DATA: 2008 Topps Redsfest with Autograph

ACQUIRED: Redsfest 2008

PING: I’ve featured this card before, but not with the autograph. I’ve been really lucky with Joey Votto signing my cards. Joey signed this particular card at a Spring Training game in Sarasota, Florida. Joey came out of the dugout right before the game and signed for a ton of fans. He just happened to be signing at the isle I was sitting in. Of course, I had a card ready to go. The luck continued a few days later when I saw the Reds again, this time in Clearwater playing the Phillies. Joey signed before the game once again, and this time he signed my World Baseball Classic ball from my trip to Toronto for the 2009 WBC.

This card is not staying in my collection though, it’s going to my 3-year-old nephew and his fledgling autograph collection. He’ll really dig it in a few years.

DATA: 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights Autograph (HA-JV)

ACQUIRED: bayTRON

PING: Epic. This is a fantastic card. Great design. Though it’s a sticker autograph, it’s well placed, and the card design works with it nicely. You can’t tell from the scan, but the silver at the top and bottom of the card compliment the sticker very well. It’s a nice change of pace from the 2008 Topps design, one that makes it just a little bit more special. It’s not serial numbered, so I wonder how many of these were produced.

DATA: 2008 Upper Deck Spectrum (123)

ACQUIRED: ‘bay

PING: What in the heck is Upper Deck Spectrum? I tell you what, there are way too many card brands/types to choose from. Funny thing – this scan looks nothing like the card. Instead of gold color, it’s really silver. Though the autograph looks to be on the card, it’s actually a sticker.

DATA: 2008 Upper Deck Premier Rookie Signatures – Silver (241)

ACQUIRED: ‘bay

PING: The silver embossed version of the 2008 Upper Deck Premier Rookie Signatures card. Nice lookin’ card numbered out of 299. The autograph is on a sticker instead of the card, but I’ll take it.

DATA: 2007 Bowman Sterling Refractor (BSP • JV)

ACQUIRED: ‘bay

PING: Ah yeah… great card right here. A sweet horizontal layout with a dual relic and autograph combination. Very nice card design with a great chrome finish – all ruined by the scan. Ah well… that’s what you get with scanning chrome cards, right? Bowman Sterling is a bit audacious design-wise, but it’s fun. That’s what it’s all about, right? Numbered out of 199, if you’re keeping tabs.

DATA: 2008 Upper Deck Premier Rookie Signatures Gold

ACQUIRED: ‘bay

PING: Finally found one of these at a decent price. These are nice looking cards in person, honestly. What I don’t get on these are the parallels. I do love some variation on the same card, but these are just too similar to justify picking up more than one or two. This card is numbered out of 99. I picked up another one at a great price that is numbered out of /299. The difference between the cards is minimal – slight background color variation and silver foil embossing instead of gold (above). I believe there’s another variation to this set out there – grey/charcoal maybe? Not sure what those are numbered out of. Unless one falls in my lap, I think I’m done with these. That said, the other one is coming soon.

Oh, and it’s always nice to have an autograph – even if it is on a sticker.

DATA: 2008 Upper Deck SP Authentic (137)

PING: I’m truly geeked about this card – it’s a beauty. Great modern design, well-done horizontal layout, jersey, autograph, silver foil embossing, great photo of Joey right right after he got sawed off, serial numbered… It’s a card geeks dream, right? Pretty much.

The two things I would change are the same things any other card geek would – 1) Autograph on the card and 2) Jersey color matching the photo. But, really… I don’t care all that much. I’m not going to be buying packs or boxes of SP anytime soon, so this will probably be the only one in my collection. Fine by me.

DATA: 2008 Topps Heritage (146) Autographed

ACQUIRED: TTM

PING: An autograph – from the man himself! I’m stoked, for real. I sent this card to Joey c/o the Reds in early September and received it back on Monday, October 20. A nice way to end a Monday, for sure. A big thanks to Mr. Votto. Hopefully this will be the first of a few more.