The Shinys are Here, Part V: The Dimwit's Monster Entry!

A few days ago, Samuel (from The Daily Dimwit) claimed trade stack #5 (in return for sending me a single card off my 2009 Heritage Heroes want list) AND offered to send me a bunch of those shiny Topps diamond parallels.  In return, I sent him the 9 cards in the trade stack, a bunch of 2011 Topps inserts, and an N43 from 2010 Allen & Ginter.

Samuel ended up adding a couple of unannounced Topps inserts that I needed - which means this is a super sweet (and highly shiny) trade package!  Thanks to the 14 diamond parallel cards, Samuel also nets himself 14 entries into my contest where I'm giving away complete sets plus other goodies!

Let's take a look:

2009 Topps Heritage American Heroes:
125.  Flight 93

As a resident of Pennsylvania, the crash of Flight 93 hit close to home for me (in more ways than one).  Like most people, I'll never forget where I was when I heard the news of the attacks - I was almost asleep back in my dorm room having come back already from a 7:45 AM math lab.  As a professor now, it's hard to believe that 9/11 occurred at a point when my current college students were still basically too young to grasp the severity of the news!  In a profession where I basically deal with twenty year olds on a daily basis, I need to remember that ten years ago is a really long time when it corresponds to half of your lifetime!  

2011 Topps:

Vintage Reproductions:
CMGR-19.  Walter Johnson

Someone explain to me why, in a year that Topps is celebrating a major milestone birthday, they decided to do an insert set honoring a bunch of sets that they didn't even produce...  I don't get it.

History of Topps:
HOT-7.  Topps Reintroduces Bowman

Now this is the type of insert set that makes sense for a major birthday issue.  A set that celebrates what Topps has done over the years.  Oh sure, it's a little dry...and the backs of the cards are only marginally informative...but it still makes more thematic sense as compared to the Vintage Reproductions!  And as a side note, I hated Bowman when it was reintroduced in '89 and I pretty much haven't changed my opinion of the line since.

Diamond Parallels:
14.  Randy Wolf
38.  Ryan Dempster

41.  Freddy Garcia
The Freddy card is the only diamond parallel card out of the ones that Samuel sent my way that I already had.  
51.  David Eckstein
77.  Tim Hudson
87.  Daniel Descalso
96.  Zach Duke
109.  AL Avg. Leaders

146.  Roy Halladay
174.  Roy Oswalt
181.  Magglio Ordonez

200.  Ichiro

206.  Chase Headley

235.  AL ERA Leaders

Thanks a lot for the great trade Samuel - and good luck with your 14 entries into my contest!  And for everyone else, as always - if you want to trade - check out my want list and make an offer!