Retail Sampler: Diamond Kings

The last of my retail breaks following an inability to find any Series 2 at Walmart locations.

The only option at the store was a single hanger box. I guess that's as good as anything.

And the first card out is Dom DiMaggio.Even if the image does get over-used in Panini releases, it is nice to get a name that doesn't get overused by Topps.

The DiMaggio was followed up by 9 more base cards. They may not have a license, but I can't imagine finding cards of Shoeless Joe in a Topps release at any point in the near future. Your typical Diamond Kings mix of legends and current players. Only Schilling and Foxx are Topps semi-regulars in this mix.

Here's the box-promised red parallel. While it doesn't really go with a Tony Gwynn card, it is still a pretty nice looking entry.

The side of the box also promises a blue parallel. And here that is.

This, however, was certainly not promised by the box. In fact, I assumed that there was no chance there would be a hit in the only box remaining on the hangers, with them having been carefully weighed by some sneaky searcher. But, when I open the box and looked at the cello wrapper inside, it was obvious one card was thicker than the rest, coming it at almost 6 cards worth. I guess if it is going to contain a patch, it should be. He's kinda constrained by the sticker, but he does have a nice looking autograph.

This insert portion of the pack ends with a T206 inspired DK206 insert. 

A few more base cards. Nice to get a new Bo Bichette for the Jays PC.

The box ends with a pair of All-Time Diamond Kings, bringing the vibe from the 92/93 releases. Sandberg was a DK in 1993, and I would have been amused had these reused that image, albeit with the logos out. 

Shoeless Joe, Bo Bichette and an auto/patch? That's a great retail break, even if it obviously wasn't the norm.

There you have it!

2019 Adventures in Repacks: Part 28.2 - A Baseball Weekend

The second half!

2015 Diamond Kings - Jim Gilliam - I'm perfectly fine with missing logos if it means more obscure players like Jim Gilliam get cards.
1993 Donruss - Craig Grebeck
1991 UD - Ken Dayley

1997 Pinnacle Xpress - Jay Buhner - This repack's entry into "card from set I'd never heard of".

1989 Fleer - Manny Lee - Jays card #1.
1986 Topps - Jay Johnstone

1990 ProCards - Andujar Cedeno - My third random minor league card of the repack, and the late Mr. Cedeno had himself a respectable big league career.
1993 Fleer - Billy Hatcher
1990 Topps - Bobby Valentine
1990 UD - Bruce Ruffin
1995 Stad. Club - Mike MacFarlane
1997 EX 2000 - Gregg Jefferies - 2 of the same card from the same repack-rare set.
1993 Donruss - Jay Howell

1991 Bowman - Mike Fitzgerald - Expos card #1 on this side

2008 Topps - Hanley Ramirez - Bunting mojo!
2007 Topps - Angel Berroa/Andres Blanco
1990 UD - Steve Jeltz
1991 UD - Dave Gallagher
1989 Score - Ernie Whitt- Jays card #2.
1990 Topps - Jerry Reuss
1993 Select - Charlie Hayes

1987 Fleer Update - Lance Parrish - Two 87 Fleer Updates in the repack. Both Phillies.
1989 Fleer - Chris Sabo/Bobby Bonilla
1989 Fleer - Luis Alicea
2013 Topps - Ivan Nova
2013 Topps - Michael Young
1993 Pinnacle - Dave Fleming
1990 UD - Jay Buhner

1991 Score - Doc Gooden - Finally this side sees a Mets card.
1987 Topps - Darrell Evans
1992 Donruss - Jim Gantner
1991 Bowman - Gary Scott
1989 Topps - Charlie O'Brien
1989 Topps - Tony Armas

1994 UD Minor League - Matt Brunson - Minor League card #4, even if it isn't as obscure a release as the first three.
1992 Donruss - Gary Gaetti
1991 Fleer - Wilie McGee
1987 Topps - Jody Davis

2019 Topps - Richard Urena - The most recent card in the repack, and it is a Jays card, and one I don't have.

2018 Heritage - Joey Gallo - And this also ends on a Heritage card.

2019 Adventures in Repacks: Part 26 - My Repack (Still) Has Fleas

When I grabbed the hockey repack at the Flea Market last time, I also grabbed a baseball one. It had this card on the top:

A Diamond Kings insert? SOLD! That gave somewhat of an indication as to the content, as of the 55 or so cards in the brick, 40 were from 2018 Diamond Kings.

But here's a short tease of what wasn't from '18 DK. There's a couple of cards from Gypsy Queen.

There was about a dozen cards from '18 Topps Series 1, including a pair of rainbow foil cards. It is far more obvious on the Martinez, but in hand, the Cargo is obviously a foil card as well.

The non-DK portion was a strong repack for Diamondbacks collectors, as there was also a photo variation among the Series 1 cards.

Like with hockey, there's one hit per brick as well. Here's a sliver of bat, also from Series 1.

But, as I mentioned above, Diamond Kings were the majority in this repack. And here's a taste of them.

 

Namely, all 18 players that were part of the retired/legends portion of the set that were in the repack. That's such an interesting checklist as well, with many names that you don't see a lot of in recent products, especially from Topps. I mean, Dom DiMaggio? Kiki Cuyler? Herb Pennock?

And even a few inserts for good measure.

This repack ruled.

More Packs

A few days off does give me a chance to hit the LCS and sample a few more packs beyond the original. So, 4 different hobby packs today - Big League, Diamond Kings, Pro Debut, and some football with Legacy.

Looks like I'm starting with Big League. It is nice, it isn't too expensive, but I'm still bitter about the fact that doggy cards weren't included in last year's release.

A parallel and a drawn card. That's just fine for that portion of an inexpensive pack.

The base of Diamond Kings was a nice mix of legends and current players. Since he doesn't make a lot of appearances in modern sets, the easy winner of this group is Walter Alston. The same could be said for Hubbell, but I'll give a manager's card the nod.

Just like with Big League, there's an insert and a parallel in the pack. The Sisler is a 1919 Diamond Kings insert.

Next, some minor league cards. Here, the easy winner is the Lazardo, for the "Music City" jersey sported as a member of the Nashville Sounds.

I guess this was an Alex Kirilloff hot pack, as he appeared on both a base card and on an insert. If that uniform were any more tropical, I'd think he was a Marlins prospect, as opposed to the Twins.

Let's end with the football pack. Legacy appears to be replacing Classics this year, with a smaller 200 card set (100 current players, 50 rookies, 50 legends), and you can see all the different designs for the base cards. I'll have some Bills content from a group break show up shortly, so I'll be able to get a little more detailed then.

And the only numbered parallel of the 4 packs. Better than zero, I guess.

And there you have it!

Saturday Sampler

Surprisingly, my LCS didn't have any Gypsy Queen on the shelves, so I grabbed a couple other packs instead. One, I'd busted before. One, I hadn't.

Heck, one of the leagues isn't even around at this point.

And let's start with the not-even-one-and-done AAF pack. It has 9 cards and an insert in each pack. The design is nice and simple, although it can get repetitive with the small team count in the league.

Knowing my collecting habits, you'd think my favourite card in the bunch of base would be the kicker. Usually, that's true. Not this time.

And that is because Jeff Luc is a 2/14 baby. I knew because of yesterday's post that Christian Hackenberg was in this set, and he'd probably be the guy I'd admit to chasing a card of. This, was a very pleasant surprise. Jeff also has autographs in this set, so if a trade partner is looking for something to send to me in return, hook a brother up!

Here's the insert. I guess you have to reach the NFL to get your first name on your insert card. Sorry, Marvin.

Since this is pack #2 on a Saturday Sampler for me of 2019 Donruss, I'll only hit cards I didn't get the first time.

I really like the Diamond Kings this year, since the backgrounds seem to be as obnoxious as they were in 1985, even though they are re-used on multiple players. I definitely get a Perez vibe from these.

This is my first nickname parallel. Not the most creative nickname.

The Rockies love continues with a relic. Did I just send a care package to the Rockies collector on my trade list? Of course I did. I guess I'm starting to reload.

And there you have it!

An Arbitrary Envelope

It's mailbag time! First up is a bubbler from Brian at Highly Subjective and Completely Arbitrary. All Mets! All the time!

Is there any better way to start a post than with a Diamond Kings card? Especially a Perez version?

Random Rico!

Random Topps Total!

My favourite thing about some envelopes is getting cards from sets that I never really had a chance to bust packs of. I may have busted one pack of Heritage High numbers during the existence of the product. Henceforth, I don't have a lot of cards from these, and all Mets are welcome.

And it gives me the only chance to acquire a James Loney card where he's a Met.

Not a Heritage card, but not an original. This is a 2005 Rookie Cup reprint.

Parallels! Some shiny! Some not.

A perfect way to wrap this up is a great combination of a nice photo and an on-card autograph.

And there you go. I don't have too much stuff to reload with. It seems most of the content in my trade box is dupes from my breaks of Heritage Minors. So it might take until the Expo in early May for me to return fire.