New Team Collection Additions Part #2: Card Show Recap #3

In yesterday's post recapping my most recent card show trip, I stated that I stumbled upon the Red Sox inserts for my team sets after the 10 cent cards. Despite the prices being more than any other team because the show is 20 minutes away from Boston I still decided to take a look.

The first card, however, isn't an insert, nor is it a card from a set I collect. It's not even of a player I collect. This is Bryce Brentz's 2010 1st Bowman card which I felt obligated to get. Brentz hit 31 home runs in Triple-A Pawtucket this year and his bat is something the Red Sox need. However, for some frankly idiotic reason, he was not called up to the major leagues. Brentz is a free agent after this year and I doubt he wants to return to a team that doesn't let him play. I don't blame him and I wish him all the best wherever he ends up.

The next pile had these 2016 Allen & Ginter Number's Game cards for just 50 cents each. The Red Sox had a lot of these inserts last year and I was instantly a fan. It's such a creative thing that has never really been done before. Especially when you look at the backs.

The backs don't just include all-time greats to wear that number, but also players from that team to wear that number. I appreciate that inclusion as it allows me to become more knowledgeable about the Red Sox. 

After acquiring cards from perhaps the most interesting insert set of 2016 I turned my attention to the blandest insert set of 2016.

This Baseball Legends insert set is an idea that has been used hundreds of times by every single card company. The design really has to be fantastic for me to be intrigued and it's just subpar. I do appreciate Williams being included, for he's not in many sets. I just think it's pretty boring.

But that didn't stop me from getting more cards of Yaz and Ted.

The Power Alley insert set from 2016 Gypsy Queen featured a nicely designed border with a great photo of the player included with that player's career home run total featured in the middle of the card. This, like the Number's Game, is a unique insert set that really stands out among lots of other cards produced in the last few years.

This 2014 Gypsy Queen short print is the card I paid the most for on Sunday. It went for $3 which I thought was reasonable considering the fact that it's a short print of a Red Sox legend from a mid-end set. I haven't made a checklist for this set yet, but since I got this card I can tell it's only a matter of time.

With $5 left I turned my attention to what the best possible cards I could get for that money would be, and I was pleased with what I decided on.

Andrew Benintendi is a player who just keeps finding a way to improve as the season progresses, therefore, the price of his cards have been steadily going up. His 2017 Topps rookie card was available for a very reasonable $2. The design and picture are nothing spectacular, but overall it's a nice card.

But that card couldn't compare to his Gypsy Queen rookie. This card went for just a bit more ($3) and was worth every penny. The picture improved as did the set design and even the rookie card symbol is different. It's more purple than usual which is kind of strange. Still, with Benintendi improving at the rate he is I thought it was smart to pick up these 2 rookie cards before they became too expensive or scarce.