Cardboard Acquisitions: Baseball & Football edition

Hey everyone! I meant to post some new content to both the blog and my YouTube channel before Christmas, but there was just so much to do in order to get the house ready for family visiting and all that comes with it and I just didn't have the time.

However below is a link to my latest "pick ups" video I posted to my channel. I do hope to get back to some regular activity in the coming week or so. Hopefully I can get some ideas for a 2020 collecting resolution video out of my head and typed up before they disappear! Until then, enjoy the video.

Topps Comes Through (a redemption story)

Earlier this year in February, I pulled a redemption card for an autograph of the young WWE Superstar, Neville. While wrestling autograph cards don't usually get me all that excited, I have to admit I was looking forward to getting this card in the mail. I promptly logged onto Topps' website and redeemed the card. The wait began. I waited...and waited...and waited. Nothing.

About two months ago I decided to check on the status via the website and I saw that there was an option to forego the wait and request a replacement. I've read enough card blogs to know that if I went that route I wouldn't get the Neville auto I had been waiting on. The replacement card may be something better...or it may be something worse, like an auto of Curtis Axel!

However yesterday a fat padded envelope came from Topps and I figured it was finally my replacement card. I ripped open the mailer and I found not one replacement card, but two?!

I don't know if this is normal or not, but apparently the extra card comes as a added bonus for making me wait so long. What I don't get is what was the hold up in getting the autographed cards from Neville. I know WWE Superstars live a very grueling road life much of the year, but Neville was on the shelf injured for a good part of the 2016. Couldn't he have signed his cards for Topps during his time away from the ring? Whatever the reason, it's nice to see that Topps was at least trying to make me happy. Speaking of that, did they? What was the replacement?

I got this nice auto of Dean Malenko from 2013 Topps and I was pretty darn happy. You see I was more of a WCW fan growing up, NWA before that. I never watched much WWE until the "Monday Night Wars" heated up. I loved the cruiser weight division that WCW featured and Dean was fun to watch in the ring. A very technical wrestler that could spar with the best. 

Now the image Topps used for this card isn't the best in my opinion. In fact he looks a little creepy with the way he's looking at his opponent. None the less, not a bad replacement at all.

My bonus card is this nice WrestleMania 30 mat relic from 2014 Topps. I enjoy these type of gimmicky cards in wrestling releases almost as much as I enjoy jersey and bat cards from baseball products. I do like the fact that they tell you what event this piece is taken from as opposed to the normal line from Topps. I also enjoy watching Cesaro perform. Just check out him in the process of body slamming none other than the Big Show!

Everyone knows that Redemption cards can be risky, but for once I'm happy to say that things worked out well and I appreciate Topps for trying to go the extra mile to keep one of their customers happy.

Redemption, Freddie Freeman Style

On the heels of receiving my 2015 A&G Buster Posey redemption auto, I grabbed this redemption card of Freddie Freeman from 2015 Topps High TEK. I've only seen these High TEK cards online, never in person so I'm really looking forward to receiving this card. Since it's from 2015, I'm hoping it doesn't take 9 months for it to show up in my mailbox.

   

Well that was quick. Before I could even get this draft of a post ready to go, the mail man brings me the card in today's mail! Now let's get this card out of his top loader prison so I can show off it's beauty...or the best that my scanner will allow!

Like with many "shiny" cards, this scan does not do the card justice. It's much more beautiful in hand. I love these clear acetate style cards...just beautiful. I was surprised to see that the card was serially numbered too, #02/99 to boot! 

This easily is one of my favorite Freeman cards now, autograph or not.

The Waiting Game Begins!

It's been awhile since I've played the redemption waiting game w/ Topps, but here I stand on the threshold of entering a new code. I've held true (for the most part) about staying away from baseball posts during this off season, so this redemption isn't for the latest Braves auto or relic...nope it's for my first WWE auto in quite some time.

While I'm not the biggest WWE fan or collector in the world, professional wrasslin' has been a guilty pleasure of mine since I was a little. I have many fond memories of going to my grandfather's house for the annual WCW StarCade PPV. This Neville kid reminds me of the older style wrestlers in some ways so it's pretty cool that this redemption card turned up to be for a card of his.

So let the waiting commence! Code has been entered as of this evening. How long will it take? Will I even get the card I'm supposed to? Perhaps I should put up the little "Redemption Card Watch" gadget on the sidebar?

Twitter to the rescue!

I've only recently (past month) started to really use Twitter.  I still don't understand it completely, but I've found it handy many many times.  I posted a week or so ago about trouble I was having w/ Topps with a redemption card I got out of a past group break.  It was for a 2010 Topps Chrome Brandon Hicks autographed rookie refractor.  I redeemed the card November last year and well, forgot about it.  Later when I logged into my account to check the status of it I saw the card had been replaced w/ some Finest basketball card?!  My account stayed this way for several weeks before reverting back to the proper card.  Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I checked my account again (after forgetting about the card yet again) and I saw that it had been shipped in February.  It listed a tracking # as well so I copied and pasted it into USPS' website.  It said the card was delivered in December 2010 in Bridgeport, NJ.  Ok, now I was majorly confused.

I called the 1-800 number on several occasions, but never could get through to a live person.  I left messages as requested and no reply.  So I hit up Twitter and the Topps Support account.  I sent them a message and got the common response of "Please contact 1-800-489-9149".  So today I sent them another tweet letting them know that I've gotten ZERO response back.  Shortly thereafter I got a direct message asking me what the problem was.  After a few more exchanges I was told the card would be replaced and I should have it within 2 weeks.  I'm holding my joy in check until I hold the card in hand, but it appears Twitter did what the phone number couldn't.

Panini Redemption Cards Fulfilled!

I couldn't believe it when I checked the mail yesterday.  Panini America had sent me not one, not two, but three bubble mailers each with it's own fulfilled redemption card!  I redeemed these codes in early January 2011 and I already have these in hands.  I'm still waiting for Topps to fulfill a 2010 Topps Chrome autograph redemption!

Up first is a 2010 Panini Leaf Certified Mirror Red autograph of Panthers rookie WR David Gettis numbered 071/250.  I always like the old Certified cards and Panini has done a good job recreating this brand.

Next we have a 2010 Panini Gridiron Gear Gold Signatures autograph of David Gettis numbered 24/99.  Not my favorite Panini football card design, but I like the low numbering.

The last card Panini put in my mailbox was this 2010 Panini Limited Silver Monikers autograph numbered 055/199.  I should have scanned in the back of this card as it's the nicest of the trio.

Sure all 3 cards are sticker autos.  I'm just thrilled that Panini included a low draft pick (6th round) like Gettis in their autograph checklist and that they delivered in a relatively short amount of time.  At least if redemption cards must be used Panini delivered with the goods and made a collector happy.