2009 Topps Card Show Blaster Break

I like Blasters, but I prefer Hobby packs to Retail.

Since Blasters are basically retail only, I decided to build my own Hobby Blaster.

I did this by going to a recent card show and getting the best deal on hobby packs that I could find and buying $20 worth of them - which is basically the cost of a blaster. I found a guy selling packs at 3 for $5 and picked up 12 of them here are the results:

Phungo 2009 Topps Hobby Blaster

97 Base Cards = 97/330 = 29% no duplicates, 2 Phillies #73 Victorino, #299 PSH Hamels WS MVP

1 WBC Redemption #6 1 Relic CBR-RG - Ryan Garko ("The Relic contained on this card is not from any specific game event or season")
1 Black Parallel #234 John Russell (28/58) this card is a duplicate of one of the base cards I recieved.

1 Turkey Red #TR41 Cole Hamels
3 Ring of Honor (17 Sheffield, 21 JohnnyPodres, 23 Mariano Rivera)
2 Legends of the Game (2 Honus Wagner, 15 Pee Wee Reese)

10 ToppsTown Silver (1,2,3,4,5,8,11,16,20,21) 1 duplicate (20 Berkman)
1 Topps Town Gold (24 Jay Bruce)

3 Topps Attax
1 David Wright Stay in School

That breaks down to 97 base, 20 inserts, 1 insert dupe. I am not at all sure of what the composition of a Blaster is for 2009, and the outcome of this faux blaster versus a real blaster is likely a bit better. I suppose the Relic and the Black Border are both considered premium hits and depending on the outcome of the WBC redemption it is hopefully a bonus hit.

I would have liked to have gotten a few more Phils in the 12 packs. Generally I like the look of the base cards and the photography is much improved over 2008.

Here are a couple of the Phillies related cards.


#299 Cole Hamels Post Season Highlights
#TR41 Turkey Red Cole Hamels
#6 Raul Ibanez

I was at the "Decisive Game Five" of the 2008 World Series mentioned on the back of the first Cole Hamels card. Yes, Victorino was the only regular Phils card I got in the 12 packs but the Turkey Red Hamels sort of makes up for it. Ibanez is the Phils big off-season pickup. I suspect this photo was taken at a Mariners Yankees weekend series in early May of 2008, as I have spotted several photos of the Mariners at Yankee Stadium in recent Topps sets.

Here are some of the other inserts.

CBR-RG Ryan Garko Relic
RH21 Ring of Honor Johnny Podres
#234 Black Parallel #28/58 John Russell

Thing I am happiest about in 2009 Topps - Improved photography. I am not sure I love the design on the face of the cards, but I think they make a better use of the real estate then the 08 Cards.

My biggest complaint about this years cards in general is the tiny tiny card numbers. The Black on Blue is virtual unreadable, as with teams like the Mariners and the Ibanez card.