By the box: 2008 TRISTAR TNA Cross the Line wrestling cards

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Since the Box Busters episode is still in the editing room, here are the results from a randomly selected box I recently opened …

2008 TRISTAR TNA Cross the Line wrestling cards
Packs per box: 20
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 119
Base set completion: 100 of 100 (100 percent)
Duplicates: 15

Insert cards found: 4 (two autographs, one memorabilia and one parallel per hobby box)

Autographed memorabilia — 1. No. M-KA Kurt Angle 5/99.

Red autograph (numbered to 25) — 1. No. C-S3 Suicide 7/25

Autograph — 1. No. C-JR Jimmy Rave

Gold-foil Parallel (numbered to 50) — 1. No. 92 Curry Man 8/50

Notes: Whether TNA is your brand of wrestling or not, these boxes pack more punch than any wrestling card product today. Why? They’re innovative — the first autographed press plates in wrestling card history (trumping the last release’s first-ever wrestling plates) are in here — they have a comprehensive autograph (though stickers) checklist and include surprises like multiple-autograph cards and contest cards that give the finder a chance to meet TNA talent or receive autographed memorabilia. … This set does not try to replicate the previous 2008 issue with standard cards of all wrestlers on TNA’s roster, but rather through several (some might say too many) subsets take a different look at the stars we have seen before. …

stingThumbs up for this set’s photography. Thumbs down for the Drawn to TNA subset of  wrestlers as artists — they are overshadowed immensely by Scott Blair’s art cards in the same set. … Thumbs up for including cards that feature the TNA video game and The Write Stuff subsets — I don’t think having media members write blurbs on cards has been done before, and there’s no doubt that more than a few of those wrestling writers will be writing about the product. Thumbs down for the Muscles, Ink set. It just doesn’t do it for me. …

Among the highlights in the basic set are a cheese grater (look for it), Taylor Wilde’s debut card, a card of 6-year-old Kyra Angle (daughter of Kurt Angle) who might be the youngest subject of a standard card in any release, and many strong photos like the one on card No. 40. … And any time there’s a Don West card? Well, I don’t care what shape it’s in — I just wanna scream GEM MINT 10! (Note to self: Submit West cards to BGS in morning.)

The collation was perfect in this box, No. 711 out of 4,800 serial-numbered hobby boxes, and for the price — less than $60 — it’s a fun rip.

Grade: *** out of *****

Chris Olds has collected sports cards and memorabilia since 1987. Before coming to Beckett Media, he wrote about the hobby for the Orlando Sentinel on his blog, SportsStuff, and for the San Antonio Express-News and The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News. Do you have a comment, question or idea? Send e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.

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2 comments

  1. Larry Richardson 25 December, 2008 at 15:20

    We bought a box of TriSatr TNA Cross the Line wrestling cards as a stocking stuffer for our son. He pulled a dual autograph of Gamoa Joe and Kevin Nash. But what was really cool were cards that were hand drawn artwork by these TNA stars.
    They included cards by Rhino and Curry Man. Rhino’s drawing was done on a white background drawn in black. He wore a hat, his face resembled a hockey mask, his mouth and teeth of a smiling jack-o-lantern and dancing, firey red eyes with yellow pupils. Outstanding card.
    Rhino’s drawing was also on a white background. The blue sky were sqiggley lines running north and south, an orange sun, and a family of four drawn as stick figures standing in green grass. Each member had call outs saying what they liked and disliked. Outstanding, colorful and imaginative.
    I liked them so much I had to not only write about them but I also purchased them from him.

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