Thursday, August 17, 2017

Pack Break: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter's. 2017 Stadium Club, and 2017 Topps Series 2


Since I bought two packs each of 2017 Allen & Ginter's and 2017 Stadium Club, along with a pack of 2017 Topps Archives and five packs of 2017 Topps Series 2 last weekend during the National Baseball Card Day festivities, I thought I would try and post the result of the pack breaks here. Because I missed out on doing it last year, I am going to save one pack each of A&G, Stadium Club, and the one pack of Archives for Pack Break Week in November (I need something to open, right???) and will open the rest now.

Here are the results.

Let's start with one pack of 2017 Topps Series 2.


  • #354 Nick Tropeano, P, Angels
  • #628 Domingo Santana, OF, Brewers
  • #360 Jon Lester, P, Cubs
  • #565 J. D. Martinez, OF, Tigers
  • #581 Brock Holt, OF, Red Sox
  • #87-193 Addison Russell, SS, Cubs 1987 Tribute All-Star Card
  • #541 Dennis Lamp, P, White Sox Rediscovering Topps 1984 Original Topps Card
  • #364 Koda Glover, P, Nationals RC
  • #421 Santiago Casilla, P, Athletics
  • #602 Alex Dickerson, OF, Padres


Hey, I got two Cubs cards in this pack (Lester base and Russell insert) and an original 1984 Topps card of a White Sox player. Not bad. It's my third "Rediscover Topps" card. I'm not sure if I'm honestly liking the idea of putting a foil stamp on an old card, but I guess now it's worth more than the original.

I normally don't buy packs of this product, but in the spirit of the day, I thought, "Why not?" So this is what came out of that pack of 2017 Topps Stadium Club, Topps' ode to great photography:


  • #247 Gary Sanchez, C, Yankees
  • #285 Orlando Arcia, SS, Brewers RC
  • #160 Julio Urias, P, Dodgers
  • #189 Justin Upton, OF, Tigers
  • #238 Sonny Gray, P, Athletics
  • #CS-DM Daniel Murphy, 2B, Nationals Contact Sheet
  • #56 Ian Kinsler, 2B, Tigers
  • #10 Danny Santana, OF, Twins


Thoughts? Pretty soon, the question would be, "What's the point of this set?" With Topps going with borderless cards in its eponymous product, and the pictures already up-close-and-personal, I honestly don't see the reason to bring this back another year. But I do like the photo choices, especially of Gray in a throwback Athletics' jersey.

Finally, to the 2017 Allen & Ginter's pack. I have complete sets of every A&G set since they first came out in 2006, and as soon as I have money, I will invest in a set on the Bay. But to see what the cards look like, I decided to get two packs. Here is what was inside the pack I opened:


  • #265 Kevin Kiermaier, Rays
  • #205 Alex Bregman, Astros RC
  • #WF-19 Worlds Fair Habitat '67 Motreál
  • #72 Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox Mini Card
  • #RIP-48 Noah Syndergaard, Mets Rip Card 14/60 (umm...WHAT??!)
  • #166 Manny Margot, Padres


Wait...go back a sec. Did I just say RIP CARD??!


Yes...Yes I Did!!!

In all my years of collecting, I've never opened a pack with a RIP card inside it.

Now I'm torn (pun intended). Do I rip it open? Or do I keep it as is?

The back says:

This is a Genuine Allen & Ginter's RIP Card. If you dare...rip this card open...to discover a collectible exclusive mini-card embedded inside!

Inside this card will be:
  • A Red Mini Autograph Card, or...
  • An Exclusive Mini Parallel, or...
  • An Exclusive Mini Wood Parallel, or...
  • An Exclusive Mini Metal Parallel, or...
  • A One-of-a-Kind Sketch Card.
Rip It or Keep It

What am I going to do? What should I do? I've already posited this question on Twitter (follow me @bdj610) and I've gotten two responses:

So now what??! Either way, I'm told to rip the card. But should I? Are there people that hold on and have not ripped the RIP cards, opting to keep what's inside and then collecting cards from them later on the Bay? I think I'll put a poll up. Tell me what I should do with it:
  • Keep it sealed
  • Rip it
  • Sell it on eBay unripped
  • Sell whatever is inside on eBay
Post in the comments, and vote for the poll at the top. I'll leave it up for a week. Whatever the decision is...I'll take it into consideration before making a decision.

Unless, of course, somebody wants it so badly that they're willing to buy it or trade for it...

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama



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