ARPSmith Contest Winnings 🔥🔥🔥

I don't enter many contests and when I do take the time I don't really expect to win. I'm a math teacher nerd and I'm not one to take risks when it ultimately could cost me something. I'm pretty boring that way.

Adam, at ARPSmith's Sportscard Obsession, is back from a brief blogging hiatus and he recently held a contest asking for guesses on the total for a purchase. With losing to lose I tossed a number out there. Somehow I wound up being only 43 cents off with my guess.

Shocked as I was at the time, I was doubly so when Adam sent me an email saying he wiped out my Top 5 Most Wanted Cards list from my blog.

Say what?

I don't load up my wanted list with pricey cards so I'm not shocked when one finds its way to my mailbox in a PWE. But, all five? At once? That's just some super generosity right there.

Let's take a quick look at what Adam planned to ship me as a prize package:

Top 6? Poor time for a typo!

I've seen nearly all of these around at local card shows and I specifically remember seeing the Sandberg SP with a $20 asking price. Dealers love to mark up their Cubs (and Cardinals) cards in my neck of the woods.

The package arrived yesterday and boy was I hyped up when the mailman drove off! (Yes, I've kind of been rushing to the window, like a six year old, waiting to see if my prize package had arrived.)

Here we go, in order:

#1) 2018 Diamond Kings, #25 -- Ernie Banks "Let's Play Two" Variation

Ernie Banks' most famous quote on a card. Most Excellent!

#2) 2019 Topps, #525 -- Ryne Sandberg SP

 This one features a pretty unique photo of my favorite Hall of Famer.

Full stats!  Woot!

#3) 2019 Topps 150 Years Greatest Players, #GP-13 -- Ryne Sandberg

 Greatest Players? 10 All-Star Games, 9 Gold Gloves, 7 Silver Sluggers and one MVP. Yeah, I think he qualifies.

#4) 2019 Topps Faces of the Franchise, #FOF-6 -- Bryant/Banks/Sandberg

 I'm not sold on Kris Bryant being the current face of the franchise. Rizzo and Baez are definitely in the conversation, but it's still a pretty neat card.

Bryant has a long way to go to catch up to Ernie and Ryno!

#5) 2019 Topps 150 Years Greatest Moments, #GM-22 -- Anthony Rizzo

 Oh, I've been saving a space in the World Series binder for this one. I wish Topps would have used a photo from the moment right after he caught the last out of the 2016 World Series. But, you know, Topps is gonna Topps.

Here's the picture I'm referring to:

Those five cards, by themselves put me on cloud nine. I mean, how much awesomeness can one Cub fan endure from a package?

But, wait. There's more!

 A new card for the Baez binder! I love his action/fielding cards. The batting ones are okay, but his athleticism as a shortstop just flummoxes me on a daily basis during the season.

1985 Topps is such an underrated design and Willson is my favorite current Cub.

And what's this?

 A manu-relic commemorating Ryne Sandberg's first career home run?

How cool is this? Wow!  I'm up to 962 unique Sandberg cards in my collection now. Woo-Hoo!

Last card and it's a jaw-dropper:

GLORIOUS! It's a relic-auto card of Wilson Conterars from the 2017 Panini Donruss Promising Pros insert set. The card design is top-notch and this is my first certified auto of Willy.

Wow. Just wow.

"Enjoy these cards?"  Um, yeah, that won't be a problem whatsoever. Thanks for the superb prize package, Adam!