SUPERTRADERS: 2015 Bowman Chrome pack break

Has anyone noticed I seem to disappear for a bit in March, April, September and October?  Perhaps not, but I do tend to be away from the computer.  This is my busy season  at the office.  Right now, it's the time of year when nearly all of our clients file their extensions.  These clients tend to believe they are the only ones extending. They will also wait until the last possible moment to bring their tax info to the office, usually a week before the 15th of September or October.  Now, on with the important matters at hand...

 

I wanted to open a few packs of more recent product to share among the newly formed #supertraders group.  I haven't purchased Bowman Chrome since the 90s, back in my prospecting days.  It's a great hobby which allows for prospectors, vintage enthusiasts, team and player collectors.  I dropped by my LCS for Topps Spring Fling packs - a hideous design this year - and picked up a handful of packs from a freshly broken Chrome box.  Dave opened a new one at my request.  We have seven packs with four cards per pack.   With perfect collation, we'd all get at least one card. It's a Topps product. Need I say more?   Take a Heritage break - let's see how we did!

PACK ONE:

 Astro JD Davis;  Yank Andrew Miller;  Southsider Samardzija;  Pirate Alen Hanson, all base cards.

PACK TWO:

Bowman Scout Update insert refractor Ranger Nick Williams; Rockies Antonio Senzatela, Indian Bobby Bradley, Ranger Feliz.   Nothing to holler about.


 PACK THREE:

A Miggy for me;  Rocky Cargo; Dodger Grant Holmes; an auto RC of A's Kendall Graveman.  I'd keep this one for myself had I not promised these to the Supertrader team!  I like his name.  Nice pull for a seven pack pick from a full box.  Congrats Fuji!

 PACK FOUR:

Reds Michael Lorenzen rc; Oriole Chris Tillman; Jaybird Jeff Hoffman; Met Brandon Nimmo - all base cards.


PACK FIVE:

 Cubbie Stephen Bruno; Bowman Scout Update insert refractor Rocky Raimel Tapia;  Athletic Franklin Barreto;  Philly Cole Hamels.  Too much excitement for you?  Stop now.


 PACK SIX:

 Giant Daniel Carbonell; Cardinal Matt Adams;  gorgeous blue refractor parallel #/150 for Jeff - Southsider Tyler Danish; Dbacks David Freese.

We are down to the last pack...

 PACK SEVEN:

Met Syndergaard rc;  MARLIN Isael Soto auto - seriously? ; Nats Denard Span;  Cards Rowan Wick. Well don't that beat all? A Marlin? Soto does have a very neat signature.  I'm a bit surprised there is no one out there willing to admit being a Marlin fan.  They'd be instantly buried in cardboard.  Please, come forward dear friend.  We will not mock or embarrass you.  We need  you! 

 

Out of seven packs, we pulled two autos and a nice refractor/100. Nothing fancy but these are good cards to start the envelope stuffing.  We will have a box break in the near future.  My budget allows for older material, 1994-2008 - somewhere in there. I already picked up a box.  We'll be opening product from a company that's not around anymore, in any form that I am aware of.  I hope to begin next week, over a few days. 

 

Spring is here, bats are crackin' and Opening Day is upon us!  Speaking of Opening Day... who among you will be throwing money at Topps Opening Day this year?  Yeah, I probably will too.

 

Saturday Night Fever - 2015 Diamond Kings

I've wanted to bust a box for weeks!  Twelve 8-card packs lookin' for a good time!  Who am I to deny them?  Two autos or memorabilia cards; 2 framed parallels with 96 total cards - variation rookie cards possible too - 200 card set.

Shout out to The Card Papoy

Put on your best white suit and crank up the Bee Gees - we're looking inside a box of the brand new 2015 Diamond Kings! 

PACK ONE:

Gorgeous cards!!  Nice mix of veterans and newbies.  The framed Chapman is an unnumbered version.  I wanted a nice Matt Szczur RC.  At 25, this is his time to break out.  Matt made an impression on me when I learned he'd given a life-saving bone marrow donation to a patient on another continent. 

PACK TWO:

Two insert series here: DK Originals - a design I personally don't care for.  This Abreu is a parallel version  numbered 22/25 and  HOF Sluggers - da Babe!  Nice design and a keeper!

PACK THREE:

Another HOF Slugger!  Such a colorful lot, printed on canvas-feel cardboard. I'm still likin' 'em!


PACK FOUR:

DK Originals McCutchen and one of them fancy cards - I haven't picked up a Texas accent but it does show itself at times when writing - a framed Adrian Gonzalez dual patch auto numbered 42/49.   This is a great pack of cards!  Ripken, Feller, Appling and the young Bogaerts.


PACK FIVE:

What have we here?  A traitorous Max $cherzer, at home with the politician$ of Washington. A new insert series Aficianado - Gerald Dempsey Posey.  Buster  it is!  I recently began adding his cards to my collection.  Our first little card, a MINI Mauer!  I'm not sure of the print run except to say minis are definitely not one per pack!

PACK SIX:

Ok - WOW!  My Giants' trade pals are going to want this one, no doubt!  Madison Bumgarner, super thick Studio Portraits holofoil.  This gem is numbered 01/10!  Super nice card!  I'm holding on to it for now but at some point it may be used to fund a nice Tiger exchange. 

We are halfway through our my box and we've pulled the hits.  What could be left but inserts and base cards?  I'd be happy with these of course.  Need to take a potty break?  Shall we continue?

PACK SEVEN:

I've said more times than not - I'm a sucker for the old guys.  This pack has some familiar faces: Lajoie, O'Doul and Gehrig - and dupes from pack five.   I can live with a handful of doubles but 96 cards per box should be 96 different  paper heroes at this price level.  My LCS - $70 cash price.

PACK EIGHT:

Well, I'm not sure what to think - except YESSS!  Another  nice dual patch auto relic!  Deven Marrero is paper framed and numbered 16/49.  Let's not overlook the new insert: Also Known As. This AKA is the Revered Rivera.  Mariano was an amazing closer!  What opponent looked forward to facing the Sandman?  Kevin Millar?  No, not even him.

PACK NINE:

Joe Jackson, you are forgiven and beloved.  A simple pack splashed with color!

PACK TEN:

A mini sighting!  Eric Hosmer.  Bryce Harper - how did I not own a rookie card?  Picked one up this weekend, a nice Chrome.  Nothing fancy but it is MINTy!  One more HOF Slugger Frank Thomas, and an AKA Lou Gehrig!  I've already decided to complete both of these insert sets.

We're down to the last two packs...

PACK ELEVEN:

 Our second framed parallel, an unnumbered Corcino.   Inserts: HOF Slugger Mel Ott and Aficianado Mike Trout. Maris and Crawford are welcome pack mates. Nice cards.

I have to congratulate Panini for an elegant and affordable product. At an average of $6 per pack with boxes selling in a $70 price range,  I'm comfortable with the cards pulled so far.  An extra relic card helped of course.  Let's finish this thang!

THE TWELFTH AND FINAL PACK:

BUTTER MY FREAKIN' BISCUITS!!!  I think we have a hot box!  or a fluke.  I'll take either any day.  Kelly, Goldschmidt and Freeman were a nice finish but who is the attractively framed mini????  Super thick, acrylic backed Robert Refsnyder and patch.  This card is numbered almost as low as they come... 4/5! 

Nachos Grande Chris chose a DK box as part of his five box break coming later this week.  I can't wait to see what he hits!  The box we just opened had some sweet pulls.  None are for trade just yet while I investigate the product a bit more, and then decide what to part with.  Thanks for joining me in the anatomy of 2015 Diamond Kings!

How was your Saturday Night?