20-24: A Nesmith Odyssey

[Nomad]

I am kind of wrapping up the Nesmith collecting quest. I think I have taken it as far as it will go, at least purchase-wise (assuming that his prices go steadily up, I won't be able to afford anything better than what I have).

Concurrent with the Pacers making it into the playoffs for the first time in a few years, matched up against the IST revenge-seeking Bucks, I thought I would spread out my collection on these pages. Just kind of using the Nesmithian lens to explore the various sets of 20-21 and 22-23 and their permutations, and explain finally what everyone has been wondering: why Spectra is left completely out of the collection.

First up "PROSPECT CRUSADE"

This pairs four 20-21 Prizm Draft Picks autos with five 20-21 Prizm Crusades.



'20-21 Prizm Draft Picks:
black gold 5/5
green pulsar /25
purple cracked ice /99
pink cracked ice.

'20-21 Prizm Crusades:
Nebula 1/1
4x Tigerstripe (base on lower right and left to be replaced).

• The autos were selected, not as an attempt at a rainbow, but because of the snapshot evolution of his autograph. By the time Nesmith had finished his first set of stickers, his auto had evolved from a hot mess to something streamlined, functional, and indicative of his John Hancock moving forward. It seems to indicate adaptability and a healthy disinterest in the trappings of hobby (it's not like he was practicing his two-letter tag in class while everyone was reading Beowulf).

• The reason for the four Tigerstripes is aesthetic. I picked up two of those early on just because I think it's the one card for which Tigerstripe pops. And then I was like, I need to complete a row. Anyone know the pop of these specific tigers? The best BO estimate seems to be 20-100, with the latter range more likely for 20-21.

Actually, Bob Ross may have the best estimate (for pro Prizm):

"Check the PSA pop report for total Tiger Stripes graded in 20/21 prizm. Then compare that total # to known numbered parallel totals for an idea of how many exist.

EDIT more data comparing Anthony Edwards:

-total tiger stripes graded: 15
-total blue shimmer (35): 22
-total green pulsar (25): 12
-total Fast Break Bronze (20): 12

So I'd say print run is between 20 and 35"

• The gold 5/5 Draft Picks auto is interesting because both Beckett and Cardboard Connection indicate that it should be a black gold /5, with the gold /10. It simply looks gold to me, but the very bottom part below the auto is black and I wonder if that's the difference.

Indeed that seems to be the case, from the only example up of gold on eBay (although I don't get the flag instead of star):



• You'll notice no Prizm Draft base cards. This reflects the highly idiosyncratic nature of my quest. To me the autos pop and I don't really like the base set design.

• Interesting to note that the Beckett page for the set features Obi Toppen heavily, along with James Wiseman and Malachi Flynn. Cardboard gets it half right with RJ Hampton, Tyrese Maxey, Deni Avdija, and Anthony Edwards.

• I feel like college Crusade is a play, because they did away with Crusades in the professional uniform years ago. There must be a few out there that still place Crusade among the top-10 early Panini inserts?

• There is no Draft Downtown or Colorblast for Nesmith. I guess that is what made him affordable, as those picks that were highly heralded at the outset would have had an elevated price point from the get-go.

• Interesting to note that Crusade (along with Global Prospects) is actually numbered as a subset within the full set, and not technically an insert.

[msink28]

will Nesmith be in any Panini sets this year? Looks iffy if he isn't in Hoops, Prizm, or Donruss, but he might still have a shot at Mosaic or Select.

[bkcardcollector]

dont worry he'll be in Spectra...

[Nomad]

I sincerely hope not. I don't want to be still collecting Nesmith when the Pacers jersey cards finally arrive (three years into his tenure rebuilding the team and with a ring to boot), the budget cannot take it.

I do shake my head though. A company with Panini's depth and a pure profit model does not have personnel with ability to do a simple eye test and decide that a player is worthy to be featured in the 300 card, scrubs-and-all set (as in 21-22, when he was in Prizm, and Prizm alone, at least).

Brunson is an even more egregious example, the few Mavs games I watched as far back as 2020, it was clear he was on a steady growth arc and one of the most dependable players on any floor he stepped on. When did they finally start producing him in sets again?

[oldgoldy97]

Putting the od in odyssey.

[Nomad]

2. "FLAWLESS/NT BLING"

A minimalist segment by design. Even with a scrub, one can easily max out credit cards chasing these specific sets. That said, it's a coherent pairing. Think of a high end restaurant with small dishes of truffle infused fries and whatnot.



'20-21 Flawless auto green /5
'20-21 Flawless RPA /15
'20-21 Flawless Collegiate diamond encased 15/15
'20-21 National Treasures horizontal RPA /49, and to /75
'20-21 National Treasures "true" vertical RPA /99

• The Flawless RPA seems to me to be the valuable one. It is game used and has a lucky clover design that matches the Celts more than any other team.

• I really dislike the NT vert image (the horizontal image, kind of like Nets' Durant holding a simple ball, they overused in around 10 sets).

• The left to right horizontal/vert NT patch pairing actually spells out "B" "C"

• Additionally have a Flawless auto red /25, but it's paired with its plate in another segment.

[TheFrenzy]

My life and my collection gained value when I discovered the off-the-ball defensive skills of Aaron Nesmith.

[Nomad]

I appreciate your thoughts. Nesmith is a prop, to put it bluntly. He could be any middling to decent starter, once considered a scrub, heading to a meaningful playoffs ahead of schedule. Let's talk cards and an approach to collecting not centered on slabs, stars, or marquee brands.

[TheFrenzy]

For the record, I love weird player collections.

I have the world's greatest Terrance Williams (the football player) collection.

[Nomad]

You could do a thread. I would personally like to read it, if annotated with context and insight into the cards. I know nothing about football cards.

It's interesting, when I started collecting Nesmith I had no idea of the truly prohibitive odds standing in the way of making medium term profits in the hobby, except with hyped rookies and superstars. As the collection evolved, I admit I got sick of wading through the same old cards on eBay looking for that odd rare one, or a patch I really liked.

As I took stock, it became apparent that I had interesting groupings of specific types of cards within the rookie year. And that even super rare cards are undervalued because collectors focus on the marquee issues. I decided to resume and expand into Nesmith Pacers cards. Fortunately, there are so few of these, it was a much simpler task.

My respect for player collectors and the way they search for years for grails has increased exponentially (just feel fortunate I was doing what I did from the start, it's far easier after breaks).

[Nomad]

Next up, "WARP SPEED MOSAIC"

This is an interesting one, because Mosaic initially was one of my least favorite brands. Now I like the way the parallels pop together, I see why it's a classic rainbow chase.



'20-21 Mosaic:
green swirl FOTL /10
Genesis
green + other randoms to fill out

'20-21 Rookie Debut: gold /10

'22-23 Mosaic:
black disco 1/1
black and gold /8
blue fast break /85 (still on order)

• Laying out the themed cards visually like this is not only aesthetically satisfying, but helps identify gaps. I want at least 6-9, and here it's lacking. The two random parallels on the bottom are ones I would like to swap out for fire.

• the green swirl is like purgatory. As rare as gold but not a good look. It does facilitate the warp-speed team color transition from green to blue.

• I like the 22-23 first-Pacers-uniform design for the way Panini finally tried something different... Nesmith the facilitator on offense, often looking to pass (Panini has yet to do a card featuring his signature defense, or indeed a signature dunk.)

• In hand, the black disco and black gold are two of my favorites, with very different effects. To have the negative honeycomb effect you basically need a black 1-1.

[GOATcards]

"I don't care, Dave."

[Nomad]

Internet that.

[msink28]

I'm surprised you haven't gone more for the Fluorescent parallels as I think those typically look the best of the Mosaic (except for Genesis). The black/gold is outstanding, may have to look into getting one of those for myself.

[Nomad]

I am really not much of a fan of the fluorescents. Mosaic has a few like the genesis and black gold that I really really like, and then a lot that is kind of meh to me. I think I was most disappointed by the look of the gold (NBA Debut) in hand.

The black is subtle, but in hand and out of the plastic, really nice.

[Nomad]

"JOE DANCE FLOOR"



A little known parallel to the iconic Joe Cool, this features a rare horizontal Snoopy ear with Woodstock dancing on it. I particularly enjoy the checkered backgrounds of the bottom two. Subtle eye expression variations a nice touch. Hand numbered serial number (7-8) also a winner in this longtime collector's book. Unnumbered, the card with "Joe Dancefloor" printed is actually the more valuable, with 20-25 copies thought to exist. While pink and aquamarine is not usually a preferred pairing, here it fits the retro disco/doghouse aesthetic.

[Nomad]

Actually got an inquiry about a possible Deja Vu gold from this thread (not for sale, looking to move the collection, if at all) so thought I'd expedite the grouping I call "DUB TRUB."



'20-21 Flux Deja Vu Nesmith/Thompson:
8/99 blue
/10 gold

'20-21 Panini Instant encased dual auto Nesmith/Pritchard /10

'20-21 Immaculate encased dual auto Nesmith/Anthony /25

'20-21 Immaculate College Nesmith/Anthony/Vassell triple patch /5

'20-21 Obsidian RPA /99

• The Deja Vu insert is one of my favorites, super rare for Panini to put two players on a pro card. The gold is mellow and burnished, I am trying to think of another set for which this is the case. Prizm? Never seen one in person.

• Double A called out Klay on that podcast as a trash talker par excellence. They definitely have some back and forth guarding/powering history on the court, which makes the card pretty special. Wouldn't know who to root for if the Warriors and Pacers ever met in a playoff. McDermitt kind of reminding me of a Chris Mullen.

• The Obsidian is dual tissued, ok, but just a stand-in for the (is it Flawless?) dual on-card Nesmith/Pritchard I still can't afford.

• Speaking of which the Panini Instant dual, though sticker, is one of my favorites. It definitely has an early Pritch sig and was the first dual-issue Nesmith to come out, back when they were actually in their respective rookie years in BOSTON (the on-card autos card came out Autumn of '21).

• Also, say what you want about Instant and laser jet printing, there are only 10 of these bad boys in existence. With all the parallels, the on-card must have like 70 copies printed.

• That triple with Vassell I will always commemorate as my Blowout scrub card, as some collector gave me early encouragement, noting that Nesmith and Vassell were very close in potential (though they are nothing alike).

• And Cole Anthony? Wrong Anthony for that class you could say, but I am actually a fan. There are no scrubs on a team, even the bench unit man was team leader throughout his high school and college days (or is Cole starting now?).

• Interesting to note that all the players Nesmith was paired with in his pre-rookie/rookie cards came out ok. They are all solid and essential players on their respective teams. Probably have collectors.

[Nomad]

"SUBWAY TICKET" features the greening to gold aesthetic, with the four silver 20-21 flux autos framing a 22-23 flux, one of my single favorite gold pieces (actually purchased another graded copy, liked this one so much in hand). Surrounded by what I thought was trash, but is actually the revered Gold Standard, once presented in a gold bar box and now relegated to the Chronicles' exosphere.



'22-23 Flux gold /10
'20-21 Flux Rookie Auto 4x Silver
'20-21 Absolute gold auto (not numbered)
'20-21 Immaculate RPA /99
'20-21 Chronicles Gold Standard:
gold 1/10
26/99 (jersey number)

• With the /10 on left you can see the heat treatment was faulty on top. Used to hate that, but now its a nice memento of Panini's quality control commitment. The other GS /99 is Celtics' jersey numbered. Both feature one of the most heavily photoshopped images of Nesmith out there. His legs are actually the opposite of twigs.

[Blake050]

Nice collection, Nomad!

[Nomad]

"FLUX NEAR RAINBOW"

I don't know how you define rainbow, but this is close enough to me. Missing the gold shimmer /10 but including an attractive Black Cracked Ice 1-1 and laser and mojo /10 golds. The red Mojo /49 is Celtics jersey numbered 26. Upper center is the rare non-numbered Moonlight parallel, with a Sunrise on its way.



20-21 Flux:
Black Cracked Ice 1/1
Gold Mojo /10
Gold Laser /10
Lunar Eclipse /25
Solar Eclipse /49
Mojo Red /49 (jersey number)
Supernova /75
Blue /99
Moonlight

• This was the set where Panini made the terrible decision to create a rare black parallel for the retail factory set. Maybe one per every 10 sets. And then of course there are 1-1 Mojo black and Black variations. This makes the Recon standalone 1-1 seem all the more cool.

• Safe to say, if this was Haliburton (or anyone really, except for Fansided #92) by this point in the collection, I'd have to be rich.

• Beyond all the insert and Titan BS, I think what really makes flux great is the way the parallel colors pop.

[bkcardcollector]

who gives a flux :P

[Nomad]

I'd personally like to see some other comprehensive tours of collections, so I can better understand the intricacies. But again I am the minority. By all means, please start another LeBron vs. MJ thread.

[bkcardcollector]

easy there Nomad, please see my tj ford and tyler ennis collections.

and my discussions mocking MJLBJ

hence the tongue sticking out

i understand... the hate is real :P

[Nomad]

Dude. I'm inspired. Gonna go old school, Hoops next.



'20-21 Hoops:
Gold /10
Green Hyper /25
2x green /89
Turquoise

'20-21 Contenders Draft Class 8/25
'20-21 Optic Lottery Ticket gold /10
'20-21 Certified "grafitti 2020" /25

• Both Beckett and CC say that the /10 is hyper gold, but its actually a plain gold, not sure what gives. Could be Artist's Proof gold, except that usually is notated on the card. Have only seen this gold show up on the Bay in four years. Must be a massive scale of unopened product, combined with Hoops aficionados.

• Optic Lottery Ticket gold has a beautiful refractor effect that melds with the green cash nicely. It's a unique approach to gold.

• The Chronicles card I purchased from a Grizzlies fan who got it signed in person before a critical late season matchup against the Celtics in 2022. Maybe the one after the infamous laser-pointer-in-the-parking lot game, where Ja got injured and pops went ballistic.

[bkcardcollector]

very solid hoops, those low numbered are hard cuz there is like a million packs and probably half or more not opened.

solid green theme. be cool to see more upperclass green /5 like that sweet flawless auto.

how are those other nts /49 and /99 green? do they do team matching colors? I dunno I would save green for /5 in flawless and nt