2012 Topps Allen & Ginter Retail

Allen & Ginter is always a hot set. So I suppose I'll rip some retail!



My personal opinion of A&G is so-so. I'm not nuts about the base set in terms of set collecting but they do make for nice TTM autos. The framed mini GU and AUs are pretty nice. The Ginter code chase thing is way beyond my patience level so I don't really bother.

Here's what I got!



Jon Lester...an important part of the struggling Red Sox this season.



The minis fall one-per-pack. Here is Miguel Cabrera. Hard to believe he isn't even 30 yet.



Something old, something new! Brooks Robinson and Brandon Belt.

Uh oh... something thick!



Nice! Mitch Moreland framed AU. A nice retail hit. I've enjoyed following the Rangers since their resurgence (I guess it is just a "surgence" since they were never contenders until recently) and Moreland is certainly an important part of their organization.

Nice!

2012 Topps Allen and Ginter Retail

I purchased a blaster of 2012 Allen and Ginter last night and here's the best pack from the it.  I didn't get any relics in this blaster but this is a very strong pack.

We begin with what has to be the best looking card from this year's set.  This is clearly my favorite card I've pulled from any 2012 pack and I'm definitely going to track down multiple copies of it.

#247 Hank Aaron

Last week Tony La Russa decided that Matt Cain would start the All-Star game instead of R.A. Dickey one of the reasons given was that it would mean Buster Posey would have to catch for the knuckle baller and it seemed like La Russa felt Posey wasn't able to do that.

#47 Buster Posey

I believe this Cal Ripken Jr. card is a short print which fall in 1:2 packs.  This cards seems really familiar to me in that I think it is close to an image that Upper Deck used on their Masterpieces packaging.  I tried to search it out but I can't locate it.  Maybe I'm just crazy.

#324 Cal Ripken Jr.

I tweeted this scan to dayf and commented that it looks like they used too much white out on this one.  He feels that Allen and Ginter cannot seem to get the horizontal cards to ever work and that I ruined his evening with this card.  Sorry dayf!

#33 Chipper Jones

And here's another card that will piss dayf off.  This year's Allen & Ginter have done away with the famous portrait on the back of their minis and replaced it with an "A&G" shield.  Personally, not a fan as well.  

And last but not least, another Hall of Famer.  The A's green and gold uniforms really jump out at you from the white card stock.

#254 Rickey Henderson