Goodwin Champions

I forgot to post this pull yesterday... It's an Adrian Gonzalez auto SP. The thing I find funny is that the card is short printed to only 45 copies, but it isn't serial numbered, yet other releases can have serial numbers in the thousands with no special feature to deserve the number. Without question they should have serial numbered these SP auto cards...

Goodwin Champsions/Triple Threads pulls...

My stock investment was WAY up today (JBII.ob), and I was up probably $12k, so I went to the local hobby shop and bought a couple boxes of cards in celebration. Here's a few of my pulls...

A triple relic/auto of Ryan Braun, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount #/27.


Mauer/Bench/McCann Triple relic #/9


Cal Ripken Jr Goodwin Champions Night SP variation


Phil Neikro Black Magician mini #1/8

More from the vault

This card was acquired long ago (back in grade school in the 80's), by trading with another kid. I'm pretty sure I probably ended up trading some Eric Davis or Darryl Strawberry rookie cards or something to get this, which actually ended up being a pretty good trade on my part. This card isn't in mint condition, but being that it's a 1953 Bowman color Early Wynn card, I still think it holds some decent value.

From the vault

Since I haven't posted in a while, the recent cards will be considered "from the vault", as I've had them for about a month...


The 2009 Topps Finest Tommy Hanson rookie refrector


2009 Goodwin Champions Grady Sizemore night SP

Another Day Another Redemption

On the heels of yesterdays redemption mail, today I received my Topps Finest rookie redemption of Matt LaPorta. This feels a little like the 12 days of christmas. At this rate, I think I should expect another redemption tomorrow, perhaps of a refractor sort...

Mail Day Topps Red Hot Redemption

Got a mail from Topps today, containing my Red Hot Redemption #4, Tommy Hanson! Sweet!!!

2009 Mystery Cuts

Kind of just listing this here for my own viewing since I'm waiting for a mystery cuts redemption. (I hope I get a Sinatra, Edison, Marilyn, Truman, or Cleveland auto)


From the Upper Deck facebook page...
We think it makes sense at this time to share who is confirmed to appear in the program. From actors to politicians, from tennis legends to golf legends, from stars of stage to stars of screen, from presidents to first ladies, from kings of the ring to kings of industry, the Mystery Cuts set has something for everyone. Many of these cards will be limited to just one copy, but as in years past, some will have multiple copies. Here is the confirmed list of authenticated cuts we have in house for this project that will fit:

Al Jolson
Alan Shepard
Alec Guiness
Alex Haley
Andrew Carnagie
Archibald Cox
Archie Moore
Arleigh Burke
Art Carney
Arthur Ashe
Arthur C. Clark
Arthur Miller
Audrey Hepburn
Barbara Stanwyck
Bela Lugosi
Ben Hogan
Benjamin Harrison
Benny Goodman
Bert Wheeler
Betty Ford
Betty Grable
Billie Dove
Billy Wilder
Bing Crosby
Bob Denver
Boris Karloff
Bradford Dillman
Brigham Young
Bud Abbott
Burgess Meredith
Burl Ives
Buster Crabbe
Butterfly McQueen
Byron Nelson
C.W. Nimitz
Cab Calloway
Carlo Gambino
Carole Landis
Carroll O'Connor
Cat Anderson
Cecil Demille
Cesar Romero
Charles Dow
Charles Duryea
Charlton Heston
Clayton Moore
Count Basie
Curly Howard
Dale Evans
David Brinkley
Dizzy Gillespie
Don Budge
Don Haskins
Dorothy Lamour
Earl Scruggs
Ed Hillary
Ed Sullivan
Eddie Arcaro
Eddie Cantor
Eddy Arnold
Edgar Beyer
Edith Roosevelt
Edward Robinson
Eleanor Roosevelt
Eliphalet Remington
Ella Fitzgerald
Emmett Kelly
Errol Flynn
Estelle Getty
Esther Rolle
Fiorello Laguardia
Floyd Patterson
Frances Cleveland
Francis Spinner
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sutton
Fred Astaire
Fred Rogers
Frederick Perry
Gene Kelly
Gene Raymond
Gene Sarazen
General Lemnitzer
General Westmooreland
General Wheeler
George Burns
George Goethals
George Romney
Grace Coolidge
Gregory Peck
Grover Cleveland
Harry Blackstone
Harry Litwack
Harry Truman
Helen Hayes
Henny Youngman
Henry Fonda
Howard Hughes
Irving Berlin
Jack Dempsey
Jack Johnson
Jack Lord
Jack Palance
James A. Farley
James Dean
James Hoffa
James J Braddock
James Stewart
Jane Adams
Jane Russell
Jane Wyatt
Janet Leigh
Jay Gould
Jeremy Sinden
Jerry Quarry
Jerry Vale
Jimmy Walker
Joan Bennett
Joe Bonnano
Joey Bishop
John Jay
John Longden
John Paul Getty
June Allyson
Ken Strong
Lady Bird Johnson
Larry Fine
Lawrence Oliver
Lawrence Welk
Leonard Bernstein
Les Harrison
Lillian Gish
Linus Pauling
Lou Costello
Louie Bellson
Louis St. Laurent
Mae Clarke
Mae West
Malcolm X
Malcom Forbes
Mamie Dowd Eisenhower
Marc Chagall
Marilyn Monroe
Marlon Brando
Mary Lord Harrison
Mary Pickford
Maureen Stapleton
Max Schmeling
Maxwell Taylor
Mel Allen
Menachem Begin
Mickey Cohen
Milton Berle
Mona Freeman
Morey Amsterdam
Morton Downey
Mrs. Lou Gehrig
Myrna Loy
Nat King Cole
Nelson Rockefeller
Norman Fell
Norman Mailer
Orville Wright
Ossie Davis
Otto Waldis
Ozzie Nelson
Pat McNamara
Paul Harvey
Paul Lynde
Pearl Bailey
Peg Leg Bates
Peter Allen
Pier Angeli
P.T. Barnum
Ray Robinson
Ray Walston
Red Auerbach
Red Barber
Red Holzman
Red Skelton
Richard Byrd
Richard Daly
Richard Evelyn Byrd
Rita Rudner
Robert Goulet
Robert Stack
Rory Calhoun
Roy Demeo
Roy Rodgers
Sammy Davis Jr.
Samuel Remington
Sarah Vaughan
Shelly Winters
Sir Edmund Hillary
Stan Watts
Steve McQueen
Taylor Spink
Thomas Dewey
Thomas Edison
Thornton Wilder
Tony Randall
Vincent Lombardi
Vincent Price
Vladimir Horowitz
W.C. Fields
Walter Huston
Walter Lantz
Weeb Ewbank
William Halsey
William Wellman
Willie Pep
Woody Strode

Topps T206

Busted a box of T206. Had no expectations going in, as I hadn't done my due diligence to know what to find in a box. For the price point, I kind of expected to get an A&G/Goodwin Champions type of experience. I wasn't wrong. The cards are very reminiscent of A&G. However, from my one box experience, I didn't find the return value from the box to match the price very well. A Glen Perkins, and Ryan Braun auto were the two hits, and I got a gold foil McCutchen mini #/50, but that was about it. Since A&G is typically very popular, it makes sense that Topps would introduce a second A&G-like product, but by creating a similar product you essentially take away from the uniqueness of the original.

2009 Goodwin Champions

I busted another box of Goodwin Champions. I was thrilled to find a night/moon SP, as this is the first one I've found. But I was even more thrilled to find a Tiger Woods silver foil mini (granted the timing is kinda bad, but it will pass in time).

It was just reported that Phil Mickelson contacted Tiger's wife to pick up some tips on how to beat Tiger!

Apparently the police asked Tiger's wife how many times she hit him. She said "I don't know exactly? but put me down for a 5."

Tiger Woods is so rich that he owns lots of expensive cars. Now he has a hole-in-one.

What's the difference between a car and a golf ball? Tiger can drive a ball 400 yards??...

What were Tiger Woods and his wife doing out at 2.30 in the morning? They went clubbing

Tiger Woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree. He couldn?t decide between a wood and an iron

What does Tiger Woods have in common with baby seals?
They both got clubbed by Scandinavians.

Looks like Tiger Woods drive gave his wife and open shot to the green.

2003 UD SPx

1993 Bowman Hobby Box

When it comes to card collecting I think there are certain players/cards that we all think are must haves. For me one of them was a Jose Canseco 86 Donruss RC. Recently I also came to the conclusion that a Derek Jeter RC should be part of that mix. He is undoubtedly a future hall of famer, and one of the most collectible players in any card release, so adding a RC of his to my collection just seems right. Maybe it's a personal preference, but when I want a RC I like to actually obtain the card from a wax pack. So for an easy and affordable way to get a Jeter rookie I purchased a 1993 Bowman hobby box. Opening the packs I found the cards were rather stuck together, but about 5 packs in, there it was a Jeter rookie, and in pretty much perfect condition. Of course the box doesn't have many other cards of value other than a Pettitte RC (which I also got), but for the money (about $30), this is certainly one of the best ways to get a Jeter RC.

UD 20th Anniv.

Tiger won in Australia this weekend to finally win a competition on every playable continent. I buy a lot of cards so I have a lot of cards, here's the UD 20th anniversary T.Woods cards I've got. According to Beckett, these cards should be worth $32-80 total, a quick look on ebay and you can find lots of his 2001 (rookie) cards such as this one have sold for as little as $4 for 39 cards and many of his 20th anniversary UD cards go unsold at $1. Here's to hopefully opening a pack one day and finding a Tiger Woods auto...

Walmart blasters

I was at walmart this morning, and saw 2008 Stadium Club blasters on sale for half off. Given my previous experience in pulling an Evan Longoria auto from a blaster I figured I'd take the chance. While I didn't get a Longoria, I did walk away with a Justin Masterson auto...

2009 Sweet Spot

Just opened a box of 2009 Sweet Spot... Bonus to UD for the on card autos (mine was a Jordan Zimmerman #27/65), very nice. The base cards are of seemingly good quality, we like that. The memorabilia cards, are eh, nothing special which shows in the ebay sales. My sweet spot signature card of Fausto Carmona was like a kick in the groin, why do I keep getting Fausto Carmona cards, really... The overall value of the box (which is one thing I look at when opening a product), was not that impressive. I looked up ebay sales, and found someone sold the same exact four memorabilia cards that I got in my box for about $8. So I just spent almost $100 for less than $20 of cards...

The 1986 Donruss Canseco RC winner is...

Ok, after a random entry (using random.org) the winner of the 1986 Donruss Jose Canseco RC is Keith! Just email me with your shipping address, and the card will be on its way.

I've got plenty more ideas of free card giveaways, so stay tuned for another free giveaway coming soon...

Free Giveaway!!!! 1986 Donruss Jose Canseco RC

I remember saying I'd do this a while ago, well here it is, you're chance to win a free 1986 Donruss Jose Canseco RC. For me personally there are two cards that were iconic growing up, one was the Upper Deck Griffey rookie card, the other was this Donruss Canseco rookie. Having never obtained a Canseco rookie back in the day I purchased a box at The National this year and walked away with a couple of Canseco rookies. There's definitely something to be said for opening old school wax boxes, very nostalgic, in fact I still have a partial box of 1987 Topps sitting at home unopened. (Hmmm, what was the most iconic card from 1987 Topps, would it be the McGwire, Bonds, Canseco? Perhaps I could give away the trifecta...) Say what you will about Canseco's steroid confessions, this guy changed baseball, and this card will likely remain a solid (and cheap) collectible for that fact alone. Sales of this card on ebay rarely if ever go unpurchased, but are almost never more than a few bucks.

So leave a comment, any comment, and by the end of the week I will announce a random winner of this card. Once announced, the winner simply needs to email me a shipping address and the card will be on its way.

My Rant on Weekend Specials

I buy lots of cards at the local card shop and also online whether it's ebay or other web based retailers. There's always a sale somewhere, but what really insults me is when a sale is posted that is not at all a sale! Case in point, this sale this weekend on Topps Chrome, boxes are $0.64 off which is only about 1.5% off. Really, 64 cents off?! You have to advertise a sale like that?! Kind of insulting when you think about it, if you can offer that price on the weekend, you could offer that price every day of the week. Please, for the love of God, don't advertise anything less than 10% off, I've never once heard someone gush over saving 64 cents on $50 dollars even from the most frugal of individuals. If you really wanted to move product you'd offer a sale that nobody could refuse, and believe me, 64 cents is VERY easy to refuse.



Ok, that's my rant...

I have lots of Evan Longoria cards available for trade, if your interested, look at my spreadsheet, then email me and make a decent offer...

What the...?!

Legendary Cuts hits.

Some less impressive legendary cuts hits from this weekend. It sucks knowing that most of these cards aren't really worth more than a couple bucks based on previous ebay sales.

A couple weekend pulls...

I spent more money on cards than I really should have this weekend, but here are a couple of pulls I managed to get, the first from a box of 2009 Triple Threads, a triple relic (#'ed 2/3) of Manny, Kemp, and Martin. The second is a 2009 Legendary Cuts cut auto of Whitey Kurowski (#'ed 10/12).

2007 Bowmans Best

2007 Bowmans Best

I've added a new link for Player Specific Card Available for Trade. This list currently just includes Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, David Price, Derek Jeter, Evan Longoria, Ichiro, Ken Griffey Jr, and Tim Lincecum.

2007 Bowmans Best

A 2007 Bowman's Best hobby box

Despite giving away 6 base sets of 33 bowmans best cards, I've still got lots of doubles of some players (as many as 11 doubles), so feel free to check out my list of available 2007 cards here if there's a card you need to get your hands on.

The Winner is...

Ok, after a random entry (using random.org) the winner of the 33 card base set of 2007 Bowman's Best is White Sox Cards! I may already have your address but please send it again, just to be sure, and the cards will be on their way.

I've been updating my available cards list most of the day today, more 2009 releases have been added and I've split the spreadsheet into years. I will also be adding player specific cards I have available too (but probably not today), so Pujols/Jeter/Ichiro/Lincecum/Griffey/Longoria collectors will have a specific place to check for cards I have available of that specific player...

Free Giveaway!!!!

So Steve won a free set of 33 Bowman's Best cards two weeks ago, but I've still never received any communication from him. SO.... I'm putting the base set of 33 2007 Bowman's Best cards back up for grabs. Like before I will randomly choose a winner in a couple of days, and the winner simply needs to send me an email with your shipping address and the cards will be on their way. Now enter a comment, any comment, I don't care, then check back in a couple of days to see if you win.

2009 UD Goodwin Champions

2009 Bowman Chrome Hobby Box

I have plenty of box breaks on video, just need to put them up. This was probably a month ago, and isn't all that fascinating...

Winner #6! Another giveaway?

Ok, after a random entry (using random.org) the winner of the 33 card base set of 2007 Bowman's Best is SpastikMooss! Send me an email with your shipping address and the cards will be on their way.

Thank you all for playing and clearing out some space for new cards.

Also, give me some feedback. Do people like free cards regardless of the cards or does there need to be some significant value? Is anybody interested in getting free cards along the lines of refractors, #'ed cards that I'm not interested in? Here's some cards I think I may give away... Some 2009 Goodwin mini's, refractors from Topps Finest and Bowman Chrome. Would people be interested in pick 10 type of giveaways of more common cards from base sets? How about contests where I put up a card, and people provide a "hit" that's of absolutely no value and the winner with the worst hit has to trade that horrible hit in return for the card being offered... For example trading an Angel Berroa relic card for say a pick 10 of a given set of cards.

Depending on the feedback received, I would like to start by giving away a 1986 Donruss Canseco rookie card. It's a bit off center so it's not in mint condition, and others can be found on ebay for maybe $1-2, so I'm thinking maybe somebody would be interested in receiving it for free. So let me know what kind of giveaway's are of the most interest and I'll do another giveaway soon.

Free Giveaway #6!!!!!!

Ok, after a random entry (using random.org) the winner of the 33 card base set of 2007 Bowman's Best is beardy! Send me an email with your shipping address and the cards will be on their way.

Sad you didn't win? Don't worry I've got ONE MORE set of 33 Bowman's Best cards to give away! (And if it weren't for a missing card or two, I'd have a couple more sets to giveaway... Hmm, anyone have ideas on what I should do with all these other cards? I have as many as 6 doubles of some cards in the set.) Once again, enter a comment, any comment, I don't care. The winner will be chosen at random tomorrow evening. Now send a comment if you want these cards... Sorry night owl, SIXTYfeetSIXinches, Captain Canuck, beardy, and Steve you don't qualify for a second set.

Free Giveaway #5!!!!!

Ok, after a random entry (using random.org) the winner of the 33 card base set of 2007 Bowman's Best is Captain Canuck! Send me an email with your shipping address and the cards will be on their way.

Sad you didn't win? Don't worry I've got yet ANOTHER set of 33 Bowman's Best cards to give away! Once again, enter a comment, any comment, I don't care. The winner will be chosen at random tomorrow evening. Now send a comment if you want these cards... Sorry night owl, SIXTYfeetSIXinches, Captain Canuck, and Steve you don't qualify for a second set.

Free Giveaway #4!!!!

Ok, after a random entry (using random.org) the winner of the 33 card base set of 2007 Bowman's Best is Steve! Send me an email with your shipping address and the cards will be on their way.

Sad you didn't win? Don't worry I've got another set of 33 Bowman's Best cards to give away. Once again, enter a comment, any comment, I don't care. The winner will be chosen at random tomorrow around this time (8PM Est). Now send a comment if you want these cards... Sorry night owl, SIXTYfeetSIXinches, and Steve you don't qualify for a second set.

Free Giveaway #3!!!

Ok, after a random entry (using random.org) the winner of the 33 card base set of 2007 Bowman's Best is SIXTYfeetSIXinches! Send me an email with your shipping address and the cards will be on their way.

Sad you didn't win? Don't worry I've got another set of 33 Bowman's Best cards to give away. Once again, enter a comment, any comment, I don't care. The winner will be chosen at random tomorrow around this time (8PM Est). Now send a comment if you want these cards... Sorry night owl and SIXTYfeetSIXinches, you don't qualify for a second set.

Free Giveaway #2

Ok, after a random entry (using random.org) the winner of the 33 card base set of 2007 Bowman's Best is night owl! Send me an email with your shipping address and the cards will be on their way.

Sad you didn't win? Don't worry I've got another set of 33 Bowman's Best cards to give away. Once again, enter a comment, any comment, I don't care. The winner will be chosen at random tomorrow around this time (8PM Est). Now send a comment if you want these cards... Sorry night owl, you don't qualify for a second set.

2010 Topps Baseball - Reminds me of a card I made

I just looked at the 2010 Topps Baseball Pujols... I'm not going to write up my thoughts about the design, rather I'll just say, I made a card and posted it on my blog months ago, and can you see any similarities in the design? I can personally find several. Granted the similarities aren't exact, but a swoosh, name/logo/position orientation, stuff like that is similar. Maybe it just validates that my card idea was a decent one, even if it's not production quality.

Free Giveaway - 2007 Bowman's Best 33 card base set

Ok, I've decided to give some stuff away, starting with a 33 card base set of 2007 Bowman's Best. Here's how it will work. Leave a comment, any comment at all, I don't care. Tomorrow at this time I will randomly choose someone to receive the 33 card base set. Check back tomorrow, and see if you won. At which time I expect you to send me an email at waxpackrelapse@yahoo.com with your mailing address and I will send out your cards. Simple enough? Good. Now leave a comment if you want these cards.

A 2009 Legendary Cuts Case Hit

My freakin' luck continues. So in the past week, I've bought several boxes of cards. The first hit I got was getting 2 Goodwin champions black foil mini magician cards in one box. Then I got a horse hair cut card in another box. Today, I purchased a 2009 Legendary Cuts box, and walked away with a mystery cuts exchange card! Woo-hoo! Now, I knew I've been feeling lucky this past week, but seriously, this isn't normal. The mystery cut card alone would likely sell from $175-$350! And if I exchange it, god knows what I could end up with. Hm, the dilemma, do I sell or exchange?

Also, I have 4 hobby boxes of 2007 Bowman's Best on the way to me, so stay tuned as I will bust those boxes once they arrive! And to make things better for anyone that reads, I think I will be giving away 33 card base sets of Bowmans Best (I've already got something like four of the 33 card base sets that I don't need).

Another 2009 Goodwin Champions Pull

Maybe I'm just lucky right now, I don't know, but just days after opening a box containing two black foil mini magician cards (#1/8) I got another decent box! The standard three hits of the box were actually pretty bad, and the Iwamura memorabilia card was 'wrinkled'. But I managed to pull a Thoroughbred Hair Cuts Exchange Card! Going rate on ebay seems to be $70-75, so I'd say this easily pays for the box. Not often you get your money's worth back from a box, but I'm feeling pretty lucky lately.



On a different note, I'm thinking of busting a case of cards. Haven't decided what yet, so if you're convinced of a certain product that provides the best auto's/hits for a mid level product (no Topps sterling or UD Ultimate) then let me know. Though I am kind of leaning towards a 2007 Bowmans Best case, and that's not exactly cheap...

Some 2009 Goodwin Champions pulls

Just bought a box of 2009 Goodwin Champions, and am wondering, is it normal to get two black foil mini's both numbered 1/8 in a box? I got both a Manny Ramirez and a Justin Morneau black mini foil #'ed 1/8. Also a Phil Hellmuth poker player auto and a couple of Red Sox memorabilia cards...

Been a long time since I've done an update, but what can I say, I got busy with other stuff. Not to say I haven't been busting wax, cause I have... But I've decided to liquidate my Longoria collection (with the exception of some rookie cards), I'm ebaying lots of great autos, jerseys, and short prints, even a 1/1 printing plate. (Click here to go to ebay store)

Pics of a few items up for auction...