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!!!

An Unexpected Christmas Gift

When I got back to my apartment in Lubbock, I found a bubble mailer from Greg, the beautiful mind behind Plaschke, Thy Sweater is Argyle. We all have "guys" for certain players or cards. Greg is my Corey Seager guy, so whenever I pull a Seager, I drop it in a PWE and send it his way. I do this so the card finds a home and doesn't sit in a box for eternity.

I open up the mailer and the first thing I see is this:

A note attached to a secured "brick" of toploaders, clearly protecting something special. Dammit Greg....usually, I would open this first. But I trust Greg and this must mean something precious is inside.

Behind that was a teambag full of goodies. For the sake of brevity, I will only post a few here.

A Nolan from 1990 Score. I loved this set as a kid. I know that puts me in a small minority, but I don't care. Still love it.

Juan Gone from Pinnacle Inside. This card cracks me up. I love the statline on the front of the card, but perhaps the designers over at Pinnacle could have included a different stat than stolen bases, which Juan had ZERO of. Just odd.

I haven't researched Allen & Ginter sets much prior to 2012. This card is the non-numbered variety. Today, we accept Topps word that these are limited to 50 copies. In 2009, however, every copy was hand-numbered to 50. 

Okay, I can't take it anymore. I have to share what was in the toploaders. First up:

This is the 2008 TriStar PROjections yellow parallel of Matt Harrison, numbered to 25! 

Next up, the 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Turn of the Century auto, again of Matt Harrison! Awesome cards!

But the best was still lurking...

The 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Status Gold Diecut, numbered 13 of 25!!!! This was a HUGE card for me to acquire! I've been looking for one for a while. I saw one pop up on eBay and began to watch the BIN auction. It came up for auction at a time when funds were tight, so I kept putting it off, waiting until my next paycheck to grab it.

When that next paycheck came, I jumped on eBay to grab it, only to learn that someone else had snuck in and grabbed it before I could. 

Thankfully, it was Greg! I've never been so excited to see a card in a mailer as I was for this one!

Greg, I can't thank you enough! I'll be sending some cardboard your way really soon!

What's the best surprise card you've received from another blogger? Hope to hear from you all soon!