2003 Upper Deck Baseball - Two Boxes of S1 & S2

Have had a chunk of 2003 Upper Deck for a while, and even got the Update set.  Found a nice deal on boxes of both series, so I pulled the trigger.  Also got '96 Silver football, but didn't take pictures when I opened that.

Opened them in order - Series 1 first, then Series 2.  Base cards were fine, and thankfully were not stuck together like the Topps boxes I got a while back.  Hits got better as I went.  Inserts however went the opposite direction....

Box 1 Series 1

 

Here's a typical (non-insert) pack.  Lots of good names in this set.  Kinda neat to get Sammy and Bonds back to back.  Nomar and Beltre round out the star power.  Nice clean looking set too.

Only got six inserts out of each box.  They're nice looking, but I can see why I know a bunch of collectors with lots of Upper Deck inserts on their want lists forever.

And the hits...

Forgot that the Team USA stuff was a major part of this year.  Or maybe I never really knew.  Had just come back into collecting in late 2003, so I don't know much about it.  At least these guys had major league careers.  Not real encouraging, since they're an All-Star warmup jersey and Team USA swatch.  And the Floyd is weird because he's listed on the Red Sox, but represented the Marlins in the ASG.  So why did they list him that way?

Anyway, all the other packs had what I affectionately refer to as Big Fat Dummy Cards.  Which I'm actually glad to get because they make excellent padding for each end of a set in a box.

This is the stack of base cards from one box. 

Box 2 Series 1.  I won't repeat the base, just the hits and inserts.

Aubrey is slightly familiar, but the least notable of the hits from any of these boxes.  Was really glad for the Mussina, since he's a PC, even though I only collect him on the Orioles.  This one's a keeper.

Then the inserts...

Could have cropped this first, I guess.  But anyway.  I saw Tejada and said "Here we go..."  Fifteen different cards in the set and I get a dupe.  But OK, I guess it's not as bad as if there were 50 or 100 of them like now.  But...

Even worse with these.  A-Rod AND Berkman twice.  Again, only 15 in the set.  Shouldn't these be consecutive boxes, or close?  You would think they would mix it up a little better.

So I sorted the base (after opening all four boxes), and still need quite a few singles.  37 to be exact.  I'll put the list at the end (and on my site).  Can't say I got the exact same two boxes, but it's not far off.  I've had worse.  But let's continue....

Box 1 Series 2

Series 2 starts at #271.  Different inserts this time.  Not bad looking.  And hey, I got a Jeter!

Happy with the hits, too.  Javy is cool and a blue swatch, and Oswalt is a major name, even for Team USA.

Not only are there Big Fat Dummy Cards in each pack, but also an ad slip for a contest.

And each box of Series 2 comes with a checklist flyer on top.   Guess they didn't think of it until halfway through set production or something.

Box 2 Series 2

OK, so far so good.  Don't have to worry about Matsui RC, even though it's only listed at about $4 or so.  So finally...

GOLD version LGonz (/100) and Philip Humber USA grey swatch.  Cool!  The Gold LGonz should be tradeable for sure.

But here's where I get annoyed.

  

Is there an echo in here?  Eighteen possible Sluggers and twelve Masters with the Leather, and I get THE IDENTICAL SIX CARDS FROM BOTH BOXES!!!!  Not one or two dupes, but every G&($#@_+# F#$*(@ one of them!  Dammit that's annoying.  The only upside is that hopefull this happens to everyone else too and they've got extras to trade for mine.  I didn't expect this from Upper Deck.

There was some redemption in the end, though.  Series 2 boxes advertise these Hobby Box exclusive etched wood Magical Performances cards (1:96) over and above the jersey cards.  I was down to the last two packs in the final box and got this:

BOOM.  Nolan Ryan.  Couldn't have asked for a better player choice to hit on this one.  These aren't numbered or anything, so I don't think it will be worth the price of the box, but hey, I'm happy with it.  Nice little capper for the break.  

And I did get a whole set of Series 2, so the only wants I have are for 1-270.  They are:  

19  20  37  44  52  65  73  79  86  94  107  115  128  131  135  136  152  156  157  170  173  188  194  201  207  211  216  218  222  229  235  239  244  250  257  260  263

The extra inserts are available, especially for others like them, and the jerseys are too, except for Mussina.  Always open to Orioles and Nationals or my player collection guys.