As a Hall-of-Famer here at APTBNL (read: mild sarcasm), I pride myself in my posting of the epic, weird, stupid, gross, and exciting pack breaks.
Every year I buy a few boxes of Topps Archives Signature Series: Retired Player Edition. Each box has 1 autographed card, in a one-touch magnetic sealed case. Each card is a buyback, serial numbered and signed on-card by a retired player.
I have pulled everyone from Mike Lieberthal and Jose Rijo to Reggie Jackson and Bob Gibson through the years.
Now, I thought, I could just open one box for you. But then you would have just one card, and that would be kind of dull. There are no packs, just boxes with a single card in each.
It wouldn't really be a "pack break" if I did 3 boxes.
So I decided, for YOU, our readers, to sacrifice my hard earned money and buy a CASE of this product. (And definitely not because I have been itching to do it for years or anything)
So here's 20 cards, 20 boxes, 20 packs, of 2022 Topps Archives Signature Series: Retired Player Edition Baseball. A Case To Be Named Later.
(Yes, I scanned this myself. It wasn't easy)
So, what shall we find? 20 Steve Balbonis? A dual auto of bloodied Nolan Ryan and Robin Ventura?
Box 1:
Starting off of a Bill Mazeroski Auto, capturing his most famous moment, one of the most famous walk-off home runs in baseball... so famous, in fact, that it wasn't even called it a walk-off home run yet. This is a 2012 Topps Buyback, 24/46
Box 2:
Another Pirate! This one, the legendary leadoff catcher Jason Kendall. This is a 1998 Topps Buyback, 28/42.
Dave Magadan, perhaps a modest career as a player but had a big role in the 2007 Red Sox World Series win as a coach. This is a 1992 Topps Buyback, 02/81.
Here we have Andrew Jones, one of the great Superstation-era Braves. This is a 2005 Topps Updates Highlights Buyback, 01/34.
Next up is Steve Finley of the Arizona Diamondbacks as depicted on a 2004 Topps Cracker Jack Buyback, 21/32.
And here we have BBHOF Braves Legend Orlando Cepeda. This is on a 2016 Allen & Ginter Buyback, 09/31.
Moving the clock ahead, here is Rafael Furcal on 2010 Topps Update Buyback. 02/73.
A man who will likely enter the BBHOF as a Manager, Dusty Baker. Back in 1982 his PPE was a flapless batting helmet. Nowadays you can see him sporting a New-Era mask. This is a 1982 Topps Buyback 05/25.
Here is my first 1/1, Scott Rolen on a 2006 Allen & Ginter Buyback. Nice Card.
Shawn Green appears on this 2007 Bowman Buyback, our 2nd 1/1 today.
Angels HOFer Garret Anderson appears here on this 2002 Topps Gallery Buyback Auto, 10/15.
Twins Fan-Favorite Justin Morneau appears on a 2012 Allen & Ginter Buyback, 01/47.
Here we have Shannon Stewart's 1996 Topps Rookie Card Buyback, 29/99.
Just a few more... More HOFers? Balboni? Don Mossi? Stomper? What are we gonna get?
Ah, a nice 1985 Topps Buyback featuring the legendary Tommy John, albeit in a uniform you aren't used to seeing him in. 02/53.
Next up is Ken Griffey (Sr.) in action, 1982 Topps Buyback. 51/99. I liked that we got a lot of 1982 Topps, given that it has been exactly 40 years since that set came out.
One of my all-time faves, should be in Cooperstown, Luis Tiant, in a completely unusual uniform. "Pirate" is not how one typically imagines El Tiante. This is a 1982 Topps Buyback 43/99.
Whether he ends up in the Hall or not is about politics not achievements, and Gary Sheffield had a Hall of Fame career. This 2006 Topps Heritage Buyback is numbered 12/18.
And another (newer) BBHOFer, Jim Kaat, depicted here on a 1982 Topps Buyback 66/99.
I feel like I have been chasing Fergie forever with no luck. Here is his 1983 Topps Buyback 09/14. Gorgeous card.
And finally...
A 1983 Topps All-Star Set Buyback of Oriole Legend and BBHOFer Jim Palmer. 13/19.
This was a fun case break. What do you think?
This looks like a fun one! Lots of big and interesting players and not too many Magadans.
ReplyDeleteI think this must've been expensive.
ReplyDeleteIt was one zero more than I would spend on a typical card shop run.
ReplyDeleteI love picking up singles from this product. This year I'm gonna be on the lookout for who else signed their 2002 Topps Gallery cards. I like the look of that set... and I like it even more with a signature on it.
ReplyDeleteI can see myself being disappointed with most of these, if not the player than what team they chose. For example, I still need a Shawn Green auto for my Dodgers collection. Pulling him on the Mets would be painful.
ReplyDeleteThe theme here seems to be "guys who should be in the Hall of Fame, but aren't. Andruw Jones, Tommy John, and Luis Tiant, definitely. Sheffield has a good case too. And Baker as a manager, but as you say that will probably happen. Some great players here, and for me personally if I'm going to get lesser players, let two of them be Mets. But I doubt I'd pay what you paid for any of these.
ReplyDeleteThe case break is a big investment, but you divide your duds a little bit more. The more bulk you buy, the better chance you have at "breaking even", the less chance you have at "coming out ahead" whatever that might look like.
ReplyDeleteThe obscure player pulls can be fun, but as comments pointed out it is kind of dependent on whether they are YOUR obscure players or someone else's. I would love to run into a Tim Wakefield in any product but the chances are just so small.
With a case break, you get a couple 1/1's, some big HOFers, and some more niche players. As someone who chases "legends" it is worthwhile for the fun but certainly not financially.
I had fun with this one.
Glad you had fun with the case break! Hall of Fame post indeed!
ReplyDeleteWow! I find it fun yet painful to get these for my player collections. My option changes on a daily basis, as evidenced by my eBay watch list
ReplyDeleteThat's a fun case break. Would love to trade for that 2007 Bowman Shawn Green 1/1 for my Shawn Green PC. Bob ["abide" on TCDb]
ReplyDelete