Card of the Day: Scott Rolen 2020 Topps Rip Mini #7

2020 Topps Rip Baseball Box Break

These online-exclusive products from Topps are really fun to open. As a member of the Topps 582 Montgomery Club I never pass them up.

2020 Topps Rip Baseball arrives with (1) pack per box. Each pack contains (4) Rip Cards. Inside each Rip Card is an exclusive mini base card, exclusive mini image variation base card, or exclusive mini autograph card.

Deciding to tear open that Rip Card is a big decision. Unless it is someone like Mike Trout, if the card is #’ed/99 I’d rip it.

Here is what I pulled:

Rip Cards:

• Mike Trout Purple Parallel #’ed/25
• Juan Gonzalez Black Parallel #’ed/50
• Larry Doby Base #’ed/99
• A.J. Puk RC Base #’ed/99

I decided to rip the A.J. Puk and Larry Doby cards. Inside I discovered the following:

• Robin Yount Mini Image Variation #18
• Barry Larkin Mini Image Variation #5

I consider myself fairly lucky for pulling the Juan Gonzalez Black Parallel #’ed/50, and extremely lucky for finding the Mike Trout Purple Parallel #’ed/25. I won’t be ripping those any time soon. I’m not going to push my luck.

Rip Card Ripped

Well… I couldn’t help it.  During the National I pulled a Freddie Freeman Rip Card from a box of 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter #’ed/75.  For the last two months it has been sitting on my shelf.  I finally decided to rip it.  Inside was this Andrew McCutchen #358 mini.  This is one of the better mini cards to find.

The 35th National: Day #3

Today was my last day for attending the 35th National Sports Collectors Convention.  The weekends can get quite crowded that’s why I usually stay for the first three days.  I had it set in my mind to get an autograph, open some more Topps and Upper Deck products, and get more promos today.  And I did just that.

I still have a sealed box of 2014 Topps Minis Baseball to break open.  Over the next several weeks I’ll be showing off what I pulled from the various packs and boxes that I purchased.

Here are the highlights from Day #3.

While checking out the autograph lineup for the day, I ran into sports artist Monty Sheldon.  He’s known for his really cool painted artballs and sketch cards.  Monty Sheldon is also responsible for many of those 1/1 art/patch cards you find in Gypsy Queen.  It was really great to finally meet him in person.

Jim Thome (far left) is one of 8 MLB players in history to hit over 600 career home runs.  I wanted to get his autograph on my bat ever since I saw he was coming.  TRISTAR was moving people through the line very fast.  He was already onto the next item when I tried to get a picture.

Kenny Lofton

Warren Sapp

Wade Boggs

At lunch time I opened one of my boxes of 2014 Allen & Ginter.  I still have to look through a lot before I show off the entire box break, but I did pull my first Rip Card.  Its of Freddie Freeman #’ed/75.  I haven’t ripped it… yet.

Upper Deck was doing their wrapper redemption program again this morning at 10:25 a.m.  Today’s promos were of Michael Jordan, Roberto Osuna, Frank Thomas, Teddy Bridgewater, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and my Amazon.com card was of Reggie Jackson.

To get my promo pack from Upper Deck today, I decided to open another pack of 2014 Upper Deck SP Game-Used Edition Golf.  Inside was a Michelle Wie Tour Gear Dual Shirt #’ed/35.  I also pulled a Victor Dubuisson First Tee Rookies Auto #’ed/199 redemption.

Card of the Day: Chase Utley 2010 Topps Allen & Ginter’s Rip Card

Steve Jobs: 1955-2011

Yesterday the world lost one of its most important visionaries – Steve Jobs.  Jobs created the perfect harmony between technology and art.  He made technology cool not only to use, but to look at too.

I can still remember the first time I used a computer.  I was in preschool and I was playing a game where I had to make a worm go through a maze so it could eat an apple when it reached the end.  I’m sure there are many of you reading this that can remember those school days playing Oregon Trail which came on those ungodly large floppy disks that actually were floppy.

As far as cards go, Steve Jobs doesn’t have any.  He wasn’t a huge signer, but I could see a possible cut signature coming in the future.  But for a moment, lets “think different” here.  Lets go beyond a cut signature.  I want to see a Steve Jobs card that contains and actual button from a device he once owned and used.  I bet that would be unique looking and I’m sure the famous iJustine would go nuts over it.    It might be awhile before one of those hit the market though.  Jobs was very strict over who could use his name and the Apple brand.

If you can’t wait for one of those cards, you could always add the 1984 premier issue of Macworld to your collection.  Their only selling for a mere $400.00 each.  An autographed copy containing signatures of both Jobs and Steve Wozniak recently hit eBay and reached $1,426.69, but the reserve price was not met.  Like many companies, they had pins to commemorate product releases and years of service.  Some of these can go for $20.00 each like the one pictured above.

On a side note, I would like to say that Apple Stores are well designed for people with disabilities like myself.  They are wide open with a lot of space, and most of the tables are opened underneath and high enough off the ground so someone in a wheelchair can pull right up to the display.

Steve Jobs will be missed by millions.  Thanks for everything you created.

Card of the Day: Cliff Lee 2011 Topps Allen & Ginter Rip Card

2011 Topps Rising Rookies Football Rip Party

Yesterday afternoon, my local card shop – Sports Zone Memorabilia held a 2011 Topps Rising Rookies Football Rip Party.  Everyone got assigned 4 teams at random.  You got to keep all the cards associated with those teams.  I got the Browns, Jaguars, Ravens, and Rams.  Check out the haul I got!!!

Parallels

• Jimmy Smith #’ed/1339
• Tyrod Smith #’ed/1339
• Jabaal Sheard #’ed/1339
• (2) Lance Kendricks #’ed/1339

Relics

• Joe Flacco Playmaker Jersey
• Todd Heap Draft Selections Jersey

Autographs

• (2) Lance Kendricks NFL Draft 2011 Auto #’ed/260
• (2) Greg Salas NFL Draft 2011 Auto #’ed/260
• Austin Pettis NFL Auto #’ed/260
• Cecil Shorts III NFL Draft 2011 Auto #’ed/260
• Cecil Shorts III Red Ink Auto #’ed/15
• Jimmy Smith Auto
• Cecil Shorts III NFL Draft 2011 Manufactured Patch Auto #’ed/170
• Tandon Doss NFL Logo Manufactured Patch Auto #’ed/115
• Austin Pettis NFL Logo Manufactured Patch Red Ink Auto #’ed/5

I received all of that for the price of one box.  I think I did pretty well 🙂

Sad Day For Batman Fans – RIP Michael Gough

Being the superhero freak I am, it saddens me to say that Michael Gough has passed away at the age of 94.  Gough was in the entertainment industry for 64 years, but to Batman fans will always be remembered as Alfred Pennyworth.  Gough played Alfred in four Batman films – Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin.  Gough actually has a few cards which were made by Topps and DC Comics.

2010 Topps Supreme Rip Party

Sports Zone Memorabilia held another Rip Party last night.  This time we were busting a case of 2010 Topps Supreme Football.  Boxes only cost $87.00.  Thats a deal considering they’re now selling for almost $130.00.  At the time you could sign up for the party, prices were much lower.

This time, there was no picking teams.  Everyone got to keep whatever they pulled from their box.  There were a lot of nice hits.  I think the base cards are my favorite thing about this product.  I like the design and they are printed on thick card stock.  Topps, Beckett, and Sports Zone Memorabilia supplied a ton on great prizes.  The best thing about these rip parties, is that if you don’t get a great pull, your most likely going to get a nice prize like a box or a pack.

Prizes