card show 3

In the past couple posts, we've taken a look at some of my quarterbox pickups from the latest card show. Now we're getting into the dollar bins (7 for $5 deal.. I managed to round up 14 for a ten-spot).

While I kinda collect Darvish, and like the look of these Beam Team inserts, a main reason for grabbing this one was the nice one-touch that came with it. (First thing I do when I step up to the bins is take an overview looking for special cases.. one-touches, graded cards, etc.. as that will often clue me into a good bargain.. though often it's just like an old screw-down case with a 1990 Upper Deck Mark McGwire or someshit.)

The George Brett 2016 Topps Chrome Update "3,000 Hits Club" is nice n' sparkly.

These 2 were actually from the quarterboxes but I didn't get around to including them in previous posts. A nice couple of framed cards, including a needed Lefty from the Gallery of Greats insert set I'm trying to complete, plus a similar looking Pudge, numbered to 500 on the back, I believe.

Trio of retro inserts of young dudes I collect.

2014 Bowman. Pretty sure I've already got that Conforto. Poor Mets fans have been having a rough season. Conforto has been playing ok, but not quite the force they need to string together more wins.
Billy Hamilton is leading the NL in stolen bases and is on pace to improve his season best total, though his batting average could use improvement. This blue shimmer mini is #/150, if I recall.

Ha, I only own like 4 or 5 Topps Now cards, one of which is this one, Trevor Story's first Topps-branded RC. I spent a lot more than 71 cents for my first copy back when he was on fire last year, but oh well, grab another one and increase my percentage of the print-run, why not. Hopefully he bounces back sometime.

As for the Brian Hunter, I've kinda got a long-term, back-burner collecting goal of going after the entire 1996 Leaf Signature autos.. at least the ones with the metallic ovals in the middle (ie, not including the Update Series). But there's a super expensive Jeter in there, so that's one goal I might not ever accomplish. But still, if I can pick up needs for under a buck, I probably will.

A pair of non-standard sized cards. The Giancarlo is #/199.

It's hard to pass up graded cards for under a buck when you consider it costs a few bucks just to get them graded. I've got a Browns collector in my trading circle (Angus, right?), so picked up the Kevin Johnson with him in mind. As for the Donté Stallworth, well his was a name that vaguely rang a bell so I grabbed it as trade bait. Anybody want to trade me for it?

I think that's all I have to show today. I also got some cd-rom "cards" that I'd like to rip and post the contents of in a future post. Other than that, that pretty much covers the haul from this show apart from plenty of trade fodder for my usual trader buddies.. some of which has made it into Big Fun Game prize packages., speaking of which:

I was glad when Rod bumped into me at the show so I could hand him his BFG prize, saving myself a little postage. Today I dropped off packages in the mail to the following zip codes: 06457, 14610, 02919, 95119, 55406. Additionally, PWEs were mailed to Billy and gcrl. Julie has asked me to hang onto her cards until the Supreme Court rules on if her trading ban is unconstitutional. If you were among those celebrating my 4 year bloggoversary in the Big Fun Game and I haven't mentioned you by name or zip, that means I'm still working on your package and hope to drop it in the mail no later than this coming weekend. A couple packages that might take a few days longer are Wes (I plan to include the WCOT stuff) and John Miller (nearing the end with that project that's taken me so long!)
Thanks again.. see ya.

Not sure what to think of this card show haul

Maybe I've just gotten spoiled, but I was kinda disappointed with my card show haul this weekend. Just one purchase, from the bins of my regular guy, $50 for 70 cards. Nothing super awesome, but some nice additions to my collection and some cards to pass along to trader buddies. Here are the highlights.

The disc is from McDonald's dated 1974.. yep, a Dave Winfield oddball rookie! Pretty cool. Seems to eBay for around $15, probably my best deal of the day.

As for the Clemente, if I didn't already have this '68 Topps all-star card, I'd be more excited at this score for under a buck, even if the card is a bit beat up.

More off-condition vintage. I think these are probably all available for trade if any of them catch your eye.

I feel bad that I picked up some Pirates for me, but nothing really for the big winner of my latest contest, Matthew Scott. But I've got a decent cache of Buccos ready, so I should still be able to hit him with a solid prize package. And, not pictured, but I picked up a handful of Red Sox for bonus winner Shane at Shoebox Legends.

When I come across a magnetic one-touch case in the (sub)dollar bins, I usually snatch it up. If it contains a cool card, all the better! Basketball cards here include rookies (?) of Tracy McGrady, Steve Nash, and Shaq.
And, oh crap, I didn't realize until typing this that the Mookie Betts is a photo variation.. seems to be worth about $15. Nice! And a PC guy for me, at that!

My God, what have I done? I'm a frickin prospector now? Oh well, hope this Alex Bregman kid becomes a star.

Certified autographs are hard to pass up for less than a buck each, though I did pass on a few unfamiliar names. But had to grab the Weiss (like Fuji, I love that set!) and Burroughs (former can't-miss Padres prospect), and Angel Pena (any Dodgers collectors want it?).

I still love these Gallery of Greats inserts from last year and wouldn't mind finishing the set someday. Turns out I already have these 2, though. Whoops. Anybody want to trade me for either?

Still a sucker for serial numbered cards. These are some big names and all #'d /100 or less.

More cards.

Edgar Martinez minor league card and a 10-card Griffey set still sealed and #'d 22,592 of 25,000.

Closing out with this pair. The Charlie Sheen card from last year's Archives (er, 2014, I mean) still fetches a few bucks.
The Hank Aaron is one of those "Future Stars that Never Were" ..kinda weird concept, but sorta neat, I guess.

So there you go. While I may have felt a little underwhelmed with my purchases as I was driving home from the show-- and there were a few cards (some not pictured) that if I could go back in time, I wouldn't buy-- but now reflecting on it a bit-- and realizing that Mookie Betts was an SP variation-- I'm feeling a lot better about my haul.

Conforto: The Redemption Redemption

I usually group incoming trade packages into a weekly roundup, but when I receive a card from you with an eBay value in the neighborhood of $100, damn it, you get your own frickin' post!

To set the scene for this epic trade, way back in December of 2014 I pulled a Michael Conforto redemption (/149 purple parallel) from a box of 2014 Panini Prizm Perennial Draft Picks. While I was correct in my assertion that it was the probably the best pull of the box, at the time he was still just another prospect making his way through the minors. I previously had a couple frustrating experiences getting mail from Panini due to them requiring a delivery confirmation signature, and ever since then I've been reluctant to fuss with redemptions, and would rather sell or trade them away for somebody else to worry about. So I sat on the unredeemed card for a few months, hoping a Mets fan would take it off my hands in trade. In July 2015, with the expiration date creeping up, I put it on Listia and found a guy to buy it for 55,000 credits, which really isn't much, especially with the skyrocketing inflation that plagues Listia.

Just three weeks later, Conforto got called up and surprised everybody with his impressive play and ended up being a key component of the Mets' pennant winning stretch run. His card prices took off and I was left kicking myself. I should have redeemed the card myself, or at least waited a month before I sold it and gotten exponentially more for it.

Since then, I've sort of started collecting his cards out of spite, to be honest. I had been hoping to one day land a sweet Conforto auto to fill the void in my soul created by letting the redemption slip away.

So when one night last week Kerry from Cards on Cards tweeted that he was lucky enough to pull a Conforto auto from a pack in his recent Loot Locker package, I drunkenly excitedly expressed my interest should he be looking to move it. He was open to listening to offers for interesting Red Birds cards in exchange, so I dug deep and was able to put together a solid package highlighted by a 2004 Topps Retired Ozzie Smith auto, and lucky for me, Cardinals fans are powerless to turn down the Wizard.

Behold:

Love it! As you can see, it's the refractor version, though it's unnumbered (these are typically #'d /500). These Conforto cards are weird because while a 2014 Bowman Chrome card, they weren't actually included in that product and instead packed out in 2015 Bowman Chrome. Were they purposefully "held back" by Topps? Was Conforto late in getting the cards back into Topps' hands, and so they decided to squeeze them into a product better late than never? I don't know, but whatever, I'm very happy to give this card a place in my collection.

I can now hear the name "Michael Conforto" and smile in the knowing that I've got this sweet-ass card, rather than how I used to wince when I heard the name, a bitter reminder of the card that slipped away.

It wasn't easy to part with the 2004 Retired Ozzie, though. As I've mentioned many times, completing the 2004 Retired auto set is my #1 collecting goal since returning to the hobby. I was at only needing 3 more cards, though with letting go of the Ozzie, it's now up to 4 more to go. Since I ultimately was going to want to upgrade to a /25 refractor version, I figured I could take the step backwards and just hope a refractor Ozzie pops up one of these days and I'm able to land it, though I know that day may never come. Still, though, no regrets! (Fingers crossed Conforto continues on to a solid major league career.)

And as if the Conforto refractor auto wasn't enough, Kerry surprised me by loading up the package with a bunch more cool cards for me:

Some incredible PC and setbuilding needs for me. The '71 is an elusive high number.

Check out this great Joe Montana lot! While my football fanhood has waned over the past few years, I've still got a soft spot for superstars from my youth, so these are awesome.

From one all-time great quarterback to another, here's a bunch of John Elway cards to close out the package.

Again, thanks so much, Kerry! This has gotta be among the best trade packages I've ever received. I'm in your debt and will be keeping an eye out for more Cardinals to send your way. Hopefully one of these days we can meet up for an in-person trade and/or grab a beer. (We both live in Portland and work a few blocks apart downtown.)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend, everybody.

Dissecting a 2015 Topps Galley of Greats (Literally!)

Let's keep up the investigative curiosity of yesterday's post (playing cd-rom cards) and today get under the hood of a framed card.

I've been kinda working on collecting the 2015 Topps Gallery of Greats inserts from Series 1. It's a really nicely done little set featuring a matte black frame around a shiny picture of a prominent player. After buying a couple small eBay lots, I found myself with 3 copies of the Hanley Ramirez card, which I think is safe to say is easily the least valuable card in the set. It was a Friday night after a couple drinks and I was curious, so I decided to sacrifice one of them to find out what these guys look like with the frame stripped away.

There's the "before" picture.

The frame didn't exactly "pop right off" so the card got beat up as I worked to get it off.

This is like modern art.

Downright postapocalyptic!

Hanley got some bad acid, man. '95 Fleer ain't got nothing on this.

I should try selling it as an "eBay 1/1!"

As you can see, more of the bat is revealed, notably the full knob (insert penis joke here). There's also some squiggles around the top and bottom, as if the Gallery of Greats design from the border was partially imposed on this layer. So that's kinda interesting, but mostly it's just blank refractory silver under the frame.

Here are some of the other cards from this insert set I added recently:

I was happy to see an incarnation of these things pop up in 2015 Topps Chrome. I'd like to eventually work on that set too, but for now I've still got several of these Series I cards left to track down. Please check my wantlist if you can help.

Oh, and I also ended up with a dupe Kershaw.. but don't worry, I won't destroy this one! (I bet you can see more of his hand/glove without the frame.) It's available for trade.

Gallery of Greats are pretty great

It's been well documented on this blog that I'm a sucker for black refractors. A couple of my more foolish collecting goals are completing 2004 Topps Retired black refractor autos and 2004 Topps Chrome black refractor parallels.

The Gallery of Greats inserts from 2015 Topps Series 1 (--btw, how the hell did they not continue this into Series 2? Dumb move on Topps' part to abandon it--) might not exactly fit into the definition of black refractors, but they're pretty darn close, with a black (or at least very dark grey) matte framed border and a refractory background to the photos. I admired them on the blogs from afar for a while. Finally landed myself a couple...

Hard to top Tony Gwynn and Hank Aaron

I got these 2 cards from a seller to take advantage of free combined shipping, I believe thrown together with the 2004 Chrome-Town Heroes Barry Zito relic I recently picked up. I was so smitten with them that I decided I might as well try for the entire 25-card set, and ended up winning an eBay lot for a few more to help me get a good foothold:

Looks like a lot of rainbow sunsets, plus one guy about to get taken under by a tidal wave.

I've got dupes of Clemens (Mr. Hoyle, do you need one?) and Hanley.

Would love to round up the 17 other cards I'm missing from this insert set. If you've got any available, please let me know. I've added my needs to my wantlist. I probably won't go as far as to say that I collect black refractors across the board.. but.. if you have any that need a home, feel free to send them here.

Thanks!