Obscure Retail Sets

2002 Upper Deck Rookie Debut Brian Giles Auto /25

This was an exciting find for me.  I have an extensive Brian Giles collection so when an auto pops up that I don't have I get bidding tunnel vision.  Thankfully the final number was only a shade over $10.  

What makes this card so unique?  It is most definitely the set it came out of.  UD Rookie Debut was retail exclusive.  The set up was very odd, as it was a "bundled" update set.  It updates three 2002 UD sets: Honor roll, Ovation and Victory. The "set" only features relics and autos.  

The card itself is actually really nice.  Very bright on card auto with a hand numbered serial number. Had any of you heard of this set.  Once I looked it up I recognized a few of the cards, but could not remember the set all.  

Thanks for reading

Sucker For Red

2005 Prime Patches Brian Giles Patch /25

If I see a Pirates patch card featuring the short lived red jersey I'm all over it.  While the jersey/patch card is largely played out they can still offer some uniqueness. When I saw this Giles jersey I knew I had to have it. I have a few variations of this card already, but I didn't care.  Long live weird alternate jerseys. 

Also for posterity I'm writing that both me and my 4 year old daughter are still alive as of 3pm Saturday.  My wife is NYC this weekend so that created an always entertaining Dad/daughter weekend.  So far today we've had a healthy breakfast at my local Dunkin Donuts and probably chase breakfast with an adventurous dinner that will likely feature french fries.  What can I say, my daughter enjoys fine dining.  

Tomorrow I plan on taking her to Target under the guise of Christmas Shopping.  That most definitely should read Dad looks/and likely buys baseball cards. #dadwins

Thanks for reading

Longball Leaders

This is a card I haven't seen in a long time. Snagged it up a few weeks back. 

2002 Donruss Longball Leaders Brian Giles /37

This is one of those cards where I paid 3 times more in shipping than the actual card cost. I really despise doing that, but the card is rare enough, and the overall price cheap enough ($4.50) that I decided to pull the trigger.

I'm such a sucker for these funky insert parallels. 

Thanks for reading. 

A Revolution

1999 Pacific Revolution Brian Giles Premiere Date 33/49

A few weeks back I showcased a Premiere Date parallel from the flagship Pacific set. As you can see they are not the most visually appealing cards. If you want to get wild an crazy you need to look for one of Pacific's acid taking sister sets.  Such is the case with this Premier Date Brian Giles.  

These are much more desirable on the secondary market because they just plain look better. A short print from a set that is wild and crazy....yes please! Fortunately for me Giles doesn't carry much value so I secured this one for $5 shipped.  

We are sooooo close to baseball!!!! 

Thanks for reading. 

Ultimate Signatures

I was digging through a box of my Pirate autos and came across two pretty cool cards from the same set.

 2002 Ultimate Collection Brian Giles Auto /220

2002 Ultimate Collection Jason Kendall Auto /220

Man, I bet the person that pulled these was pissed.  Ultimate Collection was one of the first ultra premium sets to hit the market. If I recall you got 3 or 4 packs a box with the retail price being close to a $100.  That is pretty standard today, but in 2002 that was mind blowing. From the looks of the checklist the rookies were weak, but the set packed star power. You name the player in 2002 and he was featured in this set. 

The black and gold trim is a nice touch and the autos are sharp looking. When this set came out UD was on top of their game. I never busted a box, but I would put the Ultimate Collection singles up against any high end Topps set. 

Thanks for reading! 

Beam Team

I haven't had much time to scan this week so I've been showcasing some fun cards from the early 2000's.

Beam Teams were a staple insert in the 90's up to the early 2000's. I remember a kid in school having a Shaq Beam Team and I thought that was the coolest card ever. They are just one of those inserts that everyone can agree are pretty cool.

In terms of all the Beam Team sets this 2003 version is probably one of the more subdued versions. I guess the acid trip that every card designer was on in the mid 90's up until 2003 was finally wearing off. Either way they still have some flair.

The 2003 version was the last set of Stadium Club until the failed attempt to revive in 2008. Thankfully the set has found some traction again. The 2014 set has brought new life to the brand and continues to be one of the more desired in our community.  The Beam Teams are really wild again too so that is fun.

Thanks for reading.

Tools of the Trade

Spent a good bit of this evening organizing recent trade package arrivals. I think I reached out to most of you that sent something to let you know they arrived safe and sound.  Should have some trade posts up soon.  The blogosphere are a bunch of good eggs!

Here is a cool arrival via eBay.

2003 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Quad Relic /10

Sorry for the blurry pick as I didn't want to fool around with taking this out of the screwdown. This Giles features fielding and batting gloves to go along with a piece of shoe and hat. I've had a few variations of these over the years, but I think this is the lowest numbered. It is one of the more interesting relics you will find. 

I'm actually a little surprised that this practice of using different types of relics hasn't caught on a little more lately.  It seems like you could get some cool cards using hats and gloves. You still see this a decent amount in hockey cards, but the other sports hasn't caught on.  Maybe these are too expensive to acquire. 

If I recall this card cost me less than $10 which is probably about right for a high end Giles relic.  I have a good collection of Giles cards so finding a card like this always makes me excited. 

Thanks for reading. 

Legacy of Giles

Limiting my November purchases has allowed me to catch up on scanning and go back through some older cards of mine that I thought might be blog worthy.  I was actually proud of myself as I showed restraint and didn't even take part in any Black Friday deals. I had a small cart saved on COMC, but decided to wait. I'm sure the obscure former WVU relic cards will be there down the road.

 2003 Fleer Showcase Brian Giles Legacy Parallel /150

Fleer Showcase was a set I enjoyed. It had a fun checklist and didn't go crazy with the parallels. The base set checklist was small with the only parallels being the above Legacy and the 1/1 Masterpiece. 

Here is the base card for reference.

It was much easier to appreciate parallels when the set didn't produce 20 different kinds.  Even subtle versions like the Showcase set still got the job done.

Change of Subject.....

Quick brag session on my Alma Mater. WVU basketball defeated top ten Virginia yesterday. The WVU football team got their 10th win and the women's soccer team is playing for the national championship against USC.  It has been a fun weekend!

Thanks for reading.

A National Ticket

I should be watching the debate, but I just can't stomach it right now.  Between the Indian food I had for dinner and all the hot takes on social media I figured I would keep it safe and fool around with some cards. For the most part my Twitter feed is normally safe from the craziness, but I think people are just too curious to see what might happen tonight.  It is Retweet hot takes night. I suggest just following the Onion.  The world would be a better place if you just watch the Jays/Rangers game. Baseball cures all!

Here is somewhat of an oddball.  A VIP credential ticket for the National Sports Collector Convention. Nothing says VIP like a 2003 Playoff Prestige Brian Giles card!

I purchased this from a seller whom I frequent on a regular basis.  He has been liquidating his collection for almost a year now. It seems every 3 or 4 months he lists a bunch of cards that I need. The main help has been with oddball issues and early 2000's team sets. This was part of a much larger purchase in the summer, but I think the price on this was only a few bucks.

Hope everyone enjoyed all the great games this weekend.

Aspirations

2003 Donruss Elite Aspirations Brian Giles 1/1

I've always been a big fan of the Elite diecut cards. Back when card shops were a thing in my area I would often purchase these for pennies on the dollar. Back in the early 2000's people were going auto/relic crazy so you could find some great deals on parallels.  Sometimes people would even give the entire contents of busted boxes minus the hits. That is why so many of you have received these type of cards in trade packages. 

As I eluded in the Giles post yesterday, an eBay seller is liquidating some great cards of the former Bucco outfielder.  They were BIN or best offer auctions but the seller had  many of them marked for reasonable starting prices.  Thankfully Giles is a saved search so I was able to get this Aspirations card soon after the auction went live. The seller was reasonable in the going back forth with prices and soon enough the card was mine. The final price was around $30 for this one. While that seems a little steep these cards have become more popular recently. 

What makes this card extra special is that is was in great shape.  For those who've seen these in person know that the cut areas tend to get bent over time. This shows absolutely no wear at all. 

Thanks for reading! Go Bucs!.  

For the Kids

2002 SP Authentic National Sports Collectors Convention Kids Brian Giles 1/1

I would classify this card as an impulse buy, but at $8 I thought it was unique enough to go ahead and grab. The seller that had this card was liquidating several high end Brian Giles cards. While many were from his Padres days I did snag one Pirate era card besides this one. 

These convention 1/1's were made to raise money which would allow free admission to kids to enter the National Collector Convention.  I don't recall ever seeing the baseball versions. Topps created the football versions and plenty of those are on eBay.

Radiance

I struck gold last month when a seller had several lots of Pirate parallels on sale at one time. As usual with the time period these lots include Brian Giles, Kris Benson and Jason Kendall.  Last week I showed off the SP red parallels. While those are nice finds, these SPX cards have a little more visual appeal.

The Radiance parallels from SPX are all out of /100.  They were tough pulls and the only numbered parallels from the set other than the SPectrums which were 1/1's.  If you are a fan of Prizm cards this parallel is for you.

The price on these were a little more than most of the parallels that I usually buy.  The Giles and Benson were about $5.00 a piece while the Kendall was more in the $3 range. Normally Kendall sells more than Benson so not sure what happened there. At least with combined shipping it helped hold the overall purchase price down. I figured a few dollars was worth it not to have to try and find these parallels again.

Thanks for reading.

Seeing Red Again

Obscure parallels! I plan on taking it easy with card purchases over the next few weeks since I've had a lot of unexpected expenses lately. This has allowed me to focus on sorting some cards at home and cherry picking some cheaper issues off of eBay.  

You had to take the good with the bad if you were a Pirates collector in the early 2000's.  They were so bad and had such a small talent pool that card companies didn't give them a ton of love.  It got old chasing guys like Jason Kendall, Kris Benson and Brian Giles at the time, but now it is kind of refreshing.  When it comes to autos, relics and parallels these guys were pretty much it with the exception of maybe a young Aramis Ramirez. Now as I go back and fill holes from this time period it really doesn't take a whole lot of work since the player pool is small. 

I really didn't remember much about 2000 SP Authentic nor did I recall the parallels. Recently a seller listed a bunch of parallels from these early SP sets and I pounced on the Pirates. Kind of an odd design, but still subtle for the time period. 

I'm always a sucker for these type of cards.  It makes it really nice when the same seller lists a bunch at a time. Combined shipping is key for these type of auctions.

Hope everyone is staying out of the heat.  My wife and I were dumbasses and decided to work outside today.  SO HOT.  Stay inside.

Thanks for reading.

Dirt and Ice

These UD Superstars cards are not that hard to find, but I just never pulled the trigger on them over the years. Well thanks to a big purchase from an eBay seller I now have two.

Obviously the big name is Lemiuex, but I think the triple card is my favorite. I was a huge fan of Kovalev during his Penguin years.  Back during my Freshman year of college my friends and I would participate in the Penguins student rush in order to get cheap tickets. Sometimes you would get lucky and get some nice seats, other times you were stuck with obstructed view.

I haven't seen too many cards like this recently. The stupid licensing stuff screws up all the fun. I need a Cutch, Crosby and Big Ben card!

Thanks for reading!

High Voltage

This is about as Pacificy as you can get....

 Lightning Bolts!!!!

A couple weeks back I found a seller who had a handful of Pirate parallels from 2000 Pacific Vanguard. Yes Please!!!!! I mean seriously, how can you not like the High Voltage inserts. While it is a little hard to tell the first one that is /99 is the green variation. The /199 is the gold version.  

The last card is the premiere date parallel of the base card. Pretty subtle for a Pacific card. This one is /135.  

It is so much better when you can combine shipping. The seller had five separate auctions of Pirates and I won each one for .99 a piece. 

I'm going to start a Go Fund Me to bring Pacific back! 

Thanks for reading! 

More my Speed

I love cards.  We wouldn't be talking about them if we didn't love collecting.  Some cards just make me happier than others.  Such is the case with these two beauties.

 2002 Donruss Elite Brian Giles /76

2000 Pacific Paramount Holo Silver /99

The Status cards from Donruss Elite are always sharp looking, but also impossible to keep in good condition. The middles points almost always chip over time.  

Trying to understand Pacific cards is one of the great mysteries of man.  It is better just to except how awesome they are. This Jason Kendall is my favorite of the two because it is getting harder and harder for me to find new Kendall's. Brian Giles had quite a bit more in the way of relics and autos to chase. 

By the time you are reading this my San Diego trip will be almost over. I'm flying back in the morning, but should have some great pictures to show once I'm home.  

Thanks for reading. 

Hitting the Brakes

You know how when someone is pitching a no hitter the rest of the team avoids the player like the plague and announcers try not to mention it.  The equivalent in my house is when my daughter decides to actually fall asleep early. I have a bunch of cards to scan, but I decided to make minimal noise and go with a one card post. Shhhhhhhhh.......

2000 Pacific Crown Collection Premiere Date Parallel Brian Giles /27

I get way too excited when I find cards like this. The Pirates only had a few notable players during this time period so for the most part I'm mainly looking for Giles and Jason Kendall. When this card popped up I was just hoping the price didn't get out of hand. Thankfully the card went off for $3.99, but the seller had $3.50 shipping so that stung a little. 

The scary thing about this item was that the seller had hundreds of Pacific parallels. For a minute I thought about going crazy, but cooler heads prevailed.  Even if I had bid, I wouldn't have won many as the big names went off for high dollar amounts.  In the end I got the card I wanted and my bank account appreciated me not bulk buying cards that have nothing to do with my collection. 

Thanks for reading! 

Laundry Day

My eBay purchases have slowed down considerably over the last month because the 2015 sets don't have much in the way of new Pirate cards. I've been spending most of my time trying to locate some rarer cards of players like Jason Kendall, Jason Bay and Brian Giles.

A few weeks back I came across a seller who was liquidating a large Brian Giles collection. The majority were Giles featured as a Padre, but he had a couple of rare Pirate heavy hitters that I had not seen before. I only came away with 5 cards, but the last one packs a good punch.

 2005 Diamond Kings Bat Relic /200

 2005 Diamond Kings Jersey Relic /200

 2005 Diamond Kings Bat/Jersey Relic /100

The mid 2000's Diamond Kings sets were great for Pirate collectors. The checklist was vast in which I'm still discovering some variations to this day. 

 2005 Fleer Classic Clippings Patch

I usually don't buy cards featuring players in their non Bucco uniform, but with combined shipping and a nice low price I figured why not. At the very least I could flip this to Gavin or the Underdog. 

Now for the big one....

2005 Prime Patches Giles/Kendall/Wilson Triple Laundry Tag /10

I had no idea that the laundry tag variation of this card even existed. I knew several variations existed, but thought they were all jersey/logo patch based. Needless to say I was all in trying to buy this card. I spent way more then I normally would for a non auto card, but I didn't care. I'm happy to give it a nice home. 

Happy Good Friday!

Thanks for reading!

Drunk Numbering

2015 Topps is live so lets talk early 2000's autos and relics! Brian Giles by all accounts was a huge asshole during his tenure as a Pirate, but the guy could flat out play. The guy had two 6 WAR and two 5 WAR seasons during his peak years as a Pirates. He just played on some terrible teams.

Whether he was a prick or not I like adding his cards to my collection. A recent crop of cards I picked up had some odd numbering. Check these out.

 2002 Donruss Classics Auto /13

 2001 Donruss Signature Series Auto /123

 2002 Leaf Certified Jersey /95

2002 Donruss Classics Patch /400

As you can see their is no rhyme or reason why these cards are numbered to these odd amounts. I just envision some low pay Donruss guy randomly putting stickers on cards and saying that is enough and then counts how many total he placed on the card. "Thirteen......works for me"

With all that being said I love picking up relics and autos from the "early period." I often search for Brian Giles and Jason Kendall with the hope of finding gems like these. 

Hope everybody is enjoying opening up some Topps. I'm really thinking about using my lunch break to buy some Topps.  Nothing beats opening cards at work.

Thanks for reading!

Cool Combo

2005 UD Artifacts dual auto/jersey Brian Giles and Jason Bay /10

I've owned this card since 2006 and I'm glad I got it when I did.  I'm sure I paid a lot more than what it is worth now, but I haven't seen another hit eBay since.  It features the best trade the Pirates made during their 20 year losing streak.  Giles was an absolute beast during his tenure as a Pirate.  Trading at peak value the Buccos moved Giles to the Padres for a package that included Jason Bay and Oliver Perez.  Bay would go on  to win rookie of the year and make several All Star games.  If I would ever take time to create a top ten list of favorite cards I own this one would most likely make the short list.  

Thanks for checking out the blog!