Christmas Cards 2025

Guys, with this post I've bested my record (set last year) for least number of posts on my blog in a year. Hurray! It's a Christmas miracle; 2024 wasn't my least prolific year as a blogger! We're trending upwards!

Let's count down some cool cards numbered 12/25 that I got this year and haven't featured on the blog yet.

#6 Luis Robert, a.k.a. Lou Bob Jr., had a down year in 2024 with the historically bad White Sox, but he's a guy I've kinda collected since pulling a nice parallel of his back when he first popped onto the scene (1st Bowman mega box parallel). I needed an auto for the PC and eventually landed on this 2022 Topps Definitive card for about the price of a blaster. I'll be interested to see if he gets back on track next season or if his peak is in the rearview now.

#5 Spencer Strider made a big splash a year ago before being sidelined by Tommy John surgery. I landed this nice Five Star auto a few months back. He's another guy I hope is able to bounce back next season.

#4 is a Yogi Berra bat relic from 2005 Topps Pristine Legends. I'm working on a refractor version of the base set, and while I'm not actively trying to complete any of the hits, sometimes they pop up in my searches, and if the price is right, I might take a run at it... especially if it's serial numbered 12/25.

#3 - I had an eye out for a Max Scherzer autograph and landed this solid one from 2014 Topps Five Star. It pairs nicely with a similar Christmas Card I've got of another of the era's top starting pitchers...

Twice the holiday dominance! I was thinking how cool it would be if I could get a Verlander to go with these, but looks like Justin wasn't in Five Star that year, so no chance to match up with these guys. But maybe I'll score a different Verlander auto in 2025. Trying to nab autos of these "no doubters" before they're enshrined.

#2 is a big boy: Albert Pujols! I wanted an autograph as the cherry on top of my Pujols PC and, again, figured I'd better do it now before he's up for Cooperstown and his card prices see a bump. I held out for a Christmas Card, and wound up with this Leaf Pro Set "LFG!" acetate. That must stand for "Let's friggin' go!" as the kids like to say these days to psych themselves up. On the downside, it's an unlicensed stickergraph, but it otherwise looked cool to me and the price was right.

Drum roll for the #1 card in our Christmas Card countdown...

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#1 - Ichiro auto! And it's licensed and on-card. Glad I got him in a Mariners uni, too. It's from 2020 Topps Transcendent, my first ever pickup from this popular high-end set, if I'm not mistaken. The metal frame is a classy touch. "[ OF ]" in the bottom corner nearly looks like "1 OF 1", but no, it's even better than that! It's 12/25!

Have a wonderful December 25th, everyone! And Merry Christmas, too, if that's your thing!