2017 Heritage High Number? Sure, Why Not?

In case you missed it, 2017 Topps Heritage Has been really, really good to me. So when my LCS owner sent me a text yesterday to let me know he got his '17 High Number in a day early, you know I was all over it.

I opened the box and, as is my custom, began by opening the first pack on the right. I don't know why I do it that way - I'm a creature of habit.

Anyway, the very first pack offered up my guaranteed hit:

A Clayton Kershaw Clubhouse Collection relic. I've never heard of this guy...I hope he's decent. You know how lefty pitchers are.

After that, I noticed this guy:

This is the image variation of Brandon Phillips' card. Not as nice as the action variations I pulled earlier this year, but I won't complain.

I also saw this in my box:

Evidently, Nolan has his own insert set centered on his career accomplishments. That's pretty cool.

I also pulled a blue parallel:

I know nothing about this guy other than he plays for Boston.

While opening the last pack in the middle "column" of packs in my box, I found something weird. As a superstitious person, this made me a bit uncomfortable.

These were the first two cards in the pack. Exactly the same, front...

...and back. In case you are wondering why this made me uncomfortable, check out the card number. I've never had a problem with collation in a Heritage product, so it was odd for me to find this in a pack. Even more strange (or coincidental) is the card numbering. I don't like it and I wonder how it happened.

Anyway, I was plugging along until I was opening the next-to-last pack. I opened it and saw a thick card. Once again, I assumed it was going to be a '68 Mint card.

Once again, I was wrong.

Another Clubhouse Collection relic auto card, this time of Addison Russell! It's no Mike Trout, but the relic is far superior. How sweet is that?!?!?!

Anyway, now I am debating buying another box. I know it's foolish, especially considering that don't need that many more cards to complete the set. But landing a big fish will do that to you.

Side note - I have a few posts in my queue waiting for scans. If you sent me something, please don't think I forgot you - I just haven't had enough time to scan everything yet!!!

My First 2017 Heritage Fix

Though Heritage came out Wednesday, my LCS didn't get any in until today. It's only two days, but it felt like forever. Heritage is one of, if not my favorite release every year. I was initially a little hesitant because the '68 set is one of my least favorites, but Heritage turned out okay. Anyway, let's get to what was in my two boxes.

First, let's take a look at the guaranteed hits. Every box promises a relic or an auto. Both of my boxes had relics. And they were boring at that:

Joe Mauer and Rick Porcello. Could be worse, but could be better. Had that been all I pulled, I would have been pretty upset.

But they weren't. I pulled better cards!

The first box offered up some good cardboard. First up:

This Odubel Herrera blue border parallel. These are limited to 50 copies each, or at least that's what I've read. Not a bad start!

Next up:

The Clayton Kershaw action image variation!

But the best card of the box was this guy:

The Andrew Benintendi rookie photo variation! These are short printed, as the base card features Benintedi and another player.

Heckuva a box! There's no way the second box could be better, right?

Boom. Right off the bat (no pun intended) was the Buster Posey '68 3D box loader! These fall about one per case.

From there, I pulled this:

The Bryce Harper color swap variation! But it doesn't stop there!

Though it looks gold, this is the base refractor of Wilson Contreras! Such a great box. How could it get any better?

Well, I think adding in a Kris Bryant action photo variation would certainly make the box better!

Though the "hits" were duds, these were by far the best two boxes of Heritage I've opened in a while! The relics are up for trade, but everything else has been listed on eBay to help me recoup some of my money. I'm going to sort everything this evening, so I should have a wantlist and trade list listed soon!