First Scan Off the New Laptop -or- Another off the Most Wanted List

Just last week I posted about acquiring a card that was on my most wanted list.  It's funny how in this hobby we can go weeks, months or even years between acquiring cards like that.  Then there are other times, like this, where you get a couple of them just a few days apart.  

Also new is my laptop.  The old one was probably a decade old.  It still works and I'm keeping it as a backup, but it was time.  The new one works much faster with my scanner.  WINNING!

The first card I scanned was this beauty!  

1962 Marhoefer Indy Lloyd Ruby

1962 Marhoefer Indy Lloyd Ruby (back)

Reading bores me.  There's no other way to put it.  However, I picked up a book on Lloyd Ruby a couple of years ago.  Just learning about him, mostly who he was away from the track, made me a big fan of a man that I never saw race.  

Just two "cards" were produced from Ruby's driving days and this is the lone one that featured his Indianapolis 500 driving.  I've been wanting to pick this "card" up for a couple of years and this is the first time I've seen it come available.  Yeah, it has some writing on it.  I'll probably acquire a few more copies of this one over time.  That writing could have kept the price down.  With shipping, I happily paid around $25 for it.  

Did you notice that in the last paragraph I used quotation marks twice?  The reason I did that is because this isn't truly a trading card.  It was distributed in quite a different manner.

From Beckett.com:  "Marhoefer Meats of Muncie Indiana distributed this Indy car set in 1962 through its various meat products. The cards feature top IndyCar drivers in black and white photos. As is common with most issues distributed with meat products, the cards were produced with a wax film covering and are often found with product stains. The unnumbered cards are oversized (approximately 4" by 5-1/4") and contain rounded corners."

As I read that, I realized that it didn't fully give the story that I've read (somewhere).  These "cards" were part of Marhoefer hot dog packaging.  Because of the distribution method, many didn't survive and they aren't extremely easy to find.  Also, they are not a normal size.  Below I compared this card to a modern trading card.  

My hope it to someday pick up the A.J. Foyt card as well, but when it pops up for sale, it's usually overpriced.  There's one that pops up on eBay from time-to-time for $750.  Along with this Lloyd Ruby and some other drivers from the set, a Foyt was listed at $250, which is still too high.  At a true auction, the Foyt should be in the $100-150 range.  I can wait.  

Now that I have this card, the next part of the challenge has begun.  How the heck do I store this???

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I've decided to try selling on Sports Card Direct again.  Hopefully you'll take a look at my page and see if there's anything you're interested in.  I can always sell off the site and ship in a PWE if you're only looking for a card or two and don't want to pay $3 shipping.  I'm going to start listing more cards daily.  It's time to get out of a lot of my stuff.  

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!  Another $40 was depostied into my Paypal account earlier this month.

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!

30 Day Card Challenge - Day 10

Day 10 is :one of your favorite cards from the 1960s."  This is my first post in which I don't own the card.  In this case, it's one of the cards at the top of my want list.

The 1962 Marhoefer set is the only one from the era that pictures drivers from the same era.  Other sets depict previous Indianapolis 500 winners.  A.J. Foyt is not only an open-wheel icon, but he is one of the best drivers in the history of auto racing.

1962 Marhoefer Indy #5 A.J.Foyt

I found a forum post where one vintage racing collector stated that he'd never seen one of these for sale other than in a completed set.  The picture above was taken from eBay, so there has been a single show up.  However, the $795 price was a bit out of my comfort zone.  If a copy of the Lloyd Ruby card ever surfaces, I hope that I can afford it.  It's the other card that I want from the set.  Someday.

LINK:  Marhoefer Indy (more than you really wanted to know)

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!