Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Box O' Cards From Home - 4

Time for another trip down memory lane.  These were in a box from my youth that I just got back a few weeks back.  Once upon a time I did like NBA basketball.



Something tells me that even if I didn't care much about basketball, I would have ended up with some of these because of how cheap they were.  That was about the price of one pack of cards!

It appears that I opened one box and left the other sealed.  You know, because they were going to be worth more money that way.


Charles Barkley was always a favorite of mine.  Seeing him come out first brought a smile to my face.  I guess it was his intensity and bad attitude that drew me to him.  I've always been a bit of a heel. 












Auburn hasn't been known as a college basketball powerhouse.  Two of the guys in this box played there.  As my "other" school, I found this noteworthy. 



The shortest shorts in the game.


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!

Monday, February 26, 2018

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #10 - BWBC1993

Most of the trades I've completed on Trading Card Database were sent by me to the other person.  This is one of the few exceptions.  He is working on the 2017-18 O-Pee-Chee set as well so this trade was a good fit.

The bad part is that he's in Canada, but I went ahead and pulled the trigger since three of the cards I was getting were short prints.  There's no way I was going to spend $3 or more in shipping to get some base cards.  He wasn't as fortunate on shipping costs.  He shipped all seven of these cards in toploaders and the label showed that he paid Canada Post more than $11.  OUCH!


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.  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  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!

Sunday, February 25, 2018

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #9 - nyygregory

Another day, another envelope from a Trading Card Database trade.  


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).  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  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!

Asking the Blogging Community For A Little Assistance, For The Kids

A few days ago I posted about how I wanted to help get some cards for kids attending a Youth Hockey Tournament to get autographed by former NHL player Jonathan Cheechoo.  I just feel it's the right thing to do, since we talk about kids being the future of the hobby. 

I haven't received much response at all (only five people, four of which were from Twitter), so I thought I'd reach out again.  Any amount, even a couple of bucks, is greatly appreciated.  Let's show what collectors can do when they pitch in together. 

I've already made the purchase of 300 cards from Sportlots, and still have to pay to ship to Canada.  With the very short turnaround, I may have to do an expedited shipping method.  Again, if anyone wants to pitch in, it's for the kids! 

If you're interested in contributing (and you trust that I'm not being shady), just send a PayPal gift to me at kekinsley@yahoo.com and put "Naim Cardinal" in the note.  Just a couple of bucks from a few people can make a big difference.

Saturday, February 24, 2018

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #8 - Detfan6897

Because I know everyone is waiting on this <sarcasm>, here is the third envelope that I received Tuesday from Trading Card Database trades.  It certainly hit a lot of sets and collections, likely because my trade partner collects multiple sports. 


One more checked off the list for the 2017 Topps 1987 insert set.  


Seven more cards for the 2017 Gypsy Queen set.  As I said yesterday, I feel like I'll never complete this set.  I keep plugging away, though.  I can't even imagine what it would be like to collect a massive set like the Upper Deck 40 Man or Topps Total sets.


It was nice to receive Parkhurst inserts in two envelopes from Tuesday.  There aren't many traders with these on TCDB.  


More inserts for the 2017-18 Series 1 master set build.  


For those that don't know, Jeremy Roenick was my favorite hockey player in the 1990s...until the Blackhawks and their miserly owner traded him away.  You could say that even as a teenager, I was a player supercollector.  At the time he was traded, I had about 90% of his cards that Beckett listed.  That collection had to include the Team 2001 and Career Highlights cards above.  I'm picking up his cards again as I come into them, but only if he's pictured as a Blackhawks.  I have no care for his time with the Flyers, Kings, Sharks, Coyotes and whatever other teams he played for. 

Oh, the O-Pee-Chee Marquee Legend is my second copy of the card but since it's a SP, I figured it wouldn't hurt to have another. 


Once the Blackhawks traded Roenick, there was a dark period where I was a fan and listened to games, but had no favorite player.  Enter Eric Daze.  The big man was a serious goal scorer but unfortunately back issues kept him from living up to what we expected. 

I'm confused by the MVP card above.  It's a Silver Script, but there's no facsimile signature.  It just has his name typed in silver.  I do remember this happening with some players (in other sports as well) back in the day.  Does anyone recall why this happened? 


These four Dazes are my favorites.  I love the Collector's Choice "Young Guns" card from before Young Guns were the thing.  The whatever year Topps Heritage with the wood-grain border was a must have.  Also, I miss Fleer Metal.  Those were always some fun cards. 


My love of wood grain continues with the Mario Lemieux.  I have a couple of Lemieux autographed cards in my collection so I don't collect much else of his.  I figure that nothing is going to compare to them.  I do love that Heritage design.  I wish Topps could do one NHL set a year and it was Heritage.  A man can dream. 

Please ignore the fact that I picked up a 2017-18 MVP Andrew Shaw.  The Black Ice Derian Hatcher was one that I threw in for my fiance's Stars binder.  He was her favorite player.  Other than Mike Modano.  She'd leave me for either of them.


Finally, a couple of set pickups.  The top two were the ones I traded for and he added in the bottom four.  I need to buy some more Conlon boxes and get working on the sets.  A lot of the players are also in the T206 set.  These Conlon cards have great backs (mostly text) and I am excited to learn more about the guys in the T206 set from these. 

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).  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  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!

Friday, February 23, 2018

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #7 - ntlwhlr

This trade was in the second of three envelopes I received on Tuesday.  My trade partner is a Brewers and Blackhawks fan, making him a great trade partner.  He received quite a few Brewers refractors, rookies and numbered cards.  I feel he's probably thrilled with the trade.  I'm not unhappy.


Two more cards toward my 1987 insert set from 2017 Topps.  I think I traded for the Marte in another trade as well.  Oops.  I can put it back into the traders.


One more card two the 2012 Topps mini insert set.


More cards toward my 2017 Gypsy Queen set.  I bought a couple of hanger packs last year and liked the look of them, so decided to work toward the set.  I'm convinced I will never complete it.  


After five blasters of 2017-18 Parkhurst, I was able to complete the base set (but I need another Alex DeBrincat). I decided to attempt the master set, other than the Canadian exclusives and Prominent Prospects numbered parallels.  These come one or two per box so I still need quite a few.  Hopefully I can find more trade partners and pick these up.


Like the Parkhurst set, I have completed the base set of Series 1 but still need plenty of Young Guns and inserts.  They say that patience is a virtue.  I'm not confident that I'm THAT virtuous.


If this card looks familiar, you probably saw another copy in yesterday's trade post.  Oops.


I don't know much about this set and need to learn more.  I have it on my want list because of the former Indianapolis 500 drivers in the set.  Three of the four cards above are Jimmy Murphy, winner of the 1922 race.

Most of my trades on TCDB so far have been one sport for another.  It was refreshing to find a trade partner that crosses multiple sports.  The ones I've found that can cross sports have been much easier so far.  If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of TCDB and their trade system.  The match function makes it easier to find trade partners and I approve of that!

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).  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  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!

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Anyone Want to Help Get Some Cards For Youth Hockey Players?

I saw a tweet a few minutes ago from @NaimCardinal on Twitter looking for some Jonathan Cheechoo cards.  



Unfortunately I don't have any Cheechoo cards.  I offered to send him some Paypal and he could pick up some on Sportlots, but then it hit me...because of the currency conversion (he's in Canada) he will get less for the money.  Also, the seller that has some serious quantities is in the US and has a high shipping rate to Canada.  

Since this is for the kids, does anyone want to chip in a few bucks of Paypal to help buy more for the kids?  We say over and over that kids are the future of the hobby.  Here's our chance to put a few bucks where our mouths are.  

I have no doubt about the legitimacy of Naim's request.  Besides, who's going to ask for commons???  Naim is a collector himself.  If you don't know about his collection, it's been featured on Beckett's site, CBC News and even on Canadian television (I just can't find the link currently and want to get this posted).

I'm also going to ask Ivan to retweet this during the Go GTS Live show tonight.  Hopefully he will, as Naim watches the show as well.  

If you're interested in contributing (and you trust that I'm not being shady), just send a PayPal gift to me at kekinsley@yahoo.com and put "Naim Cardinal" in the note.  Just a couple of bucks from a few people can make a big difference.  I'm throwing in $10 and I've already had another $10 commitment from Twitter.  

Happy collecting!  

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #6 - Tgrs_4_me

There's good and bad about having mail delivered to my office.  The bad is that our mail room is closed on Saturdays so oftentimes I have to wait a couple of extra days to receive trade envelopes.  Add that to the "holiday" Monday and when the mail call came Tuesday afternoon, I had THREE envelopes.  WOOHOO!  All three were from trading on Trading Card Database.  I'll post them over the next few days. 

I probably "overpaid" on this trade, but I'm trying to make some solid progress on the 1987 Topps insert set from last year.  I traded off 22 cards for these.  Nothing of much value, but I paid $3 to ship and when you break it down, I wouldn't spend $3 at a card show for these cards.  Unfortunately the only cards my trading partner needed were commons, so it is what it is. 


This puts me three cards closer to the 1987 Topps insert set from last year.  The Andrew Shaw project is no more and I will likely begin selling off cards soon, but just in case I change my mind I picked up the 2017-18 MVP card. 

I can't believe how much money I put into Shaw cards.  Please, don't ask.  It was such an obsession for a few years but the combination of his trade to Montreal and my growing apathy toward overpriced modern cards killed the fun.  Hopefully I can recoup half the money I put into the collection.

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).  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  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!

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Watch @GoGTS Live. Retweet Them. Win Cards. Repeat.

I don't tune in every week, but I watch the Go GTS Live show every time that I can. 

I enjoy the hobby news and card breaks.  I don't buy packs or boxes often anymore and it's enjoyable to live vicariously through their breaks.  They give away the hits.  All you have to do is watch, retweet their pinned posts and email them if you're named one of the (random) winners at the end of the show. 

I was a winner a couple of weeks ago for the second time.  My card arrived last week.  It doesn't fit into my collection, but I listed it in on my Trading Card Database trade list and in time I'm sure that I'll trade it for something that better fits.  Thanks to Rob, Ivan and GTS Distribution for the show and contests!


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).  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  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!

Sunday, February 18, 2018

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #5 - wbaker01

It's funny how after so many years, collectible value has dropped on once highly-desired cards.  I picked up this lot of 28 1994-95 Upper Deck Electric Ice cards in a trade.  My trading partner is a set builder and I sent him 128 cards, most of which were 1980s Topps baseball that he needed for sets. 

It's just reading text, but he seemed as happy to make the trade as I was!


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).  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  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!

Thursday, February 15, 2018

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #4 - stevienicks77

Another PWE trade from TCDB, this one hitting a couple of sets.  You may also know this trade partner as Laurie of LV's TTM autographs and Baseball Cards.  Thanks for the trade, Laurie!


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.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Box O' Cards From Home - 3

This item from the box o' cards is the item that I'm most glad was saved.  It's the one that would be the toughest to replace and probably the most expensive.


It's not in perfect shape, but I'm thrilled to have a copy of this 1993 schedule.  The team went 11-0 during the regular season, winning the Big East title.  Unfortunately, they couldn't complete the perfect season and lost 41-7 in the Sugar Bowl.

A couple of players on the team went on to long NFL careers.  Todd Sauerbrun punted in the league for 13 seasons, playing in three pro bowls.  Aaron Beasley played nine seasons, registering 24 interceptions and two touchdowns.  Rich Braham played 13 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, starting 142 games.  Canute Curtis was a consensus All-American and Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 1996.  He ended his Mountaineer career the program leader in sacks (33.5) and went on to play six seasons in the NFL.  Mike Logan played ten seasons in the NFL and was a member of his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers when the won Super Bowl XL.  John Browning played 11 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, tallying 27.5 career sacks.

Defensive back Mike Collins is the man on the schedule.  He's one of the many players from the 1993 team remembered fondly by WVU fans.  Some of the other players on the team were Vann Washington, David Mayfield, Jake Kelchner, Mike Baker, Darren Studstill, Jay Kearney, Zach Abraham and Lovett Purnell.  Fortunately for Mountaineer fans that are also collectors, a handful of these players ended up on trading cards.


Hail, West Virginia!

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.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Monday, February 12, 2018

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #3 - SteelPerogie

Just a nice, small trade that gets me slightly closer to completing my 2017 Gypsy Queen set.  PWE trades are the best!


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.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Box O' Cards From Home - 2

Yesterday's post about the box o' cards from home didn't show anything but a picture of the box.  Today you get the first look inside...



The 1990 Pro Set Collect-A-Books!  I loved these as a kid.



And for a look at the inside of the "books..."






I would have been 11 years old when these came out.  It was also during the baseball card boom.  I don't know any other time these would have worked, or any other clientele that would be into these.  As an adult, if something like this came out today I'd just roll my eyes.  I guess you never know unless you try.

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.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!