APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PREVIEW

 THIS PAST WEEKEND I SOMEHOW HAD BOTH TIME AND A LITTLE MONEY AT THE SAME TIME AS THE MONTHLY CARD SHOW SO I TOOK A LITTLE TRIP AND HAD A LITTLE FUN. I HAD TO BE SUPER EXTRA CHEAP (THAT MURPH THERE WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE THING I BOUGHT) BUT I HIT ALL MY FAVORITE TABLES AND WAS SUCCESSFUL AT THE ONE GOAL I SET FOR MYSELF. I AM EVENTUALLY GOING TO DO A SERIES OF POSTS ON THE SHOW BUT I HAVE OVER A HUNDRED CARDS THAT NEED PICTURED TAKEN, CROPPED AND UPLOADED SO HERE'S A SORT OF TOP TEN LIST OF MY PICKUPS IN THE MEANTIME. I WILL LIKELY SHOW THEM ALL OFF AGAIN IN THE SUBSEQUENT POSTS, PLACE YOUR BETS NOW ON HOW MANY JOKES I RECYCLE

HERE'S A FULL PHOTO OF ALL THE PICKUPS. THE PILES AT THE BOTTOM ARE LEFT TO RIGHT:  QUARTER BOX, DIME BOX, FIVE DOLLARS WORTH OF VINTAGE AND THREE FOR A DOLLAR BOX. THAT'S NINE OR TEN POSTS RIGHT THERE DEPENDING ON HOW I DEAL WITH THAT FIVE DOLLAR PILE. THE FIRST CARD IN THE TOP TEN LIST IS WHICHEVER OF THE TWO 1987 FLEER BOX BOTTOM PANALS YOU PREFER. DO YOU LIKE THE BASE PANEL WITH DALE MURPHY? OR PERHAPS THE TOUGH STICKER BOX BOTTOM WITH BOB HORNER? IF YOU CAN'T CHOOSE, THEN CHOOSE BOTH. I WON'T STOP YOU. THIS IS THE ONLY PICTURE YOU'RE GETTING THOUGH BECAUSE I TOOK MULTIPLE SHOTS OF THEM AND THEY ALL TURNED OUT BLURRY FOR SOME REASON AND I'M NOT DOING IT AGAIN

DALE HERE IS THE LAST CARD I NEEDED FOR MY 1981 FLEER SET. THIS IS SOMEWHAT AWKWARD BECAUSE I HAVE A POST LINED UP FOR THE PENULTIMATE AND NEXT-TO-NEXT-TO-LAST CARDS I NEEDED FOR THE SET SCHEDULED IN A COUPLE MONTHS IN MY COMC BLACK FRIDAY POSTS. THEY'RE GOOD CARDS AND YOU'LL FIND OUT WHY THIS WASN'T IN THAT COMC PACKAGE THEN. BUT RIGHT NOW AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THE 81 FLEER BINDER IS COMPLETELY COMPLETE. EXCEPT FOR THIRTY-SEVEN ERROR CARDS. AND ABOUT A HUNDRED AND THIRTY STICKER CARDS. BUT THE SET! IS! COMPLEEEEETEEEE!!!

I LOVE FINDING EXTRA-ODD ODDBALL CARDS IN CHEAPO BOXES I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND THIS ONE COUNTS. AT LEAST I THOUGHT I'D NEVER SEEN ONE OF THESE BEFORE BUT IT TURNS OUT IT'S FROM THE 1993-95 SPORTS STARS USA BOOTLEG SERIES THAT I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH. I KNEW I RECOGNIZED THAT CRACKED ICE-STYLE FOIL FROM OTHER CARDS. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY GOT AWAY WITH USING LOGOS ON THEIR UNLICENSED SET BUT THE EARLY 90S WERE WILD. THERE'S A SURPRISE ON THE BACK BUT I'LL SAVE THAT FOR THE ACTUAL QUARTER BOX POST

I THINK I AM OFFICIALLY COLLECTING ANY MINOR LEAGUE TRAINER CARDS I FIND FROM NOW ON. NORMALLY WHEN I COME ACROSS AN ABANDONED MINOR LEAGUE TEAM SET IN A DIME BOX I LOOK FOR ANY PLAYERS WHO MADE THE BIGS. THIS TIME I WAS ALL "I HOPE THERE'S A TRAINER, I HOPE THERE'S A TRAINER, I HOPE THERE'S A TRAINER... YES!!" I HOPE BARNEY'S HAVING A GOOD TIME OUT THERE WHEREVER HE IS

THERE WERE A BUNCH OF TOPPS BUNT CARDS IN THE DIME BOX BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE 2017 BUNT WHICH DON'T CARE FOR.THIS MCCUTCHEN INSERT WAS TOO PRETTY TO LEAVE BEHIND THOUGH. I'M NOT SURE HOW 'IMAGE USED IN AN OBITUARY' ENDED UP BEING THE THEME OF AN INSERT SET BUT I'M GLAD I FOUND THIS ONE

YOU ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING NEW AT EVERY CARD SHOW. AT THIS SHOW I LEARNED THAT PRESS PASS RELEASED AN ELVIS SET THE YEAR HE WOULD HAVE TURNED 75, AND THAT ELVIS WAS IN A MOVIE WITH MARY TYLER MOORE. I TOOK ONE LOOK AT ELVIS LEERING AT NUN ASS AND KNEW THIS CARD WAS COMING HOME WITH ME. THIS IS THE WILDEST CARD I'VE SEEN ALL YEAR AND I'VE SEEON SOME SHIT

THE AFOREMENTIONED GOAL FOR THIS CARD SHOW WAS TO FINALLY PICK UP SOME 1977 TOPPS CARDS SINCE I'M OSTENSIBLY FOCUSING ON COMPLETING THAT SET THIS YEAR. NEWS FLASH: I AM NOT FINISHING THIS SET THIS YEAR. I WILL BE CHIPPING AWAY AT THE WANTLIST AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. A HALL OF FAME CARD IS ONE OF THE BIGGER CHIPS OFF THE LIST. OF COURSE I BOUGHT THIS BEAT UP MESS FOR CHEAP INSTEAD OF GETTING A NICE ONE IN EX CONDITION FOR A BUCK OR TWO. THEY BOTH FIT IN THE BINDER POCKET

THIS ONE WAS FROM THE THREE FOR A DOLLAR BOX. THERE WAS A NICE MIX OF OLD BASEBALL BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY IN THERE AND I HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF TOUGH CHOICES AS IT WAS THE LAST BOX I SCROUNGED THROUGH AS I WAS EXITING THE SHOW. THIS WAS NOT A TOUGH CHOICE AS I LOWKEY COLLECT KENTUCKY COLONELS CARDS AS MY FAVORITE ABA TEAM. MY ABA FAVE ARTIS GILMORE IS NOT ON THIS CARD BUT YOU KNOW WHO IS? HALL OF FAMERS JULIUS ERVING AND GEORGE MCGINNIS. JUST PUT DOCTOR J IN YOUR EBAY TITLE AND YOU'LL TRIPLE THE BIDS

ANOTHER DUMB THING I'VE BEEN BUYING A LOT MORE OF LATELY ARE EXCESSIVELY MARKED CHECKLISTS. I DON'T WANT THE ONES WITH HALF THE BOXES NEATLY MARKED, I WANT THE RUINED ONES WITH THREE DIFFERENT COLORS OF PEN INK, PENCIL SCRIBBLES AND DIFFERENT MARKINGS POSSIBLY TO INDICATE DOUBLES OR A SECOND SET. THOSE ARE THE CHECKLISTS I WANT. IT HELPS WHEN THERE'S A HEADSHOT OF A RECENTLY MINTED MVP ON THE CARD AS WELL

1977 TOPPS IS MY OFFICIAL SET BUILDING FOCUS RIGHT NOW BUT 1975 TOPPS IS WAY MORE FUN TO BUY SO I HAVE BEEN DOING JUST THAT. I'M NOT COMPLETING THAT SET THIS YEAR EITHER AS I HAVE SOME DAUNTING ROOKIES AND SOME BIG STARS STILL STARING ME DOWN. NOT THE BIG ROOKIES THANKFULLY BUT THERE'S ABOUT TEN CARDS I WILL HAVE TO ACTUALLY SPEND REAL MONEY ON. THIS WAS THE MOST ICONIC I HAD LEFT THOUGH AND I ALMOST MADE ASCENE WHEN I FOUND IT HIDING AMONGST SOME '75 COMMONS. I HAVE ABOUT FORTY CARDS LEFT FOR THE SET BUT WITH THIS ONE IN THE BINDER WE CAN DEFINITELY SAY I'M ON THE HOME STRETCH NOW

2023 CARD SHOW - PART 6 THE SAD REMAINS OF THE GLORIOUS QUARTER BOXES

I LEFT THE COLLECTOR'S TABLE WITH A BAG FULL OF GOODIES AND ABOUT TWENTY BUCKS IN MY POCKET AND HEADED TOWARD THE BACK OF THE ROOM. OCCASIONALLY THERE'S A GOOD DEALER AT ONE OF THESE TABLES BUT RECENTLY IT'S BEEN THE GUY WITH SEVENTEEN TABLES OF THREE DOLLAR BOXES ON THE LEFT AND THE ANGRY VINTAGE DEALER ON THE RIGHT. I USUALLY IGNORE THESE GUYS FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, THREE DOLLAR BOX GUY JUST HAS TOO MUCH TO DEAL WITH, I'D BE THERE FOR A MONTH TRYING TO GET THROUGH EVERYTHIGN TO FIND THE ONE HIDDEN GEM. VINTAGE GUY HAS NO PRICES ON ANYTHING AND I'VE ALREADY SEEN HIM BE RUDE TO CUSTOMERS SO I DON'T EVEN WANT TO DEAL WITH THAT MESS. HOWEVER IN THE VERY BACK BRENDA USUALLY SETS UP WITH TONS OF QUARTER, DIME AND EVEN NICKEL BOXES. THIS IS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE STOP AT THE CARD SHOW

SADLY THIS TIME THERE WERE A LOT LESS BOXES ON THE TABLE AND MOST OF THEM WERE WRESTLING CARDS OR PHOTOS AND MEMORABILIA. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'VE JUST RUN OUT OF QUARTER BOXES OR THEY GOT BOUGHT OUT BEFORE I GOT THERE OR WHAT BUT SEARCHING THROUGH A DOZEN QUARTER BOXES WASN'T IN THE CARDS FOR ME TODAY. THERE WERE A FEW DOLLAR BOXES FILLED WITH DECENT STUFF AND ONE QUARTER BOX THAT WAS MOSTLY FILLED WITH EARLY 80S TOPPS THAT WERE SELLING SIX FOR A DOLLAR. EVEN THOUGH ONLY ABOUT A FIFTH OF THE BOX WAS NOT THE 80'S TOPPS THAT WAS STILL ENOUGH FOR ME TO FIND SOME GOODIES. BEHOLD MY TREASURES: 

1970 TOPPS IN THE QUARTER BOX IS ALWAYS WONDERFUL. THERE WASN'T MUCH 70'S STUFF IN THERE BUT I DID FIND A COUPLE I COULD USE. THIS VIC DAVALILLO LOOKS GREAT WITH THE BATTING CAGE AND RANDOM DUDE WANDERING AROUND IN THE BACKGROUND

RON PERRANOSKI'S CARD IS MUCH LESS INTERESTING AS HE IS BEING PHOTOGRAPHED A MILE FROM HOME PLATE IN THE OUTFIELD. 1970 TOPPS IS NOT A SET I'M FOCUSING ON AT ALL BUT YOU BET I'LL PICK EM UP CHEAP

1977 TOPPS IS A SET I'M FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW BUT IT WASN'T WHEN I WAS AT THE CARD SHOW BECAUSE I WAS STILL LOOKING FOR THE ACCURSED 1976 ROSE. IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT, I STILL NEED SIXTY-NINE CARDS TO COMPLETE THIS SET (nice) BUT IT'S MOSTLY COMMONS AND THE ONLY CARD I NEED THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE PRICEY IS JOHNNY BENCH. BUYING BENCH CARDS IS ALWAYS A DELIGHT SO I'M NOT EVEN WORRIED ABOUT IT. I DOUBT I COMPLETE THIS SET THIS YEAR BUT I BET I CAN KNOCK A TON OFF THAT LIST

THERE WAS A LITTLE PILE OF 1985 FLEER IN THE BOX AND I MANAGED TO FIND FIVE I DIDN'T HAVE. I DON'T REMEMBER THE REST OF THIS SET BEING AS COLOR COORDINATED AS THESE FOUR BUT I GOTTA SAY IT LOOKS PRETTY GREAT. SPEAKING OF SET COMPLETING, I REALLY GOTTA FINISH OFF A FLEER SET THIS YEAR. i NEED ONE CARD FOR 1981 AND THREE FOR 1984

STEVE JELTZ ROOKIE CARD! FOR A GREATER APPRECIATION OF HOW GOOD THIS IS WATCH THIS VIDEO

PETE ROSE CARD OUT OF MY DAMN HAIR, GOTTA LOVE IT. THIS CARD CONFUSED ME AT FIRST BECAUSE 1) I DIDN'T RECALL ANY OTHER 1986 FLEER SPECIAL SUPER STAR CARDS WITH THIS SHINY GOLD BORDER AND 2) HOW MANY BASEBALL CARDS FEATURE A LIMITED EDITION COMMEMORATIVE PLATE. SUCH A WEIRD CARD

WOOOOOOO! OLD FLEER INSERTS!!! I LOVE THEM, EVEN PETES. THE 1986 FUTURE HALL OF FAMER SET WAS EXTREMELY ACCURATE WITH THIS ONE EXCEPTION

THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT FROM THE SET IN THE BOX AND I GOT THEM BOTH BECAUSE I FORGOT I HAD A WANTLIST FOR FLEER INSERTS ON MY PHONE. GOOD NEWS: I DID NEED THE ROSE BECAUSE OF COURSE I DID. BETTER NEWS: I ALREADY HAD ROD CAREW BUT NOW I HAVE TWO ROD CAREWS

I NEED SO MANY 1984 DONRUSS CARDS THAT I HAVE NO QUALMS ABOUT GETING ONE I NEED EVEN IF THERE'S A BIG RIP IN THE TOP OF THE CARD.THIS IS THE LAST CARD OUT OF THE BOX THAT I ACTUALLY NEEDED OFF A WANTLIST, THE REST ARE ALL THINGS I JUST COULDN'T LEAVE BEHIND

REGGIE JACKSON SUPER VET! I ALWAYS SEE OAKLAND TO CALIFORNIA AS REGGIE'S ALPHA TO OMEGA BUT IT'S REALLY KANSAS CITY TO OAKLAND. THIS WAS TOO GOOD TO LEAVE IN A BOX WITH 1985 TOPPS

I ALSO REFUSED TO LEAVE BEHIND SCHMIDT EVEN THOUGH MY WANTLIST SAID I DIDN'T NEED IT. I EVEN TRIED TO PUT IT IN THE BINDER, BUT MIKE WAS ALREADY THERE. YOU CAN'T TAKE CHANCES LIKE THAT, WANTLISTS CAN BE WRONG

I DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE WANTLIST, THIS CARD SLAPS. OF ALL THE 1984-85 SET I REGRET MISSING OUT ON BECAUSE I WAS DISTRACTED BY OTHER COLLECTIONS IN THE MID-80S THIS ONE IS THE MOST PAINFUL REGRET. I LOVE THIS DESIGN SO MUCH

BY FAR THE WEIRDEST THING I FOUND AT THE ENTIRE CARD SHOW WAS THIS 1974 ALL-STAR CARD OF FISK AND BENCH IN ALARGE, VERY OLD PENNY SLEEVE. THE CARD WAS BEAT ALL TO SHIT BUT IT STILL SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN A QUARTER BOX. THAT'S NOT THE STRANGE PART. THAT'S THE CARD THAT WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SLEEVE

A 1986 BIG LEAGE CHEW HANK AARON HOME RUN LEGENDS CARD, ALSO BEAT ALL TO HELL. THESE CARDS ARE USUALLY A BIT DINGED UP BECAUSE THEY WERE INSERTED LOOSE INSIDE A BAG WITH A WAS OF BUBBLE GUM BUT THIS ONE GOT SOME EXTRA ADDED BEATING. WHY WAS AN AARON ODDBALL CARD PUT IN AN SLEEVE WITH A 1974 ALL-STAR CARD? WHY WERE THEY BOTH IN A QUARTER BOX? YOU GO TO CARD SHOWS LOOKING FOR UNEXPECTED TREASURE AND THIS IS ABOUT AS UNEXPECTED AS YOU CAN GET

LAST CARD I PICKED UP OUT OF THE BOS WAS THIS 1998 CIRCA THUNDER BOSS INSERT OF TRAVIS LEE. THIS WAS PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY CARD IN THE BOX MADE AFTER ABOUT 1997 AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT GOT IN THERE. THERE'S A REALLY GOOD CHANCE I ALREADY HAVE THIS ONE BUT I CAN'T PASS UP A 90S INSERT THIS WILD LOOKING AND EMBOSSED EVEN AND STILL SLEEP AT NIGHT

I REALLY TRIED TO FIND SOME STUFF OUT OF THE DOLLAR BOX SO I COULD GIVE BRENDA MORE THAN THREE BUCKS FOR EIGHTEEN CARDS BUT I HAD ALL THE VINTAGE ALREADY AND I WASN'T INTERESTED IN THE MORE RECENT CARDS. I WENT TO PAY BUT SHE INSISTED THAT THERE WASN'T THREE DOLLARS WORTH OF CARDS IN THE PILE I HAD AND ONLY CHARGED TWO. BEWILDERED, I ARGUED A BIT BUT EVENTUALLY JUST GAVE HER THE TWO BUCKS. SEE WHY THIS IS MY FAVORITE SELLER?? I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'LL BE BACK TO THE NEXT SHOW BUT I HOPE SHE'S THERE WITH A FRESH BATCH OF BOXES SO I CAN GIVE HER MORE MONEY. AND FORGET MY USUAL TRIP AROUND THE REST OF THE SHOW, I'M GOING THERE FIRST

UP NEXT: A WHOLE NEW AREA FULL OF ALL NEW DEALERS!

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 41: BLUE

I HAVE LIKE TWO SERIES ONE STAR WARS CARDS WHICH IS LUDICROUS FOR A SERIES THAT WAS THAT SUCCESSFUL. I MAY NEVER COMPLETE IT BUT I CAN DEFINITELY SNAG MY FAVORITE GUY FOR CHEAPS 

1977 TOPPS STAR WARS SERIES ONE GRAND MOFF TARKIN

I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THE HELL PETER CUSHING WAS WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID BUT I KNEW DARTH VADER WAS A TOTAL BAD ASS AND TARKIN WAS HIS BOSS. ONE DISAPPOINTED LOOK FROM TARKIN AND VADER WOULD STOP WHATEVER MURDERS HE WAS CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN. ALL THOSE IMPERIAL OFFICERS FROM THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK AND RETURN OF THE JEDI REALLY WISHED TARKIN HAD HOPPED IN THAT ESCAPE SHIP WHEN HE HAD THE CHANCE. GRAND MOFF IS SUCH A WONDERFULLY GOOFY TITLE FOR THE GOVERNOR OF A SPACE SECTOR. MY KID BRAIN FIGURED IT WAS A COMBINATION OF BIG MAHOFF, PHILADELPHIA SLANG FOR A BIG SHOT, AND GRAND POOBAH, THE LEADER OF THE WATER BUFFALO LODGE FROM THE FLINTSTONES. TARKIN WOULD LOOK GREAT IN ONE OF THOSE WATER BUFFALO HATS. I ABSOLUTELY DO KNOW WHO PETER CUSHING IS NOW THOUGH, BUT TRADING CARDS OF PETER IN ROLES OTHER THAN A MOFF ARE REALLY HARD TO FIND. LUCKILY STARS WARS CARDS ARE ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE SO I'VE GOT A NICE LITTLE TARKIN COLLECTION NOW, INCLUDING THIS ONE, THE FIRST TARKIN CARD FROM THE FIRST STAR WARS SET

NO BIO ON TARKIN OR CUSHING ON THE BACK OF THIS CARD, WE GET THE CORNER OF A SPACESHIP PUZZLE INSTEAD. I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CARDS TO COME CLOSE TO COMPLETING A STAR WARS PUZZLE UNFORTUNATELY SO NO COOL PICS LIKE THE WRESLING POST. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A PUZZLE IN A SET? SURELY NOT THAT TRIPLE PLAY SET, SOMEONE TELL FANATICS TO DUMP THE SUPER SHORT PRINTED BASE CARDS IN BIG LEAGUE AND REPLACE THEM WITH PUZZLES. WHILE PICKING UP THE FIRST TARKIN IN THE PREMIER STAR WARS SET FOR FIFTY CENTS SOUNDS LIKE A NO BRAINER, I HAD TO MAKE SOME HARD CHOICES ON MY CUSHING PICKUP. I REALLY WANT A 1977 WONDER BREAD TARKIN CARD BUT CARDS FROM THAT SET HAVE GOTTEN VERY SPENDY LATELY. THERE WAS ALSO A REALLY NICE LOOKING 1977 DESIGN BLACK BORDERED CARD FROM ONE OF TOPPS' ONLINE EXCLUSIVE SETS AVAILABLE FOR CHEAPS THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT HARD BUT ULTIMATELY I HAD TO GO WITH THE ORIGINAL. THERE ARE NINE TARKIN CARDS IN THE ORIGINAL SERIES AND THIS ONE GETS ME UP TO SEVEN. SADLY THERE ARE NO RED BORDERED CARDS (THE O-PEE-CHEE VERSION HAS SOME ORANGE BORDERED CARDS) SO I CAN'T GET AN ORIGINAL SERIES TARKIN RAINBOW GOING. THANK GOD FOR ALL THE HERITAGE AND ONLINE SETS WITH THEIR MULTI-COLORED PARALLELS! I'LL GET ME A ROYGBIV PAGE OF TARKINS YET!

FIFTY CENT GIFT CARD BINGE - PART 3: STAR WARS RAINBOW

THE THIRD AND FINAL POST OF CARDS I GOT ON MY FIFTY CENT BOX BINGE. FOURTH COUNTING THE REGGIE POST. A SOLID TWO-FIFTHS OF MY PURCHASE WAS OF BEAT TO HELL 1977 TOPPS STAR WARS CARDS. I GOT A RAINBOW OF ALL THE BORDER COLORS THEY HAD, FIVE CARDS EACH FROM SERIES TWO TO FIVE. NO FIRST SERIES BLUE CARDS SADLY, BUT I GOT THE ROY G. HALF OF THE RAINBOW AT LEAST

ALMOST ALL THE VINTAGE STAR WARS CARDS THEY HAVE ARE IN WELL LOVED CONDITION WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE WITH ME. I ALREADY CLEANED OUT THEIR TEN CENT CARDS AND EVEN AFTER THIS BINGE THERE ARE STILL A FEW FIFTY CENT AND DOLLAR CARDS I CAN PICK UP OFF MY WANTLIST. THE MORE SPENDY CARDS USUALLY FEATURE THE HIGHER PROFILE CHARACTERS SO NO RANDOM CANTINA DENIZENS HERE. THE MOST OBSCURE CHARACTER YOU'LL SEE TODAY IS GENERAL DODONNA 

THIS IS THE ONLY FIFTY CENT VADER IN THE PILE MAINLY BECAUSE I ALREADY BOUGHT UP ALL THE FIFTY CENT VADERS I COULD FIND MONTHS AGO. THIS ONE EVADED ME SOMEHOW. FUN STORY ABOUT THIS CARD, WHEN I GOT IT I POSTED IT ON TWITTER CALLING IT 'KINDA MURDERY'. I THEN GOT A REPLY FROM A PODCAST CALLED KINDA MURDERY AND I TRIED IT OUT AND IT'S PRETTY GOOD! IT'S A REAL CRIME PODCAST THAT DISCUSSES CRAZY MURDERS IN CALIFORNIA USUALLY FROM A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. IT'S A FUN LISTEN IF YOU LIKE THAT KIND OF THING. PRETTY WILD THAT DARTH VADER INTRODUCED ME TO A NEW PODCAST

IN HINDSIGHT, THE BACK OF THIS CARD ABSOLUTELY READS LIKE A THREAT. I DON'T CARE IF ANDOR IS GOOD, I DON'T WANNA EVEN THINK ABOUT ANYTHING STAR WARS MADE IN THE PAST FORTY YEARS. IF I DIDN'T LOVE 70'S TOPPS CARDS SO MUCH I MIGHT BE ABLE TO QUIT THE WHOLE SERIES COLD TURKEY

THAT'S NOT TRUE, I WILL ALWAYS WATCH A PETER CUSHING MOVIE

PRINCESS LEIA IS THE FRANK ROBINSON OF STAR WARS, KICKS ASS AND COMPLETELY UNDERRATE BECAUSE EVERYONE'S ALL 'LUKE THIS' AND 'ANAKIN THAT'. THIS PHOTO IS ICONIC TOO, HOW'D IT TAKE UNTIL SERIES TWO TO GET IN THE SET

DROIDS ARE PREMIUM CARDS IN THIS SET BUT HONESTLY THEY AREN'T MY FAVORITES ANYMORE. WELL, ARTOO IS COOL BUT I'M A LITTLE DONE WITH THREEPIO. YES, I KNOW HE'S GOT THE BEST CARD IN THE SET BUT THAT ONE IS GOING TO BE IN THE CASE NOT THE 50 CENT BOX

MULTI-PLAYER STAR COMBO CARD. THIS ONE REMINDS ME A LITTLE OF THE 1966 '65 RBI LEADERS CARD WITH WILLIE MAYS, FRANK ROBINSON AND DERON JOHNSON, WAIT, NO. LEIA IS FRANK ROBINSON. OBI-WAN SEEMS MORE TO ME TO BE A WILLIE MCCOVEY TYPE

AWW YEAH, HAN SOLO BEING A BADASS. TAKE NOTE OF THIS SCENE CUZ YOU'RE GONNA BE SEEING IT AGAIN

SERIES THREE! THE 1991 FLEER SERIES. HAN IS ONCE AGAIN BLASTING STORMTROOPS ON THE GANGPLANK OF THE MILLENIUM FALCON BUT THIS TIME WE HAVE A FRANK ROBINSON CAMEO

I WAS OBSESSED WITH THE TRASH COMPACTOR SCENE AS A KID MAYBE BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A WEIRD CHOICE FOR A SCI-FI FLICK TO HAVE A KEY SET PIECE IN A GARBAGE DUMP. IN A FILM FULL OF PEW PEW BLASTERS AND VOOM VOOM LASER SWORDS HAVING A SCENE WHERE THE DANGER IS GETTING MUNCHED BY A SWAMP MONSTER, CRUSHED LIKE A BUG OR JUST PLAIN STINKED TO DEATH WAS A NICE CHANCE OF PACE. TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT CHEWIE HIDING IN THE BACK BECAUSE YOU'RE UNFORTUNATELY NOT GOING TO SEE MUCH OF HIM IN THIS POST

YET ANOTHER HAN SOLO TAKING POTSHOTS AT STORMTROOPERS IN FRONT OF THE FALCON CARD. THIS IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE OF THE BUNCH, HAN AIN'T FUCKING AROUND ON THIS CARD

HELL YEAH PETER CUSHING!!! GRAND MOFF TARKIN IS MY MAIN GUY FROM STAR WARS AND I'M BUILDING UP A NICE LITTLE COLLECTION OF HIS CARDS. IT'S GREAT, HE'S A HORROR FILM LEGEND BUT IN STAR WARS HE DOES NOT REACH THE STAR POWER OF VADER, LUKE, LEIA AND HAN SO YOU CAN SNAG HIS CARDS CHEAP. I ALREADY HAD THIS CARD BUT I USED IT AS THE FIRST CARD IN MY COOL BINDER VOL. 2. AND TRUST ME, IF I SEE ANOTHER ONE I WILL BUY ANOTHER ONE. I SHOULD MAYBE THINK ABOUT MIGRATING THAT THREAD INTO A POST ON HERE BEFORE TWITTER FINALLY PUKES AND DIES

SOLO LUKE CARDS ARE USUALLY IN THE DOLLAR + PILE BUT THIS ONE WHERE HE'S HANGING OUT BY THE VAPORATORS LIKE A VAGRANT ISN'T THE GREATEST POSE SO IT DROPPED TO THE 50 CENT PILE WHICH IS GOOD FOR ME

SERIES THREE - GREEN BORDERS. THE SECOND TRASH COMPACTOR CARD FEATURES ALL FOUR STINKY HEROES THIS TIME. POOR CHEWIE IS STILL WAY IN THE BACK IN AN EVEN WORSE POSE AS BEFORE. I REALLY LOVED THE LITTLE SWAMP CRITTER THAT MENACED LUKE IN THIS SCENE. EQUAL PARTS HORRIFYING MAN-EATING SEA MONSTER AND GOOFY LIL BUG-EYED DUDE. I KINDA FEEL SAD HE GOT BLOWED UP

THE AFOREMENTIONED GENERAL DODONNA'S CARD. HE SHARES IT WITH PRINCESS LEIA SO IT'S NOT IN THE DIME BOX. THAT REBEL WAR ROOM WITH THE CLEAR WALLS AND LINES GOING EVERYWHERE WAS SUPER COOL AND FUTURISTIC WHEN I WAS EIGHT

HAN SOLO WAVING HIS GUN AROUND AGAIN. AT LEAST THIS ONE'S ON TATTOOINE INSTEAD OF THE DEATH STAR

LUKE AND BEN AT THE SANDCRAWLER. GREAT COMBO CARD

SOLO LUKE CARD FOR FIFTY CENTS!!! HELL YEAH. HE'S NOT LOOKING PARTICULARLY HEROIC AND THE CORNERS ARE COMPLETELY ROUND BUT IT'S STILL A LUKE CARD FOR CHEAP, TALK ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE ODDS

FINISHING UP WITH THE ORANGE FIFTH SERIES. I HAD TO CHOOSE MY FAVORITE FIVE FOR THE REST OF THE SERIES BUT THESE WERE THE ONLY ONES I NEEDED FOR THE ORANGES. STARTING OFF GOOD WITH YET ANOTHER SLIGHT VARIATION ON HAN POINTING A GUN IN FRONT OF THE FALCON

BACK TO THE DROIDS. THIS WAS PROBABLY FIFTY CENTS INSTEAD OF A BUCK BECAUSE IT IS TWO-THIRDS THREEPIO AND ONLY ONE-THIRD ARTOO. STILL A PRETTY GOOD LOOKING CARD

HERE'S A SADLY BONERLESS THREEPIO CARD. STILL PRETTY FUNNY THOUGH

MORE FRIGGIN DROIDS. YOU DON'T EVEN GET TO SEE ARTOO FROM THE FRONT. NO DECENT CHEWY CARDS BUT DROIDS OUT THE GAZOO. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH CHEWY CARDS OR IF I ALREADY BOUGHT THE CHEWY CARDS

GOOD GRAVY THIS REALLY IS THE ORANGE SET. SO MANY THREEPIO CARDS AND NOT ONE WITH A BIG HONKIN ROBOBONER. TWO NOTABLE THINGS ABOUT THIS CARD: IT IS THE LAST CARD IN THE ORIGINAL SET, AND IT WAS MAYBE THE ONLY BEHIND THE SCENES CARD THAT WAS NOT IN THE TEN CENT BOX OTHER THAN THE ONE WITH GEORGE LUCAS. IT'S A NEAT LOOKING CARD BUT A BIT OF AN INDICATION OF HOW MUCH TOPPS WAS SCRAPING THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL AFTER FIVE SERIES

THIS BINGE TOOK A NICE CHUNK OFF MY STAR WARS WANTLISTS AND THERE'S STILL A FEW CARDS I NEED IN THE BOX FOR MY NEXT TRIP TO THE LCS. I WISH I COULD FIND SOME DANG BLUE SERIES CARDS FOR CHEAP THOUGH! I MIGHT BE TEN YEARS TOO LATE FOR THAT NOW

For the Price of a Rack Pack...

...I got all this out of bargain bins at a card show last month. It's like I made my own vintage 1960 card rack pack!

Let's start the post with a Post. A '60 Topps Post. Now I want to find a 1962 Post Wally Post so I can write a post about a Post Post.

Pete Runnels with the Boston Sock Monster logo. Pete is also useful for your '60s ballcard fantasy team since he has multi-positional eligibility and you don't need to write in 2B in pencil because you ran out of second basemen.

Old Barve alert! I already had this card but I needed another one because I am a team set collector which is daft but the card was cheap so leave me alone. One can never have too many Felixes.

Ede Ihr of the dang rotten stupid Posey was out stinkin lousy Giants. Back in the '60s the Giants were sad sacks who always got their hearts broken and how I long for those days to come again. Oh well, go ahead and print up those Giants 2016 World Champion shirts and beat the rush.

Dick pic! Look at the colors on this card. Look at that portrait of Dick staring off into space while his black & white doppelganger watches intently. Look at how the letters in his name are just all over the place like a 7 year old pasted them in like stickers. Look at that stoned-ass Cubs logo. That bear is blazed, I tell you.

Tito! With a cheek full of North Carolina's entire tobacco crop from 1959. Throw in Virginia's crop with the black & white pic. Notice Chief Wahoo is still wearing his American League crown from 1954.

Red and yella, black and white. This card doesn't need any more colors than that, thank you very much. And as far as my '60s card fantasy team is concerned Sammy and Pete Runnels got the whole infield covered.

Jim O'Toole won 81 games for the Reds from 1960-1964 and you don't even know who the heck he is you cretins. "That's because wins is a bullshit stat" you say. Fine then. 21.5 WAR during that time period if you like newfangled stats. I'm not even discussing Vada Pinson with you because someone will throw out the term "Hall of Very Good" and I'll have to punch that someone in the face.

ANOTHER SOCK MONSTER ZOMG. Here's Jerry Casale and I don't know who he is because I'm a cretin too. I'm sure AdamE will tell me because he wants me to trade Jerry to him but Jerry's going in my set so sorry Adam.

Not the Hall of Fame Earl Averill, but his kid which is close enough. With the Super Rare Catcher-Third Base position eligibility. Also that catcher's mitt may in fact be a black hole.

Barry Latman. If his name was Larry Batman he wouldn't be a pitcher. He'd be a CRIMEFIGHTER. Also of note is the fact that the Chicago White Sox used the Pegasus Boots from the Legend of Zelda games as their team logo, decades before the first game came out in 1986. Which didn't even have the Pegasus Boots as an item. Makes you think.

SERIOUSLY THE GIANTS WERE FAR LESS OBNOXIOUS A TEAM (no offense, Night Owl) BEFORE THEY BECAME A FRIGGIN DYNASTY AND SHIT. Here's Hobie the Catcher.
Hobie Hobie Hobie.
It's fun to say Hobie.

Gus is offended by all the Giants I picked up at the card show. I couldn't help it, I needed them for my set. Yeah, I'm building a set of 1960 Topps, you wanna fight about it? Also, cartoon Orioles are adorable.

Jose Pagan plays the Infield! All of it! ALL OF IT

Is it just me or does that uniform look shady. That B on the cap is off. The Sox didn't have stripes on their sleeves. Holy cow that's a '60 photoshooped Cubs uniform. Airbrushed, even. Buzzing Bear replaced by Menacing Sock Monster. Oh, the deception we card collectors have to endure.

Howcome Ted didn't get the airbrush treatment?? "Ah, it's just the Phillies, no one cares about them", says the Topps Airbrush artist as he kicks off work early to get a beer. A single tear rolls down the cheek of an  executive at Fleer headquarters in Philadelphia as he examines his competitor's product. "I shall have my revenge" he mutters through gritted teeth. REVEEEEEENGE

Dangit another stinking Giant. Wait... another fluffy cute Oriole? I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ANYMORE. This is more confusing than the numbering on 2014 Topps Update.

But wait... Every rack pack always has some inserts!

Rookie Stars! 26 years of Major League experience between these guys when it was all said and done. Not bad for a highish series floaty head rookie combo card.

MVPs! Yogi and Campy. Back when catchers were The Man. Also of note is Campanella with the imaginary card created 20 years later because Topps was in a death battle with Bowman at the time and couldn't make a card for him. It's good to have a monopoly.

Yaz had a rookie card in 1960 Topps and here he is on a '70s card with bitchin' sideburns. Eat yer heart out Milhaus.

Waddya think? Should I have just picked up a rack pack of Topps from Wally World? I didn't get a single parallel in this pack and everyone loves those after all.