2005 Playoff Contenders Football Hobby Packs

My desire to hit an Aaron Rodgers autographed rookie card hit its peak a few months ago.  I bought thirteen 2005 Playoff Contenders Football hobby packs from Steel City Collectibles.  They were $13.95 each, for a total of $181.35.  

There are supposedly about five autographs per box.  So by buying thirteen packs, I was expecting to hit about two to three autographs.  I emailed Steel City Collectibles prior to my order asking why the hobby packs were loose packs and not in a sealed hobby box.  They said that the hobby box was damaged, but the hobby packs were fine.  Who knows if that's the truth or not, but Steel City is a reputable seller so I figured I could trust them.  

Well, here's the haul from those thirteen packs:

You will note that there are ZERO autographs.  

Yup, thirteen packs and $181.35 later, I have nothing to show for this break except a few worthless inserts.  I found it hard to believe that I didn't even hit one autograph.  Were these packs searched?  They didn't seem tampered with or resealed.  

I looked on YouTube for some other box breaks, and it does seem like boxes having less than the advertised autograph content is a common problem.  I saw a few breaks where there was one or zero autographs in an entire box.  So I guess that is what happened with the hobby box that these loose packs came from.

I knew that buying these hobby packs was going to be a risk.  I wasn't expecting a return on my money.  But I wasn't expecting it to be this much of a disaster.  And boy, was this a disaster.  It's painful to think what other cards I could have purchased with that $181.35 instead.  Ugh.

2017 Topps Chrome Blaster Box #2

I'm going to go broke buying Chrome Baseball.  The cards just feel so good in your hand.  Topps really does make very nice cards.

Rookies: Antonio Senzatela, Dansby Swanson, Kyle Freeland, Rob Zastryzny, Dan Vogelbach, Renato Nunez, Jorge Alfaro, Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo.

Sepia Parallels: Chris Sale, Kyle Seager, Jackie Bradley Jr., Zach Britton.

These inserts are really nice.  Future Stars: Corey Seager.  30th Anniversary: Kris Bryant.

30th Anniversary Rookie: David Dahl.  Rookies: Luke Weaver.  Prism Refractor Rookie: Dansby Swanson.  Freshman Flash Rookie: Alex Bregman.

2017 Topps Chrome Baseball Rack Pack #1

Every trip to Target means more baseball cards.  Helped myself to a 2017 Topps Chrome Baseball rack pack.

Of the 15 cards in the rack pack (four cards per three packs, plus one bonus pack of three pink parallels) I got 11 rookies.

Rookies: Mitch Hangier, Antonio Senzatela, Jordan Montgomery, Matt Strahm, Kyle Freeland, Amir Garrett, German Marquez.  Refractor Rookies: Jharel Cotton. Freshman Flash: Orlando Arcia.

Topps Chrome 30th Anniversary Rookie: Dansby Swanson.

Pink Refractors: Christian Yelich, Ian Desmond, Braden Shipley.

Great rack pack overall.  Still no Aaron Judge rookie card, which means I'll be buying more Chrome on my next visit to Target.

2017 Topps Allen & Ginter Rack Pack #2

Another day, another 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter rack pack.  But this time, the cards inside weren't just your average every-day cards.

Holy smokes.  Nevermind the Rediscover Topps silver buyback of Dusty Baker.  I hit a Corey Seager autographed relic book card!  This is crazy.  I don't think I've ever hit anything this good out of retail, ever!  The odds of hitting this card is 1:1,629!  My jaw is on the floor!

I swear, retail screws you over like 99% of the time, but then every once in a blue moon it sucks you back in with insanity like this.  I still can't believe I hit this card.

2017 Topps Allen & Ginter Rack Pack #1

The Aaron Judge hype is dying down a little bit.  Since the all star break he has not been hitting so well.  In fact, he broke Adam Dunn's record for most consecutive strikeouts in a game for non-pitchers.  Nevertheless, I can't stop chasing his rookie cards.

I picked up a rack pack and got a relic card Jackie Bradley Jr.  Pretty cool to get a hit from retail.  I think I would have rather hit an Aaron Judge rookie card instead.  I also got a Jake Thompson rookie card (not pictured).

2017 Bowman Platinum Baseball Rack Packs #6 and #7

I stopped by a Walmart while traveling looking for more 2017 Bowman Platinum Baseball.  I was not expecting to find anything, at all, but I did.  I was stunned to see this product still on the shelves since it's been so hot.  The Walmart I stopped at wasn't even in a remote location either.

Rookie Radar: Alex Bregman, David Dahl.  Bowman Rookie Card: Jake Thompson, Olrando Arcia.  Top Prospects: Franklin Barreto, Kolby Allard.

2017 Topps Allen & Ginter Blaster Box #2

Picked up another blaster box of 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball.  It was a pretty bad box, except for one lone card... an Aaron Judge rookie card.

It's my first Aaron Judge Allen & Ginter rookie card.  Other rookies were Joe Musgrove, Josh Bell, and Mitch Haniger.

I'm glad I got the Aaron Judge rookie card, but paying $20 for it stings a little bit.

2017 Bowman Platinum Blaster Box #2

In my first blaster box of 2017 Bowman Platinum I got a crap ton of rookies.  Not so lucky in this box.  Although I got less, I did get a nice Aaron Judge and Yoan Moncada rookie though.

Bowman's Next Generation: Kyle Lewis.  Platinum Presence: Yoan Moncada.  Top Prospect Purple: Ian Happ.  Rookie Radar: Hunter Renfroe.  Bowman Rookie Card: Gavin Cecchini, Braden Shipley, Aaron Judge, and Yoan Moncada.

Blaster box exclusive ice parallels: Andrew Miller, Yoan Moncada, Brent Honeywell, and Amed Rosario.

2017 Bowman Platinum Blaster Box #1

I picked up a pair of blaster boxes at a Walmart.  Here's the first of the two blaster boxes.  I can't get over how good these cards look!

Rookie Radar: Luke Weaver, Aaron Judge.  Bowman Rookie Card: Matt Strahm, Ryon Healy, Carson Fulmer, Dansby Swanson, Robert Gswellman, Tyler Austin, and Jorge Alfaro.

Some nice MLB inserts here.

The blaster boxes come with an exclusive pack of ice parallels.  I got two pros and two prospects: A.J. Pollock, Xander Bogaerts, Andy Ibanez, and Franklin Barreto.

Here are the blaster box odds.  Rookie Radar Autograph Gold Foils are 1:81,807!  Wow.  That might be the entire retail print run right there.  Which means there is only one Rookie Radar Autograph Gold Foil in all of the blaster box retail run.

2017 Bowman Platinum Baseball Rack Packs #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5

Whoa!  Found five rack packs of 2017 Bowman Platinum Baseball.  This is a retail only product which makes it a little more interesting and special.  These cards look great!  I really should collect more baseball.

Bowman's Next Generation: Jahmai Jones, Josh Staumont, Christian Arroyo.  Bowman Rookie Cards: Hunter Renfroe x2, Alex Reyes, Reynaldo Lopez, David Dahl, Gavin Cecchini, and Braden Shipley.

Bowman Rookie Cards: Aaron Judge, Jorge Alfaro, Cody Bellinger, Robert Gsellman, Tyler Austin, Raimel Tapia.

Rookie Radar: Alex Bregman, and Orlando Arcia.  Top Prospects: Oscar De La Cruz, Lewis Brinson, Juan Soto, Dylan Cease, Rafael Devers green parallel #/99, Dawel Lugo, and Amed Rosario purple parallel #/250.

These cards look great!  I really hope I can find more of this stuff, but I think it's probably all bought up by now.

Here are the hanger pack odds.  Look at those Rookie Radar Autograph Gold Foil odds of 1:48,709.  Talk about long odds.

2017 Topps Allen & Ginter Blaster Box #1

I'm still regrettably late to jump on this Aaron Judge hype train.  I rarely buy retail, but I've been buying pretty much all 2017 retail baseball that I come across when out shopping.  I keep hoping for an Aaron Judge, but no luck still.

At least all the weird stuff in 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter is fun to look at.  I like looking at the unusual mini inserts.  Getting high number minis is cool.  A&G back minis are cool.  Black border minis are cool too.

The rookies in this blaster were Braden Shipley, Jose De Leon, Alex Reyes, and a Orlando Arcia mini A&G back.

Here are the blaster box odds.  Rip cards are in retail.  Rip cards are usually only in hobby boxes.  Crazy!

2017 Topps Chrome Baseball Blaster Box #1

I gave into the Aaron Judge hype train some more.  I could not help but pick up a blaster box of 2017 Topps Chrome Baseball while doing some shopping.  I didn't get an Aaron Judge rookie card, but I'm okay with that.

I forgot that Topps Chrome is so high quality.  The cards are gorgeous in person, and feel very nice in your hand.  I actually can't wait to go out and get some more of Topps Chrome.  Too bad hobby boxes are so ridiculously expensive.

The photography on the cards is just great!  My notable cards were a Tyler Austin refractor rookie card, a Andrew Benintendi rookie card, and a Kris Bryant prism refractor.

The blaster boxes come with a blaster-exclusive four card sepia pack.  Mine had a Manny Margot rookie card, Gary Sanchez, Alex Reyes rookie card, and Ryan Braun.

Here are the odds for retail blasters.  Looks like there are superfractors in retail.  Crazy!

2017 Topps Allen & Ginter Hobby Box Break #1

I hardly ever, and I mean ever, buy baseball.  But apparently there is some guy named Aaron Judge who plays for the Yankees who is pretty good.  He's brought madness to the baseball card collecting world so I thought I'd try my hand at a hobby box of 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter.  I pre-ordered it from Blowout Cards for $100 plus shipping.

My three hits were a Miguel Cabrera relic, a Gary Stevens relic, and a mini autographed black frame parallel of Kenta Maeda who is a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  When I first saw that I had a redemption in one of my packs, I thought I might have hit an Aaron Judge autograph since his cards are redemptions, but I wasn't quite that lucky.  I should still feel pretty good about hitting an autograph card at all since most hobby boxes only have three relics.

Overall, it was a fun rip.  I didn't get an Aaron Judge rookie card either!  Dare I try my luck again on another hobby box?  Prices have already gone up another $25 since I ordered this hobby box.

Topps Replacements for 2014 Five Star Marshawn Lynch Redemptions

I had two outstanding redemptions for 2014 Topps Five Star Marshawn Lynch which have been outstanding for years -- almost three years now.  At this point, it's quite clear that the cards will never be signed.  Panini has the exclusive license to produce NFL cards.  Topps has given up fulfilling outstanding football redemptions as a result.  This isn't something that they've publicly admitted but it's been reported on the Blowout Cards Forums by a few individuals who have spoken with Topps representatives.

I really wish that these cards would be made, so it sucked to finally give up and ask for a replacement.  If I didn't ask for a replacement now, the pool of possible replacement cards would get worse and worse as time went on as more people asked for replacements.

I honestly was not expecting anything good because I've read so many horror stories about Topps replacements since Panini has taken over the NFL licensing rights.

But to my absolute surprise, I got some decent cards!  I got a Matt Jones 2015 Topps rookie autograph, a 2015 Topps Fire Melvin Gordon autograph patch rookie card #/50, a 2014 Topps Finest Brandin Cooks patch autograph gold parallel #/50, a 2014 Topps Finest Jimmy Garoppolo autograph patch rookie card, and a 2015 Topps Chrome Marcus Murphy rookie autograph!

Obviously, the Brandin Cooks and Jimmy Garoppolo cards are the real jewels of this replacement pack.

I can't say that I'm disappointed.  Of course I would have wanted my Marshawn Lynch autographs, but getting two top notch 2014 rookies out of Finest is solid!

I think Topps did me good on these replacements.

Fairfield Repack Box #1

I got suckered into buying one of those Fairfield repack boxes at Target.  I could see that one of the packs was a hobby pack of 2015 Topps Platinum Football.  For $15, I figured it would have more value than a regular retail box break due to the hobby pack.

Upon opening the box I was pretty disappointed.  Most of the packs in there were junk.  There was some old Notre Dame pack, junk Score packs, and a bunch of 2013 Upper Deck USA Football packs.

I basically was hoping to just get lucky and hit something in the one pack of Platinum since all the other packs were worthless.  I even contemplated throwing all the other packs away without even opening them.

My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to open up everything.  I started the weird Notre Dame pack of cards.  It was junk.

Then I picked up the 2013 Score Football retail packs.  One pack was thicker than the other.  I just figured it was one of those decoy cards.  To my surprise, there was actually a hit in there!

It was a Ryan Mathews Future Franchise Fabrics relic jersey card!  It even had a little pen mark on the fabric too.  Has Ryan Mathews become a franchise player?  Nope.

I then started to open up the rest of the junk packs.  I had no idea what these 2013 Upper Deck USA Football packs were.  They looked like high school or college cards.  Either way, I figure it to be more retail junk.  But then...

I hit this crazy triple autograph!  What?!  I was shocked.  My jaw hit the floor.  I've never pulled a triple autograph before.  This was nuts.  Even if it was a triple autograph from some off the wall set with some unknown players on it, this was still pretty cool!

The three players picture are Addison Olah, Chad Taylor, and Damian Halstead.  Apparently they were Canadian high school football players.  Now they're playing in college, but none of them appear to be at any top football schools so there is little hope that any of them will be NFL prospects.

For $15, this is one of the most surprising breaks I've ever had.  My expectations were practically zero, and I ended up getting way more than I bargained for.

Oh, and that 2015 Platinum Football hobby pack?  Yeah, got nothing.

2016 Panini Classics Football Box Break #2

I finally got around to opening up that second box of 2016 Panini Classics Football that I had ordered from Blowout Cards like six months ago.

The hits were a Larry Fitzgerald relic card, and a Tyler Ervin autograph.  Blah.  I do like the relic cards.  They have a simple but nice design, and the relics are game-worn.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #6

Well, I think I did a good job turning $60 into $10.  $10 is probably about the value in cards I got from the last six hanger boxes.

Rookies: Malik Beasley, Kay Felder.  Rookie Holo: Ron Baker.  Rookie Kings Gold #/199: A.J. Hammons.

At first when I saw the gold card I got all excited thinking it was numbered to ten like in football... but it's numbered to 199.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #5

No, wait.  This is a bad box.

Rookies: Jamal Murray, Sheldon McClellan.  Hall Kings Holo: Scottie Pippen.

Only two rookies, and one notable insert.  Definitely a bad box.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #4

This looks like it was a bad box.

Rookie: Chinanu Onuaku, Henry Ellenson.  Rookie Holo: Taurean Prince.  Court Kings Holo: Dwayne Wade.

You'd think that the Dwayne Wade holo might be worth something, but it doesn't look like anybody is buying (or even selling) these inserts.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #3

I can't really say much about how I'm fairing on these hanger boxes since I don't know the players, but the cards sure are nice.

Rookie Kings: Dario Saric.  Rookie Kings Purple: Thon Maker.  Rookies: Malachi Richardson, Alex Abrines, Dragan Bender.

All I gotta say is that these basketball players have badass names.  Dragan Bender?  That sounds like a medieval slang word for getting drunk.  And as for Thon Maker?  He should change his first name to "Shot."

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #2

I've seen some people (seemingly) hit autographs in 50% of the hanger boxes that they've purchased.  Those people are probably the super rare lucky ones, so I wasn't getting my hopes up for an autograph.  Well, I got an autograph.

Rookie: Caris LeVent, Diamond Stone.  Base Purple: Kent Bazemore.  Signature Series: Ian Clark.

First off, let's just discuss this Diamond Stone guy.  His name is... Diamond Stone.  In case there was any confusion about whether a diamond is a stone, all you have to do is look to his last name.  This guy has an amazing name.  It's like naming your kid Carrot Vegetable or Ford Car.

The Ian Clark autograph is kind of cool.  It doesn't seem to be worth much but it's an autograph so I shouldn't complain.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #1

I decided to branch out a little bit and break some basketball.  I read on the basketball forums that Optic Basketball was hot.  It seems like everyone was snatching up whatever Optic retail they could find.  I decided to do the same not knowing much about who is who and who is good.

All I know is that Ben Simmons was the number one draft pick last year and that apparently his rookie cards are pretty sought after.

Rookie: Ben Simmons, Brice Johnson.  Rookie Holo: Damian Jones.  Rookie Kings Holo Insert: Denzel Valentine.

It looks like you only get three to four rookies per retail hanger pack (rack pack) whereas in football you usually get nine rookies.  This is a little disappointing, but I think there are only 50 rookies in the set so that makes sense.

I think I got lucky in my first box with a Ben Simmons rookie card.  He's the guy everyone wants apparently.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #18

Okay box.  

Rookie: Jarran Reed, Emmanuel Ogbah.  Rookie Holo: Kelvin Taylor.  Rookie Purple Holo: Maliek Collins, Kendall Fuller.  Rated Rookie: Leonte Carroo, Keenan Reynolds.  Rated Rookie Purple: Joey Bosa, Kenneth Dixon.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #17

Can't lay off the sauce.

Rookie: Kendall Fuller, Jonathan Ballard.  Rookie Holo: Adolphus Washington.  Rookie Purple Holo: Jarran Reed, Emmanuel Ogbah.  Rated Rookie: Joey Bosa, Jacoby Brissett.  Rated Rookie Purple: Christian Hackenberg, Braxton Miller.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #16

So addicted.

Rookie: Reggie Ragland, Mackenzie Alexander.  Rookie Holo: Deion Jones.  Rookie Purple Holo: Kenny Clark, Kamalei Correa.  Rated Rookie: Kenneth Dixon, Joey Bosa.  Rated Rookie Purple: Paxton Lynch, Nick Vannett.

2016 Panini Optic Football Collector's Box Break #5

The price of 2016 Panini Optic Football hobby boxes has gone through the roof.  Prices are insane.  Hobby boxes are around $140 per box now -- and you only get one autograph (unless you hit a hot box).

The retail Collector's Boxes are a great deal at $50 for one autograph.  You can even buy Collector's Boxes on eBay for even less -- usually around $40 per box.

Nothing too spectacular in this box.  Just a Vonn Bell autograph, and a worthless Stefon Diggs relic.  Best cards in the box were the Ezekiel Elliot Rated Rookie, Will Fuller V Rated Rookie Aqua, and the Kenny Clark bronze parallel.

The base bronze cards are actually pretty rare.

Super Good Advice: Don't Wipe Autographs

Have you ever had one of those moments when you do something, immediately realize how stupid you are for doing that, and wish you could instantly go back in time just 10 seconds so you didn't do that stupid thing?

That's exactly how I felt when I ruined a perfectly good 2016 Panini National Treasures Jared Goff RPA #/99.  

I've been wanting one of these cards for a while.  I'm a little picky about the autographs because so many of his autographs on these cards are super streaky.  I patiently waited, looking around for the one card I liked which a decent non-streaky autograph.  Finally, I found one.  I bought it.

And upon receiving it, I promptly decided to inspect it before storing it away in my PC.  I did the usual examination.  I checked out its corners, edges, centering... and surface.  To my disgust, there was a fat greasy fingerprint right on the autograph.  I'm not sure if it was there before the card was signed or after, but it was right on the autograph and fairly noticeable under the right light.

Knowing that if this card was submitted to BGS for grading that the finger print would be visible, I decided to try and clean it off.  

I've been in the hobby for how long now?  Oh, about five years.  You'd think I'd know better.  I do.  I did.  But for some reason I decided to just ignore what I knew: don't wipe autographs.

I took a soft microfiber cloth and very gently wiped over the autograph to see if it could take off the greasy fingerprint.  To my pleasant surprise, it did, a little bit.  

The autograph wasn't affected.  

I decided to push my luck.  I gently wiped the card again.  More of the greasy fingerprint was removed, but there was still a big greasy fingerprint streak over the autograph.  

I checked the autograph again.  It was still there, not affected.

And at this point, I think this is where my brain shut off.  I was uncomfortably stooped over next to a desk light so I could see what I was doing, and sort of in a rush to go for a run.  It didn't stop to think, hey, maybe this is far enough.  Maybe if you keep wiping the autograph will come off.  

The National Treasures set features super high gloss cards.  I knew this.  I knew that the sharpie ink sits on the gloss, and does not absorb into the paper which makes it very susceptible to scratching and accidental removal by wiping the card surface with microfiber clothes.  But like I said, my brain sort of turned off for this moment.

I wiped again.  And without thinking, I wiped the card again.  

I checked the autograph, and to my horror, I saw that some of the ink had been wiped away.  It at this moment when I wished I could instantly jump back in time a mere 10 seconds before I made this very stupid decision -- but I couldn't.

I had just ruined a perfectly good autograph.  

What was once a perfect BGS 10 autograph Jared Goff National Treasures RPA, was now a BGS 9 autograph.  Ugh.  

So what have I learned here?  Well, nothing I didn't already know: don't wipe autographs.

You can get away with wiping down autographs on cards with no gloss where the autograph ink gets absorbed into the card stock.  I've done that successfully before.  But as for cards with super high gloss, DO NOT WIPE THE AUTOGRAPHS.  

I feel like a huge idiot for doing this when I know better.  

One other piece of advice I try to follow when I clean cards is TO NOT RUSH.  If you rush, you increase the chances of you dropping the card and dinging a corner or doing something stupid (like wiping the autograph even though you know you shouldn't).  Only clean cards when you're not in a rush.  Sit down.  Put on a bright light so you can see.  Get comfortable.  Take your time.  Move slowly.  Think about what you're doing before you do it, so you can consider whether there is a chance that you'll damage the card.  

Had I not been in a rush, my brain might have not been as distracted and shut off when it should have been telling me DON'T WIPE THE AUTOGRAPH.  

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #15

Took a break from busting some retail, but I'm back on that train now.

Rookies: Carson Wentz purple Rated Rookie, Alex Collins purple Rated Rookie, Robert Nkemdiche purple, Kelvin Taylor purple, Vernon Butler holo, Nate Sudfeld, Keanu Neal, Ricardo Louis Rated Rookie, and Pharoh Cooper Rated Rookie.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #14

Blah box.  I think the Austin Hooper purple parallel is probably the best card.

Rookies: Vonn Bell purple, T.J. Green purple, Austin Hooper purple, Tyler Boyd purple, C.J. Prosise, and Wendell Smallwood.