Bob Walk vs Charlie Brown : a Valentine trade

Today, in my mailbox, I found a very special Valentine's day package (I find this to be a very funny word association). A special yellow bubble mailer straight from WV, which can only mean one thing : Blue jays goodness from my favorite Pirates collector (and one of my favorite people to trade with, period. This happens to be our fourth trade in as many months, and there's no slowing us down).

The note he sent warns me that there's a big surprise card in there.
Oh boy.

I've already said it, but all those sets from 2002-2005 confuse me. So many of them with so many variations and brands. This, for example, isn't an insert. It's from the Donruss Classics base set. Except it's a RC, numbered to 1 300 copies. Each auto is also available in gold, platinum and silver. OKAY. Thank God for my Beckett Almanac.

Those are part of a 100 card insert. So you have a 100 card base set, and a 100 card insert set. OKAY.
And that 100 card insert set (that I think looks great, btw) exists  in a bronze parallel. Fair enough. In a gold parallel. Makes sense. And in a silver parallel. Might as well.

It doesn't really show on the scan, but that nice, thick card has rounded corners, and that's a great idea. Plus, I love that patch !

I already had the Joe Carter in that collection. A card that shows a player from one of the two World Series won is always a great addition.

And finally, the big surprise :

Yup, absolutely, that's an auto of the former Pirate Jose Bautista. My very first, of course, considering their usual high value. I've been wanting to have one in my collection for a while now. All I needed was another great trade partner !

Thanks a million times Matt, you know how much I love (yes, absolutely, the L word (no, not that L word, the other one)) the back and forth between us (let me rephrase that...). A new stack will be headed you way real soon !