Allen & Ginter Insert Overview Series #91

Set: 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter World's Capitals

            Total Cards: 10

            Stated Odds: 1:10

Bubba’s Derived Odds: 1:10

           # of Hobby Boxes Needed to Obtain Set: 4.17

Favorite (Owned) Card:

I know... cop-out, but if some of my USMNT American Outlaw friends ever read this post and saw that I chose something other than a US card as my favorite, I could no longer be a true US fan.  That being said, I highly doubt any of my Outlaw friends would ever read this... so I'm basically just going to use this time to say:

Hey!  I like soccer as well as baseball.  I love going to USMNT games especially when they're around CT (which is actually surprisingly often).  I'm also a Man City fan and don't really enjoy the MLS at all, though I'm absolutely rooting for them to succeed.

Because this is also a card collecting blog, I wanted to mention that I preordered a single box of this.  We'll see how good it is, but I'm actually quite optimistic.  I'm not a big fan of Panini baseball products because of the licensing issue, but that isn't an issue in a soccer set!  The autos all look to be sticker autos which is a bit meh, but I'm not going to complain too much about it when these boxes are 65-70 a pop and they guarantee you one.

I'll be sure and post highlights once I actually get and break the box, but let me know if there are any other soccer fans out there that might want to help build this set (I'm sure I'll try and build it... it looks small enough).

Notes and Comments:

I sat down to write a post today and debated writing about *Spoiler alert* Bowman Originals, a recent 2014 Topps Chrome break, a recent 2015 Bowman break, further updating my Zistle collection and working on a have/want list for this blog, or this.  I chose this topic because I was able to map in my head exactly what I was going to say on this particular post the fastest and because it's been a week since my last post in this series.

It didn't really work...

You thought you were coming here and were going to read about yet another Allen & Ginter insert set.  The title lied.  Sure, all the same framework is here, but I decided you get to hear about different things today.

Of the 20 cards in this insert set featuring capitals around the world, I've been to exactly 1 of them... the place in the card above.  I've been all over the US from Maine, to Florida, to California, and Alaska.  Pretty much the only state I haven't been to is Hawaii (and I'm sure there's a couple in the Bible Belt that I haven't visited as well).  All that being said, I haven't been out of the country since it was legal to go to Canada without a passport.  In fact, I still don't possess a passport!

I'm not particularly bothered by that fact yet, as I have no plans to go anywhere outside the country in the near future, but I feel like I'd eventually like to visit other countries.  I decided to think about just that while looking over this insert set.  Given the 19 capitals I haven't been to, which of them would I like to visit most?

Here's a list I came up with containing many snide comments along the way (apologies for those International readers as this will probably be dripping in Americanized farcities).  Yes... I realize I made up a word... farce/fallacy, they're the same.  Mainly, I just wanted to make a great pun.

1. Jerusalem - This is mostly #1 simply because of what I've heard.  Every person that has been here has come back with a positive experience.  I would very much doubt if this is the first place I'd get to, but if I could only go to one, this would be it.
2. England - They speak my language, Premier League, castles. Yay. Oh, and crumpets... no idea what they are... I just want one.
3. Rome - This would be an interesting one.  I enjoy art and architecture, but at my pace, which is usually pretty fast, yet I stop to enjoy strange things.  I'd have to go with the right person.
4. Athens - Not sure why this is so high.  Haven't really heard great things.  Apparently the Parthenon isn't all that much to see...
5. Taipei - Some of this desire is actually A&G's fault.  I'd enjoy seeing the lights, the world's second tallest building, and the governmental landscape.  I also think ignoring the Far East outright would be an oversight.
6. Moscow - This city looks beautiful.  I also tend to like people that have Russian bloodlines.  They all tend to have a unique type of personality that I really get along with.
7. Buenos Aires - So Madrid wasn't in this set... and Spanish was the language I learned in school.  Not saying I know much anymore, but I think it would be the easiest for me to pick up.  Madrid also wouldn't necessarily go ahead of Buenos Aires in this list as either this city or a trip to the Northern Andes and Galapagos Islands would be my choice visit to South America.
8. Paris - This is about as low as I could put Paris on this list without sounding ridiculous.  I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to visit... I hate the French language.  And French people are the opposite of Russians.  Hooray ignorant statements.
9. Berlin - Hasn't this city been burned to the ground countless times?  I suppose it would be an interesting historical visit.  Not a city that comes to mind as far as tourism goes for Central Europe.  I would think either other German cities, Switzerland, or maybe even the Balkans (though I suppose the Balkans are of the Eastern European ilk).
10. Johannesburg - I have a friend that was born and raised in South Africa.  She said its very Westernized.  I suppose it would be interesting.
11. Cairo - Egypt in general would probably be a very interesting place to visit.  I know absolutely nothing about it.
12. Tokyo - No strong pull to this city...
13. Brussels - Or this one... but I do want to visit Brugge.  The canals look awesome.
14. Ottawa - This is really only this low because of how close it is.  I've also already been to Toronto, and not saying they're anywhere near the same, but Ottawa simply isn't near the top of my list.  I'm probably missing out.
15. Brasilia - This particular city is borderline, but you'd probably have to pay me to have me visit the following four cities.  Brasilia simply sounds like a jurisdictional and financial disaster.  Rio could be interesting though.
16. Beijing - I worked at a Chinese restaurant while I was at college.  The owners always had friends or relatives at their place (all Chinese).  I've experienced too much Chinese "culture" already... I didn't enjoy it.
17. Bangkok - I knew nothing.  I read wiki article.  I know too much.  No thanks.
18. New Delhi - NAH.
19. Mexico City - HECK NO.  As much as a city on an island sounds cool, I've heard way too many horror stories.  No shfanks.

Arbitrary Rating (out of 100): 79
Fine... I'll say a bit about this set.  It's okay, hence the 79 rating.  Okay pictures, kinda a boring border this time around though.  The back is also a bit bland compared to some of the other designs.  The theme is decent and the blurbs are above average for Topps.

That's all you get.  If you really want me to elaborate say so... and I might, but I think that this set is a bit bland, yet not horrible.

% of Set Completed: 100%

Missing Cards: NONE!!!

Extra Cards: WC-04, 05, 06, 08, 09, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18