Got It, Got It, Need It: 2010-11 Panini NBA Stickers

To the right, you can see my want list for the 2010-11 NBA Basketball set. I’m not too far off, but I do have a lot more doubles than I would have liked. If not for the triples and quadruples, I would have a good start on a second set. What sucks for me is good for you though. If anyone else is collecting this set and you’ve got these cards or Paul Pierce, Celtics logo or a second Ray Allen then I’ll swap ya. What do I have? Check it out:

12, 13, 15x2, 20, 26, 27x4, 29, 30, 31x2, 32, 33x2, 34, 35, 37, 40x2, 42x2, 44, 45, 52, 53x2, 54x2, 55, 56x3, 60x2, 71x3, 82, 83, 85, 95x3, 98x2, 99x2, 102x2, 103, 104x2, 106x2, 108, 116x2, 117, 118x2, 119, 123x2, 127, 129, 130, 134, 135, 136, 137, 139x3, 140x2, 146, 148, 149, 150x3, 151, 155x2, 157x2, 160, 162, 165, 172, 176, 177, 178, 180x2, 182x3, 189, 190, 191x2, 192, 193, 194x3, 195, 198, 199x2, 200, 201x2, 202x3, 203x2, 204x2, 205x2, 213, 215x2, 216, 219, 220, 221, 222x3, 226, 231, 233, 235, 241, 243, 246, 247, 248, 253, 255x2, 257, 261x2, 262, 263x2, 265x2, 266, 267, 268x2, 272x2, 273x2, 274x2, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280x2, 283, 285x2, 287x2, 288x2, 289x2, 290, 293, 294, 296x3, 298, 300x2, 304x5, 306x2, 307, 308x3, 309x2, 311, 312x2, 317x2, 319x4, 321x3, 322, 323x2, 324x2, 326, 329, 333x2, 334,336, 338x2, 340, 342x2, 346, 347, 348, 350, 353, 355, 356, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362x2, 363, 365, 368x2, 370x2, 373, 375, 377

Putting the set together? Let me know.

McFarlanes Anyone?

I’m considering buying a case of the newest McFarlane basketball series (series 19). I’ll end up keeping the two Celtics (Rondo’s first figure and Shaq repainted in a Celtics uniform), seeing if I luck out and get a good Collector’s Level figure (hopefully Rondo) and then selling the figures that I don’t want. What players would that be? Steve Nash, LeBron James in a Heat uniform, Amare Stoudemire in a Knicks uniform, Chris Bosh in a Heat Uniform and Carlos Boozer in a Bulls uniform. If anyone out there would be interested in one of these figures, let me know. Due to shipping, it’ll probably be a little bit more than what you could buy the figure for at a store near you, but a couple of these probably won’t be found in a store unless you show up first thing in the morning.

Just thought I’d mention it in case anyone is interested.

Buy Something Cool!

2001 eTopps Albert Pujols RC in-hand

5 Bids

$52.00

Time left: 5h 52m

This is one of Pujols cooler looking and rarer rookie cards. It’s time to get back some of the money that I’ve thrown away on eTopps.

08 Sweet Spot Ken Griffey Jr auto bat 243/243 last one

Buy It Now or Best Offer

$150.00

Time left: 6h 28m

I won’t be too disappointed if this card doesn’t sell. I was just testing the waters to see if I’d get a crazy offer due to the serial number. I’m perfectly fine keeping this card with offers of $45.

2003 eTopps Albert Pujols error in-hand 1/1?

1 Bid

$9.99

Time left: 5h 58m

I started this card off at $9.99 willing to hold onto it if it didn’t sell. I know it’s a production error, but if this is the only one like this it has to add some kind of value to the card.

2001 Bowman Albert Pujols RC #264

16 Bids

$45.00

Time left: 6h 3m

I picked this card up fairly cheaply back in 2001. It’s time has come to move on. My collecting interests and focus have changed since then.

2009 UD Ken Griffey Jr 2002 SP Variation #855o

2 Bids

$1.04

Time left: 6h 5m

I thought I had two of these SP cards, but one of them was the non-SP 2009 version. These normally sell for $20 - $30 so I’m hoping for some last minute action.

2001 Donruss The Rookies Albert Pujols #R97

8 Bids

$20.56

Time left: 6h 6m

I did very well with these sets. Bought a bunch of the redemption cards back in 2001 and ordered the sets. Sold a couple of the sets for $80 a few years ago and now it’s time to let go of the singles from the one set that I opened.

2000 Pacific Antonio Alfonseca numbered 1/199 first one

0 Bids

$0.99

Time left: 6h 9m

Are there really no Antonio Alfonseca fans out there? This will just go into the trade pile. It would have already been there if not for the “eBay 1/1” serial numbering.

2001 Donruss The Rookies Mark Teixeira RC

2 Bids

$1.08

Time left: 6h 12m

Purging the Yankees out of my collection.

05 UD SP Authentic Honors Albert Pujols jersey 129/130

0 Bids

$9.99

Time left: 6h 12m

This is another card that I started with a higher price and will be perfectly happy if it doesn’t sell. It’s a beautiful card with a fairly low print run. Upper Deck sent this to me when they couldn’t replace one of the base cards from the Timelines set that I sent to them years ago.

2002 Fleer Royal Rumble Stacy Keibler event worn shirt

8 Bids

$4.26

Time left: 6h 15m

I used to love the Fleer WWF wrestling sets. I somehow ended up with two copies of this card and decided to get rid of one. Keibler is as popular now, if not more, then when she was in the WWF.

2009 TNA Knockouts Traci Brooks parallel 1/10 first one

2 Bids

$1.35

Time left: 6h 18m

Traci Brooks recently appeared back on TNA so I figured it was a good time to list this card.

2009 TNA Impact Mick Foley parallel 12/20

0 Bids

$0.99

Time left: 6h 22m

Sometimes, selling on eBay can be no fun. I had someone from Australia contact me about this card, but I had to remove international shipping from my auctions. It costs way too much to send items internationally with delivery confirmation. If you don’t do that, you put yourself at 100% risk due to lost mail or dishonest buyers. I also didn’t want to risk low ratings from people having to pay the higher shipping fees.

2001 Donruss The Rookies Ichiro Rookie Diamond Kings

4 Bids

$3.59

Time left: 6h 22m

Here’s another card from my The Rookies set. I was hoping for Pujols of course, but the Ichiro wasn’t bad. Selling an Ichiro card without international shipping might bite me in the ass when all is said and done.

2009 TNA Impact Christopher Daniels parallel 6/20

0 Bids

$0.99

Time left: 6h 25m

The Fallen Angel seems to have fallen out of favor now that he left TNA for Ring of Honor. I miss him and all of the personas.

04-05 Fleer Ultra Chris Kaman Platinum Medallion 1/100

0 Bids

$0.99

Time left: 6h 30m

No Chris Kaman fans out there? What the heck am I going to do with his autographed card once the replacement arrives from Panini?

2008 UD Masterpieces Albert Pujols black 031/100

2 Bids

$2.25

Time left: 6h 44m

With the other Pujols cards that I’m selling, I thought someone might want to pick this up as well with combined shipping.

2010 Upper Deck R2 Jeter Posada Mariano Pettitte SP

2 Bids

$22.19

Time left: 6h 48m

I think this card is pretty rare. It’s one of the 2010 SP cards that were only available in Target loose retail packs and were pretty tough to pull. More Yankees purging.

2010 Upper Deck World of Sports Tiger Woods Jersey

4 Bids

$8.00

Time left: 6h 54m

Does anyone want a Tiger Woods jersey swatch that isn’t his trademark red? I guess I’ll find out.

07 Just Minors Jordan Zimmerman black edition auto 4/10

2 Bids

$10.50

Time left: 6h 57m

I busted a box of 2007 Just Minors a while back that I never posted on the blog. This was by far the best card in the box. With Zimmerman due to return this season, I figured that people would be looking for his card.

07 Just Minors Jordan Zimmerman auto Nationals

0 Bids

$0.99

Time left: 7h 5m

No one wants the regular version though. No big deal, it will go into the trade stack.

2009 UD 20th Anniversary Alfonso Soriano mag plate 1/1

2 Bids

$2.25

Time left: 7h 9m

I’m surprised that this one isn’t higher. Come on Yankees fans!

2010 Topps Unrivaled Bernard Berrian patch auto 067/149

4 Bids

$6.61

Time left: 7h 12m

This came out of the box of Unrivaled that I won from The Cardboard Connection. Having one autographed patch card per box seems to take some of the specialness away form these types of cards. Maybe it’s just me. A couple of years ago, there’d never be a patch card numbered to 149 and it would never sell for this low.

2001 Bowman Football Michael Vick RC Eagles Falcons

1 Bid

$0.99

Time left: 7h 15m

I completely forgot that I had this card or I would have sold it during the season when everyone was going nuts over Vick. Now that I know that I have it, it must leave the collection.

There you go. These cards will fund a little shopping spree at next weekend’s big card show and some eBay purchases as well. If something doesn’t sell and you want to work out a trade for it, let me know.

 

Technorati Tags: Albert Pujols,eBay,baseball cards,football cards,Topps,Upper Deck

Redemption Cards Done Right

I can’t say that I’ve been 100% thrilled with redemption cards, but there has been a recent development with redemption cards that is a huge step in the right direction. Panini now posts weekly updates on their website letting collectors know which cards are now ready to be fulfilled. From what I’ve seen, once they have a card in their possession Panini is very prompt in mailing it out. I don’t think they’d make collectors wait three months just to send them redemption cards that they have in stock.

It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction. Next up, companies should start noting on checklists (or at least on the lists on their website) which cards were issued as redemption cards so that you know what you’re dealing with once redemption cards have expired.

Soon - Adverb

Below is a listing of the redemption cards in your account. Redemption List: Pending Fulfilled Other

Redemption Code Date Received Description Status Status Date RUBDRWGNJ 12/31/2010 DEMAR DEROZAN - #4 2009-10 Draft Edition Basketball - Jersey card for 2008 Jordan Brand Classic In stock, item will be shipped soon. 12/31/2010 R3BM9BCQJ 12/31/2010 DEMAR DEROZAN - #4 2009-10 Draft Edition Basketball - Jersey card for 2008 Jordan Brand Classic In stock, item will be shipped soon. 12/31/2010 R4QG82XCE 12/30/2010 BRANDON JENNINGS - #3 2009-10 Draft Edition Basketball - Jersey card for 2008 Jordan Brand Classic In stock, item will be shipped soon. 12/30/2010 RD6KQ26XZ 12/30/2010 BJ MULLENS - #2 2009-10 Draft Edition Basketball - Jersey card for 2008 Jordan Brand Classic In stock, item will be shipped soon. 12/30/2010 RBNREYRVR 12/30/2010 TYREKE EVANS - #5 2009-10 Draft Edition Basketball - Jersey card for 2008 Jordan Brand Classic In stock, item will be shipped soon. 12/30/2010 RNH6Y8E6M 12/30/2010 BJ MULLENS - #2 2009-10 Draft Edition Basketball - Jersey card for 2008 Jordan Brand Classic In stock, item will be shipped soon. 12/30/2010 R7Z323CNW 12/30/2010 TYREKE EVANS - #5 2009-10 Draft Edition Basketball - Jersey card for 2008 Jordan Brand Classic In stock, item will be shipped soon. 12/30/2010

1. within a short period after this or that time, event, etc.: We shall know soon after he calls.
2. before long; in the near future; at an early date: Let's leave soon.
3. promptly or quickly: He came as soon as he could. (That’s what she said!)

Case Busting Bump in the Road

I’ve been having a lot of fun busting cases, but I’m starting to get a little bit of an itch to bust something different that I feel the need to scratch. I can’t believe that I’ve gone this long without buying a box of 2011 Topps Baseball, but the prices on that stuff has helped keep me away so far. I’m thinking that I might take a little bit of a break before purchasing the next case to pick up a couple of other things.

The main motivation for this break is the fact that there’s a big card show coming up right at the beginning of April and I’m hoping that I can pick up some nice deals there. One thing that I’ve really wanted to break was a box of Crown Royale (with cheese), but it’s exactly the type of box that I can’t stand. These boxes are all or nothing with a lot more nothings to be busted. I love the base cards, but I’m not sure if the box prices are worth it any longer after Griffin-mania.

At the end of April is Boston Comicon which has an amazing lineup of guests and I definitely want to have some cash for that. I’d love to get a couple of new sketches while I’m there. I’m also hoping that this con has some stuff that I’m interested in purchasing since Wizard World Boston was pretty lame. About the only thing that this convention needs is Katie Cook, but she’s already doing another con that weekend.

The other thing that is keeping me from busting another case is trying to find sets that interest me, are affordable and actually contain cards that have some resale value. I love the 2006 and 2007 Future Stars sets and there are some great autographs to be pulled. I’m just curious as to how tough the really good ones are to actually pull. Even so, I think that’s a set that I could so well with selling to team collectors on the blog or by bundling them up into team lots on eBay.

Before the prices jumped up a little again, I would have loved to bust a case of Panini Basketball Hall of Fame, but that would have been the only case I bust for a while since I’d be keeping most of those cards and would then have to pay off the case with future fun money. That would be one heck of a fun break though and one I hope that I’ll get to do in the future.

Yuck

Wow, I really feel like Doug and Wendy Whiner lately when it comes to anything involving redemption cards. I don't know if it will lead to anything, but I wrote back to Upper Deck and let them know that the two cards that they sent me don't come anywhere close to the value of an autograph from an Olympic athlete. I can buy certified autographs of both of these players that they sent me for around $10, but I can't buy a certified autograph of Michael Johnson for less than $100. They can't go by any value that a price guide might give to the redemption card itself because obviously no one is going to buy this almost worthless card. They have to go by what the value would be if the Michael Johnson card had been produced. Of course, I'm sure that Upper Deck is going to tell me differently. Hopefully, I'll be sending these two cards back to Upper Deck and something better will be sent my way.

Tomorrow, it will be announced that Michael Johnson has finally signed his stickers for Upper Deck.

Gold Medal Replacement?

I was pretty excited upon arriving home from work this evening when I spotted an envelope from Upper Deck in my mailbox. My replacement for the Michael Johnson had finally arrived! Which of the cards or players or teams that I requested would the envelope contain? Bill Russell? Larry Bird? Kevin Garnett? Mike Piazza? Big Baby? Watch the video and find out:

I’m not going to write a whole lot right now because I’m trying to figure out exactly what I think about this. What I’m curious about is what do you think? Was I overvaluing the Michael Johnson card? Can a card that doesn’t exist have value? Undervaluing these cards? What say you?

Should They Stay Or Should They Go?

Even though I've joked a few times about the fact that the Blake Griffin McDonald's card is now a $700 card, I couldn't have been happier when I sold it and am still happy now. The card gave me a big chunk of extra cash that I earmarked for finally adding a Mike Piazza autograph to my collection. It was by far the most that I had ever spent on a card, but since it was "found money" it didn't phase me at all. Also, the Piazza auto is a much more appreciated part of my collection than the Griffin ever would have been.

I'm currently at a crossroads as to where I want to head with the future of my collection. I've got some really great cards that just don't do anything for me personally. There was a time when they did, but I'm thinking that they might now be better served as eBay fodder to help bolster my collection with cards that will mean more to me.

What I'm looking to acquire are autographs, especially on-card, of Celtics Hall of Famers. Thanks to Panini, there are currently a good number of these cards in the hobby and I'm thinking that it would be a really nice collection to have. So, if anyone out there has any cards that fit this description that they'd like to trade, please drop me a line because I'll make it worth your while.

If I don't get any takers on trades, there will be some nice Pujols, Ichiros and other assorted cards going up on eBay this weekend. The only card that I think I might change my mind on is my Ken Griffey Jr Sweet Spot bat auto. The $40 or so that this cards normally sells for is a crime, but it is due to the fact that there are 5 different variations of almost the same card totaling around 1,250 of these autographed bat cards. My card is the last one of the run and I've seen first hand how those cards can sometimes get on eBay. So, I may toss it up there with a ridiculous price and take offers on it to see what happens. If someone offers the right price, I might regrettably let it go, but I think that I'll most likely hold onto that one.

His Cards Are Injured Too

When it comes to the cards that I’ve pulled out of packs, it seems like Strasburg on cardboard is just as fragile as in real life. First there was the Chrome rookie that I had to send back because the indentations were offset and now I’ve got a 2011 Topps that needs sending back because the foil didn’t advance completely before being stamped onto the next card. This isn’t anywhere near a hot card, but it’s the principle of the matter and this card will be sent back along with the rest of the cards from the pack that ended up like this (along with a Jonathan Singleton Bowman Platinum auto with surface damage). It’s the principle of the thing.

I was hoping that 2011 would mean increased quality control from Topps, but I’ve seen a ton of foil issues so far from the flagship set. Hopefully 2011 Chrome is an improvement over last year. Last year’s set was pretty much a complete disaster.

Quick Plea For Assistance

Sorry for the lack of posts. I got more wrapped up in the Masterpieces case than I thought I would while I was on vacation and the whole expired redemption card thing made me take a little bit of a step back from the hobby and focus on getting the room up here organized and cleaned up.

I do have a quick question to ask to see if anyone out there can give me some assistance. Is anyone out there familiar with McFarlane's Sports Figures? I have a Ray Allen that I mistakenly left out while the work was being done up here months ago. The figure is fine, but in the construction the ball that Ray is shooting was lost and the post that attaches him to the stand was broken. The Ray Allen figure sells for some serious bucks, so I'm not really looking to replace it, but I'm hoping that there's a cheaper figure that comes with those same accessories that I can buy to complete my Ray figure. I'm going to go over the pictures on the Spawn.com website and see if I can figure something out. I wish I could post something on their message boards, but there aren't any moderators anymore so I can't get access. If anyone out there knows anything it would be greatly appreciated.

ETA: I think I've been led to a solution. A friend pointed out that this is the same sculpt as the earlier Ray Allen figures. They were packaged differently and that threw me off. It should work perfectly though as long as I can get one for a decent price. They look to sell for a lot less than the Celtics version which is great.

Topps Has a Time Machine!

Whoa! Check out the ship dates for my Topps Redemptions. I can't wait until July so I can see my Red Hot Rookie:

S9RA5ADDPL 2010 Topps Series 2 Red Hot Rookie #7 Shipped 07/12/2011
TCBGYA6CKA 2010 Topps Chrome Luke Hughes - Autographed Rookie Card Pending 03/29/2011

The last one is pending with a shipment date in the future already entered. The Red Hot Rookie is listed as shipped, four months from now.

Speaking of Topps stupidity. Anyone out there have an extra Bowman Platinum wrapper and receipt for purchase of that pack? I've got a Jonathan Singleton card that I need to send in for replacement, but I didn't notice the damage at first and threw my wrappers away. So, I need to prove that I got it out of a pack by purchasing another pack or something in someone else's wrapper. Huh?

I'm just curious. For those of you go to card shops, how many write up receipts if you just purchase a handful of packs? It's almost like Topps doesn't want you to get your cards replaced until you buy them at Target, Walmart, etc or you purchase a complete box.

In other redemption news, the replacement for my Michael Johnson autographed card is "being pulled, packaged and prepared for shipping process. Thank you for your patience" as of Feb 28th. Still not shipped? My in-stock jersey cards. I don't get it.

In other redemption card news, I'm still waiting on my Cheryl Miller autograph from Panini. I'm hoping that shows up randomly in my mailbox like the Pat Summitt did. When did this hobby get to be so frustrating?

Collectors Want Upper Deck Back?

I can understand any collector wanting the cards that Upper Deck released to still exist because they did make some nice looking cards, but any company can do that with the right graphic designers and attitude towards cards. I’m wondering how many people who rave about Upper Deck have actually dealt with the company itself?

Back when it was a new product, I opened a box of 2008 Timelines. Unhappy with the ridiculous cards with the huge roller marks down the middle, I sent them in to be replaced. I didn’t get the replacement cards back until June 2009 after contacting them 5 or 6 times about the delay.

In May 2009, I opened two ridiculous boxes of Upper Deck. My basketball box shorted me a hit and the baseball box shorted me two hits and 4 of the packs only contained 10 cards instead of the 20 that are supposed to come in a pack. I sent emails that went unanswered. I got the attention of Chris Carlin via the Upper Deck Facebook page and finally got sent the basketball card that I was shorted. I continued contacting Upper Deck and then finally in January of 2010, I got some packs of series 1 and series 2 as replacements.

I submitted 7 “in stock” redemption cards from my Basketball Draft Edition case on New Year’s Eve. It is now March 2nd and the cards haven’t even been shipped yet. From what I’ve read online, in stock redemption cards are taking around 3 months to be redeemed.

I pulled a redemption card for a Michael Johnson autographed card that was never produced about 18 months after the release of the product. Even though it had been that long and the card still didn’t exist, I still had to wait 45 days before I could file a claim to have that card replaced with something else. Once I filed that claim, I was told that it would be 6-8 weeks until the card was shipped out. So, sometime in June I will most likely get some ugly card with no picture and a sticker auto from World of Sports that doesn’t come close to what the Michael Johnson auto should have been.

Last, but certainly not least, is my current experience in regards to the expired Ken Griffey Jr autographed box topper which is a case hit. I also pulled three other expired redemption cards for Stroke of Genius cards, but those don’t really bother me. I sent an email to Upper Deck about the expired redemptions stating that they were from 2007 Masterpieces and got the following reply:

Dear Valued Customer,

Please send us the following info so we can create a case for you to send in your expired redemption card:

Full Name:
Full Address:
Phone Number:
Redemption Code:
Expiration Date:

***Please note that all expired redemptions are handled on a case by case basis. Not all expired redemptions will be accepted***

Sincerely,

Upper Deck Customer Care

Silly me thought that this meant that they were considering doing something for my expired redemption cards. Today, I got this email:

Dear Valued Customer,

I am sorry to hear you have pulled an expired redemption from our product. Unfortunately, we are unable to redeem your card because it is expired. For more information regarding our redemption card policy please contact customer service at 1-800-873-7332. I am sorry for any inconvenience. I hope you have a great day!

Sincerely,

Upper Deck Customer Care

Have you ever read a smarmier less sincere email in your life? I don’t think that I have. Valued? You sure aren’t showing me that I’m valued. Why make me wait before sending this email? Did you not know the redemption dates for your own products? “I hope you have a great day!” Well, possibly if UD knew the first thing about customer service. I work for a company consistently rated as one of the best in customer service in any field and have worked in the customer service field even prior to that. The things that my current company does to make the customer happy is ridiculous sometimes, but it is worth it because you end up with loyal customers. I’m not quite sure what Upper Deck is trying to do here. I’m so glad that I didn’t purchase a single pack of 2010 baseball.

Then there’s the replies from Upper Deck on Twitter to I Am Joe Collector:

just got the run around from @upperdecksports on the phone regarding the redemption.  Their story keeps changing.

UpperDeckSports: We've shared before that expired cards cannot be honored: http://bit.ly/i6EtN7 MLB is very tough to help with now. Sorry!

That isn't true, the rep on the phone told me that UD will honor them if the haven't been expired for more than 1 year

UpperDeckSports: Again, MLB is difficult. We don't have a license, no new products & collectors who redeemed on time get priority.

[Note that one hand doesn’t seem to know what the other is doing.]

So which is it?

UpperDeckSports: You can work with the reps, but don't expect that Jeter. That ship has most likely sailed. One of the dangers of older wax.

I tried, but the rep flat out told I get nothing willy wonka style.

[Again, no one seems to know the policies that other people are quoting.]

UpperDeckSports: Then that would be your final answer. Sorry again, but you've got to be careful in busting older product.

so what you are saying is that the process is arbitrary? Great.

UpperDeckSports: More that havent had a MLB license for two years, the cupboard is bare. If you buy MLB product, you do so at your own risk.

[Remember, this is a valued customer being told to buy UD products, even 2010 Baseball, at their own risk.]

So, don’t mind me if I don’t get all nostalgic for Upper Deck and starting throwing pennies into wishing wells hoping that they get their licenses back. Right now, Razor seems like a more reputable company than Upper Deck. I won’t shed a single tear once Upper Deck closes their doors for the last time and is gone from the hobby forever.

Next up for a shiny, happy post: For those of you complaining about a Topps monopoly in baseball, be glad that it’s not Panini. Things could be a lot worse.

Case Break: 2007 UD Masterpieces Baseball: Box 16

No suspense this time around. There’s no box topper auto to be had in this case. That means that this box will contain an expired redemption card. I wonder who it will be?

Here’s a Ken Griffey Jr box topper. The only good thing in relation to the box toppers in this case was that I didn’t get any duplicates. That bodes well for me if I want to put this set together since I only need 4 more.

I guess now I just have to wait and see if Upper Deck can come through and do anything for me on the expired case hit at the very least.

Green Linen/Windsor: Don Larsen, Ken Griffey Jr, Carlos Beltran, Albert Pujols and Ripken/Gwynn.

Ryan Howard Blue Steel /50 (sold) and Albert Pujols Black Linen /99

Jason Bay, Garrett Atkins and Joe Nathan

All are available.

At least this box produced a decent autograph. Cain constantly gets overshadowed by Tim Lincecum, but he puts up numbers that would make him a welcome addition to any team and the ace on most of them. You can check out this card’s auction here.

That’s it. The only thing left to do is lament cards not meant to be…

Here’s an expired redemption for a Ken Griffey Jr autographed box topper. There are a ton of these currently on eBay so it looks like Upper Deck is currently sending out the unredeemed ones that they have lying around as replacements for other things. Maybe I’ll luck out and they’ll decide to send one of those to me since they’re still sitting around.

I can honestly say that I don’t have a lot of faith in Upper Deck at the moment. I’ve waited two months since redeeming the jersey cards from my Draft case and those haven’t even been shipped yet. My replacement card for the Michael Johnson auto isn’t going to be mailed until the middle to end of March. Now there’s this BS.

You ask me why I don’t miss Upper Deck in the hobby? Sure, they made some nice looking cards, but their cards were always in the worst condition right out of packs and they never really seemed to care about the customer. They were great to the people in their club that spent a ton of money, but that’s about it. Otherwise, you didn’t matter to them much at all. Trust me, I know. I sent them some cards to be replaced that I had to wait over a year to get back. If they don’t do anything to help me out on these redemptions then I’ll grab some pompoms and start cheering for them to go belly up. Not that it matter since I don’t collect hockey and all of their other stuff is ridiculous unlicensed crap. Call me bitter and I won’t argue, but you can’t deny that it’s justified.

I’ll do a quick wrap up to get things back on a positive note. This break was a lot of fun and I’m thrilled that so many people were following along. Thanks for understanding about my need to sell the cards from the case. I’d rather give my readers first shot at the majority of the cards. Don’t worry though, I’ve got an amazing amount of trade bait on deck and want to get some trades going in a big way. Also, if any of you are buying cards that won the contest I had way back when I changed to the new blog, I’ll get those prizes sent out to you with these cards.

Thanks for tuning in. I’ll write up a case break recap and start contacting people about your purchases.

Thanks!

 

Technorati Tags: case break,box break,2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces Baseball,baseball cards,Ken Griffey Jr,terrible Upper Deck customer service,expired redemption cards,Matt Cain

Case Break: 2007 UD Masterpieces Baseball: Box 15

Here’s a card of Don Larsen celebrating his World Series perfect game. It can be tough enough just pitching well enough to win on the national stage, but to pitch that well is amazing. When Roy Halladay threw his playoff no-hitter, it was just the second postseason no-hitter in baseball history, but it still wasn’t a perfect game. It’s a feat that may never be matched again.

Fifteen different box toppers in fifteen boxes, but still no box topper auto. This is either going to be epic like the Jordan auto in the last box or it’s going to suck big time.

One thing that I haven’t mention yet is that even though these Masterpieces cards are done by different artists, it still feels like a cohesive set. You can’t pick out on artist from another. This is the complete opposite of last year’s Chicle set which took a beating for some of the artist selections and rightfully so.

Green Linen/Windsor: Randy Johnson, Miguel Cabrera, Ozzie Smith, Vladimir Guerrero and ‘04 Red Sox

The Red Sox Championship pig pile is staying with me, but everything else is available.

Babe Ruth Black Linen /99 and Philip Hughes Hades /50 (sold)

Don Mattingly, Chris Carpenter and Will Clark

It’s strange seeing Don Mattingly and Will Clark pop out of a box together like this. I know that I would much rather pull them than some of the busts you can get of modern players.

I couldn’t get away unscathed. Here’s one more expired redemption card for a Delmon Young auto.

I’ve never liked redemption cards and something like this just makes me hate them even more. Because of the fact that Delmon Young was lazy or someone at Upper Deck was lazy and these cards didn’t get signed in time, I get shorted. Why should that be?

Redemption cards should be handled in the following way: Up until the deadline, you will receive the card listed (unless it never get produced and then you get a Tim Tebow 1/1). If you get a redemption card after the date then you aren’t guaranteed what was listed, but you will get something of equal value. Send out cards, send out wax or whatever it takes. There’s no excuse for screwing a customer who has spent money on your product.

 

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