Archive for Ryne Sandberg

Pack Break: 2 1984 Topps packs

Posted in Box / Pack Break with tags , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2019 by Cardboard Icons

So, later today my son and I are going to our first Golden State Warriors game together and I knew my son was excited when he woke up this morning asking to go to the card shop.

Turns out he not only was thinking about the game all night, but he also was thinking about Panini Optic basketball, since I had explained to him yesterday that the product came out this week.

“Daddy, can we do go the card shop today?” he asked not less than five minutes after waking up. Uh, yeah. You know I’m always down for an LCS run.

So we went and he grabbed a retail Value Pack featuring three retail packs and one of the retail exclusive packs. I didn’t have anything in my hands and wasn’t going to buy anything until I realized the LCS had packs of 1984 Topps behind the counter at $3.50 per pack. I wouldn’t know if the price was high, but I figured that two packs of that would likely be more enjoyable than buying something else I didn’t want. Besides, I’d never opened these before.

The Don Mattingly rookie card is the one to own in this set, and they are not overly expensive. But the nostalgia of opening a pack 35 years old and not breaking the bank to do so sounded well worth the $7. Also, my son recognized that these original 1984s were the set upon which the 2019 Topps anniversary silver pack and insert cards were based.

So, without further adieu, here are the results. These contain 15 cards, one contest card, and one piece of gum.

Pack One: Doug Bird, Alredo Griffin, Rick Sutcliffe, Scott McGregor,Ken Oberkfell, Onix Concepcion, Tigers Team Leaders, Bob Gibson (rookie card), Rick Miller, Dickie Noles, Rich Hebner, Don Slaught, Ryne Sandberg (second year), Bob Shirley, and Harry Spillman.

Pack Two: Rick Sweet, Checklist #1, Luis Sanchez, Mike Proly, Mike LaCoss, Bob James, Andy Hassler, Dave LaPoint, Dave Lopes, Hal McRae, Jerry Remy, Jerry Martin, Tom Tellmann, Ken Forsch, and David Green.

As you can see, the first pack was solid with a sweet Ryne Sndberg second-year card.

The second pack was saved, in my opinion, by the checklist (which shows Don Mattingly at #8) and by the existence of Jerry Remy and Jerry Martin on back to back cards to give me the duo “Remy Martin,” which got a giggle from me.

Thanks to South Bay Sports Cards (Sunnyvale, Calif.) for having these available.

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A completed run of 1991, 1992, 1993 Elite Series insert cards w/ autographs

Posted in Newspaperman with tags , , , , , , on May 14, 2014 by Cardboard Icons

It dawned on me the other day that I mentioned in a Beckett column that I completed my run of 1991 through 1993 Donruss Elite Series
Insert cards but had not showed them off on this blog. So, here it goes:

1991

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1992

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1993

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Topps Diamond Giveaway Glitch

Posted in Newspaperman with tags , , , , , on October 18, 2011 by Cardboard Icons

Over the weekend I obtained more than 40 codes for the 2011 Topps Diamond Giveaway program.  I really wanted to see what type of die-cuts I could unlock and hopefully collect enough rings to get my Special factory set of 2011 Topps.

Thanks to some trading, I was able to unlock the special factory set.

But along the way it appears I discovered a glitch … which could have been “reported” before, but I haven’t really gone looking.

On Saturday I unlocked one of the new Ryne Sandberg die cuts.  I was thrilled.  It’s a great looking card and an exclusive to the Giveaway program.

And then on Sunday I entered more codes and I unlocked another … or so I thought.

After entering all of my codes, I went to “My Collection” to see my bounty.  But much to my chagrin there was only ONE Sandberg.

I was upset.  I felt cheated.  I knew for a fact that the Sandberg image had popped up when I entered one of my codes.

So I sent an e-mail to Topps Support.  On Monday I was advised to call the Customer Service hotline, which I did Tuesday morning.

I spoke to a representative and it was explained to me that there has been an issue recently where when you enter a code, the image of a card already in your collection displays. However, in reality, you’ve unlocked a different card.

Turns out my actual card was a 1976 Paul Lindblad.

Am I upset … yes and no.  I think disappointed is more apt.  I understand that mistakes happen.  The Customer Service rep explained to me that he could see every code I entered and could see what cards are associated.  There was only one Sandberg … the one I unlocked Saturday.

So as you go forth in your Diamond Giveaway adventures, be sure to double check your Collections before celebrating.

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