Sure, I'll take some Tino RCs

I've exchanged a few emails about cards with a collector named Alex who happened to stumble on my blog. I know I'm probably not very skilled at search engine optimization, so he must've been deep into the internet to find this little corner.

In our conversations, Alex has shown to be an expert in minor league cards, having collected those sets for over 30 years. He even gave me a few pointers on some Tino Martinez minor league cards.

Speaking of Tino, Alex was kind enough to send me a package of Tinos he had laying around. While neither are new to my collection, I'm never one to say no, especially when one of them is Tino's 1988 Topps Traded USA RC.

I guess in 2018 this wouldn't really be considered his RC, but I always will look at it this way.

Alex also threw in some 1990 Upper Deck rookies as well.

Thanks, Alex!

And I said, what about Breakfast at Tiffany's?

One of the first Tino Martinez cards I ever bought in 1996 was his 1988 Topps Traded RC. I got one of those of mailings that had a list of cards for sale, then I had to write back and ask for the complete list of each player. I think you could ask for three lists without having to pay for shipping, so I selected Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, and Tino.

I probably bought 10 Tinos for a couple of bucks, and definitely his RC. I can be certain the only other card I remember was his 1996 Topps Laser issue. Since then, I've amassed a bunch of this same Traded RC, however, I've never had the fortune of owning the glossy Tiffany parallel. Until now.

While surfing eBay, I found a list of 65 Tino cards for $.99 plus $3 shipping. I usually stay away from those lots because they are nearly all dupes. If there are a handful I need, I'll buy, but that's rare. But this one was rare. It contained one of the Tiffany RCs. The card usually goes for a few bucks on its own, but I was able to land the whole lot for the minimum bid.

Boom! It looks...just like the non-Tiffany versions, but there's definitely a lot more gloss to the front of the card. You can't tell from the scan and just need to take my word for it.

The lot was mostly dupes as predicted, although I think I did add three or four new Tinos from it. However, the most important was this gray whale (h/t Zippy Zappy).

JBF Epic Boxes: Packs 9-10

Two more of SIXTEEN total team bags that Jaybarkerfan sent me in his epic flat rate boxes full of Yanks. We are now on to box #2!

Here is how Pack 9 unfolded:

First up, another Mattingly oddball. I love his follow through on the swing. These KMart cards were always a favorite growing up. I feel like they came in a small box, like a deck of cards would. Can anyone confirm that?

A pair of Jeters I didn't have, nor had I seen. These were from my non-collecting years, so I appreciate the enlightenment.

And the card of the pack? It was tough choosing this, but I liked the cloth stickers a lot from 2012 Archives. I had actually traded this one away to someone who needed it, so the card karma gods hooked me back up.

Total cards in pack: 43
Running total: 308

Pack 10

Spoiler alert! Packs with a relic may contain less cards!

But first, this should be called the Topps Traded pack. There were near team sets of both 1986 and 1989 Topps Traded. From '86, all that was missing was Lou Piniella. From '89, two cards were missing: Bye Bye Balboni and Leon Sandcastle. Question - why were the backs of Topps Traded cards always lighter in color? To differentiate?

Next, a few cards from one of my all-time favorite sets (no joke): Tristar Projections. I love the look of the set. The scan doesn't do it justice, but the white is stunning. I love getting these cards signed too. They look awesome. Almonte is currently helping the Yanks as a 5th OFer.

Ugly Tino alert!!!! Circa!!! AHHHH!

Ok, for as bad as Circa was, Upper Deck SP was usually pretty classy. This Paul O'Neill is no different.

Here's the relic! It's also the card of the pack. Why? Simple! It's a Tino relic I didn't have. This one is super cool. It's from 2003 Stadium Club, and I love how the bat is shaped like the state of Florida, where Tino was born. Very, very cool card, and not just because it's one I needed! I appreciate when companies try to back a relic an odd shape. Helps make it more interesting.

Total cards in pack: 38
Running total: 346