First Day Issues Top 5 Pulls of 2010

Two thousand and ten was a banner year for me in terms of card collecting with a bevy of big money hits and rare pulls. Of course I also spent a boatload of money, but in the end, I'd say I did pretty well. Judge for yourself:

#5) 2008 Bowman Draft Gordon Beckham RC Auto Refractor #/500: This might not be the biggest pull in terms of monetary value after Beckham's stinker of a season, but considering I pulled it from two packs at a gas station, I feel it deserves to make the list. The card is in great condition and I might send it in to BGS or PSA if I ever work up the energy. It'll be tough to pull a better card from a gas station, but I'll never rule it out...

#4) 2010 Topps Chrome Awkwasi Owusu-Ansah Superfractor RC #1/1: I thought I might go my whole collecting career without pulling a superfractor but in my second ever hobby box of football cards I pulled this beauty. Now, Akwasi Owusa-Ansah (henceforth referred to as AOA) isn't exactly a household name, but anybody in a Cowboys uniform is a potential hobby star and I can't complain about an amazing looking card that was 1:2,500+ packs.

#3) 2009 Bowman Draft Jared Mitchell Gold Refractor #37/50: With some of the proceeds of the sale from card number one on this list (you won't want to miss that) I purchased a box of 2009 Bowman Draft from Atlanta Sports Cards and pulled a Mike Minor RC Auto and this Jared Mitchell Gold Refractor RC Auto which sold for $150. It was tough to part with because I love the design of 2009 Bowman, but I don't have the courage for high stakes prospecting, so I dropped it like it was hot.

#2) 2010 Topps Platinum Sam Bradford/Colt McCoy Dual Auto #13/25: This card came from my very first hobby box of football cards after the frustration of not pulling a patch/auto out of countless retail blasters reached it's boiling point. I ordered this box from Blowout Cards and although it didn't contain a patch auto (Topps rectified the situation later) I was awfully happy to pull a dual auto of the top rookie quarterbacks. With Bradford's strong season and McCoy's late season emergence, I was able to sell this on eBay for a cool $150. If only every box was so fruitful...

#1) 2008 Bowman Draft Jason Heyward Aflac Auto SP: Early on in 2010 I was hooked on Bowman Draft after pulling a few autos from a box of the 2009 variety. I decided to go after a box of 2008 Draft but finding one at the right price (less than $100) proved elusive. I finally gambled on a box from eBay even though I didn't really have the money for it at the time...call it hunch. About 2/3 thirds of the way through the box I hadn't pulled a single card of note until this jawdropper emerged. With Heyward's hobby star rising and the extreme rarity of this card, I was able to sell it for an unbelievable $500 dollars. The pull of a lifetime? Maybe...

2010 Topps Chrome Football Thus Far: Shiny!

I've been burned out on baseball lately (blame the Mariners for that) so I've turned by card buying focus to football cards. Topps Chrome is always one of my favorite sets and has great value at the retail level (with an insert or refractor in every pack). Here are some of my top pulls (in addition to countless rookies and refractors) so far:

Matthew Stafford Purple Refractor #/555: Since I'm a Mariners fan, I've developed quite a heart for losing teams, and no team knows how to lose better than the Detroit Lions. They've looked a lot better so far in 2010, and with Stafford at the helm things seem to be moving in the right direction. As for my Mariners...

Jahvid Best Orange Refractor RC: The orange refractors were inserted three per valu-pak and add a great punch to retail. I'd love to pull a Tebow orange refractor as the borders would really bring out his Broncos' jersey. Best has been explosive at times but slowed down by turf toe--once he's healthy he should put up some big numbers.

Colt McCoy X-Fractor RC: The x-fractors from this set look phenomenal and I was thrilled to pull one of a rising star in Colt McCoy. Although undersized, McCoy looked great in his first start against the unforgiving Steelers defense, and I think he has a very bright future. I'm keeping it for now, but Play at the Plate has first dibs if I decide to move it.

Dez Bryant Orange Refractor RC: Though he hasn't produced so far Dez Bryant has all the tools to be a top tier wide receiver--as long as he keeps a level head. He's shown flashes of brilliance but has been lost for the most part in a terrible season for the Cowboys.

Sam Bradford X-Fractor RC: This was a great pull, but alas, it fell victim to Topps' legendary chrome printing issues. In this instance, it was terrible centering and a small dimple above Bradford's helmet. It will still sell, but not for as much as it should have. Bradford has been amazing thus far in 2010, leading the woeful Rams to a .500 record despite a lackluster supporting cast. He's good.

Ndamukong Suh RC Variation SP: No, I wasn't quite as lucky as the Mojo Hand who pulled two autographs from blasters, but these rookie variations are case hits and this card actually sells for more than Suh's autograph card from the set (it doesn't make sense, but I don't mind). The variation came in a pack with 5 cards (instead of the regular four) which also had the McCoy x-fractor in it. A super hit for retail.

Thanks for looking!

Box Break: 2010 Topps Platinum Football Hobby

After not pulling a patch auto out of a handful of Platinum blasters I figured I would cut my losses and go for the guarantee in a hobby box. I sold some cards some eBay so the box was basically free (you know, since paypal money isn't real money) and I wasn't too concerned about making my money back on it. Thankfully, I beat the odds and ended up with a stellar box. Here's how I did:

Jahvid Best RC Refactor #338/999: The refractors from this set look very sharp in person and I was happy to pull one of a top rookie in Jahvid Best. He's slowed down a little bit after a quick start but looks like he should be a big part of the Lions rebuilding project. I also pulled a refractor of Jermaine Gresham (TE-Bengals) and a white refractor (#/499) of Jimmy Graham (TE-Saints).

Carlton Mitchell RC Auto #573/1099: I pulled this out of the second pack of the box and figured my break was doomed. Despite his intense concentration, Carlton Mitchell isn't a top receiving prospect in the NFL, and playing for the Browns won't help at that either.

Eric Decker RC Auto Patch #207/800: You know if the patch/auto isn't the last card featured in the break, I must have pulled something good (be patient, it's next). Even though Eric Decker isn't one of the big names from this set, I was happy with a nice three-color patch and mildly inappropriate signature (I won't go into great detail, you can see it for yourself). Decker had a great career at the University of Minnesota and was talented enough to be drafted twice by Major League Baseball teams. Here's hoping he's a hidden gem.

Sam Bradford/Colt McCoy Dual RC Refactor Auto #13/25: And boom goes the dynamite. It's always nice to pull a card that leaves you speechless, and this beauty did exactly that to me. I saw the refractor shine when I opened the pack and figured I had a basic autograph, nothing special. When I slid the other cards away I saw the serial number and thought, wow that's pretty rare. Then I saw both Bradford and McCoy a new I had myself a real winner. The dual autographs from this set are 1:4,288 packs so I certainly beat the odds. With both rookie quarterbacks playing well, this card should net me a pretty penny when I decide to part with it.

Overall Thoughts: Although not as nice as the recently released Topps Finest, Platinum delivers two rookie autos and one patch auto per box at a decent price. With two rookies per pack you get over 50 a box, and I sold those along with the Mitchell auto for $25 bucks. It's a fun break (especially if you like shiny cards as much as me) and gives you a decent chance for a good ROI. It's a nice break from the monotony of baseball, and as seen in my break, a chance at pulling a big hit. Thanks for looking!