Well, this is special...my first trade post at RGB Cards. I haven't quite decided how I'm going to handle trade posts - will I go with what seems to be the "industry standard" and create posts for each trade, or will I go the Thorzul route and create a special section for trade posts? If you see another tab pop up at the top of the blog marked "trades" you'll know I've reached a decision. Regardless, I do believe that anyone who is kind enough to help someone out with their collecting goals should be publicly recognised, and I will do that on the blog.

Anyway, back to Chris...I participated in one of his group breaks last month (he was kind enough to let me in after it had already started), and he sent me the cards for that. Not a trade, I know (unless you count trading cash for cards), but in our conversation, I mentioned that I had some 2010 Topps insert cards he could use. And, in turn, Chris was kind enough to send along some 2009 Series 2 base cards that I needed. Those have now been placed in the appropriate place in the binder, and I am now at 87% completion for that set. So thanks, Chris!

Here are some of the more exciting or colorful cards in the package:

Having seen this Frank Thomas Starquest when it was posted on the group break, I have to say the scan doesn't do it justice. I love the blue metallic look up close, and it's got me thinking about getting my hands on some more.


Another Frank Thomas insert, this Yard Work card has a bronzey-copperish bar going down the right side. It commemorates The Big Hurt owning the Sox all-time home run mark. At the time of the card, he was sitting on 286 and had the record for two seasons. He finished his time with the Sox in 2005 having blasted 448.

Between these two cards and the others I got in my pack, I'm almost considering starting a Frank Thomas PC. Nonetheless, his pages will certainly have pride of place in my White Sox binder (whenever I get that).


After a few short months "back in the biz" I've entered a couple group breaks to help build up my collections. And I can't explain it, but I've had some great luck with hits. Oh, okay, I'll come clean. I've entered four breaks, and I've gone 4-for-4. Even the Nachos Grande break that is going on now, I've already pulled a Bret Boone relic card. Now that I've blabbed this, I'll probably hit a massive dry spell, but the streak's got to end some time, right?

Anyway, this Canseco relic was my hit for this break, and it came towards the end. Now, I have to say, well, I don't think too highly of Jose Canseco, let's leave it at that. And this was before all the stuff he did after he retire. I've never really warmed up to him. The Bash Brothers were like Coke and Pepsi, Blur and Oasis, PC or Mac. You were either a Canseco guy, or a McGwire guy. One or the other. And I have always been a McGwire guy. So here's a McGwire card.


You can tell this Starquest card was from 1998 because it has McGwire in an A's uniform on the front and a Cardinals uni on the back. It also makes mention of his 363 homers with Oakland, good enough for the franchise lead. So that's two franchise home run kings in one post.


Chris also tossed in a couple of random 2008 A's cards (Scutaro and Shannon Stewart). I mention this for one reason - up until I got these cards, my only exposure to '08 Topps was scans on people's blogs. It didn't really get me excited about the set. But you know what? In person, they look a lot sharper. I think this is another set I might have to start chasing (maybe when I'm finished with '09). So Chris, my wife and my bank account hate thank you.

Finally, one last card. It's technically just a base card, from the 2005 Upper Deck Classics set, but...


OMG IT'S LUIS APARICIO!!!11!!!!@!@!!!Q!!!W!!!!

My first Little Louie base card. Only it's from 32 years after he retired. Nonetheless, it's going in my Luis page, along with some random Topps insert cards.

Thanks again, Chris!