Thanks for checking out my first Bustin' Wax blog entry. As Joe Clemens has pointed out in an earlier blog, our intention is to provide the reader with immediate feedback on new sports card releases, ranging from our personal opinions regarding the product, product notes, collation reports and any other information that is useful for the collector interested in new releases.

I've been a sports card collector since my cousin gave me a 1978 Topps Roger Staubach when I was in fourth grade. Since then, I have collected mostly baseball and football cards. I've dabbled in some basketball card and NASCAR card collecting also. My collecting habits have changed throughout the years, but once it is in your blood, it's hard to stop collecting.

We welcome all feedback and any suggestions that can help collectors, because that's what we're here for.


Donruss Threads Football

• 4 packs - 5 cards per pack
• Rookie cards numbered to 999 - Aaron Rouse and Eric Wright
• Autographed Rookie card numbered to 999 - Rhema McKnight
• Bronze Century Proof numbered to 250 - Jake Delhomme and Eric Weddle
• Gold Century Proof numbered to to 50 - Drew Brees
• Gridiron Kings - Zach Miller, Chester Taylor, DeMeco Ryans and Tony Scheffler
• Gridiron Kings Materials numbered to 250 - Vernon Davis
• Dynasty - one card featuring Alex Smith, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis
• Dynasty Materials numberd to 250 - one card featuring Byron Leftwich, Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew
• Century Stars - Marvin Harrison and Warrick Dunn
• Generations - Michael Irvin/Marvin Harrison and Randall Cunningham/Vince Young
• Century Legends - Jim Kelly
• Century Collection Materials numbered to 250 - Roger Staubach

2007 Topps Allen & Ginter Box Break

Box 1

• National Pride Cabinet box topper - South Korea
• Relics - Manny Ramirez bat, Scott Rolen jersey
• One Alex Rodriguez Road to 500
• 24 Mini Parallels
• 24 Dick Perez Sketch inserts
  

Box 2

• National Pride Cabinet box topper - United States
• Relics - Dontrelle Willis jersey, Paul LoDuca jersey
• Autographs- Ted Toles
• 24 Mini Parallels
• 24 Dick Perez Sketch inserts

Our first box produced two Relics and no autographs. We received two black border Mini Parallels and four Allen & Ginter back minis along with 18 regular minis.

The second box was a bit better with three hits. We pulled two Relics and one Ted Toles Autograph. The Mini Parallels fell exactly like the first box with two black border, four Allen & Ginter back and 18 regular minis. Each box also produced 24 of the one per pack Dick Perez Sketch inserts. We didn't pull any rare inserts or parallels out of either box.

Overall, this product is very similar to last year's successful debut release. The Autograph checklist is what sets it apart from your typical sports product as stars from boxing, racing, track, soccer, wrestling, as well as historical figures are all featured. Its not often a collector can pull  Dwight Eisenhower and Mark Twain in a pack along with your standard baseball stars. The unique nature of this product is definitely part of the appeal to collectors looking for something different. As a whole our staff felt too much space was devoted to the white border and could've devoted more space to the featured image. That may be nitpicking and overall this product is a refreshing change. 

 
Topps has announced there are several extremely short printed autograph and relic cards in 2007 Allen & Ginter Baseball.
 
The following short print autograph subjects and quantities are as follows:
 
Albert Pujols 25
Johan Santana 100
Jim Thome 100
Brian Cashman 100
Miguel Cabrera 100
Ryan Howard 100   
Joe Frazier 120
Augie Garrido 200
Cael Sanderson 200
Bob Baffert 200
Chien-Ming Wang 200
Dan O'Brien 200
Dennis Rodman 200
Freddy Adu 200
Gary Hall Jr. 200
Greg Louganis 200
Jamie Fischer 200
Jason McElwain 200
Joe B. Scott 200
John "Mule" Miles 200
Julio Juarez 200
Ken Jennings 200
Kerri Walsh 200
Laila Ali 200
Mario Andretti 200
Mark Selby 200
Mark Zupan 200
Mia Hamm 200
Mike Aponte 200
Misty May-Treanor 200
Stanley "Doc" Glenn 200
Ted Toles 200
Tommie Smith 200
David Wright 200
Alex Rodriguez 225
 
In addition, every autograph subject signed 10 copies of their total run in RED INK.
 
RED INK versions of Thome, Cashman, Howard, Frazier, O’Brien, Adu, McElwain, Scott, Jennings, Walsh, Aponte, Glenn, Smith, Hamels, Kendrick, Ervin Santana, Izturis and Napoli can be found EXCLUSIVELY IN RIP CARDS.
 
And the RELIC SHORT PRINTS include:
 
Arthur Shorin / Unannounced 50
Keith Olbermann / Unannounced 100
Alex Rodriguez 250
Barry Bonds 250
Brian Cashman 250
Bruce Lee 250
Dan O'Brien 250
David Ortiz 250
Gary Hall Jr. 250
Jamie Fischer 250
Joe Frazier 250
Julio Juarez 250
Ken Jennings 250
Kerri Walsh 250
Laila Ali 250
Mia Hamm 250
Mickey Mantle 250
Tommie Smith 250