2018 Score Football Hobby Box #2

Since my first box of 2018 Score Football was so good, I decided to buy a second one.  This one kind of sucked.  Here are the hits.  Also not pictured were 150 Panini points.  I got Panini points in my first box too.  So it seems like each box has three autographs and one Panini points card.

Leighton Vander Esch, a linebacker from Boise State, was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 19th overall pick (1st Round).

Dallas Goedert, a tight end from South Dakota State, was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 49th overall pick (2nd Round). 

Quadree Henderson, a wide receiver from Pittsburgh, went undrafted but has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  He seems to be a return specialist. 

Here are the notable color inserts: Brandin Cooks #/35, Zach Ertz #/10, and Demarco Murray #/50.

Here are the rookie color inserts: Chase Litton, Carlton David #/50, and Calvin Ridley.

Overall, this box was way worse than the first box.  Still though, there aren't many Panini Football products where you can get three autographs (and one Panini points card) for about $100. 

2018 Score Football Hobby Box #1

I decided to try a box of 2018 Score Football.  It's a very nice looking low-end product.  Here are the hits.  Also not picture were 150 Panini points.  You get four autographs per box on average.  I was the "lucky" one who got three autographs and points instead. 

Sam Hubbard, a defensive end from Ohio State, was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 77th overall pick (3rd Round).

Kerryon Johnson, a runningback from Auburn, was drafted by the Detroit Lions with the 43rd overall pick (2nd Round).

Mark Andrews, a tight end from Oklahoma, was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens with the 86th overall pick (3rd Round). 

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.

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 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.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #7, #8, #9, and #10

I went on a buying spree...

Ezekiel Elliot and Jaylon Smith Rated Rookie.  Tyreek Hill and Jonathan Ballard purple parallel rookies.  Alex Collins and Kenneth Dixon purple parallel Rated Rookie.

 Maliek Collins and Kendall Fuller purple parallel, Corey Coleman and Carson Wentz purple Rated Rookie, and Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson Rated Rookie.

Deforest Buckner and Carl Nassib purple parallel, Joey Bosa and Jacoby Brissett purple Rated Rookie, and DeAndre Washington and Christian Hackenberg Rated Rookie.

Sheldon Richardson and Sean Davis purple parallel, Dardale Jones and Will Fuller V purple Rated Rookie, and Sterling Shepard and Paul Perkins Rated Rookie.

2016 Panini Optic Football Blaster Box #1

Decided to try a blaster box today instead of a rack pack.  Blaster boxes are not really good values for Optic.

Blaster Box Contents:

6 Rookies
6 Rated Rookies
2 Pink Parallels (1 Rated Rookie, 1 rookie)
2 Holos (1 veteran, 1 Rated Rookie)
8 Base Veterans

You get a total of 24 cards.

In total, I got 15 rookie cards in the $20 blaster.  The rack packs come with 9 rookie cards for $10.  So for the price of two rack packs, you can get 18 rookie cards vs. the price of one blaster box ou can get 15 rookies.

I'll stick with the rack packs for now, but they're drying up real fast since Optic is so popular.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #6

Another rack pack.  Nothing great.

Tyler Boyd and Paxton Lynch rated rookies.  DeAndre Washington and Christian Hackenberg purple rated rookies.  Yannick Ngakoue and Vonn Bell purple parallel rookies.