A New(ish) Dollarama Product

These are not new anymore - think I have seem them around for about 6 months on and off, but hadn't pulled the trigger until fairly recently. Figure this is a nice repack to split over two days...



I expect these will be similar to the baseball ones that have been around a couple years, but I guess I'll find out first hand today.

As usual, I hope for more than half being cards new to me, ideally a couple Leafs for some Toronto content, and an insert or two would be great.

Time to see how the first half goes today.



Well, I think this is enough to call this side a success - 4 Leafs is a great start. I didn't have either of the Cullen or Potvin which are nice adds. Potvin's post here is a nice clean one though a little tame for Stadium Club, but still very nice.



A single insert which is very much like many of the 15 card repacks I have opened before. If I finish this insert set, I think it will be all because of these repacks.

The rest of the keepers...





Happy with the number of new cards for me, including a needed a 1990-91 American Score card since that set is getting close to done (Makarov).

A bit more In The Game than I like as they were never a brand I really enjoyed, but at least they are different.

The card showing on the pack was the Brodeur and the last card in the dupes below (which I had hoped wasn't a dupe).

As for the dupe cards...




My overall impressions after the first half....definitely worth the fun for the $4 so far, and if I end up with a couple more Leaf cards in the other half, that'll make up for the excess In The Game content. Also (knock on wood), I am shocked there were only 3 Bowman cards from 1990-91 - though maybe that changes tomorrow...

Ending on a subway...or streetcar...

So, last pack today, and we will start with the "hit" of the pack...



This is obviously out of the Subways and Streetcars insert set, cards from which fall one every 25 packs, so again, this blaster beats the odds. Apparently, there are two Tramways in the US (or so says the back of this card). The one here is from Portland, the other is in New York.

Again, such an interesting little subset (little because they are mini cards...man, horrible puns).



I am very disappointed by the base cards...specifically Alomar. Why put him in a Cleveland uniform on the base card, if on the Numbers Game insert, you have him as a Jay? I really would like this card if he was in a Jays uni....boo!

Speaking of Numbers Game inserts...



Happily take another of these.

With that, we end the box, so let's add this up and compare.

7 Packs, 41 Cards, 210 points.

Boxes for 2019:

1)	2015-16 Upper Deck Champs Box	7.7130
2)	2016 Topps Allen & Ginter Blaster	5.1220
3)	2015-16 Upper Deck Portfolio Box	3.6067
4)	2016 Topps WWE Road To Wrestlemania Blaster 1	3.2222
5)	2017 Topps WWE Blaster 1	3.1905
6)	2015 Topps WWE Heritage Blaster 1	3.1296
7)	2016 Topps WWE Blaster 1	3.0952
8)	2016 Topps WWE Then Now Forever Blaster 1	3.0317
9)	2016 Topps Series 2 Baseball Blaster	2.9700
10)	2016 Topps WWE Road To Wrestlemania Blaster 2	2.8194

With the Cano hit, not a surprise this box did pretty darn well overall for the year to date. A nice and enjoyable product, which is just, from a pricing and availability standpoint, is one I only would pick up on discount or good sale, like I did here.

Again, second best overall also sounds about right for my gut feel on these.

With tomorrow being the last day of my busy season, I think I will open something new (and not from the US trip last year), and that will take me two days to go through....see you back here tomorrow!

Another Wonder

This blaster has done a nice job of hitting above it's weight class as it were. A second Natural Wonders insert. I have never been to Rio, but this is as picturesque as I have seen it other places.

The golden border is a nice change having opened a few packs now as well.



Jackson, at the time of the card, had only been in about a dozen games for Texas, but has since made his way to Atlanta, and has been more regular in their team (averaging about 40 appearances to pitch for them each of the last two seasons).



Another short print base card and the rest of the base...



I like Jim Rice, but that look on his face, he looks more like someone holding a bat looking to smash intruders to his home or something...yeah....it's late April and the tiredness of work is very much getting to me....lol.

I don't know Schirripa for much other than that he was on the Sopranos (which I never got into watching somehow - it is a type of show which should be up my alley, but I think timing didn't work for when it was on, but maybe I should binge watch it now...).

6 Packs, 35 Cards, 175 points.

A new Tulo and Carew

So yesterday Vladdy Jr. played his first major league game. It was a neat moment to watch, and nice to see Vladdy Sr in expo garb watching the game. A decent enough first game getting a double, and a standing ovation for grounding out in his first at bat. No pressure, right?

Anyway...cards...this blaster is going well enough, too bad I didn't pick up a couple from Dave & Adam's last year. Between the nice Cano hit, some nice inserts, and a couple Jays, it's been pretty good so far.



Another Jay is the personal highlight today. The base set Tulo is decent - not sure why the pose specifically reminds me of him - either from other cards, or similar, just looks so "Tulo" for what it is worth - except of course, he seems healthy in this pick, which wasn't the norm for his time in Toronto.

As for the nice Carew - another numbers insert is sweet to me.



Only complaint is that they didn't go with each card number being the Jersey number, but I get that some may have been a bit weak if done that way.

We even have another A&G backed mini....



and the base includes...



A Rollie Fingers, and his 'stache...really, just another solid overall pack from this blaster.

5 Packs, 29 Cards, 160 points.

More numbers

I was hoping to get this card after getting my first Numbers Game card a couple days ago...actually would have been happy with any Jays featured numbers card, but this one is my fave given the different Jays in the insert set...



Robbie had his number retired by the Jays in 2011, same year he went into the Hall. Definitely a great at second base, and one of the key parts of the Jays back to back World Series teams in the early 90s.

The mini for this pack...



A nice little Matt Kemp. Then we finish with the four regular, everyday, base cards...



Ok, I guess Anthony Anderson isn't a regular everyday base card since, as an actor, he doesn't get many cards put out there. He will always be Teddy from Hang Time in 1996-97 - his first regular role I believe. It was part of the Saturday morning line up on NBC back in the day I believe.

4 Packs, 23 Cards, 142 points.

Going Wild

It's no rally monkey (a card I still need to keep an eye out for or trade for...but I digress), but these mascots in the wild inserts (which fall one every eight packs) are another nice A&G type insert set. Don't really collect horses, but would make a different type of team collection card for a Rangers fan.



Some nice base cards, and though no longer a Jay by this point, we have Revere. Ben was one of the younger ones I was hoping would stick around with the Jays.



A nice short print rookie in Pedro, and the mini for the pack is...



As much as I like the minis for being different - my eyes do not like the mini stats on the back. Basically no way I am going to read them...

Well, we finally get a bit of a come down after a couple really nice packs, which is to be expected, but still more decent stuff to come I am sure.

3 Packs, 17 Cards, 127 points.

An A&G Relic

Well, what do you know...



it's a Cano! This is a full size Type B relic card....yeah, why we need that much detail for a card is annoying. Just a plain white swatch, and odds of one per 70 packs, so probably the long odd card of this box, but really nice, and one I am happy with.



Sweet! The odds for the A&G backed mini are one per 5 packs, and getting a nice Jays one with Pillar is even better!

As for the base...





Not just three base, the Beltre is a short print (if you care about that type of thing) with one every other pack apparently. One thing I do dislike about this, and many sets these days, is the short printing of base cards. Just make it a chase insert set or something.

That won't keep me down as this will be a hard pack to beat out of this box.

2 Packs, 11 Cards, 109 points.

Oh and my two cents on the Leafs...though a better performance, a repeat in result from last year which is disappointing. I guess the starting point next year is hoping Boston doesn't make the playoffs...

2016 Topps Allen & Ginter Baseball

Looks like this will be the box that basically gets me through busy season (almost right to the end of the month). Allen & Ginter is one of those sets I should really collect more of. It has the old timer look and feel, great card stock, and simple card design generally.

That said, I have absolutely zero cards from this set. Well, at least that is going to change starting today.



For reference, as usual, here is the box, flattened, but showing the odds for the inserts.

Also, a reminder of what I do for scoring...

Base card - 1 point (yes, all cards get a point)
Base card need - 2 points
Base variation card - 20 points
Base card Toronto card - 5 points
Base variation Toronto card - 50 points
Insert Card bonus - points based on odds - if 1 in 4 - worth 4 points, double if a Toronto card

As per usual, pull a pack for the unopened pack collection....



Then we start with the first of the 7 remaining packs.

Pack 1:


So we start off the baseball packs with a tennis star....that is so A&G and oddly appropriate. A nice mini, which I also had to look up because of the odd border, and yes, this is the black border, those minis fall one per 10 packs.

A great career hindered by a drug suspension which I believe ended up being 15 months. An unfortunate hiccup given the failed test and her side of the circumstances. Focusing on the career - a solid one on the court.



Second card in, and we have yet to have a baseball player. These wonders inserts do make for really nice cards, and again, are so A&G.



As a numbers person...I absolutely love this card. Heck, I wish they made an entire set based on jersey numbers and facts about those who played in the jersey. Sounds like a solid and easy 100 card base set if nothing else.



We end with the base cards, which aren't too shabby either!

Wonder if they will all be this varied and filled with awesomeness.

1 Pack, 6 Cards, 23 points.

A Stew(art) in the last pack

Here is the last dollar store pack I picked up in the US last year...



These have been pretty good for being half worth keeping, so let's see if that continues.



Best of the bunch is a nww to me Jays add of Shannon STewart.




A good stretch in the rest of the keepers as they go back to 1981 Fleer with Guidry, but one of the cards really shines to me - the San Diego Padres team card which is from 2009 O Pee Chee.

In getting this card it reminded me very much of the 2018 Topps Big League series which came out. Not sure if it was purposely done with a bit of a take on the O Pee Chee look from that year, but it's a decent similarity between the two.




A couple minor league cards which seem to be par for the course with these packs, though as I have said before - are not my cup of tea. The rest are sets I have completed and need no more of.

Not a bad finish of these. On to a baseball blaster from Dave and Adam's tomorrow...