2005 Topps All American Chrome Refractor #51

          

          

          This 2005 Topps All American Chrome Refractor card, features Herschel Walker and is the latest acquisition to join the Hoard.  This series is numbered to 55, with this example being #53.  The serial number can be seen on the card reverse, on the right edge, superimposed over the cartoon.  Also on the reverse, above the #51 in the football, is the word "Refractor".

     This set has a lot of variations.  There is a base card, a regular autographed card and a refractor autographed card. The rest can basically be broken down into two categories.  Chrome or Gold Chrome.  Within that, is a Chrome Refractor card(pictured above) and a Gold Chrome Refractor card. There is also a Chrome X Factor card and a Gold Chrome X Factor card.  The latter is already in the Hoard.

     There are 10 unfilled spaces for varieties of this set, which have yet to be added to the TCDB. Of those, 9 are One of One's, mostly Printing Plates.  There is one 1-5 card still out there, that would be the Chrome X Factor card.  This is a confusing set, to say the least.

ThIs a 

Top Ten Find! 1997 Score Dallas Cowboys Premiere Club #13

           

          

          

I've been on a lucky run, here at the Herschel Hoard.  In less than two weeks, I've picked up five, brand new Walker cards from a Panini 2022 set.  Then I was able to purchase a One of One, printing plate, from that same set.

Now, I've crossed off another Top Ten Most Wanted card, from my sidebar list.  Above is a 1997 Score Dallas Cowboys #13 Premiere Club card of Herschel, from the 15 card parallel set.  The Cowboys card set had a base set and two parallels.  The Platinum Team edition, which is already in the Hoard and now, the elusive Premiere Club card.  When I say elusive, I mean just that.  I have been searching for this card for over two decades.

It is the first card from the set, which has been uploaded to the TCDB. I searched through some old Beckett Price Guides, but I was unable to find out if Dallas was the only team set produced.  

The Premiere Club logo can be seen in script, both on the front and back of the card, near the bottom.

A new card has replaced this one in my wanted list.  That, being a 1995 Collector's Edge 22K Gold Unnumbered #147.

Finding these rare, 1990's parallel cards are what drives me to continue.  Just when you're ready to give up, one appears.  It's like seeing a unicorn!

2022 Panini National Treasures Collegiate Printing Plates Black #19

           

          

Well, that didn't take long.   Just a week after posting five cards from the 2022 Panini National Treasures Collegiate collection, I was able to buy a One of One Black Printing plate of Herschel Walker, from that very set.

I didn't have to pay a whole heck of a lot for it and the fact that I was able to fill in another 1 of 1 space in Walker's TCDB page, pleases me no end.

For those who may not know, there are four printing plate colors used in the manufacture of most trading cards.  Black, Yellow, Magenta and Cyan.

2022 Panini National Treasures Collegiate #19 Base + Parallels

      After being left out of the 2020 and 2021 Panini sets, Herschel Walker makes a return in the 2022 National Treasures Collegiate set.  This is a 40 card set of college greats.  The base cards are numbered to #99, while the parallels are in the following runs:  Blue-#'d to 75; Silver-#'d to 39; Gold-#'d to 10; Silver-#'d to 5 and Platinum, which is a One of One.  There are also four Printing Plates available, again in 1-1 runs.

     Because the back of the base card and the various parallels are all the same and for the fact that I was able to acquire them within a short period of time, I decided to show them all in one post.  So to begin, here his Walker's base card in the set.

     

     

      As mentioned, the reverse is the same on all of them, so I will only show the obverse going forward.

     Here is the Blue, which is numbered to #75

     

     Next is the Silver parallel.

     

     Then comes the Gold version:

     

     And finally, at least to this point, is the Emerald version, which is #'d to just  5.

     

     So I'm glad to be able to check off several cards from the latest set to feature Herschel.  Who knows? Maybe someday a printing plate will pop up for sale and not be too crazy expensive. Of course, I have  uploaded these images to the Trading Card Database.

2022 Panini Gold Standard Golden Records Signatures #GRS-HWA

      

     

          Honestly, I was floored when I saw this card on EBay.  Herschel Walker had not been featured in a regular issue card set since 2019.  I was beginning to think that any new examples of Walker on a football card was a thing of the past.

         When I came across this example, I was able to snag it and immediately went about researching the 2022 Panini Gold Standard set.  As Panini is wont to do, there are an incredible number of insert cards, in addition to the base set.  I counted at least 48 individual insert sets.

          This particular subset, the Golden Records Signatures, is an 18 card set featuring players from the past, who hold a certain record. In Herschel's case, he is the only player in NFL history, to have at least 4,000 yards rushing, receiving and returning kickoffs.  All these cards are autographed.  The cards are serial numbered to 10.  The #'s are very hard to see.  They are in the upper left of the card front. This one is #6 of  10.

          From what I could tell on the Cardboard Connection set list, this is the only card Herschel has in the entire set.

1996 Pacific Red Parallel #298

           

          

          

          I'm very pleased to announce that another one of my top ten most wanted Herschel Walker cards has been located and added to the Herschel Hoard.

          This is a 1996 #298 Pacific card of Walker, in the much harder to find, red parallel version. I have been unable to locate this particular card for years, until a few days ago, when one appeared on EBay. From what I have been able to discern, the red parallels were placed in retail boxes that year, at the rate of 9 cards in every 37 packs.

          So now, I am only lacking the silver parallel from this set.  Those were also issued 9-37, but in hobby boxes, rather than retail.

          As I've said in the past, nabbing a Walker card from his playing days, especially a hard to find version, gives me more of a thrill than even a more modern, 1 of 1, or autographed card.

          Usually, I find these cards in a very random fashion.  I can look on EBay, or other secondary market sites every day for months, with no luck.  Then I'll get busy with life and not check those sites for a few days. When I go back, THAT is when I find my treasure!

          This beauty has left the Top Ten Most Wanted list and has been replaced by a card from the '90's, which is even tougher to locate.  That would be the 1997 Fleer Decade of Excellence Rare Traditions card #9.  It looks quite similar to the regular Decade of Excellence card(already in the Hoard), however, this version is marked "Rare Traditions" and is stamped in foil.

          According to Beckett, these cards were only issued in 1 of 330 packs.  I couldn't be more pleased to add this baby to the collection.

2006 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Tools Of The Trade Red Spectrum #TOT-60

      

     

     I am pleased to be able to fill in a space that was empty for a long time, both at the TCDB and here at the Herschel Hoard.  This is a 2006 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Tools of the Trade Red Spectrum card TOT-60, featuring Herschel Walker.

     The card has a rainbow effect on the middle of the card front, hence the spectrum name.  I had the other three red versions of Walker's Tools of the Trade cards, but have been looking for this one for a long time.

     As can be seen on the card back, it is serial numbered to just 25.