Night Owl Cards

We are living in that no-man's land between last year's cards and the first Topps release of the 2017 season. There are two full weeks left in new cardboard purgatory. I'm eager to put 2016 and its cards behind, but when you can't get your hands on 2017 cards yet, there is nothing more new than cards from 2016. Plus I need to clear out some cards from the scanned folder. So here is one last look back on cards I scanned in 2016 but didn't feel like showing you when it would have been more appropriate. I believe this card came from Cards On Cards . It's a numbered item from 2016 Chrome. I think I didn't show this because I was so devastated by the fact that blue chrome cards used to be my all-time favorite "fancy" cards back when THERE WERE BORDERS. This card makes me sad. But it's too rare not to show, so here you go, after the fact. I pulled this card out of the only Bowman pack purchase I made last year. I admit I was st...

You're all posting your 2017 collecting goals, I'm looking backward. That's pretty typical behavior here at NOC. As you know, I don't make any kind of new year card goals that I record and check off. That kind of goal-setting behavior is for real life. Card collecting gets me away from real life. One of the best vacations from real life is the week between Christmas and New Year's. I'm not one of those fortunate folks who gets to skip out of work during that time, but there are enough festivities taking place then that it takes the edge off. Last week, my wife visited her sister and came back with Christmas presents. My presents contained what you see above. I got to open packs on New Year's Eve! Just in case you don't know what you're looking at, that's a blaster of 2016 Chrome and two hanger packs, one of Chrome and one of Allen & Ginter. My sister-in-law is at it again. She didn't have the midas touch this time that she usua...

(NOTE: Since this was posted, my flagship and Update wants have been virtually erased, and Archives wants dented, please consult the main want list if you're feeling generous). One of the more aggravating parts of collecting annually is the end of the year. Every November or December, I look back on my want lists and notice all of the set and team needs still sitting there from the past 10-12 months. Sometimes, when I want to really irritate myself, I look back on the previous years -- wants from 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 -- and shake my head at all of the items sitting untouched, for years now. I have told myself repeatedly that with the next online order, I am going to tackle that particular year's wants so I don't have to look at them taunting me anymore. And then I don't do it. There's always something more enjoyable out there than a recent Topps Opening Day Dodger need. So 2016 is no different than the previous years that are already part of the g...

I was in the card aisle late last night -- yeah, I know, big surprise -- and found myself face-to-face with a blaster of 2016 Topps Chrome. Kenta Maeda was staring me down from the front of the box. I barely blinked and turned my attention to some Heritage High Numbers, selected my purchases and headed for the register. Poor Chrome, ditched again. I have chronicled my slow separation from Chrome over the years. What was once a shiny obsession back in 2008 and 2009 transformed into a occasional dalliance, then a guilty pleasure, then ... well, I don't know where we are now. But I think we're breaking up. All you have to do is look at how many times I've addressed Chrome over the years on this blog: 2008 Chrome: 9 times 2009: 14 2010: 17 2011: 8 2012: 5 2013: 7 2014: 5 2015: 3 2016: 3 That's a steady slope headed for divorce. So what are the reasons for that? Let's pretend Chrome and I are in counseling and the Chrome Counselor is trying to figu...