bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog

Adventures in Selling: Wait...Not a Trade??!

2026-08-12T08:21:37.578-05:00

Last week, I was perusing Facebook, as you do, and came across a post on one of the "Topps Facebook Trade/Buy/Sell" group page (not the actual name of the page...please don't look for it) saying that he was looking for singles from 2009, 2010, and 2013 Topps. Not necessarily expensive rookies, or key players from these sets, but, in his words:

My PC is Topps base cards from flagship and update (any card with stats on the back - no AS, LL, etc) for Hall of Famers, Stars, or Hall of Very Good. Focusing on all guys 1980-present first, then wil collect more vintage guys.

Hey, I'm always in the "collect whatever you like" camp. He has his categories, and he's out to collect them specifically. Some of the players on the list are some of the big names of that era, and a couple of Mantle cards to boot. I told him to give me a few days as it would take some time to dig out the boxes, and this was around the time of the National and my wedding anniversary, so it would take a few days. He said not to hurry. Below is the list.

It did take a few days and two separate messages letting him know what I found. On the first message, I reported that I found 24 cards:

2009 Topps: 355, 367, 490, 575
2010 Topps: 15, 48, 50, 56, 60, 70, 242, 243, 300, 320
2013 Topps: 15, 19, 27, 33, 36, 37, 105, 122, 206, 227

In my "organization" it appears that I had separated series 1 and 2 from all of these years. And in my initial hunt, I found boxes that contained 2009 Series 2, 2010 Topps Series 1, and 2013 Topps Series 1. It would be a bit more before I could find more (and I really need to write the years on the boxes so I'd have an easier time to find everything).

After more digging, I found more boxes and 24 more cards:

2009 Topps: 7, 24, 41, 135, 185, 224
2009 Topps Update: 1, 50 ,93, 174, 200
2010 Topps: 354, 403, 650
2010 Topps Update: 13, 100, 114, 266, 300
2013 Topps: 52, 454, 506, 519

After responding with the cards I found, I asked him how much he was willing to pay for everything, instead of me giving a price for how much I wanted.

Let me explain why.

In the past, I've had collectors ask me if I had cards from a certain set, or year (for inserts). For example, when I was uploading a list of 2013 Topps inserts into my trade/sell list, a collector asked if I was interested to sell some cards to him. He gave me a list, I responded with what I had (at least 30 cards) and a price that I thought would be fair for everything, I think I had quoted $65.00. His response was that the price I was asking for was too high and where I got the prices from? I responded a combination of sources: eBay, Beckett, Sportlots. I thought it was reasonable considering. I also asked him how much he would have offered to buy the cards for. In many cases, I would have agreed to whatever price he would have thrown at me (within reason...if he had said $1.00, forget it).

But he never responded. I was ghosted.

A similar situation happened again earlier this year. A member at the TCDB sent a request asking if I could "be kind enough to quote a price" on 36 cards that I had on my trade/sell list. Beckett pricing alone for the 36 cards ranged from a low $40.05 to a high of $102.25. I believe I quoted him at least $60.00.

His response? "Sorry, but I'll have to pass because I believe that to be way over-priced."

I answered him back, "I'm curious as to how much you were willing to spend for these cards plus shipping? If you had led off with an amount that you were willing to pay, I would have been more than happy to work with you for a price that would work well for both of us."

He didn't answer the question, just asked another one "Where did you obtain your prices from?" After saying the combination of sources...he withdrew the transaction. He didn't even counter-offer. Just ended the conversation. Well, his loss.

So I'm miffed. I decided from that point on, if someone is going to offer to buy cards, I'm going to let them dictate the price first. In this instance, for 48 base cards, I asked him how much he was willing to spend. He said $45. I said, "Sold!" PayPal information was given, the money was sent, and the cards were mailed the following day.

With the money burning a hole in my PayPal account, I started to think about what I should do with it.

If you recall, after the National, I was down to 17 cards left for my Series 2 insert want list. After sending trade requests to people on the TCDB, I was fortunate enough to get 9 cards from the want list, completing the Glove Works set and needing 4 cards each from the 1991 and Crooked Numbers set.

It was off to eBay. I found sellers who had all the cards I needed, which is good, because buying cards from different sellers will jack up the shipping charges. And for good measure, while I did not find an auction or BIN for the series 2 version of the 2026 Topps Bulk Order (the exclusive insert set from Costco Flagship Super Boxes), I found two 5-card lots that somehow managed to include all 10 cards.

At the end of my eBay haze, I was left with $1.80 in my PayPal balance.

Mission accomplished.

I found another collector on Facebook looking to complete his 2017 Topps set. All series 2. All just base cards. I have an idea of how much I'd be willing to sell...

But maybe I'll let him give me a price again first. This approach seems to work.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Live Blogging At The National!!!

2026-08-01T10:56:58.000-05:00

Update: 5:22 pm CST

It is truly time to call ot a day. Spent 10 bucks on supplies and am now outside waiting for my ride.

Thoughts: it used to be easy to find dealers who sell inserts in groups. Nowadays, it seems many dealers throw random cards into boxes in the hopes of keeping people at their booth longer. This is not helpful for the set collector. If you're a team collector, I am sure any card of any player from your team will do, so this arrangement could work. If you are a player collector? Not so much.

I brought $400. Spent $116 on cards, $10 in supplies, and $30 on the ticket in. Total spent: $156. Total left: $244.

Overall, I had a good time. Seeing every kind of collector looking for cards to add to their varied collections gives me hope that this Hobby will continue to thrive and grow. If the museum's message is correct, then the Hobby will continue to evolve.

My wife and I will be going out to dinner soon. We plan on visiting the restaurant that hosted our wedding reception 28 years ago. Should be fun.

Thank you for following along on my trip around the National. It is returning here again in 2027. I will try and do this again then.

Update: 4:24 pm CST

Found the "Museum." I am going to spend some time here first before going back downstairs and buy supplies and then call for my ride home. Should be fun.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend!!!

This is not me, I swear.

Update: 3:29 pm CST

Walked through many booths and none...NONE...had any designated spots for inserts from this year. I swear my patience and desire to complete sets can sometimes be a blessing and a curse at times. Because if I was more patient, I'd take my time looking for insert cards from years gone by and be successful in finding them. Looking for these remaining 17 cards at the National is like looking for a pin cushion in the middle of a haystack. I say this because you CAN certainly find one solitary pin...but try finding a cushion with 17 pins...and you get the idea.

Anyway. Lots of other things to see here.

There is a huge display of Star Wars movie memorabilia being displayed by Heritage Auctions.

And some He-Man stuff as well.

I am going to go upstairs one more time, and then probably call it quits.

Just realized I haven't eaten anything since breakfast. Will have to fix that.

Update: 1:29 pm CST

I am now at the Topps booth. It's set up like a stadium with a lot of interactive events going on, including a 30-person competition to find a golden ticket and win an actual card. The last person won a graded 3 Walter Payton Rookie.

Passing by what appears to be the "rip a pack, get a National Exclusive" line, Topps has displayed their Topps 75 iconic cards. They're the cardss presented on their Ripped blog earlier this year. Don't get why Ohtani's 2018 Topps Update Rookie Debut card is among them instead of his rookie card from S2, but I didn't make the picks.

I did find another booth with insert cards, but their 2026 cards were lacking. I did spend a buck on a Chase DeLauter 1991 card, so the want list is down to 17.

Will hang here for a bit.

Update: 12:26 pm CST

Success. Found my favorite dealer from the regular Chicagoland Sports Spectacular. One of the few people left who will open product and keep everything organized by set. This is my kind of dealer. Of the 65 cards in my Series 2 insert want list, he had 47 of them. For $115, I have now completed both the First Pitch and 1991 All-Star sets, and now only need 6 of the 1991 cards, 6 Crooked Numbers, and 6 Glove Works.

Now the challenging part: finding other dealers who might have these available. This is going to be interesting.

Update: 11:30 am CST

Just watched a few minutes of the Women who Collect panel on the second floor. Friend of the blog Sooz (Susan Lulgjuraj...aka yanxchick...aka...one-half of A Cardboard Problem) was on the panel.

Other than that, second floor had some interesting booths. The Lids booth had loose S2 cards including a couple of 1991 All-Stars mixed in. Unfortunately, I have both, so the hunt continues. On to the main floor.

Update: 11:00 am CST

Paid my 30 bucks and have my bracelet. I'm good to go. I brought $400 with me. I don't pman in spending all of it. But I know what I am here for. If anyone is actually reading this and want to find me. I am wearing a black Homage Topps 75 Diamond shirt with a blue shoulder bag. Time to go.

It's Showtime!!!

It is now 10:51 AM Central standard time and I am walking through the Donald Stevens convention center getting onto the escalator to stand in line and buy my ticket to the Greatest Show on Earth.

No, not the circus...although the atmosphere here is circus-like. But the National Sports Collectors Convention.

Better get into the cash line. The lines are long but moving quickly. There are already boiths up here on the second floor. I'll check these out first. Wish me luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Preparing for the National Sports Collectors Convention

2026-07-31T11:41:39.603-05:00

It's been a hot moment, hasn't it?

Catching up to all the work that was on my desk when I returned from Texas took a bit (and I'm still digging through). But it also means I haven't posted in more than a week, and while there was so much material I had for writing (more trading adventures), there just wasn't enough time in the day.

But tomorrow is an important day.

First, my wife and I will have been married for 28 years tomorrow. I love my wife. Through good and bad (and there has been a lot of both), our marriage has remained strong. And while we've gotten older (and are feeling this, trust me), it has evolved to something that is...not going through the motions per se...but because the kids are now adults (mind-blown), the adventures we had when they were younger are now memories and we look forward to time at home instead of running around following either or both of their schedules.

Now that doesn't mean that we've stopped that...heck no. But we can now be a bit more selective as to when, where, and how quickly we can get ready than before.

Back to the point.

So while tomorrow morning, my wife and I will have breakfast somewhere, after that is done, she is dropping me off...

AT THE NATIONAL!!!

The National Sports Collectors Convention that is. For the second year in a row, the convention is down the street from the house. And I took the day off, not just to spend time with my wife, but to go to see the sites, sounds, and atmosphere of what is the biggest event of the Hobby.

I do plan on buying cards at the show as I still have 65 insert cards left on my wantlist for 2026 Topps Series 2:

17 1991 Topps
13 1991 Topps All-Stars
10 Crooked Numbers
3 First Pitch
22 Glove Work

And then there are any other cards that catch my eye, but are not high on the priority list. The chances of finding any of those are not the best as many vendors at the National don't focus on current stuff unless it's still sealed and the few that do have their cards thrown in random places. Maybe a handful of booths will separate their cards by year, but good luck finding them in the chaos.

I do plan on stopping by the Topps booth (I have to...) along with the "Museum" that I happened to see on a YouTube (or was it Facebook) video. I love that kind of stuff and will take pics of those displays. But beyond eBay, I might steer clear of the corporate area.

I will be there wearing the black Topps 75 shirt so I fit in with the crowd. If I can find my old Topps baseball cap, I'll throw that on too (although the last I saw it, the thing needed a wash).

Before, I'd carry a bag with boxes of recent year base cards. But the bag was always heavy, and any plans of trading at the show would come up empty. So this year, I'll probably pack lightly, bringing a small binder with just the insert sets so I can add new cards to it right away. Maybe bring this year's extras in the event I am able to find people willing to trade (or buy...I'm not picky). Maybe I'll bring in the box that has all my relic and auto cards to see if I can unload some of them. Maybe I'll bring along my box full of unopened 2018 packs...maybe not...

I can't wait for the show. I do plan on live-blogging the experience.

And maybe...just maybe...I'll find everything I need to complete Series 2.

Wish me luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: Would This Count as a Trade, or a Giveaway???

2026-07-17T12:49:57.158-05:00

We just returned from our trip to San Antonio, TX. Let me tell you, the heat that we were expecting showed up for one day, but the rest of the time, it rained. And rained. And rained. The heat, apparently, went on vacation as well, going north while we headed south.

All kidding aside, the reason why we went to San Antonio was for a family conference, one I will be discussing on this humble, little blog before August (big reason why will be announced soon).

When not taking part of the official events, I did a few Hobby related things. As mentioned (ad nauseum), I did bring a binder of 2026 Topps (not the 6-inch...a smaller one) and finally had time to add the 350 cards from Series 2 into pages. On Tuesday, the 15th, the family and I went to Target to buy a few things for the conference. More importantly, I did buy a few packs of Series 2, including a megabox of All-Star Game product. I said I wouldn't previously, but in honor of the Game, I thought, "what the heck, why not?" There were two boxes. I picked one, left the other, grabbed 2 loose packs (it's Target, they have that limit thing), and a retail box and moved on (this second megabox will be discussed later on in this story).

Hanging out in the hotel lobby, I had my 75th Anniversary Topps shirt on (the shirt arrived before we finished packing last week, so in it went into the suitcase), the 2-inch binder of cards (which did have the All-Stars in separate pages...which were returned to their respective pages once the game was over), and the megabox. Some members of the conference came by, saw the baseball cards, and then started talking about their memories of collecting when they were much younger. It was nice hearing stories about what they used to collect, the usual sob stories about their cards being tossed once they left home, and even some people said they were collectors too and wanted to talk about their current collections.

Which leads me to realizing that it is hard to talk to people about, well most hobbies, because we don't know if the person we're talking about can relate. But to see the look on people's faces and how their tone of voice changes once they realize that the person they're talking to shares a common interest, they suddenly look a whole lot lighter, they smile as they share their stories and even when they talk about what is currently in their collections. Heck, even young lady (yes, ladies too) said that she managed to get a "decent-sized" collection of 1957 Topps cards (or was it 1955...) at an estate sale for $5.00 if she could name the players. She apparently did, and purchased the lot. She also said that she knew someone who used to work for the Company and even had an uncirculated sheet of cards. Needless to say, we exchanged Facebook information and I will have to reach out and ask her for pictures of the sheet as I am truly interested in what she has.

The game was...okay. The NL lost (again) Miguel Vargas put the game on ice with a towering home run. The pitching on both sides was great, shutting down pretty much everyone...except for the hometown pitcher who started. I don't know if it was nerves, but Christopher Sanchez really struggled out there in that first inning. I hadn't seen that kind of first-inning jitters (if it can be called that) since Tim Lincecum in 2009. At least PCA got a hit.

Back to the point.

While sitting there opening packs, a family with two kids sat next to me. I know the family as my wife and his wife became good friends after a previous conference and subsequent visits from them to Chicago. I gave the father two packs of retail that I bought along with the box, and the kids had fun. I did make a trade offer with one of the kids for a Reggie Jackson 1991 All-Star card that he pulled in exchange for a Frank Thomas 1991 All-Star card that I had just added to the TCDB trade/sell list.

Wednesday the 16th, families had more free time as the presentation portion of the conference was starting to wind down and apparently one gentleman I talked to in the lobby the night before went to the same Target I visited and BOUGHT THE OTHER MEGABOX. He offered me the base cards that he got from the box, which was a very kind gesture on his part (explanation to come as to why in a moment). After opening my box and pulling out some inserts, I wondered if this same person would be interested in trading for some insert cards. I did have some decent pulls, and took a shot. He agreed.

We met back at the lobby, showed me what he had, I showed him what I could offer...

And he just said to take what I needed, nothing needed to be traded!!!

I was stunned.

The guy spent $40-something bucks on this mega box and offered to give me the entire contents of it.

The cards I needed are below. The other cards he gave me are in a box somewhere that I still need to unpack from my luggage.

A Max Muncy 1991 Relic plus the eight cards to pare down the wantlist of 2026 S2 Inserts

I think this would count as a giveaway, but I was trying to be fair and offered what I had in exchange, and he said no. As to why he would just agree to give these away without an exchange, he explained that yes, he collects. He has a Michael Jordan collection of over 600 plus cards, plus a collection of cards from every sport (a Shohei Ohtani 50/50 card serial numbered was one of the highlights I could remember) and even Pokémon (which he collects with his son). He loves opening packs and pulling hits, but in the end, prefers to give the cards to people who could use them more. He doesn't give out cards because of "lack of value" or whatever, he does this because he enjoys doing it. I have great respect for this guy now. I told him that I was going to the National, and promised that if I found a good Jordan that I'd message him.

The Chase for 600 cards now is now down to 135:

5 First Pitch cards (found Jerry Seinfeld in a pack)
18 Crooked Numbers cards
37 Glove Works cards
36 1991 Series 2 cards
28 1991 All-Star cards
2 Stars of MLB (Sal Stewart and Brady House)
1 Titans of Baseball (Francisco Lindor)
4 short-printed rookies (card #'s 697-700)
4 factory set exclusive rookies (card #'s 697-700)

Upon my return, I see that I have a couple of trade offers. Need to look into those and if trades are accepted, I'll post them here.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

And Now, Your Starting Lineups…

2026-07-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

As announced at All-Star Media Day:

For the American League:

1. Mike Trout, LAA, cf
2. Yordan Alvarez, HOU, dh
3. Shea Langeliers, ATH, c
4. Junior Caminero, TBR, 3b
5. Bobby Witt Jr, KCR, ss
6. Cody Bellinger, NYY, rf
7. Ben Rice, 1b, NYY
8. Riley Greene, DET, lf
9. Ernie Clement, TOR, 2b

And the National League:

1. Kyle Schwarber, PHI, dh
2. Juan Soto, NYM, lf,
3. Freddie Freeman, LAD, 1b
4. CJ Abrams, WSH, ss
5. Max Muncy, LAD, 3b
6. Ozzie Albies, ATL, 2b
7. Brandon Marsh, PHI, rf
8. Andy Pages, LAD, cf
9. Drake Baldwin, ATL, c

The starting pitchers for the 96th ASG are Dylan Cease of the Blue Jays and Cristopher Sánchez of the Phillies.

Enjoy the game everyone.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Thank You Topps Bunt for Making Cards of the Cardless All-Stars

2026-07-14T10:40:45.479-05:00

Thanks to Topps Bunt, we don't have to wait for Update Series cards (or retail team cards) of the 9 All-Stars who did not have cards in either Series of the eponymous brand.

For those who have the Topps Bunt app, people can purchase virtual packs of cards that include an insert card (or two) of the original 65 All-Stars selected on the 4th of July. Included in this set are the five players who were not in either series.

So, if you want to print these images and add them to your ASG binder before the big game...

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Max Meyer

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Travis Bazzana

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Bryan Baker

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Jacob Latz

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Louis Varland

Not included in the selection is Tigers’ rookie Kevin McGonigle as he HAS a card, albeit short-printed.

Update: 7:00 pm CST

The game is just about to start. And Topps Bunt has the added the Player Replacement set online.

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Willson Contreras

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Nick Martinez

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Tristan Peters

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Foster Griffin

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Iván Herrera

2026 Topps Bunt ASG Riley O’Brien

Thank you Topps Bunt.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Did the Hobby Box Break Get Me the 43 Cards to Finish Series 2??!

2026-07-13T08:37:39.184-05:00

When last we looked at the results of my retail packaged 769-base card sorting, I found I had 307 of the 350 cards needed to complete the Series 2 set. I was left needing 43 cards to finish the set. I had five retail packs that I had not opened plus the full jumbo box to break. My recent history with this kind of luck was screaming, "No, you will not finish this set after you open the Hobby box. Prepare to beg for trades on TCDB and possibly Facebook." But, I clearly believed I had a shot at it.

So when my family went to my sister's house for the 4th of July festivities, I brought the Hobby box and after food was served and conversations kept going (the rain may have been a factor as well), I decided to go inside and open the 10 packs to try my luck.

To review, the list below contains the 43 cards I needed to complete S2. Plenty of eventual 2026 All-Stars on this list (Adley Rutschman, Juan Soto, Ernie Clement, Jordan Walker), the Rays, Giants, Marlins, and White Sox team cards, the Jack Dreyer ASRT card, a lone Cubs card (Justin Steele)...

Back to the point.

Let's just say that after the first look at what was inside, I was already worried.

Because one of the packs looked pretty thin for a jumbo pack. Could this mean that I may have pulled huge relic card, thick enough to remove almost everything??!

No. The pack that should have had 40 cards in it only held 26. Panic was starting to creep in.

To alleviate the pit in my stomach, I first opened the bonus packs of 1991 Topps Chrome cards.

Pack 1:

#91C2-35 Tatsuya Imai
#91C2-37 Samuel Basallo
#91ASC-30 Freddie Freeman
#91ASC-26 Pete Crow-Armstrong

Pack 2:

#91C2-48 Lawrence Butler
#91C2-11 Kyle Schwarber
#91ASC-34 Ronald Acuña Jr.
#91ASC-13 Ichiro

Thoughts: pretty good packs. Balanced between the regular 1991 cards and the All-Star cards. And yes, a PCA All-Star card among the 8. Can't complain. Will add all to the trade/sell list. Maybe keep PCA though.

So with the anxiety already starting, I started opening each pack. Here were the results:

Pack 1: 394, 470 408

Eric Wagarman of the Twins, Brandon Nimmo of the Rangers, and the Rays team card. Okay, not too bad a start. I figured that most of what I was missing would be clumped together in a group. Think of it this way. If you opened packs of 1989 Topps and found a Chris Sabo, you will 99% for sure get the Mark Grace card behind it.

Back to the story.

Pack 2: 664, 390, 600

Jayden Murray of the Astros, Jack Dreyer of the Dodgers, and Juan Soto of the Mets. Another trio grouped together in the pack. Okay, this is consistent. Six cards down, 37 to go. Crossing fingers.

Pack 3: nothing

This was the infamous 26-card pack. My first thought was, "If I don't manage to complete this set, I am definitely calling Topps to complain."

Pack 4: 422, 499, 486, 520, 460

Now we're getting somewhere. Five cards, a trio and a pair. And with the Steele card in hand, I have the full Cubs set for the year.

Pack 5: nothing

At this point, it was a nice run. But based on the first four packs, only a miracle could complete this set.

Pack 6: 480, 382, 539, 565, 578, 430, 571, 621, 696, 580, 634, 522, 375

Cue the miracle. Thirteen cards out of 40 in the pack. With 24 cards now in hand, the odds of getting the remaining 19 started to look pretty good.

Pack 7: 592, 661, 523, 684, 505, 663, 579

This definitely helped. Seven more cards to bring the needs pile down to 12. The pack even included the guaranteed relic card,

Momentum was shifting, disaster starting to feel averted.

Pack 8: nothing

Cue the disaster. The only saving grace of this pack was that it contained the auto. Okay, it was a redemption card for a 1991 Topps card. Of Samuel Basallo from the Orioles. Which I have 10 years to redeem.

Pack 9: 562, 501, 655, 429, 610

Okay. Five more cards. With 36 cards after 9 packs, and one pack to go. I need 7...SEVEN cards to complete the set. Time to clench.

Pack 10:

546 Nick Fortes, Rays

414 Andy Pages, Dodgers

564 Tyler Soderstrom, Athletics

496 San Francisco Giants Team Card

451 Jake Burger, Rangers

593 Sal Frelick, Brewers

...

358 Adley Rutschman, Orioles

It happened.

IT HAPPENED!!!

I managed to get the final cards I needed. Fortunately, I kept the screaming to a minimum.

It was a good day to be a card collector. Especially a good day to be THIS card collector.

Although the set is now complete, I've yet to be able to have time to put them into the binder. I'm hoping that I can do that soon.

Maybe after the All-Star Game is over.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Kurtz, Ashcroft, Burns are out of the ASG, Peters, Wrobleski, and Griffin are Named Replacements

2026-07-12T21:51:27.925-05:00

The family was at the airport, getting ready to board a plane to Texas, when more announcements were made about All-Star Roster changes. Apparently, all it takes is for a guy to hit for the cycle, and one day later, you get a call-up to the All Star team </sarcasm>

2026 Topps Tristan Peters #330

So, Nick Kurtz, who was named the starter after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pulled out of the All-Star Game, was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a right thumb sprain. Willson Contreras, who was added to the All-Star team earlier this week, appears to be the player replacing Kurtz in the starting lineup. Taking his spot on the All-Star game roster is White Sox rookie Tristan Peters. It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours for Peter’s as the day before, he hit a cycle against Kurtz’ Athletics, including a home run and a triple in the same inning. Presently, for the pale hose, he is hitting above 300, one of just 15 hitters with at least 200 plate appearances to do so. He joins Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas on the roster.

2026 Topps Justin Wrobleski #391

Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcroft pitched yesterday, throwing 98 pitches in five innings against the Brewers (on behalf of Cubs fans, thank you for the sweep). But because he pitched on Saturday, he elected not to pitch in Tuesday's game. This means that the Pirates will not have any representation on the main NL All-Star squad as he and fellow pitcher Paul Skenes played over the weekend. Taking Ashcroft's spot on the roster is Justin Wrobleski of the Dodgers. On a rotation full of superstars, Wrobleski has proved himself worthy of an All-Star selection, with a 10-2 record in 15 starts, along with a 2.69 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .180 average. The Dodgers representation has now reached 6 players, including Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Andy Pages, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Chase Burns of the Reds has been scratched from All-Star Game duties due to a nagging groin injury. Taking his spot in the NL All-Star bullpen will be Foster Griffin of the Nationals. The 30-year old Griffin, returning to MLB after 3 years in NPB, is the ace of the Nat's staff, with a 10-2 record and a 2.77 ERA in 19 starts. He joins CJ Abrams and James Wood representing the Nats.

So add Peters' #330 (even if he is representing the Rays on the card) and Wrobleski's #391 to your binders. Griffin does not have a card in either Series 1 or 2, so he will most likely make an appearance in the Update Series.

Just because we are now at the midway point of the season does not mean we could be done with roster updates. More could come, and if they do, I'll make sure to add them here.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Buxton, Judge, Suarez, Ohtani are out of the ASG, Murakami, Rafaela, Martinez, Herrera are Named Replacements

2026-07-10T23:32:03.741-05:00

More players have been removed from the original ASG rosters and replacements have been named. Let's get to it.

2026 Topps Munetaka Murakami #503

Bryan Buxton, voted in as a starter for the AL squad, was placed on the DL on July 7 with a reaggravated right hip impingement. Impingement means, according to the Cleveland Clinic, "the painful pinching or rubbing of soft tissues - such as tendons or bursa - against bone in a joint." That sounds painful. With Buxton now out of the game, Riley Greene of the Tigers has been named as his replacement in the starting lineup. Buxton's replacement on the roster goes to the White Sox' "rookie" slugger Munetaka Murakami. Murakami just returned from the DL himself, missing more than a month from a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Even with him out for more than 30 games, he has 20 home runs and 41 rbi's. He joins fellow Pale Hose Miguel Vargas on the team.

2026 Topps Ceddanne Rafaela #101

Aaron Judge, also voted onto the AL team, has been on the DL for a good part of the season with a stress fracture in his first right rib. So it was well known that someone else will take his spot in the starting lineup. Fellow Yankee Cody Bellinger will take his place as a starter. His replacement is Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela. Rafaela, a Gold Glove winner last year, is hitting .283 through 87 games this season, with 8 home runs and 39 rbi's. He is now the fourth Red Sox player on the team, joining Aroldis Chapman, Ranger Suarez, and Willson Contreras. Although...

Suarez himself is now on the DL because a groin injury. Replacing him is emerging Rays ace Nick Martinez. In his ninth MLB campaign, Martinez comes into the break with a 7-2 record in 17 starts, an ERA of 2.61 and 61 K's in 100 innings of work. Now a first-time All-Star, he joins fellow pitchers Bryan Baker and Drew Rasmussen, along with Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz from the first place Rays going to Philadelphia.

In a surprising turn of events, it was announced that NL vote leader Shohei Ohtani will not be heading to Philly for the game. Nursing knee discomfort since the middle of June, he was scratched from his scheduled pitching start, even though he is still able to hit. But he will have his knee drained on Sunday, with will allow him to recover before his Dodgers face the Yankees to open the second half of the season. Replacing him in the starting lineup will be Kyle Schwarber of the hometown Phillies, and taking Schwarber's spot on the bench will be Cardinals' catcher/DH Iván Herrera. Herrera, hitting .249 with 11 home runs and 40 rbi's is having a good year for the Redbirds as they remain in the hunt for the NL Central crown. He now joins teammates Riley O'Brien and Jordan Walker onto the team.

So add Murakami's #503 card and Rafaela's #101 card to your all-star binder. Martinez and Herrera, unfortunately, don't have a card in the eponymous brand, so expect them to make their appearances in card form via the Update Series.

Will there be more roster updates? Stay tuned.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Justin Verlander Named to AL All-Star Team as Legend Pick

2026-07-08T15:05:13.447-05:00

2026 Topps Justin Verlander #415

Just like Bryce Harper was named as a "Legend Pick" for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, the American League has one as well. On the same day that Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander announced that he is retiring at the end of the 2026 season, the 21-year veteran and guaranteed future Hall of Famer was added to the AL team as a legacy pick.

Now a 10-time All-Star, Verlander is currently on the 60-day disabled list, but did appear in one game this season. His numbers are certainly HOF-worthy as he carries a 266-159 record in 556 career games, all starts. He has struck out 3554 batters, a 3.33 ERA, and a starting pitcher WAR of 82.3. He won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2006, is a 3-time Cy Young Award Winner, and also won the MVP in 2011, becoming the first pitcher since Dennis Eckersley to win both awards in the same year. That season also saw him win the pitching Triple Crown (leading the AL in Wins, ERA, and K's).

Make sure to add Verlander's #415 Topps card into the binder, even if he won't be in the game. Congratulations to a great career.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: Tuesday Transactions Before Texas

2026-07-08T10:25:15.892-05:00

I said I was going to hold off on trade requests because I am going to be out of town for a week. But because two people on the TCDB reached out last week with quick trade requests, and I saw that they were small requests, and I am still in town, I thought I'd agree to them. Envelopes were mailed yesterday morning. A total of six cards sent to two traders with six cards coming back, including 5 cards that will help put a small dent into the biggest insert set (in number of cards) in Series 2, Glove Work.

The first trade request came on the first of July, a simple two-for-two card trade, for the retail exclusive Titans and Stars of MLB. However, because I pulled all of those during my retail breaks (I promise, I will let you know the results of the Hobby break and if I managed to complete the base Series 2 set), I didn't need what she was offering. A quick view of the updated trade matching showed that she had 1 card that I still needed. I would have rejected the trade otherwise, but seeing that we've had a transaction previously, I thought, I could manage a quick counter-offer. She accepted it and sent the card out right away. The card actually arrived last night.

I still need three cards to complete the Stars of MLB set. I could keep on buying retail packs, but probably will wait until after the trip to do it.

The second trade was originally for more cards than what was eventually agreed upon. It would have been a 7-for-7 trade, including a 1991 Topps Blake Snell card he was offering. However, I pulled that card during the Hobby box break on the 4th of July. So I had to counter and remove it from my want list and adjust what he was requesting to make it relatively fair (I'm not greedy, I swear). But when I redid the trade matching, it appeared that he already had, or may have already agreed to other trades for, four of the cards he had originally requested. He was down to four cards needed from the original 7. So I countered, offering four cards, including a 2022 Topps Gypsy Queen Aaron Judge, for 5 of the Glove Work inserts. He agreed. These might arrive in the mail long after we leave for the trip. I've already tasked my daughter, who is staying home this time around, to check the mail while we're gone.

Trade requests are now on hold until I get back.

Oh, and then, the National is at the end of the month. Have to plan accordingly.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Misiorowski, Skenes, and Meyer are out of the ASG. Ashcraft, Luzardo, and O'Brien are Named Replacements

2026-07-08T01:11:19.689-05:00

It seems that the Sunday Starter Rule is still in effect.

What does that mean exactly?

It means that pitchers who were named onto the All-Star Team who are slotted to start on the Sunday before the All-Star Game will be ineligible to pitch in the game. Thus, while still getting the perks of being selected and they can still go take part in the festivities, these pitchers will no longer be part of the main rosters.

And so it was that Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers, Paul Skenes of the Pirates, and Max Meyer of the Marlins, after starting their respective games on Tuesday night, are all lined up to start this Sunday before the break. The NL pitching staff needs to find replacements for these three aces.

2026 Topps Braxton Ashcraft #589

According to MLB.com, The Miz' replacement is Braxton Ashcraft of the Pirates. Ashcraft, a first-time All-Star, has been part of the reason why the Pirates are relevant in the NL Central after more than 11 years. He has a 9-3 record, a 3.24 ERA, and 122 strikeouts in 18 starts. He has, recently, been pitching better than his better known teammate. Depending on the source, we could easily say that Ashcraft is taking the place of Pirate ace Skenes. But MLB says that Ashcraft is covering for the Miz, so we'll go with that.

2026 Topps Jesús Luzardo #63

With Skenes now off the team, MLB.com reports that Phillies ace Jesús Luzardo has been added to the NL side. Luzardo, also a first-time Star, finished 7th in last year's Cy Young voting. Sporting a 7-4 record in 18 starts, with 125 K's and a 3.75 ERA, he is now part of the growing contingent of Phillies stars, six in all, playing host at this year's festivities.

Finally, Max Meyer, one of the surprises that could lead the Marlins back to the postseason, also started Tuesday. His replacement is Cardinals' closer Riley O'Brien. Earning the closer role for 2026, he's saved 22 games for the Redbirds, keeping them in contention in a strong NL Central division. This will also be his first All-Star appearance.

So add Ashcraft's #589 cards from Series 2, and Luzardo's #63 from Series 1 to the All-Star Binder. Unfortunately, O'Brien is not in this year's set. And once again, curses to the higher ups who decided that there won't be any retail team sets in 2026. Just know that O'Brien is taking over for a guy who also doesn't have a card in this year's eponymous set.

That's it for now. When Bryan Buxton's replacement is named, we'll let you know what card to add to the growing binder.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Willson Contreras Replaces VGJ on AL ASG Roster

2026-07-07T13:47:15.298-05:00

2026 Topps Willson Contreras #180

We interrupt whatever I was doing to report that it was just announced that Willson Contreras of the Boston Red Sox has been added to the American League All-Star Team.

As mentioned in my post with the rosters and their Topps card numbers that because Vladimir Guerrero, Jr, elected to start at first base, was not going to participate in the game (he announced that he was going to rest his lower back for the 2nd half of the season), Nick Kurtz of the Athletics, who was named to the team as a reserve, will now move up to the starting lineup. Well, Kurtz moving up to means that a replacement needed to be named.

Enter Willson Contreras. Now going to his fourth All-Star Game (his first three as a catcher for the Cubs), Contreras will once again take part in an ASG with his brother William (2022), but this time on the opposing side. Willson joins teammates Ranger Suarez and Aroldis Chapman as the Boston contingent heading to Philly.

So add card #180 to your All-Star binders. Okay, he's a member of the Cardinals on his 2026 Topps card. If they had done the team sets (Why Topps??? WHY??!) he could have gotten a Red Sox card. He will definitely have an Update Series card.

More to come as the roster replacements are announced.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

The 2026 All-Star Rosters Have Been Announced...What Do You Think???

2026-07-06T00:21:07.279-05:00

While celebrating the Fourth of July at my sister's house, Fox Sports announced the rosters for the 2026 All-Star Teams. We already know Ernie Clement and Shohei Ohtani are going to Philadelphia. Who else is joining them?

I love this time of year. And what I have done every year since I really stated following the game, even during the years away from this humble, little blog, is take out the cards of the players who made each roster and put them in a special binder (my All-Star binder...if you will). I do this because it helps me not only recognize the players who became all-stars that particular year, but during the game, I use it to keep track of who's in the game as it progresses. And although I will be out of town when the ASG is happening, I will still have my binder, and will still watch the game.

So without further ado, here are the 2026 MLB All-Star Game rosters as announced on Tuesday night (with 2026 Topps Card # for those of you playing along):

American League Starters:
1B-Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jaysº (#20)
2B-Ernie Clement, Blue Jays (#505)
3B-Junior Caminero, Rays (#328)
SS-Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (#205)
OF-Mike Trout, Angels (#350)
OF-Bryan Buxton, Twinsº (#255)
OF-Aaron Judge, Yankeesº (#1)
C-Shea Langeliers, Athletics (#305)
DH-Yordan Alvarez, Astros (#468)

American League Pitchers:

P-Dylan Cease, Blue Jays (#547)
P-Parker Messick, Guardians (#67)
P-Drew Rasmussen, Rays (#64)
P-Joe Ryan, Twins (#54)
P-Cam Schlittler, Yankees (#111)
RP-Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox (#656)
RP-Cade Smith, Guardians (#622)
RP-Louis Varland, Blue Jays
P-Ranger Suarez, Red Soxº (#440, selected by MLB)
P-Michael Wacha, Royals (#190, selected by MLB)
RP-Bryan Baker, Rays (selected by MLB)
RP-Jacob Latz, Rangers (selected by MLB)

P-Nick Martinez, Raysª (replaces Suarez)

P-Justin Verlander, Tigersº (#415, "Legend Pick")

American League Reserves:

1B-Nick Kurtz, Athleticsº (#97)

2B-Travis Bazzana, Guardians
3B-Miguel Vargas, White Sox (#329)
SS-Kevin McGonigle, Tigers (#697b)
OF-Randy Arozarena, Mariners (#431)
OF-Cody Bellinger, Yankees (#607, will start for Judge)
OF-Riley Greene, Tigers (#209, will start for Buxton)
C-Dillon Dingler, Tigers (#351)
DH-Yandy Díaz, Rays (#388)
1B-Ben Rice, Yankees (#133, selected by MLB)

C-Adley Rutschman, Orioles (#358, selected by MLB)

1B-Willson Contreras, Red Soxª (#180 as a Cardinal, replaces Guerrero, Jr.)

1B-Munetaka Murakami, White Soxª (#503, replaces Buxton)

OF-Ceddanne Rafaela, Red Soxª (#101, replaces Judge)

OF-Tristan Peters, White Soxª (#330 as a Ray, replaces Nick Kurtz)

National League Starters:

1B-Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (#700)
2B-Ozzie Albies, Braves (#568)
3B-Max Muncy, Dodgers (#252)
SS-CJ Abrams, Nationals (#152)
OF-Brandon Marsh, Phillies (#335)
OF-Juan Soto, Mets (#660)
OF-Andy Pages, Dodgers (#414)
C-Drake Baldwin, Braves (#692)
DH-Shohei Ohtani, Dodgersº (#200)

National League Pitchers:

P-Chase Burnsº, Reds (#312)

P-Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers* (#10)

P-Chris Sale, Braves (#427)
P-Cristopher Sánchez, Phillies (#325)
P-Paul Skenes, Pirates* (#100)

RP-Jhoan Duran, Phillies (#83)
RP-Raisel Iglesias, Braves (#396)
RP-Mason Miller, Padres (#179)
P-Max Meyer, Marlins* (selected by MLB)

P-Eduardo Rodriguez, Diamondbacks (#417, selected by MLB)
P-Logan Webb, Giants (#69, selected by MLB)
P-Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers (#90, selected by MLB)

P-Braxton Ashcraft, Piratesª* (#589, replaces Misiorowski)

P-Jesús Luzardo, Philliesª (#63, replaces Skenes)

RP-Riley O'Brien, Cardinalsº (replaces Meyer)

P-Justin Wrobleski, Dodgersº (#391. replaces Ashcroft)

P-Foster Griffin, Nationalsº (replaces Burns)

National League Reserves:

1B-Matt Olsen, Braves (#39)
2B-Luis Arraez, Giants (#420)
3B-Sal Stewart, Reds (#372)
SS-Otto Lopez, Marlins (#194)
OF-Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (#314)
OF-Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs (#196)
OF-James Wood, Nationals (#349)
C-William Contreras, Brewers (#192)
DH-Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (#650, will start for Ohtani)
OF-Jordan Walker, Cardinals (#565, selected by MLB)
C-Hunter Goodman, Rockies (#274, selected by MLB)
1B-Bryce Harper, Phillies (#250, "Legend Pick")

DH-Iván Herrera, Cardinalsª (replaces Ohtani)

º Injured, will not participate

* Sunday Starter, will not participate (Ashcroft pitched Saturday, elected not to participate)
ª Named as replacement

The rosters should consist of 33 active players. The NL is already at that roster limit, the AL is currently at 32. But with VGJ announcing that he will not participate, and Nick Kurtz taking his place, it is only a matter of time before another player will be added to the AL side.

On the binder front, it looks like I'll be missing a few players. Griffin, Herrera, Meyer and O’Brien on the NL side, along with Bazzana, Baker, Latz, Martinez, and Varland on the AL team, do not have cards. McGonigle is a special case as I don't have either the SP or the Factory version of his card...yet. (I'm working on it.) This is why I'm actually kind of miffed that there are no retail team sets this year. At least everyone with a card is pictured with the team they're with currently. Expect all the missing to show up in the Update Series.

As it seems to be the case these past few years, there is a lot of youth on both rosters, as well as a ton of first-time All-Stars to boot (about 26 at last count).

The Cubs have one player on the roster (so far) while the White Sox will send 3 to Philly. With the way rosters fluctuate between now and game day, The Phillies lead the way with 6 players representing the host city. The Dodgers also are sending 6. Braves, and Rays are well represented here, with 5 players from each team on the roster. The Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Tigers are sending 4 each.

This is just the beginning. If history is an indicator, expect both active rosters to dramatically change by the time July 14 comes. As always, I'll make sure to help you add cards to your All-Star binders by providing card numbers for the players added onto the All-Star teams.

Let's hear the answers to these questions:

Who do you think should have been chosen that wasn't?

Of the players selected, who shouldn't be going to the game?

Were the guys you wanted from your team chosen?

If not, then who should have represented your team?

Let the debates begin.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

A Series 2 Super Box on the Third of July Finishes the Retail Breaks

2026-07-04T12:57:49.130-05:00

2026 Topps Series 2 Super Box

I finally opened the Super Box yesterday. It consists of 10 fourteen-card packs of Series 2 Topps, along with a bonus 5-card pack of foilboard parallel cards (see below), an exclusive jumbo card, the header (which I will be using for the 6-inch binder) and a Funko mini (and if you remember my post about the series 1 box), you will know how I feel about this.

Anyway...not counting the 140 base and basic inserts (nothing to write home about, so I'll save you the agony)...here are the bonus items:

Mini Funko Robert Acuña Jr.

The mini Funko was of Robert Acuña, Jr. He's going to be a great addition to the Mike Trout Funko from S1.

2026 Topps Oversize Kyle Schwarber #650

The oversized card is of Kyle Schwarber, but there was no "companion card." So either it was missing or they decided that adding a regular-sized card that could easily be damaged when the packages shift was a bad idea to include.

The Bonus Pack of Foilboard cards

So what was in the pack of foilboards?

#660 Edouard Julien, second baseman, Colorado Rockies
#662 Jeff McNeil, second baseman, Athletics
#364 Luis Garcia, Jr., second baseman, Washington Nationals
#428 Kris Bryant, outfielder, Colorado Rockies
#375 Denzel Clark, outfielder, Athletics

Will always have a soft spot for Kris Bryant, but it's weird seeing him listed as an outfielder instead of a third baseman. He's really never been the same since he was traded off in 2021. Can't believe it's been five years, and it's a shame that injuries derailed such a promising career.

But now that all of the retail packs and boxes have been opened (except for one of the first two jumbo packs...did buy another one later), let's see how well I did with the cards. The breakdown consisted of the cards in the packages included below:

392 cards from the two mega boxes
145 cards from the Super box
118 cards from the two blasters
72 cards from the retail box
72 cards from the two jumbo packs
70 cards from the five retail packs

That's 869 total cards, base set and basic inserts. There were 739 base cards and 130 insert cards. None were relics or autos. Of the 739 base cards, I have 307 of the 350 cards needed to complete Series 2. So I am, as of this moment (because I haven't opened the Jumbo box...will do that today when I'm with family for the 4th of July), 43 cards short of a full set.

The best card that I got from the 869 retail cards is this Babe Ruth card, #'d 41/99:

2026 Topps 1991 S2 Babe Ruth Green Parallel #91B2-50

(Interrupted writing this post so I can post images of the Ruth and Schwarber cards to the TCDB).

I'll be bringing the jumbo box to my sister's house today and will be opening packs after we eat. I'll post pictures of the cards within and we'll see if I will get all 43 missing cards to complete the S2 set or if I will need to post wantlists for base cards.

Now...

It's a very special day here in the US. It's the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. That one document changed the course of history and established the colonies as independent from the Kingdom of England.

So Happy Birthday America!!! Enjoy your special day!!!

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Time to Talk All-Stars

2026-07-01T11:25:33.330-05:00

2026 Topps Ernie Clement #505 and Shohei Ohtani #200

The last time I posted regularly about the All-Star Game was in 2016. The fan-voting process was simple: 8 players in the NL, 9 players in the AL would be chosen from a national ballot. The reserves were selected by players and coaches and any extras from the commissioner's office.

Boy have times changed.

In recent years, fan voting would leave to what is akin to a primary. The top 2 players from each position (after adding the DH to the National League) would face off in second round of voting. Which means that the guy who had the number one spot going into round two might not even make the team.

Part of this new deal is that whoever received the most votes in each league, regardless of position, would skip the second-round ballot and are officially on the All-Star Team.

This means that second baseman Ernie Clement of the Toronto Blue Jays and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers are both heading to Philadelphia for the July 14, 2026 event.

If starting your own binder (am I the only one??!) to keep tabs of everyone who will be voted in, selected, called up as a replacement (due to availability, injury, etc), pull Clement's #505 card and Ohtani's #200 card (not the #500 one...that's only if he is named a pitcher...which is very possible and has been done in the years I paused blogging).

As more names are added, from the second-round of voting and All-Star selection show, through the announcements of any replacements, I will make sure to note them on the blog, and add their cards (will make sure to include card numbers) to the All-Star binder, which now that I'm thinking about it, will probably bring with me on my trip since the game will be happening while I'm on the road.

Speaking of...

2026 Topps Series 2 All-Star Game Mega Box

This could be a thing now. Just like this year's (and 2025) Topps Series 1 had the Celebration-themed mega boxes, so will Series 2. This one will be tied in with the All-Star Game. However, unlike last year's All-Star Game Mega Boxes, which included a 100-card base set plus 100 insert cards, this year's edition will include base cards of Series 2 with "All-Star Parallels." There is no word on exclusive insert cards in this product, but I just thought to look as I was writing this post...and here we are.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: Three to Start the 600 Card Chase

2026-06-30T10:54:17.618-05:00

Before beginning my journey on the road to 600, I received three trade requests. Most of the cards being offered were for the retail-specific Titans of the Game and Stars of MLB cards. Even though I KNEW I would be buying a ton or retail, I still agreed to the trades.

Why?

Because one request asked for last year's edition of the same sets, and I acknowledge that not everyone had access to the large number of retail shops that I do here in the Chicago area. And two, I had not bought any at the time, so I thought, why not get a head start.

The first request came on June 18. The trader had originally wanted to do a six-for-six exchange, offering three cards each from the aformentioned retail sets in exchange for three cards each from series 1. Seeing that he actually had more cards that I needed, and that I had more that I could offer, I reached out and asked if he could add more. Normally, I'd have agreed to the trade as he had requested, but took a chance with this ask. He could have easily said no. But he did offer more, and ask for more in return. So I agreed. The final transaction is below. At least he threw in a couple of the Glove Works cards.

The second request came the following day. This person was offering more of the Titans and Stars cards in exchange for Update Series All-Star cards and two other inserts. This was a quick acceptance.

The last request came on Saturday morning. A three-for-one offer for one of the Jac Caglianone cards I picked up at the Hobby Rip Night back in January. The way I looked at it, this trade was more for the Frank Thomas All-Star card, with the two Stars of MLB cards as a bonus.

All three packages were mailed on Monday, June 22. Twenty cards for twenty cards. And I am happy to say that all three packages arrived before the end of the week.

Trading will be on hold for the next two weeks for a couple of reasons. One, I still have to sort through all the cards and boxes I did buy and second because I will be travelling soon and don't want to have cards left in the mail while I'm away.

I will be bringing cards to sort, so at least I'll have something to do during the down-time.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

A Series 2 Box Break Before Fireworks.

2026-06-28T20:59:45.073-05:00

Yesterday brought another Target run, and this time, although all the Super Boxes were gone, the store had two of these 2026 Topps Series 2 Mega Boxes. These contain 14 packs with 14 cards in each pack. Also bought 1 Jumbo pack and two retail packs (had to follow store policy), otherwise, I would have cleaned them out. There were 4 regular retail packs left by the time I went to checkout.

Tonight, my wife, son and I are hanging out at Oakton College, waiting for the sun to set and watch fireworks. With a bag of Popeyes Chicken nearby, and one of the Mega Boxes in hand, why not do a box break and see if these are worth the money.

Update: 8:14 pm

Popeyes good as always. Now it's time to open packs. The sun won't set for another 20 minutes or so. Better open some packs now.

Pack 1 included 11 base, a White Sox parallel, the Ichiro All-Star card, and a Freddie Freeman Titans card. Off to a rousing start.

Pack 2 had 13 base and a Bryce Eldridge Stars of MLB card.

Pack 3 drew 12 base cards, an Ichiro Crooked Numbers card, and a Tarik Skubal Titans card.

Pack 4, now we're talking. A Ryne Sandberg Glove Works card...that's it. That's the pack. Anything else need to be said???

Pack 5 brings us back to the base cards, plus a Pedro Martinez 1991 All-Star Crackle parallel.

Pack 6 has a current Cub at the pole position and a former Cub bringing up the rear.

One more pack before it gets too dark to continue pictures.

Pack 7 has a 1991 Crackle Spencer Steer, the Cade Horton ASRT card...and 11 more base cards.

Phone battery is now at 15%. It is getting cooler out, and darker out. So I will stop here. I will let you know what else was in the box. If something exciting shows up, you will be notified.

Time for fireworks.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Beating the Odds with Vladimir Guerrero

2026-06-23T10:34:18.226-05:00

Last night I opened the remaining four regular Hobby packs purchased at Au Sports. If you recall (or if you even read my previous post...don't know what the heck is happening but my posts aren't showing up in feeds), these were the last five packs in the last Hobby box the shop had available. Under normal circumstances, this would mean that the chances of getting a card beyond the regular base and basic inserts are slim to none at best.

As we all (should) know by now, each regular Hobby box contains just one...ONE...autograph or relic card. This has been the case in recent years, as I think the only major change was the reduction of the number of these cards in the Jumbo box, and not the regular one. And because it was Father's Day, and I was pretty sure I wouldn't be coming back towards the store for quite some time, I decided to buy the last five packs, just to help build up the base set.

I posted the first pack results yesterday. Packs 2 and 3 were okay, got a Glove Works insert card, even pulled card #500 (Shohei). But it was pack 4 that made the purchase totally worth it. Because it led me to this below:

2026 Topps Major League Materials Vladimir Guerrero Auto/Relic Gold Parallel #MLM2-VG

Not only is this an autograph card.

Not only is this a relic card.

But it's a GOLD parallel autograph and relic card. There are only 50 cards like this in existence, and one of them is in my hands right now (brought it to work as a good luck charm...yes I threw it in a thick-card penny sleeve and toploader). I have card #32/50.

I normally don't get lucky with these kinds of "hits." I went on the Bay earlier this morning to see if anyone has already put the card up. And yes, of course, someone did. It's up as a BIN for $77.99 plus $6.50 for shipping.

I am guaranteed (supposedly) two auto or relic cards in the Jumbo box. I'll post later the results. But for now, I'm going to enjoy the win and say that the 600-card chase is off to a good start.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

And So It Begins. My First Dive Into 2026 Topps Series 2

2026-06-22T14:50:49.015-05:00

The full Father's Day Haul of 2026 Topps Series 2

I had a very good Father's Day yesterday. Not entirely because of the above. Between a very nice Father's Day breakfast and a fantastic home-cooked steak dinner, I went to Target to see if there was any 2026 Topps Series 2 items left. Yes, there barely was. Two blaster boxes, two jumbo packs, and two retail packs. I'll get to the Jumbo packs in a moment.

Then it was off to Au Sports to get a Jumbo box of 2026 Topps Series 2...along with some other things they had (the retail box) and five packs of regular Hobby. It was the store's last 5 packs, with more coming next week. A second trip to Target yielded the Super Box and one last retail pack.

The total card count:

400 cards from the Jumbo box
145 cards from the Super box (with one mini Funko)
118 cards from the two blasters
72 cards from the retail box
72 cards from the two jumbo packs
60 cards from the five Hobby packs
42 cards from the three retail packs

That's 909 total cards. If I can't even manage the 350 card base set from this, I will probably scream.

I'll post what I get from each of these packages soon. Today, I took one Hobby pack with me to open during my lunch break at the office. Let's see...should I go for the Jif Ramen again or Nashville Hot Chicken at the cafe...decisions, decisions, decisions...

Wasn't kidding about the Jif Ramen...

Anyway...

Okay, so this is not the actual pack...camera is not the greatest...we've already established this...

So what's in this pack?

The first card in this pack (and my first card of Series 2) is of...

Brooks Baldwin of the Chicago White Sox!!!

Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2026 Topps #619.
Player Name, position, team: Brooks Baldwin, second baseman, Chicago White Sox.
Major League Debut: July 19, 2024.
Last Line of Statistics: 2025 stats (White Sox): 103 G, 300 AB, 32 R, 72 H, 15 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 38 RBI, 5 SB, 21 BB, .407 SLG .697 OPS .240 AVG, -0.6 WAR.
Any special information about player: Drafted by the White Sox in the #12th round, July, 2022 Bats: both. Throws: right.
Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 2. This is his second Topps card.
Blurb on the back: "Brooks played every non-battery position except first base for the 2025 White Sox, with most of his action coming in the outfield. He finished the year strong, registering an .824 OPS over his last 32 games."
Commentary: So if Brooks played more games in the outfield (79 between the three positions), why is he listed on this card as the second baseman??! He hasn't played a game this season, being placed on the DL and is out for the entire 2026 campaign due to a UCL tear in his right elbow.
Beckett value: n/a.
How many cards of this player do I own?: 2 cards.

The rest of the pack included:

#594 Lucas Gil, pitcher, New York Yankees
#635 Edgar Quero, catcher, Chicago White Sox Future Stars
#555 Cade Povich, pitcher, Baltimore Orioles
#533 Jasson Domínguez, outfielder, New York Yankees
#374 Kevin Alcántara, outfielder, Chicago Cubs Future Stars
#370 Brayan Rocchio, shortstop, Cleveland Guardians
#660 Edouard Julien, second baseman, Colorado Rockies
#473 Bo Bichette, third baseman, New York Mets
#528 Jared Triolo, third baseman, Pittsburgh Pirates Foil Parallel
#483 Logan O'Hoppe, catcher, Los Angeles Angels
#366 Isaac Paredes, third baseman, Houston Astros

Eleven base cards off the wantlist. At least there was one Cub card in it. Disappointed that the "insert" was a parallel card, but this was one of five packs at the bottom of the box, so I can't be totally disappointed.

Now, as promised earlier, the story about the last two jumbo packs from my first Target run.

As I mentioned at the beginning, these were among the last packs at the first Target I went to on Sunday. If you've been to Target and have been buying cards, you know that there is now a two per item limit for everything. So you can only buy two jumbo packs, two regular packs, etc. These were the last two Jumbo packs. As I was in the car, I noticed that you can actually see the card on the front of the pack. With all the white, it's hard to miss. What wasn't hard to miss is that both packs have the same card on the front. And that player is...

Everybody sing...to the tune of the chorus of the Battle Hymn of the Republic...

2026 Topps Munetaka Murakami #503

His truth is marching...on...

So I posted on what once was Twitter and also on Threads:

Finally found some 2026 @topps Series 2 @target. Bought 2 of each (got the last two blasters, jumbo, and small packs as well). Both Jumbo packs have Munetaka Murakami on the front of the pack (how did people miss this?!) Question for the group: open 1 & hold 1 or open both??!

Leave your suggestions below.

Next time I am able, I'll have an Adventure in Trading post (yes, the trading is coming back). I'll let you know what's leaving and what's coming in.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

The 2026 Topps Series Two 600 Race Is Underway!!!

2026-06-19T14:16:12.833-05:00

Geez, that title sounds like a NASCAR race title right?

Sunday!!!

SUNDAY!!!

At the AU Sports Speedway in beautiful Niles, Illinois, the 2006 Topps Series 2 600 will take place. The race includes the usual heavy hitters, and one guy who's goal is to acquire 600 cards (number WILL increase...this is just the starting point).

So how did I come up with this number?

Yesterday, I returned to the Trading Card Database and reviewed the checklists and cards that were added to the 2026 Topps set. My Series 2 wantlist consists of the following:

350 cards: Card #'s 351-700 of the eponymous Series 2
4 cards: The four SP Rookie Cards (Kevin McGonigle, JJ Wetherholt, Carson Benge, Justin Crawford). Will discuss these in a later blog post, I promise
50 cards: 1991 35th Anniversary All-Stars
50 cards: 1991 35th Anniversary S2
25 cards: Crooked Numbers
6 cards: First Pitch S2
65 cards: Glove Work
30 cards: Stars of MLB S2
20 cards: Titans of the Game S2

And just before submitting this post for publication, I've already received not one, but TWO, trade requests. Granted, they're sending the easy Stars of MLB and Titans of the Game (which appear in EVERY retail pack), but every bit helps.

I'm accepting one of the transactions straight away, but I countered (because the first trade already was offering one of the cards this second person had as well) and asked if we could trade for more. It looks, though, that he's trading cards set for set. Basically, he's offering 3 S2 Stars and 3 S2 Titans for 3 S1 Stars and 3 S1 Titans. Pretty fair exchange, but he has more that I want, and I have more that he wants, but it doesn't look like he wanted to ask for more. So I responded in kind and will follow his lead on how he wants to proceed.

At this point, before the race even starts, I could already have 11 cards committed between the two trades.

On an unrelated note (and so that I have a picture to go with this story), images of the 2026 Topps Factory set have been released. The set, coming out on July 1, features not only S1 cover athletes Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, not only S2 covers Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and Paul Skenes, but Juan Soto and Bobby Witt, Jr. (who I seriously doubt are going to be the Update Series featured athletes).

The factory set will feature 704 cards, including the four bonus athletes. But history dictates that the cards that will appear in the factory set will be different compared to the four cards that have been distributed into packs of S2. Price on the Bay for McGonigle and Wetherholt are presently in the $200+ range, while cards of Benge and Crawford can be had for under $100 if you catch them fast enough. As of now, I'll wait. While my PayPal card is finally paid off, I'm not about to splurge just yet.

I still want to get some packs so that I can enter the race. Maybe this weekend.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Oh Wow...It's Been a Bit...

2026-06-10T13:45:10.628-05:00

I said I am back into the Hobby Blogging Community, and I haven't given up. But between work and the lack of anything Hobby related that is of interest to me leads to long gaps in writing.

But that comes to an end.

Because 2026 Topps Series 2 is supposedly live TODAY!!!

No, I haven't seen any packs or boxes live. And now that my pharmacy schedule has me taking Mondays off instead of Thursdays, I probably won't be able to get my hands on a Hobby or Jumbo box until next week (so please save some for me).

But it doesn't mean that the Bay hasn't had some really good images of cards that I want to add to the six-inch binder.

For example:

2026 Topps 1991 All-Star Elly De La Cruz #91AS-17

Look at the All-Star Cards that are being included in S2. Perfect reproduction of the original 1991 All-Star Cards. Give me a moment to see if Ryne Sandberg is part of this set...NO!!! He's only in the Chrome version (the Silver Pack Boxloaders in Hobby and Jumbos only). I'm buying at least one of each, so there's a shot (but with my luck, probably not).

2026 Topps Titans of the Game Nick Kurtz #TOG-22

Is it just me or is something missing on this Nick Kurtz (and possibly all the Titans of the Games cards in S2)? Anyone? Just me?

2026 Topps Crooked Numbers Mike Trout #CN-25

So the Crooked Numbers insert set is akin to the Significant Statistics sets from years past. Okay.

2026 Topps Munetaka Murakami #503

The reason why the White Sox are (possibly) not going to lose 100 games this year.

Soon, very soon, the collection will grow. Soon, very soon, I will be able to buy packs and boxes. Soon, very soon, trades will be up and running.

Should make for an interesting summer.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

The 2026 Topps Series 2 Checklist is Now Live!

2026-05-17T19:41:21.285-05:00

Last week, Topps posted the checklist for Series 2 of the eponymous set. I look forward to this for a few reasons:

It means S2 is coming soon, and depending on what site you go to, it's either coming out on June 10, or June 24, 2026
It means my my little hiatus for adding cards from 2026 Topps is going to end
The All-Star Game is coming soon. And as has been tradition on this site, all roster moves for the ASG will be posted with cards of the players involved going into a special binder during the festivities

But before I go through the highlights from the next series, I've been wondering what happened to the the 17-card team sets. I've looked and have not seen anything yet. Even the eBay seller that does the 30-set BIN's are off duty until June. This does not bode well as these should have been out by now.

Back to the point.

2026 Topps Bo Bichette #473

The 350-card base checklist, which can be downloaded here, features:

52 regular rookie cards with the RC logo we all know and love
14 Future Star cards
15 Team cards
10 Combo cards (which are not checklists)

2026 Topps Tatsuya Imai #513

The checklist includes other surprises, including four short-printed variation rookie cards. In recent years, Topps has added extra cards of players who debuted during the season, but too late to add to the base set. To alleviate this slight, they've numbered these cards as if they're part of the base set, even though...they're not. Think Julio Rodriguez and Bobby Witt, Jr. in 2022, The Jackson 3 (Holliday, Chourio, and Merrill) in 2024, and even Matt Shaw, Cam Smith, and Kristian Campbell in 2025. Heck, go back to 2019 with Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and his un-numbered RC, or 2018 with Gleyber Torres and Ronald Acuña, Jr.

Basically, it's a thing.

This year, there will be four SP RC's that, while not part of the base set, will share numbers with those who are:

#697a is Bryan Reynolds of the Pirates, #697b is Kevin McGonigle of the Tigers
#698a is Andre Pallante of the Cardinals, #698b is JJ Wetherholt of the Cardinals
#699a is Jared Young of the Mets, #699b is Carson Benge of the Mets
#700a is Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers, #700b is Justin Crawford of the Phillies

Other highlights include card #500 being Shohei Ohtani (there's a big surprise), 12 Cubs cards vs. 8 White Sox cards (yes, I keep track of that), and a card of Japan's newest import to slug his way to Chicago, Munetaka Murakami!!! (For some reason, you can sing his name like you're singing the chorus of the Battle Hymn of the Republic...you're singing his name in your head right now, aren't you?)

The Golden Variation cards, a staple in the Topps/Fanatics era, continue with every card, every player, having a variation card. One of the ones I'm looking forward to seeing is the tribute to the 1992 Topps Frank Thomas card featuring...none other than (sing it with me) Munetaka Murakami!!! I'm sure they could have waited to put this out next year with the 1992 Topps set gets the 35th Anniversary treatment, but whatever...

1992 Topps Frank Thomas #555 & 2026 Topps Munetaka Murakami Golden Variation #503

As usual, insert cards will be a big highlight for this set, and I am all in for a number of them. Of course, the tribute to 1991 Topps continues with 50 cards, along with a 50-card (hopefully...cough...cough) All-Star subset. The retail-exclusive Stars of MLB (30 cards) and Titans of the Game (20 cards) sets return, plus 6 more First Pitch cards.

2026 Topps 1991 Tribute Trey Yesavage #91B2-33

Short-printed inserts such as Cover Athletes, All Aces/All Kings, Homefield Advantage, and Heavy Lumber are also back for S2, but we're not going to talk about those (unless I manage to get one in a pack).

2026 Topps Series 2 Home Field Advantage Munetaka Murakami #HA-39

New to the insert set chase includes a 25-card set called Crooked Numbers, a 65-card behemoth called Glove Work (which I'm guessing is about defensive prowess), and the 10-card Highlight Reel (please let this be a basic insert set). One set I'm curious about, but not holding out any hope of seeing a card of unless it's online, even if it is a "Hobby Box/Jumbo Box exclusive" is the 10-card Diamond Dust set. The name alone looks like it's going to be a short-printed exclusive nightmare to attempt. There is also going to be an exclusive Fanatics Fest-only set called Swinging With the Stars. If it's anything like 2025's version (Swinging For the Stars), it's mostly likely going to be a Topps Chrome set.

But just like last year, Topps will have an exclusive Series 2 Super box, one for regular retailers (think your big box stores) and one for Costco. The Costco boxes will include another 90-card exclusive set (Flagship Edition) and another 10-card Bulk Order set.

I, for one, can't wait for Series 2 to go live. It's something to look forward to while summer, and the MLB season, moves on.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Insert Sets Not Talked About Enough: 2023 Topps Japan Edition Strength In Numbers

2026-05-08T11:13:00.011-05:00

On April 15, 2026, the Cubs were mired in last place within the NL Central Division. They were 9-9 at that point, taking 2 of 3 from the Phillies and were now facing a 20-game stretch facing the Mets, Phillies, Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks, and Reds. At the rate they were treading water, I had thought originally that if they can win at least 12 of the next 20 games, they'll be in good shape and have a fighting chance when they start playing their division rivals some more.

Boy was I ever wrong.

Since my last post, the Cubs have won 17 of the 20 games, sweeping the Mets, Phillies, D-Backs and Reds. They were 3-3 on the road, but still, an even record on the road is always welcomed. But the fact that Cubs have won 15-straight games at Wrigley Field has them now heading into today 14 games above .500, and in sole possession of 1st place is mind-blowing to me.

But I'm not here to wax poetic about the Cubs (there are others who are well versed in this better than me), and I'm starting to worry that now that I've written something in May will cause the team to slide (please don't).

I'm here to talk about my recent exploits within the Hobby. So here goes.

2023 Topps Japan Edition Strength In Numbers Aaron Judge SS-1

I don't often buy from Check out My Cards, at least not for last minute replacements or for cards that will help me finish sets (like my recent escapades to finish this year's S1). But if I can find a full set of cards that I'm interested in, and the total price is within reason, I'll go for it. And so it was that, in my interest in looking for 2025 Topps Update Series Japan insert cards that I looked backwards and found a set from a Topps Japan Edition that piqued my curiosity.

Called "Strength in Numbers," this 15-card insert set featured MLB players and a specific stat, not necessarily from the previous season, but a number high enough that warranted inclusion. Examples include: Aaron Judge's 62 home runs in 2022, Joey Votto's 1.032 OPS in 2017, and even Ken Griffey, Jr.'s 147 RBI's in 1997. Strength in Numbers was one of three basic insert sets included with this product, the others being a 35-card Cherry Blossom-bordered variation of the 1988 Topps set and a 25-card set featuring the roster of the 2023 WBC champion Japan team.

2023 Topps Japan Edition Strength In Numbers Vladimir Guerrero Jr SS-8

The insert set was originally featured within Topps' 2023 NPB set and featured players who are now making an impact in MLB, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Munetaka Murakami, and Shota Imanaga. It makes perfect sense that the MLB Japan edition would include this insert set as well.

2023 Topps NPB Strength In Numbers Taisei SN-20

In the past, COMC purchases came I thought rather quickly considering that all cards are kept in one warehouse (or two) and my impression was that they have people picking cards akin to food distributors pulling cases of food and then having them prepared for shipment. The price for the 15 cards totaled $28.48, which was a lot cheaper than I had hoped for. There were no complete sets on the Bay, nor were there enough auctions/bin to be able to compile a full set. The only other place that may have had a full set was selling for $45.00 (it's now down to $35.00...just looked). The most expensive card of the bunch was SS-1 Aaron Judge at $8.25. It was also the last card available on the site. If it wasn't there, this post probably wouldn't be written. The other 14 cards ranged from $0.63 to $5.75. being SS-14 Shonei Ohtani. With tax and "standard shipping" the final price for the set came out to about $40.00.

Again, reasonable.

But then, the waiting.

This is where I got to thinking about the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers song "The Waiting." The lyrics are spot on:

The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part

I bought the cards on February 18, 2026. By mid-April, the cards hadn't arrived, and when I checked on the site for progress, none of the cards had even been "picked."

WHAT??! How is that even possible? I get it's not something I needed to get right away, but it's never taken this long to receive cards from COMC. The last time I bought from the site, the turnaround was 11 days from purchase to arrival. Was it because I used "standard" shipping this time compared to "economy rushed" previously?

The tracking site showed that the cards were finally shipped on April 29, and arrived on May 4, over 70 days between purchase and shipment. TEN WEEKS!

The cards look great as you can see. A horizontally-designed set (compared to the vertically-oriented Japanese cards),

2023 Topps Japan Edition Strength In Numbers Oneil Cruz SS-13

The numbers, which are pretty much the point of the set, are featured prominently on the lower right corner, big and bold, with what that number represents up the side of the card. The backs give a brief summary about the significance of the number and the impact it had for the player during that specific year.

2023 Topps Japan Edition Strength in Numbers Bryce Harper Reverse SS-3

Which, compared to the back of the Japanese NPB version, includes a lot more information:

2023 Topps NPB Strength In Numbers Taisei Reverse SN-20

The full checklist:

SS-1 Aaron Judge (Yankees) 62 Home Runs (2022)
SS-2 Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) 199 Hits (2022)
SS-3 Bryce Harper (Phillies) 1.044 OPS (2021)
SS-4 Pete Alonso (Mets) 53 Home Runs (2019)
SS-5 Ken Griffey, Jr. (Mariners) 147 RBI (1997)
SS-6 Mike Trout (Angels) 1.088 OPS (2018)
SS-7 Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) 301 K's (2015)
SS-8 Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (Blue Jays) 48 Home Runs (2021)
SS-9 Joey Votto (Reds) 1.032 OPS (2017)
SS-10 Gerrit Cole (Yankees) 257 K's (2022)
SS-11 Mookie Betts (Dodgers) 117 Runs (2022)
SS-12 Ronald Acuña, Jr. (Braves) 428 Average Home Run Distance (2022)
SS-13 Oneil Cruz (Pirates) 122.4 Max Exit Velocity in MPH (2022)
SS-14 Shohei Ohtani (Angels) 78 Barrels (2021)
SS-15 Fernando Tatis, Jr. (Padres) .615 xSLG (2021)

Those last four cards could have been part of a Significant Statistics subset.

For those wondering why I am using the COMC images instead of the usual scanned images, it's because I don't have the cards on me at the moment. I figured that since I bought the carts on COMC, I might as well use the images. After all, the pictures are of the cards I bought. I may change them later.

Pictures of 2026 Topps Series 2 have come out this week. Once again Topps is pairing two legends with two current players. This time pairing Paul Skenes and VGJ with Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays.

2026 Topps Series 2 Hobby Box Design

The blue to S1's red. June can't come fast enough.

Now, let's hope the Cubs can keep winning even after this post.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Why the Costco Sets Were Removed From the 2025 Topps Binder

2026-04-15T12:17:00.001-05:00

The first page of the 200-card 2025 Topps Flagship Binder

Don't get me wrong. I love the Costco...I mean...the Topps Flagship Collection insert sets that are exclusive to the Costco Super Boxes. Since 2023, these have been a nice complement to my collection. But you know me and patience when it comes to the Hobby, we don't really see eye to eye. So when a daring person on the Bay puts up a full set on a reasonable BIN, I'll bite.

Now, if I was an Athletics team fan, I'd be upset to find out that none of my favorite players were even included in the 2023 set. If I was a Nationals team collector, I'd be upset as well to find that Topps didn't have anyone representing my team in the 2024 set.

If I was a White Sox team collector, I'd be upset to find that only one player, Luis Robert, Jr, was worthy of making the 2023 set. But would I forgive them knowing that in 2024, Topps would include two White Sox cards in the 100-card set? Probably not only because both cards in that year's set was of, again, Luis Robert Jr (the man was the subject of both card #'s 11 AND 21!!!).

2024 Topps Flagship Collection Luis Robert, Jr. #11

2024 Topps Flagship Collection Luis Robert, Jr. #21

But I'm not a team collector. I'm a set collector. I need EVERY CARD! So I'm not upset at any of the above situations. Not at all.

What I'm kind of miffed about is the fact that the 2023 Flagship cards are as thick as a regular relic card. They are the same thickness of two regular base cards. Which means that I can't put them back to back in an Ultra-Pro Platinum page as I do with almost every other card in the binders. Each card gets it's own page.

"What's the big deal?" most people would ask. "Why should you be upset? At least you can read the backs of each card without having to take the card out and...heaven forbid...put it back and risk dinging the corners."

Because the more plastic pages used, the less space I have for the cards. Putting cards back to back allows me to put a 792-card set in 44 pages instead of 88. And when it comes to a six-inch binder, space, which I had thought would be enough, suddenly isn't.

In my Anatomy of a Six-Inch Binder post for the 2025 Topps set, I listed the 100-card Flagship Collection set as one of the many sets contained within. Each card, double the thickness of a standard card, took up 12 pages of space, a half-inch worth of the binder. Which normally would be fine.

Except Topps produced out a second Costco-exclusive Flagship Super Box.

To review, the first super box included 5 packs each of Series 1 and Heritage along with 3 packs of the exclusive Flagship inserts, one jumbo card, and one "companion" card.

The contents of the Series 1 Costco Super Box

Which in previous years, (2023 and 2024) were enough. But sales must have been great because Topps decided to distribute a second Super Box, this time containing 5 packs each of Series 2 and Archives along with the bonus packs and jumbo/companion cards.

The contents of the Series 2 Costco Super Box

So now what? The six-inch binder as it stood at 2,161 cards, was already full to bursting. Adding another half-inch of cards and pages would make it hard to close the binder properly, with pages of the base set beginning to go over the curve of the metal, which would be as one Pokémon collector who for some reason shows up on my FB and YouTube feeds (even though I don't collect the stuff)...

BAD BINDER BEHAVIOR!!!

While binder "technology" has evolved (I've seen 12 and 16-pocket pages, zippers, etc), nothing beats a six-inch d-ring binder. NOTHING. But still, these new binders would not be enough to hold the cards of even one regular set. So no, I'm not interested (but if one of these binder companies want to send me a sample to prove me wrong *hint, hint*, please email me at bdj610@hotmail.com).

So back to the point.

I've decided to take the Costco Flagship set out of the six-inch and move both sets into it's own one-inch binder.

The binder for the Costco Flagship.

Yes, again, the picture isn't the greatest. But you can see that the binder will hold the cards just fine.

The transition page from Series 1 and 2.

This is not a precedent. I've separated huge insert sets from binders before:

2007 Topps Generation Now...582 cards
2010 Topps The Cards Your Mom Threw Out (Original Backs)
2011 Topps 60 Years of Topps + Lost Cards (Original Backs)

The last two are in the same binder. No sense in separating. They look good together.

Taking the spot filled by the Costco Flagship sets are a master set of 2025 Topps All-Star Game, which was a product with it's own mega box introduced last summer during the ASG break. The set consists of:

100 base cards
25 Hometown Heroes cards, featuring players past and present of the Atlanta Braves, honoring the team hosting the event
25 Classic Swings cards
50 All-Star Game Greats, recognizing players from past ASG's

Replacing 100 cards that are, again, twice as thick as regular cards, with 200 is an even exchange space wise. And the binder can now claim a whopping 2,261 cards...

Two thousand, two hundred sixty-one cards

And everything still fits comfortably in the binder.

Still is heavy as heck though...

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama