2023 CARD SHOW - PART 4: THE DEALER WHO COLLECTS - ALMOST BOUGHT A JUNK BOX AGAIN

ALL RIGHTY TIME TO RESOVE THAT CLIFFHANGER I LEFT YOU ON LAST WEEK. NO, LAST YEAR. DON'T LOOK AT THAT PICTURE TWO INCHES UNDER THIS TEXT. SPOILERS!!! SO THERE I WAS STARING AT YET ANOTHER TWENTY-FIVE CRAPOLA BOX JUST LIKE THE TWO OTHERS I BOUGHT LAST YEAR AND STILL HAVEN'T COMPLETELY FINISHED SORTING YET. AND THE WHOLE FIRST ROW OF THE BOX WAS ALL ODDBALL LEGENDS SETS I'VE BEEN COLLECTING FOR TWENTY TO THIRTY YEARS NOW. WORST OF ALL I ACTUALLY HAD THE TWENTY-FIVE BUCKS IN MY POCKET. I WAS ABOUT TO BLOW MY ENTIRE BANKROLL 25 MINUTES INTO THE SHOW. TWO THINGS SAVED ME: FIRST, THE REST OF THE BOX WAS UNIMPRESSIVE. IT WAS MOSTLY RANDOM EARLY 00S COMMONS FOR SETS I'M NOT FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW. THE ONLY THING I CAN EVEN REMEMBER FROM THE OTHER THREE ROWS WAS SOME 2003 FLEER TRADITION. OR WAS IT 2004? IF THERE WAS ONE GOOD SET IN THERE I WOULDA BEEN SUNK BUT THERE WASN'T. WHAT REALLY SNAPPED ME BACK TO SANITY WAS THE FACT THAT I STILL HADN'T HIT MY FAVORITE SELLER OF THE SHOW YET AND I COULDN'T AFFORD TO SPEND ALL MY CASH AT THIS TABLE. I DID MY BEST TO CHANNEL CHRIS ROCK'S 'HOW MUCH FOR ONE RIB' PERFORMANCE AND ASKED IF HE COULD SELL ME JUST THE ONE ROW. HE SAID TEN BUCKS. I SAID SOLD

HE EVEN HAD AN OLD EMPTY LONGBOX TO PUT IT IN. I TOLD YOU THIS GUY KNOWS WHAT'S UP. I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE PRISTINE UNSORTED BOX BUT HERE IT IS AFTER THE FACT. THE STUFF ON THE LEFT IS ALL CARDS I NEED AND EVERYTHING ON THE RIGHT STARTING AT THE SECOND PILE OF ACTION PACKED IS THE DOUBLES. I AM AGAIN ACCUMULATING PILES OF CRAP I DON'T NEED BUT THAT'S THE PRICE OF BUYING IN BULK. HERE'S THE GOODS

A DECENT AMOUNT OF THE ARCHIVES CARDS I NEEDED, DAMN NEAR A COMPLETE SET OF 1993 TED WILLIAMS WITH POGS, A GIGANTIC PILE OF ACTION PACKED SERIES 1 (ALTHOUGH TO BE FAIR THESE CARDS ARE THREE TIMES AS THICK AS THE REST), EXACTLY ONE 1994 UPPER DECK ALL-TIME HEROES CARD AND A SMALL PILE OF ONE OF THE MANY SHINY UPPER DECK LEGENDS SETS I'M COLLECTING EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE BOX THEY LIVE IN IS RIGHT NOW. THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL PILE OF ONE OF THE RECENT PANINI DIAMOND KINGS SETS WITH A TON OF RETIRED PLAYERS IN IT BUT I FORGOT TO PULL THOSE OUT FOR PICTURES AND IT'S TOO LATE NOW

I NEEDED THIRTEEN CARDS OUT OF THE PILE OF ABOUT 250 1991 ARCHIVES CARDS. IF I HAD SPENT THE TIME TO LOOK THROUGH THE BOX LIKE THE SELLER ORIGINALLY OFFERED I PROBABLY COULD HAVE GOTTEN THEM FOR A COUPLE BUCKS BUT I AIN'T MAD WITH HAVING A BIG PILE OF ARCHIVE DOUBLES TO PLAY WITH. WITH THE SATCHEL FROM THE ORIGINAL POST I THOUGHT THIS PILE KNOCKED MY NEEDS ALMOST IN HALF FROM THIRTY TO SIXTEEN SO I DOUBLE CHECKED THE BOX TO SEE IF I COULD FIND ONE I MISSED  AND MAKE IT EXACTLY HALF. I DIDN'T FIND ANY BUT INSTEAD I FINALLY FIGURED OUT THERE ARE SEVEN CARDS MISSING FROM THE SET FOR THE SIX THAT WERE NEVER ISSUED AND BILLY LOES WHO DIDN'T WANT TO GET STADIUM CLUBIZED I GUESS. SO NOW I'M DOWN TO SINGLE DIGITS TO COMPLETE THE SET! YOGI, WILLIE AND TED WILLIAMS ARE THREE OF THE DIGITS NOT TO MENTION THE FIRST CHECKLIST WHICH MIGHT BE THE HARDEST ONE TO FIND BUT SINGLE DIGITS IS GREAT

HERE'S THE HIGH NUMBERS I NEEDED WITH THE ACTUAL HIGH NUMBER CARDS I ALREADY HAD. IS IT RIDICULOUS THAT I HAD MORE OF THE ORIGINAL CARDS THAN THE ARCHIVES UP UNTIL THIS PURCHASE? YES, YES IT IS. I MAY NEVER FIND AN ORIGINAL CARD I NEED FOR UNDER FORTY BUCKS EVER AGAIN THOUGH SO ARCHIVES IS THE WAY TO GO FOR THE TIME BEING

THE CARDS THAT WEREN'T PORTION OF THE SET WENT WITH BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS INSTEAD OF ARTWORK. I GET WHY TOPPS DID IT BUT I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT IT. DONRUSS AND UPPER DECK ALREADY HAD ACTUAL ART SUBSETS, TOPPS SHOULDA GOT SOME OF THE UNEMPLOYED GARBAGE PAIL KIDS ARTISTS TO PAINT THESE GUYS

A TED WILLIAMS TED WILLIAMS CARD! HELL YEAH! I HAVE BEEN HALF-ASSEDLY COLLECTING THE 1993 AND 1994 TED WILLIAMS LEGENDS SETS BUT THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DOWN ON THE PECKING ORDER UNDERNEATH ARCHIVES, PACIFIC LEGENDS, CONLIN COLLECTION, RANDOM UPPER DECK NONSENSE AMONG OTHERS. I LIKED PICKING THEM UP HERE AND THERE BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN CLOSE TO COMPLETING EITHER SET. UNTIL NOW. THERE WAS ALMOST A COMPLETE SET IN THIS BOX AND THE CARDS THAT WERE MISSING I ALREADY HAD. THAT'S RIGHT WE HAVE 

JOY OF A COMPLETE SET

AND I HAD WAY LESS 1993 CARDS THAN I DID 1994 CARDS SO THERE IS NOT A HUGE DOUBLES PILE LEFT OVER EITHER. I RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF CARDS I NEEDED WHEN I SAW THESE TEDS BUT HAD NO IDEA I WOULD ACTUALLY FINISH THE DANG SET. AMONG MY RANDOM CRAP PURCHASES THIS YEAR I HAVE BEEN STEALTHILY FOCUSING MORE ON COMPLETING SETS AND 1993 TED WILLIAMS WAS DEFINITELY NOT ON MY SET BUILDING RADAR. COMPLETING THIS NICE LOOKING LITTLE SET WAS A NICE SURPRISE. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE THIS BOB HORNER CARD IN A BRAVES BOX SOMEWHERE ALREADY BUT NOW I HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN THE LEGENDS SET BOX

THE ORIGINAL GOAL FOR THIS POST WAS TO SHOW OFF THREE OF MY FAVORITE CARDS PER SET BUT I WENT OVERBOARD AND NOW THIS POST IS COMPELTELY UNWEILDY. I COULDN'T NOT SHOW YOGI THOUGH, COULD I?

OR LEFTY! I COULDN'T LEAVE OUT LEFTY. AND GHOST LEFTY ON THE LEFT. IS THAT WHAT THE INVISIBLE INK GIMMICK IS? A SECOND SPECTRAL PICTURE ON THE CARD?

CURT FLOOD IS MANDATORY. THE GUY WHO HIT THE FIRST DOMINO LEADING TO SHOHEI'S SEVEN HUNDRED MILLION SMACKEROOS. OR FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY MILLION SMACKEROOS FOR TAX PURPOSES. GOTTA SHOW OFF CURT. I COULD HAVE TAKEN A DOZEN MORE PICTURES OF CARDS

SO I JUST TOOK THEM ALL AT ONCE. I'VE BEEN SQUIRRELING AWAY THESE NEGRO LEAGUE CARDS AS I FIND THEM AND IT'S COOL TO GET THEM ALL AT ONCE. COOL PAPA BELL, JOSH GIBSON, BUCK LEONARD, SATCHEL PAIGE! YES! I'VE ALREADY BOUGHT A FEW OF THESE ALREADY BUT HADN'T PUT THEM IN WITH THE SET AND HONESTLY I'LL BUY MORE THE NEXT TIME I SEE THEM

I HAD A LOT MORE OF THE SUBSET CARDS THAN THE REGULAR BASE CARDS ALREADY BECAUSE THEY WERE MORE LIKELY TO GET PICKED UP IN DIME BOXES BUT I STILL NEEDED WILLIE, CAMPY AND MONTE HERE. ACTUALLY SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER WILLIE FROM AN OLD ONLINE DIME BOX POST BUT YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY SAY HEY KIDS

LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I WAS VERY EARLY IN MY CARD SHOW ADVENTURE AND I WAS HESITANT TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ALL AT ONCE WITHOUT SEEING WHAT OTHER TREASURES AWAITED ME BUT ONCE I SAW THE POGS IT WAS OVER. THESE THINGS RULE AND I ONLY HAD A HANDFUL OF THEM. I WAS OVER THE MOON TO GET BOTH THE BRAVES AND ATLANTA BLACK CRACKERS POG CARDS IN THE BOX. THIS WAS WORTH THE TEN BUCKS ITSELF HONESTLY. THE BRAVES AND METS COMBINATION IS A BIT PROPHETIC AS ATLANTA HAD NOT YET MOVED TO THE NL EAST IN 1993 TO TORMENT THE METROPOLITANS FOR DECADES

SEVEN POG CARDS WERE DEDICATED TO THE NEGRO LEAGUES AND NEGRO LEAGUE TEAM LOGOS. THESE TWO FEATURE THE LOUISVILLE BLACK CAPS AND PHILADELPHIA STARS, AND THE INDIANAPOLIS ABC'S AND HARLEM STARS

HERE ARE THE LAST TWO POG CARDS I NEEDED. THE BROWNS AND BROOKLYN HAVE A DEFUNCT TEAM THEME AND CUBS AND TIGERS ARE A 1945 WORLD SERIES REMATCH I GUESS? I ALSO DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE LOGOS FOR THE CUBS AND TIGERS HAVE BEEN EATEN UP BY THAT ODD BLOTCHY BACKGROUND PATTERN. WITH THESE CARDS I NOW HAVE EXACTLY HALF THE POG SET. AT THE CURRENT RATE OF FINDING THEM OUT IN THE WILD I SHOULD HAVE THE SET COMPLETED IN 2053

THE ACTION PACKED CARDS WERE EVEN FURTHER DOWN ON MY LEGENDS PECKING LIST BUT YOU CAN SEE ALL THOSE BLACK BORDERED CARDS IN THAT BOX SURELY ENTICED ME. I DID NOT COMPLETE THIS SET BUT I WENT FROM HAVING ABOUT ELEVEN CARDS TO NEEDING ELEVEN CARDS. NOT QUITE THE SINGLE DIGITS CLUB YET BUT IT'S FUN TO HOLD A BIG PILE OF CHONKY CARDS. ONCE AGAIN I TOOK WAY TOO MANY PICTURES BUT TELL ME WHO I SHOULD'VE LEFT OUT. NOT YOGI!

NOT GIBBY!

NOT SPAHNNIE!

NOT BIRD!

OK MAYBE CHAMBLISS COULD HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT BUT HE WAS THE FIRST BASEMAN FOR THE BRAVES WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO BASEBALL SO HE MAKES THE CUT

DON'T EVEN TELL ME TO LEAVE OUT HARVEY HADDIX EXPECIALLY WITH THAT THREE DEE EMBOSSED FOLLOW THROUGH ACTION

NOT ROADRUNNER! ALL THESE CARDS ARE COMPLETELY NECESSARY. IT WAS ALSO NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS JOKE TO GET THROUGH THE POST BECAUSE THIS IS TAKING WAY TOO LONG TO WRITE AS IT IS 

THERE WERE NOT MANY 1994 UPPER DECK ALL-TIME HEROES CARDS IN THE BOX AND WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH THEM I DICOVERED THAT ALL BUT FIVE HAD THE DUMB MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 125TH ANNIVERSARY FOIL STAMPING ON THEM. SEVEN OF THEM WERE CARDS ON THE WANTLIST AS WELL SO NOW I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE MORAL CONUNDRUM OF DECIDING IF I WANT TO IGNORE THE FOIL AND STICK THEM IN THE SET ALREADY, SOMETHING I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FOR A WHILE NOW. I DID MANAGE TO GET THIS ENOS SLAUGHTER MAD DASH CARD SANS FOIL I NEEDED AT LEAST

FINALLY WE HAVE THIRTEEN 2001 SP LEGENDARY CUTS CARDS I DID NOT PREVIOUSLY HAVE. I KNEW I WOULD FEEL LIKE THE WAY I FEEL NOW ABOUT WRITING THIS LONG-ASS POST AND HAD THE DISCIPLINE TO ONLY TAKE PICS OF THREE CARDS THIS TIME. THESE CARDS ARE VERY SHINY AND FOILY AND THIS EDDIE MATHEWS CARDS LOOKS TOO GOOD TO GET STUCK IN AN UPPER DECK LEGENDS SET BOX. IT MIGHT GET PUT IN A BRAVES BOX INSTEAD

MAN THESE THINGS ARE SHINY. THIS WAS A REAL HIGH-END PACK IN A PRODUCT STUFFED FULL OF BAT AND JERSEY CARDS AND EVEN ONE CUT AUTOGRAPH CARD PER CASE! AND PACKS WERE ONLY TEN BUCKS A POP! IF YOU COULD FIND THEM FOR THAT. THIS USED TO BE A PROPER COUNTRY. I WISH I COULD GO BACK IN TIME TO 2001 WITH A WAD OF CASH IN MY HAND. I'D BUY EVERY VINTAGE CARD I COULD FIND

WE'LL END THIS POST ON ELSTON. I FORGOT TO COUNT ALL THE CARDS I NEEDED BEFORE I PUT THEM AWAY BUT IT WAS WELL OVER A HUNDRED. SO LESS THAN A DIME A POP  FOR ALL OF THEM WHEN IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE. NOT SOO SHABBY! I DO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HECK TO DO WITH ALL THE DOUBLES BUT THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR FUTURE ME. I DID NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE TABLE AFTER THIS THOUGH, WE HAVE ONE POST LEFT FROM THIS SELLER. CAN YOU GUESS WHAT IT IS? HERE'S A HINT:

70'S FLEER

BREAKDOWN OF THE FLEA MARKET JUNK BOX PART 2

BACK TO THE FLEA MARKET JUNK BOX POST WITH TOO MANY PICTURES. THIS HALF OF THE BOX HAS THE REAL HEAVY HITTER JUNK WAX ERA LEGENDS SETS

NEXT UP: SOME 1991 SWELL BASEBALL GREATS CARDS. FLEER WASN'T THE ONLY SET WITH YELLOW BORDERS! SWELL HAD A NICE THREE YEAR RUN OF LEGENDS SETS FROM 89-91. THIS 1991 SET HAS IMPEL MARKETING COPYRIGHTS ON THE BACK. IMPEL BECAME SKYBOX IN 1992 AND SADLY THERE IS NO SKYBOX BASEBALL GREATS SET. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW COOL A CARD OF BABE RUTH WITH COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND GLOWING BASKETBALLS WOULD BE? HERE'S A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BOX

MANNY MOTA IS MORE THAN THE AIRPLANE JOKE. HE BROKE IN WITH THE GIANTS, HIS ROOKIE CARD HAS HIM AS A COLT .45 AND HE WAS TRADED TO THE PIRATES BEFORE PLAYING A GAME WITH HOUSTON. MANNY THEN GOT SELECTED BY THE EXPOS IN THE EXPANSION DRAFT AND FLIPPED TO THE DODGERS EARLY IN THE SEASON. AND THEN HE BECAME A DODGER FOR LIFE AND PINCH HIT FOR PEDRO BORBON, WHO WAS A CARDINAL IN 1980. DON'T WORRY DODGER FANS, MANNY'S ONLY CARD AS A GIANT IS FROM AN OBSCURE TCMA SET

WHILE I DON'T HAVE A DEFINITIVE RANKING OF TEAMS LIKE NIGHT OWL* I DO KNOW THE A'S ARE IN MY TOP FIVE FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS. THEY'VE GIVEN THE BRAVES A LOTTA GOOD PLAYERS OVER THE YEARS FOR ONE THING. REGGIE WON A RING WITH THEM MY BIRTH YEAR FOR ANOTHER. AND THESE YELLOW AND GREEN UNIFORMS ARE FANTASTIC. LAS VEGAS BETTER NOT FUCK THAT UP, ASSUMING THEY EVEN END UP THERE. KEN HOLTZMAN IS A FANTASTIC PITCHER THAT EVERYONE'S FORGOTTEN ABOUT. FOUR WORLD SERIES RINGS! MOST WINS BY A JEWISH PITCHER! GIVE HOLTZMAN SOME RESPECT

ASTROS ANOTHER TEAM IN MY TOP FIVE. GO BANG YOUR TRASH CANS SOMEWHERE ELSE. CESAR CEDENO ANOTHER GREAT PLAYER FORGOTTEN. HE COULD HIT DINGERS AND STEAL BASES AND HIT FOR AVERAGE AND TAKE A WALK. GOLD GLOVE FIELDER TOO! BUT HE WASN'T LITERALLY WILLIE MAYS SO HE WAS OFF THE HALL OF FAME BALLOT AFTER ONE SHOT. PHOOEY TO HALL OF FAME VOTERS. PHOOEY I SAY!

I HAVE NO LOFTY PRAISE FOR DECINCES BUT A DUDE WHO IS AN ABOVE AVERAGE HITTER WHO CAN PLAY ALL OVER THE INFIELD IS HELLA VALUABLE. I LOVE THE CALIFORNIA ANGELS LOGO TOO. AND FLIP UP SHADES WITH EYEBLACK! STUPENDOUS. WE'RE LOOKING AT GREATNESS HERE. OOPS I DID HAVE SOME PRAISE AFTER ALL

THE BACKS OF THE CARDS ARE PRETTY GOOD. THE BASEBALL GREATS DESIGN FROM THE FRONT IS REPEATED AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFO HERE. THE CARD NUMBER BEING IN THE MIDDLE AIN'T GREAT BUT IT'S EASY TO READ AND IN THE SAME PLACE EVERY TIME. I MAY HAVE SAID THIS THREE TIMES ALREADY BUT I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO FIND THIS CARD WAS MADE BY IMPEL MARKETING, THE SAME GUYS WHO DID MARVEL, DISNEY AND STAR TREK CARDS IN THE EARLY 90S. I WAS EVEN MORE SUPRISED THAT IMPEL TURNED INTO SKYBOX WHEN THEY GOT THEIR BASKETBALL LICENSE. I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW PHILADELPHIA GUM TURNED INTO IMPEL. 90S TRADING CARD MANUFACTURER SHENANIGANS ARE FASCINATING 

FINAL STATS FOR THE SWELL CARDS IN THE BOX:

TOTAL CARDS - 18

NEEDED - 15

DUPLICATES - 3

CURRENT VALUE OF INDIVIDUAL QUARTER CARDS: $15.50

LOTS OF 1988 PACIFIC LEGENDS CARDS IN THE BOX. I'VE LOVED THIS SET SINCE IT FIRST CAME OUT. PACKS WERE HARD TO COME BUY BECAUSE SOME DEALERS SET THE PRICE FOR THE MANTLE AT $25 AND THERE WAS A FEEDING FRENZY. THEY ARE PRETTY COMMON NOW AND I'VE BEEN PICKING THEM OFF HERE AND THERE AS I FIND THEM

THE BEST THING ABOUT THE SET IS IT'S PACKED FULL OF AWESOME PLAYERS THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE HALL OF FAME. ROY FACE HERE WAS A GREAT RELIEF PITCHER BEFORE THAT ROLE CRYSTALLIZED INTO PITCHING ONLY THE NINTH INNING WITH A LEAD OF THREE OR LESS RUNS. IF ELROY PITCHED THIRTY YEARS LATER HE WOULDV'E HAD LIKE 500 SAVES. OR HE WOULD'VE PICKED UP THE SPLIT FINGER FASTBALL AND BLEW HIS ARM OUT AFTER SIX SEASONS (AFTER RACKING UP 200 SAVES)

WISH I'D TAKEN A BETTER PICTURE OF GARY BELL BUT THE ENTIRE PILOTS FRANCHISE IS A BIT BLURRY TO BE HONEST. PILOTS CARDS ARE GREAT TO FIND ANYTIME JUST SO YOU CAN CROSS REFERENCE THE PLAYERS TO BALL FOUR. DING DONG!

THESE CARDS WERE ALL FROM SERIES TWO WITH THE BLUE BACKS. THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE I NEED WAY MORE OF THEM THAN I DO SERIES ONE

PACIFIC LEGENDS HAS A BUNCH OF THESE UNCANNY COLORIZED PHOTOS THAT MAKE THE PLAYERS LOOK LIKE PHANTOMS. I LOVE THIS KIND OF WEIRD QUIRKS ON OLD TIMEY LEGENDS SETS

THERE WERE SOME HEAVY HEAVY HITTERS IN THE BOX. A GREAT LOOKING CARD OF KILLER, GAYLORD PERRY WITH THE GIANTS AND TED FRICKIN WILLIAMS. TEDDY BALLGAME DOESN'T BELONG IN QUARTER BOXES BUT I'LL TAKE IT

COMING AROUND FULL CIRCLE, WILBUR WOOD HAD AN AMAZING RUN IN THE EARLY 70S WHERE HE STARTED 224 GAMERS IN FIVE SEASONS AFTER MOVING TO THE ROTATION FROM THE BULLPEN. HIS FINAL CAREER NUMBERS GOT HIM BARELY ANY HALL OF FAME VOTES, BUT HIS WAR TOTAL IS HIGHER THAN JIM KAAT, JACK MORRIS AND CATFISH HUNTER'S. RESPECT THE KNUCKLEBALL

FINAL STATS FOR THE PACIFIC CARDS IN THE BOX:

TOTAL CARDS - 20

NEEDED - 17

DUPLICATES - 3

CURRENT VALUE OF INDIVIDUAL QUARTER CARDS: $19.75

THE FINAL BATCH OF CARDS IN THE BOX ARE OF THAT OLD STANDBY, THE CONLON COLLECTION. YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON FINDING AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THESE CARDS IN ANY JUNK BOX, YET COMPLETING THE ENTIRE SET IS PROBABLY AS TOUGH AS COMPLETING A VINTAGE TOPPS SET. MAYBE NOT 1966 TOUGH, BUT MAYBE 1973 TOUGH. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SERIES ONE THAT GOT PRINTED ROUGHLY IN 1991 UPPER DECK QUANTITIES, OR EVEN SERIES TWO OR THREE WHERE COMPLETE SET TINS ARE STILL PRETTY COMMON. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE HIGH SERIES IN 1994 WHERE THEY SLOWED DOWN THE PRINTING PRESSES AND THAT BIZARRE 1995 SERIES WITH THE MAROON BORDERS AND COLORIZED CARDS AND FOIL STAMPING AND SUCH. PEOPLE THINK THE CARDS ARE TRASH SO INFORMATION ONLINE IS HARD TO FIND. I'M STILL PLUGGING AWAY THOUGH

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I PULLED THE SAMPLE CARDS FOR THE PHOTOS AND I THINK I MIGHT'VE JUST PICKED THE GREATEST NAMES I COULD FIND. SKI MELILLO IS A LEGIT GREAT NAME. I WAS WONDERING WHO THIS GUY WAS UNTIL I LOOKED HIM UP AND FOUND OUT IT'S OSCAR MELLILO. I GOT A GOUDEY CARD OF THIS DUDE!

JIMMY LAVENDER SOUNDS LIKE THE NAME OF A MILTON BERLE GANGSTER CHARACTER. JIMMY THREW A SPITBALL AND GOT A NO HITTER WITH IT WHICH IS COOL. BRING BACK CHEATING! JIMMY ALSO HAS SOME VINTAGE CARDS IN T206 AND CRACKER JACK. I DON'T HAVE THOSE

BILL HUNNEFIELD. I DON'TEVEN KNOW WHY THIS NAME MAKES ME GIGGLE BUT IT DOES. BILL PLAYED SIX SEASONS IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT DEAD ZONE OF MAJOR TRADING CARD SETS FROM THE LATE 20S TO THE EARLY 30S SO IF YOU WANT A CARD OF THIS DUDE YOU CAN GET A CONLON OR TRACK DOWN A SUPER SCARCE ZEE-NUT OR EXHIBIT CARD. THIS IS CONLON'S GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO CARD COLLECTING IN MY OPINION. EVEN MORE VALUABLE NOW THAT CONLONS ARE CONSIDERED BORDERLINE VINTAGE!

STUFFY MCINNIS! YOU KNOW I HAD TO SHOW OFF A BRAVE NAMED STUFFY. STUFFY WAS A STAR FIRST BASEMAN WITH THE A'S AND HAS A TON OF CARDS OUT THERE VINTAGE AND OTHERWISE. HE'S EVEN GOT A LAUGHLIN CARD CELEBRATING HIS .999 FIELDING PERCENTAGE IN 1921. STUFFY IS ALSO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE CHEAPASS BOSTON BRAVES PICKING UP OLD AND BUSTED STARS AT THE END OF THEIR CAREERS. I COULD WRITE A WHOLE POST ON THAT IF I WASN'T LASER FOCUSED ON WRITING ABOUT GARBAGE COMMON CARDS AT THE MOMENT

WES FERRELL'S NAME ISN'T GOOFY BUT HE PITCHED A NO-HITTER AND BOPPED A HOME RUN IN THE SAME GAME WHICH IS SUPER COOL

GOTTA LOVE BOX SCORES ON THE BACK OF CARDS, ESPECIALLY FOR HISTORIC GAMES LIKE THIS ONE. THERE'S A BUNCH OF NO-HITTER CARDS IN CONLON IF THAT'S YOUR THING

THERE'S A BUNCH OF CLAIMS OF 'FIRST CARDS' IN THE CONLON SET AND BACK IN THE DAY WE ERE ALL AWED TO HAVE A ROOKIE CARD OF SOME DUDE WHO PLAYED IN THE 30S. WHAT WE DIDN'T HAVE WAS THE INTERNET AND A DOZEN WEBSITES CATALOGING EVERY SINGLE BASEBALL CARD IN EXISTANCE. I HAD TO DO SOME SEARCHING ON OL JOHNNY HERE SINCE HE BEGAN AND ENDED HIS CAREER WITH THE BRAVES

ACCORDING TO TCDB, THIS IS NOT ONLY NOT JOHNNY NIGGELING'S FIRST CARD, IT IS ACTUALLY HIS LAST CARD. JOHNNY HAD A ST. LOUIS BROWNS CARD IN 1941, A REPRINT OF THAT CARD IN THE 70S AND A COUPLE OTHER ODDBALLS PRINTED UP BEFORE THIS ONE. NO BRAVES CARDS THOUGH, SO IF I EVER GET LOOPY AND DECIDE TO START AN 'EVERY BRAVES PLAYER' PROJECT THIS ONE WILL HAVE TO DO

ALSO IN THE BOX, SOME TRASH! A BABE RUTH COLLECTION AD CARD. I HAVE A COUPLE OF PACKS OF CONLON AND RUTH CARDS BUT NEVER PULLED THIS OUT OF THEM. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE BUT THE GARBAGE EPHEMERA INSERTS ALWAYS END UP THE TRULY RARE STUFF IN THIS HOBBY. GO TRY TO HUNT DOWN SOME OLD GOUDEY COUPONS OR A 1958 TOPPS FELT TEAM EMBLEMS AD CARD

FINAL STATS FOR THE CONLON CARDS IN THE BOX:

TOTAL CARDS - 77

NEEDED - 34 (PLUS THE BABE RUTH AD)

DUPLICATES - 33

CURRENT VALUE OF INDIVIDUAL QUARTER CARDS: $28.25

FINAL TALLY FOR EVERYTHING

TOTAL CARDS - 242

CARDS I ACTUALLY NEEDED - 113

GOT OVER A HUNDRED CARDS KNOCKED OFF VARIOUS LEGENDS SET WANTLISTS FOR ABOUT TEN BUCKS. THAT'S A WIN! 

* REALLY HOPING THE BRAVES ARE VILLAINOUS ENOUGH TO MAKE THE BOTTOM FIVE NEXT YEAR

HOLY CRAP I NEVER POSTED THE ONLINE DIME BOX CARDS

 A FEW MONTHS AGO I DISCOVERED THE ONLINE DIME BOX THAT BASICALLY KEPT ME SANE DURING THE PANDEMIC HAD NOT SHUT DOWN AND HAD MERELY TRANSFORMED TO AN ONLINE FREE BOX. CARDS ARE FREE, SHIPPNG AND HANDLING IS NOT. THIS WORKS OUT TO GETTING 40 CARDS OF YOUR CHOICE FOR THE PRICE OF A PACK FROM TARGET WHICH IS FUCKING OUTSTANDING. SELLER DOESN'T GET KILLED BY SHIPPING AND I GET CHEAP CARDS, EVERYONE WINS. I BOUGHT 40 CARDS, BUNGLED THE SHIPPING AND WAS ABLE TO WORK IT OUT TO GET A NICE LITTLE PILE OF JUNK. I THEN BOUGHT BASICALLY A BLASTER'S WORTH OF MORE CARDS WHICH IS ABOUT TO SHIP AND TURN INTO A TON OF POSTS IN MY DRAFT FOLDER. CONSIDER THIS POST AN APPETIZER FOR THE BANQUET ON DIME CARDS ABOUT TO DROP OR PERHAPS A WARNING. I ALREADY POSTED ALL 40 ON TWITTER SO I'M NOT REHASHING ALL THAT BECAUSE I AM LAZY BUT HERE'S SOME HIGHLIGHTS

1993 FINEST TOM CANDIOTTI

FINEST CARDS ARE GREAT. I WISH THEY'D TAKE ALL THAT CHROME NONSENSE THEY CRAP OUT EVERY YEAR AND JUST USE THE CARD STOCK FOR FINEST INSTEAD. THE FIRST SET OF FINEST IS TRICKY TO FIND AND I'M THANKFUL EVERY TIME I STUMBLE ACROSS SOME. I NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW I'M COLLECTING FINEST. I GOT A BOX WITH A BUNCH IN IT BUT I'M PROBABLY NEVER COMPLETING A SET AND HAVE HARDLY ANY FROM THE PAST 15 YEARS. I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT MAKING A BINDER WITH A PAGE OF THE BEST CARDS I HAVE FROM EACH SET BUT HAVEN'T ACTUALLY DONE IT YET. TOM WILL PROBABLY BE ON THAT FIRST PAGE IF I ACTUALLY  GET AROUND TO DOING IT

2020 SPORTKINGS WINX MINI 

Y'ALL KNOW I LOVE THE PONIES. SPORTKINGS IS AN ODD SET. IT STARTED OUT AS A HIGH END ARTSY RETRO SET THAT WAS QUITE SPENDY WITH A LOT OF FANCY BELLS AND WHISTLES LIKE CARDS IN SEALED TOPLOADERS AND A BUNCH OF AUTO/RELICS AND IS NOW REBOOTED INTO SOMETHING YOU CAN FIND IN DISCOUNT BLASTERS AT WAL-MART. NEW SETS SHAMELESSLY RIPPING OFF ANCIENT DESIGNS ARE MY KRYPTONITE THOUGH. ADD THE HORSEY AND THE MINI TO THE EQUATION AND THIS WAS AN AESY PICKUP FOR ME

1993 UPPER DECK FUN PACK ROGER CLEMENS GLOW STARS

I AM TRYING TO COLLECT THE 1993 FUN PACK SET AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS ABLE TO RIP A WHOLE BOX OF IT BACK WHEN WAX WAS CHEAP THESE GLOW STARS ARE A BIG PROBLEM. THERE'S ONE PER TEAM AND AT LEAST IN MY BOX THEY WERE NOT AS COMMON AS BASE CARDS SO I STILL NEED A BUNCH. AND YES, THEY ARE BASE CARDS EVEN THOUGH THEY 100% LOOK LIKE INSERTS. YOU CAN SEE THE CARD NUMBER ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER HERE. AT LEAST THEY WEREN'T REDEMPTIONS LIKE THE HOT SHOTS MOOD RING CARD SUBSET, BUT THEY'RE STILL HARD TO FIND IN NO SMALL PART BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T INTERESTED IN THE SET ABSOLUTELY ARE INSTERESTED IN A GLOW IN THE DARK CARD

2022 PANINI SELECT DRAFT PICKS NICK CHUBB

GOOOOO DAWGS, SIC EM, WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF. I DON'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THE NFL ANYMORE BUT I STILL LOVE MY DAWGS AND I ENJOY FINDING COOL CARDS OF PLAYERS IN THEIR COLLEGE UNIFORM. PANINI'S MULTIPLE DRAFT PICK SETS HAVE BEEN A REAL BOON FOR COLLEGE UNI CARDS. USED TO BE YOU'D ONLY SEE THEM IN PRESEASON DRAFT PICK SETS OR MAYBE THE OCCASIONAL LEGENDS SET BUT NOW THERE ARE CURRENT STARS IN THEIR COLLEGE UNI EVERY YEAR. I'M HAVING TO RE-TRAIN MY BRAIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT A CARD IN A COLLEGE UNI IS NOT NECESSARILY FROM THAT PLAYER'S ROOKIE SEASON ANYMORE

2022 CHRONICLES AUSTIN RILEY

ONE OF THE VERY FEW 2022 CHRONICLES BRAVES CARDS THAT IS NOT RONALD ACUÑA JR. OR KYLE MULLER. I'VE BEEN SNAGGING EVERY RECENT BRAVES CARD I CAN FIND ON THIS SITE BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE AT LEAST FIFTY CENTS A POP AROUND HERE SINCE THE WORLD SERIES TITLE. AUSTIN'S GONE NUTSO THE PAST WEEK TOO AND ISBOPPIN HOMERS RIGHT AND LEFT. I HOPE HE CAN KEEP DOING THAT DEEP INTO OCTOBER

2000 TOPPS TEK J.D. DREW

J.D. DREW IS A TOUGH PLAYER FOR ME BECAUSE HE LEGIT HAD A MONSTER SEASON THE ONE YEAR HE WAS WITH THE BRAVES BUT IT COST ADAM WAINRIGHT TO GET IT. I ALREADY HAVE A BOATLOAD OF DREW CARDINALS CARDS THAT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO WITH TOPPS TEK CARDS. BUY THEM IMMEDIATELY

2022 HERITAGE BRYCE ELDER

WHEN I BOUGHT THIS I WAS JUST HAPPY TO PICK UP A ROOKIE CARD FOR MY HERITAGE TEAM SET AND HAD NO CLUE THE DUDE WOULD END UP IN BEING AN ALL-STAR. ROOKIE CARDS DON'T EVEN GET PRICED AT THE LCS, THEY'RE ALL MARKET PRICE LIKE THE CATCH OF THE DAY AT RED LOBSTER. NOT A BAD PICKUP FOR EFFECTIVELY FIFTEEN CENTS

1992 ECLIPSE FAMOUS COMIC BOOK CREATORS EDDIE CAMPBELL

I THINK I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT WHEN I DIG THROUGH A CARD BOX IN PERSON OR ONLINE I NEED TO FIND THAT ONE CARD THAT COMPELS ME THE DECIDE "OH YEAH, I'M SPENDING MONEY TODAY". THIS WAS THE CARD THAT BROKE THE SEAL ON THIS BATCH OF CARDS. EDDIE CAMPBELL IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMIC ARTISTS AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THIS CARD EVER SINCE I FOUND OUT IT EXISTED. EDDIE IS BEST KNOW FOR FROM HELL BUT MY FAVORITE IS HIS SERIES BACCHUS. HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED IF YOU ENJOY FRESH TAKES ON ANCIENT MYTHOLOGY. I ALSO RECCOMMEND THIS CARD SET IF YOU LIKE COMICS, THERE'S A TON OF LEGENDARY ARTISTS IN IT

2021 TOPPS JASON HEYWARD GOLD FACTORY SET PARALLEL

THIS WAS A SURPRISE, IN 2021 TOPPS TRIED A GIMMICK WITH 1:20 WAL-MART FACTORY SET BOXES BEING GOLD STAR PARALLELS. ADDED VALUE DONCHAKNOW. I AM NOT IMPRESSED BY THE TWO OR THREE NEW PARALLELS INTRODUCED EACH YEAR (HELLO, TACOFRACTORS) BUT WHEN I STUMBLE ON ONE FOR A PLAYER I LOVE I GET HAPPY. IS IT JUST ME OR IS THE GOLD INK AT TOPPS LOOKING SOMEWHAT BRONZEY LATELY THOUGH

1992 RIVER GROUP THE ELVIS COLLECTION FOX THEATRE

I'M NOT A HUGE ELVIS GUY, BUT I LIKE CLASSIC ROCK 'N ROLL WELL ENOUGH. HIS MOVIES ARE OK TOO. BUT I SAW THIS CARD OF THE FOX THEATER AND ABOUT LOST IT. I LOVE THIS PLACE, I'VE SEEN CONCERTS, PLAYS AND MOVIES THERE MANY TIMES. IT'S SO COOL FINDING PERFECT CARDS YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED

1993 TED WILLIAMS THE SAY HEY KID

PRETTY SURE I HAVE THIS CARD ALREADY BUT IT IS AN ACTUAL SIN TO LEAVE A WILLIE MAYS CARD IN A DIME BOX. IT WAS NECESSARY TO BRING THIS HOME TO PROTECT MY SOUL. I ALSO REALLY NEED TO GET A WANTLIST TOGETHER FOR THE TED WILLIAMS SETS. OR JUST BUY THE DAMN SET ALREADY, THEY CAN'T BE THAT EXPENSIVE

1978 FLEER GLOSSY STICKERS DETROIT TIGERS

I DO HAVE A WANTLIST FOR FLEER STICKERS THOUGH. JUST THE PACK INSERTED ONES, AS I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT FROM BEFORE THEN. THOSE CARDS I JUST BUY WHEN I FIND THEM CHEAP. PRETTY SURE THIS IS MY FIRST STICKER FROM 1978. I LOVE THAT 70'S LETTERING

1998-99 UD CHOICE HOCKEY EDDIE BELFOUR MINI BOBBING HEAD

UD CHOICE WAS THIS ODD TRANSACTIONAL PRODUCT IN 1998-99 WHEN UPPER DECK WAS PHASING OUT COLLECTOR'S CHOICE IN FAVOR OF MVP. THESE LITTLE PUNCH-OUT BOBBLE HEAD DOLLS ARE BY FAR THE BEST THING THAT CAME OUT OF THAT SHORT-LIVED PRODUCT. PUNCH EVERYTHING OUT, FOLD OUT A TAB IN THE BACK AND THEN BALANCE THE NOGGIN ON TOP AND YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OWN TEENSY LITTLE BOBBLEHEAD FOR YOUR DESK. I HIGHLY RECCOMMEND GETTING ONE OF THESE CARDS FOR YOUR OWN COLLECTION AS THEY ARE PRETTY EASY TO FIND AND SINCE THESE WERE MADE FOR ALL FOUR MAJOR SPORTS THERE'S ALMOST CERTAINLY AT LEAST ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE PLAYERS IN THERE SOMEWHERE. NOW THAT I HAVE THE EDDIE BOBBLEHEAD I NEED TO TRACK DOWN CHRIS CHELIOS

2016 TOPPS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SHOWCASE MESUT ÖZIL

I'M PRETTY SURE THE JOKE WHEN I POSTED THIS ON TWITTER WAS 'THIS IS SO OLD, ARSENAL WERE IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE'. WELL HA HA SMARTY TWO MONTHS AGO ME, ARSENAL IS BACK IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE! ÖZIL IS RETIRED NOW THOUGH. AT LEAST THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF HIS CARDS FOR ME TO FIND OUT THERE

1991 STARLINE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME W.C.FIELDS

I KNOW I KEEP SAYING I JUST NEED TO BREAK DOWN AND BUY THE SET BUT THIS TIME I REALLY REALLY DO NEED TO JUST FIND THE SET SOMEWHERE. I LOVE THIS DUMB SET, IT'S ABSOLUTELY LOADED WITH ALL THE OLD HOLLYWOOD BULLSHIT I ADORE. I CAN'T FIND IT EASILY THOUGH, EVERYTHING IS EITHER EBAY WHICH I DON'T USE OR DICEY ONLINE SHOPS THATS I'M AFRAID TO CLICK ON. AND I HAVE NEVER EVER SEEN THESE AT A LOCAL SHOP. WHILE I REALLY WANT THE BELA LUGOSI CARD I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THIS W.C. FIELDS. I HAVE BEEN ON A CLASSIC COMEDY KICK ALL YEAR AND IN MY VIEWINGS OF THE THREE STOOGES, MARX BROTHERS, LAUREL & HARDY, BUSTER KEATON, ET. AL. I HAVE TO SAY W.C.'S STUFF HAS REALLY HELD UP THE BEST. GO CHECK OUT THE DENTIST, IT'S THE LENGTH OF A SITCOM AND HAS SOME OF THE FUNNIEST SHIT I'VE EVER SEEN IN THERE. THE SCENE WHERE HE'S PULLING THE LADY'S TOOTH IS RAUNCHY AS HELL AND HAD ME WHEEZING

I'VE ALREADY FOUND A NEW CARD I HAVE TO GET ON THAT CONFOUNDED WEBSITE AND MY SHIPMENT IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE ON TUESDAY. I WARNED YA, BETTER GET PREPARED FOR AN INFLUX ON CHEEPNISS ON HERE