Time to Clean Out my eTopps Portfolio

Surely I'm not the only one that kept getting those emails from Topps advertising shipping discounts for cards left in your eTopps portfolio. The fact that the Topps has still be maintaining the eTopps website still amazes me. The program ran for 12 years, but I only bought cards for a few years after discovering what the program was.

I thought the idea behind eTopps was great and sometimes I wish the program was still going today. Topps Now essentially replaced eTopps years later, but when you compare the actual eTopps cards in hand vs. Topps Now...well there is no competition. The eTopps cards are beautiful, but the high shipping rates I'm guessing is what helped kill the program.

Recently I decided to cash in on the 30% off shipping discount and clear out my portfolio. I requested delivery for the majority of my cards some time ago, however for some reason I left some cards behind. Now that I have them in hand, let's take a look at the last cards from my portfolio.

2001 Tim Hudson #38

2005 Tim Hudson #6 (179/499)

2011 Freddie Freeman RC #2 (1478/1499)

All 3 of these cards look beautiful in hand, especially the Freeman rookie. I'm surprised I never had that card shipped before.

2004 Stephen Davis #38 (/1,250)

2011 Cam Newton RC #11 (1677/1999)

2011 Tim Tebow RC #32 (073/599)

I had all but forgotten that I even had some football cards left in the portfolio, but I'm glad to see the Cam Newton and even the Tim Tebow.

2005-2006 Emeka Okafor #3 (/672)

2005-2006 Sean May #59 (/1000)

I rarely buy basketball cards period, so I too had forgotten I had these two cards sitting in my portfolio. At the time I decided to take possession of these two cards, their online "value" was like $.10 each! They'll look nice in my Charlotte basketball collection none the less.

Like I said earlier, it's been awhile since I've had cards delivered from my eTopps portfolio, but I don't remember the cards coming shipped in one touch holders. It seems as if my past order the cards were almost slabbed. I recall the card holders used were in were very tough to open. All I've got to do to remove these cards from their holders is remove the little hologram sticker and the holder should open up rather easy. I do plan on freeing these cards from their slabbed prison so I may add each of them to their respective boxes.

Do you have any cards left in your eTopps portfoilio? Do you have plans on taking delivery if you do? What were your thoughts overall of the eTopps program? I'd love to hear from you so leave your answers in the comments below.

Changes to eTopps shipping

I noticed today while looking at my eTopps portfolio that starting in 2012 their shipping rates are being increased.  To see that shipping rates are going up doesn't surprise me, especially when rates haven't been touched in a few years.  What caught my eye was they are discontinuing the use of Performance Points to pay for shipping.  Currently one point = $1.  I've got 20+ points left and there is nothing in their Rewards catalog I care for so I plan to ship just about everything in my portfolio minus the few current cards I have like Cam Newton and Tim Tebow.

So if you too have older cards sitting there and you want to take advantage of the current shipping rates or use Performance Points to pay for your shipping you might want to act now!

Freedie Freeman shipped my eTopps order for free!

Well not really.  I didn't see however you can know exchange your eTopps Performance Points to have cards shipped from your portfolio for free.  Being strapped for cash this was great news so I redeemed 6 points and had 3 cards shipped.  I'm hoping my Cam Newton card nets me more Performance Points as I have several more cards I'd love to have shipped for nothing.

I forget how beautiful and shiny these cards are until I hold one in hand.  This particular 2007 design works really well.  Now my question is this a recognized RC of his?  Are his Tampa Bay cards not his true RCs?

This has to be the shiniest card I have in my collection hands down!

Sometimes being the early bird doesn't pay.  I paid full asking price ($6.50) in 2005 when it was first issued.  Now I'm sure it could be had for a buck or less.  Oh well, live and learn.  At least it's a purdy card.

One last question to those of you who buy eTopps cards.  While the cases they come in are nice I don't always have room for them.  Eventually I'd like to have my PC cards in pages so I'll want the card out of the sealed slab.  What do you do w/ your eTopps?  Sealed or open 'em up?

eTopps offering of the week

I know it seems weird to be so excited over a 1-4 team...but this guy brings so much excitement and hope again to the Panthers!  I was waiting for Cam to be offered in the eTopps program.  His card will be numbered to 1999 and is offered for $7.00.  I haven't mess with eTopps in several years, but this looks like a card that might be worth going after.

So, do you participate in eTopps?  Have you in the past?