Kris Bryant

A Bear of a Mail Day from Topps

kinkinsley Mailday!, Show and Tell , ,

If you don’t follow Blowout Buzz on Twitter, you should.  Their giveaways are real and this post is courtesy of them.  I won a Kris Bryant redemption months ago from them.  They are completely on the up-and-up.

Monday I tweeted asking how long it should actually take for Topps to send out live cards.  I had looked to see if my item had shipped and it hadn’t, per the site.  It hadn’t been all THAT long since I entered the code (I waited until the card was live) but it should be a quick process in my opinion.

I checked again Thursday, only to find that it had been delivered to my office on Wednesday.  It was shipped before Monday.  So, take note when looking at redemptions that it does take some time to update.

I went into the office yesterday to get the package, and here it is! Continue reading →

Hunting for the White Whale

kinkinsley Bean's Banter , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Humans have always been hunters.  I’m pretty sure there are cave paintings somewhere of a guy named Grog hunting down a mastodon or woolly mammoth.  Most of us aren’t out hunting for our supper, but most of us in the hobby that actually COLLECT are hunters.  We are on high alert, armed with spears and looking to pounce.

Sound a little dramatic?  Hear me out.

Continue reading →

Topps Series II: Always Lost in the Shuffle

jasondeanmartin Jason Dean Martin , ,

Every year baseball collectors across the nation clamor for the release of Topps Series I. It signifies the beginning of the collecting season as well as the MLB season since it usually releases right around the time pitchers and catchers are reporting to Spring Training.  Series I also gets collectors ready for warmer weather, ballpark food, and the sounds and smells associated with every baseball game. To many, Topps Series I represents the new year more than January 1 does to others outside the hobby.

But, for some reason Topps Series II never seems to have the same appeal as its earlier counterpart.  Part of the issue could be the timing of the release particularly this year as Finest and Archives were released just a few days ago and Stadium Club will be out shortly.  Another possibility could be that funds are being spent elsewhere by families. This is vacation season and those aren’t cheap which means all that “play money” is temporarily on lockdown.

This year could be slightly different though with the inclusion of Kris Bryant’s rookie card. He’s possibly the hottest hobby rookie since Bryce Harper and that can only mean positive things for any product that features his cards.

Only time will tell whether or not this year’s Series II will best similar past releases.  In my opinion, it’s just another product that’s easily overlooked while collectors anticipate the release of Topps Update with a (usually) stronger crop of rookies.

Kris Bryant Bargains Found in USA Cards (#krisbryantday)

jasondeanmartin Jason Dean Martin , , , ,

Today is a big day for baseball.  Huge might be a more fitting adjective. Today is the day Kris Bryant makes his highly anticipated MLB debut with the Chicago Cubs against the San Diego Padres at 2:20 est at Wrigley Field.  In my opinion, this should be a holiday (so should Opening Day).  Schools should be letting out early, especially in the Chicago area.

His debut is probably more anticipated than Bryce Harper’s or Stephen Strasburg’s was. Bryant symbolizes a new era for the Cubs which also includes other top prospects including Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, and Albert Almora. Bryant has somewhat already been deemed the future leader of the Cubs because so much is expected of him based on what he has already accomplished in the minors.  In his minor league years, he has been a man among boys putting up monstrous offensive numbers at every stop along his journey.

 Because of all these things, buying almost any piece of cardboard with his picture and autograph on it will set you back a small mortgage payment, and that’s for an ungraded copy.  However, let’s try to save you a few bucks while still getting a quality Kris Bryant card that you can add to your collection.

Have you ever thought about buying Team USA cards? Most people haven’t. But, one thing that many collectors overlook is that a large number of today’s MLB stars once played on a Team USA at one age level or another and a great deal of those Team USA players have had autographs and relic cards produced by Upper Deck, Topps, and/or Panini.  Kris Bryant is a perfect example.

Currently, a Kris Bryant Bowman autograph prospect card will set you back $400 or more (usually more). But, a Team USA Kris Bryant autograph or autograph relic card will cost ONLY $150-200 and these were produced before his Bowman cards were and usually in more limited quantities.

So, if you’re buying purely from a collecting-only standpoint, why not buy a Team USA autograph and save a few bucks?  And especially from a relic standpoint, he will have far fewer USA relics than he will have from the Cubs.

My advice, buy USA and get more bang for your buck, especially if you don’t plan to sell anytime soon.

Happy Kris Bryant Day!   #krisbryantday