Jan 12, 2013

2012 Topps: A Last Look of the First Look I Had or Jumbo Boxes are Full of Cards

We're all looking forward to the 2013 collecting season (coming January 30th or so to a theatre near you).  The 2013 Topps set offers the promise that the upcoming collecting season will be full of familiarity and twists as well as nostalgia and commemoration.

For the first time, I opened a jumbo box of the ubiquitous flagship product; I will not be doing this again.  I was swung by the siren song of gold rush wrapper redemptions (check out my wantlist; I actually am trying for that set!) and promise of inserts, inserts, and gold....delicious gold. Gold like honey to drizzle all over the collection boxes and leave them begging for more.   That might have been gratuitous, but you get the idea.

Here is how opening a jumbo box goes:

1. Hey, look at the size of those packs; I can make a new Bay Bridge with those packs.
2. There's a relic....that card is thick.  Check out all the metal on that card; I wonder if it's magnetic.
3. How many more timeless talents inserts are there?  Can't I make a mural of these instead of collect them.
4.  Halfway through the box now,  I only have 5 pack rips left.  That makes a sad.
5. I'm noticing a theme with the insert cards.  Why are they all erased at the bottom?
6. A duplicate?  From a box in this house?  30 duplicates in a row from the same pack?  You go back in there and sit in the naughty corner until you change into non-duplicates.  Think about being individualist in the post-modern sense....that should do the trick.
7. It's over....there's a big stack of cards.....and no set to chase.....the end.
8.  What do you mean I need 4 more wrappers for the wrapper redemption?!?

Here's what came out of the pack ripping thoughts....
 
Trevor Cahill Golden Moments Auto: First thought: It's an A's auto of a player not on the A's....I prefer Jarrod Parker.
Elvis Andrus Golden Moments Relic: First thought: You are not a Phillie, why do I care about a relic like this?
Derek Jeter World Series Pin: First Thought: Cool card; I'm glad a star like Jeter is one my collection haunter
Trevor Plouffe Black Parallel: Low numbered card alert! Break out the bacon fat!
Minis!!-but not as fun as the Kimball champions from the year before; I will not be getting all 150 this time.
Timeless Talents insert: They were both Chicago team shortstops and are Latino....third straight year of an unliked concept.
Mike Moustakas Gold Futures: A prospect laden set to show that Bowman isn't the only game in town.  What's that? Bowman is the same game? Well, forget it then.
Phillies mini!  The quest is at an end.  Plus, retro uniform!
Mini photoed minis!- These are nice cards, almost wish they were the base cards from this year....I've probably said that already.
Roy Halladay mini-I had a similar reaction with the Howard except I might have jumped left instead of right.
Joe DiMaggio Golden Greats:  This was the most annoying insert set of all.  Redundancies and a large card set makes for it being largely incollectible.
Paul Molitor Gold Standard: 3000 hits is a gold standard.....even used to be good enough to get in the HOF on the first ballot.
Howard Gold Sparkly: I like shiny Phillies.
Polanco Gold Sparkly: I like shiny Phillies redux.
Ichiro Golden Moments: Correction, this was the most annoying insert.  Is that floating team logo for real?  Also, there were 3 series and a mini card version of this insert set?  Can we get these all stricken from the record?

I didn't show any base cards, but I do have them all...

Anyway, time to look forward, not backward....happy collecting season 2013....

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