Trade With Things are Funner Here.: Jay Bruce + Contest Winnings (Mega-Mojo Blaster Hits)

I traded for the second time with Julie from Things are Funner Here. Julie sent me this sweet Jay Bruce black bordered mini SP from 2009 Goodwin Champions, as well as a pair of 2010 Ginters I needed and some other assorted goodness.

Gypsy Queen back

In addition to the trade, Julie also sent me my contest winnings, which consisted of a 2011 Topps Rack Pack and a $50 giftcard (or gift code, more specifically) from CSN Stores. I ended up using the code to purchase three blasters; the code covered just about all of my purchase, which ended up being $53 and change. An aside: Gregs owned that contest, as Night Owl placed second.

I was tempted to buy a box as opposed to blasters, but the only product within my price range was a box of 2009 Upper Deck Icons, and while I really like UD Icons and might one day put the base set together, there were two problems. First, a box of Icons only guarantees one hit, and states it's a swatch of something as opposed to an auto. More importantly, CSN was out of stock of Icons boxes. So I went with the three blasters, two of which guaranteed a relic. Here's what the rack pack and blasters yielded.

2011 Topps Rack Pack:

Strasburg (my first Strasburg card), and the one without the Rookie Cup. Borrowing scans is fun.

Jay Bruce blinged-out shiny thing (I'm so lazy I'm borrowing a cut-off scan).

Hunter Pence Kimball Mini

1 Diamond Giveaway, and I pulled one Dodger, Andre Ethier.

Blaster # 1: 2007 Topps Series 1. 10 packs plus one bonus 3-card hot pack. 6 cards per pack.

A new Utley, and a pair of cool looking cards of two greats in A-Rod and Josh Gibson. The three card-hot pack contained the Pujols, Pudge, and Delgado cards. There were also a handful of cards I'll be sending along in trades I'm working on.

Blaster # 2: 2008 Upper Deck Series 1. 10 packs. 8 cards per pack. (1 guaranteed relic)

Piazza kindly greeted me upon opening the box. A new Russ Martin and Chad Billingsley decided to join the party as well. Russ has nary a poor picture on any of his cards. Great shots of Bills and Piazza as well.

The Koshansky is numbered out of 99 (and headed to Johnny; the top left corner is clean, bad picture makes it appear otherwise), while the Pujols has some foil missing in spots, the Sizemore is a rare blue parallel, and the Wright is one I did not have.

The promised hit:

More cards to send along to trade partners as well.

Blaster # 3: 2008 Topps Series 2. 10 packs. 8 cards per pack. (1 guaranteed relic)

A new Braun, a golden and #'d Homer Bailey, and a pair of cool looking inserts of A-Rod and Jake Peavy. More cards to include in deals.

And now, the guaranteed mojo:

If we can't specially protect the Livan Hernandez relics of the world, what can we protect? Topps tells me this is game-worn. Not any specific game, mind you, but game-worn.

Thanks for the trade and holding the contest Julie, I really appreciate everything! I'm still putting together your package, I hope to mail it this weekend.

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And now to something entirely (only slightly, really) different. I've been mulling over a contest of my own. I wouldn't hold it until my Spring Break rolls around at the earliest, and even then, I may hold off on it until an even later date. Regardless, it'll definitely happen after I hit 50 followers. I'm at 48. Not that I'm counting or anything.

:o