Box O' Cards From My Youth - 7

I miss all of the retail store boxed sets.  In my opinion, it's the disappearance of things like this that have taken many kids out of the hobby.  I had dozens of different sets.  This is the only one that remains.

It's possible that there is a card or two missing in the images.  That 30-year old gloss was sticking to the backs of the cards on top.

This was the first card in the box and it's got some sort of damage.  Who knows where it's been in the last 30 years but it looks like some sort of water damage.  It's a shame because Dale Murphy was my first favorite player and I do like to pick up cards of his.  I'll probably keep it anyway, despite the damage.  You can't replace memories or cards of your youth.  I purged most of mine and am still happy to have this one.

I didn't notice until I opened this box that the border is intended to mimic the Rite Aid logo.  I'm not sure if that's genius or annoying self-promotion.

Can't lie, I have no recollection of Mike Schmidt playing first base or seeing that on any of his cards.

THE THRILL!  My favorite player after Dale Murphy.

I've struck gold!  There's a copy of this Mark McGwire card on eBay for $35.

HOLY AIRBRUSH, BATMAN!  I think this is also the image on Reuschel's 1988 Topps card.

And a little more damage to the last card.  Ah well.  It was still a fun trip down memory lane for me.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

PWE from The Angels, In Order

A few months ago, the fiance had me sign up for something with USPS that sends me a daily email with scans of (some) of the incoming mail.  It's usually only envelopes, so most card deliveries are surprises when I get home.  While that surprise is good, I learned that knowing something is coming is equally as exciting when you don't know the contents. 

This week I saw a PWE scan of an envelope that was traveling a short distance.  Tom of The Angels, In Order, only lives ten or so miles from me.  There was a lot of goodness in that envelope!

Most of the cards were of a man that I'm hoping will be announced as a new Hall of Famer just hours after I post this...

WOW!  Some of my favorite sets!  Well, kind of.  1987 was the first year I collected sports cards and I put together multiple Topps and Donruss sets.  Those two will always be among my favorite sets ever.  I don't care about overproduction and all that.  It's nostalgia and memories of an innocent time in life.  What's better is that I've never owned an O-Pee-Chee or Leaf copy that I recall.  WAHOO!

The 1988 Score set is another favorite of mine that was represented in the envelope.  My LCS has boxes of these, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet.  I never built the set as a kid, but I plan to remedy that.  I'm always fond of Kay-Bee cards.  I loved the box sets.  Many have mentioned the small of opening Topps wax packs because of the gum.  Kay-Bee cards also had their own discernible smell.  As a kid of the late 1980s and early 1990s, I can't help but love the Classic "Saved By The Bell" design.

Despite the horrible design and so many off centered cards, 1986 Topps will always hold a special place in my heart.  It was the first set I ever owned.  A hand-collated set of these was given to me by my uncle for Christmas in 1986.  Sadly the set was lost in a house fire.  I've hand-collated another set and even went the extra mile to find and purchase the same album that my original set was in. 

Dale Murphy never played for the Phillies.  You will never convince me of that. 

RUSS DAVIS!

I mentioned my fondness for 1987 Topps above.  Because of it, I'm also working to complete sets from recent years with the design.  I needed two of the three of these for my set.  Love the throwback Phillies uniform. 

Thanks so much for the cards, Tom.  You made me smile and take a trip down memory lane. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Database Trade with Collating Cards

I'm a big fan of the quick, small PWE trades.  A few weeks back Steve, of the Collating Cards blog, sent me one of those trade offers on Trading Card Database (you can find his profile here). 

His post went up a couple of weeks ago.  I didn't receive my cards until this week, but it was nothing to do with Steve.  I have most items sent to my office and PWEs end up going to the front desk and can take awhile to get to me.  This one took at least a week.  I know they'll make it and I never stress it.

I received three Dale Murphy cards. 

I've removed all Murphy cards from my wantlist for the time being.  I do want to acquire a complete run of his Topps cards and some select Fleer, Score, Donruss and Upper Deck.  These are going to fit right in! 

Thanks for the trade, Steve!  I'm sure we will make more in the future. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy - 1989 Upper Deck #672 Dale Murphy

I miss the art in sports cards.  I loved Diamond Kings, Pro Visions and the Upper Deck team checklists.

1989 Upper Deck #672 Dale Murphy

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy - 2015 Stadium Club #24 Dale Murphy

I think I have this one already, but it was just a dime.  No reason leaving it behind.

2015 Stadium Club #24 Dale Murphy

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about six months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy - 1988 Classic Blue #201 Eric Davis/Dale Murphy

Another one for the PC!

1988 Classic Blue #201 Eric Davis/Dale Murphy

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about six months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Twenty-Six Years and the Card is Mine

I've always wanted this card.  As a kid it was out of my price range.  As I got older, there were always other cards I spent my money on instead.  This card was always going to be there.  Now, it's here.  I just wish he was in a Braves uniform.  I need to pick up a Will Clark as well, but the asking prices on it are a bit more than I put into this one.

1991 Topps Desert Shield #545 Dale Murphy

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about six months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy - 1988 Classic Blue #215 Dale Murphy

Another one for MY collection from the dime box!  WOOHOO!

1988 Classic Blue #215 Dale Murphy

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy - 1987 Donruss Opening Day #40 Dale Murphy

Most of the cards I pick up from dime boxes will ultimately end up being sent to other collectors.  It's nice when I find some for me, like this one.

1987 Donruss Opening Day #40 Dale Murphy

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

A '90s Explosion

Jason and I send cards back and forth all the time.  I've known him for 15 or so years so there have been a lot of trades, a lot of blogging and even some podcasting.  He sent me some of the goodies from a recent pickup of his.

These cards took me back to my teens.  I probably had all of these 20 years ago but got rid of them at some point.  I keep putting all of my Will Clark cards together and sometime down the road, will actually organize them.

The things that I said about Will Clark above, can also be said about Mickey Tettleton.  He was another of my favorites.  I even tried using that batting stance.  I didn't try it for long.

Blackhawks!

I have a good amount of Bray Wyatt cards, but I don't believe that I had any of these!  My favorite is undoubtedly the card from his "Husky Harris" days.

Two Jedd Gyorkos that I didn't have and a Dale Murphy that I may not either.  I'm accumulating Murphy cards just like Clark and Tettleton.  I don't own a single Michael Jordan basketball cards but I do own some baseball ones.  I didn't have either of these.  I normally wouldn't care much, but I was at the game in Birmingham the night that Jordan hit his first home run.  It's all nostalgia.  Even though I'm not a Steelers fan at all, "Slash" will always bring back good memories of my teenage years.  Not sure on the Tom Nevers...I'm wondering if there's something I don't know, or if it was dropped in my mistake.

This was the highlight!  A 1988 Dale Murphy Starting Lineup!  Thanks, Jason!

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!