Gypsy Queen, box 1 !

Gypsy Queen ! Each year I have my GQ "tradition", that is opening 3 boxes of Gypsy Queen. This year was no different !! As the blogosphere is already swamped with base cards let me stick to the "hits" !

Here's box 1, starting with the Auto's !!

Locke is already claimed but the Eaton is for trade ! I was in luck with this box as instead of 2 autos it actually contained 3 autos !! It's Oil Can Boyd, a cool one for my pitcher collection !

The two relic cards were actually pretty cool !! A great Lincecum for my Lincecum PC and a awesome Encarnacion numbered to only 10 !!

Two blue-framed cards in each box, here's Jones and Killebrew !

To finish the overview look at two cool minis ! I love minis, here are McCann and Choo !

That was it for box 1, by on the look-out for box 2 tomorrow ! My Want list should be up soon, will be chasing the full base card set and the minis !!

Contest Time !!

As announced a few blog posts before, it's time to have a contest !! I must admit, and am a little ashamed to admit, that this is only my first contest after almost 2 years of running this blog. That's why this is going to be a good one !!

For one, I would like to thank everyone for their support in the last 2 years, it has been a great ride and I am very thankful for all the people that were willing to trade with me and/or let me participate in the box breaks, despite the additional postage involved in such trades. I am really thankful for this !!

I am looking forward to many more great years of collecting & trading as the blogosphere makes collecting baseball cards so much more fun !!!

So to say "thanks" let's have a contest full of prices !! It will be a simple one with a bit of competition as that makes it more fun. I have 7 prizes, yes you read that right, 7 !! The rules of the games are simple. The one with the most points scored gets to pick first card, the one with the 2nd highest amount of points gets to pick 2nd. From cards 3 to 6, the randomizer will decide, i.e. 1 entry per point (excluding the people who already got prize number 1 or 2 of course) and the number 1 from the randomizer will get to pick 3rd, the number 2 4th etc (did I confuse everyone enough already ???). We go down to 6 cards and the card that is left will be randomized among the people that did not get their hands on a prize yet in this contest (here it will be one man one entry). So plenty of chance to win a cool card if you ask me !!

So how can you score points ? Glad you asked !

1. Leave a comment on this post to indicate you are participating and you already score 1 point !
2. Include me in your blog roll and indicate you have done so in your comment and you score another point !
3. Promote this contest on your blog for an additional 3 points, yes 3 points !! Also let me know in a comment to this post that you did so ! If I am not already following you in my blog roll I will add you right away as well !!

4. Oke, now some competition comes in !! Leave comments on my blog on any post from the last 2 years and score 1 point for every 3 comments you leave. I admit, not entirely original as other blogs have done this as well (most notably Brian at Play at the Plate!) but I rather "borrow" a good idea than to came up with a poor one myself ! Make sure the comments are (at least a bit) relevant to the post you are commenting on !

That's it. I will let the contest run for a week or so and will announce 1 day in advance when I am closing it.

So, it should be fun but is it worth it ? Well, you be the judge of that, here are the prizes !

First up, a 2012 Topps Tribute Tim Lincecum Relic card numbered to 99 !

Second card is a 2003 Fleer Flair Chipper Jones Relic card !! On its way to the HoF !

The third one is an autographed card from this 2013 Bowman Inception of Slade Heathcott, a prospect Yankees Outfielder. Yes, I collect Yankees cards but I picked up two by accident so this is your chance to own one as well !

Oke, let's throw in a printing plate, meet Dirk Nowitzki, former player of the Dallas Mavericks. Yes, it's basketball but someone might like this one !! I wouldn't be able to tell you from which set this one comes from I am afraid.

Another nice relic card from 2005 Leaf Certified Materials, David Cone in Mets uniform !

Here's another basketbal player, Sonny Weeks (Denver Nuggets) from the 2009 Topps Signature set.

Oke, you all ready for the last card ?!?! Meet future HoF, first ballot I am sure, Clayton Kershaw from the 2007 Bowman Sterling set, numbered to 199.

Oke, let the games begin !! Good luck everyone !!

Trade at the Plate !!

A few weeks back I was able to "dump" a lot of my Ranger cards with Brian at Play at the Plate. Last week I received a cool return package ! Let's jump to the cards right away !!

First-up, 2 of my favourite pitchers, Lincecum and Kershaw !!

I also still need a bunch of Allen & Ginter cards so these insert cards, curious cases, were very welcome !! do check out my Want List for my other A&G needs, still need a bunch !

As a guy from Europe it is also very hard to get my hands on any of the coloured variations that are being sold exclusively at Toys 'R US, Target, Wallmart or any of the others ones out there. Therefore, the following cards are awesome !!

Bowman Platinum are also great cards, here's Verlander and Lincecum !

My favourite Yankee, Rivera was also present, even one with a Relic !!

Lastly, some more cool cards, Brian also included a buncyh of 96 Fleer and a few cool Topps Finest, Intimidators !!

All in all a very cool package so thanks very much Brian, looking forward to our next trade !!

Trading with Brian !!

A while back, Brian at the blog Base Set Calling contacted me as he was interested in some gold and blue parallels. From there a trade was quickly born and a nice packages was waiting for me when I got back from my holiday !! Here's what Brian send me !!

To start, two of my favourite current players, a Rizzo Archives and a Kershaw gold parallel !!

Brian also included some minis !! These are from the Topps Sticker minis sets. Never owned any but now I do !! Meet Kershaw, Lincecum and Sabathia !!

Some more Topps Opening Day cards were included which was very welcome as I still need a few ! Also a cool Lincecum/Mays card from this year's Archives set.

A blue sparkle Verlander !!

More Opening Day cards, Ballpark Fun !!

These were just a few of the cards that Brian send me. Thanks very much Brian for a cool trade !!

Cardboard Conundrum loot !!

Quick post today as every trade deserves a post ! I recently expressed some interest in a Lincecum card, pulled by Matt at Cardboard Conundrum, the start of a cool trade ! This is the card the trade started with, a cool, very thick card, celebrating his 2008 CY Young Award. Not sure if he can regain his old form again in the coming years, let's hope so !!

Matt also found some cards from my Want List, 2 beautifull "The Greats" inserts !

A Calling Card was also present, it's Youkilis !

Lastly, Matt included a Chasing History insert card of Buehrle I still needed !

Thanks Matt for the trade, looking forward to the next one !!

Opening Day Box Break Means Trade Bait

A while back I opened a box of Topps Opening Day 2013, usually a fun, cheaper, break every year. Like previous years I am likely to chase the full set and I am still missing some so check out my Want List in case you have some for trade ! I won't show you all the base cards but just some of the inserts and blue, numbered parallels that are for trade ! Here we go !

Let's start with the fun of every Opening Day set, the Mascotes !! Meet Slider and Gapper !! I have 4 for trade including these 2 !

Next up all the numbered blue parallels, all for trade if you are interested !

One more, Trevor Bauer of the Indians

Two for my personal collection, Verlander and Lincecum !!

As said, Want List is up so let me know if you fancy a trade !

Thanks for checking my blog today !

Topps 206 Mini Relic Booklet

I recently came across a cool Topps 206 mini booklet which I had never seen before. As it had Lincecum, one of the players I collect, next to Greinke, I decided to go for it. To my surprise these cards are not popular at all and I got it on the cheap.

Let's start with the back. As you can see, a little damaged but oke. It's my first mini booklet so I am happy to look past that ! These are apparently numbered to 99.

Here's the inside, 2 relics, a bat and a jersey. To me it remains a strange concept, pitchers with bat relics ! 

All in all a great addition to my Lincecum collection !

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

Package from Cardboard Catastrophes !!

Late last week I received a package from a place called Norman, sender being Jeffrey. Normally I keep proper track of my trades and the only person from Norman I knew was Jeremy from No One is Going To Read This Blog and I was sure that we had already completed our trade a while back. After a bit of digging I vaguely remembered an e-mail from Carlsonjok at Cardboard Catastrophes asking for my address as he had some cards for me, cards that seem to match the content of the package I received. Doing some more digging on the internet I could confirm that Carlsonjon (or Jeffrey according to the envelop) is also based in Norman ! I hear you thinking, oke oke Sherlock, let's show us the cards ! Well here we go !

The package was great, a cool mix of cards from my Want List, ranging from Minis to A&G inserts, Lineage and Gypsy Queen ! Jeffrey really spend the time going through my Want List which is much, much appreciated !! Let's start with the minis !!

The Minis were a great selection of 2012 A&G and 2011 Kimball which I am both trying to complete !

Gypsy Queen was also included, a very cool Sabathia. A gold/brown framed retail version which is great as retail is not easy to get in Europe ! Also a nice 2012 A&G insert of Ripken I was still missing.

2008 A&G was also present. I am gradually getting towards completing the base set !!

I am also still trying to complete some of the 2011 Lineage inserts so these were very welcome ! Let's hope Pineda can give us some joy in 2013.

and more A&G, 2012 What's in a Name and the 2011 comparable Hometown Heroes (extra special to me given its Sabathia !!).

Last card for today is a cool Lincecum from the Heritage set !!

Jeffrey, thanks so much for a very cool, and unexpected, package. I am going to send you something in return of course once I figure out what you would like (your small Want List is not helping me a lot :-))

Thanks everyone for visiting my blog today ! Enjoy the rest of the weekend !