DUCK YOU SUCKER

SO THAT TIME WHEN I WENT TO THE SECOND ANTIQUE MALL AND GOT A BUNCH OF CARDS IN A LEOPARD PRINT BAG I SPIED THIS IN THE PARKING LOT:

A WHOLE OTHER CARD SHOP IN THE SAME SHOPPING CENTER! THIS PICTURE BURNED UP THE LAST OF MY PHONE'S POWER SO NO PICS FROM THE ANTIQUE MALL BUT THANKS TO THIS PHOTO TO REMIND ME I KNEW TO GO BACK AND CHECK OUT THE STORE AT A LATER DATE. UNLIKE MY MAIN LCS, THIS ONE IS OPEN ON SUNDAYS WHEN I CAN ACTUALLY GO. THE PLACE IS HUGE, HAS A TON OF CASES FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH GRADED SLABS AND A GIGANTIC AMOUNT OF VERY EXPENSIVE MEMORABILIA. IT'S ALSO GOT A BUNCH OF WAX I CAN'T AFFORD AND A WHOLE WALL FULL OF EVERY KIND OF SUPPLY THAT I USUALLY TRY TO FIND CHEAPER SECONDHAND. IT WAS VERY INTIMIDATING AND I FELT LIKE I MIGHT GET KICKED OUT AT ANY MOMENT FOR BEING POVERTY. UNTIL!!! WAY IN THE BACK CORNER I FOUND A TABLE FULL OF BOXES OF NOT-SLABBED CARDS THAT WERE MORE IN MY PRICE RANGE! AND A FEW BOXES OF ODDBALL STUFF TOO! I SPENT A GOOD HOUR DIGGING FOR GOODIES AND FOUND A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEAT STUFF

2001 NBA ALL STAR GAME 2001 VINCE CARTER

THIS WAS THE ONLY STANDARD SIZED BASKETBALL CARD I PICKED UP THIS TIME. THERE WERE TOO MANY GOOD BASEBALL CARDS IN THE DOLLAR BOXES AND HOOPS GOT SQUEEZED OUT. THIS ONE CAUGHT MY EYE THOUGH, MAINLY BECAUSE I HAD NO FRIGGIN IDEA WHAT THE HELL IT WAS. FLEER INSERTS I AM FAMILIAR WITH, ONES WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ON THEM? NUMBERED ONE OF THREE?? NOPE, DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. VINCE CARTER IS THE BEST AND WE'D ALL BE BETTER OFF WITH HIM IN THE WHITE HOUSE SO I WAS COMPELLED TO PICK THIS UP. MAINLY BECAUSE I THOUGHT I MAY NEVER SEE IT AGAIN IF I DIDN'T

TURNS OUT THIS IS PART OF A THREE CARD CROSS-BRAND INSERT SET HONORING THE 2001 ALL STAR GAME IN DC. IT'S KINDA FUNNY HOW EACH BRAND'S CONTRIBUTION IS CAPTURES THEIR VIBE. FLEER GOES WILD WITH THE DESIGN AND COMES UP WITH SOMETHIGN MEMORABLE AND A LITTLE BIT GOOFY. TOPPS LEANS HEAVILY INTO THEIR VINTAGE CARD HISTORY. UPPER DECK'S DESIGN IS FLASHY BUT ULTIMATELY INSUBSTANTIAL. EVERYONE WHO CLICKED ON THAT LINK AND TOOK A PEEK AT THE DESIGNS: QUICK, TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT THE UPPER DECK DESIGN WAS AND THEN CHECK BACK TO SEE IF YOU WERE RIGHT. I HAVE TO ADMIT THOUGH, THAT SHAQ CARD IN THE 1971-72 TOPPS BASKETBALL DESIGN LOOKS AWESOME AND I WANT IT

2000 BOWMAN'S BEST FRANCHISE 2000 SCOTT ROLEN

THIS CARD SHOWS YOU THE INFERNAL POWER THAT THE SHINY HAS OVER ME. I HATE BOWMAN AND THIS CARD DESIGN IS OBJECTIVELY HIDEOUS, YET DIE CUT CORNERS AND HOLOFRACTOR SHINIES DAZZLED ME SO MUCH I HAD TO GET IT. THERE IS NO COLOR INK ON THIS CARD! IT'S BLACK AND WHITE FRONT AND BACK! THERE'S AN INTERESTING DESIGN EMBOSSED ON THE THING BUT THERE'S NO INK AND YOU CAN BARELY READ THE TEXT. BUT GODDAMN IT'S SO SHINY! IT'S HYPNOTISING! IT'S SCOTT ROLEN THOUGH AND I'M SO HAPPY HE MADE THE HALL I'M HAPPY TO FIND A 90'S INSERT FOR HIM EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEAUTIFULLY HIDEOUS

LOL LOOK AT THIS MESS, IT'S SO UGLY. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING

1992 FLEER ROOKIE SENSATIONS JEFF BAGWELL

OMG THESE CARDS WERE SO INCREDIBLY FLAMING HOT BACK IN 1992. THESE CARDS WERE ONLY FOUND IN JUMBO PACKS AT A RATE OF ONE IN FOUR PACKS AND PEOPLE WENT BERZERK OVER THEM. MAN, THESE WERE SO EXPENSIVE BACK IN THE DAY. FRANK THOMAS WAS BY FAR THE BEST CARD IN THE SET, AND PHIL PLANTIER THE FUNNIEST, BUT JEFF BAGWELL IS A GOOD #2 CARD IN THE SET. UNLESS YOU PREFER IVAN RODRIGUEZ. STILL THE BRONZE WINNER IN A SUPER COOL HISTORIC INSERT SET IS A NO BRAINER PICK UP OUT OF A DOLLAR BOX, EVEN IF MOST OF THE REST OF THE CARDS CAN BE GOTTEN FOR WELL UNDER THAT PRICE

THESE ARE REALLY REALLY NICE LOOKING CARDS WHEN YOU GET THEM IN HAND. SUCH A SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE DESIGN. AND A NICE PHOTO SELECTION OTHER THAN A COUPLE CLUNKERS (I'M LOOKING AT YOU, MARK WOHLERS). I'M PRETTY SURE I HAVE ALL THE BIG NAMES IN THIS SET NOW, PERHAPS IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT WORKING ON THESE FLEER INSERT SETS

1996 TOPPS LASER BARRY BONDS

1996 TOPPS LASER IS A BEAUTIFUL DISASTER OF A SET. IT'S COMPLETELY UNNECCESSARY, LOOKS CHEESY AND IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STORE ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH JAGGED BORDERS. OF COURSE I FRIGGIN LOVE IT. I BOUGHT AS MANY AS I COULD FIND BACK IN 1996, WHICH WASN'T MUCH AND I STILL LOVE FINDING THEM TODAY. THEY ARE HARDER TO FIND THAN YOU MIGHT THINK, AS PEOPLE TEND TO SNAP THEM UP QUICKLY JUST FOR THE NOVELTY. I WAS VERY HAPPY TO FIND ONE AT ALL LET ALONE A BARRY BONDS. I DON'T NEED TO HARP ON THE FACT THAT PEOPLE DISRESPECTING BONDS KEEPS GETTING ME COOL CARDS CHEAP, BUT IT DOES AND I'M GLAD SO KEEP DISRESPECTING

THE THING ABOUT TOPPS LASER IS THAT YOU ONLY REALLY NEED FOUR CARDS FROM THE SET. ONE BLACK BORDER BATTER CARD, ONE GOLD FOIL BORDER FIELDING CARD, ONE OF THESE RED BORDER RUNNER CARDS AND A PITCHER'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT IN A PENNY SLEEVE FLAMING FIREBALL CARD. ONCE YOU'VE SEEN ONE OF THE LASER DESIGNS, HAVING TWENTY FIVE MORE CARDS JUST LIKE IT HAS EXTREMELY DIMINISHING RETURNS. INSTEAD OF A COMPLETE SET YOU'D PROBABLY BE BETTER OFF WITH A PAGE OF ONE CARD OF EACH DESIGN FROM EACH SERIES OF YOUR FAVORITE PLAYERS AND ONE OF THE COOL LASER CUT INSERT CARDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE. I BET YOU COULD GO ON COMC AND COMPLETE THIS FOR MAYBE 10-15 BUCKS AS LONG AS YOU AVOIDED THE SUPERSTARS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY COLLECT

1992 UPPER DECK HOMERUN HEROES BARRY BONDS

MOAR BONDSES. ONE OF MY RECENT OBSESSIONS IS FINISHING OFF ALL THE JUNK WAX UPPER DECK INSERT CARDS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE SCARCE SETS PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM ARE PLENTIFUL AND CHEAP. THIS 1992 SET UPGRADED THE SILVER SLUGGER BATS FROM 1991 TO GOLD HOMER BATS. IN 1993, THE BATS BECAME EMBOSSED! THIS IS A GREAT LOOKING CARD WITH BONDS TAKING A MIGHTY CUT IN FRONT OF SOME BUNTING. I WONDER IF THIS IS OPENING DAY BUNTING OR PAYOFF BUNTING?

THERE WERE A TON OF THESE IN THE DOLLAR BOXES AND THE BONDS WAS SHOWING AS A NEED ON MY WANTLIST SO THIS IS THE ONE I WENT HOME WITH. SADLY, MY WANTLISTS WERE BUNK AND I ALREADY HAD A TON OF THEM ALREADY INCLUDING THIS ONE. I LAMENT GETTING A DOUBLE WHEN I WAS ALREADY IN A MONEY SQUEEZE AND MAKING SOME HARD PASSES ON SOME COOL CARDS BUT IT'S BARRY BONDS. IF THE UNIVERSE IS FOING TO FORCE ME TO BECOME A BONDS COLLECTOR WHO AM I TO ARGUE

1992 UPPER DECK BASEBALL HEROES THE BIG RED MACHINE

I COLLECTED THE HELL OUT OF UPPER DECK BASEBALL HEROES BACK IN THE DAY BUT WHEN THEY SPRUNG THIS DUAL HEROES SET IN THE 1992 UPDATE SERIES I WAS TERRIBLY OFFENDED. HOW DARE UPPER DECK FOIST HEROES THAT COULDN'T EVEN FILL OUT A WHOLE INSERT SET BY THEMSELVES UPON US? YOU GO FROM TED WILLIAMS TO A TAG TEAM? HARRUMPH! THIS IS AN UTTERLY RIDICULOUS THOUGHT PROCESS BUT I WAS A REAL DUMBASS IN 1992. NOW I AM WAY BEHIND ON THIS SET BUT THANKFULLY THEY ARE NOT TERRIBLY HARD TO FIND THANKS TO THOSE PRINTING PRESSES RUNNING OVERTIME BACK THEN. THE VERNON WELLS ART CHECKLIST CARD IS A NICE PICKUP EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT COLLECITNG THE SET

I STILL FEEL LIKE JOHNNY BENCH COULD HAVE HELD DOWN AN ENTIRE BASEBALL HEORES BY HIMSELF THOUGH

1971 TOPPS JOSE AZCUE

THERE WERE A LOT OF 70S CARDS IN THE DOLLAR BOX. I SCROUNGED THROUGH THE LARGE PILE OF 1972 CARDS AND DISCOVERED I HAD THEM ALL ALREADY. BUT! THERE WERE 71S IN THERE ALSO AND THEY HAD HIGH NUMBERS!!! I SNAGGED THREE I NEEDED. NONE WERE SHORT PRINTED BUT STILL, YOU DON'T STICK YOUR NODE UP AT HIGH NUMBERS IN BARGAIN BOXES. THIS IS JOSE'S LAST TOPPS CARD WHICH IS A SHAME AS WE WERE DENIED A 72 BREWERS CARD OF HIM

1971 TOPPS MOE DRABOWSKY

MOE DRABOWSKY IS A GREAT NAME. THIS CARD IS BEAT TO HELL BUT IT'S AUTOGRAPHED ON THE BACK SO THAT MAKES IT BETTER THAN MINT. MOE DID GET A 1972 CARD, BUT LIKE JOSE, NO CARD FOR THE TEAM HE FINISHED HIS CAREER WITH, BUT @WTHBALLS FIXED THAT A WHILE BACK

1971 TOPPS ROYALS TEAM

HIGH NUMBERED TEAM CARDS ARE SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS, THIS HERE IS ALMOST A MIRACLE OF A CARD. IT'S KINDA WILD THE ROYALS HAD ONLY EXISTED TWO YEARS WHEN THIS CARD CAME OUT. EQUALLY WILD THEY HAD THREE MANAGERS IN THOSE TWO SEASONS. I REALLY HAVE TO GO OUT OF MY WAY TO FIND TRULY VINTAGE STUFF I CAN AFFORD NOWADAYS SO THREE HIGH NUMBERS IN THE DOLLAR BOX IS KINDA AMAZING

1971 TOPPS SCRATCH OFF TOM SEAVER

THIS IS THE ONLY CARD I PICKED UP THAT WASN'T FROM A DOLLAR BOX. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO COMPLETE A VINTAGE INSERT SET - ANY VINTAGE INSERT SET - FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND HAVE BEEN FAILING SPECTACULARLY. WHY DIDN'T I PICK UP ALL THESE CARDS 10-20 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE GARBAGE NO ONE WANTED. OH THE REGRETS. THE TWO SETS I'M CLOSEST TO ARE THE COMIC BOOKLET CARDS FROM 1970 AND THE SCRATCH OFF GAME CARDS FROM 1970-71. THE COMIC BOOKLETS ARE KINDA HARD TO FIND BUT WEIRDLY CHEAP WHEN YOU DO. THE SCRATCH OFFS ARE SUPER EASY TO FIND, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT WHICH YEAR IT'S FROM. THE CARDS FROM BOTH YEARS ARE MOSTLY IDENTICAL EXCEPT THE ONES FROM 1970 HAVE A WHITE INTERIOR AND THE 71S ARE RED. THIS TOM SEAVER CARD WAS INSIDE THE VINTAGE NON-GRADED CASE AND HAD A SUPER CHEAP PRICE TAG ON IT. I HAD A FEELING I KNEW WHY IT WAS SUPER CHEAP BUT GOT IT ANYWAY AND WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THE MOMENT IT WAS PULLED FROM THE CASE

SO THIS IS TECHNICALLY HALF OF A 1971 TOM SEAVER SCRATCH-OFF INSERT CARD. THE OTHER HALF HAS A BUNCH MORE SCRATCH OFF SQUARES, GAME RULES, AND A SCOREBOARD WHERE YOU CAN RECORD THE RUNS SCORED BY YOUR INVISIBLE SCRATCHOFF PLAYERS. THE CARD WAS DESIGNED TO BE RIPPED IN HALF SO THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, SOMEONE ALSO TRIED TO SCRATCH OFF A COUPLE SQUARES AT SOME POINT AND DISCOVERED THAT THESE SCRATCHY SQUARES HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE. I TRIED DOING THIS MYSELF ON ONE OF MY CARDS BACK IN THE 80S AND GOT THE SAME RESULTS OF COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE CARD. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OF THE BELIEF THAT A COMPLETELY TRASHED VINTAGE CARD IS STILL A VINTAGE CARD SO HALF A TOM IS ACCEPTABLE. THIS ALSO SOLVES A DILEMMA SINCE MY NATE COLBERT CARD IS ALSO MISSING A BACK SO I CAN HOLD OFF ON UPGRADING THAT SINCE I'VE ACCEPTED ANOTHER RIPPED CARD INTO THE BINDER

I GOT A FEW OTHER ODDBALLS ON THIS TRIP, BUT I'M SAVING THOSE FOR ANOTHER TIME. I'VE ALREADY BEEN BACK A COUPLE TIMES TO PICK UP STUFF I'VE LEFT BEHIND SO I CAN CONFIRM IT'S A REALLY GOOD STORE. YOU CAN CHECK OUT THEIR WEB STORE AND GET A GOOD IDEA OF ALL THE STUFF IN THIS PLACE AND MAYBE GET AN IDEA OF HOW INTIMIDATED I WAS WITH MY WELL-UNDER-TWENTY-DOLLARS BUDGET. I GOT SEVERAL MORE POSTS TO SHOW OFF FROM HERE SO SETTLE IN AND ENJOY MY CHEAPNESS