2018 trade package #18: Sport Card Collectors

Hot on the heels of a fun trade package in PWE form I'm back with another, this time from fellow 90s insert enthusiast Matt of Sport Card Collectors.  Matt knows how to maximize what he can fit into an envelope and sends them out quite often as well--this is the fourth I've received from him this year already.

This one began with a card I requested from one of his posts, which he quickly granted because he's awesome.  That was joined by a nice little group of Tigers and more.  Check it out:

With Justin Verlander out the door, injured future HOFer Miguel Cabrera is the most recognizable face on this team and an obvious choice for Topps to pepper throughout its products.  Hence the insert trio above:  2017 Stadium Club Contact Sheet, 2018 Finest Cornerstones, and 2018 Topps Big League Star Caricature Reproductions.  The Finest card is my favorite, though I wonder if the Caricature appeals to the ostensible audience for Big League:  kids.

Those are joined by former and current Tiger pitchers.  The one on the left is former prospect Melvin Mercedes in Gold Refractor form from 2014 Bowman Chrome Prospects (#20/50).  The Dominican righty got a two-inning cup of coffee the year that card was produced but that's the extent of his MLB career, and it appears that he's toiling in indy ball at the moment.  He's joined by the slightly more successfully Jordan Zimmermann, a guy that's given Detroit 1.2 bWAR over two-plus seasons at a cost of $60 million.  The expensive starter joins us from this year's Gypsy Queen as a rare example of a baseball player that appears in the product!

And now we get to the card I was really hoping to land, plus a friend to join it.  Matt broke a complete hobby set of 2018 flagship a couple weeks ago, and one of his five set-exclusive parallels happened to be PC guy Clayton Richard; he also scored a Manny Machado, which would be more exciting to pretty much everyone but me!  This shiny parallel isn't listed on Beckett yet but I believe it corresponds to last year's Factory Set Sparkle Foil parallel, so that's what I'm going to name it unless I hear otherwise.  While that version was limited to 175 copies this one goes to 190 (with this one being #108).  I can happily add that to my 2018 Richard rainbow which includes...:checks::...uh, nothing else just yet.  But no worries, I'll get a few of them soon enough!

Matt was nice enough to throw in another 2018 Richard I needed:  his Gypsy Queen base.  Serious question:  do I now own both of the cards of baseball players in 2018 GQ?  Sure feels like it.  Anyway, it's fun having both of these side-by-side so I can see that the GQ card is a slightly more artistic version of the same photo.  They comprise the entirety of my collection of Clayton Richard cards from 2018 so I really appreciate that Matt was able to send both my way.

Thanks again for the Richards and Tiger treats, Matt!  I have just a few things set aside to send you from the last show but will try to build up another package to send your way, one I hope you can enjoy after your health improves.  Until then may your 90s insert acquisitions be plentiful!