Weekly Top 20 Favorite Cards: Week ending 5/28/2017

Time for the 2nd edition of the top 20 countdown! Are there any changes on the horizon?

#1 2014 National Treasures Notable Nicknames Tom Brady Autograph
Last Week: #1
Weeks on Countdown: 2
















#2 96-97 Topps Finest Gold Refractor Kobe Bryant PSA 9
Last Week: #2
Weeks on Countdown: 2







  

#3 2016 Panini Flawless Greats Aaron Rodgers Auto/Patch
Last Week: #3
Weeks On Countdown: 2


#4 03-04 Topps Chrome LeBron James RC BGS 9
Last Week: #4
Weeks On Countdown: 2



#5 08-09 UD Black Russell Westbrook Auto/Jersey RC BGS 9
Last Week: #5
Weeks On Countdown: 2


#6 15-16 Panini Flawless Patch Ruby Wilt Chamberlain
Last Week: NR
Weeks on Countdown: 1


#7 06-07 UD Reflections Mirror Images Michael Jordan/LeBron James Dual Patch
Last Week: #6
Weeks on Countdown: 2 



#8 2015 Topps Strata Mike Trout Auto/Patch
Last Week: #7
Weeks on Countdown: 2


#9 15-16 Gala Red Carpet Signatures Kobe Bryant 
Last Week: #8
Weeks on Countdown: 2 
 

#10 95-96 Flair Hot Numbers Michael Jordan BGS 9.5
Last Week: 9  
Weeks on Countdown: 2 
 

#11 2016 Donruss Optic Ezekiel Elliott Blue Holo Autograph RC 
Last Week: #10
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#12  2016 Flawless Kris Bryant Autograph Game Used Patch
Last Week: #11
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#13  15-16 Immaculate Collection Jersey Numbers Patch LeBron James
Last Week: #12
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#14 15-16 Flawless Kobe Bryant Patch
Last Week: #13
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#15  97-98 Skybox Premium Competitive Advantage Michael Jordan BGS 9.5
Last Week: #14
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#16  93-94 Fleer Ultra Scoring Kings Michael Jordan BGS 8.5
Last Week: #15
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#17 97-98 Topps Chrome Tim Duncan RC BGS 9.5
Last Week: #16
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#18 13/14 Flawless Ruby Patches Kareem Abdul Jabbar 
Last Week: #17
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#19 14/15 Flawless Patrick Ewing Dual Game Used Patch
Last Week: #18
Weeks on Countdown: 2
 

#20  2016 Prime Signatures Auto Patch Ezekiel Elliott
Last Week: #19
Weeks on Countdown: 2


Overall Thoughts: Well not much movement this week, as most of the countdown stays intact. I did have a new entry, as I won and got in a Wilt Chamberlain Flawless Patch Card that debuts at #6. That's how tough it is to crack the top 5 of the countdown. The Wilt didn't even made it. So the first card officially out is the Griffey Strata Sigs. Honestly the only real movement I can see outside of acquiring new cards, is if Lebron is able to defeat the Warriors in the Finals again. Defeating this particular Warriors team with Kevin Durant would elevate Lebron's legacy even more and might move his rookies to even more absurd prices, including the Topps Chrome. Also on the horizon, is the pending MVP award, which should go to Russell Westbrook. Other than that, baseball season is in full swing, but I don't have a lot of baseball cards, much less ones that have a chance of moving up into the countdown. Again, it'll be interesting to see how long that Brady/Kobe/Rodgers trio keeps those top 3 spots as the weeks pass by. 

 

Bargain Pickups!

Thought I'd do a quick post to show off quite a few cards I picked up on the cheap. None of these cards went over the $9.50 mark with most of them even being $2 and under. Here's some nice looking cards that didn't cost an arm and a leg!!
















And one last card that shipping caused to go over the $10 mark. $12.50 shipped for this


Love adding cool cards to my collection that don't break the bank!!

Recent Pickups!

Here's my most recent pickups from the past week!

2008-09 UD Black Russell Westbrook Auto/Jersey RC (#47/99) BGS 9

This card went straight to the top 20 countdown yesterday as it's by far my best Westbrook card in my collection. Been wanting to pick up an autograph RC of Russ for awhile and I couldn't pass this one up! Love the look of UD Black cards.

95-96 Collector's Choice Player's Club Michael Jordan BGS 9.5

So this is a first for me. I totally bought the wrong card. It's on 100% on me, not the seller, as I was careless. I dunno why I thought this was the Platinum Players Club parallel that I was buying, but I did. It's still an ok MJ though, but I probably wouldn't have bid on it, had I paid attention to what I was doing. Ah well, lesson learned!

16/17 Donruss Optic Court Kings Green Prizm Russell Westbrook ( #3/5)


I've stated numerous time that Russ Prizm Parallels are a favorite of mine so there was no way I was going miss out on winning this one! Love the look of Optic Inserts, especially the parallels.

16/17 Donruss Optic Court Kings Gold Prizm Dirk Nowitzki (#1/10)


Speaking of Optic Prizms...here's another one this time a Gold of Dirk. I honestly prefer to Gold Parallels to the Green despite the Green being scarcer.

16-17 National Treasures Game Gear Dual Patch Kawhi Leonard (#25/25)

Kawhi has definitely become one of my favorite players to watch..it's just a shame he got injured in the conference finals as it was really becoming a breakout for him. This is a sweet looking card that I got for under $30.

15/16 Gala Main Attraction Green Parallel Patch Lebron James (#8/25)

I dunno, I just like the overall look of this card. The green pops out and it's a pretty cool looking card.

16-17 Donruss Optic Silver Holo Court Kings LeBron James

Very cheap pickup that I got because like I said..I love Optic cards!

1990 Topps Traded Emmitt Smith RC BGS 9

I really like getting low end graded rookies of Hall of Famers because they are so cheap. I'll eventually get the Emmitt Score Supplemental, but for now I'll start with his Topps.

2016 Flawless Jim Kelly/Thurman Thomas Dual Patch Emerald (#1/2)

I love Flawless patches and the Thurman patch actually looks game worn. My only disappointment is the Kelly is a player worn patch..not a game used one. I really don't understand using player worn jerseys in a product (much less an expensive one like Flawless) for vets they do. Still a cool looking card regardless.

Weekly Top 20 Favorite Cards: Week ending 5/21/2017

Here's something I'd like to do that I've been toying with for a while. I thought it'd be fun and years ago I actually used to do this and kept it up for about 2 years. I'll present my top 20 cards every week, which could change depending on a variety of factors. New cards, on field/off field issues etc. I really think it would be fun to do! It's kind of take of Beckett's "Hot List" they do. So without further ado, the countdown!

#1 2014 National Treasures Notable Nicknames Tom Brady Autograph


#2 96-97 Topps Finest Gold Refractor Kobe Bryant PSA 9 
 

#3 2016 Panini Flawless Greats Aaron Rodgers Auto/Patch
 

#4 03-04 Topps Chrome LeBron James RC BGS 9
 

#5 08-09 UD Black Russell Westbrook Auto/Jersey RC BGS 9
 

#6 06-07 UD Reflections Mirror Images Michael Jordan/LeBron James Dual Patch
 
 

#7 2015 Topps Strata Mike Trout Auto/Patch
 

#8 15-16 Gala Red Carpet Signatures Kobe Bryant
 

#9 95-96 Flair Hot Numbers Michael Jordan BGS 9.5
 

#10 2016 Donruss Optic Ezekiel Elliott Blue Holo Autograph RC
 

#11 2016 Flawless Kris Bryant Autograph Game Used Patch
 

#12 15-16 Immaculate Collection Jersey Numbers Patch LeBron James
 

#13 15-16 Flawless Kobe Bryant Patch
 

#14 97-98 Skybox Premium Competitive Advantage Michael Jordan BGS 9.5




#15 93-94 Fleer Ultra Scoring Kings Michael Jordan BGS 8.5


#16 97-98 Topps Chrome Tim Duncan RC BGS 9.5


#17 13/14 Flawless Ruby Patches Kareem Abdul Jabbar


#18 14/15 Flawless Patrick Ewing Dual Game Used Patch


#19 2016 Prime Signatures Auto Patch Ezekiel Elliott


#20 2016 Strata Signatures Ken Griffey Jr.


Overall Thoughts: Well...here we are with the inaugural top 20. Some quick facts, very basketball heavy with basketball occupying the 13 of the 20 spots and very MJ heavy with MJ being in 4 of those spots. Though football only owns 4 spots total, it takes 2 of the top 3 spots (including #1). The Brady is going to be a tough one to beat. It's going to take a budget breaking kind of card to knock it off the #1 spot..heck even the #2 spot (had I started this countdown back in July when I got the Kobe, it would've been the #1 card in my collection until I got the Brady in February) will be hard to beat. The Russ rookie is a card I haven't even showcased yet, as I having posted a mailday yet to show it off, but since he's my favorite player he shoots up to the top 5. The LeBron Chrome is a beauty and again, there's a good chance it stays top 5 for a long while. Baseball's only represented once in the top 10, but it's a Mike Trout on card auto/patch so it's not like that'll leave anytime soon. Kobe actually has 3 cards on the countdown, a rookie card, an auto, and a patch. Lebron's also on here 3 times, sharing a dual patch card with MJ. My Cowboys are represented by Zeke who's on here twice, with his Donruss Optic On Card Blue Holo Rookie and his Auto/Patch from Signatures. Timmy's Chrome is must have on this list as well, as well as old school good looking patches of Kareem and Patrick Ewing. Rounding out the top 20 this week is a pack pulled autograph of my favorite baseball player of all time, Ken Griffey Jr. It's not always about dollar value, as I left out some other cards that are worth more, I just absolutely love the card. How long will this list stick? We'll see, there will probably be weeks where the list is stagnant and looking at the cards on the list..it's going to take a really good card just to get to #20. Should be a fun ride to say the least!!