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Allen & Ginter Case Rip: Box #1 - Boxtopper & Packs 1 - 6

As I mentioned the other day, I saved all my cash from the last year or so and splurged on a case of Allen & Ginter (as I'm known to do each year).  I also bought a single extra box for use in Gint-a-Cuffs but I won't touch that box until the rules are posted.  As for the case, I obviously cannot wait to dig in so let's get started!

Upon opening my first box, I was greeted with a large cabinet card.

I usually love the cabinet cards - but I have to say, this one is terrible.  The photo (if you can call it that) looks awful.  Like, someone blew it up in MS Paint awful.  Oh my.

As for the subject itself, the Delta Works is a series of construction projects in the Netherlands.  After searching Google for about 30 seconds, I found three much, much better photographs.





I'm sure a Topps employee researcher could have done the same...

Image sources:
http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=ieYLTikGYpvINM:&imgrefurl=http://www.ice2sea.eu/policy/case-study-rotterdam/&docid=jWe6DIysCuCwJM&imgurl=http://www.ice2sea.eu/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DeltaWorks1.png&w=842&h=654&ei=K68CUvLvONS64APnzYH4AQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:1,s:0,i:92&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=181&tbnw=210&start=0&ndsp=11&tx=136&ty=89
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3oBMQojXxIsgH38gFYFPflHF_lPe4chjfPJS-_fFukJZeufJpaL07J6r64LNC5Twxg-pYppcXK0qLX1NH_doDEBWU8i_wu4qvgJIJBEZf7vdvlqCtXBAfUTUOjrmDHHtjIiCQQ/s320/198Delta.jpg
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/h/u/huc121/DZW2.jpg

Now, on to the packs!

I will show all the cards in my Gint-a-Cuffs box when it comes time to bust (and score) that one.  For the case, I plan to only show the highlights or else it'd take me until November to get everything ripped and sorted!

Pack 1:

The highlights of the first pack include a short print (Ozzie Smith), a Barry Melrose A&G back, and this wonderful "Palaces & Strongholds" card of the Taj Mahal.  One downside to the insert set?  Topps got rid of using numbers and went to lettering - I HATE THAT.  The card is "numbered" PS-TM which means I need to find a checklist to see if this is the first, third, seventh, or two hundredth card in the set.  By the way, Topps did NOT include a paper checklist in the box for the first time that I can remember (another bummer if you ask me).

Pack 2:

Pack #2 brought a pair of Pirates' legends base cards (Clemente and Mazeroski).  There was also an Eric Hosmer short print, another Palace & Stronghold card (this time of the Forbidden City), and the real star:  a Joey Votto regular back mini card!

Pack 3:

The third pack gave me a Derek Jeter (numbered #2 in the set which is alright by me even if I don't care for Jeter).  There was also an Across the Years insert of Jason Werth and an Ernie Banks regular back mini card.  All things considered, pack 3 was pretty boring for me!

Pack 4:

Pack 4 contained eight cards - six of which were non-baseball players.  For some people, that's enough of a reason to avoid Ginter - but for me, it's part of the charm of the set.  One such base card was of Chrissy Teigen, a particularly camera friendly woman.  There was alsoa Cliff Lee Across the Years insert and a Mike Joy A&G back mini card (who is Mike Joy?).

Pack 5:

Another pack, another Palaces & Strongholds insert.  There was also a Rickey Henderson short print - but the best card?  None other than this Jackie Robinson regular back mini card.  I love that card!

Pack 6:

The final pack for this post - pack #6 left me wanting more.  The highlights included an Across the Years card of Adam Jones (I can soon see that the Across the Years won't even count as highlights) and a "The First Americans" card of the Pawnee.

Six packs (plus a box topper) into my case and I'm mostly underwhelmed at the moment.  However, there's plenty more to go in this box (not to mention a bunch of other boxes) so things can change in a hurry.  So far, I would say the base cards are nicer than last year's by quite a bit and I like the insert sets better as well.  I think the Palaces & Strongholds will be a favorite set of mine once it's complete!

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