2022 Favorite Cards

I enjoy looking back at my favorite cards from the year.  I'll highlight my favorite from each sport.  These are cards I've shown on the blog this year.  The tops for the year was tough this go around but I kept coming back to this John Elway beauty.  I'm a big Elway fan.  This unfortunately was from when he dismantled my Falcons in the Super Bowl.  Still it is a great photo and I love the card.  It was featured in this 2021 Score Football post from January.

Lauren Taylor is an artist I've liked from the get-go and was very happy when these cards were released.  In the set were cards of herself and I loved this one and it's my top non-sports card of the year even if it is from a set of baseball cards.  You can see this and the other cards I picked up from the set here.

Doesn't work out often that you pull an auto of your favorite player or wrestler but that's exactly what happened with this 2021 Topps Women's Division hobby box I opened in April.  I really like Alexa Bliss and couldn't be happier with this green parallel auto numbered to 50.  Easily my favorite wrestling card of the year.

I was very excited to add an autograph of Yaz.  He is my favorite Red Sox player and was such a great player.  I took my time finding an auto I liked and went with this one which heads the list of my 2022 baseball cards.  The scan isn't that great and looks much better in hand.  1997 Donruss Significant Signatures Carl Yastrzemski

I really like this card.  It stood out among many.  Something about the colors, design and the photo.  This one was from a Hoops NBA Super Stars Collection you could purchase as a set containing 10 stars from the league. 

This 2021 Donruss I posted in June was just fun.  Ty Gibbs as a youngster though I'm not sure he looks any older today.  It was also somewhat prophetic as Ty Gibbs would go onto be a controversial driver in the NASCAR Xfinity series but won the championship while winning seven races.

I didn't do a great job of posting hockey this year but I really like this card.  A hockey player spiking a football?  That's a win.

Everyone have a safe and fun New Year!

Carl Yastrzemski 1997 Donruss Significant Signatures Autograph

1997 Donruss Signature Significant Signatures:  There have been players who have passed away and I thought why didn't I grab an autograph while they were still alive.  A weird thought I know but that got me to chasing a Yaz auto.  He's my favorite Red Sox player and #2 overall of my favorite players.  Trying to choose one auto amongst all his was tough but my budget helped narrow it down and I decided on this one.  I like the photo and look of the card.  I didn't want just any auto.  Had to be a card I liked visually.  The cards in this subset aren't that expensive but the Yaz auto trended higher than the others so I settled in and figured patience would be my best option.  I grabbed this one at $55 ($65 w/shipping and taxes) which made me very happy.  It was exciting and tough at the same time to wait this out but I'm very happy. Happy Friday!

2019 Topps Update Carl Yastrzemski (Variation) and Mike Yastrzemski

2019 Topps Update:  Game 2 of the World Series is tonight so a couple of Yastrzemski's seems appropriate.  I picked these up from someone who works down the hall and I couldn't be happier.  One I didn't even know Yaz was a variation on his grandson's base card (US245).  Two, he mentioned Monday he had pulled the Yaz variation and he was going to sell it while throwing in Mike Yastrzemski - SOLD.  I'm real happy to have both these cards.  As always seeing my favorite all-time player in Yaz on new cardboard is great.  Yaz running isn't something I see a lot of either.  I also collect his grandson and this is one of his first.  Good day for this fan.

  

TCI Sports Fan - Dayton, OH Sports Card Shop

2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces

I was in Dayton, OH on business this week and stopped at one of their local card shops - TCI Sports Fan.  It was fantastic!  I rarely go into the big cities for cards except to card shows so this was a real treat. Found this shop via Google and man was the real deal.  I was a little limited in time but found some non-sport packs I've never opened before and some cool Yaz cards I'll add to my personal collection.  If I'd had more time I could have been there forever and walked out broke.  The shop had tons of singles running the gamut in price and scope to include NASCAR, non-sports, as well as sports.  There was also a very good selection of NASCAR diecast, McFarlane Figures, signatures and plenty of new wax.  Really friendly folks running the store.  I'll definitely stop in there again if I get a chance.  I recommend everyone stop there if they get the opportunity.  

2007 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts

Yaz is my second all-time baseball player (after Bob Horner) and I've been horrible at picking up his newer cards so this was a great opportunity.  I grabbed a Topps Gypsy Queen, Topps Archive, Upper Deck Masterpiece, and Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts Yaz cards.  All wonderful but I particularly enjoy the Masterpieces card.  Nice artwork that really stuck out to me.  The Legendary Cuts is also pretty sweet.

2011 Gypsy Queen

Gypsy Queen cards are always pretty cool so grabbing a Yaz is never a bad thing.  I may already have this one but having two is just that much better.

2017 Topps Archives

Nice job by Topps on this Archives card.  I like both photos and the retro design.  Very glad to add it to my collection. 

Yaz in honor of Opening Day

2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites #78 Carl Yastrzemski

Found a nice Yaz card today at a local Flea Market.  He's my favorite all-time player so it was a fun find.  It is from the 2005 Topps All-Time Favorites set.  Thought I'd post today in honor of opening.  Hope every has a great first day of baseball.