly/Bobby Fish Finest Tag Teams
• Billie Kay/Peyton Royce Finest Tag Teams
• The Miz/John Morrison Finest Tag Teams

Card of the Day: Brent Seabrook 2009-10 Upper Deck Series 2 #363

(2) 2020 Onyx Vintage Extended Edition Baseball Box Break & Review

Here we go! Round #3 of the 2020 Onyx Vintage baseball card line.

First we had Onyx Vintage. Second came Onyx Vintage Premium. Now we’re on to Onyx Vintage Extended Edition.

2020 Onyx Vintage Extended Edition is setup much like previous versions. Each box comes with (4) cards, (2) of which will be autographed. All autographs are signed on-card.

Browsing over the checklist you can clearly see this product mainly focuses on rookies and prospects. Of all the players on the checklist, Pete Alonso has the most MLB experience. Luis Robert, Cristian Pache, and Spencer Howard are a few other names that stick out to me who made their MLB debut this year.

Additional key signers include Spencer Torkelson and Austin Martin who were the #1 and #2 picks in the 2020 MLB Draft.

Onyx was even able to get two highly anticipated international prospects to sign cards as well – Felnin Celesten and Roderick Arias. Arias can’t sign with an MLB team until 2021, and Celesten has to wait until 2022. These are early autographs of two guys who we should be hearing a lot more about in the future.

At the base level are the Blue Ink autographs #’ed/275. Other parallels include Green Ink #’ed/50, Red Ink #’ed/25, Purple Ink #’ed/10 (sold exclusively online), and Black Ink #’ed/5. Full name/inscription autographs can also be found and vary in numbering.

Onyx makes a nice product. Retro style, on-card autographs, not a lot of base cards, and quite affordable. Box prices have been through the roof this year. 2020 Onyx Vintage Extended Edition’s price is just under $40/box. Very reasonable.

Here is what I pulled:

Autos:

• Riley Greene Blue Ink #’ed/275
• Jorge Ona Blue Ink #’ed/275
• Ronny Mauricio Blue Ink #’ed/275
• Seuly Matias Blue Ink #’ed/275

Base:

• Carmen Mlodzinski
• Yusniel Diaz
• Carlos Colmenarez
• Omar Estevez

Guess The Set – October 2, 2020

Can you Guess The Set?  This evening I’ll post the correct answer in the comment section and on Twitter.  Good luck!

Hint – Just Do It.

The Mandalorian – Season 2 Official Trailer

Card of the Day: Roman Quinn 2020 Topps Total Wave 2 #138

Card of the Day: Andrew McCutchen 2020 Topps Series 2 SP Photo Variation #467

(2) 2020 Onyx Vintage Baseball Hobby Box Break & Review

Onyx Vintage Baseball makes it’s return for a second year in a row.  The 2020 version packs even a bigger punch compared to the 2019 set.  Upon viewing the checklist you’ll notice the main focus is on rookies and prospects.  But current stars, retired players, and even Hall of Famers can be found.

Packaged inside each hobby box is (1) pack.  That (1) pack contains (4) cards – (2) on-card autographs and (2) base.  Very quick and to the point.

The base set consists of (32) cards – Wander Franco, Gleyber Torres, Nolan Ryan, etc…

Autographs come in a variety of parallels – Base Blue Ink #’ed/200, Green Ink #’ed/50, Red Ink #’ed/25, and Black Ink #’ed/5.  I think its important to note that these cards don’t have the actual serial numbers stamped on them.  Please be aware of the signature’s ink color before selling, trading, or buying.

Ichiro Suzuki, Randy Johnson, and Nolan Ryan are each Blue Ink Autograph Short Prints.

Ornate-looking prospect and rookie autographs offer a more difficult pull.  Blue Ink versions of these are #’ed/30.  Parallels include Green Ink #’ed/15, Red Ink #’ed/5, and Black Ink #’ed 1/1.

(24) boxes come in a case.  As an interesting case-hit, one of those boxes will contain a redemption for a graded rookie card from the past.  So far I’ve seen rookies pulled of Randy Johnson, Kirby Puckett, Tony Gwynn, and Bert Blyleven.

Only about $50 per box.

A high-end version called Onyx Premium Vintage is scheduled to release this summer.  Thicker card stock.  More on-card autographs.  New signers.

In 2019 Onyx teamed-up with Futera to bring collectors Onyx/Futera Unique Prospects & Legends.  Collaborations like this don’t happen very often in the hobby today.  2020 sees Onyx working with Super Break.  Inside Super Break’s 2020 Deluxe Edition Baseball there are special Onyx Vintage autograph parallels.  Wander Franco, Gleyber Torres, and Ronald Acuña Jr. are the autograph subjects.  Each has a version #’ed/10, #’ed/5, and a 1/1.

Here is what I pulled:

Autos

• Mason Martin Green Ink #’ed/50
• Ronny Mauricio Blue Ink #’ed/200
• Jean Casanova Blue Ink #’ed/200

Case Hit

• 1989 Upper Deck BGS Graded Randy Johnson Rookie Redemption

Base

• Ichiro Suzuki
• Ronny Mauricio
• Gavin Lux
• Alek Manoah

The 2020 Topps 582 Montgomery Club – Set #2

Members of the Topps 582 Montgomery Club have begun to receive their second set for 2020.  This 20-sticker set is modeled after the 1968 Topps Baseball Action Stickers test issue.  The original 1968 Topps Baseball Action Stickers set consists of (16) stickers.  Being a test issue they didn’t “stick” around very long.  Now they are highly sought after by vintage collectors.

The 1968 Topps Baseball Action Stickers are an odd size.  Strips measure 15.75″ x 3.25″.  Pulled apart the panels measure 3.25″ x 5.25″.  Storing them can be difficult.  Given how condition sensitive they are damage can be done very easily.

I’m happy to announce the set made for Topps 582 Montgomery Club members features stickers that are the normal card size.  No difficulty in storing these.

Here’s the checklist:

• Yordan Alvarez RC #1
• Cody Bellinger #2
• Harmon Killebrew #3
• Bo Bichette RC #4
• Bob Gibson #5
• Stephen Stasburg #6
• Ivan Rodriguez #7
• Cal Ripken Jr. #8
• Ted Williams #9
• Luis Robert RC #10
• Javier Baez #11
• Roberto Alomar #12
• Gavin Lux RC #13
• Wade Boggs #14
• Alex Bregman #15
• Tom Glavine #16
• Nico Hoerner RC #17
• Mike Piazza #18
• Mookie Betts #19
• Willie Mays #20