Low End Freeman

When you have multiple hobbies as I do you have to be frugal at some point. Thankfully it's a little easier to be frugal with trading cards, especially if your patient and sometimes a little lucky. I can't say I won this lot of cards recently because I haven't bought much outside of some 2017 Topps, but none the less I scored this two card lot of Freddie Freeman relics for about $4 shipped. Needless to say I was very happy as Freeman is currently one of my favorite players to collect and watch play.

2016 Topps Tribute Diamond Cuts Relic #DC-FF (175/199)

I usually stay away from the higher end products for several reasons, so this relic from Topps Tribute is my first exposure to the brand. Decent cardstock, rainbow sheen to the card front a large piece of red jersey...I love it.

2015 Topps Gypsy Queen Relic #GQR-FF

I've been building the annual Gypsy Queen set since it first launched several years ago. I've had modest success at pulling relics from retail packs and blasters, but this Freeman relic has evaded my grasp until now. Nothing fancy, but some times that's OK.

More Surprises from 2x3 Heroes

During my break from baseball, I took the time to get some of the sets I'm still actively building organized, want lists updated and cards finally put in a binder. It was also during this time that I made a few small trades, which was fun. I really would like to do more of that again as I love helping others with their collection needs. I've got some ideas, but I'll save those for another post.

One of the trades I made was with Jeff of 2x3 Heroes. Surprisingly enough I didn't have his great blog on my blogroll originally. I believe he found my blog through someone else's, anyhow after the trade was completed I've come home to two small packages from Jeff!

I've been able to knock off several base cards from my 2015 Topps Gypsy Queen want list and a few off my 2015 Topps Allen & Ginter want list as well. Good thing too as the 2016 baseball card season is finally underway. In addition to a few cards from my want lists, Jeff also slid in a few Braves cards I didn't have!

Any day I get a new John Smoltz card is a good day in my book! I can't think Jeff from 2x3 Heroes enough for his generosity and for helping fill in a few holes in those sets. I owe you one big time!

2015 Topps Gypsy Queen in the book!

While my job keeps me busier now than I've been in a long time, some days when I work from home things just seem to go smoother than others. Today was one of those days. I found myself finishing up w/ some of my work a little earlier than I anticipated and immediately began wondering what should I do w/ this rare "free time" I had on my hands. I've been wanting to clean off a shelf in my office and bring in a radio...and what just happened to be sitting on said shelf? My stacks of 2015 GQ. Already collated (for the most part), I hadn't got around to putting them in one of my GQ binders. Today that finally changed!

It's been awhile since I've sat down and put cards in pages, but as I did so I realized just how many cards I still need to complete the base set, let alone the full set w/ the SPs. I know it's pretty late in the year, but if anyone has any GQ commons and willing to dump them, sell them or trade them let me know! I updated the Want List this afternoon just to make sure it was up to date.

I've got plenty of GQ minis and more to trade. I haven't been doing much trading over the last 6 months so I'll trade heavy in your favor if you can help me out w/ some commons. Let me know, drop me a line!

More Gypsy Queen - Braves and Trade Goods

The local Walmart near my work restocked their Gypsy Queen hanger boxes so I grabbed two more. Still haven't landed a auto or anything good like that, but at least the first box I opened up had several Braves!

Two base cards of two Hall of Frame Braves pitchers, Smoltz and Glavine. Even scored the Pearl Framed Paper parallel of Smoltz! One of the 6 minis between the two boxes was of new outfielder, Nick Markakis!

Knocked off 4 more inserts from the want list as well - two for Glove Stories and two for Walk-Off Winners.

Here are the cards (minus the base) that went up earlier on my trade list. Still plenty I need so hopefully someone will come along and need something above.

2015 Gypsy Queen has landed

While stopping earlier today at our local Walmart to pick up a birthday gift for a party we were headed to, I checked out the pathetic excuse for a card section while my wife and daughters looked for a birthday card. I saw the pegs had been restocked, even eyed some new product (at least for this store - mainly 2015 Donruss value packs).

Up on the top shelf was one lone Gypsy Queen blaster. Then I noticed the hanger boxes. I grabbed one of each and began to compare the number of cards per box...the same. Then I looked over the odds of the inserts and what not and determined the hanger boxes to be the better deal. Plus each box contained 3 exclusive Pearl Framed Paper parallels.

I grabbed 3 of the hanger boxes and proceeded to check out. I wasn't able to open all of the boxes until I returned home from the party late this afternoon. I haven't even had time to get to my scanner, but I'm liking this year's GQ effort more than in the past. I like the design as it doesn't take up as much of the card front has compared to the last few years. Parallels are crazy, but this is Topps we are dealing with. I'll go after anything Freddie Freeman I can get my hands on, but the other Braves players are a little lower on the totem pole of what I'll be searching out.

Speaking of Freddie, check out his variation from the base set. Freddie is known for his hugs almost as much as he is known for his bat/fielding!

Glove Stories return for another year and will be a set I'm looking to complete. Pillars of the Community and Walk-Off Winners are two new full card sized insert sets that look nice. I'll be aiming to complete those too.

Last year I decided to focus on finishing off some of the sets I had already started on, but moving forward I would only try to build two sets - Gypsy Queen and Allen & Ginter. I'm glad I splurged today on these 3 hanger boxes as it's been fun sitting down with these cards and making my Want List. I won't be doing anything with most of the Minis and those Pearl Framed Paper parallels so check out my Trade List to see if I have anything you want.