Impulse Buy Pays Off

I was shopping at my local Walmart when I had racked up a total of about $16.00. With four Lincolns in my wallet I decided to take my chances on two 2009 Topps packs rather than save the four bucks. If you don't already know I am attempting to collect the whole set. I am at the point where I am starting to get numerous doubles per pack except for the rookies and high number cards like classic combos, postseason highlights and Pro Bowlers.





The first pack was odd from the start. Generally I have noticed that the rookies are the first three cards, but this time I had Samari Rolle as my first card, and found only one rookie in the middle of the pack (Sammie Stroughter) Then, I saw something familiar; A Walmart exclusive All-American insert. My first two have been of Javon Ringer and Jeremy Maclin. This one was of 1st overall pick Matthew Stafford. Check it out:





I also got a gold version of the Peyton Manning Topps Town interactive card. Other than that it was just commons (Charles Woodson, Laverneous Coles, Torry Holt to name a few). The second pack started off with a bang as the second card was also of the first pick in the Draft. That's right; moments after pulling the All-American Stafford insert I pulled his base set rookie card! I also got an Everette Brown rookie and I got a nice classic combos card of Chris Johnson and Lendale White "Smash and Dash".


These were some nice pulls that will help me complete my set, so I am pretty pumped. I don't think Stafford will be the QB that everyone is hoping, because he is going into a pretty bad situation. It may be the worst situation in proffessional sports probably right behing playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates (atleast if your good you'll get traded). This does however help me complete the set and I am rooting for him to revive the Lions. Anyway, I'm glad I took the chance.

2009 Topps Football Hits Retail Shelves

The base Topps set is generally one of the most widely respected and collected sets in the industry. At two bucks per pack it’s a great set to collect. This year over recent years I actually like the base set design. I disliked the black 2007 design and last year’s was just ok, but I really like something about the design this year.

I bought two packs of 2009 Topps football at my local Walmart, which is dreadfully the easiest way for me to get cards these days. In total I received three rookies in each pack. First pack had rookies of : Jason Williams # 381, Jamon Meredith # 377 and Rey Maualuga # 386. In this pack I also received a gold bordered Marc Bulger numbered to 2009. The gold card could have been better and definitely could have been worse, but it’s nice to get one in two packs. The gold bordered cards are randomly inserted in every four packs.

In the second pack I also got three rookie cards, one of which was an All-American insert of Javon Ringer. The All-American inserts are a Walmart exclusive and inserted in every four packs on average. The other two base set rookie cards where; Stephen McGee # 432 and a LeSean McCoy # 400. I like the McCoy rookie card. In fact, I generally like the Topps rookie cards that feature the players in their NFL team uniform and a professional design. Although Score came out before Topps and featured NFL uniform rookie cards it has a borderline childish design, which is also needed in the industry.

Also featured in the packs are one interactive Topps Town cards. I got Trent Edwards and Jamarcus Russell. In all, you get 12 cards; three rookies and a Topps town card, plus eight other commons. I got commons of players like; Reggie Bush, Hines Ward, Brandon Marshall and Greg Jennings.

I generally do not try to complete a set of cards, because every time I try to start it winds up becoming a waste of money. I find it hard to find commons for cheap, because I do not have access to a card shop within thirty miles and when I do they only sometimes have a common box of the set I am looking for. This year is different. I am going to attempt to collect the Topps set. If you have any commons to offer me in a trade for anything let me know, just leave a comment.