2025 COMC BLACK FRIDAY BINGE HONORABLE MENTIONS

YAY! COMMENTS WORK AGAIN. NOW I JUST HAVE TO  CONSTANTLY WATCH FOR SPAM LIKE A HAWK. NO, I DON'T NEED TO RECOVER MY STOLEN DOGECOIN, THANKYOUVERYMUCH. HERE'S SIX MORE CARDS THAT DID NOT QUITE MAKE THE CUT FOR THE MAIN POSTS BUT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE

1966 TOPPS BATMAN RED BAT SERIES IN THE BAT LAB

MAD SCIENTIST BATMAN. WHAT HE DO WITH THAT WEIRD ASS TEST TUBE?  THIS IS A COOL ENOUGH CARD ON IT'S OWN MERITS BUT THIS CARD ALSO COMPLETES A PUZZLE SUBSET. ONCE I GET THIS SHIPPED I WILL HAVE A COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE JOKER GRINNING MANIACALLY IN SIX DISCRETE CHUNKS. NOW THAT THIS PUZZLE IS FINISHED I'M GOING TO TRY FOR A SECOND ONE IN THE BLUE BAT SERIES. PLUS I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN A BLUE SERIES BAT BACK CARD OR ONE OF THE MOVIE CARDS. NOT TO MENTION THE O-PEE-CHEE AND A&BC VERSIONS. SO MANY BATS, SO LITTLE MONEY

1970 TOPPS ATHLETICS ROOKIE STARS VIDA BLUE AND GENE TENACE

THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR OF ME RECOGNIZING "HEY, I DON'T HAVE THIS CARD... WHY THE FUCK DON'T I HAVE THIS CARD???" AND THEN GOING AND DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SOMEHOW THIS WAS NOT ONE OF THE 1970 TOPPS CARDS I RANDOMLY ACCUMULATED AS A KID WHEN THEY WERE ALL CHEAP AND PLENTIFUL BUT I MANAGED TO GET IT FOR A COUPLE BUCKS. WELL WORTH IT, THERE'S OVER 90 WAR ON THIS CARD PLUS A CY YOUNG, MVP, WORLD SERIES MVP AND SEVEN ALL STAR APPEARANCES AND WORLD SERIES RINGS. [INSERT INCOHERENT GRUMBLING ABOUT JEFF KENT HERE] 1970 TOPPS SERIES ONE IS NOW NEARLY COMPLETE, AND COULD HAVE BEEN HAD I NOT SPENT MY MONEY ON STUFF LIKE

1976 TOPPS SHOCK THEATER WHO STARCHED MY CAPE? 

I HAVE A HABIT OF TYPING IN 'MONSTER' OR 'DRACULA' IN THE SEARCH BAR AT COMC AND SEEING WHAT GOODIES SHOW UP AND ONE TIME WHEN I DID THAT I WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED TO SEE THESE CARDS. A TOPPS MONSTER SET? IN COLOR? WITH HAMMER FILMS? WHERE THE HELL HAVE THESE BEEN ALL MY LIFE? TOPPS DID A TEST RUN OF THESE IN 1975 THAT FLOPPED, SO THEY TOOK THEM TO ENGLAND IN 1976 AND SOLD THEM THERE. THE WHOLE THING IS VERY MYSTERIOUS AND CONVOLUTED BUT THE WRAPPER HAS A NICE ARTICLE EXPLAINING IT. MY CARD IS FROM THE 1976 CREAM-COLORED BACK VERSION AND IS APPARENTLY SEXTUPLE PRINTED. THIS WAS THE VERY LAST ONE OF THESE CARDS ON THE SITE AND I WAS HAPPY TO GET A COOL CHRISTOPHER LEE CARD FOR THE MONSTER BINDER

1989 PROCARDS TRIPLE A ALL-STAR GAME MARK LEMKE

AFTER FEELING ICKY ABOUT BUYING THAT REDDDD THREATTTTTTTT PARALLEL CARD I MADE UP FOR IT BY GETTING A COOL MINOR LEAGUE CARD OF LEMMER. ... AND TWO MORE PARALLELS BUT LET'S NOT GET INTO THAT. THIS IS NOT JUST A MINOR LEAGUE CARD BUT AN ALL-STAR GAME CARD WHICH MAKES IT EXTRA ODDBALL. THIS IS MY FIRST CARD OF LEMKE IN A RICHMOND UNI, I AM ONLY MISSING GREENVILLE OUT OF HIS CARDBOARD RISE THROUGH THE BRAVES' FARM SYSTEM. I'M MISSING QUITE A FEW OF HIS MINOR LEAGUE CARDS THOUGH, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M EVER GOING TO FIND ONE FROM HIS NEW JERSEY JACKALS DAYS. I'M LUDICROUSLY BEHIND THE #1 SPOT ON THE TCDB RANKINGS NOW SO I SHALL JUST ENJOY THE ONES I HAVE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THE RANKING RAT RACE. (STILL TOP 5 THO)

1994 BROOKE BOND CREATURES OF LEGEND WITH KEVIN TIPPS KING KONG

THIS IS THE MOST METAL ILLUSTRATION OF KING KONG I'VE EVER SEEN AND IT CAME OUT OF A BOX OF TEA BAGS. IF YOU'RE A TRUE NON-SPORTS SICKO YOU GOTTA KEEP AN EYE ON THE VARIOUS BRITISH CARD SETS OUT THERE BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU FIND ABSOLUTE GEMS. THIS SET OF LEGENDARY CREATURES ILLUSTRATED BY MARK LONGWORTH IS FABULOUS AND HAS A GREAT CHECKLIST FULL OF COOL LOOKING MONSTERS AND CRITTERS. I WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH WHATEVER CARD ENDED UP BEING THE CHEAPEST BUT THEN I SAW THIS GORILLA NIGHTMARE AND INSTANTLY HAD TO HAVE IT. THAT IS ONE PISSED OFF MONKEY. IF YOU, LIKE ME, WERE WONDERING WHO THE HELL KEVIN TIPPS IS, HE'S A DANG CHIMP. THE YOUNGEST CHILD IN A FAMILY OF CHIMPANZEES WHO ARE THE SPOKESIMIANS FOR PG TIPS TEA BAGS. YOU CAN WATCH SOME OF HIS COMMERCIALS HERE

1991 STARLINE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME VINCENT PRICE

LAST YEAR I GOT THE BELA LUGOSI CARD FROM THIS SET SO IT WAS ONLY RIGHT I FINALLY NABBED VINCENT. I REALLY NEED TO TRACK DOWN A SET OF THIS STUFF OR EVEN A PROBABLY BRICKED WAX BOX. THE CHECKLIST IS INSANELY PACKED WITH OLD HOLLYWOOD STARS. SADLY I HAVE NEVER EVER SEEN EVEN A SINGLE CARD OF THIS IN THE WILD AND I AM TOO CHICKEN TO BUY IT ONLINE FROM ONE OF THE MANY RANDOM WEBSITES HAWKING ONE. WHY ISN'T IT 1994. WHY CAN'T I FIND A BOX OF THIS STUFF FOR 5 BUCKS IN THE CLEARANCE BIN. I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW UBIQUITOUS VINCENT WAS IN THE 80S WHAT WITH PBS MYSTERY! AND THRILLER AND TIM BURTON AND A BUNCH OF DISNEY STUFF. HE WAS EVEN A CHARACTER IN SCOOBY DOO! I WANNA GO WATCH A PRICE MOVIE NOW

THAT'S ALL, FOLKS. MORE TO COME IF THE HOLIDAY DOLDRUMS DON'T CONSUME ME

2025 COMC BLACK FRIDAY BINGE BONUS POST

I'VE SHOWN OFF MOST OF THE COOL STUFF FROM THE BINGE* NOW HERE'S SOME OF THE SILLIER STUFF I PICKED UP ON BLACK FRIDAY WEEK. AND HOO BOY DID I BUY SOME GOOFY SHIT I DON'T REALLY NEED. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE WORLD MORE HELPLESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE AND DEPRAVED THAN A MAN IN THE DEPTHS OF A CARDBOARD BINGE. TIME TO GET INTO THAT ROTTEN STUFF!

1953 TOPPS WORLD ON WHEELS ELGIN SWEEPER TRUCK

I LOVE THE 1953 WORLD ON WHEELS SET. WEIRD OLD-TIMEY JALOPIES ON A TRADING CARD SET PRINTING MOMENTS BEFORE ALL THE REALLY COOL CLASSIC CARS WERE BUILT. THE MINIMALIST DESIGN IS PLEASING TO MY EYES AND I LOVE THE BACKS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE PRINTED ON THE SAME PRESSES WITH THE SAME INK AS THE 53 BASEBALL SET. EVERYONE SAYS THIS SET IS FROM 1954 BUT I REJECT THAT REALITY. I WAS ABLE TO GET A BUNCH OF EM FOR STOOPID CHEAP, THREE FOR A BUCK TYPE CHEAP. SO WHAT IF THEY ARE BEAT TO HELL AND HAVE HOLE PUNCHES IN THEM. WITH A 180 CARD SET, THERE'S SOME REAL ODDBALL VEHICLES IN THERE AND A STREET SWEEPER IS ONE OF THE ODDEST. BEETHOVEN WASN'T GREAT ENOUGH TO GET A BUBBLE GUM CARD, BUT A STREET SWEEPER WAS. TAKE THAT, SCHROEDER

1969 A&BC THE HIGH CHAPARRAL BUCK ON TRIAL

I DO NOT LIKE WESTERNS. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID I READ DENNIS THE MENACE AND THERE WAS A RUNNING JOKE WITH DENNIS AND JOEY PLAYING COWBOYS AND INDIANS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS COOL AND GOT MY OWN COWBOY OUTFIT WITH A LEATHER HAT AND A TOY GUN AND HOLSTER. THEN I WATCHED AN ACTUAL WESTERN MOVIE WITH MY GRANDFATHER AND THE COWBOYS SHOT ALL THE INDIANS AND I WAS LIKE WHAT THE FUCK. NO MORE WESTERNS FOR ME. I DO LIKE OLD NON-SPORTS CARDS AND I ALSO LIKE CARDS FROM ENGLAND AND I LIKE CAMERON MITCHELL. I'VE NEVER SEEN THE HIGH CHAPARRAL, BUT I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE B-MOVIES FROM THE 70S AND 80S THAT FEATURED CAMERON MITCHELL THAT GET MADE FUN OF BY RED LETTER MEDIA. CLOSE THE FUCKIN DOOR!!! THIS IS A NEAT CARD FROM HIS PRE-SCHLOCKY MOVIE DAYS

1959 BUBBLES YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING "CMON CHARLIE, YOU CAN'T FOOL ME WITH THAT SILLY DISGUISE"

I LOVE EVERY MONSTER MOVIE TRADING CARD SET BUT THIS MIGHT BE THE PINNACLE OF ALL OF THEM. A COMPLETE SET OF MONSTERS LOVINGLY ILLUSTRATED BY JACK DAVIS. EVERY CARD IS A MASTERPIECE. THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE AMAZING, THE COLORS ALL POP, THE MONSTERS ARE CREEPY, THE GAGS ARE ACTUALLY DECENT. GO TAKE SOME TIME TO LOOK OVER THIS SET, IT'S THE BEST COMICS YOU WILL READ TODAY. I REALLY LOVE THE CRITTER ON THIS CARD, THAT'S A GREAT SKEERY MONSTER RIGHT THERE

NOW I CAN HEAR YOU ALL ASKING, WHAT'S SO SILLY ABOUT THESE PICKUPS? THESE ARE A COUPLE OF REALLY COOL CARDS! WHYFORE THESE GET LUMPED WITH THE GOOFY UNNECESSARY  CARDS? BECAUSE I ALREADY BOUGHT THEM EARLIER THIS YEAR

1958 DUTCH GUM SET P CAMERON MITCHELL

1959 BUBBLES YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING "THOSE MISSIONARIES DID A GOOD JOB HERE"

IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A DISASTER AS THE WESTERN CARD FITS MY COLLECTION OF 'CARDS WITH HORSES ON THEM' AND THE MORE JACK DAVIS CARDS I HAVE THE BETTER. BOTH THE CARDS I GOT IN THE BINGE WERE CHEAPER AS WELL. BARGAINS! I SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE MORE TIME TO CATALOGUE THESE ODDBALL INTERESTS OF MINE THOUGH

2020 TOPPS NOW 2021 INAUGURATION BERNIE SANDERS

THIS CARD IS LUDICROUSLY OVERPRINTED, COMPLETELY WORTHLESS, AND THE SLIGHTEST WHIFF OF POLITICS MAKES ME PHYSICALLY ILL. IT'S TOO DAMN FUNNY THOUGH AND I GOT IT FOR WAY UNDER A BUCK. WE ALL FEEL LIKE THIS EVERY TIME THE NEWS COMES ON NOW

1998 PACIFIC CROWN COLLECTION MARK LEMKE RED THREATT

PLAYER COLLECTION ODDBALLS THAT ARE STRANGE AND RARE AND UNIQUE ARE GOOD... PLAYER COLLECTION PARALLELS THAT LOOK EXACTLY LIKE SEVERAL OTHER CARDS EXCEPT FOR A FOIL COLOR THAT WAS EXCLUSIVE TO ONE RETAILER ARE BAD... I LOVE LEMMER BUT WHY DID I BUY THIS INSTEAD OF AN ACTUAL ODDBALL OR MINOR LEAGUE CARD

1996 LEAF PREFERRED STEEL JUAN GONZALEZ

IN THE 90S THERE WAS A TINY PERIOD OF TIME WHERE MANUFACTURERS THOUGHT THAT PRINTING CARDS ON SLABS OF ACTUAL METAL WAS THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE. THEN THEY DID IT AND REALIZED THAT IT WAS AN ENORMOUS PAIN IN THE ASS AND QUIT DOING IT QUICKLY. I LIKE THESE DUMB CARDS THOUGH AND AM KINDA SORTA TRYING TO BUILD THIS LEAF PREFERRED STEEL SET AS IT'S MY FAVORITE OF THE BUNCH. I GOT A FEW OF THESE CARDS NOT JUST TO FILL MY SET BUT TO WEIGH DOWN MY SHIPMENT AFTER SHIPPING PRICES WENT UP. SPITE IS NOT A GOOD REASON TO BUY BASEBALL CARDS. BUT IF YOU'RE FEELING IT, ALSO LOOK UP TOPPS STARS AND STEEL, LEAF PREFERRED HOCKEY, 2023 LEAF TRINITY STEEL AND VARIOUS STEEL PARALLELS AND THE 1980S TOPPS GALLERY OF CHAMPIONS INGOTS

*I HAVE ENOUGH COOL CARDS FOR ONE MORE POST. YELL AT ME IN THE COMMENTS AND I'LL SHOW OFF ONE MORE COLLECTION OF COOL HONORABLE MENTIONS 

YES THIS IS BLATANT ENGAGEMENT BAIT, I LOCKED DOWN COMMENTS SO I COULD GET THE SPAM UNDER CONTROL AND NOW I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE WORKING AT ALL

2025 COMC BLACK FRIDAY BINGE PART 3

 BLACK FRIDAY HIT, SOME CARDS GOT DISCOUNTED FUTHER (BUT NOT THE ONES I NEEDED TO COMPLETE SOME SETS, GRUMBLE) AND I WENT ON A BARGAIN HUNTING FRENZY. AFTER BUYING A COUPLE DOZEN COOL THINGS FOR CHEAP I STARTED TO HAVE AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS REALIZING THAT THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST TIME I'LL BE ABLE TO PICK UP SOME UNIQUE STUFF FOR A LONG TIME. I SWITCHED GEARS FROM CHEAPOS TO SOME CARDS I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIND EASILY OR CHEAPLY IN THE WILD, IF AT ALL. I'LL START WITH THE TRULY WEIRD AND GRADUALLY END UP WITH SOME NORMAL STUFF

1979 TCMA THE 1950S WARREN SPAHN PRINTING ERROR

NOW HERE'S A NICE LITTLE NIGHTMARE. I'VE BEEN DABBLING IN GENERAL WEIRDNESS LIKE MISCUT CARDS, MISSING FOIL, BLANK FRONT/BACK ETC. RECENTLY. THESE THINGS USED TO JUST GO STRAIGHT INTO THE TRASH AND I FEEL A LITTLE SORRY FOR THESE DENIZENS OF THE ISLAND OF MISFIT CARDS. BUT THEN THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE NOT SO MUCH AS MISTAKES AS ABOMINATIONS TO THE LORD. I WAS SEARCHING FOR SOME OF THESE CARDBOARD GOOFS WHEN A SEARCH FOR PRINTING ERRORS LEAD ME TO A DEALER WITH A TON OF CARDS FROM THE TCMA THE 50S SET. MY EYEBALLS ALMOST POPPED OUT WHEN I SAW ALL THESE CARDS WITH SINGLE COLORS, OVERPRINTS, OVERPRINTS ON SINGLE COLORS, NO FRONT, NO BACK, WRONG BACK, BACK OVERPRINTED ON THE FRONT, ONLY FRONTS PLUS OVERPRINTS, JUST A BIG PILE OF MESS THAT LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE LET THEIR KID PLAY ON THE PRINTING PRESS ONE SATURDAY AFTERNOON TO KEEP THEM QUIET WHILE THEY DID THE BOOKS. I LITERALLY CLICKED ON EVERY SINGLE LISTING TO LOOK AT ALL THE CRAZY VARIATIONS AND EVENTUALLY SETTLED ON THE DON MOSSI CARD WITH THE LOWEST PRICE. THEN ON BLACK FRIDAY I CHECKED BACK OUT OF CURIOSITY AND ALL THE PRICES WERE SLASHED IN HALF AGAIN. I ALMOST HAD A PANIC ATTACK BECAUSE WHILE I COULD LIMIT MYSELF AT ONE CARD AT A BUCK AND CHANGE, AT SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS A POP I WANTED WHOLE RAINBOWS OF ODDBALL CARDS. AFTER DELIBERATING FOR A WHILE, I MADE A DECISION: I WANT THE MOST HORRIBLE WONDERFUL AWFUL CARD THERE IS. I PAID A LITTLE PREMIUM FOR IT BUT I GOT THIS WARREN SPAHN BACKED CARD WITH PICTURES OF WARREN, YOGI BERRA AND FOR SOME REASON WALT MORYN ALL PRINTED ON THE FRONT. THIS CARD IS OBJECTIVELY WORTHLESS BUT I'LL BET YOU COULD NEVER FIND ONE LIKE IT IN A THOUSAND YEARS

LOOK AT THAT PERFECTLY NORMAL BACK. YOU'D NEVER GUESS THERE'S A LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR ON THE FRONT. I DID END UP PICKING UP A COUPLE MORE OF THE THINGS AS I JUST COULDN'T RESIST THE SILLINESS OF IT ALL

1994 CLASSIC PRO LINE LIVE COCA-COLA MONSTERS OF THE GRIDIRON TEMORARY TATTOOS JESSIE TUGGLE

AT ONE POINT IN TIME I WAS THE #1 JESSIE TUGGLE COLLECTOR ON TCDB BUT I HAVE SINCE DROPPED TO #2. THE REAL CHALLENGE WHEN TRYING TO COLLECT A MINOR STAR LIKE THIS WHO PLAYED BEFORE THE TIME OF A BILLION PARALLELS AND AUTORELICS IS TO FIND THE REALLY WEIRD ODDBALL STUFF OF YOUR PLAYER. IT'S NOT EASY TRACKING DOWN EVERY SINGLE BASE CARD, PARALLEL AND INSERT TO BE SURE, BUT SOME OF THE REALLY WEIRD STUFF FROM THE 90S IS NOT ONLY INCREDIBLY SCARCE BUT IF YOU TRY TO ASK ANYONE IF THEY HAVE IT THEY'LL LIKELY LOOK AT YOU LIKE YOU'RE INSANE. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE KIND OF ODDBALLS. IN 1994 COCA-COLA INSERTED A 3 CARD PACK OF MONSTERS OF THE GRIDIRON CARDS IN 12 PACKS OF COKE PRODUCTS. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE CARDS WHICH HAS A STAR PLAYER FROM EACH TEAM DRESSED UP IN A HALLOWEEN COSTUME (THE KIDS NOWADAYS WOULD CALL IT COSPLAY OR EVEN A FURSUIT). BUT DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A SECOND PRODUCT WITH PACKS OF PINS AND TEMPORARY TATTOOS? I DRANK A LOT OF DIET COKE BACK IN THE DAY CHASING CARDS AND I HAD NEVER SEEN THOSE PACKS EVER. I HAVE COVETED THIS TATTOO ON COMC FOR YEARS BUT WAS TOO CHEAP TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I COULDN'T LEAVE THIS ONE BEHIND AGAIN AND IT HELPED THAT IT WAS AT THE LOWEST PRICE I'D EVER SEEN FOR IT. NOT SO CHEAP THAT I COULDN'T HAVE COMPLETED MY  1975 TOPPS SET THO. NO RAGRETS

BY THE WAY THAT ETSY SHOP I LINKED HAS A BUNCH OF GREAT OLD CARD PACKS ON IT AND THEY SHIPPED IMMEDIATELY. THEY HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM ME FOR SURE

2014 TOPPS HIGH TEK JASON HEYWARD ICE DIFFRACTOR #24/75

JASON HEYWARD IS ANOTHER PLAYER COLLECTION I'M OBSESSED WITH AND CHASING HIS CARDS IS ACTUALLY THE THING THAT STARTED ME BUYING CARDS ON COMC IN THE FIRST PLACE. I REALLY LIKE THE 2014 TOPPS TEK SET AND I SLOWLY GRABBED DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF JASON'S CARDS OF THE SITE AND I DECIDED IT'D BE A COOL PROJECT TO BUILD A COMPLETE PAGE OF HEYWARDS WITH EACH OF THE SIX VARIATIONS PLUS TWO NUMBERED PARALLELS AND AN AUTOGRAPH. WITH THIS ICE DIFFRACTOR (WHATEVER THE HELL THAT MEANS) I NOW HAVE THE TWO PARALLELS. NO AUTOGRAPH YET BUT THE REAL STICKING POINT HERE WILL BE THE ZIG ZAG AND SHATTER STRIPE VARIATIONS WHICH CAN BE JUST AS PRICEY AS AN AUTO IF YOU CAN EVEN FIND IT. I MIGHT JUST GET MOAR NUMBERED PARALLELS INSTEAD

2018 TOPPS HOLIDAY RONALD ACUÑA JR. RC

THIS WAS ONE OF MY LAST PICKUPS AS I HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD UNDER TEN BUCKS OF CREDIT LEFT IN MY ACCOUNT AND SOMETHING LIKE THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS WORTH OF CARDS OPEN IN TABS. ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS CLOSELY LOOKING AT WAS AN UNCUT BLANK-BACKED 1984 DONRUSS TED WILLIAMS PUZZLE. THE WILLIAMS PUZZLE PIECES WERE ONLY INSERTED INTO JUMBO ALL-STAR PACKS SO THEY ARE NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO FIND AND I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO GET A COMPLETE PUZZLE FOR MY COLLECTION. HOWEVER, THEY ARE ALL FROM ONE SELLER AND I CANN'T FIND ANY INFORMATION ON THESE THINGS ANYWHERE AT ALL. DESPITE SPENDING MONEY ON SOME WEIRDO OVERPRINT NIGHTMARES I COULDN'T QUITE GET MYSELF TO COMMIT TO THIS. I GOT FRUSTRATED TRYING TO DECIDE AND DID A SEARCH FOR RONALD ROOKIES TO SEE IF THERE WAS A COOL ONE IN MY BUDGET. ALL THE CHEAP ONES I SAW I ALREADY HAD. THE STUPID TOPPS SHORT PRINT ROOKIE COSTS THREE FIGURES. I WAS BUMMING OUT WHEN I NOTICED THIS ONE WITH THE EXACT SAME IMAGE AS THE SHORT PRINT BUT JUST A LITTLE FROSTY WAS THREE DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS. BYE BYE TEDDO. I HAVE NOT BEEN A FAN OF THIS HOLIDAY SET BUT NOW THAT MY TOPPS FLAGSHIP SET BUILDING DAYS ARE COMPLETELY OVER I'M WILLING TO PUT ASIDE PAST DIFFERENCES. YOU CAN BET YOUR SWEET BIPPY THIS IS GOING IN MY BRAVES TOPPS TEAM SET BINDER IN PLACE OF THAT ACCURSED SHORT PRINT

2022 ALLEN & GINTER RONALD ACUÑA JR. BOXLOADER

THE RONALD ROOKIE CHEWED UP ENOUGH OF MY REMAINING CASH TO KNOCK A LARGE NUMBER OF MY OPEN TABS OUT OF CONSIDERATION. I SCOOPED UP A JALEN JOHNSON ROOKIE AND SOME LEMKES I WANTED AND WAS LEFT WITH TWO DOLLARS AND TWENTY CENTS WORTH OF CREDIT. NOW I HAD A DECISION: DO I PICK UP A WHOLE MESS OF 30 CENT CARDS OR PICK UP A COUPLE NICE ONES. I HAD SOME DECENT OPTIONS: AN A&G MINI INSERT OF GEORGIA, AN ODDBALL TRAE YOUNG ROOKIE, A DOMINIQUE WILKINS EX-2000 CARD, AN OLD DONRUSS HOT RODS STICKER. FINDING A COMBINATION OF THESE CARDS THAT WOULD EQUAL $2.20 WAS PROVING DIFFICULT. AFTER WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS ON FOUR POSSIBLE OPTIONS, I REMEMBERED THAT WHEN I WAS LOOKING UP RONALD ROOKIES I WAS ALSO LOOKING AT RONALD INSERTS INCLUDING HIS 2022-2024 ALLEN & GINTER CABINET CARDS. I RECALLED LIKING THE 2022 CARD THE BEST ALTHOUGH THE 2023 CARD WAS THE CHEAPEST. I PULLED UP THE BOOKMARK FOR 2022 AND IT WAS... TWO DOLLARS AND TWENTY CENTS. THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING DURING A CARD BINGE THAN SPENDING EVERY LAST PENNY YOU HAVE ON A CARD YOU REALLY LIKE

2025 COMC BLACK FRIDAY BINGE PART 2

 DAY ONE OF THE CARD FRENZY WAS ALL ABOUT BEING FOCUSED AND PICKING UP CARDS I ACTUALLY NEED FOR SETS. AFTER THAT IT WAS TIME FOR SCREWING AROUND AND MAKING DISCOVERIES. AND NOT BUYING ALL THAT MUCH, THIS IS HALF MY HAUL FROM THE 25TH TO 27TH. THIS WAS WISE AS PRICES GOT SLASHED AGAIN ON THE ACTUAL BLACK FRIDAY. THE OTHER STUFF I GOT:

A 2016 STAR WARS CARD OF GRAND MOFF TARKIN
1961 POST JERRY LYNCH
2014 TOPPS TEK JASON HEYWARD
1981 DRAKE'S GEORGE HENDRICK
A LADD MCCONKEY ROOKIE CARD

ALL FIVE COST LESS THAN THE NEXT CARD

1933-34 NATIONAL CHICLE SKY BIRDS EDWARD C PARSONS

THE STORY BEHIND THIS ONE IS I WAS SCREWING AROUND ON BLUE SKY WHEN THE SABR BASEBALL CARDS ACCOUNT DID SOME ENGAGEMENT FARMING BY ASKING 'WHO HAS A FAVORITE NON-GOUDEY SET FROM 1933'. THERE WERE LOTS OF GOOD BASEBALL ANSWERS SUCH AS DELONG, TATTOO ORBIT AND GEORGE C. MILLER. I WAS ABOUT TO GET CUTE AND SAY INDIAN GUM, BUT REMEMBERED WHOOPS, THAT'S GOUDEY. SO INSTEAD I LOOKED THROUGH COMC LISTINGS FOR A COOL NON-SPORTS SET TO SHOW OFF AND CLICKED ON THE NATIONAL CHICLES BECAUSE THEIR SHIT IS ALWAYS QUALITY. I DID A DOUBLE TAKE WHEN SEEING THIS CARD. DECADES AGO ONE OF THE BASEBALL CARD MAGAZINES DID AN ARTICLE ON NATIONAL CHICLE SKY BIRDS AND THIS CARD OF AN ABSOLUTELY DERANGED LIEUTENANT EDWARD C. PARSONS GOING DOWN IN FLAMES WAS ONE OF THE CARDS PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED IN THE ARTICLE.  I THOUGHT IT WAS SUPER COOL AND THEN FORGOT ABOUT IT BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY OF THESE CARDS IN REAL LIFE. AND THERE THERE IT WAS, JUST WAITING FOR ME TO TAKE IT. SO I TOOKED IT. THAT LOOK ON EDWARD'S FACE CRACKS ME UP EVERY TIME I LOOK AT IT. DON'T WORRY, HE WAS FINE

1975 TOPPS PETE ROSE

UGH. I HATE BUYING OVERPRICED PETE ROSE CARDS. BUT I AM TRYING TO COMPLETE THIS DAMN SET AND PETE ROSE IS UNFORTUNATELY IN THE SET. THIS ISN'T EVEN AN INTERESTING LOOKING CARD LIKE THE 76 ROSE. BUT IT'S KNOCKED OFF THE LIST. JUST NEEDED A COUPLE MORE DAYS TO PSYCH MYSELF UP TO PULL THE TRIGGER AFTER MY SET BINGE ON THE 24TH. PETE FOR ONCE IS NOT THE LAST CARD I NEED AS I'M DOWN TO FIVE NOW, WITH CECIL COOPER BEING THE BIGGEST STAR OF THE BUNCH. I COULD HAVE PICKED THEM ALL UP FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE BUCKS BUT I GOT MAD THAT THE MINIS WERE CHEAPER THAN THE BASE CARDS AND FOOLISHLY PASSED

1961 NU-CARDS FOOTBALL STARS PETE CASE

THE MAKER OF THE WARREN SPAHN SCOOPS CARD IN THE LAST POST ALSO TRIED THEIR HAND AT A FOOTBALL SET FOCUSING ON COLLEGE PLAYERS. FOR A LONG TIME I THOUGHT THERE WASN'T A GEORGIA PLAYER IN THE SET AND HALF HEARTEDLY HAD MY EYE ON A GEORGIA TECH CARD. THEN I DISCOVERED THAT COMC HAS AN OPTION TO SEARCH BY TEAM AND LOOKED UP GEORGIA BULLDOGS BY CARD NUMBER AND THERE WAS OL' PETE. I MANAGED TO BE PATIENT AND WAITED FOR THE SALE AND GOT THIS ONE FOR UNDER THREE BUCKS. GOOOOOO DAWGS! WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF

NOW I GET TO BE A NERVOUS WRECK ABOUT BAMA TODAY

1995 FLEER AERIAL ATTACK JERRY RICE

MY OBSESSION WITH 1995 FLEER SETS IS LONG DOCUMENTED AND I RIPPED A TON OF PACKS IN ALL FOUR SPORTS AT THE TIME. I HAD REALLY GOOD INSERT LUCK IN FOOTBALL AS I PULLED FIVE OUT OF SIX OF THE ONE-PER-BOX FOIL AERIAL ATTACK CARDS AS WELL AS ONE MISPRINTED ONE WITH DAN MARINO'S PICTURE AND ANDRE RISON FOIL STAMPING. NEVER PULLED THE JERRY RICE CARD THOUGH. IT'S A GREAT LOOKING CARD AND ANOTHER INSERT SET COMPLETE

1983 TOPPS 1952 REPRINT SERIES GEORGE CROWE

SO WHEN THIS REPRINT SET WAS RELEASED IN 1983, THE ORIGINAL 1952 TOPPS SET WAS THIRTY-TWO YEARS OLD. THIS SET IS NOW FORTY-TWO YEARS OLD. THAT'S VINTAGE ENOUGH FOR ME, I'M FILLING OUT MY TEAM SET WITH THESE NOW VINTAGE REPRINTS. I MIGHT NOT DO THIS FOR ALL THE CARDS I NEED AS SOME OF THE SEMI-HIGH NUMBERS ARE STILL THEORETICALLY AVAILABLE IN MY PRICE RANGE BUT THE HIGH NUMBERS CAN GO JUMP IN A LAKE. OR A RIVER AS THE CASE MAY BE

2025 COMC BLACK FRIDAY BINGE - PART 1

OH HEY LOOKIT ME JUST COMING BACK LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. FOR YOUR INFORMATION PLENTY'S HAPPENED, THAT'S WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING. BUT I'M TWO YEARS BEHIND ON POSTS NOW AND WANT TO SHOW OFF SOME COOL STUFF AND I'M NICE AND RILED UP AT THE MOMENT SO I'M FINALLY TYPING

AS USUAL I SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY ON COMC FOR THE BLACK FRIDAY SALE AND I COULD HAVE SPENT A LOT MORE. THE PLAN WAS TO DO A TOP TEN PICKUPS POST BUT I PICKED OUT 13 CARDS. INSTEAD OF ADDING ONE MORE CARD AND SPLITTING THE POST IN TWO, I CHOSE THREE AND SPLIT IT INTO THREE POSTS. THIS FIRST FIVE ARE ALL CARDS I ALREADY HAD MY EYE ON AND POUNCED UPON THEM DAY ONE WHEN THE PRICE WAS RIGHT

1973 TOPPS CARL YASTRZEMSKI

CAN YOU BELIEVE I'D NEVER OWNED THE CARL YASTRZEMSKI WITH THE BIG SIDEBURNS BEFORE NOW? PRETTY SHAMEFUL, I KNOW! 1973 TOPPS HAS ALWAYS BEEN WAY ON THE BACK BURNER FOR ME BUT I'M GETTING RIDICULOUSLY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE FIRST COUPLE OF SERIES SO I'VE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR THE ONES I NEED. THE FRANK ROBINSON WAS ACTUALLY MT FIRST PICKUP OF THE BINGE. I'M NOT CONCIDERING THE HIGH SERIES UNTIL SOME OTHER COLLECTING GOALS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BUT A NICE MISCUT SIDEBURNS CARD IS FUN

1967 TOPPS VENEZUELAN JOSE HERRERA

I HAVE A HANDFUL OF VENEZUELAN CARDS I PICKED UP WHEN I WAS A KID BACK WHEN NO ONE CARED ABOUT WEIRD RARE ODDBALLS LIKE THAT. A COUPLE 1962, A FEW FROM 1964 AND SOME FROM 1966. THOSE CARDS MOSTLY LOOK LIKE THE US VERSION THOUGH, THE 62'S HAVE SPANISH ON THE BACK, THE 64S HAVE BLACK INK ON THE BACK AND THE 66S LOOK ALMOST IDENTICAL EXCEPT THEY ARN'T GLOSSY. THE 67S ARE A LOT DIFFERENT - ESPECIALLY THE BACK - AND I'VE WANTED ONE SINCE I SAW THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LEMKE CATALOG. THIS ONE HERE WAS PERFECT. FIRST IT WAS THE CHEAPEST ONE AVAILABLE AT UNDER THREE BUCKS. IT'S BEAT TO HELL BUT THAT'S HOWS I LIKE EM. I LOVE THE PHOTO, GREAT COMPOSITION AND IT'S NEAT TO SEE SO MUCH OF THE STADIUM. I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY TO GET A CARD FROM TIBURONES DE LA GUAIRA AS THAT'S THE VENEZUELAN TEAM RONALD ACUÑA JR. PLAYS FOR IN THE OFFSEASON. THEIR LOGO IS FANTASTIC, I WANT A SHIRT WITH THAT SHARK. I HAD A HELLUVA TIME LOOKING UP THE PLAYER BECAUSE HIS BIRTH YEAR IS 1942 BUT ALL HIS CARDS SAY 1944 ON THE BACK. JOSE PLAYED WITH THE ASTROS AND EXPOS AND HAD A TOPPS CARD IN 1969

1961 NU-CARDS BASEBALL SCOOPS WARREN SPAHN

A COUPLE WEEKS AGO SOME FOLKS WERE CHATTING ABOUT THIS SET ONLINE AND I WENT TO LOOK AT MY BRAVES TEAM SET AND REMEMBERED THAT I ONLY HAD ONE OF THE TWO WARREN SPAHN CARDS IN THE SET. I CORRECTED THAT. SUCK IT YANKEES. THIS COST UNDER A FIVER TO COMPLETE AN ANCIENT TEAM SET. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THESE ALL TOGETHER ONCE I SCRAPE UP THE CASH FOR SHIPPING

1972 TOPPS HIGH NUMBER FRANK ROBINSON TRADED 

FRANK ROBINSON IS THE MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER IN ANY SPORT. THIS IS A HALL OF FAME HIGH NUMBER SUPERDUPERSTAR AND I GOT IT FOR UNDER EIGHT BUCKS. PREPOSTEROUS. THE ROTTEN JOE MORGAN TRADED CARD IS GOING TO EVENTUALLY COST ME FOUR TIMES THAT AND FRANK'S TWICE THE PLAYER HE IS. GRUMBLE GRIPE GRRR. I HAVE BEEN KICKING ASS AT PICKING UP 72 HIGH NUMBERS NOW THAT I'VE FINALLY GOTTEN REAL AND STOPPED INSISTING I ONLY PICK THEM UP FOR A COUPLE BUCKS. ONCE I GET THESE CARDS IN HAND I WILL BE DOWN TO NEEDING UNDER FORTY CARDS TO COMPLETE THE SET. I STILL NEED THE NOLAN RYAN SO IT MAY AS WELL BE A MILLION, BUT STILL!

2021 BOWMAN'S BEST JULIO RODRIGUEZ

I THREW Y'ALL A SLURVE ON THIS LAST ONE, EH? ALL THOSE LOVELY VINTAGE CARDS ALL BEAT UP AND RIDDLED WITH MOLD AND NOW I SHOW OFF THIS SHINY MESS. DO YOU REMEMBER THE KERFUFFLE OVER THIS THING? PRE-TAKEOVER TOPPS WAS BUTTHURT OVER THE WHOLE FANATICS THING AND "ACCIDENTALLY" LEFT OFF THE PROSPECT DESIGNATION ON THE PROSPECT CARDS IN BOWMAN'S BEST MAKING THIS JULIO'S ONE AND ONLY TRUE ROOKIE CARD. OF COURSE EVERYONE ONLINE COMPLETELY LOST THEIR MINDS, AT LEAST UNTIL ALL THE NEW SHIT CAME OUT WITH ACTUAL RC LOGOS. FOUR YEARS LATER AND NOBODY CARES, EVERYONE WANTS HIS SUPER SHORT PRINTED OR AUTOPGRAPH CARDS AND I GOT THE FOR TRUES ONE AND ONLY LEGITIMATE JULIO RODRIGUEZ ROOKIE CARD FOR A BUCK AND A QUARTER. AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAA

ALWAYS BE PATIENT IN THIS HOBBY FOLKS