Topps Redemption

Yesterday I received a nice envelop from Topps in the mail, a nice Topps redemption card. Although I was happy with the card I did realize that apparently Topps changed their redemption system and I likely lost 5-10 pending redemptions as their old systems disappeared. I"have tried several thinks but so far I have been unable to get the account information I need from my old account to tackle this with Topps...bummer....Tips to solve the situation are welcome :-) Anyways, here's my latest redemption card, a nice Bert Blyleven !!

Hope everyone is doing well. Although I am not posting a lot I am still trying to read all your blogs on a regular basis !!

Speak soon !

Redemption package & a Bonus !!

So today I came home from a long day at work to find a nice FEDEX package !! A Fedex package for me usually means only one thing: a Topps Redemption !!

The last redemption I put into the system had already been months ago, if not longer so I was curious to see which card this might be. Opening up the envelop a Rizzo card surfaced !!

Wow, that one took a few years to arrive. This card is from the 2013 Archives set and is numbered to /25. Yes, you read that correctly, 2013 !! He probably signed hundreds and hundreds of cards in the years thereafter. Nevertheless, I am very happy this one arrived !!

But wait, that's not all ! A second card surfaced !! Unexpectedly !!

Yes, it's a Kyle Tucker card !! Who ??? Yes, that was my reaction also, never heard of ths guy I must admit, a Astros Outfielder. Anyways, I happily take it !! The card came with an apology from Topps for the long wait (since 2013) so I was positively surprised, thanks Topps !!

Of course the Kyle Tucker card is for trade (or sale) and let me know if you did know him already !

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Redemption package !

I have been swamped with work, family and life so blog postings have been pretty slow in recent months. Trying to get some in here and there. Today a quick one as I received another redemption this week !! A 2015 Topps Museum Collection Smotlz & Glavine card !!

Hope to be back soon, thanks for visiting my blog today !

Kershaw redemption !!

Quick post today with an incoming redemption !! A lot of people hate redemptions but I love them. Why you may ask...well....if other people hate the waiting & uncertainty one can pick up cards cheaper than normal. Usually the wait is not that long and shipping is free, even to Europe !!

So meet my latest delivered redemption, Clayton Kershaw !! A 2015 Topps Finest numbered to only 25 !!

Love my latest Kershaw addition !!

So redemptions: hate'em or love'em guys ?

Strata !!!

Quick post today with my latest Sabathia card. My Sabathia PC has been less of a focus in the last 2 years, clearly impacted by his disappointing performances (of course it shouldn't have too much of an effect on my collection habits but I do see a much stronger focus/drive on Glavine, Rizzo and Kershaw on my end). Well, let's have a look at the new addition !

Here it is, Topps Strata ! Actually a pretty cool card !!

How about you guys, do you notice that performance of the players you collect has an impact5 on your efforts that your our putting in for that specific collection ?

Topps Delivers again, nr 241 !!

I am starting to like Topps' Redemption Program. Yes, call me crazy but hey, they ship for free to the Netherlands and they have not (yet) failed to deliver. A few days ago another Topps package arrived at my doorstep with an awesome card. A cool red parallel Gypsy Queen card, numbered to only 5 !!

To my surprise my excel file claims this is actually already my 241st Glavine Auto card...a shocking number when I think about it. This implies also that I now own a copy of 35% of the Glavine auto cards that were ever made so not even half-way !

Anyways, the quest continues ! Thanks for visiting my blog today !

More Redemptions !!

I love Topps' Redemptions. Probably I have been lucky given the fact that a lot of people complain about it (yes, it is disappointing to not pull the card right away and having to wait for it for a while). Almost all cards have always been nicely delivered and for my in Europe it's actually freee delivery as well which is awesome !! Recently I pulled another redemtpion card when breaking a box of Stadium Club. I only put it in the system two weeks ago and it already arrived on my doorstep a few days ago. Meet Chris Owings !!

To be honest, I had never heard of the guy. Apparently his debut was in 2013 as a short-stop competing with Didi Gregorius (yes, the one "replacing" Jeter!). Anyways, the card is for trade so if you are interested make me an offer I can't refuse !!

Panini also does an oke job when it comes to redemptions. I picked one up a few months ago as I wanted to at least own one auto of Jurickson Profar, one of the players of the Dutch National team. This one was cheap enough (and rightly so given it's Donruss and a sticker!) so I went for it. Meet Profar !

That's it for today, thanks for visiting my blog !

Topps Delivers !!

A few months back I pulled a redemption, a Topps Chrome redemption. It was a Jose Abreu redemption and given all the hype this year (partly deserved of course) I decided to keep the redemption card and let Topps deliver the goods. Sooner than expected a Topps package arrived a few days ago with the Abeu card !! Here it is !!!

The refractor is numbered to 499 so not really rare but still a cool looking card with a cool autograph. I am probably keeping this one for now and see how he develops !!

With another smooth delivery from Topps I am actually beginning to like the redemption program, also because they ship for free, even to the Netherlands !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

Breaking a box of Chrome !!

Two weeks ago I was able to get my hands on a box of 2014 Topps Chrome !! I had never opened a box of chrome before so I was very excited !! Here's what I got !!

First up, two cool inserts, Harper and Tanaka !!

Two more cool cards, a David Price insert and a very cool black parallel...I love these black parallels, they have a great look and feel !!!

A couple of refractors were included as well, here's Santana and Aoki !

More inserts !! Cabrera and Ortiz !! These look pretty cool !

Two base cards, the dutch !!

Let's look at the "hits". My first one was a Yankee !! A Solarte RC !!

The best hit was a redemption card, one of Abreu, not too bad at all !!!!

That's it for my box of Chrome, let me know if you are looking for anything in particular from the Chrome set !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

Back from Holiday with 2 redemptions waiting for me !!

Just got back from holiday with a high stack of yellow bubble mailers waiting for me, the best part of coming home !! I will come back in the coming days with all the goodies from these bubble mailers. I also will come back to all the e-mails you send me in the last few weeks with trade suggestons etc !!

In the pack that was waiting for me there was also one from Topps, 2 of my redemptions !!!!

The first one was a very cool Sabathia from this year's Topps Supreme, a set that only came out in Asia apparently, and which has some awesome looking cards in it. I recently got myself a Rizzo so when a saw the Sabathia Redemption I jumped on it. Here it is !!

Let's hope that Sabathia will also overcome his pitching problems in the coming period !!

Next up was an even better card !! This usually means a Kershaw, Glavine, Blyleven or Rizzo card. Well, it was a beautiful Glavine from this year's Museum Collection. One of the framed gold-bordered ones, very heavy and a very cool one !!!

Thanks for visiting my blog today. More to come soon including another RIP card !!

Topps Delivers again !!

Quick post today with 2 new Kershaw additions !! I am beginning to like Topps redemption program !!

Here's the frast one !! A shame it's a sticker but still a cool one !!

Here's number two, they look a-like but the numbering is slightly different !

That's it for today, thanks Topps !! Now let's hope that Panini delivers....one can dream right :-)))

Best Redemption Day Ever !!!!

As some of you know I am a big fan of Topps Redemption....why would you ask ?? Well, redemptions of players like Glavine or Kershaw are usually much cheaper compared to the real cards.

First reason I think is because of the uncertainty of Topps not delivering. This however, is close to zero risk for players like Glavine, Kershaw or Rizzo who always come through. Second reason redemptions go cheaper compared to the real cards is unclarity, you have to do some work to see what the redemption is all about. Often I feel people are unaware that the redemption is for a card numbered to only /10 or /25, so that lack of awareness provides an opportunity to pick up these cards for a more attractive price !!

A few days ago a nice white Topps envelop arrived. Instead of containing one card, like normally is the case, it contained 4 cards !!! Yes, 4 cards !! I almost feel a little guilty but here we go !!!

First up, is it a mini ? a large mini ? well, I don't care, it looks cool and it's a Kershaw !!!

Notice on the back it's only numbered to 25 !! Talking about the number 25, here's another one !! 2013 Museum Collection redemption !

I was also able to get my hands on the /50 redemption with an interesting part of the logo on the jersey I guess !

To stay with the /25 theme, here's the last card of the pack, meet Rizzo and the Big Hurt, Frank Thomas, my first Frank Thomas auto !!!

Well, I can only say this was the best Topps redemption day ever !! Don't expect to ever beat this one but that's oke !

Now let's hope that Panini ever makes good on the few redemptions I have oustanding, getting fairly annoyed with them !! Go Panini !!

Topps Delivers a Kershaw !!

I have developed a habit of chasing redemption cards these days. Often a bit cheaper because there is risk involved (of Topps not delivering) and Topps delivers for free !!! Yes free !! So that saves me already 3-15 usd on the package ! Topps has always delivered so far, although I have been waiting for a couple for a while now. Still another cool addition to my collection arrived this morning: Meet Triple Threads Kershaw !!

Congrats Clayton with a great deal with the Dodgers for the coming years !!

You guys has good or bad luck with Topps redemptions ?

Pleasing the Crowd !!

I have been lucky with Topps Redemptions (as opposed to Panini who hasn't send me my Kershaw yet). Today I received another two, Topps Tier One Crowd Pleasures !!! Here are the latest additions to my Glavine collection !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

Topps Delivers again !!

I have heard plenty of horror stories about Topps Redemption program and I am no fan either (hate to wait, even have a redemption today that is not yet in the Topps System....). However, to date Topps has always delivered, usually after 6 months or so..maybe I am just lucky !

A few months back a few 2013 Museum Collection redemptions were on eBay, a few of my favourite dutch MLB player, Bert Blyleven !! As Topps might have scared away people from buying redemptions (or Bert Blyleven is not the most popuylar guy) I was able to get my hand on not one but two framed redemtpions, one silver, one black. I love these cards, realy beautiful with the steel frame around it. Here they are !!

I still have a bunch of outstanding redemptions so hopefully Topps continues to deliver in the future as well !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

Back from Holiday with a redemption !!

After a nice little break with the family I am back ! Clearly I missed all the Allen & Ginter fun in the last week but I promise you I will do some catching up in the coming weeks. One of the nice things about coming home is the usual nice pile of yellow envelops on my doorstep and this time was no different !!

One of the packages was from Topps !! Yes, a redemption, a Gypsy Queen redemption !! Meet Carl Ripken Jr. !!

A cool card and already my third succesfull Topps redemption. No failures yet despite all the horror stories on the blogs. More redemptions to come in a future post, this time from a guy collect !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !!

My first Redemption !!

Last week I received my first ever Topps redemption, a Triple Crown Miguel Cabrera !! A was a little worried that the redemption scheme might not work when based in the Netherlands but it arrived safe and sound. With some Glavine Tribute redemption still to come I am hopefull these will arrive safely as well !! Here's the Triple Corwn card, a cool one !!

Thanks for visiting my blog today !

GQ Hit !!

So, after taking two of the pricey, "but a high chance of a great hit", teams in Sam's GQ Case Break last week (I took the Yankees and Dodgers) I needed some "comfort wax" as the case break left me hitless (despite Sam's great efforts, thanks Sam!!)..... Luckily, the wait was only a few more days as my 3 GQ hobby boxes arrived today in the mail !! So let's break some wax !!!

As many of you already have seen plenty of base and insert cards let me stick to the hits. Here's the best one, compensating for Sam's hitless case break, a Cal Ripken Jr Autograph card !!!!! Not sure how I feel about a redemption, my third one already and never ever seen one arrive at my doorstep yet but I have high hopes someday these will turn in something cool !! My second auto was a Steward auto of the Athletics, I like the GQ auto cards although I don't have that much with this guy...

My two relics were a Texas Rangers Moreland and Peralta of the Tigers. I continue to like the framed minis !

Furthermore, the box contained a nice blue-framed numbered card of Adams of the Cardinals !

Lastly, 3 numbered minis were included ! A cool Kuroda (/99), a nice Volgelsong (/199) and a great Seaver (/50) for my Seaver collection !!

Those were the highlights of box 1, pretty happy with the Ripken !! Let me quick starting opening box 2 and 3.

I'll be back !!!

Mariano Rivera Gold Auto card !!!

I wish.............As you are probably well aware, yesterday was the last day that you could send in your Topps 2012 wrappers to participate in Topps Gold Rush Wrapper Redemption. Well, did I have some wrapper to send in !!! As I bought six boxes of Topps 2012, I had 216 wrappers to send in. At first I didn't think about participating as collectors outside of the US are not eligible to participate in whatever redemption program Topps comes up with (which I think is silly but that's the way it is).

Luckily Kyle at Juuust a bit outside was really great and offered to combine wrappers and send them in. Of course I happily accepted his offer and send him all my wrappers on the 14th of February (yes, Valentine's day but not meant as a romantic gesture Kyle....haha). I have send several packages to the US, most recently a trade package to Robert at $30 a week habit which usually arrive in a week or so. So I thought it was going to be all oke, already looking forward to a nice golden Mariano Rivera card or maybe another of the pitchers I collect.

However, earlier this week Kyle still hadn't received any wrappers. I know Kyle lives in Hoyt and I have no clue where that is but I assumed the mail man would know ! Sadly enough, yesterday came and no wrappers..... Luckily Kyle was able to send in his own on time.

So to morale of this story: if anybody collects (expired) wrappers let Kyle know, he will be receiving a bunch at some point I guess !!!

Clearly, life is a bit more difficult being an overseas collector but I have been positively surprised by the baseball card blogging community.....you guys have been great and Kyle's willingness to help me out was another great example of that !

Many thanks to you all and thanks for reading !!!