2018 Trading Card Database Trade #23 - minibbcards -or- Another Mini Trade

I posted in the TCDB forums that I was looking for buybacks and a (not-so) old trade partner got ahold of me about a trade.  When I was in Birmingham I picked up a bunch of mini cards knowing he'd be interested.  It was easy to make our trade.  

2017 Topps - Rediscover Topps Stamped Buybacks Bronze #654 Ron Pruitt  

2017 Topps - Rediscover Topps Stamped Buybacks Blue #537 Mark Grant 

2017 Topps - Rediscover Topps Stamped Buybacks Bronze #8 Bobby Thigpen 

I wonder how many modern card collectors/baseball fans have no idea that for a time, Bobby Thigpen held the single-season saves record.  

2017 Topps - Rediscover Topps Stamped Buybacks Silver #446 Craig Grebeck 

2017 Topps - Rediscover Topps Stamped Buybacks Silver #717 Steve Farr  

It's not exactly a beauty, but it is a card number in the 700s and may be in the set for awhile.

2017 Topps - Rediscover Topps Stamped Buybacks Silver #485 Kevin Millwood 

Thanks for the trade!  

___________________________________________________________________________

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 last week.

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!

COMC Show & Tell - Player Collection Buybacks

Most of my baseball player collections are guys whose cards are nothing but "commons," and the guys didn't have long careers.  One of the benefits is that it's not necessarily difficult attempting to put together a complete run of their cards.  One of the cons is that since they weren't stars, they aren't showing up in any current sets.

Enter the Topps buybacks.

Some guys, like Steve Kline, I haven't seen buybacks for.  However, I've seen a few for Chris Enochs, Russ Davis and Darrell Whitmore.  Many people dislike the buybacks, and particularly last year's "Rediscover Topps," but for guys like me, it's a rare opportunity to add something new to old player collections.

One problem is that there was no checklist released by Topps, that I know of.  Davis was in Topps sets for the better part of a decade and there may be buybacks for some seasons and not others.  That's not even taking into account the different stamp colors.  UGH!

I recently discovered that Trading Card Database has the sets in the system, and as users report cards, they are added.  It will never be a complete checklist, but it's better than nothing.  It's also nice since that's where I'm cataloging my collection and I'll be able to get these in.

Thanks to COMC, I was able to add three on my last shipment.

2017 Bowman - Bowman Buybacks Bronze #204 Chris Enochs 

2017 Bowman - Bowman Buybacks Bronze #204 Chris Enochs (back) 

 I found two copies of this card and happily picked up both of them for a combined $1.85.

2017 Bowman - Bowman Buybacks Silver #342 Russ Davis   

2017 Bowman - Bowman Buybacks Silver #342 Russ Davis (back)

It took $2.25 to get this one, but compared to prices on eBay it seemed like a steal, considering shipping.

2017 Topps - Rediscover Topps Stamped Buybacks Blue #193 Russ Davis 

2017 Topps - Rediscover Topps Stamped Buybacks Blue #193 Russ Davis (back)

This is my favorite card of the bunch.  I don't recall thinking that much about the 1997 Topps design in 1997.  Fast forward twenty-one years and I really like it.  Also, the blue foil stamping blends into the card well.  I really dig that.

This one set me back $1.99.  I wouldn't pay that much for any random buyback, but I think it was also a steal at that price to add to my Russ Davis collection.

Shane, of Shoebox Legends, is the one that turned me on to buybacks in general with his Frankenset posts.  I also realize that many collectors aren't fans of the buybacks.  What I'm curious to know is aimed at player collectors.  Do you look for these to add to your player collection(s) and what is your thought process on that?  Please comment below with your thoughts.  I'd love to read them!

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!

Sportlots - Whitmore Gold and a Seabol

A couple of weeks ago I scanned and cataloged all of my Darrell Whitmore cards on Trading Card Database.  It was something a long time coming, since I knew there were plenty of holes in the player collection.  Once that was done, I was able to hit Sportlots and knock some cards off the need list.

Whitmore played in three seasons with the Marlins, but he will always be a football player to me.  As a freshman in 1998, he was a vital part of the Mountaineers secondary.  He broke his leg in the last game of the regular season (which I was in the stands for) and missed the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame (the first disappointment of many as a WVU fan/alum). 

LINK:  Whitmore a WVU standout

He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians, but taken by the Marlins in the expansion draft.  His first major league cards arrived after the 1993 season started and I tried for years to pick up one of each of his cards.  Many of those cards I picked up 25 years ago are still a part of the collection. 

He lives outside of Indianapolis (the final place he played in his professional career) and while I lived there, I hoped he would make it to one of our alumni group's events, but never did.  I would have been a nine-year old all over again.

I added the three Whitmores and the Scott Seabol from Sportlots for less than a buck each.  It doesn't sound like a deal at the top level for someone that maybe one blogger that will read this has heard of, but there were a couple of parallels included. 

1994 Collector's Choice - Gold Signature #295 Darrell Whitmore 

1994 Collector's Choice - Gold Signature #295 Darrell Whitmore (back)

This one is the card that has me most excited.  Anyone that collected during the mid-90s knows that the gold scripts weren't that easy to come by.  I'm sure that in the 1990s I'd have paid well more than the $1 I got it for.  

1995 Donruss - Press Proofs #22 Darrell Whitmore 

1995 Donruss - Press Proofs #22 Darrell Whitmore (back)

Also in my envelope was a parallel that pre-interwebz wasn't easy to come into if you were looking for a particular player.  I was more than happy to find this for a buck, less than any of the four listed on COMC currently.   

1995 Pacific #179 Darrell Whitmore 

1995 Pacific #179 Darrell Whitmore (back)

Some loved Pacific, some hated Pacific.  Count me among the former.  There were some popcorn farts like the "Pacific Online" set and some sets with parallels that are tough to decipher, but all-in-all, I loved Pacific.  

Adding these three Whitmores to my set leaves me 25 cards short of having all his cards (per TCDB). 

The final card I picked up was a Scott Seabol card that I want to send away for a TTM autograph.  He's another of the few former Mountaineers to play in the majors.  At the time he made his major league debut (April 8, 2001), he was the lowest drafted player to play in the bigs.  He was drafted in the 88th round (1716th overall) of the 1996 draft. 

He played just that one game for the Yankees, but that was enough to get him 20 major league cards (including the one below).  He did make it back to the majors and played in 59 games in 2005 for the Cardinals.  I find it fascinating that one game in 2001 got him 20 cards, but 59 games in 2005 got him no cards.  It speaks to the prospecting that happens in the hobby. 

2001 Bowman Heritage #288 Scott Seabol 

2001 Bowman Heritage #288 Scott Seabol (back)

Seabol will be the hitting coach for the Charleston RiverDogs this season, and I'm going to send this there in hope of a TTM success.  I'm a fan of the non-glossy finish on the cards. 

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 Surprise from The Lost Collector

I came home Thursday to find a PWE on the table with a return address that I recognized, but couldn't place in my head.  Inside I was thrilled to find four Russ Davis cards from AJ, of The Lost Collector blog.  Thank you so much, AJ!

I'm now at almost 70% complete on the Russ Davis collection.  I am probably already there, with some of the oddballs and randoms that aren't listed on Trading Card Database.  WINNING!

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 $100 in less than a year.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy: 2000 Upper Deck Legends #87 Babe Ruth

2000 Upper Deck Legends #87 Babe Ruth

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy: 1988 Classic Blue #211 Don Mattingly

1988 Classic Blue #211 Don Mattingly

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy: 1987 Fleer Limited Edition #26 Don Mattingly

1987 Fleer Limited Edition #26 Don Mattingly

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy: 2000 Upper Deck Yankees Legends #3 Lou Gehrig

2000 Upper Deck Yankees Legends #3 Lou Gehrig

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Bowman. Bronze. Buyback.

This is the first Russ Davis buyback that I've received in hand.  I also have purchased the silver, but on COMC.  It may be awhile before it's in-hand.  The only other buybacks I'm sure are out there are silver and bronze copies of his 1999 Topps card.  I feel there should be more.  Hopefully some will surface.  

2017 Bowman Bronze Buyback - 1993 Bowman #342 Russ Davis

Ar least now I have another "oddball" 1993 Bowman to pair with this one I bought a few years back. 

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Too Many Manninghams Mystery Mailday

I have most of my purchased items (eBay, Twitter, Sports Card Direct, COMC) send to my office.  Very few things come home.  However, I came home to two unexpected packages on Wednesday.  I saw the return address on one was from Dennis of Too Many Mannininghams and Too Many Verlanders.  He'd emailed me a couple weeks prior asking if my 1991 Stadium Club need list was up to date.  I told him that it was and forgot he's asked.  

What was strange and provided the mystery was the shape of the package.  It wasn't anything I expected.  You'll see why at the end.  

Dennis was kind enough to send me all cards I needed to finish off 1991 Stadium Club Series 2.  I noticed that the Jeff Bagwell was in a topload separate from the others.  It had completey escaped me that this was the Hall-of-Famer's rookie card and probably his best one.  Thank you so much, Dennis!

He also included some Russ Davis cards.  I will have to take a look and see which ones I need.  

Now we're to what made the package an unexpected shape.  I am absolutely thrilled that the set above was finished off and about more Russ Davis cards.  However, these three Becketts from 1989 were the highlight of the package!

I probably had all three of these in 1989 (and for years), but no longer.  I never threw the old ones away, but I never took them when I moved away from home.  They were still in my childhood home when it burnt down three years ago.  I'm thrilled (see what I did there?) to have these to add to my reference library.  I'll take a deeper dive into them at some point down the road and write some posts.  I can say that I spent about an hour of my Wednesday evening perusing them.  One last thing...all are from 1989.  Will Clark graced the cover three times in 11 months.  Not too shabby!  

Thank you for everything, Dennis!  I promise to give them a fantastic home.  

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy: 1975 Topps #291 Bill Sudakis

1975 Topps #291 Bill Sudakis

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Sportlots Mail #8 of 11

It doesn't seem that a card /1000 should really be that hard to find.  However, I found this on Sportlots and it was the first time I'd come across it.  I'm sure there have been some on eBay over time, but not when I was looking.  I was thrilled to pay just a buck for it, but the $3 shipping for ONE CARD irked me.  I would have gladly chanced it in a PWE for a buck.

1994 Signature Rookies Hottest Prospects Signatures #S2 Russ Davis

1994 Signature Rookies Hottest Prospects Signatures #S2 Russ Davis (back)

This addition raises the Russ Davis line to 203/309/65.7%.

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy: 2001 Sunoco Dream Team #12 Roger Maris / Catfish Hunter

I bought a lot of Sunoco fuel in 2001.

2001 Sunoco Dream Team #12 Roger Maris / Catfish Hunter

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 $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Dime Box Buy: 1992 Megacards Babe Ruth #15 Wins American League MVP 1923

It's a Babe Ruth card for a dime.  Why pass on that?

1992 Megacards Ruth #15 Wins American League MVP 1923

1992 Megacards Ruth #15 Wins American League MVP 1923 (back)

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!

Mail From Night Owl

Night Owl was kind enough to send me some goodies!  If you don't follow him on Twitter, you should (@nightowlcards)!

The cards were a great assortment to enter different parts of my collection.  I'm working on the 2017 Gypsy Queen set.  I don't think I have any of the Will Clark cards and there was also a Russ Davis included!  I need to do some work on checklists, but there are only so many hours in the day.

Thank you so much, Night Owl!  The cards are appreciated and welcome additions to my 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.  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!

Today's Card Show Spoils - A Great Vintage Acquisition

The lady had some things to do this afternoon, so I decided to make the hour-long trek to Plano and hit up the Dallas Card Show for this month.  I ended up spending more than I had planned (I planned to spend nothing), but such is the struggle.

I walked the room and there was a seller with a 1991 Topps factory set.  I planned to make him an offer but once I got back, it was gone.  The price was right but I didn't want to carry it around.  Oops!

The first purchase I made was a few cards from  3/$10 boxes.  I'm not showing them all because some will be sent to others and I want them to be surprises.

2002 Sweet Spot Classics Game Bat #BCR Cal Ripken

I picked this one up for myself.  I miss the good ol' days when relic cards actually were something.  This is certainly a flashback to those days.

2002 Topps Pristine Personal Endorsements #MT Marcus Thames

I don't follow baseball but I know Marcus Thames started out hot this season.  I had no idea that he could have a card from 17 years ago, but this is proof.  I guess I overpaid since you can get a copy of this for $3 on COMC, but it happens.  Ah well.

I picked the following card up from Leon, the owner of the Net54 site.  It will make it's way to a Cubs collector in time.  At that price and age, I wasn't leaving it behind.

1953 Bowman Black and White #12 Randy Jackson

The final three cards I picked up from Rich.  He offered to let me go through his boxes that he'd not priced yet.  I'm thrilled that I took the time.  Neither of us was sure what the book value was on these, but a number was thrown out and accepted.

1954 Bowman #64 Eddie Mathews

Dividing the price paid by the three cards I purchased, I likely slighty overpaid for this one.  It's a card of a Hall-of-Famer and I made up for any overpayment with the other two cards.

1933-34 V357 Ice Kings #12 Nels Stewart

1933-34 V357 Ice Kings #12 Nels Stewart (back)

Even in poor condition, I was thrilled at the price I got this at.  I had no idea of the value or anything about Nelson Stewart.  It turns out that he is a Hall-of-Famer, enshrined in 1952.  It also turns out that high BV on this card is $600.  Despite the condition, I got a deal.  Have I mentioned that I'm thrilled to add this card to my collection?

1933-34 V357 Ice Kings #42 Sylvio Mantha

1933-34 V357 Ice Kings #42 Sylvio Mantha (back)

This Sylvio Mantha card is in much better condition and very good shape in general.  I have no idea what it might grade, but it's more than 80-years old, so it doesn't matter to me.  Mantha is also a Hall-of-Famer.  High book value is $200 on this one and with the condition, I got even a better deal than I did on the above card.

I've been fortunate to come into a few vintage hockey cards at fantastic prices.  The trend is continuing!

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!

COMC Mail - Oldies, but Goodies

Thursday, another package arrived from COMC.  I'm going to break it down over multiple posts, but let's start with the vintage goodies that were inside.

1952 Topps #129 Johnny Mize

 I love this card.  I'm no Yankees fan, but it's the image that gets me on this one.  The 1952 Topps set is art.  I wish cards still had this look.  The horizontal look, holding three bats, the facade of Yankee Stadium...it's just beautiful.  Believe it or not, this is my first card from the set.  There is one more that I want, but it's a high-number.  Some day.  Maybe.

1959 Topps #88 Herb Score

 I have a couple of copies of this card, but for 20 cents, I wasn't passing up another hobby.

1971 Topps #5 Thurman Munson

I mentioned this card as my favorite card from the 1970s in my 30-Day Card Challenge post.  I had to pick up a low-grade copy.  Not just ANY low grade copy, but the one that I used for an image in that post.

1955 Topps All American #75 Hugh Gallarneau

1955 Topps All American #91 Bob Odell

For $7.99 apiece, I decided to add these two cards to my collection.  I have a set on the PSA Registry.  I don't often add to it, but when I can find cheap, graded copies, I pick them up.

These five cards were the only vintage that came this time.  It'll be all modern in the upcoming days.

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!