Challenge Accepted: The $200 JP Arencibia Rainbow

You know what's great? Autographs.

You know what else is great? Chrome refractors.

I collect Jays autographs. And Chrome refractors. So when my #1 boy JP Arencibia (A fellow catcher, to boot!) showed up in the 2011 Topps Chrome Update set, the rainbow was a must-have. And he inked some of them? An even more definite must-have.

There are seven cards in the picture you see above from a (nearly) complete '11 TC Refractor Auto rainbow. There's also an XFRACTOR out there, too, which I believe is #ed to /10. It will definitely be the most difficult to obtain.

But back to the picture. This eBay auction is currently listed for $210 plus $2.99 (why bother?) shipping. Two-hundred dollars...for seven cards.

That's $28/card. You'd think lots were a better deal, but sometimes they're just not.

Thus, I view the auction as such:

I have already obtained two cards from my rainbow.

The original chrome autograph (unnumbered) and the blue refractor (#/199).

I have spent $14.31 on those two cards in well-timed eBay auctions, and am currently looking into Zistle and COMC for more deals. The gold refractor (#/50), red refractor (#/25) and the possible atomic refractor (#/10) will be very, very difficult.

But not only do I plan on completing this rainbow with the Atomic Refractor...I plan to do it for less than this auction.

So to you, eBay JPA autograph hoarder, I say:

Challenge Accepted.