ONLINE MEGA BOX - PART 2

LOL I WROTE THIS OUT AND FORGOT TO POST IT SO NOW EVERYTHING'S OUT OF ORDER. OH WELL AT LEAST IT'S ALREADY WROTE

2003 TOPPS BOBBY COX

CATEGORY - BRAVES, WANTLIST

I'D BE HAPPY WITH A BOBBY COX CARD FROM MY FAVORITE TOPPS DESIGN OF THE 00S IN ANY CASE BUT THIS ONE IS AN ACTUAL WANTLIST NEED. I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT IS FOR THE SET OR THE TEAM SET BUT IT'S ON ONE OF THEM. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M CHECKING THE TEAM BINDER NOW HOLD UP

NOPE IT'S FOR THE SET SET, NOT THE TEAM SET. ASSUMING I HAVEN'T ALREADY GOTTEN THREE OTHER COPIES OF THE CARD THAT I'VE BEEN TOO LAZY TO PUT AWAY. I ALSO DISCOVERED I'M MISSING A TON FROM MY 2002 BRAVES TEAM SET WHICH MAKES ME EXCITED FOR A FUTURE BIRTHDAY BULLSHIT BLASTER POST

1997-98 STADIUM CLUB STACEY AUGMON

CATEGORY - HAWKS

HE'S IN A BLAZERS UNI BUT AUGMON IS FOREVER A HAWK IN MY HEART. LATE 90S STADIUM CLUB CARDS LOOK AWESOME WITH THE HOLOFOIL AND THICK CARD STOCK AND FULL BLEED BORDERS AND SUPER GLOSSY FINISH THAT IS GOOD ABOUT NOT BRICKING. THIS WAS ONE OF MANY PICKUPS WHERE I SAW IT AND JUST WENT FOR IT WITHOUT CONFIRMING THAT I DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE A COPY.I AM BEING MUCH MORE CAREFUL ON MY DOLLAR CARD PICKUPS

1989 PACIFIC LEGENDS SERIES 2 ROGER CRAIG, PHIL CAVARRETTA, RICH REESE, SMOKY BURGESS, EWELL BLACKWELL

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

I KNOCKED OUT A BIG CHUNK OFF MY PACIFIC LEGENDS WANTLIST AND MIGHT HAVE FUCKED AROUND AND COMPLETED SERIES ONE. SERIES TWO I AM NOT NEARLY AS CLOSE TO FINISHING BUT HERE'S 4.5% OF THE SET. HERE'S A SENTENCE FOR EACH CARD:

• ROGER CRAIG IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH A FEW TEAMS BUT THE CINCINNATI REDS IS NOT ONE USUALLY I THINK OF
• PHIL'S NAME IS MISSPELLED ON THIS CARD, VERY DISRESPECTFUL FOR AN MVP
• RICH REESE WAS THE VICTIM FOR NOLAN RYAN'S RECORD BREAKING STRIKEOUT IN 1973 AND I HAD TO LOOK THIS UP BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT RICH REESE
• I LIKED PICKING UP SMOKY BURGESS CARDS WHEN I WAS A KID AND AN ASSHOLE WHO WORKED AT A CARD SHOP MADE FUN OF ME WHEN I BOUGHT HIS 1959 CARD WHICH IS AN AWESOME CARD ACTUALLY
• EWELL BLACKWELL WAS A REALLY GOOD PITCHER WHO WOULD HAVE WON A CY YOUNG AWARD IN 1947 IF IT HAD EXISTED, AND ALSO HAD THE SAME FIRST NAME AS A FRIEND WHO LIVED DOWN THE STREET

1998 PACIFIC REVOLUTION JASON KENDALL

CATEGORY - SHINY

I HAVE THROWN THE HIGH-END CATEGORY OUT THE WINDOW BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH ALL THE CARDS THAT FIT I BOUGHT FOR THEIR SHINY IF I'M BEING HONEST. HIGH-END IN THE 90S DOES NOT MEAN THE SAME THING AS HIGH-END IN THE 2010S AND BEYOND ANYWAY. I TRIED TO BUY ALL THE REVOLUTION CARDS I COULD FIND BUT THESE THINGS GOT SNATCHED UP QUICK. I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE GOTTEN KENDALL. THIS THING IS BLINDING IN PERSON, PACIFIC CARDS ARE SOOO GOOD

1992 ACTION PACKED MINNIE MINOSO

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION, WANTLIST

I DID NOT HAVE A WANT LIST FOR ACTION PACKED WHEN I PUT THIS IN MY CART BUT AFTER THE FACT I DID DISCOVER THAT IS IS ON THERE. MINNIIE MINOSO CARDS ARE USUALLY AN AUTOMATIC GET THOUGH AND IF I SEE THIS CARD IN A FUTURE DIME BOX I MIGHT GET IT AGAIN. THESE CARDS ARE SO GREAT BUT IN 1992 THEY REALLY WERE $2.69 A PACK FOR FIVE CARDS AT K-MART AND THAT WAS JUST TOO MUCH

2021-22 DONRUSS BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC

CATEGORY - HAWKS

I MORE OR LESS GOT ONE HAWKS CARD OF EACH OF THE STARTING LINEUP AND THIS IS THE ONE FOR BOGI. MOST OF MY BOGDANOVIC CARDS HAVE HIM IN A KINGS UNI SO IT'S NICE TO GET ONE IN RED. THE HAWKS HAVE STARTED OUT SUPER SLOWLY THE PAST TWO YEARS AND COINCIDENTALLY BOGDAN WAS HURT IN THE OFFSEASON BOTH OF THOSE YEARS. THIS YEAR BOGI IS HEALTHY SO I HAVE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS THAT MIGHT ALREADY BE BLOWN UP BY THE TIME THIS POST IS UP

NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: YEP, KABLOOEY

2020-21 PRIZM KEVIN HUERTER

CATEGORY - HAWKS

THE HAWKS ARE OBVIOUSLY MY #1 TEAM BUT IN 2024 THE KINGS ARE RIGHT UP THERE WITH THEM. MAINLY BECAUSE THIS IS THE YEAR WE GET THEIR FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK IF - AND THIS IS A BIG IF - THEY MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. I LOVE RED VELVET AND I HOPE HE DROPS THIRTY A GAME ON THEIR WAY TO THE NUMBER SIX SEED. LORD KNOWS WE DESPERATELY NEED THAT FIRST ROUNDER AFTER THE DEJOUNTE TRADE

2020-21 PRIZM DE'ANDRE HUNTER

CATEGORY - HAWKS

THERE WERE LIKE FOUR OTHER DE'ANDRE CARDS I WAS WATCHING BUT COULD NEVER PULL THE TRIGGER ON BECAUSE I HONESTLY WAS NOT SURE IF HE'D EVEN BE WITH THE TEAM BY OPENING DAY. THIS DID NOT DISSUADE ME FROM GETTING THREE JOHN COLLINS CARDS AFTER HE WAS SALARY DUMPED TO THE JAZZ. THE HAWKS NEED DE'ANDRE TO PLAY LIKE THE NUMBER FOUR OVERALL PICK HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REALLY QUICK IF THE HAWKS ARE REALISTICALLY GOING TO DO ANYTHING THIS YEAR. UNLESS JALEN JOHNSON OR AJ GRIFFIN WALLY PIPPS HIM AT LEAST

UP NEXT: FEETSBAWL, HAWKEY AND SOME O-PEE-CHEE

BIRTHDAY BOOLSHEET BLASTER: PART 4 - GIANTS

BACK TO THE TEAM LOTS. UP NEXT IS THE GIANTS, THERE'S A WHOPPING 85 CARDS IN THIS PILE. LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN

THERE'S A TON OF 87 TRADED THIS TIME INCLUDING THE SURPRISING MATT WILLIAMS XRC. I FIGURED GUYS LIKE HIM WOULD BE PICKED OUT OF THIS BOX BUT SEEING HIM IN HERE MAKES ME THINK I MIGHT GET EVERYONE BUT MADDUX. KEVIN MITCHELL'S ANOTHER GUY I'M SOMEHAT SURPRISED TO SEE. POOR MATT REALLY GOT KNEECAPPED BY THE STRIKE. WHO KNOWS IF HE HITS 61 BUT HE MIGHT NOT BE AS FORGOTTEN NOWADAYS IF HE MADE A RUN. ALSO: ALL THESE CARDS LOOK GREAT IN THEIR OWN WAY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE BETTER CARD STOCK OR THE FACT THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN ALL THESE PICTURES A HUNDRED TIMES ALREADY BUT ALL THESE CARDS LOOK PRETTY SLICK. JIM GOTT SPECIFICALLY LOOKS LIKE HE'S BECOME TRAPPED IN A TRON-LIKE CYBER WORLD. MEANWHILE CHRIS SPEIER JUST LAUGHS AS IF TO SAY "FIRST TIME?"

1987 TOPPS TRADED COUNT: 7/132

OUR LARGE WAD OF 2002 TOPPS NETS US 19 MORE CARDS FOR THE SET. EVEN THIS EARLY ON IT IS OBVIOUS I WILL NOT COME ANYWHERE NEAR A COMPLETE SET BUT I'M STILL INTERESTED IN JUST HOW CLOSE I CAN GET. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE ERIC DAVIS, JASON SCHMIDT AND A BOOF BONSER PROSPECT CARD

2002 TOPPS COUNT: 40/718

HERE'S THE GOOD CARDS. WE WILL START WITH 2000 PACIFIC BECAUSE ALL PACIFIC CARDS ARE GOOD CARDS. THIS ONE OF MARVIN BENARD IS A PARALLEL WITH RUBY RED FOIL. THIS WAS NOT AN INSERT, THIS WAS A BASE CARD IN A SPECIAL PACK YOU COULD ONLY GET AT 7-ELEVEN STORES. SOMEONE BOUGHT ONE OF THESE PACKS AND THEY ALL ENDED UP IN THIS BOX. YES, YOU WILL SEE THEM ALL BECAUSE ALL PACIFIC CARDS ARE GOOD CARDS. PROVE ME WRONG.IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO REALIZE THE NY LOGO IN THE BACKGROUND WAS METS, NOT GIANTS. I THOUHGT WE WENT BACK IN TIME FOR A MOMENT

I KNOW I SAID IN THE LAST POST I WOULD ONLY BE SHOWING OFF ONE OF THESE VICTORY CARDS BUT THE LOOK ON JT SNOW'S FACE IS TOO GOOD. HE IS PONDERING A DEEP MYSTERY. SOMETHING LIKE, "WHY DOES UPPER DECK VICTORY EXIST"

HELL YEAH PRISM SHINY CARD. THIS IS ONE OF THE BETTER PRISM DESIGNS WITH THE LIGHTNING SHATTER EXPLOSION TEXTURE BEHIND ROBB NEN. THIS IS ALSO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE PITFALLS OF LATE 90S CARDS: HOLOFOIL MANGE. A LOT OF 25 YEAR OLD CARDS WITH HOLOFOIL ON THEM HAVE STARTED TO EITHER SHED FOIL OR THE FOIL HAS STARTED TO BECOME CORRUPTED AND TURN BLACK. THIS IS NOT JUST A PACIFIC ISSUE IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE ESPECIALLY ON FLEER AND PLAYOFF CARDS. IT DOES GIVE THE CARD A LITTLE PERSONALITY THOUGH

CHROME. I DON'T LIKE CHROME. I LIKE FINEST, THEY HAVE WEIRD DESIGNS. CHROME IS BORING. IT'S TOPPS BUT CHROME. AND TOPPS WAS CHICKENSHIT ON THE 2002 DESIGN AND GAVE IT SILVER INSTEAD OF GOLD BORDERS. EXTRA BORING

FLEER ULTRA ISN'T BORING ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEIR BETTER DESIGNS. THAT FOIL STAMP ON THE BOTTOM WITH THE NAME AND TEAM LOGO IS JUST AS HARD TO READ IN REAL LIFE AS IT IS IN A PHOTO. THE PICTURE IS GREAT THOUGH. JT SNOW UNDERHANDS A RELAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT. ALL THAT PONDERING ON THE VICTORY CARD DEVELOPED THE MENTAL TOUGHNESS NEEDED TO SURVIVE IN SUCH HARSH CONDITIONS

EVERY BOX HAS A HIT AND THIS IS OUR BEEG MOJO HITZ OF THE BULLSHIT BLASTER. A BARRY BONDS 2001 UPPER DECK TWIZZLERS BIG LEAGUE CHALLENGE ODDBALL. BIG LEAGUE CHALLENGE WAS SOME MADE FOR TV THING THAT IS LONG FORGOTTEN AND UPPER DECK COMMEMORATED IT BY INSERTING ONE CARD IN SPECIALLY MARKED PACKS OF TWIZZLERS. A LOT OF FOOD ODDBALL CARDS HAVE ROUGH EXISTENCES DUE TO BEING STUFFED IN PACKAGING WITH OTHER MORE ROBUST ITEMS BUT TWIZZLERS ARE PRETTY FLAT AND STIFF SO THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN HOW THIS CARD GOT MULTIPLE CREASES ON IT. I THINK THIS IS JAMMED IN A BACK POCKET DAMAGE RATHER THAN JOSTLED BY A WAXY ROPELIKE TREAT DAMAGE. NEVERTHELESS IT IS AN ODDBALL CARD OF BARRY BONDS FROM A SET I PREVIOUSLY HAD NO CARDS FROM. SPOILER ALERT: I'M PRETTY SURE THIS REALLY IS THE BEST CARD IN THE BOX.  THERE'S STILL A LOTTA COOL STUFF TO COME BUT YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO GO DO OTHER THINGS FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS WHEN I'LL BE DONE WITH ALL THESE POSTS

GOOD LOOKIN 80S'S CARDS ARE JUST GOOD LOOKIN 80S CARDS. 1983 TOPPS IS THE BEST OF THE DECADE AND THAT JIM WOHLFORD PORTAIT WITH A BACKGROUND OF PURE AZURE IS WONDERFUL. 1986 TOPPS IS JUST GORGEOUS AND JOSE URIBE IS CONFIDENT ABOUT HOW GOOD HIS CARD LOOKS. FINALLY WE HAVE THE ETERNALLY UNDERRATED 1988 SET FEATURING DAVE DRAVECKY AND HIS GIGANTIC HAT. IS IT A REAL HAT? IS IT A REMBRANDT? NO MATTER, IT IS SURELY A MAJESTIC HAT FOR A MAJESTIC CARD

AND NOW THE RANDOM JUNKWAX CARDS. YOU WILL NOTICE THE 1987 TOPPS CARD IN THERE. THIS IS A PURPOSEFUL CHOICE. THERE IS A TON OF 1992 UPPER DECK IN HERE WHICH IS ODD BECAUSE THERE WAS NONE IN THE METS PILE. SADLY NONE OF THE 92 UPPER DECK CARDS WERE NEEDED AS MY WANTLISTS FOR MOST 88-95 SETS ARE GETTING PRETTY SMALL BUT WE DIDN'T GET SHUT OUT THIS TIME! BEHOLD: A CARD I DIDN'T HAVE YET - 

1988 FLEER UPDATE DONNELL NIXON. UPDATE SETS ARE THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE. AS MUCH OF A MESS AS MY TOPPS TRADED SETS ARE THE DONRUSS FLEER AND SCORE UPDATE SETS ARE EVEN WORSE. AT LEAST THE TOPPS CARDS HAVE A WANTLIST. AND A BOX TO GO IN. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE REST OF MY FLEER UPDATE CARDS ARE. OH WELL, THERE'S NEVER AN END TO SORTING ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU KEEP PICKING UP LARGE PILES OF GARBAGE

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

DEEP THOUGHTS ABOUT SOME DOLLAR BOX PICKUPS

 I HAVE FOUND YET ANOTHER DECENT CARD SHOP WITHIN A HALF HOUR DRIVE FROM MY HOUSE. FOR THOSE COUNTING, THAT'S THREE DECENT SHOPS, A FLEA MARKET AND A MONTHLY SHOW NEAR ME. THIS IS UTTERLY FANTASTIC OR IT WOULD BE IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY. I DO HAVE A TINY LITTLE BIT OF MONEY SO I CAN STILL HAVE MY FUN BUT I HAVE TO MAKE A LOT MORE TOUGH CHOICES NOW. I WENT INTO THE SHOP DETERMINED TO BUY THAT JAMAAL WILKES CARD I NEED TO COMPLETE THE 1979-80 TOPPS BASKETBALL SET BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT. SO I PIVOTED TO PLAN B: SPEND FIVE BUCKS FROM THE DOLLAR BOXES AND ONLY FIVE BUCKS. THIS FAILED AS WELL, I SPENT SEVEN BUCKS TOTAL. TWO OF THE CARDS WERE NO-BRAINERS, THEY WILL BE SEEN IN OTHER POSTS. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO FINALLY DECIDE ON THESE FIVE HERE AS THERE WAS A BUNCH OF COOL STUFF IN THE DOLLAR BOXES. I AM A LITTLE BITTER THEY ARE NOT QUARTER BOXES, OR AT LEAST FIFTY CENT BOXES. IF THEY WERE EVEN 6 FOR $5 I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SPENT TWICE AS MUCH BUT THAT'S THE HOBBY IN 2023. THE STUFF I DID GET WAS KIND OF ODD EVEN FOR ME AND IT GOT ME THINKING ABOUT THE CHOICES I ULTIMATELY MADE AND WHAT I LEFT BEHIND. HERE'S SOME ANALYSIS ON WHAT I BOUGHT AND WHAT IT BEAT OUT AND WHY DID I EVEN DO THAT? IT MAY SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT KIND OF COLLECTOR I AM NOW IN THE POST-INFLUENCERS ERA. OR IT MIGHT JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT I WAS STARTING TO GET TIRED AND MY JUDGEMENT WAS IMPAIRED

DIFFICULT CHOICE #1: AL HORFORD PANINI CONTENDERS DRAFT PICKS GREEN FOIL EXPLODEY SHINIES WHITE JERSEY VARIATION

THIS CHOICE WAS KINDA OBVIOUS AS I HAVE AN ACTUAL BINDER OF HORFORD CARDS AND HE'S ONE OF A HANDFUL OF PLAYERS I'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO ENTER MY COLLECTION INTO TCDB. YOU KNOW I LOVE THE SHINY, AND THIS CARD IS SUPER EXTRA SHINY WITH EXPLOSIONS AND GOOFT GREEN FOIL. ON THE OTHER HAND, I ALREADY HAVE ANOTHER VARIATION OF THIS SAME CARD WITH DIFFERENT GIMMICKS. PLUS AS A DAWGS FAN IT IS A LITTLE PAINFUL TO GRAB A FLORIDA CARD. EXTRA SHINY COVERS UP A LOT OF SINS THOUGH

CARDS I PASSED UP: SEVERAL ATLANTA HAWKS ROOKIE CARDS INCLUDING DE'ANDRE HUNTER AND ONYEKA OKONGWU

THERE WERE QUITE A FEW ROOKIE CARDS OF LOCAL GUYS IN THE DOLLAR BOX, ALTHOUGH SADDIQ BEY WERE ALL MARKED WITH $2 STICKERS WHICH IRRITATED ME GREATLY. THE HUNTER AND OKONGWU ROOKIES WERE VERY TEMPTING. BUT DE'ANDRE HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD PLAYER SO FAR WHICH DOESN'T QUITE CUT IS AS A NUMBER 4 OVERALL PICK. PASSING UP ONYEKA WORRIES ME MORE AS I DO NOT HAVE AN OO ROOKIE YET AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE TAKES OVER FOR CAPELA AND PEOPLE FIGURE OUT HOW GOOD HE IS. ULTIMATELY I DECIDED THAT I WILL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO PICK UP ROOKIE CARDS OF BOTH OF THEM ON COMC FOR A BUCK EVENTUALLY AND THAT I'D RATHER HAVE THE FLASHY SHINY CARD TO ADD TO THE BINDER

FINAL VERDICT:

I MADE THE RIGHT CALL ON THIS ONE, THE ADDITION TO TCDB PUT ME BACK INTO THE HORFORD TOP TEN

DIFFICULT CHOICE #2: 2000 TOPPS TEK FRANK THOMAS

ANOTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN WEIGHING ON MY MIND LATELY IS WHAT SETS AM I ACTUALLY COLLECTING. I HAVEN'T GIVEN UP ON ANY FLAGSHIP SETS YET (ALTHOUGH PANINI DONRUSS IS VERY CLOSE) BUT EVERYTHING ELSE I REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT. I GAVE UP ON HERITAGE LONG AGO AND I NO LONGER HAVE THE ABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH GINTER. A LOT OF RETRO SETS FROM 20 YEARS AGO LIKE ARCHIVES AND TOPPS206 HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED IN YEARS. STUFF LIKE BOWMAN I'M READY TO CHUCK OUT THE WINDOW. EVEN SETS I PUT TOGETHER WANTLISTS FOR LIKE LEAF IS USUALLY BECAUSE SOMEONE SPECIFICALLY ASKED ME FOR IT. I AM FINDING THERE ARE A FEW ODDBALL SETS, MOSTLY FROM THE 90S, THAT I REALLY DO LIKE AND WANT TO COLLECT. TOPPS TEK IS ONE OF THOSE SETS. MY GENERAL RULE IS: IF I SEE TOPPS TEK FOR A DECENT PRICE, I GET TOPPS TEK. THIS IS TOPPS TEK. A BUCK IS A DECENT PRICE FOR BIG HURT. I GOT IT

CARD I PASSED UP: 1997 EX-2000 HIDEO NOMO

THIS WAS BY FAR THE HARDEST CHOICE OF THE DAY. I LOVE TEK BUT I LUUURRRVE EX-2000. I WOULD DARE TO SAY THAT EX-2000 IS THE BEST LOOKING SET OF THE 90S. THEY ARE ALSO SEEMINGLY MUCH HARDER TO FIND AS WELL. ALONG WITH TEK, EX-2000 IS ONE OF THE ODDBALL SETS I'VE RECENTLY TAKEN THE TIME TO GET WANTLISTS TOGETHER FOR AND IT WAS A FIENDISHLY DIFFICULT CHOICE BETWEEN THOMAS AND NOMO BUT TEK ULTIMATELY WON OUT. WHY NOT JUST GET BOTH, YOU IDIOT? BECAUSE MY BRAIN WASN'T WORKING THAT WAY. I HAD A BIG STACK OF CARDS I PULLED THAT GOT WHITTLED DOWN TO ABOUT FIFTEEN, THEN I HAD TO WHITTLE THEM DOWN TO FIVE AND IT WAS EASIER ON MY BRAIN TO PUT CARDS IN GROUPS AND AND CHOOSE ONE CARD PER GROUP. IF I HAD BRACKETS OF CARDS GOING THROUGH ELIMINATION ROUNDS I WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE TIL MIDNIGHT TRYING TO DECIDE.

FINAL VERDICT:

THE FINAL CHOICE CAME DOWN TO A TIEBREAKER: I NEEDED BOTH CARDS, BUT I ALSO NEEDED THE BACKGROUND PATTERN ON THE TEK CARD. I WILL KICK MYSELF IF NOMO IS GONE UPON MY NEXT TRIP TO THE SHOP BUT I AM AT PEACE WITH MY DECISION

DIFFICULT CHOICE #3: 2022 CHROME HEART OF THE CITY JOSE ALTUVE

OK SO AT LEAST TWO OF YOU OUT THERE ARE SEEING THIS CARD AND THINKING THAT MY BLOOD SUGAR MUST HAVE CRASHED AND MY BRAIN HAD THE DUMB FOR CHOOSING THIS CARD OVER LITERALLY ANY OF THE OTHERS. IN REALITY, THIS WAS THE EASIEST DECISION OF ALL OF THEM. I LIKE THE ASTROS AND ADOPTED THEM AS MY AL TEAM WHEN THEY PICKED UP GATTIS AND MCCANN. I LIKE JOSE ALTUVE, I THINK HE'S A GREAT FUCKIN PLAYER. AND MOST OF ALL I LOVE THIS CARD, I THINK IT LOOKS GORGEOUS. I UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THAT YANKEE AND DODGER FANS THINK THE ASTROS ARE WORSE THAN SATAN AND THAT JOSE IS THE MOST DEVILISH OF THE DEMONS, BUT GUESS WHAT, I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT YOUR TEAMS

CARDS I PASSED UP: A HANDFUL OF EARLY 90S UPPER DECK AND FLEER INSERTS 

A MAJOR FOCUS OF MINE THE PAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN ATTACKING UPPER DECK INSERTS FROM 1990 TO 1993 AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY I'VE PUT A MAJOR DENT IN MY WANTLISTS RECENTLY AND HAVE EVEN COMPLETED A FEW INSERT SETS. THAT BEING SAID, MOST OF THOSE CARDS SHOULD BE IN QUARTER BOXES, NOT DOLLAR BOXES. HONESTLY THE ONLY CARDS OUT OF THE PILE THAT LOST TO ALTUVE THAT I CAN REMEMBER IS A COUPLE 1993 HOME RUN HEROES CARDS. TOM BRUNANSKY MAYBE? FOR A BUCK? EEEEH

FINAL VERDICT:

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST LOOKING CARD I GOT OUT OF THE DOLLAR BOXES AND I WENT SUPER SHINY HEAVY WITH MY PICKUPS. THIS IS ALSO THE ONLY INSTANCE WHERE I'M NOT WANTING TO RUN BACK TO THE SHOP TO TRY TO FIND THE CARDS I LEFT BEHIND

DIFFICULT CHOICE #4: 1998 PACIFIC AURORA ON DECK LASER CUTS FRANK THOMAS

PACIFIC INSERTS ARE THE BEST, DIE-CUT PACIFIC INSERTS ARE THE BESTEREST. THIS AURORA INSERT HAS THE DIE CUTTING ON THE OUTSIDE UNLIKE MOST OF THE DIE-CUTS THEY ARE KNOWN FOR. IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD THOUGH AND GIVES IT ALMOST A 3-D EFFECT ON THE CROSSED BAT HANDLES. WITH A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF CARDS I COULD PICK UP I WAS TRYING TO GET A NICE VARIETY OF STYLES AND PLAYERS BUT STILL ENDED UP WITH TWO OF FRANK THOMAS. AND WHY NOT? FRANK THOMAS IS AWESOME AND IS A BIG REASON I WAS A WHITE SOX FAN IN THE 90S. I STILL BITTERLY LAMENT THE MISSED BRAVES-SOX WORLD SERIES IN 1993. WITH MY CARD BUDGET DWINDLING I'VE NOTICED CERTAIN PLAYERS COME HOME WITH ME MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. GUYS LIKE REGGIE, RICKEY AND YOGI. STARTING TO THINK FRANK SHOULD BE OFFICIALLY ADDED TO THAT LIST

CARD I PASSED UP: A DIFFERENT DIE CUT PACIFIC INSERT

I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE INSERT BUT IT'S ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE A BASEBALL WITH FLAMES COMING OUT THE BACK AND THERE'S A PITCHER ON THE CARD. IT WASN'T A BIG NAME - RAMON MARTINEZ MAYBE? - BUT IT LOOKS COOL AS HELL. I HAD TROUBLE DECIDING ON THIS ONE BUT I THOUGHT I MIGHT ALREADY HAVE THE CARD. LOOKING THROUGH MY INSERT BOXES, I DIDN'T SEE IT

FINAL VERDICT:

NOT UPSET AT ALL AT PICKING UP A COOL BIG HURT CARD BUT IF THAT FIREBALL INSERT ISN'T IN THE DOLLAR BOX THE NEXT TIME I GO BACK I WILL BE SAD

DIFFICULT CHOICE #5: 1996 LEAF TOTAL BASES KIRBY PUCKETT

AS YOU MIGHT SUSPECT I AM NOT THE BIGGEST FAN OF KIRBY PUCKETT. I WAS HAPPY FOR HIM IN 1987 BUT AFTER THAT NOT SO MUCH. SO IT MAY BE SURPRISING THAT I PICKED THIS ONE OUT OF A GIANT PILE UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND THAT 90S LEAF INSERTS MAKE ME GO ALL GOOFY. ESPECIALLY IN THE LATER YEARS WHEN THEY GIMMICKED THEM ALL UP LIKE CRAZY. TEXTURES! HOLOFOIL! DIE-CUTS! METAL! WOOD! EVERYTHING THEY COULD THINK OF THEY TRIED AND MOST OF THEM WERE SERIAL NUMBERED! THE NEAT BASE TEXTURE ON THE FRONT IS COOL BUT IT WAS THOSE GOLD STAMPED NUMBERS ON THE BACK THAT REALLY GOT ME. THE REST OF THE PILE HAD NO CHANCE

CARDS I PASSED UP: A MENAGERIE OF ODDBALL 90S INSERTS THE BEST OF WHICH WAS A SKYBOX ALLEN IVERSON ODDBALL

MY PROCESS WHEN DIGGING IN DIME/QUARTER/DOLLAR BOXES IS TO PICK OUT EVERYTHING THAT LOOKS INTERESTING LIKE A DERANGED MAGPIE AND THEN SORT THROUGH THE PILE LATER TO MAKE MY FINAL CHOICES. LIKE I SAID EARLIER MY PILE WAS UP TO ABOUT 40-50 CARDS BY THE TIME I WRAPPED IT UP AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW 90S INSERTS IN THERE. OF THE TWO I REMEMBER MOST CLEARLY, ONE WAS THE AFOREMENTIONED IVERSON THAT WAS A STRANGE EMBOSSED THING WITH ONE HALF FOLDED OVER ON THE BACK SO YOU COULD SEE TWO DIFFERENT PICTURES DEPENDING ON WHICH HALF WAS FOLDED. THERE WAS NO PICURE ON THE FRONT SO I'M NOT SURE OF THE POINT OF IT? SKYBOX LOVED FOLDY CARDS AT THE TIME THOUGH, I GIVE EM PROPS FOR EXPERIMENTING. THE OTHER ONE WAS THIS STRANGE DIE-CUT BEAN SHAPED INSERT CARD THAT HAD A METAL RING PUNCHED INTO IT LIKE IT WAS A LUGGAGE TAG OR SOMETHING. I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT AND MIGHT HAD PICKED IT IF IT HAD BEEN ANYONE BESIDES SHANE BATTIER. WHILE TEMPTING, NEITHER CARD WERE SERIAL NUMBERED ALTHOUGH I'D WAGER THEY WERE TOUGH HITS

FINAL VERDICT:

I REALLY WANT TO GO BACK FOR THOSE FLEER BASKETBALL INSERTS BUT I'M HAPPY WITH NUMBERED KIRBY

SO THERE'S MY FIVE. ON A DIFFERENT DAY IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT FIVE. I KNOW FOR A FACT I LEFT THE ALTUVE BEHIND ON A PREVIOUS VISIT. YES THERE WAS A PREVIOUS VISIT, THAT POST IS HALF WRITTEN ALREADY BUT I NEEDED TO DO THIS ONE WHILE IT WAS FRESH IN MY MIND. THINKING ABOUT THE STUFF I'M PICKING UP LATELY IS DEFINITELY SHOWING ME THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF I VALUE MORE NOW THAN I DID A FEW YEARS AGO. FAVORITE PLAYER COLLECTIONS, 90S INSERTS AND CHASING MORE SMALL ODDBALL SETS TO GO ALONG WITH THE OLD STANDBYS OF VINTAGE SETS AND FAVORITE TEAMS. I'M STILL HAVING FUN, AND MAYBE I'M HAVING SMARTER FUN