2017 Topps Chrome Rack Pack #2

It's about time I finally opened this.  It was just sitting around the house for months.

Rookies: Jeff Hoffman, Gavin Checchini, Hunter Renfroe, Alex Reyes.  Pink Refractor: Alex Reyes.  Topps Chrome 30th Anniversary Rookie: Andrew Benintendi.

Lost Mail

It finally happened.  It seems as if the United States Postal Service lost a package that was supposed to be delivered to my house.

It was a 2016 Panini Optic Jared Goff bronze autograph.  I paid $84.99 plus $3.00 shipping for it.  Tracking information said it was delivered today, likely between 11 a.m. and noon, but it was not in my mailbox. 

I'm hoping that it was merely put into a neighbor's mailbox by accident and that they'll deliver it to my house. 

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.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #13

Dud of a box.

Rookies: Paxton Lynch, Nick Vannett, Kenneth Dixon purple, Alex Collins purple, Darron Lee purple, and Eric Murray purple.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #12

Surprise surprise.  I got an autograph in a rack pack.  I didn't even know that was possible.

Got some nice rookies too: Jared Goff, Jordan Howard, and Hunter Henry purple.  Other rookies: Jeff Driskel purple, Cody Core purple, and Austin Johnson purple.

Other rookies:  Kenny Clark, Vernon Butler holo, and Eli Apple.

And the autograph was a Sean Davis sticker autograph numbered to 150.  I read the insert list on the rack pack's fine print, and it says that base optic autograph rookie cards /150 are in the rack packs.  No other shorter printed autograph parallels are in rack packs.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #11

Another rack pack.  The Dak Prescott Rated Rookie card was the only good card of the box.

Also got: Sean Davis purple parallel, Reggie Ragland purple parallel, Ricardo Louis purple rated rookie, Pharoh Cooper purple rated rookie, and a Moritz Bohringer rated rookie.

2016 Optic Football Collector's Box Break #4

Probably one of the best Collector's Boxes that I've bought.

And not because I got a great autograph.  Nope.  The Xavier Howard bronze autograph was bad.  This box was great because I got a Dak Prescott holo, Tyreek Hill holo, Hunter Henry bronze, Deforest Buckner holo, and Jonathan Williams blue holo.  Hit lots of great rookies.