2012 Heritage Finished: The Complete SPs

It's amazing how such a minor purchase can make such a huge deal.  With my recent COMC purchase of the last five short prints I needed from last year's set, I've been flipping through my 2012 Heritage binder a lot over the last 24 hours or so.  Seeing no more gaps within the 56 pages, holding all 500 cards, is a pretty neat feeling. Kinda like a proud papa, if you will allow me the use of such a phrase in a hobby sense.

With 90% or more of the cards, I can recall where they came from -- whether it be a blaster box, a blogger trade, a card show, etc.  I think that's a trademark of a set that you've really got a connection with.

So, since I'm still glowing from the happiness associated with a finished set, I need an outlet to funnel some of that joy.  Thus, I thought I'd show what the complete run of SPs looks like within the confines of my binder.

So here we go, on a journey through cards No. 426-500 from the 2012 Heritage set...

The SPs begin with Frank Francisco, as Dominguez and Betemit represent the omega portion of the 425-card base set.  The thing that made last year's short-print checklist so endearing (to me, anyways) is that it wasn't overburdened with every major superstar, which is unfortunately the case with this year's output.  That made it a tad more affordable to chase many of these otherwise pricey pieces.

Paul Goldschmidt is the highlight of this page.  Though, I think a certain blogger might contend that claim, pointing to the center square as the appropriately central focus.  Anyhow, on the top left, Rickie Weeks -- he was included in the initial blaster box I received two Easters ago, which began this whole Heritage love affair. That was when I had no idea about these pesky SP things.

Former Met/Padre/Marlin/All-Star Heath Bell was the last piece to this page, as detailed yesterday.  Plenty of South Beach Fish on this page -- too many if you ask me!

Steve Lombardozzi was the recipient of the No. 1 spot on my "Top 12 of 2012 Heritage" countdown from earlier this year.  It was also the least expensive SP I purchased -- setting me back a shiny nickel at a show last winter.  Meanwhile, Rollins and Chambers plugged the final two holes in this page yesterday.

Lotsa bats over the the shoulders on this page, including personal favorite David Wright.

Big Prince Fielder with his digitally-enhanced cap stands out on this page.  We also come across our second -- and final -- Rookie Cup card of the SP checklist, Ben Revere.

Plenty of star power present on this page.  All of them All-Star caliber sluggers...plus Roy Oswalt.  The Papi card was another of the SPs that arrived in my first blaster box.

Belt and Willingham were the last two inductees into this page, which also features Ichiro's final Heritage card in Seattle colors.

And here's the caboose.  "Controversial" 2013 Home Run Derby selection Michael Cuddyer takes his place as card No. 500, the final in the series.  I plugged in some Target parallels to complete the page, as you can see.

Though I continue to appreciate this year's Heritage set more and more with each new acquisition, it won't come close to matching my passion for the 2012 version...

MK