Time to Rip

For months on end, I've debated whether to permanently keep or rip my 2019 Topps Allen & Ginter box loader rip card of Cubs superstar Kris Bryant, one of the coolest parts of my collection that, for whatever reason, I haven't shown on the blog before today.

Truth be told, I came across this rip card in a hobby box of '19 A&G that I brought back with me from the 2019 National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. I'd spent some time looking at the set overview on Cardboard Connection and was dying to pull either one of these or the autograph relic book cards.

Of course, the player on the rip card plays a huge role in deciding what to do with it. Mike Trout's have sold for upwards of $300 on eBay whereas guys like Clayton Kershaw have been around $120.

I, however, had no plans to sell the Bryant; I'd either keep it as a collector's item or rip it and reveal 3 mini cards inside, including the possibility of wood 1/1s and red ink autographs.

The back of the box topper explains all the possibilities that this rip card could entail. Of course, most of the breaks that I have seen have landed just 2 SSP minis in addition to the 1 guaranteed stained glass card.

However, with Bryant's as well as the Cubs' stock plummeting and his future in Chicago largely unknown, I came to the decision, after months of deliberation, that taking the gamble was my best bet.

If nothing else, I told myself, the stained glass card is something totally unique that could make it all worth it, since I truly don't have anything like it in my collection.

The checklist is very strong, featuring the 100 premier players out of the 300 spots, and while Max Scherzer wouldn't have been my first choice, he's probably the best pitcher I could've pulled.

I certainly wouldn't have wanted Cole or Verlander, and unfortunately for Clayton Kershaw, his poor postseason performances have made him less of what he used to be in the eyes of some collectors.

Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer are currently in a battle for the best pitcher in baseball, but with Scherzer having more experience and Cy Young awards under his belt, I'd give him the nod for now.

While the stained glass mini was to be expected, I had no clue what the rest of the rip card would entail. Virtually every break that I've seen has delivered 2 SSP minis, and I was hoping for something a little more special out of mine.

Unfortunately, 2 SSP minis are exactly what I ended up with, but at least I got 2 big name Hall of Famers out of it. Sandy Koufax and Ryne Sandberg, despite being vastly different, are 2 pretty terrific names.

I'm not sure what these are currently going for online, but even though I didn't have the greatest luck by any means, I don't regret my decision to rip the box topper. Kris Bryant's future is widely uncertain whereas these 3 players' legacy, even with Scherzer still playing, is more set in stone.