Monday, January 25, 2016

2015 Topps Allen & Ginter X


This was the last of the Christmas goodies I had to open, which is convenient since we finally just took our Christmas tree down this past weekend. Allen & Ginter is a hit or miss product for me, while I like the base cards and the inclusion of some celebrities, most of the non-baseball content drives me insane. If this was a regular hobby box, I would have asked for something else instead. However, this is the online-only 10th Anniversary special edition with two bonus packs. Two guaranteed hits per box. I haven't busted a hobby box since the summer time so this should be fun.




First, the actual baseball base cards. I really like these because of the silver and black around the side and the uniforms compliment everything pretty well. We have our obligatory Reds on top, Billy Hamilton and Zack Mozart. I love how Cozart's card looks like a painting. Pulling a Kris Bryant rookie out of this, along with Anthony Rizzo and a Tanaka short print (at least in the normal A&G it is) was pretty cool.



The highlights of the non-baseball selection of base cards. Roenick and Kilmer I'm ok with, mainly since they are well known. Roenick was a great player and is currently a good analyst and I've enjoyed the heck to of some Val Kilmer movies in the past. I got three of the four Rocky cards in the base set, now I just need a Thunderlips to find to join them. Hey Sly, care to train me like you did Creed for this quest?



Mini cards! As you can see, there are two different mini-designs. First the A&G design on the left and the standard design on the right. Is one supposed to be better than the other? I know there are non-numbered minis out there too. Is there really a need for three different types of minis in one product?


None of the insert cards got the black border treatment but this Alex Rodriguez starting points is pretty cool. One neat thing that was included in this product was buybacks and the Max Scherzer is an example of that. You get two per box and the other one I got was some professional gamer who I've never heard of. 



Here are the hits! A Prince Fielder (I nearly almost typed Cecil Fielder) memorabilia card and an autographed Bernie Williams framed mini. I'll be hanging on to these and they'll go in my box of good stuff, which I should really profile on here someday.



Finally, the die-cuts. These are really nice and makes me wish they were included as an insert set, instead of two separate packs. Doesn't really matter but these were the best of the bonus packs. I'm going to miss Todd Frazier in a Reds uniform, hope he does well on the South Side!

This was a fun little break, much more fun that the regular A&G blaster. However, it's still the same stuff with A&G, either you like it or you don't. I think I would probably like this product more if the celebrities and non-baseball content (come on, really, who needs a card of a mythological cyclops in their baseball cards). 


5 comments:

  1. Great break! I really like the base cards wth that black background. If you ever decide that god like to part with that Bernie, let me know.

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    1. That should read 'that you'd like to part'... sorry

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  2. That Bernie is a nice looking card. Congrats on the nice hit!

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  3. Pretty cool you got 2 of the Reds in your special packs

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  4. Nice Bernie. Love that he made it in as a celebrity, because as good as he was as a ballplayer, his music is even better.

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