Blame Sue

Yes, apparently it is complete Sue's fault - at least that is what TCDB member sues2blame seems to be saying with their member name. So, I will blame this great trade accordingly, as here are the Jays that came my way...

Delgado is a 1994 Pinnacle Museum Collection parallel which had a print run of 6,500 - very cool. It's my first Jay card from the parallel too - nice.

Benito is another parallel, this one from the Always Mint parallel of 1997 Topps Stars, another first for my collection.

Tony is another first for me - it being a copper parallel for 2000 Pacific Paramount.

Brisker isn't as exciting, but does add a new Jay and the second of four from the insert set.

Wellinton is an insert of Chrome Prospects from 2010 Bowman - just one more Jay to get there.

Manoah is my second rainbow foil parallel of 2022 Topps Gallery.

Daulton is my first Logofractor parallel of 2023 Topps Chrome.

Well, pretty darn good trade with all those new to me sets (parallel or otherwise) being represented. Will definitely be blaming Sue for the awesomeness.

 

Beaten Up

We have two very different instances of being beaten up to share today....the first being a potential one.

So, I tried something different and I think I get to share a lesson, but that will have to wait. On April 1st, I pre-ordered a collector booster of Secrets of Strixhaven off of Amazon. It was sold and shipped by Amazon, and the set was to release later that month. I tried it because the pre-order price was $36 compared to what was expected to be about $50-$60, and because it was being sold by Amazon, I figure I would take a chance.

Well, first, it was supposed to be delivered on release....it wasn't, and I didn't get it until June 30th. So, if anyone cares about timing, I wouldn't count on Amazon being delivered at time of release if you pre-order.

Second, this is what showed up....

Okay, this looks good and promising - legit and proper through and through, but as I collect the unopened packs, pop this open and see our pack...

Well - not sure how easy it is to tell in pictures, but I am not sold on the legitimacy of this pack because the crimping looks all wrong. Now, it's possible it's just a one of issue of some kind, but if I were to guess, I'd be concerned it was re-sealed. On the front, the crimp below RIX in Strixhaven and directly above on the top, where the flap on the back overlaps, it feels very thick, hard and kind of crusty instead of smooth like the rest of the crimp area usually is. The colouring is even of that you can see the foil colour. I couldn't take a good picture, but if you look at the top and bottom, it's not a clean end, and at each end, the material goes into a little open looking (though tiny) loop, like the could pull the pack opening like a Ziploc bag when it should just be stuck together.

Now, with how late it was running, I figured I was screwed and going to have the order cancelled on me in the first place, so I bough a draft night bundle which includes a collector booster, so I am going to put this pack with it and when I open the Draft Night booster, will keep that pack and open this one to see if I did get banged up on the purchase.

Even if I didn't, I wouldn't buy from Amazon again for these packs. I'd rather support local game stores, even if it means paying a few dollars more as I know I am getting exactly what I want, and helping support a business I believe in. Amazon has it's place, don't get me wrong, but I won't be buying cards there again.

Oh, and the other beat up, courtesy of the 2026 Lot as sometimes the cards in these lots are a little worse for wear, and that's okay, I don't mind the packing material, but a shame with some of them...

Namath looks a bit beat up in the card itself, and the card is quite creased and dirtied, so kind of fitting. This card is one of the inserts of the Football Heroes sets from Upper Deck, which they did across the sports, inserts on past stars, which is cool, too bad the card didn't survive condition wise for me.

Speaking of past stars, 2022 Donruss here touches on a number of such players in the set - heck, I know the names for Kelly, Vinny T. Romo, Vick. Okay, Vick maybe not for the right reasons, but still. Definitely a good mixture of players from past years to add to the current year offering.

Definitely seem to be a lot of offering for the 2023 Donruss set in this lot though. Not a problem really, but will keep an eye on how complete this set gets.

Hockey In July

First, a Happy Canada Day! Can't think Canada without hockey and when it gets this hot out, nothing like some puck cards from the 2026 Lot to cool things down. 

Murray's career started somewhat like Oatrick Roy with a starring role in the playoffs in his first year, ending with a Stanley Cup - with Pittsburgh for Murray.

He didn't have that success in Torobto before trying to take a Krak with Seattle.

This set is another builder for me, so keepers to share first...

Copley looks like a machine in the black and white of LA. We also get Fleury who Murray actually came in for during his magical first year with the Pens.

As for the trade bait...

Another solid day of pickups on a great day for Canada.

More Jays On The Way

A nice way to get through half the year and close off another filing deadline for work - another bunch of 2024 Topps flagship baseball, and we get some Jays to start.

A couple pitchers that are no longer with the team. Some would say Kikuchi traded up given he left Toronto for the Dodgers.

Manoah just seemed to fall off on production from looking like an ace.

A bunch of keepers for the build...

Not a fan of the Houston blue, but like the Kimbrel full extension.

Wow - definitely a solid day for additions. I do like the design, though maybe a full black border would have been a better option than the fade.

Traders for those fellow builders of the set...

Getting a solid bump in the lot results...more baseball being kept than hockey at this point which is pretty cool.

Trade With miabert1

Like it says, a trade share for today, and as usual, some great cards received which hit a few different parts of the collection 

A second Cecil for the 1987 Fleer Update as I may get to building it.

A couple error/variation cards, a couple variations on copyright lines for the Jays with Rance and Pat, before some more Jays help from Collector's Choice.

Of all the help, only the lone hockey card provides a completed team set - even if it's just two cards 

We end with a fantastic memorabilia cards for Teoscar from 2022 A&G to finish.

Fantastic cards, and big thanks for the trade!

More Football and Tidbits

First, a thank you to local collector Jeff who I met up with a few days ago and took a bunch of Bruins I had been collecting for him. He had a box of odds and ends for me which was not necessary AT ALL, but thank you. I will probably work through it separately in the next few weeks and when I have the chance, share over a few days here as there is some good stuff for keeping, and some good stuff for trading.

Quick thoughts on the World Cup as I haven't touched on it here, but have been keeping a good eye on it. I am not a fan of the expanded field as I think it waters down some of the competition a little bit. In the end, I don't think it has much impact on the final results - say the final four when we get there, but it leaves for some uneven matches. Sure, there are David and Goliath moments that come out of it, which are cool, but my guess is that FIFA is hoping an expanded field means more money, and as long as the end results really are what they should be - no harm done.

I think Canada at least has a solid shot for getting to the round of 16, but given their potential match ups there, any further would be a shock. It could happen as tight matches and one goal can be the difference in many cases, but realistically, I don't see it happening. That said, getting to the round of 32 was likely the goal going in, and a win there would be icing to begin with - here's to hoping and cheering them on.

Elsewhere - Magic recently released the Marvel Super Heroes set which means I spent about $70 Canadian because we have an expensive Collector Booster, a Jumpstart booster, and three play boosters - I picked up one here, but have the others in order as well.

This has me up to 271 unopened packs and essentially cover all booster pack releases ever done except for a handful (Alpha, Beta, Unlimited, Antiquities, Arabian Nights, Legends, Portal Three Kingdoms. I haven't collected unopened materials like box toppers, so there is a way I could expand this collection, but I don't want to go there, this is an expensive enough section of my collecting. Just like, I love the sets I am missing, but I am not dropping $1,000 - $30,000 on a pack of cards....unless I win the lottery or something.

Now, into some more football cards from the 2026 lot, and some of the cards being Prizm, seem to have small mark ups. I'd say this seems to happen sometimes, though usually the cards are really good.

Can't complain about seeing some Mahones cards - would have expected they would have been pulled before being put into a lot for sale. I will say, I like the Delect design much better than Prizm.

Eli's another nice name to see.

Another Mahomes with a Brees to boot - solid cards but I would definitely take condition into account when trading. They are good enough to trade and not scrap, but I wouldn't want condition to throw off the recipient unexpectedly.

A Slow Go

Yes, building the 2024 Topps flagship set will be a slow (but fun of course), build. The 2026 lot continues to help with it though.

Kirk, is also a slow go - man us one of the slowest runners in the majors. Is it a problem? We'll, at times it doesn't help, but it's not the only aspect of the game. I like the intangibles he brings and he is solid behind the plate, so as much as we do see jokes about his lacking speed (and it will never be a strength to him, but appreciate his effort to improve it nonetheless), he definitely deserves his spot.

Speaking of spots, these deserve and get a spot in my set build...

More keepers than not - I can get behind that!

Traders for those looking...

Boo to Hernandez for the 2025 trauma he provided...

Nice with almost 70% of the lot being "my" sports. Not sure if I will be seeing another lot purchase like this any time soon. The person I bought from before seems to have disappeared and any lots of over 100 cards seem well overpriced. I will keep looking though...besides, plenty left for this lot still.