I also recently pulled a good redemption out of these discounted 2012 Archives blasters:
After checking eBay, I noticed that it must actually be live so I redeemed the code and this just arrived:
-- Andy
For the record, this set was not actually MLB licensed. Even the wrappers state "NOT authorized by Major League Baseball or its Member Teams."
Still a great looking card.
I think it's a non-issue. People seem to think fights (and hot-headed, passionate players) are a new development. Was George Brett a punk that should have been kicked out of the league? In 1st inning of game 5 of the 1977 ALCS George Brett slid hard into third, Nettles kicked him then Brett...
The retail odds listed above must be for the retail jumbo (fat packs/rack packs, whatever they call them these days). The regular retail packs have the same odds as hobby for the black backs.
1990 Score #697 Bo Jackson. Quite possibly the hottest non rookie card, non error card of all time (especially in the junk wax era). These were an easy sell at $8-10.
The 1992 Bowman Frank Thomas Gold Foil was smoking hot back in '93. Sold for more than any of the rookies from that set and probably sold for more than his Leaf RC (which could probably also be included on this list). It was an easy sell in the $75-100 range. Now it routinely goes unsold on...
I'd have to imagine that they aren't even in the top 50. Burbank claims to have 30 million+ cards in their inventory. I'd imagine Larry Fritsch has to have at least 20 million cards. Not to mention the many private collectors that have millions and millions of cards. I probably have 3-4...
I've often wondered what modern day voters would have done with Nolan Ryan's 1987 season. He led the NL in ERA (2.76 -- 0.27 lower than 2nd place), ERA+ (which, of course wasn't a stat in 1987), led in hits per 9 IP (6.548 - around 3/4 of a hit lower than 2nd), 1st in strikeouts with 270 (37...
I thought I was the only nutjob that had that idea. I'm sure I could get at least 3/4 of the way there without trying too hard but everytime I start thinking about building an '87 Topps set with wax stains on the back of every card, I come to my senses and talk myself out of it.
I've been to:
Riverfront Stadium (Cincinnati)
(Old) Busch Stadium (St. Louis)
Royals/Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City)
Coors Field (Denver)
The Ballpark in Arlington
Turner Field (Atlanta)
Miller Park (Milwaukee)
Petco Park (San Diego)
Angels Stadium (Anaheim)
Tropicana Field (St. Pete/Tampa)...
In '98 (my first trip to Dallas) I remember there being roughly 15-20 card shops in the Yellow Pages. I'd imagine in the boom era of the late '80's & early '90's there had to be at least 50 (there were at least 25 in Omaha during that time and Dallas is way bigger than Omaha).