The Bison Travels Back In Time: Matt Kemp 2011 Topps Lineage 1975 Mini Relic

Matt Kemp is blowing up majorly this season, both on the field and in the hobby we all love. That being said, the relic, as has been noted just about everywhere on the blogosphere, has diminished in value. So when I was able to score this 2011 Topps Lineage 1975 Mini Relic for 75 cents, with just under three bucks to ship it my way, I didn't let it pass me by.

I really like these mini relics, from the color scheme to the picture of Matty they used. The cherry on top is the fact that my two favorite players both have a relic in the set, unlike with 2011 Allen & Ginter.

I also have to give Topps major kudos for including Matt's fantastically awesome nickname - The Bison - in their write-up on the back of my newest Kemp card. For anyone who has been reading this here blog for the past few months or longer, you know how much I like Matt's moniker. I like it so much that I bought this shirt last year.

I like it even more than that, having asked Matt on two separate occasions to inscribe the aforementioned nickname on a bobblehead and an 8x10.

There have been so many likes in this post that you just know one dislike has to creep up. The seller of the Kemp relic sent me the card sandwiched between two toploaders (thankfully, it was in a penny sleeve). The card ended up resembling a 2010 Topps Chrome card more than a 2011 Topps Lineage relic.

Though I've had good luck for the most part with sellers in the past when a card suffered damage of some kind, I really didn't feel like getting into it this time around, so I gave the guy or gal a pass and just mentioned the problem in the feedback I left them. The card will permanently reside in my collection, and it was cheap. The principle of the matter still holds sway, but sometimes these things just need to be let go, and you move on to your next card target.