PACK RIPPING - 2012 Panini Golden Age

Last night was one of the trade nights that I attend on a monthly basis.  And while for the first couple of months this year I've been really good about not splurging.......tonight I caved.

And boy did it pay off!!!

There were some cheap wax boxes abound and it was so much fun watching some mid-90's packs get ripped.  I knew I had to get in on it.  Stay tuned as I've got a couple nice hits out of the quest.

But this post will be to show off one of the single best cards I have ever pulled from a pack.

Ever.

EVER!

It's not everyday that I'm lucky enough to get a pack hit - but it does happen on occasion.

I think the only time I get a box hit is when I actually buy the whole box.

I've never really bought any cases of stuff....but I don't recall getting any case hits.

But I have never.....ever, ever, ever had a full on product hit.  And by that I mean "this is the card that they plug on the front of the box as something you might pull if you're lucky".

Yeah....that was me tonight.

Now don't scroll down to the end and ruin it.  Patience.

It wasn't a hockey product, but rather a really nice multi-sport product called Panini Golden Age.  It caught my eye when a couple packs were ripped and I took a look at the cards.

I decided that they looked so nice I needed to buy 5 packs.

2012 Panini Golden Age

5 packs

At $3.50 a pack, this had some good ripping fun for a low/mid-range product.  With 6 cards coming in a pack, I was completely blind as to what I might pull.

That made it even more fun.

The base cards are stunning.  Just a fantastic design.  It's got that cardboard feel like Gypsy Queen or other vintage/retro products.  The layout is clean and classy.  The photos are manipulated a bit to give it a more vintage feel.

I'm an absolute sucker for these.

The backs.....they look just as gorgeous.  Two-toned and just the right mix of crispness and vintage.  The write-ups are nice too.

It was something where I was taking my time going through the base cards.  Each one just as eye-catching as the last.

And if you don't believe me, just take a look for yourself.

Fantastic photo selection.  The only setback is that Panini doesn't have a baseball license.  So they have to be creative with how they avoid logos.  In some instances, it means the top is cut off so the cap is hidden.  Other times, it's simple positioning of the player.  The odd occasion there seems to be a little photoshop work.

Still, a really nice job done on these.

And then there are the minis.  These are one per pack and are equally as impressive.

There are parallels with are indicated by different backs.  I don't know the rarity but I did get one - a Tom Seaver.

But it's the next card that had me jaw dropped.

As part of the promotion of the product, there was a card showing off a nice triple signature card.  It's an autographed card of the only three living Triple Crown winners.

Guess who pulled the card?

I'll give you just one guess.
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BUH-BAM!!!!

Are you kidding me!

When I first saw the card I thought "This is no ordinary insert".  And believe it or not, I didn't even notice the third signature in the middle at first - of Secretariat rider Ron Turcotte (it's kind of hidden in the body of the horse).

All three signatures are hard signed in gold pen.  It's really a gorgeous looking card.  And I'm not even a horse fan (although I might have to become one now).

I flipped over the card and saw that it was a low numbered piece.

Twenty!  So what did that mean?  How rare is that?

Then one of the guys there pointed out that on the front of the box it says to look for a triple auto card of the Triple Crown winners.

That's when I hit ebay.  I wanted to see what this card has gone for.

One just sold......Buy It Now.......$300.

That's cause for a "Thank you very much."

A spur of the moment pack rip.....finally pays off.  And no, it's not the start of a trend.  I'll be the first to admit that this is likely a once in a lifetime thing.

But boy was it ever exciting.