September 2016 BGS Submission Result Number FORTY-TWO - 2015 Topps Strata Clayton Kershaw Base Clearly Authentic Relic Autograph Black Parallel (36/50) Now BGS Graded Gem Mint 9.5

2015 Topps Strata Clayton Kershaw Autograph Black Parallel (36/50)

Another redemption card from Topps with another minimal issue and just like the other Kershaw autograph the corners are the suspect condition wise. 

This is a thick card so corners are always subject to an issue or two and this one is no different but in the end I think it still holds at an overall 9 grade from Beckett as the damage is only really seen under the loop.

Call me happily surprised at this card's return. I have noticed that a lot of these Stratas whether mine that I have submitted before or ones I see that other people own have had quality issues. With the cards being thick corners are always an issue but the biggest problem I have seen has been the surfaces. My 2 other Stratas I have submitted both came back from BGS with 9's attached to them because of the surface category. Well this card is no different as surface received a 9 BUT unlike the other 2 there were no other issues and this card earned an overall 9.5 grade. And yet another gem mint autograph of Kershaw from this batch. Keep them coming.

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

-Penguin

Card of the Day - 2015 Topps Strata : Clayton Kershaw Clearly Authentic Relic Autograph Black Parallel (48/50) BGS Graded Mint 9.0

$33...
$33...?
$33 really?

I might be harping on it or possibly overselling the low price but that is what I paid for this certified mint copy Kershaw autograph. In my eyes when you can acquire an on card autograph of the best pitcher in baseball for this amount you do it every single time you have a chance.

I don't know if people were scared off because it is just a 9 with no chance at a gem mint 9.5 but when I put my token bid in at the last second and won it a few moments later I couldn't believe it. I say token because I already have a black parallel just like this one which is at Beckett now getting graded. I didn't really need two of the same but there were 2 reasons why I placed my bid. 1, if I was to win it I would then own a blue jersey relic (this one) and a red jersey relic (the one at Beckett) which means there is enough difference that it wouldn't bother me. If they were both just plain ole white swatches I would have sold off the ungraded one. Secondly my bid was really really low (just a tad over the $33 winning price) and like I said if you can win a Kershaw autograph for a low price you do it.

I did not expect to win this card but obviously I'm glad I did. I think people were asleep at the wheel on this one or maybe there just isn't that much love for the Strata brand but that is fine with me as I scored a deal and up my Kershaw autograph collection by one on my way to my eventual 100 goal.

When 9 is fine

Ten everyday

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

-Penguin

BGS Submission Result Number SIXTEEN - 2015 Topps Strata : Sandy Koufax Base Autograph Black Parallel (26/50) Now BGS Graded Mint 9.0

2015 Topps Strata Sandy Koufax Black Autograph (26/50)

This is my 3rd Koufax autograph in my collection and the first that I am afraid might actually earn 9. I was lucky enough to pick up a Topps Five star in raw form and submitted it to BGS and it came back with a 9.5. Nice! I then picked up an already graded gem mint of Koufax from Topps Finest and thought I was nearing my cap on Koufax autos as they are pricey to come by. Well I ended up with one on hell of a deal and hoped to add it as my 3rd 9.5 Koufax auto but depending on one sub grade that streak may or may not end.

With the naked eye everything looks fine but under closer inspection on the back side of this card one of the edges has an issue. Enough to knock its sub grade to an 8.5? If so then this card has no chance at a gold banner but if somehow it can hold the line at a 9 then I could claim my 3rd gem as I do not see anything else wrong with this card. Hoping for a 9.5 but expecting a 9.

The streak comes to a close.

I have never owned a non 9.5 autograph of Koufax until this one but even with the "disappointing" return here there is no way I am unloading the card as it is still a great piece for my collection. You know you have it good when a 9 is the worst one in your collection.

I knew going in that the corners/surface would be an issue and I expected an 8.5 on at least one of those subs and surface was the lucky recipient of an 8.5. Corners didn't do too much better but at least they earned a 9. All said though I am satisfied with this card the way it is and glad that I own it.

The all important 10 on autograph

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

-Penguin

BGS Submission Result Number ELEVEN - 2015 Topps Strata : Clayton Kershaw Base Autograph Black Parallel (42/50) Now BGS Graded Mint 9.0

2015 Topps Strata Clayton Kershaw Black Autograph (42/50)

Still a handful more Kershaw autographs in the batch and from here on out I expect aka hope they all come back with a minimum of a 9.5

I have not seen a single Strata Kershaw graded yet so I hope when this comes back it is the 1st gem mint one as well. Unlike the Strata Koufax this one does not have an edge issue or any other issue for that matter that I can see. Corners sharp, edges clean with a non smudge auto.  

Guess the most "disappointing" part of this whole batch is the numerous Kershaw autographs that have come back as "just" mint and with that said here is another one to add to that pile.

Unlike the Koufax Strata which I knew had a slight issue I thought that this Kershaw would gem and it was ever so close. As I said in the above paragraph, edges, and corners were good and the autograph was perfect. The only thing that came back as a surprise was the surface grade which clocked in as an 8.5. With that return this card becomes the 1st of the batch that I might try to get a bump as the other 3 subs are indeed 9.5's so if I can get that 8.5 to a 9 then the card moves from silver banner to gold which would be nice.

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

-Penguin 

Card of the Day - 2015 Topps Strata : Clayton Kershaw Clearly Authentic Relic Autograph Black Parallel (36/50)

Last week I posted about the redemption card for this card and when I published said post I found out that it was inbound to me and I would have it shortly. Since I just did the 1st post there was no reason to put the actual card in the back of the que so here is the beauty.

I had hoped I would receive at least a 3 color patch but I won't complain as I am not really a relic guy but since this product was sold with the promise of authenticated relics I was very curious to what game my relic would come back from. My fantasy was it would be from his no hitter game in 2014 but I knew I wouldn't be that lucky but the game it did come from was a great game in itself.

Thirty-Six

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On June 6th, 2015 the Dodgers were hosting their playoff archenemies the St. Louis Cardinals and Clayton took the mound with his uncharacteristic record of 4-3 and preceded to mow down the red birds. He went 8 strong innings and gave up only 1 measly run. So close to another no hitter. Since my patch has red in it we know it comes from the numbers part of the jersey. There could be worse games this relic could have come from so having it from a classic Kershaw dominating game is kind of cool.

Unlike the Strata inserts in other Topps products these aren't too think for slabbing so this bad boy is ear marked for that treatment. Decent chance at a 9.5 return I believe.

138294 JB = authentically a great game

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

-Penguin

Card of the Day - 2015 Topps Strata : Clayton Kershaw Clearly Authentic Autograph w/Relic Black Parallel (#/50)

Look at me now... at one time I decided I would never acquire any cards from the Strata brand and now I have gone and picked up 2 in the matter of weeks but unlike the first one which was an insert in Topps flagship release this one is from its own brand which debut in December of 2015.

The difference between this one and the insert version is that the relics that are included in the Strata release have MLB's sticker to authentic said relic AND what game it actually came from. That is big news in the hobby world as collectors have been asking for that for a long while. The only "bad" thing about this Kershaw card though is that it is a redemption card so I must sit around and wait for Mr. Kershaw to sign this card which could be today or months from now.

I picked this up on the bay where the seller had it listed on a BIN auction with a best offer option days after the card's release. With no real market to gauge from on what the cost should be I sent over a very low offer and I am guessing he had the same mentality market wise and instead of rejecting or negotiating a different price he just ended up accepting my offer. Nice...

Another Clayton autograph for the collection and on my way to 100.

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

-Penguin

Card of the Day - 2015 Topps Strata : Sandy Koufax Base Autograph Black Parallel (26/50)

Yesterday I showed off a Strata Kershaw and stated it was part of a bigger transaction and that Clayton was not the main focus of said transaction. That is because the main "get" was and is this Sandy Koufax autograph. My 3rd for the collection and I couldn't be happier.

As I have been adjusting my collection I have sold/traded off cards and gotten funds which I intended to use to pick up other cards that were of my core 4 that I am now collecting (Kershaw, Trout, Seager and Koufax). Now even though I already have 2 Koufax autographs (absolute beauties by the way) I want to at least get up to 5 at some point but most are too pricey or not visually appealing to me. When the checklist for 2015 Strata came out I noticed that Sandy was included in the set and had a black parallel which meant I knew what my next Koufax autograph would be if I was lucky enough to land one at a decent price aka nothing out of pocket. The search began.

A few copies sold here and there at a price that I thought was too high considering there was no book value signed as of yet. Then one day I came across this on a BIN auction for what I believed was a decent price. I searched through his other auctions and found that Kershaw I showed off yesteraday and decided to contact him to see if I could combine the auctions and possibly lower the price at the same time. Why combine the auctions? Because eBay was running an eBucks promotion and with him combining the cards it would lower the total "cost" to me while maximizing the eBucks. He saw no problem in that and promptly adjusted the auctions and a week later I had both gems in my hand.

Just like the Clayton one I always intended to send this to BGS to get it graded and I think just like Kershaw's this will receive a gold banner. Knocking on wood that I just landed my 3rd 9.5 autograph of Sandy freaking Koufax.

Twenty-Six

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Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

-Penguin

Card of the Day - 2015 Topps Strata : Clayton Kershaw Base Autograph Black Parallel (42/50)

This is a first for me. When it comes to Kershaw autographs he is 99% of the time the main focus of my searches but this time he was an "afterthought" or throw in if you like. No, the card wasn't free but its addition to the transaction made it cheaper by a lot.

Strata has been a name that Topps has used before for an insert that has been in their Topps releases the last couple of years but in 2015 they decided to make it its own card line and considering they are smaller than the insert versions (aka gradable as they aren't as thick) I knew I wanted to acquire a few and once I looked at the checklist there were 3 subjects I wanted and obviously Clayton was one of them. This card was part of a bigger transaction which I will showcase the other card tomorrow.

Like most releases Topps had various colored parallels but my 1st choice is always black and that made this card the one I wanted to have. I lost out on a couple of other copies but when I came across this one I knew I would pick it up and at a steal at that. Next up in this card's journey is a trip to Dallas to hopefully have a gem mint gold label affixed to it.

Forty-Two

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Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

-Penguin