When finances are tight (and let's face it, finances are always tight around the holidays), I like to spread out any card purchases to make the fun last a bit longer than it might otherwise. Case in point? My blaster of 2017 Topps Gallery. I'm basically opening a pack a day which helps me 1) enjoy each and every card more and 2) have something fun to do on a daily basis. Hopefully all of you are enjoying the closer look at the Wal*Mart exclusive set as well!
Pack 4:
95. Josh Bell
The base set consists of cards 1 - 150 with the final 151 - 200 cards all being short prints (and seeded at a rather astronomical 1:20 packs which is insane). From what I've opened so far, I haven't seen a short print but I have seen plenty of rookie cards including this Josh Bell card.
124. Christian Arroyo
I don't really have anything to say about Arroyo other than the fact that this is the second rookie card in the pack (out of only four cards).
127. Rick Porcello
Our third base card in the pack - and the only non-rookie! Porcello kind of looks like he is pitching in front of a bunch of Christmas lights.
HOF-5. Craig Biggio
This is the second Hall of Fame insert out of the blaster (which is about right since they are seeded 1:8 packs or almost two per blaster). I think Biggio was sort of the precursor to Jose Altuve for the Astros. Unfortunately for Biggio, he was a member of the Astros when they were in the Reds' division so I never really cared all that much for Craig. Altuve, on the other hand, plays for the Astros who are now an AL West team, just about as far removed from the Reds as possible and so I consider Jose to be my favorite non-Reds active player today.
With that pack, we have now ripped four of the seven "regular" packs. There is also that pack of parallels that I need to rip...perhaps I'll do that next to break things up a bit.
Pack 4:
95. Josh Bell
The base set consists of cards 1 - 150 with the final 151 - 200 cards all being short prints (and seeded at a rather astronomical 1:20 packs which is insane). From what I've opened so far, I haven't seen a short print but I have seen plenty of rookie cards including this Josh Bell card.
124. Christian Arroyo
I don't really have anything to say about Arroyo other than the fact that this is the second rookie card in the pack (out of only four cards).
127. Rick Porcello
Our third base card in the pack - and the only non-rookie! Porcello kind of looks like he is pitching in front of a bunch of Christmas lights.
HOF-5. Craig Biggio
This is the second Hall of Fame insert out of the blaster (which is about right since they are seeded 1:8 packs or almost two per blaster). I think Biggio was sort of the precursor to Jose Altuve for the Astros. Unfortunately for Biggio, he was a member of the Astros when they were in the Reds' division so I never really cared all that much for Craig. Altuve, on the other hand, plays for the Astros who are now an AL West team, just about as far removed from the Reds as possible and so I consider Jose to be my favorite non-Reds active player today.
With that pack, we have now ripped four of the seven "regular" packs. There is also that pack of parallels that I need to rip...perhaps I'll do that next to break things up a bit.
Looking forward to the parallel pack
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to me, as an artist, just how much variation in quality there is in Seto's work. Some of the cards are absolutely breath taking in the quality and other seems rushed and sloppy. But I had the same opinion of the 2010 Topps National Chicle set too, but Chicle used a whole stable of artists for the set.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct about the variation in picture quality. I would imagine that Seto did end up rushing some of the portraits, after all, the order was for at least 150 different sketches (I say at least since there may have been some players that got replaced on the checklist before it went to the printing presses).
ReplyDeleteI'm really digging this product. But for the price point and the lack of inserts other than parallels, I think I skip ripping any and I'll pick up a hand collated set on ebay. I don't feel that I'll be missing out on too many pulls that way.
ReplyDelete