(2) 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter Box Break

As promised, here are the full results from the two boxes of 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter I opened during the National.  I still have to go through (1) box of 2014 Elite Football, and (1) box of 2014 Upper Deck SP Game-Used Edition Golf.  I also still have to open my box of 2014 Topps Minis Baseball.

Take a look!

Box Toppers

• Yasiel Puig #ORCBL-YP
• Jose Abreu #BL-09

Auto

• Danielle Kang

Relics

• Clayton Kershaw
• Matt Cain
• Anthony Bourdain
• Michael Eisner

Rip Card

• Freddie Freeman #’ed/75

Notable Minis

• Sparky Anderson A & G Red Back #’ed/25
• Hellen Keller A & G Back No #
• Tony Cingrani Black #240
• Hyun-Jin Ryu Black #306
• Adam Eaton Black #221
• Steve Cishek Black #250
• Daniel Nava Black #192
• Junior Lake Black #42
• John L. Sullivan A & G Back #46
• George Brett A & G Back #159
• Jean Segura A & G Back #156
• Ryan Zimmerman A & G Back #60
• Felix Doubront A & G Back #49
• Kevin Clancy A & G Back #267
• Robin Yount A & G Back #205
• Mark Roth A & G Back #211
• Rickey Henderson A & G Back #253
• Andre Dawson A & G Back #292
• Edgar Degas Where Nature Ends #WNE-08
• (2) Giotto di Bondone Where Nature Ends #WNE-21
• (2) Jean Lafitte Outlaws, Bandits, And All-Around Ne’er Do Wells #OBA-09
• American Alligator World’s Deadliest Predators #WDP-15
• Wolverine World’s Deadliest Predators #WDP-19
• Vitus Bering Into The Unknown #ITU-06
• American Shorthair Little Lions #LL-03

Notable Rookies

• Masahiro Tanaka #235
• Jose Abreu #269

2-Pack NBA TeenyMates Break

Pictured above is what I pulled from two packs of NBA TeenyMates.  Each pack contains two figures and two puzzle pieces.  I got the Bucks, Rockets, Trailblazers, and Bulls.  All common figures.  I have yet to pull any of the chase figures.

NBA TeenyMates are new for this year.  As with their other products, there are rare figures that you can pull – Glow-In-The-Dark, East, West, and Gold.  Each carry a premium on the secondary market.  They sure do make interesting conversation pieces.

Card of the Day: Tommy Morrison 2011 Ringside Boxing – Round Two – Turkey Red #095

2011 Leaf Pete Rose Legacy (2) Box X-Mas Break + Holiday Bonus Packs

Auto/Relics

• Pete Rose Red Ink “Hit King 4256” #AB-16 Auto Bat #’ed/10
• Pete Rose Red Ink “Hit King 4256” #AJ-21 Auto Jersey #’ed/10

Base

• (2) Familiar Faces #48
• Old Teammates #27
• Press Interview (1978) #22
• Foul Ball!? #19
• Team Captain #5
• Spring Training (1979) 31
• Grounded #8
• 1963 Rookie Of The Year #2
• More Than Just Baseball #25

2012 Leaf Holiday Bonus Packs

• Michael Kelly 2012 Leaf Metal Draft Auto
• 2012 Leaf Ali: The Greatest Black Plate #’ed 1/1 #FW-16 – Un-Autographed Printing Plate From The Fight Worn Card Set

2011 Leaf Pete Rose Legacy 2 Box Birthday Break

This product continues to be one of my favorites.  I received two boxes for my birthday today.

Autos

• Pete Rose #A-16 Auto #’ed/30
• Pete Rose #A-3 Auto #’ed/30

Base

• 1970 Series #6
• Talking To The Press #7
• Batting Practice #17
• Getting Ready To Play #33
• Tied With Stan #40
• Racing The Ball To Third #15
• Old Teammates #27
• Former Teammates #35
• 1975 Sportsman Of The Year #13
• Atlanta (1978) #23

Christmas Break: 2 Boxes of 2011 Leaf Pete Rose Legacy

Merry Christmas!!!  I got a couple boxes of my favorite product this year, 2011 Leaf Pete Rose Legacy, for Christmas.  I absolutely love this product, and there really isn’t a bad box.  Each one is fun to open.  I’m really looking forward to some of Leaf’s 2012 products such as Golf Metal and Lombardi Legacy.  Next, I would like to see Leaf dedicate an entire product to the Phillies.  They could pull it off even without a MLB license.

Autos

• Pete Rose #A-4 Blue Ink Auto #’ed 2/30
• Pete Rose #A-18 Blue Ink Auto #’ed 26/30

Base

• College Break #21
• 1970 Series #6
• Spring Training (1979) 31
• Pete & Coach #36
• The League’s Leading Batter #26
• Los Angeles (1982) #46
• Eighth Inning Grounder #39
• Fual For A Big Game #24
• Series Champions (1980) #34
• Rained Out #29

2011 Leaf Pete Rose Legacy – 2 Box Break & Review

Design: 

Leaf made use of some great photographs where airbrushing didn’t have to be done in order to avoid seeing the team name and/or logo.  Sure, there are some airbrushed photographs in the set, but its not that big of a deal.

On the reverse side of the base cards, Leaf made sure to put a nice description of the photograph that is on the front.  I think that’s extremely educational on their part and its not something every manufacturer would do.  Leaf took their time.

Leaf allowed Rose to use various ink colors while signing all these cards.  They look fantastic considering the area of the cards Rose signed are all white.  The white background makes all those signatures and inscriptions standout.  The autographs are all on-card too.

Price: 

I picked-up my two boxes for $85.00 each, but I’m fairly confident you can find them for cheaper.

“Hit” Quality: 

Each box contains an autograph of Pete Rose.  At the very least your “hit” will have an autograph without an inscription serial numbered to 30.  That’s not bad.  Collectors can look for low numbered autographs with rare inscriptions.  Be sure to check the base cards too.  You may have a reverse negative.  My two boxes contained the following:

Autos

• Pete Rose #A-9 Red Ink Auto w/ “Hit King” inscription #’ed/10
• Pete Rose #CHA-11 Green Ink Auto w/ “17x All Star” inscription #’ed/5

Base

• Pete & Coach #36
• Practice Makes Perfect #14
• “The Hit King” #56
• Pete Rose And “Harry” Pete Rose #4
• 1985 Man of the Year #53
• Grounded #8
• Atlanta (1978) #23
• One Heck Of A Try #38
• 1970 Series #6
• Baseball’s All-Time Hit King #54

Overall: 

Overall, I give 2011 Leaf Pete Rose Legacy 4.5 baseballs out of 5 (1=poor and 5=perfect).  Leaf did an excellent job with this product.  If I had it my way, I’d make this product of the year.  There are so many products out there based on the Yankees, Red Sox, and Cowboys.  Its nice to see a product based on something a little different.  Pete Rose is one of the most important baseball players in history.  He rightfully deserves his own product, and you can’t beat an autograph inside each box.  I could open boxes of this stuff all day.

2011 Topps Marquee – 2 Pack Break

Auto/Relic

• Brett Anderson Acclaimed Impressions Auto 3-Color Patch/Jersey/Jersey #’ed/350

Relic

• Jason Heyward Titanic Threads Jersey #’ed/99

Serial #’ed Parallels

• Brett Anderson blue #’ed/299
• Lou Gehrig blue #’ed/299

The high-end “hits” from this product look amazing.  Too bad the majority of collectors will hit the low-end stuff though.  I say increase the content and decrease the print run.  Eliminate a lot of those boring and plain “hits” we’ve seen for years.  Take a look at Leaf.  They’re doing it right.

You have to admit this is one good looking base card.  Just by looking at that picture you know the ball is still traveling.

2011 Ringside Boxing – Round Two Box Break & Review

Design: 

This product has thick, high-quality base cards.  If a product has to have a few base cards in it, that’s the way I like to see it carried through.  The Turkey Red cards look absolutely beautiful with their painted theme and ornate picture frame boarder.

While closely examining each card, I noticed something in the design that you rarely see on a card today.  On the bottom of the Turkey Red cards you see the Mecca Cigarettes trademark.

Bringing back old sets from the past such as Turkey Red isn’t something new to collectors.  You just rarely see the word “cigarettes” on cards today.  Usually they would keep the design and stay away from anything tobacco related.  Last year’s Ringside Boxing – Round One featured the same trademark on the back.  I guess they think it helps connect these newer cards to the vintage ones.

Price: 

Boxes are currently selling for $100.00.

“Hit” Quality: 

Each box contains (1) autograph, (1) memorabilia, (3) base cards, and (3) Mecca Turkey Red inserts.  My box yielded the following:

Autographs

•  Yuri Foreman Silver Version

Memorabilia

• Yuri Foreman Ringside Boxing Round 2 Silver Version Fight-Worn Trunks

Base

• Frank Bruno Ringside Boxing Round 2 #105
• Paulie Malignaggi In My Corner #172
• Mosely vs Wright Tale of the Tape #155

Mecca Turkey Red Inserts

• Tomasz Adamek #109
• Roberto Duran #137
• Frank Bruno #97

Overall: 

Overall, I give 2011 Ringside Boxing – Round 2 3 boxing gloves out of 5 (1=poor & 5=perfect).  If your a boxing fan or a collector of Turkey Red cards, I think you’d enjoy it.  All of the autographs are on-card as well.

Two Years Ago Today We Lost Our Friend Harry

Two years ago today Phillies fans lost their beloved Hall of Fame broadcaster, Harry Kalas.  I’m a huge fan of his, and thats why I’d like to show off my personal collection of Kalas cards.  In addition to these cards, I have two bobbleheads, HK pin, and an autographed bat.  I’m always on the lookout for more Kalas stuff.

There is a Harry Kalas Memorial Statue in the works, and the Phillies have accepted it as a gift.  I can’t wait to see it.

2004 Upper Deck Sweet Classic Signatures Spot Red Ink Auto #’ed 1/25

2004 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Classic Signatures Blue Ink Auto #’ed 1/50

2005 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Classic Auto

2004 Fleer Greats of the Game – Announcing Greats

2010 Monty Sheldon Harry Kalas Sketch card #’ed 1/1