Featured autograph - Harold Baines

Maybe purchases are answers to my droughts TTM - to give me something to look at when there isn't always going to be an incoming return from autographs requests I've sent out.

It's different beast however, especially when it comes to expecting a SASE or two to come back on a random day - it’s not as big of a thrill when results in the mail end up being someone else’s envelope.

My request to Baines last year was returned in my SASE with my money [$10] back and card unsigned - I ended up picking up this uncertified autograph card off a Facebook listing.

I assume the seller got the autograph TTM when Baines was generally less picky about taking people’s money to sign - the autograph is on a copy of the 2019 Topps Allen and Ginter I sent out, so with Baines hit or miss, I figured to grab it to knock off a card for my ongoing, perpetual set projects.

2019 Topps Allen and Ginter blaster box recap

I feel I've been more apt to do retail blaster breaks after I’d tried to wean myself off them in recent years - a casual retail break here and there is reasonable, right? I think 2019 Topps Heritage High Number is coming out within the next week, so that maybe one or two more impulse blaster box purchases to make.

As far as Topps Allen and Ginter, I try to pick up a hand collated set at some point - just to have a flagship brand of cards to get autographed in-person or TTM, if there are opportunities available.

Otherwise, I guess I fall towards one of the collectors who just doesn't get all the 'odd' nonsport, non-baseball player content - maybe if I busted more than a loose blaster or so per year, maybe the novelty of this product would mean more.

Pack one
#6 Luis Gonzalez
#196 Cedric Mullins - mini
#166 1st Tiger Mask - Professional Wrestler
#GG-19 Chipper Jones - Ginter Greats insert
#14 Chipper Jones
#114 Jose Berrios

Pack two
#110 Salvador Perez
#264 Yonder Alonso
#385 Gil Hodges - SP
#161 Sister Mary Jo Sobieck - mini; First Pitch Celebrity
#MS-9 Andalusian Horse - Mares and Stallions insert
#213 Egg

Pack three
#209 Ryan O’Hearn
#32 Sandy Koufax
#96 Andrew Benintendi - mini
#39 Jesus Aguilar
#BSS-1 Ronald Acuna Jr. - Baseball Star Signs insert
#7 Albert Pujols

Pack four
#103 Johnny Bench
#139 Harold Baines
#361 Victor Robles - SP
#GG-21 Clayton Kershaw - Ginter Greats insert
#LL-3 Martha’s Vineyard Sign - mini; Lost Languages insert
#107 Nolan Arenado

Pack five
#202 Luke Voit
#238 Trevor Bauer
#30 George Springer
#NTTZ-12 Gorilla Infant - mini; New to the Zoo insert
#HOF-14 Space Shuttle Discovery - History of Flight insert
#206 Corbin Burnes

Pack six
#48 Dennis Eckersley
#130 Torii Hunter
#367 Masahiro Tanaka - SP
#IE-13 Heracle’s Club - Incredible Equipment insert
#CC-3 Vizla - mini; Collectible Canines insert
#41 Robinson Cano

Pack seven
#148 Corey Kluber
#220 Josh James - mini
#MS-4 Tennessee Walking Horse - Mares & Stallions insert
#FSRA-TP Travis Pastrana - relic; Motocross Competitor & Stunt Performer
#141 Miles Mikolas

Pack eight
#247 Maikel Franco
#229 Orlando Arcia
#400 Randy Johnson
#BSS-20 Aaron Judge - Baseball Star Signs insert
#388 Casey Stengel - mini
#240 Dee Gordon