One of my favorite Nick Swisher game-used Relics …

 

There are a lot of game-used Relic cards out there — and plenty for Nick Swisher just like most guys these days — but this set, these Allen & Ginter minis, are among my annual favorites.

This is Swish’s 2006 Allen & Ginter Relic, which has a piece of a game-used jersey embedded into the framed mini. I have plenty of them — and I’ll always pick up more of them when the price is right.

The first Ginter set will always be a favorite of many but the Relics have actually improved in little ways the last few years. So far, I have them all when it comes to Swisher.

Do you have a Swisher item I might want? Contact me on Twitter, @chrisolds2009.

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Well, I’m halfway there on the Nick Swisher 2007 Allen & Ginter “EXT” printing plate rainbow …

The Allen & Ginter line launched by Topps in 2006 is, hands down, my favorite brand of the last decade, and that’s reflected in my Nick Swisher collection to a degree.

I don’t own each and every version of all of his Ginter minis — in fact, it’s kind of embarrassing how many I don’t own — but I always have put a lot more emphasis on rarer cards than I do parallels. And, of course, I collect on a relative budget, too. I’d rather overpay for a rarer card like this than a Bazooka parallel where there are plenty more copies to be found … someday.

Swish has a pair of cards in the 2007 Allen & Ginter set — got those, of course — but the standard mini’s printing plates have eluded me. I have zero of the four 1/1s there. However, the Swisher “EXT” card — an “extended” mini found only in Rip Cards — has plates, too, and I own two of the four.

I didn’t scan the backs of my plates — so I don’t know which plate is which. But I think I own the Cyan and Magenta plates because his name is not visible here (would be seen on the Black) and neither card appears light like a Yellow plate might read.

Do you have any other Ginter Swisher plates? They’re very high on my list of wants — and one in particular is one reason why SwishFan.com exists. I’m on the hunt — and I’ll write about that in the future.

Do you have a Swisher item I might want? Contact me on Twitter, @chrisolds2009.

You can see both of my plates after the jump.

Continue reading Well, I’m halfway there on the Nick Swisher 2007 Allen & Ginter “EXT” printing plate rainbow …

Nick Swisher’s first MLB (& Chrome) cards: 2002 Bowman Draft

Nick Swisher’s first MLB cards arrived in the 2002 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects product and the best card to land in that one is his Gold Refractor.

Limited to just 50 serial-numbered copies, this unsigned Rookie Card may not seem so special these days — where all of the rare versions come with actual autographs — but it’s the best one. Unfortunately, I own only 1/25th of the entire press run … I need more!

The “Chrome Rainbow” in 2002 included a standard Chrome, Refractor, X-Fractor and the Gold Refractor. Thankfully, this is one I have completed — not sure if I can say that for any other years with all the SuperFractors and printing plates to be chased. (The standard Bowman card lineup will be posted separately later on.)

You can see each version after the jump.

Do you have a Swisher item I might want? Contact me on Twitter, @chrisolds2009.

Continue reading Nick Swisher’s first MLB (& Chrome) cards: 2002 Bowman Draft