Box Break: 2010 Topps Chrome Football (Super!)

I was looking to add an inexpensive box to the order for Brian and Bud's Box Busting Bonanza (stay tuned for the sequel sometime in the future) to get free shipping from Blowout and after some substantial hemming and hawing, decided on a box of 2010 Topps Chrome Football. I wasn't counting on much, but as it turned out, I pulled what will probably be a once in a lifetime hit. Here are the two cards worth mentioning:

Rob Gronkowski Rookie Auto: Though I didn't hit an auto from the scarce Group A I was still lucky enough to pull one of the better autos from Group B. Rob Gronkowski was the Patriots second round pick and had a monster game last night, hauling in three touchdown passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not bad, but not nearly as a cool as...

Akwasi Owusu-Ansah SUPERFRACTOR Rookie: I thought I might go my entire collecting lifetime without ever pulling a superfractor, and that scared me (not really). Considering how difficult they are to pull, and how few products they are in, it was a very real possibility. But then, in the third pack of my second football box ever, I saw Akwasi Owusu-Ansah glaring at me from this gold-bordered beauty. The card looks amazing in person and is one of the few one-of-ones that lives up to the hype. I realize that Akwasi Owusu-Ansah isn't the most highly collected player out there, but it doesn't diminish the value of this card to me, and makes it easier to keep it in my personal collection indefinitely.

Note the numbering: 1 of 1!

Overall Thoughts: Well, anytime you pull a superfractor, I think you are legally obligated to give the box a thumbs up. 2010 Topps Chrome football definitely looks better than the baseball edition and at only $40 a box, it's not a bad gamble for a chance at a Bradford, Tebow or in this case, superfractor. Thanks to this box, I can cross another collecting goal of my list. Next up: a cut autograph!

Card of the Week: 2010 Topps Chrome Dexter "Run DMC" McCluster Rookie Autograph

I've busted a boatload of 2010 Topps Chrome Football retail this year and done awfully well. My top pulls include a Ndamukong Suh SP Variation (sold for $16), Sam Bradford X-Fractor (sold for $11) and a Dez Bryant Orange Refractor (sold for $7) in addition to a bevy of rookies and refractors (which will sell nicely as a lot). Sure I'm not making money, but anytime you can break close to even on retail is a victory, and I've got lots of nice cards for my PC to boot. Last week I grabbed a blaster and promised myself I would stop buying Chrome retail if I pulled an auto (like that would happen). Sure enough, I did, and a good one too. While Dexter McCluster is hurt right now, he flashed some exciting potential during his time on the field, and looks like a big part of the Chiefs turnaround. I was awfully happy with my Run DMC auto but it doesn't compare to what I pulled from my hobby box of Chrome--stay tuned for that!

2010 Topps Chrome Dexter McCluster Rookie Auto

Brian and Bud's Box Busting Bonanza: Results!

I busted the two boxes of 2010 Topps Chrome for Brian and I today and was fairly pleased with the results. We received the promised number of autographs with two decent prospects (Wilson Ramos and Jon Jay) and a very tough to pull red refractor (1:370 packs). The cards were in pretty good shape, but the base cards had some centering issues and the some of the refractors had a strange thin powder coating on them. At only $35 a box, 2010 Topps Chrome isn't a bad gamble, although the autograph checklist is weak and colored refractors are hard to find. Still, I had a lot of fun busting the boxes, and I hope that the Killer B's (Brian and Bud) will reunite soon for some more box breaks.

Brian's Spoils:

--> Refractors (9): Wandy Rodriguez Red Refractor #21/25,
--> Inserts (3): Dustin Pedroia Heritage Chrome #/1961, Martin Prado Heritage Chrome #/1961, Pablo Sandoval t206 Chrome #/999
--> Autos (2): Wilson Ramos and Cole Gillespie

Refractors

Pedroia Heritage Chrome, Kung Fu Panda t206, Martin Prado Heritage Chrome

Cole Gillespie RC Auto

Wilson Ramos RC Auto

Wandy Rodriguez Red Refractor #21/25

Bud's Spoils:
--> Refractors (8): Stephen Strasburg RC, Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Bruce, Brandon Webb, Rick Porcello, Adam Jones, Hiroki Kuroda, Akinori Iwamura
--> Inserts (3): Phil Hughes Chicle Refractor #/499, Hanley Ramirez t206 Chrome #/999, Wandy Rodriguez Heritage Refractor #/561
--> Autos (2): Jon Jay Refractor #/499 and Drew Butera

Base Refractors

Hughes Chicle, Hanley t206, Wandy Heritage Chrome

Drew Butera RC Auto

Jon Jay RC Refractor Auto #/499

Brian and Bud's Box Busting Bonanza: Coming Soon!

Monday! Monday! Monday! Brian from Play at the Plate and I will be splitting two boxes of 2010 Topps Chrome Baseball--stay tuned for results and possible video of the breaks. You don't wanna miss it!

Pack Attack: 2010 Bowman Chrome Valu-Pak

Against my better judgment I grabbed a value pack of 2010 Bowman Chrome (3 packs plus 3 green xfractors) and another lone pack for a look at the retail exclusive green xfractors. They look great, but the rest of the cards leave something to be desired. Out of four packs I didn't pull another refractor, even of a veteran, and the odds on this product are astronomical. With Stras-mania in a full-blown recession, this product is going to bottom out in a hurry. I think I'll stick to singles from here on out. Let me know if you see anything you like. Thanks!

Card of the Week: 2009 Bowman Sterling Alex White Cyan Printing Plate Auto #1/1

I had been trying to add a printing plate to my collection for quite some time but just never found the right player at a reasonable price until just a few weeks ago. I was thrilled to win this card for less than the cost of a blaster (why don't I spend more money on singles?) especially since Alex White looks like he might be in Cleveland as soon as 2011 (he went 10-10 with a 2.45 ERA in 2010 between Single and Double-A) and the card is autographed in addition to being a one-of-one. The printing plate is a lot lighter than I thought it would be considering it's made of metal. A very cool card and one that has a chance to take off if White makes a splash next season.

Back

Front

Thanks for the look!

Pack Attack: 2010 Topps Chrome Baseball Valupak

Card of the Week: 2009 Topps Platinum Mark Sanchez White Refractor Rookie #477/499

A great looking refractor rookie card of one of my favorite players/personal friend and a rising star for the New York Jets:

2009 Topps Platinum Mark Sanchez White Refractor RC #477/499

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!

A Playoff Swap with the Pride of Texas (PATP)

Since joining the blogosphere I've completed more trades with Brian from Play at the Plate than anyone else. We cheer for division rivals (Seattle and Texas) so swapping cards is cinch. Here's the lastest batch he sent my way:

2002 Pacific Joey Harrington RC: I'm not sure whether Brian sent this as a joke or not but I was always a fan of Joey Harrington during his college days at Oregon. Harrington was considered a bust by most, but given his surroundings (the Detroit Lions) he performed admirably. According to Wikipedia is a now a commentator for Oregon Ducks football games but is open to a return to the NFL. I'm not holding my breath.

2002 Topps Reserve Ken Griffey Jr: I never bought more than a few packs of Topps Reserve so I still needed this card to add to the Griffey collection. I'm not sure of the exact number of cards but I think it's nearing 600. Thousand.

2001 Upper Deck Ichiro RC: I don't know if Brian intended to send me an Ichiro rookie because it was in the middle of a bunch of other 2001 UD Mariners, but I certainly won't complain. I admire Ichiro more every season--a beautiful flower in a crappy pot.

2010 Topps Cliff Lee Orange Refractor: Brian was kind enough to throw in a card of the player who might help his team win the World Series. Cliff Lee is so, he doesn't even seem real. The orange refractors look great and were a nice addition to retail.

Thanks Brian! Go Rangers!

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!

Another Color of the Saunders Rainbow Acquired

2009 Bowman Draft Michael Saunders Red Refractor #5/5: Considering the fact that Saunders' jersey number is 55 is this card (#5/5) a one-of-one? Well, I'm sure it would have been if I had got it off eBay, and lord knows I would have paid a hefty premium for it too. Thankfully I got a fair deal on it (from the equally adorded and hated Blowout Cards Forums) and brought it home for less than the price of a blaster. To me, that's a success. With the addition of the Red Refractor (and the imminent arrival of the Purple Refractor) I just need the Gold Refractor and X-Fractor to complete the rainbow (acquiring the Superfractor would be nice, but I'm sure not counting on it). Can't wait to see it finished.


Thanks for looking! I'll keep you updated as more cards arrive.