Christmas came early on the mail

Lots of surprises!

So Bob at The Five Tool Collector sent me a great package full of surprises. Very good surprises!

Since I started this blog I've read in many other blogs that there are a great way of living this hobby.

Trading!

There is a little downside to me because almost everyone I follow the blog is from USA. International shipping can be a sad thing for your economies.

But there are some people that makes you want overcome that little stone on your shoe.

Bob's blogs are on my list almost since the beginning and since I found out he had Portuguese family that made it for me to choose the first person to whom I'd send some cards.

I decided to present him with a little of what we have here that are mainly stickers. And I also got him some O's cards and other extras.

It was not the idea of getting a pack in return that made me send him one. But it was very cool to know that he was sending me, a week ago, a small package too.

I thought it was small. But it turned out to be full of great additions to my collection.

Lets see what he got me.

Sliding stars and Dust stars

These are for my Dust-Is-In-The-Air collection.

But they are also special because they are the first Gypsy Queen cards that I ever had!

I know many people don't like them because they tend to be a bit grotesque sometimes but I must say that I find them quite nice in person!

And when there is a sliding play there is dust.

Old time players, Dust and PC

Here three old time Orioles stars.

Two 2012 Topps Archives reprints of Brooks Robinson and Eddie Murray and an other Brooks Robinson from the 2006 Topps Rookie of the Week.

These cards is to learn more about great old players that Bob said I have to know about.

The other 5 cards are for my Players Collection.

One Paul Molitor 2011 Topps 60 Years of Topps inert set. He looks gorgeous!

Two Nick Markakis. One with beard and other without. It's for me to choose how I like better.

Then one Matt "Perfect Game" Cain and one Ryan Zimmerman.

The 2010 Bowman cards are also a first to me.

Almost all cards Bob sent me are from sets I've never seen in person. Or even on someone else blog.

Lots and lots to learn in the hobby.

More dust and PC!

Next two more dusty cards. The Crawford one is from this year Series One release and I've wanted it since I first saw it.

Ryan Zimmerman card is from 2007 Topps Flashback Fridays. It looks like those pop-up cards we had in kids that you would play with.

My first 2013 Heritage card is Joey Votto. He doesn't have that eyeliner I saw other players had for this set.

I'm liking Bowman cards more and more.

Two more Markakis cards. Even if the signature is not real it looks so good in gold that I truly don't mind!

Cole Hamels batting!? That's a bonus! And you get to see his face which in some cards is almost impossible because of the angle they took the photo.

Madison Bumgarner featuring his rabbit teeth. He wants to bite you at every pitch.

Dust and tongue. You have to love it!

Now for the landscape cards. Which look great in my binders because they are landscape oriented.

Lots of dusty clouds. Vizquel card features old time dust. Back in '95 they still had it.

The Gordan Beckham has an extra: tongue. And in my notebook, tongue is love!

Allen & Ginter's is probably my favourite set. And in this What's in a Name insert card I've learn that Cole Hamels' Cole came from Colbert.That's quite an imposing name.

Numbered party.

And Bob paid true attention to my PC collection.

Four Hunter Pence cards!

2011 Topps Lineage cards are great looking. Did Topps decided to not release that set anymore? It's a shame...

The Upper Deck 2007 Future Stars is numbered 88/500. That is cool because Hunter's number is 8.
The other serial number is from this year set and it's numbered 1895/2013. Even Hunter's eyes are popping out!

Other numbered card and PC card is Matt Cain blue bordered 2012 Bowman card. It's numbered 156/500. Workhorse is an expression that I particularly like.

But if it wasn't enough an other Cain's numbered card. This time a 2009 Topps Triple Threads numbered 261/525. The card is quite thick! I like to have cards like that without them being relic cards.

To finalize this bunch of cards two vintage players. The gold glove Will Clarck and yet an other numbered card this time for Paul Molitor numbered 832/999.

More numbered and draw.

Continuing with Paul Molitor and numbered cards a Tools of Trade card numbered 232/250. This is a great card to have through a trade!

Last year Gold Standard card features the feat of reaching 3K hits club.

2006 SP draw of Matt Cain looks great showing on the back his first MLB year stats. And that cap should be used by Giants more often.

Christmas in town.

This Paul Molitor card makes me think of Christmas! I think I'll hang it on my Christmas Tree this year. It is also numbered 1487/2299.

Other two Markakis that look awesome in person. Believe me! The shinny one on the right is a 2009 Topps Chrome XFractor. I have the base card and this is truly an upgrade.

The one on the center is one of my favourites that Bob sent my way. It's a 2008 Topps Chrome T205 insert card. I loved the T206 Topps released these past years but this is even better!

Great looking PC and dust.

Kurt Suzuki and Craig Biggio are two more cards for the dust collection.

And talking about T206 heres Markakis base card for the 2010 set and also his 2010 Bowman card.

Topps 2010 Heritage look so good! Couldn't they learn from the best years!? Two more Hunter Pence cards and sorry Giants but I've always preferred him with the Astros uniform. Maybe is just the colour...

Zimmerman Bowman card makes me think he's running the bases after hitting an homer.

An other Paul Molitor from the 2011 Topps 60YOT insert set.

Pee Wee Dust and Flamingo poses

Right next to the Markakis favourite is this Pee Wee Reese dusty card. It makes me stay looking at it without remember the time passing.

Chris Hoiles is tagging some Braves' player whom trying to slide is getting more dust in the air. Put him out in a cloud of dust. It's poetic.

Two more Paul Molitor being the one on the left with the same photo from the 60YOT I showed before but this is from the Archives reprint set.

Make the Flamingo pose Mark!

Two Mark Teixeira!

I got a doubt looking at the photo...he is trying to get under the ball to catch it or is impersonating a Flamingo!?

Eating dust

Almost ending the post more horizontal beauties.

The 1996 Pinnacle Will Clack card is all shinny and refractoring. Is one beauty in person.

Joey Votto playing first with a giant behind him!

And more four dusty cards extravaganza.

Three of them from my favourite Upper Deck set: Collector's Choice.

Luis Gonzalez is almost eating dust! And to add to it it's one of those silver signature parallel cards.

Making sand castles

Teixeira Walk-Off card was on my wantlist for last year insert sets. I really wish Teixeira would get back to health and hitting like before. He still is a great defense player at 1B but is getting difficult to see him batting.

Ken Caminiti dusty card is my favourite. Why!? Look closely and you'll see that besides getting the dust in the air he seems to be making a sand castle. How cute!

Packs surprise!

And if the cards I showed were not enough Bob also presented me with three hobby(!!!) 2013 Heritage packs.

The results of the packs I'll show you all in a future post.

Right now I'm still savouring the cards and very happy with my first trade.