Show Stuff

Sometimes plans don't work out the way you imagined.  Today I planned to make the 45-minute drive to Plano, pick up three cards from David and head back home.  I left with many more than three cards. 

David gave me a great price on a card I needed for the 1955 All-American set a few months ago.  I decided to pick up the rest of the ones he had.  I have a copy of the Larry Kelley already, but it's a graded one.  I honestly prefer raw cards anyway, so this one goes into the set.  I needed the Leo Nomellini, and this one is in fantastic shape.  I had a copy of the Beattie Feathers already, but this one is also in great shape and a significant upgrade. 

Not two minutes after I paid, I won the hourly door prize, which is a certificate to use with any seller.  So, I kept looking.  I ended up spending way more than I planned, but I'm not complaining.  I pulled cards out of the dollar box, including some I never thought I'd see in a dollar box. 

Six cards I needed for the 2001 Topps Heritage set that I'm passively working on. 

Two cards (on top) for my personal collection and three others I will list on Trading Card Database to trade. 

You're seeing that correctly, 47 cards from the 1952 baseball set.  Sure they are all in low grade, but at (less than) a dollar, I took every one in the box!  What a great starter lot to add to my collection, not that I will ever attempt the set.  I picked these up eight hours ago and the smile hasn't left my face yet.  It's the perfect example of why I love card shows.  I don't know that I'd ever find a lot like this on eBay and even if it existed, I'm never looking for 1952 Topps.  I just jumped on the opportunity to add these 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 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!

The Lost Post

I picked this up a few weeks ago at a card show, but with maildays and other posts, it's fallen through the cracks.  Plus, it was on the side table in the bedroom.  If any cards go there, they tend to go AWOL.  

I felt I was probably paying too much at $10 for this, but it is something different.  You don't see them every day.  Writing this post I decided to look on eBay and see what going rate is.  

I learned that this isn't a normal rack pack.  Those have 50 or so cards in them and look different.  I found this ended listing that lists it as a "grocery rack pack" and sold for $55.  It had a Joe Montana passing leaders card showing so I'm sure that bumped the price significantly.  It still made me feel better at spending $10.  This one doesn't have a star listed as showing and sold for $22.  Yeah, I'm pleased.  

This is the perfect example of why I don't understand collectors that prefer buying online to going to card shows.  I know there aren't shows everywhere.  I'm talking about ones that have the option of attending shows and choose not to.  This isn't something I'd have ever searched for, so I'd never have it.  Now, I do.  

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!

Two Card Shows, a Podcast and a Card

Today was a full day.  I hit up two card shows and made it home in time to see most of today's Indianapolis 500 qualifications.  It was a good day and I only bought one card.

I started out the day at the Beckett Media Card Show.  It was one of the FOUR card shows in the Fort Worth/Dallas area today.  I didn't count, but there were probably ten sellers, none of which I'd ever seen at any of our local shows.  I'm not complaining, as that means new product.  All the local shows are great, but it's the same sellers and same product in general.

The Beckett show was centered around on-site authentication from Beckett Authentication and on-site Beckett Grading service.  I met Marlin, who drove down from Kansas City to take advantage of the on-site services.  I've conversed with him online and he's also in the same Beckett Fantasy Baseball League that I'm in.  If you don't follow him on Twitter, click on his name above and give him a follow.  Marlin gave me a gift as a thank you for being the only team that he's beaten this season.

Thanks, SpartyHawk Cache!  

I sat down with Eric from Beckett radio and did an almost 30-minute segment with him.  We chatted about wrestling, ePack, collectors that complain about every and some other random topics.  It wasn't my first (or second) time on the show and I hope that it won't be my last.  The link is below for you to listen in.  You also should follow them on iTunes and listen to the weekly show, if I do say so myself.





I only made one purchase at the show and it wasn't a card.  I picked up the latest Beckett Vintage Collector.  It's my favorite magazine in the Beckett family.  There is some pricing in the magazine, but it's much heavier on articles, which I like.  I've learned about many sets that I knew little about since the first issue.

I stayed at the show MUCH later than I wanted to.  When I got to my car I took a look and found that Indianapolis 500 qualifications weren't going to begin (due to weather in Indianapolis) until 3 p.m.  I decided to stop off at the weekly card show at Duane's Sports Cards on the way back since it's close to home, and Roger Neufeldt was set up and selling.  I only picked myself up one card.  It wasn't from Roger, or vintage.  I paid only a buck for it, but I was thrilled to find it.  It's the kind of card that if it's on COMC, some douche canoe is going to want $25 for it.

1995 Upper Deck Electric Diamond Gold #390 Will Clark

I opened a bit of this product in 1995 and never got any of the golds.  I have one now!

If you're local, I recommend that you give this show a try, or a second one.  They've moved some things around and there is certainly from fresh product there and it looks a lot more full.  I know that I need to go back soon and start digging to work on others' want lists.  I may or may not have picked up a few cards today for others, but you'll never 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!

Weekend Card Show Acquisitions

I didn't even plan to go to a card show this weekend.  Late Friday evening, I was perusing the Net54 boards and came across the post about the show.  I saw that Leon (owner/operator of Net54) was setting up on Saturday only.  He sets up with exclusively vintage, so I decided to make the almost-hour drive.

I didn't come across anything at Leon's table that both did it for me and I could afford, so I didn't pick anything up from him.  However, two was my number of the day.  I picked up two boxes and two singles, off two different sellers and spent only $22.  Walking out without much isn't an issue for me.  I have often been guilty of buying stuff that doesn't necessarily fit into my collection just because I have the money.  No mas!

1972-73 Topps #56 Stan Mikita

I already have at least one copy of this card, but for a buck each I wasn't passing up more.  These may also be in better shape than the one(s) I have.  The seller stated everything was 20% off the tagged price, but I didn't need him to make change.  I left the table happy.

A year or so ago I picked up a box of 1991 Stadium Club Series 1 and a few months ago opened it.  I came up just two cards short of completing the set.  If anyone out there has numbers 181 (Dwight Smith) and 272 (Danny Tartabull) that they'd like to drop into a PWE for me, I'd be eternally grateful!  I don't know what's in series 2, but my hope is that I can complete the set or come very close.  Not sure if there was a third series that I need to be on the lookout for.

To be honest, I'm not even sure who is in the Line Drive set.  What I do know is that I need some minor league Russ Davis cards that people are asking $2.50 for on COMC.  He's a common and shouldn't be that much.  While he's not in this set, there may be a few cards that I can send in.  A couple of weeks ago I read a post on The Greatest 21 Days blog about a player that played his college ball at my alma mater, West Virginia University.  I'm hoping maybe I can find a hidden gem in this set.  If I don't find either of those things, I'm sure there are some bloggers that would like some of the cards, so it's going to be a win no matter what.

The boxes will go onto the rainy day shelf with the 20 or so other unopened boxes I have.  I have so many projects that I want to get done.  I've started a page on Collector Focus, so I have a lot of scanning and organizing to do. I also have boxes on boxes in my closet to organize and enter into my Sports Card Forum inventory.  It may be while before I open these two boxes.  It may be next week.  Who knows?

If you're on twitter, please follow me @beansbcardblog.

Happy collecting!

Baseball Dollar Box Diving

This is the last of my posts on cards I picked up from dollar boxes as a show last month.  Most are available if anyone is interested.

1959 Topps #230 Bill Fischer

 Per the writing on the back, it appears that at some time during the last 50+ years, this was in the collection of someone names Dale.  He has pretty good handwriting!

1975 O-Pee-Chee #245 Mickey Lolich

1975 O-Pee-Chee #382 Don Baylor

1975 O-Pee-Chee #545 Billy Williams

1991 Topps Traded #45T Jason Giambi 

2012 Topps 1987 Topps Minis #TM92 Sandy Koufax

2012 Topps 1987 Topps Minis #TM99 Roberto Clemente

2012 Topps 1987 Topps Minis #TM137 Cal Ripken Jr.

2000 Fleer Club 3000 #LB Lou Brock

2000 Fleer Club 3000 #DW Dave Winfield

2000 Fleer Club 3000 #SC Steve Carlton

2000 Fleer Club 3000 #BG Bob Gibson 

2000 Fleer Club 3000 #TG Tony Gwynn ULT

I remember that I loved these back in 2000.  It looks like I could have picked them up cheaper on COMC, but there's something about being able to find and pick them up in person.  COMC has many advantages, but just buying everything on there can be too easy and remove some of the fun.

2006 Upper Deck Silver Spectrum #718 Jaret Wright

1996 Topps #7 Mickey Mantle

1993 Finest #88 Roberto Alomar

2013 Panini Cooperstown Blue Crystal Shard #83 Willie Stargell

2013 Panini Cooperstown Gold Crystal Shard #66 Billy Williams

2016 Topps National Baseball Card Day #50 Kris Bryant

2016 Topps National Baseball Card Day #50 Kris Bryant

2001 Topps Chrome Traded Retrofractors #T136 Joe Carter 91

2011 Topps Chrome Purple Refractors #115 Justin Verlander

1994 Bowman's Best Refractors #B86 Jose Silva

2005 Bowman's Best Green #86 Nate McLouth

2013 Bowman Chrome Draft #6 Gerrit Cole

2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects Refractors #BCP120 Zack Dodson

1992 Bowman #590 Barry Bonds 

2013 Panini Cooperstown Lumberjacks #37 Fred Clarke

1982 TCMA Greatest Hitters #4 Roberto Clemente

2002 Greats of the Game #86 Honus Wagner

2007 Topps Update Chrome #TRC27 Masumi Kuwata

2012 Bowman Gold #204 Jeff Locke

2003 Topps Heritage #10A Derek Jeter New Logo

2004 Bowman Heritage #245 Gio Gonzalez

2007 Topps Heritage #476 Albert Pujols 

2013 Topps Heritage Minor League #221 Slade Heathcott SP

2013 Topps Heritage #491 Wei-Yin Chen SP

2013 Topps Heritage Minor League #216 Bubba Starling SP 

2013 Topps Heritage Minor League Venezuelan #126 Nolan Fontana

2013 Topps Heritage Minor League Black #105 Erik Johnson 

2014 Topps Heritage Minors Black #72 Carson Kelly

 I'm definitely keeping the Kelly...the serial # is 007!

2014 Topps Heritage Minors Black #85 Jairo Beras

2014 Topps Heritage #431 Jon Lester

2014 Topps Heritage #432 Jay Bruce

2014 Topps Heritage #434 Pedro Alvarez

2014 Topps Heritage #445 Pablo Sandoval

2014 Topps Heritage #452 Anibal Sanchez

2014 Topps Heritage #467(a) Ryan Braun

2014 Topps Heritage #473 Adrian Gonzalez

2014 Topps Heritage #498 Greg Holland

2001 Topps Heritage #321 Francisco Cordova SP

2001 Topps Heritage #323 Pat Meares SP 

2001 Topps Heritage #325 Keith Osik SP

2001 Topps Heritage #327 Bobby Jones SP

2001 Topps Heritage #336 Bret Boone SP 

2001 Topps Heritage #338 Trevor Hoffman SP

2001 Topps Heritage #339 Bob Abreu SP

2001 Topps Heritage #347 Todd Pratt SP

2001 Topps Heritage #351 Sean Casey SP

2001 Topps Heritage #352 Darren Oliver SP

2001 Topps Heritage #353 Todd Ritchie SP 

2001 Topps Heritage #355 Jason Kendall SP

2001 Topps Heritage #358 Edgardo Alfonzo SP

2001 Topps Heritage #366 Brady Anderson SP

2001 Topps Heritage #369 Adam Eaton SP

2001 Topps Heritage #370 Eric Owens SP

2001 Topps Heritage #373 Derek Bell SP

2001 Topps Heritage #375 Travis Lee SP

2001 Topps Heritage #375 Travis Lee SP

2001 Topps Heritage #375 Travis Lee SP

2001 Topps Heritage #381 Omar Daal SP

2001 Topps Heritage #381 Omar Daal SP

2001 Topps Heritage #381 Omar Daal SP

2001 Topps Heritage #382 Ryan Klesko SP

2001 Topps Heritage #395 Manny Alexander SP

2001 Topps Heritage #399 Kevin Jordan SP

2001 Topps Heritage #399 Kevin Jordan SP

2001 Topps Heritage #399 Kevin Jordan SP

2001 Topps Heritage #399 Kevin Jordan SP

2001 Topps Heritage #401 Jeff Conine SP

2001 Topps Heritage #401 Jeff Conine SP

2001 Topps Heritage #402 Seth Etherton SP

2001 Topps Heritage #404 Al Leiter SP

2001 Topps Heritage #404 Al Leiter SP

2001 Topps Heritage #406 Armando Benitez SP

2001 Topps Heritage #406 Armando Benitez SP

2001 Topps Heritage #407 Warren Morris SP

When I bought the 2001 Topps Heritage cards, my thought was just to sell them as a lot and make a few bucks off them.  As I've scanned and looked at them more, I'm having second thoughts about that.  I had this set almost completed, including SPs, at one time.  I sold it off at some point and regret it.  What I can say is that I'm staring to wonder if I should hang on to these, juuuuuuuuuuuust in case...