Card of the Day - 2005 Bowman Chrome : Matt Kemp Base Blue Refractor Autograph Parallel BGS Graded 9.5 Gem Mint ( 108 / 150 )

I did not expect to win this card but I am happy that my very low bid was the high one for the auction. I already had this card in its refractor version as seen HERE but I always wanted to acquire the blue refractor version. I finally have.

Back in 2011 after getting my hands on the base refractor I set my sights on the blue version but then Kemp went and had his MVP caliber season and this card shot up in price and sometimes touching anywhere between $850 and higher. No way I was going to pay that amount. Even the ungraded versions where going for north of $500. Then 2012 and 2013 happened. Since I didn't spend that much on the base refractor it still can and did turn a profit. Well I saw this copy up on eBay and as always put it on my watch list and checked on it daily. Last day arrived and it was still at a very low price. Decided to put in a bid that was very low compared to sold copies of the same card that had closed in the previous two months. My bid made me the high bidder but I didn't think nothing of it and expected to be overbid at the end. 10 minutes left and I was still atop the heap. Auction closed and I had won the card that I have wanted for the past 3+ years at a very low price. I put my graded base refractor on eBay and sold it to cover 2/3 the cost for the blue one and paid the remaining balance from my auctions.

I always like to go over my journey when I upgrade my cards and this is another. I "bought" a "raw" refractor when the market was low and turned it into a BGS graded 9.5 and then sold it and acquired a blue graded one also at the low point in the market. It's all about timing and I fortunately was at the right place at the right time both times. Now if I can ever get my hands on a blue refractor of Kershaw's rookie card from Bowman Chrome that would be the cherry on top.

Base refractor is nice but blue is great

Mmm.... Gem minty

108 of only 150 from Topps

1 of only 6 BGS blue 9.5 in the world