Hey guys, I was searching eBay for decent ideas and prices on my next group break coming up in about a month when I happened upon a hobby box of 2005 Topps Rookie Cup for a semi-decent price. I noted in my
2011 Mountains to Climb that I wanted to find a set from 1996-2005 to work on this year and I think this is it. I have always like the scans I have seen of these cards, but in person the color really pops. This is a beautiful set.
Since I am building the set, I won't bore you with a pack by pack breakdown and I'll just show you a small sampling.
The box promises two autos and 12 numbered parallels, but I got SO much more.
Base Set - 93/150
Doubles - 0
Autographs - 2
Numbered Parallels - 26!!! (more than one per pack)
BASE CARDS
As some of you know, I am a sucker for the colorful uniforms of the 1970s. I really wish a few team would go back to them (especially the Astros). I also chose to show the Chris Sabo from this set, because I had not seen many cards of him sans goggles. He looks like he is as blind as Mr. Magoo (look it up, kids). I forgot to scan the backs but they are solid gray (parallels are corresponding color) with the Rookie All Star year stats and full career stats.
ROOKIE CARD REPRINTS
Each pack also contained a reprint of a former member of the Rookie All Star Team. They also included years that did not include the cup. This is just a small sampling of the 48 I got. Most were from the 1990s, but I got several from the 60s and 70s. What I like is that not only did they include Hall of Famers like Rod Carew and fan favorites like Ron Santo, they also included guys that didn't really make much of an impact like former Indians manager Pat Corrales.
COLORED PARALLELS
BLUE #'D TO 50
This is the only blue parallel I pulled from the box, but I did get a player I liked. The blues are my favorite colored parallel. It really pops in person. It does suck that the best looking parallel is also the rarest because otherwise I might try to put together a blue set also. I still might, but if they were the 499 ones I definitely would.
GREEN #'D TO 199
The greens are the next rarest and I got this nice Hall of Famer along with a few others. Actually this card was made before Dawson was a Hall of Famer, but it still works.
Others I received
#84 Reggie Sanders
#101 Jason Kendall
#137 Rocco Baldelli
YELLOW #'D TO 299
The yellow is probably the least appealing to the eye, but the backs look great in yellow. This was Joe Torre before he sold his soul to the devil in the mid 90s.
Other yellows I received
#53 Brook Jacoby
#57 Vince Coleman
#76 Chuck Knoblauch
#122 Bengie Molina
ORANGE #'D TO 399
It is always nice to pick up a numbered Pujols, because a lot of people collect him and prices soar on eBay (which I am currently suffering through with Tulowitzki).
Other Oranges I received
#6 Jonny Gomes
#37 Chet Lemon
#68 Gary Sheffield
#101 Jason Kendall
#102 Billy Wagner
#130 C.C. Sabathia
RED #'D TO 499
Here is the 1975 Topps All Star Rookie catcher who has been in the news recently for his unfortunate health problems. I always liked Carter as a player when he wasn't a Met and I hope he can make a full recovery from his current issues.
Other Reds I received
#3 Joe Torre
#21 Al Oliver
#122 Bengie Molina
#127 Adam Dunn
#138 Scott Podsednik
#139 Brandon Webb
THE CHROME BOX TOPPER
I saw a single card box topper pack and honestly had no clue what could be in it, because there was no mention of it in any reading I had done on the set. It turned out to be a chrome reprint of 1996 Topps Garret Anderson #'d 21/25. Gawd, I love this set.
ORANGE AUTO #'D TO 299
This is the first of two autos and they are also color paralleled with each color having 100 less than the base card parallels (except blue which is still 50). There are 10 cards #151-160 that are comprised of 2005 1st round picks. The only disappointment with this box is I did NOT get the best player of the group of 10, Troy Tulowitzki. Jacob Marceaux topped out in 2009 in AA with the Marlins and later White Sox. He last pitched in 2010 in the independent leagues and had an ERA over 9.00, so this card won't pay my mortgage. But it still looks cool (even with the sticker auto).
GREEN AUTO #'D TO 99
Brandon Snyder is arguably the 3rd best auto from the 151-160 subset after Tulo and Yunel Escobar, which should tell you the quality of the others. Snyder has made the majors though, so he has done more than me. The only other player to have made the majors out of the group is current Rangers reliever Ryan Tucker. I do seem to pull quite a few low numbered Orioles autos though since before today my only 1/1 pull was an Orioles prospect autograph. Yes I said BEFORE today.
ORIGINAL RELIC 1/1
This would be the coolest card I have ever pulled. This is
a gold parallel reprint an original relic of 1965 Topps rookie catcher Mike Brumley from the second incarnation of the Senators (which later became the Rangers) That is an actual metal cup embedded in the card. I was opening the pack and saw something thick and I knew there were no jerseys in this set, so I was befuddled. I literally screamed like a little girl when I saw this card. Sure it could have been a bigger name, but that is part of the fun of a set like this. It is hard to see but right above the cup there is a gold 1/1 along with the 1/1 hologram on the back.
What do you think? Is this one of the coolest relics ever or have I drank the Kool Aid? I will try my best to find another box of this set because I want them all. I LOVE THIS SET!!!!!
