Last month was a pretty good month for new additions to the collection. I was able to make some good progress on a couple of different releases and I was able to pick up some really cool cards for fairly cheap. This month, I think I may be coming around on a company that I never thought would be able to redeem themselves, but only time will tell. Check them out below!
2024 Topps Archives Signature Series Retired Player Edition - 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter - United States #US14, SN7. I'm kind of torn on the first card I was able to pick up this month. On one hand, it's a horizontal card. But, it is an on-card autograph that Topps arbitrarily serial numbered to just 7 copies. The other thing that drew me to this particular card is the fact that it has the Indiana flag on it. The home state that Rolen and I share in common. And, of course, I am a big fan of the Allen & Ginter releases. I only wish that when this card was produced, that Scott was still a member of the Cardinals. But that's an entirely different topic in and of itself.
2024 Leaf Lumber - Grain Assault Purple #GA-SR1, SN15. I know, I know...I've gone on record to say that anything produced by Leaf that is 2019 or newer can all burn in a fiery pit and I wouldn't care. But hear me out here. Ever since the departure of certain people over at Leaf, I think their product is starting to make some progress. We'll forgive the fact that it's not officially licensed (therefore having no team logos). But the overall design of the cards this year has made a complete turnaround in my opinion. I mean, just look at this card. The front of the card is some kind of actual wood veneer, pulling on that nostalgia feeling inside of me that hearkens back to some of the coolest looking inserts of the 90s. When this card hit ebay, it was listed with a "buy it now" price that I just could not ignore. Since then, there have been a couple other parallels of this card surface, but I'm not sure exactly how hard I'll go for those at this current time.
2023 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary Autographs #CPA-SR (Missing Autograph). If I was paying for a box (or case) of this product and this card was one of my autograph cards, I'd likely be a little upset. It's missing the autograph! But, since I don't open wax myself, I find this oddity slightly appealing for my personal collection. Everyone who has collected cards for any length of time knows that card manufacturers mess up sometimes. This card was clearly supposed to be signed by Scott, but it slid through QC without the signature. With the sheer number of cards that were produced for this set, I'm not sure how many made it like this into packs, but I was happy to pick this up for the collection this month.
2021 Topps Museum Collection - Momentous Material Jumbo Patch Autographs #MMJPA-SR, SN15. I was able to add this card to the collection this month for next to nothing. I did take a small gamble on it considering it was listed incorrectly on ebay. But for the "buy it now" price, I thought it was worth the risk. As it turns out, the card that was pictured is this card and the title was just incorrect identifying this card as a dual relic signature swatch numbered to 50. This card would have been much cooler, in my opinion, if the autograph was on-card as opposed to this sticker. But, nevertheless, it was a card I needed for the collection.
2023 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary Autographs #CPA-SR - Green Refractors, SN75. I actually purchased this card last month. For whatever reason, the seller decided to wait for what seemed like forever before he actually decided to ship the card. I was a little worried for a while due to the card selling for so little. But, here it is, finally in my collection. I believe the new pick ups of these TCPA cards is going to slow down quite a bit since I'm down to just a few that I need to finish the rainbow. I do find it interesting that Topps decided to have two different parallels that are both numbered to 75 copies; this one and the Rose Gold. I've always thought green baseball cards were really good looking cards, so I'm happy to add this one to the collection!
2023 Topps Transcendent - Transcendent Icons Chrome Autographs Gold Refractors #TICAV-SR, SN15. If I was the kind of collector who opened packs/boxes/cases of cards searching for the Rolen cards, I'm sure I'd be broke by now. Especially when it comes to chasing cards like this one. It is far more economical for me to pick up the singles I want out of releases like this. Not only that, but if I wait just long enough, I can typically acquire the cards for less than I would if I bought them as soon as they are released. That's the case with this card. Transcendent is way too expensive for me! I was able to grab this card this month for what I consider a steal! I'm a big fan of this card too. The photos Topps used are great, and of course, the on-card autograph adds to the overall appeal.
2024 Topps Tier One - Tier One Talent Autograph Blue Foil #T1TA-SR, SN49. I absolutely love this card! It was the first one I saw surface on ebay and it was listed with a "buy it now" price that I could not ignore; so I smashed that button! This card has just about everything going for it. From the on-card autograph, to the blue foil that ties into the photo that Topps used for these. If you look closely, you'll see that the photo they chose of Rolen is from a Father's Day game. You can see his blue sweatband on his left wrist and if you look a little closer, you'll notice that his eye black is actually blue! The other little thing I noticed after I purchased the card is the serial number. It's jersey numbered! A little side quest I've contemplated embarking upon for The Rolen Collection.
2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary Autographs #PA-SR. I'm not sure why I'm just now adding this 2021 card (that was released in 2022) to my collection, but here it is. I'm a big fan of all of the TCPA releases ever since Topps started producing them with this one. I added several of the parallels before picking this one up, but I'm certain that the patience with this one saved me several dollars. I'll always add on-card autos to my collection like this one when they come up for sale.
2024 Topps Tier One - Autographed Tier One Relics Jumbo Green #AT1JR-SR, SN49. Another Tier One pick up this month. This one isn't quite as nice as the one I shared above; mostly due to the sticker auto Topps decided to use on these jumbo relic cards. Another miss, in my opinion, is the red jersey swatch paired with the picture of Rolen in a white jersey. That has always seemed like an oversight by card companies to me. Regardless, I'm happy to be able to add this one to the collection this month. I'm sure I'll be chasing the other color parallels (though not as hard as the other on-card autographs in this set.)
2024 Topps Tier One - Tier One Talent Autograph #T1TA-SR, SN75. I added the blue foil parallel early in the month, and I was able to pick up the "base" version too. Like I've already talked about before, this card checks almost all of the boxes for me. From the on-card auto, to the photograph Topps used, to the foil on the front of the card. I think the only thing they could have done differently with these is make them die-cut somehow or throw in some acetate layering. Regardless, I'm happy to add this one to the collection this month. I'm hoping I can snag a few more of the parallels soon, while the product is still being opened.
2023 Topps Chrome Platinum Anniversary #136 - Platinum Toile White Green Refractors, SN99. Picking up new TCPA cards that I need for the collection is getting much slower now. I'm down to just needing a handful more to complete the rainbow (excluding the ones numbered to five or less). It's kind of a double-edged sword really. On one hand, the cards are less expensive now that they've been out for a while. But on the other hand, they aren't being opened as much as they were upon release, so the ones I'm still missing aren't surfacing nearly as often on the secondary market.
2023 Topps Archives Signature Series Retired Player Edition - 2003 Topps Heritage #125, SN14. I'm not generally a fan of these Archives cards that are signed over the top of the facsimile signature on the card, but this one was the right price at the right time for me to pick it up. We've covered the "manufactured rarity" in previous posts, so the fact that this one is serial numbered to 14 doesn't carry much weight with me. The actual 2003 card that Topps used here though, I am a big fan of this throwback design.
2024 Topps Tier One - Autographed Tier One Relics Jumbo Blue #AT1JR-SR, SN75. This card comes to my collection by way of poor timing on ebay. I got this card for a fraction of what they're currently selling for because it ended at a really odd time and there weren't too many bids on it. I covered most of my likes/dislikes on the green parallel above, so I won't bore you with going over that again. I do like that this blue foil parallel goes well with the blue ink that Rolen used to sign the sticker. The red jersey swatch leaves a lot to be desired, but it's nicer than some of the scraps I've seen in other cards from this set.
2024 Topps Chrome - On The Spot Die-Cut Autographs Orange Refractor #OSA-SR, SN25. Topps really killed it with this year's Chrome insert sets. Rolen was only included in one though; On The Spot die-cut autographs. I absolutely love this card! From the on-card autograph to the autograph lining up with the sweet spot of the baseball in the background. And lets not overlook the die-cut aspect of the card with that leading edge rounded off to frame the baseball! The Cardinals fan in me only wishes Rolen was pictures as a Cardinal for these. Nonetheless, it's a perfectly executed card that I'm beyond excited to add to my collection this month!
2023 Topps Five Star - Autographed Jumbo Prime Silver Rainbow #FSJP-SR, SN5. I've said it before, but I think it should be said again, Topps really did these cards right! From the big piece of patch (that matches the photo they used), to the on-card autograph! This particular parallel utilizes some beautiful holographic foil on the front too, which makes it very pleasing to look at in person. I don't typically chase cards that are serial numbered to five or less, but when my friend, Hans, showed me this card on ebay, I couldn't help but send an offer for the card. My initial offer was declined, but the seller was really good to work with and we came up with a price that was amicable for both parties.
2024 Leaf Lumber - Grain Assault Pewter #GA-SR1, SN5. This is my second parallel of this card this month. And another card that is numbered to just five copies. But, like the card above, the price for this was just too good not to pick up this month. I'm not really sure that I understand what makes this card pewter, but regardless, I'm a sucker for the nostalgia factor with this wood grain insert from Leaf. The only downfall for these cards is the sticker autograph. That might actually be beneficial for a card like this though. The wood material they used might not take ink very well if it was on-card.
2024 Panini Donruss - Retro 1984 Materials Red #33, SN99. I picked this one up quickly because of the team color match red parallel. Missing team logo aside, and we'll overlook the napkin swatch that may or may not be from a jersey that Rolen wore, this is a nice nod to the 1984 Donruss design. One thing that I have noticed about Panini's Donruss release though, it looks like they're using cutting equipment that is long overdue for a sharpening. These edges are ROUGH. Luckily I'm not a grading kind of collector because if I was, I'd be banging my head against a wall looking for a "clean" copy of these cards.
2024 Topps Tier One - Tier One Legend Relics #T1LR-SR, SN199. I picked this card up for next to nothing this month. Actually, I put a starting bid on two copies of this card expecting them to sell for more than $0.99, and I ended up winning both of them. For the most part, this card gets it right. Sure, it's just a plain red jersey swatch (that may or may not have come from a Rolen jersey). But at least they chose a photograph to match the swatch. Speaking of the photo, it's pretty lackluster. It appears as if Rolen is waiting on the on-deck circle. Out of all the photos they could have chosen from, I'm not sure how they landed on this one. Regardless, I'm happy to add this one (and a duplicate) to the collection this month.
2007 Upper Deck - MVP Predictors #MVP67. These cards were available at a rate of 1:!6 hobby packs or 1:240 retail packs with 70 different cards in the set. Having said that, these, for some reason, do not come up for sale very often. It's not an overly flashy card by any means. And the back just has some rules for the game. But I really like the photo that Upper Deck used for the front of this card. It features Rolen in his Cardinals uniform with the 2006 Inaugural season patch for Busch Stadium. And without knowing the exact game/at-bat this photo represents, I'm an optimistic kind of guy and I like to think that Rolen just belted one out of the park here.
2024 Panini Donruss - Diamond Kings #33. I love just about everything about this card! First, I've always been a huge fan of the Diamond Kings artwork. Then there is the "throwback" design element, hearkening back to the 2005 design for Diamond Kings. And I really like the little blurb on the back of the card, outlining Rolen's career achievements. The only thing that I would possibly change about this card, that I think would make it perfect, is having him featured in a Cardinals jersey. I also like the fact that, in the present day hobby overload of parallels, this is it for the Diamond Kings card. There aren't 47 different parallels with crazy foil/patterns. Just one and done. I like that!
2000 Upper Deck Ovation - A Piece of History #SR, PR400. I enjoy picking up these older game used cards for the collection. This one isn't serial numbered but it has a stated print run of just 400 copies. I'm always apprehensive when the shipping cost on game used cards is less than a couple bucks because I've received several over the years that end up getting creased around the game used opening. This one arrived safely though (which is surprising because it was in a PWE).
2023 Topps Archives Signature Series Retired Player Edition - 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter #222, SN13. This card snuck in just in time to make this blog entry at the end of the month. I think these Allen & Ginter cards are absolutely perfect for this set. They've got a classic design that I love and they always look great with their on-card autograph. We've seen this card released in the Archives set in the past. Back in 2021 it was serial numbered to 31 copies, in 2022 it was a 1/1, and this 2023 copy is numbered to 13. I haven't seen a copy for 2024 yet, but that doesn't mean there isn't one...since we don't have an official checklist of each individual card in the set.
2024 Panini Donruss/Optic #12
2024 Panini Donruss #12
2024 Panini Donruss - Holo #12
2024 Panini Donruss - Laser #12
2024 Panini Donruss - Blue #12, SN149
2024 Panini Donruss Optic #12
2024 Panini Donruss Optic - Holo #12
2024 Panini Donruss Optic - Red #12, SN99
2024 Panini Donruss Optic - Pink Velocity #12, SN79
2024 Panini Donruss Optic - Cracked Ice #12, SN25
2024 Panini Donruss Optic - Gold #12, SN10
Another couple of rainbows to chase with this release. And they're not for the faint of heart! There are 26 cards in the Donruss lineup and another 18 in the Optic lineup. On top of that, there are also 14 other inserts from Panini tossed in there (an autograph and a memorabilia card). Crazy number of parallels aside, I really, really like these cards! The parallels hit on those nostalgia feeling with the Lazer looking a lot like Epix cards from days of ol'. And the photograph they used; it is perfect! Obviously team logos would make it even better, but just look at that face of determination on Rolen! And the powder blue uniform is definitely one of my favorites.
2024 Leaf Metal Hockey Legends - We Own This City Autographs Printing Plates #WOC-3, SN1
These printing plates aren't even baseball cards; they are from a hockey release. And of course, they're from Leaf. So why are they in my collection now? There is one simple reason: they were all made available to me as a set of four. I don't see myself clamoring to add all of the different parallels of this card to my collection any time soon (there are 20 different 1/1s), but I did think it was pretty cool that that they were all together as a set and the price was in line with what I've purchased other printing plates for.
July has been a really great month for adding new cards to The Rolen Collection. It looks like August will be a month of filling in some more blanks with these rainbows I'm working on. Check back soon to see what else I've been able to add!
Comments