Judging packaging of incoming cards

One thing I like to do during Blue Tape and Pull Tab Awareness Week is to post about the packaging of cards I receive around that time and dole out some cheers and jeers. So let's check out some recent mailings I've gotten.

First up are a few cards from P-Town Tom. This one actually came in last week and I didn't save the outter packaging, so I can't say for sure if this was a PWE or a bubble mailer. Regardless, I gotta give Tom a solid A for his work here. Blue tape? Check! Pull tabs? Check! Two cruddy top loaders used to safely sandwich a team bag of cards is a good way to do it. Throw in the friendly note and you've got a winner of a mailing.

I got a big trade package from Tom in July that included a few overproduction era sets. Like a good little card collector, I eventually went through the sets verifying they were 100% complete. Turns out there was a card or two or few missing from some of the sets. I gave Tom a heads up, and the stand-up dude he is, took it upon himself to track down the missing cards, either from his own inventory or by adding them to a Sportlots order.

Actually, the '88 Topps cards are for the factory set I got from Rod not too long ago. After I sorted the beast (2 hours in one shot), it turned out to be missing 10 cards. Tom was able to help me knock off a few.

And a '93 Topps Black Gold McGriff.. which I love. That's likely my all-time favorite insert set, with one of my all-time favorite players.

Thanks again, Tom!! Hope my return that's on the way is what you were hoping for.

-   -  - --o

Next up is an eBay win.

Jeff the seller put 5 cards (each in a penny sleeve) into a thick top loader, and put that all into a team bag, in a bubble mailer. I'm gonna have to give him a C- on packaging. The top loader was taped with a piece of scotch tape and there wasn't a pull tab. That really torpedoed his grade. The tape was unnecessary since the cards were in a team bag which seemed to be new, and sealed closed just fine. If he had to use scotch tape here, I would have rather he taped the team bag shut instead of the top loader.. though ideally he wouldn't use tape. Or if he had to use tape, used blue tape.

As for these cards, well, I've been working on a big post about all the glow-in-the-dark cards I've been able to find out about. In researching such cards, I've found some new ones and ended up picking up some examples. These 5 are inserts from a Goosebumps card set Topps put out in 1996. It's a 6-card insert set, and I'm needing #G3 to complete it.

Here they are in the dark. Not too bad as far as the glowing. I never read any Goosebumps books as a kid (or watched the show or whatever)-- think they were just a little after my time. (I did read some of the GI Joe kids books RL Stine wrote earlier, and remember liking them). But as a connoisseur of glow-in-the-dark trading cards, I'm happy to add these to my collection.

-  - - ---o

Next up is another eBay win.

It's a single card (in a penny sleeve) in a top loader in some bubblewrap in a bubble mailer. No tape involved. I'll give Melissa the seller a B. Had the card slid out of the top loader, it could have been disastrous.. bubblewrap or no. Thankfully it's a chrome card, so it's pretty snug in there. Other than that, the package was pretty light, and it probably wouldn't be too hard to bend or puncture if it was so unlucky to find itself in such a situation. Perhaps a piece of cardboard or something in there would have added a little more protection.

The card is the Bernie Williams 1990 Topps reprint I need for my Archives Reserve Master Set. I'm now down to only needing to get my ARMS around the similar '90 Sammy Sosa to complete the run of 2001 Topps Archives Reserve Future Rookie Reprints, and with it all the non-hit Archives Reserve cards that ever came out.

-  -  - ---o

Now here's another trade. Bru from Remember the Astrodome confirmed my mailing address last week with me so I was somewhat expecting this surprise, so to say.

I'll give Bru a solid A- here. There's a nice note and some blue tape, though his only minor ding is no pull tabs. He jammed a lot into the envelope and was sure to include a little extra postage rather than try to get away with a Forever stamp (I remember once or twice in the past that I received postage-due mailings from Bru and he felt bad about it. Looks like he's playing it safe now.)

What we've got here is 3 pages cut from a binder page, which was wrapped in a piece of paper and with a piece of cardboard on one side, with liberal use of blue tape keeping everything tight. Works well and is much cheaper than sending a bubble mailer. Again, pull tabs might've aided in me getting the cards out a little quicker, but wasn't too bad. Much of the blue tape took off paper when coming off, so not much reusable. But yeah, the cards were in there safe and sound.

A shiny Hunter Renfroe highlights this selection of Padres... and Matt Chapman? Cool, I collect him too! Actually it's my first of 2019 Topps Stamps, and each of these has a different player on the other back. The front is actually...

Manny Machado. Gotta say it's refreshing to see new Topps cards with a border. And that Leather & Lumber card is neat too.

My favorites of the package were this orange Brian Giles parallel and the '68 Topps Nate Colbert custom Bru made. I had a digital copy, but was hoping for a physical copy and I'm thrilled to have this now. Looks great. And I'm extremely jealous of Bru's customs, as this guy feels like a real card bare in hand. Solid cardstock. My customs are printed on photo paper, so they're sticky and smudge easily if you dare take them out of their sleeve. But not this one. I would love to upgrade to what Bru has going here. I think he goes to a real print shop rather than do it himself at home.

Thanks, Bru! I will round up some Astros to hit you back with soon.

-  - - --o

Last one for today. This was another eBay win.

Seller Chris sent one card in a penny sleeve in a top loader taped up to another empty top loader with some cardboard (repurposed file folder?) around it all in a PWE with "Do Not Bend" written on it. The card was $3 buy-it-now with free shipping, so I was expecting a PWE and I have no problem with it. And to his credit, he put on the full 85¢ postage, even though he probably could have gotten away with just a Forever stamp (50¢). The use of 2 top-loaders to fill up the envelope (so it wouldn't be lumpy, but rather a uniform thickness) is a good move. My complaint here is that the top loaders were covered with a lot of shipping tape and with no pull tabs. It was a pain getting the card out. I'll give the guy a D+ thanks to the bungled use of shipping tape hurting an otherwise fine PWE.

The card is another glow-in-the-dark card. This is from 1995 Wildstorm Gen13, which I'll tell y'all more about in that big forthcoming post of mine on the subject of glowing cards. No picture of it glowing here as the glowing effect wasn't very good. And yes, I'll be giving out "glow grades" in said post, and the glowing on this one isn't likely to grade very well.

LOL, I guess I just like grading stuff. Maybe I should have been a teacher!

Thanks for reading. And remember to use blue tape and make pull tabs.

Blue tape and pull tab awareness week 2019

This is an annual thing I do every year after shark week (just because that's how I remember to do it, lol). Blue tape and pull tab awareness week. These days it's really just one post, but I do my best to keep the spirit of the week in my heart all week, if not all year.

It's one of the biggest plights for the sportscard collecting enthusiast of today:

Scotch tape.

Specifically, irresponsible usage of scotch tape to protect cards.

Don't get me wrong, tape is a must-have item for anyone who ever ships cards. A piece of tape over the opening of a top loader prevents the card from slipping out and potentially being damaged in shipment. At some point we've all been the victim of a negligent newb card seller who just throws a top-loader into a bubble mailer willy-nilly (or worse yet, a PWE) and you open to the horrific sight of the card poking out, with a dinged corner or two. A few cards secured between a couple pieces of protective cardboard by some tape is also a good way to keep them safe from the rigors of interstate travel.

But too often, the person mailing the cards doesn't take a moment to think about the recipient. I'm sure you've been in the frustrating situation many times: spending what seems like several minutes chipping away at a piece of tape with your fingernail, trying to free your newly obtained card(s). Such a pain! You could also use a knife, boxcutter, or scissor blade to cut the tape, but you run the risk of slipping and cutting in too far, potentially damaging the card. And either way, if it's a top loader, now you've got a trashy-looking top loader with a cut-up piece of tape on it.. time to get your fingernails involved again. Depending on the tape, it could take just a moment, or it could be on there so badly (chipping off in tiny brittle bits, or not coming off at all) that the card holder is essentially ruined. Even in the best-case scenario, some Goo Gone is usually needed to remove the sticky tape residue.

This disheartening scene could easily be avoided!

All the sender needs to do is spend two seconds to fold over a tiny piece of tape, creating a handy pull-tab. This pull-tab makes it super easy for the recipient to grab hold of the tape and peel it off in one efficient motion with little to no sticky residue left behind. No dangerous blades or fingernail frustration needed!

And Blue painter's tape is the best tape to use! It costs a little more than regular clear scotch tape, but it comes off so easily and residue-free that your recipient will love you for it! For you thrifty types out there, know that blue tape can be reused several times! If somebody sends you a card with some blue tape, put it aside to use again later with someone else. In fact, here's a look at the desk in my card room in the height of blue tape bloom:

I'm well-stocked on second-hand blue tape! This photo is a couple years old, and the blue tape harvest is less robust currently. Still trying to implement a less tacky-looking solution. But yeah, I use plenty of blue tape and have never had to actually buy a roll of it.

Now let's do a quick "how to" on pull-tabs.

CREATING A PULL-TAB

Step 1: Apply tape to one side.

Step 2: At the end of the remaining tape, fold over a piece about a centimeter long, with the sticky part being stuck against itself, creating a non-sticky pull-tab roughly the shape of a square.

Step 3: Apply the remaining tape to the other side.

I need to update these photos. I don't even have this Kong anymore; traded it away a while back.

Tips:

• You can also double up on the pull-tabs to make opening cards later even easier. Just follow the above process for each side of the tape you apply.

• It's also nice to write "pull" on either the tab itself or on the protective cardboard with an arrow pointing to the tab. This is helpful for individuals who might not immediately recognize the tab you've thoughtfully created for them.

Advanced Pro Tips:

• To go that extra mile, consider putting a little piece of paper over the top-loader opening, and tape it on (with pull-tabs, of course!) This will help prevent the rare but tragic occurrence of the card sticking to the tape. This is especially a good idea with old vintage cardboard (more prone to sticking and being damaged than today's cards) or when using extra thick top-loaders, such as with relics or other fat cards.
• Tape can be avoided all together with the use of a team bag secured over a top-loader. Some people, like fellow blogger RAZ (check out his method here), go all out and use blue tape, a paper buffer, and a team bag. Bless these heroes!

A+++++ transaction!!! Would deal with again!

Warnings:

• Don't make the tab so big that there's not enough sticky part of the tape left to get a secure seal. You want at least a half-inch of sticky part remaining to ensure that the tape holds during transit. If you've got limited tape length to work with, it's better to have a "too small" pull-tab, than "too big". Even if it's too small, at least the recipient can have a good start for his or her fingernails.

• If you write "pull" to identify the tab, be sure to write gently. Writing too hard could damage the card.

USING A PULL-TAB

Step 1: Pull tab.

Step 2: There is no step 2; you're done, bro! Throw away the tape that easily came off (or if it's blue tape, consider sticking it somewhere to reuse later), and enjoy your new card(s) and pristine top-loader!

It's just that easy! So easy to do and so handy for the person getting the cards! 

I've heard the argument "When you buy a card, you're not buying a toploader or other supplies, only the card." By that logic, you have dinner at a restaurant and expect them to dish out the food directly into your hands. No, of course it's expected that they'll provide a clean plate and any necessary utensils for your food. Buying a card online similarly should imply that the seller will provide adequate service when packaging and shipping the card.

I'm happy to say it seems like blue tape and pull tabs have become more widespread in the hobby since I started up this "awareness week" on the blog back in 2013, though there's still a lot of room for improvement. (And not that I'm trying to take all the credit. But if I can reach at least one new person each year I run this post, it's a victory!)

Thanks for reading and thank you for your commitment to excellence in packaging sports cards!

For more tips, be sure to check out The Definitive Guide to Shipping Sports Cards Safely and Cheaply.

Hernandez and Fernandez - A pair of 2005 Retired refractors

Quick post with a couple more recent pickups for my Retired Refractor project. These are both 2005 Topps Retired cards of Mets fan favorites.

"I'm Keith Hernandez"

Really like the look of this Keith Hernandez, though the case has some scratches. Anybody know any tricks for buffing out case scratches? Someone once suggested to me some stuff that's meant for cleaning headlights and other clear plastic things-- supposed to clear up "smokey" spots and minor scuffing-- but I didn't really see any noticeable results with it. Of course I could just bust the card out of there, but I like keeping my Retired autos in their "uncirculated" cases when possible.

That's a solid Hall of Very Good career, right there. (In fact, according to Hall of Stats, his numbers are objectively worthy of Cooperstown.. so maybe someday a veterans committee will put him in.) NL MVP in '79. Won it all with the '82 Cardinals and '86 Mets.

In addition to an impressive career on the field, his exploits off the diamond may be even more impressive. He has worked with both Jerry Seinfeld and Snuffleupagus. Legendary! He's been part of the Mets broadcast team for the past several years, known as one of the better color commentators working today.

Keith's teammate on the '86 Mets, Sid Fernandez, is the other auto to feature today. The photo is a little strange because baseball-reference claims he only ever wore uniform number 50-- in honor of Hawaii being the 50th state, where he's from-- so I'm curious why he's wearing #10 here. Hmm. The only Mets shown to suit up as #10 during this timeframe are Rusty Staub (1975-1985), Dave Magadan (1989-1991), and Butch Huskey (1993).

No red ink on the back of his card, but to his credit, he led the league with a .737 winning percentage when he went 14-5 in '89. Was an All-Star in '86 and '87. "Fernandez has the fourth-lowest ratio of hits per innings pitched in the major league history, behind only Nolan Ryan, Clayton Kershaw, and Sandy Koufax." Wow, that's an impressive factoid from his Wikipedia entry.

Best part of this card?...

It's the Christmas Card!
Always love picking up new Retired refractors.. especially when they're numbered 12/25.

The Mets have a bunch of cards in this set. I've also got NYM refractor autos of Anthony Young, Dave Magadan, Ed Kranepool, Gregg Jefferies, Jerry Grote, and Jesse Orosco.

Missing from my team set are Gary Carter, Davey Johnson, Ron Darling, and Rafael Santana. I'll keep on keeping an eye out for those four. (..not that I really collect with team sets in mind, but just another way to track progress, I guess.)

That's it for now. Thanks for reading.

An Epic Zapping for the Ages

It's that time of year where there are lots of posts about people's hauls from the National card convention, and other posts that are like "who needs the National when I got all these cool cards showing up". This here is in the latter category.

I got a Twitter message a couple weeks ago from Zippy Zappy with a tracking number saying, "It's not much, but I wanted to send you something." Well hot dang, I wasn't expecting a flat-rate Priority box to show up!

Probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000 cards. Fun digging through everything, picking out lots of keepers.

Sweet Jeter blue refractor, /250 and shiny Brian Giles need.

Man, so many cards to highlight in this post. As you can see, there were some football cards in there too.

Arenado RC and a 2012 Trout insert.. pretty nice!

Bryce Harper heads an impressive lineup of 2012 Bowman RCs here.

..more here, such as Didi and Manny.

Good mix of stuff.

Much of the box contained cards from teams that Kenny was a bit overstocked on, tradeably speaking.. with the Tigers and the Royals seeing the most cards. Love that Dave Henderson Cyber Stats!

A smattering of Phillies cards in with this batch.

There was a good deal of hockey cards in there too. I picked out some familiar names and found an silver auto. Awesome!

Some pretty girls from Japan. Now that's lovely!

And a girlie toy that seems to be still in-package. Ha! What do you say, Kenny, do I assemble this or leave as it?

A couple more neat Japanese cards.

A few minor league programs to check out.

A 2008 Topps Yankees team set plus a few older cards I might be able to use.

A few Star Wars cards highlighted by a hefty manurelic.

Oh my! Looks like Zippy decided to part ways with much, if not all, of his Arod collection! All these pictured in that box there are Alex Rodriguez cards. This boosts my Arod PC from being respectable up to being pretty damn impressive.

I know that besides some Yankees fans, Arod isn't all that sought-after by collectors these days. But still, he's got some terrific cards. I hated the guy for a while when he was playing, too, but then there near the end of his career, he became a sympathetic figure to me and started rooting for the guy. Figured I'd put together a sampling of his cards.

Bunch o' relics!

I wouldn't be surprised if a few of 'em are cards I sent to Kenny back before I started collecting Arod.

Just more nice Arods.

Almost done.

Gold and foil aboud on these.

But the biggest card of the box...

Certified Topps Alex Rodriguez autograph! That's a great looking card. This breezes past the faded autograph that had previously been my best card of the PC. I remember seeing this on Kenny's blog in the past and admired it.. never thought it'd end up in my collection. How cool! He said in the note that this is like a thank-you gift for taking all the other cards off his hands.. lol.

Thanks so much, Zippy! That was an incredible surprise box of cards. Very appreciated!
I'll get working on your return soon.