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Not a good time for gift cards


I tried a second time to spend my Target gift card from Christmas today.

Since I recently won a blaster of 2018 Topps in a contest at Waiting 'Til Next Year, I figured it was pointless to save the gift card for 2018 Topps. A blaster of that stuff is plenty, it should satisfy the craving for the rest of the year.

Those of you who store unopened card product in your homes are probably now saying why don't I save the gift card for when Heritage comes out later, or maybe Stadium Club or Allen and Ginter months from now?

First of all, there's no way I can keep a gift card for that long. I'm not my parents or other people's parents who can whip out an envelope filled with unused gift cards on call. The point of free money is to spend it and BUST OPEN THAT STASH OF CARDS IN YOUR CLOSET NOW!

So, I was going to spend that gift card today, one way or the other.

I ended up spending it on "the other." The card aisle at this time of year remains a depressing site.

The only baseball card product that I could find on what was otherwise a fully stocked card aisle was a blaster of Panini something or other, one lonely Topps Update pack stuffed with some football packs, a couple of repack boxes (but not the good kind), and a fat pack of 2017 Heritage High Numbers crammed into a box of My Little Pony stuff on the bottom shelf.

Oh, and there were these:


I've mentioned these before.

Here in New York State you can buy all the 2017 Detroit Tigers team sets that you want.

But nobody is taking Target up on this fabulous offer because everyone here LIVES IN NEW YORK STATE.

These Tigers team sets have been hanging out at this particular Target for the last nine months, just hoping one of the 15 Tigers fans in this area will see them and realize their dreams have come true. But, of course, here they sit untouched.


OK, someone has touched them because a couple were moved onto other hooks in the hopes of enticing one of the many Yankees, Mets or Red Sox fans around here to give the Tigers a try (because there are no Yankees, Mets or Red Sox team sets).

Needless to say, I did not use my gift card to purchase a Tigers team set. Or any of the football or basketball all over the place. Or any of the four different kinds of Star Wars blasters on the shelves (SIGH!).

And now I'm going to depress the heck out of all of you.

I ended up using the gift card on:

Personal care products.

Yeah, I know.

But I needed them. And the cards being offered were not fulfilling my needs.

I did rescue the Heritage High Numbers fat pack from the pink and purple Pony box.

It was not inspiring.


This was the insert. The Oakland A's again.

They really need to put names somewhere on these things if they're showing rookies from the Oakland A's. I have every player from the 1970s memorized, you expect there to be room in my head for a 2017 newbie from the A's??

*Goes to the internet to look up name*

It's Jharel Cotton.

OK, I've heard of him. I should know him, too, because he's a former Dodger. But stick that A's cap on him and I've lost interest.


Heritage did find it in its heart to bestow upon me a shortprint card, which as you know is not a guarantee in your pack of Heritage (the main reason why I've never completed this set).



I also landed a Lithuanian.



And a Zastryzynyian.



OK, this card was cool. One cool card from the pack.


The lesson here, gift-giving people, is don't give Target gift cards in December or January, because this collector anyway can't wait for February or March. Or June or July. It's a baseball card bonanza at that time.

Or better yet, get one of those ebay gift cards.

Then I can get whatever I want when I want.

Comments

deal said…
FWIW I think the Neris falls into the cool card category. Just heard we are getting a Target within walking distance - not sure if that is good news or bad news.
JediJeff said…
I am finding the same thing at my Targets. It seems the trophy barely get wet with Astros champagne and all the baseball products disappeared from their card aisle.

Except Panini Chronicles, aka unlicensed UD Documentary.
Old Cards said…
Based on the card choices you had, don't blame you for choosing personal care products.
Commishbob said…
I arranged those Heritage card players' last names on a bingo board. Got a score of 72,364
yeah, really like the "never ask us a" damn thing, lol.
SumoMenkoMan said…
Do people still buy team sets anymore?
Jeremya1um said…
So that’s where all of the Tiger team sets are! I think they would do ok here in Florida since they train here in the spring.
Twitch said…
You mean baseball cards don't count as personal care products?
Twitch said…
I bought a 2016 Topps Cubs set, if only for the novelty of finding it at a grocery instead of a big box store. This year's Bulls Hoops set is mighty tempting, but also with an asterisk. I want it entirely for the sweet, sweet Lauriiiiiiiii RC on the top of the pack.
BobWalkthePlank said…
I think I still have gift cards from my wedding. That was 2011......
Old Cards said…
This blog needs a "like" button. Good one!
Fuji said…
BUST OPEN THAT STASH OF CARDS IN YOUR CLOSET NOW!

I feel like this was aimed at me. Even if it wasn't... I still got the message. By the way... I also received a few Target gift cards to add to the other Target cards I didn't use last year. My goal is to buy a 2016 Topps factory set with one of those Jeter relics, since there are never any Topps blasters at my local Targets.
Kevin said…
I would take the Tigers team set as a fan if the Tigers...also would like sets of the Braves, Orioles, White Sox, Rockies, Twins and Mariners as they have cards that arent in the regular Topps set
Bru said…
Whoa, you got High Numbers at your Target? That didn't happen here last year. I dig that Dovydas Neverauskas card. Would be fun to pick up his and a card of Gift Ngoepe.