2019 Topps Allen & Ginter: Ripping the Second Blaster

I'm back with my second (of three) retail blasters of 2019 Allen & Ginter.  This time around, I'm going to simply show off my favorite card from each pack...with the possibility of scanning more than one card from any pack that warrants it.  My first blaster produced three mini inserts for me, here's hoping for more of that this time around!

Blaster #2:
Pack 1:

I avoided looking at the Allen & Ginter checklist when it was released so that I could be surprised as I opened up my packs.  Well, this card definitely surprised me - a beautiful card of the Cincinnati Red Stockings.  Good stuff and a fun way to start the blaster.  I should also mention that this pack included a black bordered short print mini of Jordan Hicks but he's a Cardinals so he didn't get scanned.

Pack 2:

A Ginter Greats of Randy Johnson was nice but I went with a scan of this Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. A&G back mini simply because I have him on my fantasy baseball team this year and he's been fairly productive for me.

Pack 3:

A Roger Maris mini is nice but I love the History of Flight cards.  The plane featured here is the Demoiselle Monoplane which was built using bamboo.

Pack 4:

Another legends mini (this time Willie McCovey) but once again, I went with the History of Flight card to scan.  The plane on this card is the De Havilland 106 Comet which was the first pressurized commercial jet.  The plane debuted on July 27, 1949.

Pack 5:

My second Randy Johnson insert of the blaster, this one is from the Baseball Star Signs set.  Pack 5 also yielded my second black bordered mini of the blaster - a nice Francisco Lindor.  Nice, but not nice enough to scan as a "bonus card" for the pack.

Pack 6:

Woohoo, my first mini insert of the blaster (about time too, I was getting worried).  The New to the Zoo cards are retail only.  That and the fact that it is a 20 card insert set means these will be tough for me to track down in the wild...I'll definitely be relying on trading so if you pull any you don't want let me know!

Pack 7:

This was the most boring pack (so far) of the blaster with only a Lou Gehrig A&G back mini of note.

Pack 8:

My third Randy Johnson of the blaster rounds out Blaster #2.  This is a regular back short print - card number 400 in the set (since Topps apparently somehow screwed up the numbering with the set).

Well, after a great first blaster I have to say that this blaster was a bit of a letdown for me, at least in terms of acquring mini inserts.  Other than getting the one New to the Zoo card (which are seeded 1 per blaster anyhow), I didn't luck into any other mini inserts.  I did at least not pull any duplicates from the first blaster so I guess it's not all doom and gloom.

One more blaster to go and then it'll be on to my hobby boxes!

Delivery Time! Trading with Mr Haverkamp

I'm on a roll in terms of getting caught back up on trade posts - and even though 2019 Allen & Ginter is supposed to be released today (I'm hoping my hobby boxes arrive later in the day), I figured I'd make sure I got another trade envelope highlighted before the inevitable crush of hobby Ginter goodies begins (I've already shown off some retail Ginter if you go back through my archives)!

For this morning's post, we are going to take a look at a small envelope from Mr. Haverkamp (aka Jim).  Jim and I completed a small swap back in late spring.

I have a whole lot of sets that I'm working on right now and Jim was able to help me out with a pair of sets including 2000 Topps.

Thanks to the Tino and Hamilton, I'm now only missing three more cards from 2000 Topps.  One of my stated blog resolutions for 2019 is to whittle my want list down to 100 sets or fewer.  I'd love to be able to acquire those last few 2000 Topps base cards in order to reduce my want list by one more set now!

If you are curious, here are the final three cards that I need from 2000 Topps:
Base:  84, 237, 478

**EDIT**  I received the final three base cards from another fellow blogger!  More on that in a future post.

The other set that Jim helped me out with a bit on was 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter:  Flags of All Nations mini set.

I'm an unabashed lover of the Allen & Ginter line of cards...and I love flag cards...so this set is a perfect set for me to try and collect in its entirety.   At the moment, I am still missing 16 of the 50 cards (32%) in the set so I have some work yet to do.  That said, getting even one card in a trade is always much appreciated since mini cards from 2007 aren't necessarily the easiest things to track down these days!

Many thanks for the great swap, Jim!  And, as always, should anyone else want to trade be sure to check out my want list and make an offer.  Now, let's bring on 2019 Ginter, shall we?!

2019 Allen & Ginter: The Rest of Blaster #1

Earlier this evening, I had enough time to rip open (and scan) the first four packs out of my first (of three) blasters of 2019 Topps Allen & Ginter.  Now, it is time to finish off blaster #1.

Pack 5:
19.  Javier Baez
376.  Wade Davis
39.  Jesus Aguilar
159.  Rodney Mullen
Baseball Star Signs:  BSS-49. Bryce Harper

A&G back mini:  Amed Rosario

The A&G back minis are seeded 1:5 blaster packs.  This year's A&G back design is definitely busier than past years but I think I approve.  The back looks a bit more "special" than simply having the A&G logo and that's it.

Pack 6:
257.  Sonny Gray

It took until the sixth pack for me to pull my first new Reds card of the year.

139.  Harold Baines
119.  Michael Kopech
218.  Michael Brantley
Ginter Greats:  GG-4.  George Brett

Mini:  New to the Zoo:  Penguin Chick

Yeah, that George Brett card is nice and all but the real highlight of the pack is that adorable penguin card.  As a child, penguins were my favorite animal and I have to be honest:  I still have a soft spot in my heart for them to this day.

Pack 7:
69.  Danny Jansen
238.  Trevor Bauer
360.  Jorge Posada
21.  Francisco Lindor
Incredible Equipment:  IE-4.  Paul Bunyan's Axe

Mini:  184.  Travis Pastrana

The Incredible Equipment cards are seeded 1:6 packs.  With 20 cards in the set, it'll take some time before I'll be able to finish it I'm sure.

Pack 8:
170.  Lawrence Rocks
268.  Adam Ottavino
30.  George Springer
121.  Jose Abreu
Mares & Stallions:  MS-10.  Kentucky Mountain Horse

Collectible Canines mini:  CC-25.  Maltese

Woo!  Another mini insert, I'll take it!

The final tally from the first blaster (with stated odds)?

Minis:
2 Regular back base
1 Regular back short print (1:13)
1 A&G back (1:5)
1 black border (1:10)
1 Collectible Canine (1:10)
1 New to the Zoo (1:8)
1 Chugging Along (1:50)

I'd say I did really well with my selection of mini cards!  Getting three mini inserts is huge for me since I aim to complete all of the mini sets.  My full-sized inserts were all basically right on the dot in terms of stated odds, no complaints from me whatsoever on this blaster!

I Found 2019 Ginter in the Wild!

My wife and I took a shopping trip to Target today and wouldn't you know it, they had 2019 Topps Allen & Ginter blasters in stock (as well as rack packs and loose packs but I avoided both of those options).  I did, however, buy myself three blasters...this despite the fact that I have some hobby boxes of 2019 Ginter on their way to me right now as well.

What can I say?  This is the first 2019 product that I've decided to purchase, might as well go all-in right away, right?!

Three blasters to rip, I'm going to rip the first few packs right now!  Each blaster contains eight packs with six cards per pack.

Pack 1:
228.  Yasmani Grandal

Grandal has the "honor" of being my first new card of 2019.
280.  Bryce Harper
390.  Phil Rizzuto

Woah, card number 390?  I didn't realize that A&G was shifting from the standard 350 cards in the base set to a larger base set.  Actually, according to Cardboard Connection there are no base cards numbered 301-350 which means the base set is actually 350 cards as usual.  That's bizarre to say the least.
Baseball Star Signs:  BSS-42  Tony Gwynn

This is the obligatory "fit in a bunch of retired greats" insert set in Ginter.  The design is certainly colorful and I dig Tony's uniform on the card.
222.  Matt Olson
Mini:  365.  Ty Cobb

A short printed mini card finishes off the first pack.  My early impressions of the set are good (other than the whole weird numbering snafu).

Pack 2:
42.  Jacon DeGrom
142.  Mitch Haniger
299.  J.A. Happ
Ginter Greats:  GG-9.  Bob Feller

Another set full of retired greats.  This is a pretty cool throwback inspired design though that looks at home in a set like Ginter.
50.  Hank Aaron
Mini:  59.  Justus Sheffield

Pack 3:
241.  Kyle Seager
65.  Ozzie Smith
384.  Rogers Hornsby
History of Flight:  HOF-15.  Space Shuttle Endeavour

Alright, the History of Flight cards are freaking awesome.  I guess these will form a mural of sorts when placed together - something I hope to do once I open up more Ginter.  I'll be sure to show it off if/when I finish it.  The borderless design reminds me of the Ascent of Man (I think that's what it was called) insert set from a few years ago.
105.  Todd Helton
Black border mini:  53.  Willie McCovey

That black bordered minis are sharp looking this year.

Pack 4:
58.  Edgar Martinez
166.  1st Tiger Mask
264.  Yonder Alonso
History of Flight:  HOF-12.  Lockheed SR-71

204.  Cionel Perez
Chugging Along mini:  CA-4.  Cable Car

Woo, my first mini insert of the year!  I'll be collecting ALL of the mini inserts once again so please, please keep me in mind if you pull any you don't want.  I'm positive I'll end up with plenty of trade bait options once I get through these three blasters plus the hobby boxes that should be arriving tomorrow!

I'll try to crack the remaining four packs later tonight - Happy Ginter-mas everyone!

Delivery Time! Remember the Astrodome

Yesterday, I mentioned that I was bound and determined to get all caught up on my baseball card hobby.  Today, I'm pleased to report that I'm still working at it - here's another trade post from a package that arrived back in May (or maybe April?) to prove that I'm working hard!

This time around, we've got a PWE from Marc over at Remember the Astrodome.  Over the years, Marc and I have fallen into a semi-pattern of simply dropping little packages in the mail for the other person whenever we acquire some stuff that other person might like.  It's a pretty easy trading system - he gets unwanted Reds and he ships them to me, I do the same thing with unwanted Astros for him.  Win-win.

The latest envelope from Marc basically contained two different sets.  First, the Bowman cards:

I don't collect Bowman but I admit that I do like to get cards of Reds prospects that actually end up doing something good in the big leagues.  It sure seems like Hunter Greene is one such player who could do great things in MLB...but he has to be able to stay healthy (which is looking less and less likely, unfortunately). 

Next up, some Gypsy Queen. 

Marc sent me a pair of these green bordered cards which I imagine are parallels (maybe retail only parallels)?  I sat out GQ this year so I can't say that I know much about the set - but I do know that since I didn't buy any GQ I definitely appreciate getting the Reds mailed my way!

Finally, one more regular base card from GQ:

That Tucker card is a work of art, even if Mr. Barnhart hasn't been all that great for the Reds this year. 

Thanks for the surprise mailing, Marc!  And, as always, if anyone else would like to trade be sure to check out my want list and make an offer.  I'm ready to get back to it.