Big Papi ’19 Topps Series 1 Contest Winner Announced

Congrats to bbcardz on being the lucky winner of the David Ortiz 2019 Topps Series 1 Professional Baseball 150 Years 1869-2019 Commemorative Medallion.  Once bbcardz sends me their mailing address, I will ship this card ASAP.  Thanks!

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2019 LLWS Logo Announced + Franco’s Pin

Little League has officially announced what the logo for the 2019 Little League World Series plans to look like.  Each year it changes.  I like the look of it this year as the colors are brighter.  The 2019 Little League World Series takes place August 15-25.

For years I’ve been collecting Little League pins.  I’ve said on numerous occasions that its incredibly difficult to locate pins given out by ESPN.  One pin with ESPN’s name on it was made specifically for sale in Little League’s gift shop.  That’s the easiest one to find.  Other than that I can only find them on eBay.  These things are like Bigfoot, Yeti, or that Panini redemption you’ve been waiting on.  You never know if they’ll show up.

During the Little League World Series last year, I saw an ESPN pin popup which I think is really cool.  Franco’s Lounge is an Italian restaurant in downtown Williamsport.  It has been around for decades.  Apparently someone from ESPN must really enjoy eating there because they featured the restaurant on their pin last summer.  Its a two-piece puzzle pin.  A sign that says “Gone To Franco’s” hangs off of a Robo-Cam on the top part.  The bottom looks just like the front entrance to Franco’s Lounge.  Red crab and all.

Someone that works for ESPN hands these pins out.  Who that individual(s) might be is a complete mystery.  The name “Fletcher HD” can be read on a lot of these Robo-Cam pins.  I highly doubt that’s the name of whoever is distributing them.  Fletcher is a company that ESPN leases cameras from for certain events.

When this pin set hits the secondary market, be ready to spend $50-$60.

Big Papi ’19 Topps Series 1 Contest! – NOW CLOSED

This contest is for a David Ortiz 2019 Topps Series 1 Professional Baseball 150 Years 1869-2019 Commemorative Medallion.  Good luck!!!

Contest Details:

• This contest will end Friday, February 22, 2019 @ 8:00 p.m. EST.
• To enter, please leave a comment in this post.
• You can enter once per day.
• The winner will be selected at random.
• Please provide a valid e-mail address when entering.
• The winner will receive an e-mail when the contest is over.
• The winner has one week to send me their contact information or the contest will be held again.
• Once the contest is over, I will need the winner’s mailing address so I can ship them this card for FREE!!!

2019 Topps Series 1 Baseball Hobby Box Break & Review

2019 marks professional baseball’s 150th anniversary.  If those original players from 1869 could see what today’s players get paid, they’d go nuts.  Cards really didn’t get their start until the mid-1880’s.  Nobody, and I mean nobody, had any clue that someday those tiny pieces of paper would end up to be so incredibly valuable.  I’d like to own an original Old Judge card, but that’s not something you can just pickup quickly.  A lot of research in my opinion has to be done.  I wonder what the sport of baseball will look like in another 150 years?  What about collecting?  Will cards even be a thing?  Maybe packs of cards will get beamed into our brains while traveling to Mars.  I won’t be around to find out, and my guess is neither will you.

Its the middle of winter, and there is snow on the ground.  With the release of 2019 Topps Baseball Series 1, I can begin to see a glimpse to the end of the coldness outside.  Baseball season is coming!!!

With a new flagship set comes a new design.  Its one that will be around all year.  So you better like it.  The card backs have been receiving the most attention.  Many collectors enjoy seeing full statistics listed, along with an easy to follow color scheme.  On the fronts, Topps took an unusual approach and placed the player’s last name above the first.  The last name is also considerably larger.

A standard hobby box will cost $60.  (24) packs are inside, housing (14) cards each.  That’s a bit different compared to (36) packs with (10) cards.  (1) autograph or relic should be found per box.  Jumbos are more expensive, but come with (1) autograph and (2) relics.

(350) cards make up the base set.  Parallels include Purple (Meijer), Yellow (Walgreens), 150th Anniversary, Rainbow Foil, Gold #’ed/2019, Advanced Stat #’ed/150, Vintage Stock #’ed/99, Independence Day #’ed/76, Black #’ed/67, Mother’s Day Pink #’ed/50, Father’s Day Blue #’ed/50, Memorial Day Camo #’ed/25, Platinum #’ed 1/1, and Printing Plates #’ed 1/1.  (100) cards have Clear parallels #’ed/100.

I really like the cards that feature shots of various stadiums.  As a Phillies fan, my favorite one is of Citizens Bank Park.  If they zoomed in on the left side we could see the Harry Kalas statue.

There are a lot of SPs to pull.  Regular SPs come (1) per hobby box at least.  SSPs are really difficult to pull, and fall 1:444 packs in the hobby format.  Flipping the cards over to see the CMP code always helps in identifying them.  I’ve always seemed to find them near the center of the pack too.

• Base – #1910
• SP – #1967
• SSP – #1968

Inserts are plentiful.  The Home Run Challenge cards make a return.  These make the season extra fun.  Simply log in to your Topps account, enter the code, and pick the date you think that player will hit a home run.  If your prediction ends up being correct, Topps will send you a special card.  I got Javier Baez from the Cubs.  My birthday is on June 16th.  That’s the day I picked for him to go yard.  They’re playing the Dodgers that night.  Hopefully he stays healthy and can play.

Another insert set that grabs my attention are the Iconic Card Reprints.  (50) cards are in this set.  These have one parallel, 150th Anniversary #’ed/150, and depending on the player command more on the secondary market than I’d expect.  (25) of them have autographs.  I like the Babe Ruth cards Topps included.

As I mentioned before, a hobby box such as this comes with (1) autograph or relic.  Flagship products have their share of very impressive high-end hits, but are extremely difficult to pull.  You can’t open up a box and be angry that you didn’t get a rare hit.  Retail options allow you to experience the first set of the season without having to spend too much.

Checklist

Here is what I pulled:

Relic

• David Ortiz 150th Anniversary Commemorative Medallion

Short Print

• Dee Gordon #292

Parallels

• Ichiro/Shohei Ohtani Greatness Returns 150th Anniversary #’ed/150
• Austin Hedges Rainbow Foil
• Richard Bleier Rainbow Foil
• Wade Davis Gold #’ed/2019
• Josh Hader Gold #’ed/2019
• Joe Musgrove Gold #’ed/2019
• Niko Goodrum Gold #’ed/2019
• Randal Grichuk Gold #’ed/2019
• Chance Adams 150th Anniversary
• Jeff McNeil 150th Anniversary
• Michael Kopech 150th Anniversary
• Ramon Laureano 150th Anniversary

Inserts

• Bryce Harper Iconic Card Reprints
• Vintage Baseball Glove Equipment Evolution
• Javier Baez Home Run Challenge
• Rickey Henderson/Mookie Betts Greatness Returns
• Kyle Schwarber 2018 Topps Now Review
• Trout/Pujols/Ohtani 2018 Topps Now Review
• Lou Gehrig 150 Years of Professional Baseball Greatest Players
• Mariano Rivera 150 Years of Professional Baseball Greatest Players
• George Brett 150 Years of Professional Baseball Greatest Moments
• Jesus Aguilar 1984 Topps Baseball
• Eric Hosmer 1984 Topps Baseball
• Starling Marte 1984 Topps Baseball
• Nolan Arenado 1984 Topps Baseball
• Max Scherzer 1984 Topps Baseball
• Cody Bellinger 1984 Topps Baseball

Card of the Day: Rhys Hoskins 2019 Topps Series 1 #279

Card of the Day: Jimmy Connors 2017 Leaf Signature Series Auto

Ace Authentic Signature Series Relic Contest Winner Announced

Congrats to Richard Nebe Jr. on being the lucky winner of the Shinobu Asagoe 2005 Ace Authentic Signature Series Relic #’ed/500.  Once Richard Nebe Jr. sends me his mailing address, I will ship this card ASAP.  Thanks!