bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog

Random Topps Card of the Day: 2008 Topps #FS1 Kazuo Uzuki

2026-04-01T13:00:00.002-05:00

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, April 1, 2026:

Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2008 Topps #FS1.
Player Name, position, team: Kazuo Uzuki, pitcher.
Major League Debut: n/a
Last Line of Statistics: n/a
Any special information about player: Throws: right. Bats: right.
Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 1. This is his first and only Topps card.
Blurb on the back: "Already being called "The Uzi" by some for his 104 MPH fastball, Kaz will be the first Japan-based high-schooler to jump straight to professional baseball in America when he graduates in 2009. "He is, hands down, the best pitching prospect I've seen in 230 years,' said one MLB scout. And one unnamed American League GM said, "The contract this kid is going to get will be astronomical." At age fourteen, he was the youngest player invited to the WBC squad trials and - though he was cut on the last day - he made a lasting impression with his 17 Ks in 7 innings of work during intrasquad matches."
Commentary: Inserted into packs of 2008 Topps Series 1 at a rate of 1:72 packs, this gimmick card became such a polarizing item during the beginning of my Hobby Blogging Journey. It was panned by many, but as the years have gone by (has it really been 18 years??!) has become a card of legend. Uzuki's name, Japanese for "The First Son of April" which should have been a hint about the player. But how many prospectors would have understood the joke when they were buying and selling this card for up to $15.00 when it first came out?
Beckett value: $0.75-$2.00.
How many cards of this player do I own?: 1 card.

I wrote about the man behind the glove, Sensen Lin, eight years ago. An alum of the New York University School of Law (class of 2008), he still works for GIC, a Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund that manages the country's foreign reserves. He is now the Managing Director, Regional Lead (Americas) within GIC's Legal & Compliance Department.

Happy Kazuo Uzuki Day to those who celebrate. Just please keep the pranks to a minimum.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Mission Accomplished: 2026 Topps Series 1 Master Set

2026-03-31T10:30:00.004-05:00

Pictures of the six-inch binder are to come later (I did say it was ordered).

Last night, the final three cards that I needed to complete the 2026 Topps Series 1 Master Set (base and basic insert cards) arrived:

2026 Topps 2025 All-Topps Team #ATT-5 Bobby Witt Jr
2026 Topps Big Ticket Players #BTP-7 Ronald Acuña Jr
2026 Topps First Pitch #FP-7 Jackie Hornung (a social media creator with a dog named Lumi)

All three cards are now in the binder and the set is done (for now).

Presently, this binder contains the following sets (with number of cards):

350 cards from Topps Series 1
1 miscellaneous advertisment card
1 Super Box Companion card (Francisco Lindor)
1 Super Box Jumbo card (Mike Trout)
9 First Pitch cards
12 2025 All-Topps Team cards
28 2025 Greatest Hits cards
26 Big Ticket Players cards
25 Topps ProFiles cards
100 1991 Topps cards
30 Stars of MLB cards
20 Titans of the Game cards

That's a total of 603 cards.

But wait, there will be more.

Topps Celebration came out last week. And impatient me (I really need to tone this down), got caught in the hysteria and bought the insert sets without thinking. I may have overspent, but the important thing is that they're coming this week (hopefully before the end of the week).

So expect another 100 cards to be added soon...and that's before someone will eventually put a Costco Flagship set up on the Bay...

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: The Last Trade for Series 1 Cards

2026-03-19T17:00:00.001-05:00

The TCDB well has finally run dry. Not too many people want to do 1 for 1 trades because of postal rate hikes, and I get that. It doesn't mean I'll say no to a simple card-for-card exchange. But with this last trade, my want list for 2026 Topps Series 1 inserts is now in single digits. It is at this stage in the game that I go to Sportlots and look for the last 9 cards I need to put this set into the 6-inch binder (which has been ordered and will arrive hopefully tomorrow).

On Monday, I sent two trade requests for cards through the TCDB, and one person responded right away with a counter-offer. None of the cards I initially offered were requested, but he did find other cards that he needed that he requested in exchange for the pair of insert cards I was asking about. In all of my trade requests, I ask that the potential trade partner look through what I have available and make a counter-offer if they would like to get other cards instead of what I was submitting. This gives the person I'm corresponding with a chance to look and see what else I have available instead of just outright rejecting the trade. So he did.

So instead of the pair of 8-Bit Baller cards I was offering, he asked for a 2025 Topps Update Nick Kurtz card, along with a Titans of the Game Bryce Harper and the last of my Evergreens, the Aaron Judge. In return, he offered a Big Ticket Jacob Misiorowski and a ProFiles Jackie Robinson. Of course, I agreed.

The cards are now on their way to North Carolina after a bit of a delay (weather here has been crazy lately).

Now with 9 cards left on the wantlist, I made my way to Sportlots. After finding out that a lot of my "loot" was going to expire (since when was this a thing Sportlots??!), I filtered out the sellers that I needed to cash in with and bought them all for under $10.00 (not including the extra $14.00 in shipping costs plus tax...ouch).

When the binder arrives, I'll start adding pages and will post the final results here on the blog. At least this project will be finished before Celebration goes live.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: On the Day After the Chicago Sports Spectacular, Pedro is Going to Colorado

2026-03-14T08:45:00.001-05:00

2026 Topps 1991 Chrome Purple Refractor Pedro Martinez #91C-41

As soon as I got home from the Chicago Sports Spectacular last night, I received a message through the TCDB regarding a trade request. A gentleman from Colorado was offering five insert cards for the 2026 Topps 1991 Chrome Purple Refractor Pedro Martinez card that I got from the Jumbo Box break late last month.

Of the 5 cards he was offering, I had already purchased two of them earlier at the show. So I needed to counter. Doing a quick trade matching, it turns out that the Pedro card wasn't even on his wantlist. But who am I to say no to a trade that would help my cause. The card would just be sitting in my trade pile. And yes, it's a numbered card. The fact of the matter is that I still needed 14 cards to complete the S1 master set.

So I countered, and explained that I bought two of the five cards he was offering, but I'd still trade for the remaining 3 for the Pedro refractor. A couple of hours later, he agreed.

So going to Colorado is the refractor card. The cards coming my way are listed below.

I will be on my way to the post office shortly to drop off the card, then it's off to meet my sisters for breakfast to continue the birthday festivities.

If you're going to attend the card show at the convention center, have fun. Good luck with your collecting goals today.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Live Blogging: Chicagoland Sports Spectacular

2026-03-13T16:20:00.009-05:00

Update: Time 7:48 pm:

I did wind up getting that 1991 Micro set for $10.00. The gentleman even threw in the 1984 Topps Ralston-Purina set for free.

One final seller had the 1990 Topps Ames set that I will add to my department store set binder and to supplement the Ralston set, I also bought the 1986 Topps Quaker Chewy Granola Bar set. Both purchased for a combined 10 bucks as well.

Last purchase was for another box of Ultra-Pro Platinum sheets. Just need to buy that 6-inch binder so I can start building the binder.

My budget for the show was $300.00. I am left with $170.00. Total spent in cards and supplies: $95.00.

Overall, a good show. But I think I will skip tomorrow and enjoy a rare Saturday off and relax.

Now I just have to update the wantlist to see which 14 cards are left to find.

Thanks for joining me on this live blogging event. Maybe I'll do this again at the National.

Update: Time 6:45 pm:

And sure enough, the hunt stalled. I did find a couple of dealers who had plenty of this year's base, and I am sure I could probably complete a set or 10 if I tried. However, one dealer did not have ANY inserts, while the other one had some, but none I needed. Definitely getting my steps in, but nothing to show.

Observations:

Nice to see the youth out in full force. Many of them trying to hustle dealers with whatever graded rarities they believe will net them a big score. So many of them with the attaché cases and wheelers like their hauling gold bars. Have to give them props for the effort.

Jose Canseco is in the building. It looks like the autograph guests are behind a couple of walls of partitions, so it's not like anyone can take a far off picture of them.

There truly is something about these shows. There really is something here for everyone. Just because I can't find what I am looking for doesn't mean that the next guy or gal isn't going to find the next card to whittle down their want list.

I did find a seller who has a few boxes of 1991 Topps Micro for 10 bucks. Maybe I'll go back there and grab one before I go.

Update: Time 5:10 pm:

Found my favorite dealer at the show. This has been the guy I've been coming to first at these shows for the last 4-plus years I've shown up here. With the exception of last fall, when the delays of 2025 Topps Update left him without any inventory of insert cards, he's never disappointed.

The man had 31 cards that I needed, including the last Stars of MLB (Trout) and last 6 Greatest Hits cards I needed to complete those sets.

The wantlist is now down to 14. Now the hard part begins. There aren't many others dealing in current insert singles and I do not have the patience to go through boxes of mixed cards (seriously, is it that big a pain to sort??!)

Wish me luck

Update: Time 4:47 pm:

I have arrived. General admission tickets are $15.00 tonight. It's busy for a Friday night. Time to get this show on the road.

Friday, March 13, 2026, Time 4:20 pm:

Leaving work now. I have my want lists printed and ready to go. Next stop: the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, where the Chicago Sports Spectacular is being held this weekend. The goal: to find and buy the 45 cards I need to complete the 2026 Topps Series 1 master set. Will I find all of the cards I need tonight? I'm not counting on it, but it would be an achievement if I am able to.

Wish me luck. I'm going to make updates on my progress. Next post will be when I arrive. Wish me luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

A Reason to Celebrate: Topps Celebration Insert Sets

2026-03-12T17:01:00.002-05:00

In 2025, Topps introduced a new product called 2025 Topps Series 1 Celebration. This was geared towards a younger audience akin to what Topps Opening Day and Big League Baseball products were in years past. It featured all 350 cards from the eponymous brand, and featured many of the same chase insert cards from the flagship brand. There were also unique insert sets and variation cards that were exclusive to this product.

A Box of 2025 Topps Celebration

Sets like Walk This Way, which celebrated walk-off wins, and Dugout Peeks, which featured a player during or after a game-breaking play, utilized the same base card design as the regular cards. These were short-printed insert cards, however, so finding one in a pack, let alone a full box, was truly an achievement.

2025 Topps Celebration Dugout Peeks Shohei Ohtani #DP-1

But that's not what I'm here to talk about.

Along with the regular insert sets from 2025 Topps Series 1 that were included in this product were four very unique insert sets. These were specifically catered for a younger audience.

Mascots, which featured the costumed characters that made even the hardest games to watch entertaining. These had the same design as the base set.

2025 Topps Celebration Mascots Clark #M-5

Game Day Drip, featuring players wearing the hottest trends in fashion. If you've ever watched an All-Star Red Carpet show, you get the idea of the point of this set. Flashing lights gave the cards and subjects a photo-shoot like element.

2025 Topps Celebration Game Day Drip Bryce Harper #GD-5

8-Bit Ballers, a set first introduced in 2023 with Big League Baseball, featured players in a "retro-video game" background. The players themselves were not pixelated.

2025 Topps Celebration 8-Bit Ballers Kevin Alcantara #8B-25

Power Players, a set that was reminiscent of the 1999 Topps insert set of the same name, this time with a lot more color in the design.

2025 Topps Celebration Power Players Manny Machado #PP-18

I first heard of these sets while working on last year's Series 2 set. The list of sets in the TCDB seemed to get bigger, and only when I saw these names did I realize that I may have missed something. So off to the Bay I went and lo and behold, found a couple of sellers with complete sets. I think you know how this ended.

Now, we're into 2026. If you've been following along on this year's Hobby journey, you know I've already completed the base set, and am 45 cards away from completing the first 8 basic inserts. Earlier this month, Topps announced on their blog that Celebration would return in 2026.

A Box of 2026 Topps Celebration

Which makes sense as Topps is "celebrating" their 75th anniversary in the Basseball Card Hobby. Once again. The base set will include the same 350 cards from this year's Series 1, some of the regular inserts from S1, and another round of exclusives. Coming back are the Dugout Peeks and Walk This Way sets, both again using the base set design, plus a Hidden Mascots set (which looks to be another base set SP insert set).

2026 Topps Celebration Mascots Dinger

2026 Topps Celebration 8-Bit Ballers Jac Caglianone

2026 Topps Celebration Game Day Drip Elly De La Cruz

Also coming back will be the Game Day Drip, 8-Bit Ballers, and Mascots set. Replacing Power Players, is another insert set from years past, Perennial All-Stars. An insert set from 2000 Topps, then returning in 2019 Topps Update, the theme, obviously, are players who have been named to multiple All-Star Teams.

Or that's what I'd like to believe that's the point of the insert set.

The checklist features the usual suspects: Ohtani, Judge, Trout, Skenes, Skubal, et. al. But one name on the list got my attention: Pete Crow-Armstrong.

2026 Topps Perennial All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled that a current Chicago Cub is on this checklist (considering the other Cub is Kyle Tucker, who is no longer with the team). But PCA was a first-time All-Star in 2025. Perennial, according to Merriam-Webster, as an adjective, can mean regularly repeated or renewed. So at this point, PCA is not yet a perennial All-Star, at least in the majors. Hopefully, as he gets older, he will get to that point. Topps is certainly adding him to almost every insert set they can at this point.

Personally, I think I'll just wait until sets appear on the Bay. There wasn't enough supply on the TCDB to warrant trying to build these sets from scratch.

But if you didn't get enough Series 1 to finish your sets, or if you want a shot at getting parallels, inserts, or even introduce the kids to the Hobby, you really can't go wrong with Celebration, which launches on March 26 (date subject to change).

Speaking of Celebrations:

Today, March 12, 2026, is my birthday. I am now:

The Big 50!!!

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: Evergreens Going to Kansas

2026-03-09T13:43:00.004-05:00

I planned not to send any trade requests this week because I was planning on going to the Chicagoland Sports Spectacular this weekend at the convention center near home. As of this morning, my goal at the show was to find the 53 remaining cards I need to complete the 2026 Topps Series 1 Master Set of base and basic insert cards.

Well, that plan has changed.

I received a message from a member of the TCDB that I could not pass up. A simple 8 for 8-card trade. He is offering 7 of the 1991 Topps inserts plus 1 Big Ticket player for some of the extras that I pulled from the Super Box that I opened last week and the Jumbo Hobby Box from the week prior.

With the deal agreed upon, below is the original offer:

One thing I failed to mention was that two of the three 2025 Topps Evergreen cards that I opened during Advent last year will be part of the deal as well. These are nice enough cards, and I had gone back and forth on maybe wanting to complete this set. For now, I'll hold off building this set (I will only have the Aaron Judge card left when I send these two cards out.

2025 Topps Holiday Evergreen Joe Morgan #E-19

2025 Topps Holiday Evergreen Juan Soto #E-22

With this trade, my plan for the weekend is searching for 45 cards. Although before writing, I just saw that the 2026 Topps Celebration checklist has been published. I've looked at it and have a few things to say about this another time.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Viewer Mail: 2006 Topps Florida Marlins Josh Willingham FLA14

2026-03-06T23:00:00.005-06:00

Now that I'm back in the Hobby Blogging Community, I've been getting emails from fellow collectors asking about certain cards...

Okay, that's not really true. But jqs94 on the Trading Card Database sent me a message wanting to know...

Hi there, I see that you have the 2006 Topps Florida Marlins #FLA 14 Josh Willingham card in your collection.
Would you be able to tell me if it has the Topps gold "Rookie Card" logo on it? I know some of his '06 cards have it, but others don't.
Part of my collection includes "Rookie Card" logo cards from 2006 to now and I wasn't able to find an image of this card anywhere else.
Appreciate any insights you could give me.

According to the TCDB, I am only one of three members of the site that has this card. I dug out the binder and pulled the card out of the page. The results are below.

2006 Topps Florida Marlins Josh Willingham #FLA14

The answer is no, this card does not include the Rookie Card Logo. This is what he was looking for:

Willingham's 2006 cards should have had this logo on it as this was the first year of the new RC rules that MLB Properties required Topps and that other card company to include for players who qualified under the new rookie card rules. Basically, no more "First-Year" cards, which Willingham had in the 2003 Topps Traded and Rookies set. Maybe that's why Topps didn't add the rookie card to his actual 2006 card (I'm not going to bother to include an image of the card...it's the same exact image).

But Willingham's other cards from 2006 (Topps 52, Allen & Ginter, Bowman, Bowman Heritage, Fleer, Upper Deck) all have the logo. How and why Topps missed including it on the flagship card is beyond my paygrade.

If you have any questions about cards, you can email me at bdj610@hotmail.com, leave a comment, reach out on any of the social medias (Twitter/X, Facebook), or send me a message on the TCDB. I'll try my best to answer to the best of my abilities.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

A Super Box Break. Ummm...

2026-03-05T14:19:00.002-06:00

With a complete 2026 Topps Series 1 set already in hand, plus only needing 56 cards to complete the "master set" (until Celebration arrives...that's another post for another day), I'm not really expecting to add much to the collection from the Super Box I bought last week. But since it's still sitting here and I would LOVE to use the oversized header card as part of the binder (which I haven't ordered yet, but will soon...) I decided to open this and hope for the best.

But first things first...

The very tiny Funko Pop! included here is what replaces the ceramic pin that came with every Super Box since 2023. It's a nice change of pace, and there are five subjects. Who do I get as mine?

Yeah, the picture is fuzzy (I swear I'm buying a new phone), but it's Mike Trout. Funny. The Funko item itself is way way smaller than I thought it would be. I mean, where it's placed in the box (lower right corner), I would have thought it'd be BIGGER. But beggars can't be choosers. I don't plan on getting all five of these, and my daughter, who was the big collector of Funkos before she got married, might not really want this.

Moving on.

Now let's see what's in this bonus pack, exclusive to the Super Box:

In case the picture isn't any clearer, the five cards that were in this pack are:

#92 Jackson Holliday, second baseman, Baltimore Orioles
#186 Quinn Priester, pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers
#39 Matt Olson, first baseman, Atlanta Braves
#94 Yu Darvish, pitcher, San Diego Padres
#112 Carson Seymour, pitcher, San Francisco Giants

Now, let's see who's behind the curtain...

It's Mike Trout...

AGAIN!!!

With a Francisco Lindo companion card. Was PCA part of the checklist for these jumbo cards? Just looked...he is. Not that I need it, but both my 2024 and 2025 binders have a Cubs player as the Jumbo card (Shota for 2024, Cade Horton for 2025). I just might have to try and find one for 2026. Maybe at the Chicagoland Sports Spectacular, which I will be able to go to on Friday and/or Saturday (I was able to get someone to cover for me).

The ten packs yielded the proper amount of base cards, which I do plan on sorting. Will I get a second set? Who knows. I did not hit any of the short-prints, autos, relics...anything significant really. But not only did I manage to get some cards for trade bait, but I was also able to pull three insert cards that I needed to check off the wantlist:

#TP-18 Aaron Judge Topps Profiles
#GH-18 Bobby Witt Jr. 2025 Topps Greatest Hits
#BTP-6 Corbin Carroll Big Ticket Players

I think I'll stop with the trade requests until after the show. While I'm hoping my usual haunts at the CSS will have a good chunk of insert cards I need, I am keeping my expectations low.

The chase goes on.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: Trades to Get the Wantlist Down to 56

2026-03-02T22:05:00.003-06:00

Trades through the TCDB have been steady. I was involved in a couple of two-for-two and three-for-three card transactions.

This first one is a local deal, with a gentleman from Wheaton, IL. I mailed pair of cards to him on Saturday night, and I received his cards today.

This second trade, also sent out on Saturday night, is on its way to Greenville, NC. Every little trade helps to reduce the number of cards on the wantlist down. While I prefer to do larger trades, it becomes a bigger challenge once I'm down to the final few cards. The well will eventually dry, so I am hoping I can get as many cards from here as I can before starting the next phase of card acquisitions (buying on Sportlots, eBay, and the big Chicagoland Sports Spectacular taking place next week).

There was one trade that occurred earlier in the week that I forgot to post. A two-for-one trade, with me giving up the 2025 Topps Update Juan Soto 1990 Pink that I received by mistake from an earlier transaction. The problem I had with the Update Series 1990 cards were they were printed like the holofoil cards. This makes it hard to tell with some cards if it's the basic card or a colored variation.

Last week, I sent two large trade requests. One got rejected, because of course it was. The other one, after a few edits due to having cards in other transactions, wound up being a 14-for-10 deal that the other person finally agreed to over the weekend. This morning, I sent 14 Allen & Ginter parallels and mini cards to Pembroke, MA in exchange for 10 S1 insert cards.

This is what I had agreed to send. However, as I was pulling the cards to prepare for mail, I could not find the Rafael Devers mini card. I did contact the trading partner saying as such and offering a different card (a mini A&G N222 Jackson Jobe) to make up for it. Fortunately, he said that was fine. Cards were mailed this morning.

Finally, through the use of the wantlist manager, I did find a TCDB member with 55 cards that I needed. I offered to buy them from him, and he agreed to sell them for $40.00 plus the other 2026 Topps 2025 All-Topps Team Nick Kurtz card that I had. This deal helps complete the 350-card base set. Cards arrived today as well. Let's see what's in this package.

13 base cards
2 2025 All-Topps Team cards (Skenes, Judge)
5 2026 Greatest Hits cards
1 Big Ticket Player card (Bobby Witt Jr)
1 First Pitch card (University of Houston Basketball Coach Kelvin Sampson)
4 Topps ProFiles cards
1 Stars of MLB card (BWJ)
1 Titans of the Game (Skenes)
27 1991 Topps cards

With all the trades that I've done these last two weeks, my wantlist for 2026 Topps insert cards is now down to 56 cards. I'm making great progress before the big card show. I plan on going on Friday, March 13 or Saturday, March 14. But that will all depend if I can find someone to cover for me at the pharmacy.

Until then, the chase continues.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: You Mean Today Was National Trading Card Day??!

2026-02-24T23:23:00.001-06:00

I must have missed this on my calendar today. But February 24 was National Trading Card Day. It's to honor all trading cards, from sports cards to the collectible card games. Today honors the cards of all kinds, and the collectors who fuel the Hobby.

And how did I spend this important day? Working. As usual.

But it doesn't mean that I didn't do anything trading card related.

First, I received a small PWE trade request from a guy that I haven't interacted with since 2022 on the TCDB. It was a small trade back then as well. But today, he wrote that he saw my post and offered to trade a pair of cards for my 2025 Topps Update 1990 Juan Soto pink foil card. Just had to make sure I had it (I did), and I'll be packing it up to mail tomorrow. Details are below:

Also, in my previous AiT post, I mentioned that I made a 61-insert card purchase via the TCDB. These are the transactions I love to see and will make every opportunity to reach out and offer to buy. So for $40.00 (shipping included),

The 61-card purchase really helped to bring down the number on the wantlist. The cards that arrived today include:

11 Stars of MLB cards
12 Titans of the Game cards
9 Big Ticket Players cards
16 1991 Topps cards
4 2025 Greatest Hits cards
5 Topps ProFiles cards
3 First Pitch cards

Wait...that's 60 cards. (Recounting). Yes, I'm missing one. After comparing the list to what's arrived, I'm missing one of the Greatest Hits cards. No big deal. Even with 60 cards, at 40 bucks? That's roughly $0.66 per card. Can't complain when all is said and done.

Now it's time to get this Soto card packed, and the insert cards with their brethren and update a few totals.

Maybe next year, I can celebrate properly.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Adventures in Trading: TCDB Trades for 2026 Topps Series 1 Insert Cards

2026-02-23T23:03:00.005-06:00

Trading for 2026 Topps insert cards have begun in earnest. And after the trades that have been accepted in the last couple of days, I am now on the hunt for 116 insert cards.

First, a seven-for-seven card trade going to a gentleman in Frankenmuth, MI. Cards were mailed this morning.

Titans of the Game is a retail-exclusive insert set (which explains why I didn't see any in the Hobby box I bought) to complement the annual Stars of MLB set. Thanks to this trade, along with a major 61-card insert lot purchase on the TCDB (which I will discuss in another post, probably, when the cards arrive), I only need two Stars of MLB cards (Bobby Witt and Mike Trout) and one Titans of the Game card (Paul Skenes).

Today, I made 3 trade offers, two are still pending. But this one was accepted right away:

A three-for-three insert card trade, with each person is getting two cards from a 35th Anniversary set. I'm sending the gentleman, who shares a name with a famous quarterback, a pair from the 2025 Topps Update set in exchange for a pair from this year's edition. A Night Terrors card in exchange for a 2025 Greatest Hits card looks like a fair exchange (to me anyway).

I even received a trade request. It's rare that someone reaches out to me as I seem to be making most of the inquiries. But if someone sends me a trade request, I'm more than happy to accept. (I'm easy to please, what do you expect?)

For the cost of one 2026 Topps Chrome card (Trea Turner), I'm getting three more insert cards, including a PCA Topps Profiles card. This is going to a guy in York, PA.

The other two trade offers I sent have not been accepted yet. Both are for large quantities, including one that had all 14 of the base cards I need to complete the base set. I'll give both a day or so to allow time for either person to accept the trade or (hopefully) counter-offer. If either one hit, I'll post the trade details here on the blog.

Envelopes have been sealed and will be in the mail tomorrow morning.

Want to help me whittle down my want lists? You can find what I'm looking for here. I'd love to trade, but will buy if the offer is right. You can email me at bdj610@hotmail.com, leave a comment on the blog post, or if you are a member of the Trading Card Database, just send me an offer. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Wanted: Fourteen 2026 Topps Series 1 Cards

2026-02-23T11:00:00.003-06:00

Last night, I finally got around to sorting my base cards from both the jumbo box and the Target packs that I bought. And sure enough, I did not manage to get a complete set.

Shocker.

I now have 336 of the 350 cards that comprise of 2026 Topps Series 1. I am 14 cards short.

FOURTEEN!!!

For every base card that will eventually be going into the 6-inch binder for 2026 (haven't bought that yet...give me some time...), I had just as many doubles.

I will still be buying S1 product, especially when the Super Boxes show up at the big box stores, so eventually, I should manage to complete this set. But you know me and patience when it comes to this Hobby...

So what cards am I missing? After looking up the checklist on the Trading Card Database, I am missing the following cards:

For those of you who can't see the picture:

#2 Daulton Varsho, Toronto Blue Jays
#38 AL Home Run Leaders (Judge, Caminero, Raleigh)
#90 Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
#96 Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
#115 Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins
#135 Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox
#152 CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
#190 Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals
#191 Mauricio Dubón, Houston Astros
#239 Devin Williams, New York Yankees
#256 Los Angeles Dodgers Team Card
#280 Pedro Pagés, St. Louis Cardinals
#306 Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta Braves Future Stars
#321 Pierson Ohl, Minnesota Twins RC

Good news: I have all the Cubs cards (okay, not counting Bregman). When going through the cards upon opening packs, I thought I'd be at least missing Nico Hoerner #5, but I have it. So we're good. Also have one card of the Cubs' only RC, Owen Cassie, but he's now with the Marlins...

Yamamoto's card is the only one I'm worried about cost wise. I could go back to Chicagoland Sports Cards to see if they have singles (they did, but they wouldn't take them out during the hustle and bustle of Hobby Rip Night). But who knows, I'll probably just buy packs until I have the cards in hand. But however I go about it, the hunt is on.

An "Adventures in Trading Post" will be coming soon as I've just mailed out my first trade for insert cards for this series. Watch this space.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

My First Topps Hobby Rip Night

2026-02-21T19:51:47.577-06:00

Finally, after missing the last few of these events, I am finally at my first Topps Rip Party.

I drove to Buffalo Grove, IL, and walked into Chicagoland Sports Cards and Memorabilia. I've been here a number of times, visiting during the Trading Card Days in the past. I brought with me, but am leaving them in the car for now, about 6 boxes of cards, mostly my 2025 Topps Update Series extras, inserts, and my box of 2026 Topps which I have YET to sort through. I would have loved to be able to trade for base, but I don't even know what I need. I do know I need 133 insert cards, so maybe I can connect with someone.

First thing I noticed, and really really WANT, are the Topps 75 shirts and hoodies. Maybe the shirt for sure. But that hoodie looks really good.

I made it just in time for the Pack Battle. Not paying the 20 bucks though. I just want to take in the environment.

Someone just left 12 of the Baseball Rip Party cards. Possibly a 25-card set it looks like I could be halfway home on completion.

Also was standing with a gentleman who offered some inserts I'm looking for. Had to go to the car to get my boxes. He's looking over some of what I have now. To get the 11 insert cards that I needed, I had said goodbye to my 2025 Carlton Fisk auto, the Acuna 1991 parallel, and...sob...the Miz auto. It's a sacrifice I am willing to make. The guy, David, said he is a fan of Jacob Misiorowski, and has even travelled to Milwaukee a number of times last year to see him pitch. So, yeah, it's going to a good home.

The event is starting to wind down, and it's getting less crowded. The layout of this place made it really hard to move around when it was busier an hour ago.

So overall, it was a good night. Didn't spend any money, got some cards to whittle down the want list (but in exchange, now the hunt is on for the 11 cards from the Rip Night set). The store itself, I just found out, will be moving to a bigger location some time later this year, closer to where I live (still a drive, but more convenient). Will this place take over for my local card shop? No. But at least I know there are options.

Now that I am out, it's time to head for dinner at the KFC/Taco Bell on the way home.

Maybe now I can get to sorting the base cards.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Live Blogging a Jumbo Box Break

2026-02-19T21:11:00.002-06:00

Finally getting around to opening the 2026 Topps Jumbo Hobby box that I bought last week. I've been waiting until now before doing my sorting to determine if between the random Target packs plus this Hobby box will get me to a complete set. Based on what I've seen so far, I am not confident.

First things first though. What are we getting in these bonus packs? Obviously, they will be Chrome 1991 Topps cards. But of whom? And will there be parallels? An autograph? With my luck? Doubt it. But, these will be the start of the trade bait. So let's see what I get.

Pack 1:

#91C-20 Otto Kemp, 3B, Philadelphia Phillies
#91C-32 Ozzie Smith, SS, St. Louis Cardinals
#91C-74 Colby Thomas, OF, Athletics
#91C-36 C. J. Kayfus, 1B/OF Cleveland Guardians

Thoughts: Three rookies and a Hall of Famer. The best card in the pack? Smith should be it. But nothing against the Wizard, but I think that Topps 75 Promo card looks awesome.

Pack 2:

#91-C45 Nathan Church, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
#91-C33 Trea Turner, SS, Philadelphia Phillies
#91-C55 Fernando Tatis Jr., OF, San Diego Padres
#91-C41 Pedro Martinez, P, Boston Red Sox Purple #184/250

Thoughts: Wow. I did get a parallel. It's numbered, and it's of a Hall of Famer. I've just added the Pedro card to the TCDB. So...win?

Before I continue, again, I'm sorry. These aren't the best pictures. My phone's camera is cracked.

Okay, now for the important part of the program. The 10 packs of 40 cards. Let's see how this goes.

(At this time, I'll be posting highlights of each pack. Inserts for sure, but any key cards will be mentioned as well).

Pack 1: Another Nick Kurtz 2025 All Topps Team card, a Cam Schlitter 1991, and this

2026 Topps 1991 Topps Pete Alonso Bat #91R-PA

Pack 2: Inserts include 1991 Topps Didier Fuentes and 2025 Greatest Hits Manny Machado. The last card in this pack was former Cub Willson Contreras. The last card in pack 1? Brother William Contreras.

Pack 3: Got the 1991 Topps Paul Skenes and 2025 Greatest Hits Jac Caglianone.

Pack 4: Now we're talking. Inserts include a 1991 Dylan Beavers and 2025 Greatest Hits Matt Chapman. But it's the parallel cards that make this pack the winner.

First, we have a Topps Gold Gunnar Henderson:

2026 Topps Gold Gunnar Henderson #46, #1797/2026

Then a 1991 Topps Blue Border Ronald Acuña Jr #'d to 150

2026 Topps 1991 Blue Border Ronald Acuña Jr. #T91-84, #132/150

Then the Big one...the Big Dumper...in a Team Border:

2026 Topps Team Border Cal Raleigh #140

Pack 5: Inserts include a 1991 Topps Corbin Carroll and a Big Ticket Julio Rodriguez

Pack 6: Along with the Big Ticket Player Juan Soto card, included in this pack is a card of a player that I thought I'd never own a Topps card of. But thanks to Commissioner Manfred's decree that once a player passes away, the lifetime ban is lifted.

2026 Topps 1991 Shoeless Joe Jackson #T91-27

Pack 7: Inserts include a 1991 Vladimir Guerrero (not Jr), and a Topps ProFiles Elly De La Cruz (which I would be excited about, but I already have this one...so this is going into the trade pile).

Pack 8: Inserts include a 1991 Mookie Betts and a Big Ticket Players Samuel Basallo. Okay, did Adley fall so far that this guy, who is an Orioles catcher, become the better catcher on the team? Did I hold on to that 2024 Auto/Relic card (patch) of Rutschman too long?

Pack 9: Four of the seven All-Star Rookie Team players who are in S1 were in this pack (Jacob Wilson, Roman Anthony, Augustín Ramírez, and Isaac Collins). Inserts included the 1991 Frank Thomas, an Alysha Newman First Pitch card (Alysha Newman is a Canadian Pole Vaulter who earned the Bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics), and an autograph card of Nathan Church

2026 Topps Real One Autograph Nathan Church #24

Pack 10: Inserts included a 1991 Jose Altuve and ProFiles Bobby Witt Jr.

Overall, a pretty average box. I did get the guaranteed auto and relic card. Nothing screaming massive hit, but that's what normally happens with boxes I open.

So today, we learned that the basic insert sets that will count for the S1 Master set will be:

1991 Topps
2025 All-Topps Team
2025 Greatest Hits
Big Ticket Players
First Pitch
Titans of the Game
Topps Profiles
Stars of MLB

The Cover Athletes insert set, which I would have hoped would be a regular insert set, appears to be in the Homefield Advantage, Heavy Lumber, All Kings, and All Aces set. That's disappointing. It's looked to be a unique and quirky insert set that should have been easy to find. But this box had none. Oh well...

Now comes the sorting and figuring out what base cards I am going to need to complete the base set. I'm hoping the damage is minimal. I'll post an update once I get the cards sorted.

The 2026 edition of Topps Rip Night is this Saturday, February 21. I am hoping to get to one of the card shops in the area (most likely in Buffalo Grove) to see if I can find people to trade with (that's supposedly one of the things that happens at these events) before making plans for the Chicago Sports Spectacular in March.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Beating the Odds on an Open Hobby Box

2026-02-13T21:49:00.000-06:00

Every 2026 Topps Hobby Box (12 cards/20 packs) is "guaranteed" to include one autograph or one relic card. When I bought my jumbo box (which I haven't opened yet, but will soon), I also bought 3 regular Hobby packs from a box that was already opened. The gentleman behind the counter allowed me to pick the ones I wanted. I took three from the top left corner and left.

Last night, I asked my son to pick a number from 1 to 3. He picked 3. The results were posted last night. This evening, I opened the other two packs, plus the four retail jumbo packs. With each pack I opened, the more impressed I was with not only the base cards, with the colored ribbons and really large pictures. So far, I have 2 of the 1991 insert cards, and I am love...LOVE the design. I can't wait to build the set.

But back to the point.

One of the two retail packs included an autograph.

A 1991 Topps Autograph.

A Gold Topps 1991 Autograph card, #'d 44/50.

A Gold Topps 1991 Autograph card, #'d 44/50 of the Miz!

I'm the Miz...and I Am...

No, not that Miz...

This one!!!

2026 Topps 1991 Autograph Gold Jacob Misiorowski #91A-MIS

So what if it's a card of a Brewers player. So what if he tailed off after the All-Star Break.

It's THE MIZ!!!

Even the WWE's The Miz (Mike Mizanin) said it was "Awesome." Okay, not in those words, but these:

Courtesy of the Milwaukee Brewers' Instagram account and The Miz' X account.

There’s just something about being really, really good at what you do and being called The Miz.

Now, keep in mind, I rarely, if ever get this lucky with my autos and relics. Yes, I've hit some good ones over the years. But I'm actually excited about this one.

Okay, I'm going to settle down now. I think I'll open the hanger box next. Wish me luck. Although I may have already used it up for Series 1. Must admit though, not a bad pull for Friday the 13th...

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

And the First Card of 2026 Topps is Of...

2026-02-12T21:36:00.003-06:00

One of these packs, purchased today at Au Sports in Morton Grove, IL, contains the first 2026 card I will feature on this humble, little blog.

Let's get to it. (Going to ask my son to pick a number from 1 to 3. I'll be right back.)

He picked 3. So the pack on the right will be opened.

And the first card of 2026 is of...

2026 Topps Teoscar Hernandez #251

Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers!!!

Let's do a deeper dive on the card. (If you recognize the format below, rest assured that the Randomizer is ready to go, it's just a matter of pulling cards and getting everything going.)

Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2026 Topps #251.
Player Name, position, team: Teoscar Hernández, outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers.
Major League Debut: August 12, 2016.
Last Line of Statistics: 2025 stats (Dodgers): 134 G, 511 AB, 65 R, 126 H, 29 2B, 1 3B, 25 HR, 89 RBI, 5 SB, 26 BB, .454 SLG .738 OPS .247 AVG, 1.5 WAR..
Any special information about player: Signed with the Astros as a Free Agent 02/17/2011. Signed with the Dodgers as a Free Agent 01/12/2024. Bats: right. Throws: right.
Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 11. This is his eleventh Topps card.
Blurb on the back: "Teoscar had a milestone-packed 2025 season, reeling off his 200th homer, 200th double and 1,000th hit. The latter achievement occurred on July 3, when he scalded a single that left his bat at 108.2 mph."
Commentary: The first card of 2026 is of Hernández. Looking at the design up close now compared to images online, the fabric background and stitches look realistic. The 75th anniversary logo is in foil, but it's not embossed like the 50th anniversary logo from 2001 Topps. While I understand the complaint about the font used for the player's name, at least it's easy to read (looking at you 2025 Topps). The team's primary right fielder, Teoscar is a 2-time All-Star and 3-time Silver Slugger winner.
Beckett value: n/a.
How many cards of this player do I own?: 36 cards.

The rest of the pack included:

#161 Michael McGreevy, pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals
#113 Toronto Blue Jays Team Card
#104 Samuel Basallo, catcher, Baltimore Orioles, RC
#16 Casey Mize, pitcher, Detroit Tigers
#328 Junior Caminero, third baseman, Tampa Bay Rays
#25 Carson Williams, shortstop, Tampa Bay Rays
#205 Bobby Witt, Jr, shortstop, Kansas City Royals
#41 Mookie Betts, outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers
#210 Jacob Young, outfielder, Washington Nationals
#ATT-3 Jazz Chisolm, Jr, 2025 All-Topps Team
#70 Bob Seymour, first baseman, Tampa Bay Rays

2026 Topps 2025 All-Topps Team Jazz Chisolm, Jr, #ATT-3

The first insert card is off Jazz Chisolm, Jr. of the Yankees, named to the 2025 All-Topps Team as the second baseman. The first of many insert cards that will make up the eventual master set. Looking forward to the chase.

Speaking of chases, Topps is making a big deal of adding a redemption card that could net a collector a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. It wouldn't be the first time that Topps is inserting one of the most iconic baseball cards in history (oh and is there ever controversy over Topps' picks for iconic cards...that's a topic for another day) in packs of product (see 1991). It is an awesome prize to chase. Time will tell if and when it will be found.

As I said when the design was announced earlier this year, I love this design. Even Sports Card Radio acknowledged this to my surprise (been a fan of these guys for a long time). I can't wait to open the rest of the packs and boxes I bought today. It would be nice if I managed to get a full set from the items I bought today, but I am not holding my breath. Now that product is out, I'm going to start working on my want lists for insert cards. If you have any you want to get rid off, please feel free to contact me. I'll be more than happy to take them off your hands.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

First 2026 Topps Purchase

2026-02-12T11:16:00.003-06:00

Okay, I need a new camera...

Went to the closest big box store on my way to work. Normally after the first day or two after the release of a product, it's pretty much hit or miss as to if the store has product on the shelf. Then you add all the scalpers, resellers, and other synonyms that I won't be using (family blog after all), who grab as much as they can, I wasn't getting my hopes up.

But then...the doors opened, and there was no mad line (do you miss those COVID days???). No riots in the store. And as I was walking in, seeing red-colored packs, I thought to myself, "they still have a lot of 2025 Update Series." As I got closer, I realized I was wrong.

They had plenty of blaster boxes, one hanger box left (which as you can see, I took), and two pegs worth of 36-cards retail packs. I took the plunge and grabbed what you see above.

Thanks to recent events (you know, fights, scalpers, etc), Target has now managed to limit what you can buy when you go to pay at the self-checkouts (and I'm sure this is being enforced at the registers). I could only buy up to two of the same item. That means while I was able to ring up the two blasters, and the one hanger, after scanning the third pack, the register flashed, saying that I could only buy up to two of the same item. It's about time they did this. Who is going to want to stand in front of the same self-checkout (with the camera aimed right at you) trying to buy pack after pack after pack? So I made my first purchase, bought two more with a second transaction, and left. I am not greedy, I will be more than happy to leave cards for others to buy.

I still am planning on going to the card shop later this afternoon (no pharmacy tonight) to buy a box. Note to self: remember to call the shop to get prices.

So here I am, waiting for my lunch break to open at least one or two packs of 2026 Topps? I'll update with a picture of my first card of 2026 shortly. I can't wait.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

It's Opening Day!!!

2026-02-11T09:00:00.001-06:00

Okay, that's a bit of a stretch. MLB's Opening Day (or night) is on March 26, when the Yankees take on the Giants. The other teams begin competition the next day.

I mean:

2026 Topps Series One is now OFFICIALLY LIVE!!!

Yes, some people have already received their boxes, and showed off their "hits" (or whatever good cards they got out of the packs). Some of the "big dealers" started opening packs as early as last week (spoilsports). But today is the DAY!!!

Sadly, I won't be able to join in today (work). But tomorrow night, I'll be rushing to the closest card shop (and if not, hopefully the big box store) and get my hands on something!!!

I can't wait to see what everyone gets from their packs and boxes today. Just do me a favor, please...

Save some for me. Thank you.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Update: 2024 Topps Dodgers Team Set Acquired

2026-02-07T17:44:07.126-06:00

After months of searching, I finally have the 2024 Topps Dodgers Team Set, which includes one of Shohei Ohtani's first cards as a Dodger. So, okay, it's not the SP from Series 1 that costs way...WAY...too much right now. But still.

Found this on Amazon for $50.00. Normally, I would just pass on this as 50 bucks is too high for ANY team set, regardless of which team. But I've had this gift card sitting on my desk waiting to be used, even though I am not a regular Amazon user (those would be my kids). So I wound up using my daughter's account (did not redeem her points) to order it and only had to pay for shipping.

I am now down to three team sets to complete the 2024 Topps Team Set album: Brewers, Athletics, and Nationals.

Now I don't want these in the generic packaging. I need, no...WANT...the sets with the team-specific packaging. I'll get them eventually...hopefully.

If anyone out there has any of the three remaining sets I need, or can direct me to someone who does, please contact me either in the comments, or email me at bdj610@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

The Cold...Kinda Bothered Me Anyway...

2026-02-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

(It's Wednesday, February 2, 2026. Guess what day it is???)

(Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" plays as the radio alarm clock turns on at 6:00 AM).

D.J. #1: Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.
D.J. #2: It's coooold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?
D.J. #1: Not hardly. And you know, you can expect hazardous travel later today with that, you know, that, uh, that blizzard thing.
D.J. #2: [mockingly] That blizzard - thing. That blizzard - thing. Oh, well, here's the report! The National Weather Service is calling for a "big blizzard thing!"
D.J. #1: Yessss, they are. But you know, there's another reason why today is especially exciting.
D.J. #2: Especially cold!
D.J. #1: Especially cold, okay, but the big question on everybody's lips...
D.J. #2: - On their chapped lips...
D.J. #1: - On their chapped lips, right: Do ya think Phil is gonna come out and see his shadow?
D.J. #2: Punxsutawney Phil!
D.J. #1: That's right, woodchuck-chuckers - it's...
D.J. #1, D.J. #2: [in unison] GROUNDHOG DAY!

Okay Phil...Lay It On Me...

Some time today, this little guy is going to tell us if there will be six more weeks of winter or if we're getting an early spring. I think it's if the groundhog sees its shadow, that means we're still getting winter. And after the biting cold and snow we've gotten here in Chicago, I am hoping that our friend here doesn't see it's shadow.

But there is good news coming.

As soon as the Super Bowl ends, we can all turn our attention to more important matters. Like, you know...

Pitchers and Catchers reporting to Arizona and Florida to start Spring Training!!!

More importantly, on February 11...

Baseball Card Opening Day!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

The Philippines...in Topps A & G Mini Cards

2026-01-31T08:00:00.001-06:00

Long time readers of the blog know that I am from The Philippines. I've written about the Philippines trying to get to the World Baseball Classic back in 2012. As of 2026, they still haven't done it, but it doesn't mean the country can't represent on the diamond. While they haven't competed in the WBC, the baseball team has won the Southeast Asian Games three years straight, and five titles overall.

So, let's crank out some celebratory music...

Okay, back to the point...

One of the goals of this blog is to show off my collection. Today, I thought I'd show off my collection of mini Allen & Ginter cards that feature the The Pearl of the Orient Seas.

Starting with my favorite A&G Mini Card of All-Time, from the 2007 Flag of All Nations set...

2007 Topps A&G Philippines Flag #39

The card isn't actually numbered per se, but the card is #39 alphabetically (Algeria-United States). Love this design. The sun in the background, the volcano (there's smoke coming from the top), coconut trees along the coast. It really is reminiscent of the original 1887 N9 Allen & Ginter's Flag of All Nations set. I just love the colors of this card, and how the flag is presented.

2008 Topps A&G Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo #WL35

The following year, Topps included a mini insert set featuring 50 of the (at the time) current world leaders. The Philippines was represented with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who became the 14th President of the country. Sworn to the post after the previous president was impeached, she was the leader of the country from 2001 through 2010. She did get into her own issues, but I'm not going to get into that...I am no expert in the story. She is currently a member of the House of Representatives, serving the constituents of the 2nd district of Pampanga. The card itself features a headshot of GMA and an outline of the islands. At least Topps used the right photo for her card, compared to the little mistake done for the card representing Ireland.

2009 Topps A&G Jose Rizal #NH26

The year after that saw Topps honoring National Heroes. This time, Topps selected our national hero, Jose Rizal, as a subject for it's 2009 insert set. The reverse of his card gives a really brief summary of who he was and what he did while the Philippines was under Spanish rule in the late 1800's. He was a writer and member of the Philippine Propaganda Movement, which advocated political reforms while the Philippines was a colony of Spain. He was executed during the Philippine Revolution, and the day of his death (December 30) is a National Holiday. He is considered one of the most influential figures in Filipino history. The card features Rizal along with the Philippines Coat of Arms.

On to lighter fare...

2010 Topps A&G Carabao #NA42

National Animals was one of the mini insert sets that appeared in the 2010 Topps Allen & Ginter product. And our national animal, the Carabao, was among the 50 subjects. The carabao is a water buffalo species that is commonly used by farmers for plowing. There were also used to pull carts, whether those contained people or valuable supplies. (There's a picture somewhere of yours truly on one...can't remember where it is. I think the name of the one I was on was Gigolo...or was it Macho...)

2011 Topps A&G Philippine Eagle #AP15

Carrying the animal theme over into 2011, Topps featured endangered species in a set called Animals in Peril. The Philippine Eagle, or what is more commonly known as the Monkey Eating Eagle, was among the 30 subjects in this set. It has a six-foot wingspan, and is the largest of all eagles. It's the national bird of the country, with logging taking much of it's territory away. Current estimates say that there are maybe 400 pairs left in the wild.

2012 Topps A&G Balut #CC9

And then...there's the Culinary Curiosities set from 2012. This set featured 10 local delicacies that...let's say are unique. Between the Rocky Mountain Oysters and Haggis is this Filipino delight...Balut!!! Yes, balut. You may have seen the videos of people trying to eat it. And what is it exactly? Fertilized duck embryos boiled or steamed, and eaten in the shell. It's a street food that's sold in many countries in Southeast Asia, but it's more commonly connected to the Philippines. Now, I am more of a Penoy person myself (incubated duck egg that didn't fully develop an embryo), but I've eaten this once. And for a Filipino, once was enough.

It would be a few years before an exclusively-Filipino related card would appear in Allen & Ginter. Sure, the 2021 Mini World Leaders didn't include the President of the time, and the 2022 Mini Bearing Fruit cards had a handful of fruits that are found throughout the region, but there was nothing specifically tying the Philippines to any of them.

2024 Topps A&G The Philippines #FOTW-16

While the 2024 Topps Allen & Ginter set featured a Manila/Dubai Sister Cities full-sized card (and I have that one), the Flags of the World mini set returned after 17 years. This time, as a horizontally-oriented set, with a picture of Manila to the right of the flag. The card is nice, and again, as an extremely amateur vexillologist (definitely not Sheldon Cooper level), I like the set, I like the card.

But nothing compares to the 2007 version.

On a related note, my mom is flying to Manila to visit friends and family back home this week. I wish her safe travels. Maybe bring back the Philippines baseball team cap if you can find one. A jersey would be nice too, but that may be asking for too much. It looks like this...I think...

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Anatomy of a Six-Inch Binder: 2025 Topps

2026-01-21T23:48:00.001-06:00

The 2025 Topps Six-Inch Binder

The final cards from my adventures in trading (plus a few added eBay purchases) finally arrived yesterday. Today, I added them to the binder. And with these last 13 cards, my 2025 Topps & Topps Update Master Set six-inch binder is "officially" complete (I'll explain why the word "officially" is in quotation marks shortly).

The 2025 Topps binder contains a total of 2,161 cards.

Two thousand, one hundred sixty-one cards!!!

Not the record for most cards I've fit into one of these, but comes pretty close (the 2024 binder contains 2,028 plus a few more cards I've added since...I'll post that total on another day).

The binder weighs a whopping 13 pounds, contains 140 9-pocket pages (cards are placed back to back, so no more than 18 cards per page). Each complete insert set is within their own pages, so there's no mixing between sets (with the exception of the 1990 Topps, Stars of MLB, First Pitch sets).

Page 1

Golden Variations and the 6 Extra Rookie cards

Update Series

There are a total of 30 complete insert sets in this binder, along with the 700-card S1/S2 set and the 350-card Update Series. The breakdown is below (includes which series/set the cards come from):

707 cards from Topps Series 1 and 2 (including both sets of 3-player variations from S2 and the factory set, plus the ALT-1 card of Weston Wilson)
350 cards from Topps Update Series
5 Topps Rookie Variation cards (from the factory set)
3 miscellaneous advertisement cards
4 Topps Golden Variation cards (3 from S1/2, 1 from Update)
4 Companion to the Jumbo cards (2 from S1/2, 2 from Update)
3 Real Photo Variation cards (2 from S1/2, 1 from Update)
25 First Pitch cards (10 from S1, 5 from S2, 10 from Update)
25 Mascots cards (Celebration)
12 2024 All-Topps Team cards (Series 1)
28 2024 Greatest Hits cards (Series 1)
25 Call to the Hall (Series 1)
25 Training Ground cards (Series 1)
25 8-Bit Baller cards (Celebration)
25 Game Day Drip cards (Celebration)
25 Power Players cards (Celebration)
50 1990 All-Star Variation cards (Series 2, where AL cards included blue frames and NL cards had red frames)
20 Dynamic Duo cards (Series 2)
25 OPS Leaders cards (Series 2)
50 Summer Superstar cards (Series 2)
100 1990 Topps cards (Series 1)
50 1990 All-Star cards (Series 2, where AL cards included red frames and NL cards had blue frames)
50 1990 Topps cards (Series 2)
50 1990 Topps cards (Update Series)
85 Stars of MLB cards (30 from Series 1, 30 from Series 2, 25 from Update)
20 Stars of Japan cards (Series 1 Japan)
19 History of MLB/Japanese Baseball cards (Series 1 Japan)
15 World Tour Domination cards (Series 1 Japan)
100 Costco Flagship cards (Series 1/Heritage Super Boxes)
15 Hobby Rip Night cards (from a Hobby Rip Night)
25 The Nice List cards (Topps Holiday/Advent Calendar)
50 2025 All-Star Game cards (Update Series)
25 Bleacher Reachers cards (Update Series)
40 Most Valuable cards (Update Series)
25 Mystical cards (Update Series)
25 Night Terrors cards (Update Series)
25 Topps BlackGold (Update Series)
4 Super Box Jumbo (1 from S1, 1 from S2, 2 from Update)
1 Topps Clear (Update)
1 Homefield Advantage (Update Series)

Now this alone should be enough to call it a complete master set. However, I'm calling it "officially" complete because there are cards I'd like to add, but might run out of room (and this binder is close to bursting).

The final page of the binder.

There is a second set of Costco Flagship cards I'm on the hunt for, these are found in Super Boxes of Series 2/Archives. Also, when the Topps Update Series checklist was posted, there were to be three insert sets that were exclusive to a Japan Edition set: Stars of Japan (continuing from Series 1, Tokyo Series Highlights (from the Cubs vs. Dodgers series at the start of the year), and Strike Zone Heroes (an exclusive to Japan insert set that was introduced with the 2024 Topps Japan set...which I'm watching on the Bay but not yet purchased). I have not seen any of these three insert sets or cards online, so I'm wondering if these are real or if cards have not arrived in Japan yet.

The end of the Stars of MLB and the start of the Stars of Japan

Overall, I'm thrilled that the hunt for 2025 Topps is (mostly) over, and I am ready to get my hands on some 2026 Topps cards next month.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Hallbound...2026!!!

2026-01-20T21:30:00.005-06:00

The votes are in...

2000 Topps Carlos Beltrán #178 and 1998 Topps Andruw Jones #334

Carlos Beltrán 358 (84.2%);
Andruw Jones 333 (78.4%);
Chase Utley 251 (59.1%);
Andy Pettitte 206 (48.5%);
Félix Hernández 196 (46.1%);
Álex Rodríguez 170 (40.0%);
Manny Ramírez 165 (38.8%);
Bobby Abreu 131 (30.8%);
Jimmy Rollins 108 (25.4%);
Cole Hamels 101 (23.8%);
Dustin Pedroia 88 (20.7%);
Mark Buehrle 85 (20.0%);
Omar Vizquel 78 (18.4%);
David Wright 63 (14.8%);
Francisco Rodríguez 50 (11.8%);
Torii Hunter 37 (8.7%);
Ryan Braun 15 (3.5%);
Edwin Encarnación 6 (1.4%);
Shin-Soo Choo 3 (0.7%);
Matt Kemp 2 (0.5%);
Hunter Pence 2 (0.5%);
Rick Porcello 2 (0.5%);
Alex Gordon 1 (0.2%);
Nick Markakis 1 (0.2%);
Gio González 0;
Howie Kendrick 0;
Daniel Murphy 0;

Congratulations to Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones for being elected into the Hall of Fame. On this year's ballot, a player needed to receive 319 votes to reach or exceed the 75% needed for induction.

The players whose names are italicized will appear on next year's ballot, having surpassed the five percent rule to stay on (22 votes). Omar Vizquel will be on his tenth and final ballot going into 2027. Manny Ramirez' first go-through with the Veteran's Committee will be in 2028, when the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee re-convenes (this is the committee that elected Jeff Kent for induction back in December).

1993 Topps Jeff Kent #703

History dictates that the player with the most votes but not elected into the HOF will eventually be voted in, whether it be on the BBWAA ballot or one of the Veteran's Committees. If this trend continues, Chase Utley will eventually be going to Cooperstown.

On an unrelated note (because I'll be updating Wikipedia after submitting this post...unless someone beat me to the punch), all three players who will be inducted into the HOF on July 26 were members of Topps All-Star Rookie Team. Kent (in 1992), Jones (1997) and Beltrán (1999). There are now 37 HOF players and 2 HOF managers who were once a part of the ASRT.

According to the Baseball Hall of Fame website, of the 428 ballots that were cast, eleven of them was blank.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

One (or More) of These Players Could Be Voted into Baseball's Hall of Fame

2026-01-19T17:00:00.001-06:00

When the announcement is made at 05:00 PM CST on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, to let the world know who has been inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame, I will be working in the pharmacy. I'll either be (most likely) taking care of patients at the register or (hopefully) filling medications in the back. I won't be home until after 8. But I can assure you, when I am home, I'll be watching the coverage when it repeats.

With any luck, more than one person on this list of 27 players will be rewarded with the ultimate honor...enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. For the final time, here is the list of players (with years on ballot and % of ballots in the 2025 election) being considered:

27 Hall of Fame Nominees, 27 Topps Designs 1995-2021

Until the announcement is made, only the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the accounting firm that tabulated the votes knows who will join Jeff Kent in Cooperstown on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

Good luck to everyone.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama