APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PART 6: FINALLY WE'RE DONE WITH THE DIME BOX

HERE'S THE BITTERSWEET FINALE OF THE DIME BOX POSTS. DIME BOXES ARE GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND - ESPECIALLY WITH ANYTHING MORE THAN JUNKWAX BASE IN THEM - AND I'M PRETTY SAD TO SEE THE BEST DIME BOXES I'VE EVER SEEN GO AWAY. THIS FINAL POST HAS SOME GOOD STUFF TO SERVE AS A SENDOFF. GOOD LUCK IN THE FUTURE BRENDA, I'M GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO SELL ALL THOSE CARDS AND DON'T HAVE TO LUG THEM TO A SHOW EVERY COUPLE WEEKS ANYMORE

I SAW A LARGE PILE OF 1990 TOPPS FOOTBALL IN THE BOX AND WAS ABLE TO PICK OUT TEN CARDS I NEEDED FOR THE SET. THEY WERE ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE THEIR OWN POST UNTIL I REALIZED THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD RIFF ON 1990 FOOTBALL CARDS FOR MORE THAN A PARAGRAPH. THIS IS ONE OF THE WEIRDER DESIGNS IN TOPPS HISTORY AND NOT JUST FOR THE FOOTBALL WITH GREEN BACKGROUND THAT SHOWS UP ON EVERY CARD. THE TEAM COLOR BORDER IS NICE BUT WHAT'S UP WITH THE GREEN STRIPES AND BLUE STREAK? IT'S ALL VERY ABSTRACT AND REMINDS ME OF A PIET MONDRIAN PAINTING GONE WRONG. THE FOOTBALL AT LEAST IS EXPLAINED EASILY

TOPPS FOOTBALL PLAYER CARDS ARE NOT MANUFACTURED, SPONSORED OR AUTHORIZED BY ANY TEAM OR LEAGUE. THEY ALSO ONLY HAVE THE NFLPA LOGO ON THE BACK AND NO NFL LICENSE. I DON'T KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF THE LATE 80S NFL LICENSING BUT I DO KNOW THAT TOPPS SUDDENLY HAD SCORE, PRO SET, FLEER AND UPPER DECK AS FOOTBALL CARD RIVALS IN 1990 AND ALSO WENT WITHOUT THE OFFICIAL NFL PRODUCT DETAIL ON THE BACK IN '89 SO MY GUESS IS A TEAM LOGO WAS SUPPOSED TO GO IN THAT GREEN SQUARE BUT THE DETAILS WEREN'T WORKED OUT IN TIME. THAT DISCLAIMER ISN'T ON EVERY CARD PRINTED IN 1990 SO MAYBE THINGS GOT SORTED OUT AND IT WAS TAKEN OFF OR MAYBE THE NFL GAVE THEM A DIRTY LOOK AND IT WAS PUT ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUN. THAT'S FOR SOMEONE WITH RESEARCH SKILLS TO FIGURE OUT. TOPPS HAD THE LICENSE (AND LOGOS) BACK IN 1991 THANKFULLY

FINDING FLEER INSERTS I ACTUALLY NEED MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. THIS 93 ALL-STAR CARD FITS THAT DESCRIPTION. THIS ONE IS A TINY BIT OFF CENTER WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE NORM FOR A LOT OF THESE CARDS IN MY EXPERIENCE. INSERTS FROM BEFORE THE ONE-PER-PACK ERA STARTING IN 94 ARE A LITTLE TOUGHER TO FIND SO I CAN APPRECIATE IT EVEN OF IT'S A LIL JANKY. THIS WAS THE LAST CARD I PULLED ON MY FIRST RUN THROUGH THE BOX AND I FOUND A HAD EXACTLY FIFTY-ONE CARDS. DO I PUT A CARD BACK? DO I HAND OVER A FIVER AND ONE DIME? OR DO I PICK OUT NINE MORE CARDS AND MAKE IT AN EXEN SIX BUCKS? YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT

THERE WERE AT LEAST FIVE COPIES OF THIS ALTUVE CARD AMONG THE SWATHS OF BOWMAN IN THE BOX SO I PICKED OUT THE ONE WITH THE DINGEDIEST CORNER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ANY BOWMAN BASE DESIGN IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS. THIS ONE ESPECIALLY LOOKS LIKE AN AI WITH ANXIETY ISSUES BARFED THIS ONE OUT BUT I DO LIKE HOW THE BOWMAN LOGO LOOKS NOTARIZED

BOWMAN PLATINUM IS A USELESS SET BUT SHINY SCHERZER IS A KEEPER

ANOTHER RICK CAMP CARD I PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE BUT IT'S 84 DONRUSS. THIS SET HAS BEEN HYPED UP FOR SO LONG IT'S GOT MY MIND MESSED UP AND IT MAY AS WELL BE A PRE-WAR CARD. I BET I COULD FIND A COMPLETE SET OF THIS JUNK FOR LESS THAN A TOPPS FACTORY SET WOULD COST BUT I'LL NEVER DO IT. MAN I MISS THOSE MID 80S BRAVES CAPS. I HAD TWO OF THEM WHEN I WAS A KID AND BOTH WERE WORN UNTIL THEY DISINTIGRATED

I GUESSED I HAD THIS ONE ALREADY BUT PICKED IT UP BECAUSE WHY THE HELL WOULDN'T I? LEMMER AT THE BAT RACK, HELL YES. I JUST CHECKED THE BINDER AND... I DIDN'T HAVE IT?? FINDING A LEMKE CARD I NEED IN THE WILD HAS BECOME VERY DIFFICULT LATELY AND I ALMOST PASSED IT UP! THANK YOU FELIX JOSE INSERT 

GRISSOM IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BRAVES BUT I AM ALSO BUILDING THIS 1995 SP SET AFTER GETTING A LARGE PILE OF IT IN A CRAP BOX A WHILE BACK. I LOVE THAT SHINY BLUE BORDER

HERE'S A PAIR OF AVERYS, I WONDER HOW MANY POINTS THAT WOULD GET YOU IN A BALATRO RUN. I THINK I NEED BOTH OF THESE FOR SETS BUT THEN AGAIN THERE'S A DECENT CHANCE I ALREADY HAVE BOTH OF THEM IN AN UNSORTED BRAVES BOX. I LOVE THAT 95 LEAF SET SO MUCH

OH YEAH I DID BUY ONE MORE TOPPS HERITAGE CARD DIDN'T I. THIS WAS A BLIND BUY HOPING I COULD PUT IT IN MY BRAVES HERITAGE TEAM SET BINDER. DEAR READER, I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT IN THE BINDER. ANOTHER DOUBLE AVOIDED!

THIS IS THE LAST DIME CARD PICKED UP FROM MAYBE THE LAST DIME BOX EVER. I PASSED BY THIS ONE THREE TIMES COMPLETELY DISREGARDING THAT 1990 FLEER DESIGN. THEN IT CLICKED AND MY BRAIN TOLD ME TO 'HOLD UP, SOMETHING'S OFF ON THAT ONE'. INDEED MANY THINGS WERE OFF. THE EDGES WERE WONKY, THE CARD WASN'T AS BRIGHT AS NORMAL 90S FLEER CARDS AND THERE WAS A SUSPICIOUS DIAGONAL CREASE ON THE CORNER. IT WAS OBVIOUS WHEN I FINALLY PICKED IT UP

BOX BOTTOM CARD! ACTUAL BOX BOTTOMS ARE EASIER TO FIND THAN THE CUT VERSIONS RECENTLY. THIS WAS A VERY NICE FIND TO CLOSE OUT THESE DIME BOXES. I'M SURE I'LL STILL FIND SOME MORE DIME BOXES HERE AND THERE AT SHOWS BUT I'M GOING TO MISS THESE ONES

APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PART 5: YEP, MORE DIME BOX

THIS POST WAS WRITTEN A MONTH AGO AND I FORGOT TO POST IT LOL. OH WELL NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

MOST OF THE CARDS IN THIS POST ARE FROM A SMALL VEIN OF EXTRA SHINY CARDS THAT I MOSTLY GRABBED WITHOUT REALLY LOOKING AT THEM. I LITERALLY DON'T REMEMBER BUYING HALF OF THESE BUT LOOKING AT THEM NOW I CAN SEE WHY I DID

 I STILL HAVE THE FINEST BUG BUT NOT THE FOCUS TO ACTUALLY FIGURE OUT WHICH CARDS I NEED. THERE'S A PILE OF THEM RIGHT NEXT TO MY DESK BUT HAVE I PUT TOGETHER A WANT LIST? NO! I DO KNOW I HAVE TWELVE CARDS FROM 1993 INCLUDING YOUNT, WINFIELD AND SHEFFIELD SO IF I GO THROUGH WITH MY PLAN TO PUT TOGETHER A PAGE FROM EACH SET I GOT THE OG FINEST COVERED. THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE I ALREADY HAVE EDGAR HERE BUT IF I DO SO WHAT? IT GIVES ME A CHANGE TO PEEL THE COATING. MMMMMM PEEELIES

I HAVE BEEN OBSESSED WITH 1995 FLEER FOR A WHILE TO THE POINT WHERE I'VE PUT TOGETHER A FULL MASTER WANTLIST OF ALL FOUR SETS WITH INSERTS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS MY FIRST ALL-FLEER 9 INSERT BUT IT LOOKS LIKE I EITHER HAD AN EXTRA GREG MADDUX OR I PULLED IT OUT OF THE MADDUX BINDER . THIS IS A WEIRD SET AS IT WAS MAIL-IN ONLY AND CHOSE 'KID SCRIBBLING ON A RAINBOW SCRATCH PAD' FOR THE DESIGN. IT'S ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT ON THE BACK AS FLEER USED WHITE TEXT

I HAVE A FEW OF THESE 2004-05 ULTRA KINGS INSERTS FOR BASEBALL BUT I THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST BASKETBALL ONE IN MY COLLECTION. THE MATTE CARD STOCK WITH SPOT GLOSS AND A SPLASH OF BRONZE FOIL LOOKS CLASSY

I THOUGHT THIS GRANT HILL CARD WAS AN INSERT INITIALLY BUT NOPE, IT'S A PLAIN OL 03-04 FLAIR BASE CARD. FLAIR WENT THROUGH A LOT OF WILDLY DIFFERENT DESIGNS AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE OF SUPER THICK, HIGH GLOSS ITERATIONS AND MORPHED INTO SHOWCASE FOR A LITTLE BIT. THIS ISN'T THE BEST FLAIR DESIGN OUT THERE AS THE GHOST PORTRAIT ON FOILBOARD IS A LITTLE OFFPUTTING BUT IT ISN'T THE WORST ONE OUT THERE. THIS VERSION AT LEAST PRETENDS LIKE IT'S A PREMIUM CARD

ELVIS LEERING AT MARY TYLER MOORE'S NUN ASS

REALLY WHAT MORE IS THERE TO SAY

THIS IS A REAL TRADING CARD THAT EXISTS

EVERYONE LOVES FLEER BUT THEY PUT OUT A TON OF COMPLETELY FORGETTABLE ONE-OFF ODDBALL SETS IN THE EARLY 00S. FLEER FORCE WAS A SLIGHTLY UPGRADED VERSION OF THE FLEER TRADITION SET WITH SOME DIFFERENT INSERTS THAT FLOPPED AFTER ONE YEAR, THEN CAME BACK A COUPLE YEARS LATER AS A STANDALONE SET THAT ALSO CRASHED OUT AFTER ONE RELEASE. EVEN THE GOOD ONE-OFF SETS LIKE APEX AND AVANT ONLY GOT ONE YEAR. NOT GOOD IN A HOBBY WHERE THE INERTIA OF COLLECTING THE SAME SET YEAR AFTER YEAR IS SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT. HONESTLY THIS INSERT AIN'T THAT GREAT AS THE EXTRA BUSY DESIGN IS VERY HARD TO SEE ON THE BLAND FOILBOARD BUT I DIG FINDING A CARD OF HAWKS LEGEND STEVE SMITH

PACIFIC'S ODDBALL RELEASES ARE ALWAYS A DELIGHT HOWEVER. I FRIGGIN LOVE LOVE LOVE THE - IS IT OK TO CALL THESE VINTAGE NOW? - VINTAGE REVOLUTION CARDS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE BEST DESIGNS. I DON'T EVEN MIND IF IT'S FROM A FOOTBALL TEAM I HATE, GIMME THAT SHINY SPARKLY FOIL

TOPPS REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A HANDLE ON INSERT CARDS IN THE 90S AND THIS ONE FROM 99-00 IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. YOU'D THINK THIS WAS AN INSERT CALLED FRESH FOUNDATIONS BUT NOPE, IT'S SEASON'S BEST. SIX DIFFERENT SUBSETS OF FIVE CARDS EACH ALL WITH DIFFERENT DESIGNS. WHO ASKED FOR SUBSETS IN AN INSERT SET?? AND TOPPS DID THIS A TON IN EVERY SPORT THEY HAD. ADD THE SPARKLY HOLOFOIL CAMOUFLAGE DROWNING OUT THE DESIGN AND IT'S A BIT MUCH. YOU KNOW I LOVE THE SHINIES, JUST LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS CARD, BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHEN TO GO WILD IN SERVICE OF THE DESIGN

TOPPS FIGURED IT OUT EVENTUALLY, THIS TOP TANDEMS CARD FROM 2002-03 HAS A PRETTY RIDICULOUS BACKGROUND THAT WOULD LOOK AWFUL WITH SPARKLY HOLOFOIL AND WOULD BE HARD TO SEE ON STRAIGHT FOILBOARD LIKE THAT FLEER FORCE INSERT. A NICE FLAT HOLOFOIL MAKES ALL THOSE RANDOM CIRCLES AND ANGLES POP. DON'T GET ME WRONG, THIS ISN'T A GREAT LOOKING CARD DESIGN BUT AT LEAST YOU CAN TELL WHAT EVERYTHING IS

WE FINISH UP WITH AN AWESOME INSERT CARD FROM A TERRIBLE AWFUL SET. 2008 UPPER DECK X WAS AS BIG A TRAINWRECK AS TWITTER X IS NOW BUT DAMN, THESE XPONENTIAL INSERTS LOOK SO, SO GOOD. IT TAKES A SILLY CONCEPT OF PUTTING X'S EVERYWHERE AND MAKES IT WORK WITH A DECENT COMBINATION OF HOLOFOIL AND EMBOSSING. IS THIS ACTUALLY TERRIBLE AND I'M JUST DAZZLED BY THE SHINY? YEAH PROBABLY. I LIKE IT THO

APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PART 4: EVEN MORE DIME BOX

BACK TO THE DIME BOX PICKUPS, THIS POST IS NOT THE DISASTER THAT THE LAST POST WAS AND I DID NOT BUY ANY UNEXPECTED DOUBLES IN THIS BATCH. I LITERALLY DON'T NEED ANY OF THESE CARDS AT ALL, BUT THEY'RE NOT DOUBLES. THEY'RE ALL FUN THOUGH 

ATLANTA BRAVES LEGEND BILLY HAMILTON IN A REDS UNI BUT A BRAVES BORDER. COLORED BORDERS ON ARCHIVES CARDS ARE USELESS BUT I LIKE BILLY AND I LOVE THE 1953 DESIGN AND IT'S A DECENT LOOKING CARD EVEN IF IT LOOKS LIKE SOME KID IN 1955 GOT A HOLD OF SOME OF HIS OLDER BROTHER'S CARDS AND TOOK A BLUE MARKER TO THEM. WHICH WOULD BE QUAINT ON AN ACTUAL 1953 CARD BUT REQUIRES SOME IMAGINATION ON A NEW CARD

ALSO SERIAL NUMBERED CARDS IN A DIME BOX ARE PRETTY COOL. IF 200 PEOPLE DECIDE THEY ABSOLUTELY MUST BUILD THE 2016 ARCHIVES BLUE BORDERED PARALLEL SET IMMEDIATELY, THIS SUCKER WILL MAKE ME A FORTUNE

SPEAKING OF SERIAL NUMBERED CARDS HERE'S A 2005-06 SPX SPXCITEMENT VETERANS INSERT OF RICHARD JEFFERSON NUMBERED TO 999. THIS INSERT WAS THE BOOBY PRIZE OF 05-06 SPX AS YOUR BIG HIT OF THE PACK WAS SOME DUDE INSTEAD OF A SPXCITEMENT ROOKIE OR AN AUTOGRAPH OR A RELIC CARD. AS MID-00S 'HIGH END' DESIGNS GO IT'S NOT ATROCIOUS AND RICHARD JEFFERSON WAS A HELL OF A PLAYER SO IT'S A PRETTY GREAT DIME BOX PICKUP

NOT A BIG FAN OF HADER, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT HE'S ON MY FANTASY TEAM BLOSING UP MY ERA WITH NO SAVES TO SHOW FOR IT. NOT A FAN OF CHROME EITHER, BUT REFRACTORS? I LOVES THEM SHITS. IF ANYONE LIKED JOSH HADER THIS CARD WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST DREGS OF THE DIME BOX SO I APPRECIATE THE SHINY FALLING INTO MY LAP

HOORAY! I CARD I ACTUALLY NEED! FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS OF NEED! I WAS FULLY ON BOARD WITH THE HERITAGE/TOPPS206/ARCHIVES RETRO BOOM IN 2002-03 WHICH CAUSED MY BASKETBALL PURCHASES TO DROP PRECIPITOUSLY. ESPECIALLY FLEER TRADITION WHICH WAS A COMPLETE KNOCKOFF OF THE 1989-90 FLEER SET, A SET I ALREADY HAD. AS A RESULT I NEVER PULLED ONE OF THESE ROAD TO THE NBA INSERTS SO THIS IS A NEW-TO ME CARD. AND IT'S A CARD OF SHEED WHICH IS ALWAYS WELCOME

OK, SO I LIED, I THINK THIS CARD IS A DOUBLE AS I HAVE A FEW OF THESE ALREADY AND I'M PRETTY SURE CAMP IS ONE OF THEM. I'M NOT PASSING UP A HOSTESS CARD IN A DIME BOX THOUGH! THIS SET IS EXTRA ODDBALL SINCE IT WAS ONLY DISTRIBUTED IN THE SOUTH. I GOT TO OPEN A COUPLE PACKS OF IT OUT OF BOXES WHEN I WAS A KID AND IT'S NOT A SUPER EASY SET TO FIND, EVEN DOWN HERE

AMD LOOK AT THOSE GORGEOUS BLUE 1985 BACKS. 80S TOPPS BACKS WITH DIFFERENT COLORS THAN THE BASE CARDS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IN LIFE

RANDOM METAL UNIVERSE CARD OUT OF NOWHERE. I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE WERE SO MANY HERITAGE CARDS IN THE BOX THAT I MENTALLY DISCARDED THEM SINCE THERE WERE TOO MANY TO BUY BUT I ASSURE YOU IF THE BOX WAS FILLED WITH METAL CARDS I WOULD HAVE MADE AN OFFER FOR THE WHOLE BOX AND ENDED MY SHOW ON THE SPOT. THERE WAS ONLY THIS ONE LONELY CHRIS WARREN CARD THOUGH. I'M GLAD I FOUND IT BECAUSE DALLAS GETTING A GIANT TRAFFIC JAM AS THEIR REGIONAL THEMED BACKGROUND IS HILARIOUS. I DROVE THROUGH THAT MESS ON A BUSINESS TRIP ONCE AND IT'S APPROPRIATE. I KINDA WANT TO DO A DEEP DIVE ON THESE BACKGROUNDS AS THESE 1998 METAL CARDS KEEP CROSSING MY PATH AND EACH BACKGROUND IS WEIRDER THAN THE LAST

HERE'S THE ONE HERITAGE CARD THAT CAME HOME WITH ME. DUE TO AN EXCESS OF SHORT PRINTS I'VE SOURED ON THE BASE SET OTHER THAN A FEEBLE ATTEMPT AT SOME TEAM SETS BUT THE INSERTS STILL HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART. OR A PLACE IN MY FART AMIRIGHT

THE 2015 TOPPS FOOTBALL SET IS HISTORIC NOT ONLY FOR BEING THE LAST FLAGSHIP FOOTBALL SET BEFORE PANINI GOT THE EXCLUSIVE BUT ALSO FOR BEING THE FIRST TOPPS FLAGSHIP SET WHERE THEY COMBINED FULL BLEED BORDERS WITH A HORRIFICALLY OVERCOMPLICATED UGLY DESIGN. THIS IS FROM THE TOPP 60 SUBSET RANKING THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE NFL. MATT'S RANKING OF 51 IS ESPECIALLY FUNNY CONSIDERING WHAT HAPPENED IN SUPER BOWL LI. IN A STRANGE COINCIDENCE, THIS EXACT SAME CARD SHOWED UP ON BASEBALLCARDSTORE DOT CA WHEN I GOT HOME FROM THE SHOW

SEPARATED 1981 SCRATCH OFF PANELS HAVE LONG BEEN THE HIDDEN GEMS OF THE DIME BOX AND I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE TO FIND ONE LAST EXAMPLE. MICKEY RIVERS IS ONE OF THOSE REALLY GOOD PLAYERS NO ONE CARES ABOUT ANYMORE. DUDE PLAYED FIFTEEN YEARS AND LED THE LEAGUE IN STEALS! WHO CARES HE WASN'T RICKEY HENDERSON, NO ONE IS. I'M ALSO JUST FINDING OUT NOW THAT MICKEY WAS DRAFTED BY THE BRAVES AND THEN TRADED TO THE ANGELS FOR HOYT WILHELM. STEALTH BRAVES LEGEND 

LAST CARD IN THIS BATCH IS A 2010 TOPPS PRO DEBUT INSERT OF TODD FRAZIER. OF ALL THE CARD I DON'T NEED I PROBABLY DON'T NEED THIS ONE THE LEAST BUT IT'S A NEW-TO-ME INSERT SO MY MAGPIE BRAIN HAD TO GRAB IT. LIKE MICKEY, TODD IS ANOTHER REALLY GOOD PLAYER THAT IS PRETTY MUCH FORGOTTEN WHICH IS SAD SINCE HE ONLY RETIRED THIS DECADE

APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PART 2: BRENDA'S LAST DIME BOX

IF YOU'VE SEEN ANY POSTS ABOUT ME DIGGING THROUGH DIME BOXES AT A CARD SHOW ON HERE, IT WAS MOST LIKELY ABOUT BRENDA'S AMAZING DIME BOXES. I'D BOUGHT A TON OUT OF THOSE DIME, QUARTER, DOLLAR AND SOMETIMES EVEN NICKEL BOXES. SOMETIMES I EVEN BOUGHT THE WHOLE BOX! RECENTLY THERE WEREN'T NEARLY AS MANY CARDS ON THE TABLE AND AS I DOVE INTO A DIME BOX FILLED WITH A NICE MIX OF 80S TOPPS AND NEWER STUFF IOVERHEARD THAT THIS WOULD BE HER LAST TIME AT THE SHOW. I HAD KNOWN THIS DAY WAS COMING FOR A WHILE. BEFORE THE LOCKDOWN THE WHOLE BACK WALL OF THE MONTHLY SHOW WERE PACKED WITH A COUPLE DOZEN BOXES FILLED WITH CARDS. RECENTLY THOUGH IT WAS FIVE OR SIX BOXES, THEN TWO OR THREE AND FINALLY JUST THE ONE. I GUESS SHE JUST RAN OUT OF CARDS. HERE'S MY LAST PILE FROM THE DIME BOX, SPREAD OUT OVER FIVE POSTS BECAUSE I'M NOT POSTING SIXTY CARDS ALL AT ONCE

I'M POSTING THESE MORE OR LESS IN THE ORDER I PULLED THEM OUT OF THE BOX SO YOU CAN SEE HOW DERANGED I GET WHEN I MITTS ARE IN A GOOD BOX. MY FIRST CARD WAS A GOOD ONE, A 2020 FINEST CARD OF WHIT MERRIFIELD. I AM MILDLY OBSESSED WITH FINEST AT THE MOMENT. NOT OBSESSED ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY SORT OUT THE ONES I HAVE, ONLY OBSESSED ENOUGH TO BUY MORE. I HAVE ZERO FINEST FROM 2020 AND LIKE THE SWOOPY DESIGN. HOW MUCH WAS A BOX OF THIS STUFF GOING FOR BACK IN THE BOX HYPE DAYS?

THERE WAS A BUNCH OF ALLEN & GINTER IN THE BOX AND IF I WASN'T TRYING TO STRETCH OUT A TWENTY FOR THE WHOLE SHOW I MIGHT HAVE PICKED IT ALL UP. BUT I WAS BROKE AS HELL SO AFTER PICKING OUT A COUPLE CARDS I GOT INTIMIDATED BY THE PILE AND GAVE UP ON GINTER. THIS 2021 GIOLITO ENDED IT UP IN MY PILE AS IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CARDS I SAW OUT OF THE BOX AND I NEVER BOTHERED TO PUT IT BACK. LIKE WITH 2020 CARDS, I HAVE HARDLY ANY 2021 CARDS SO I PROBABLY NEEDED LUCAS ANYWAY

I THINK 2018 WAS THE LAST TIME I RIPPED A PACK OF GINTER?? I DON'T REMEMBER OPENING ANY FROM 2019 AT LEAST. I GAVE UP ON BUYING ALL THE GINTERS OUT OF THE DIME BOX BUT I HAD TO GET SOME BRAVES LEGENDS. DUVALL WON THE GAME LAST NIGHT WITH A CLUTCH CATCH IN LEFT

DAMN SALE IS PITCHING WELL THIS YEAR. I'M AFRAID TO SAY ANYTHING AND JINX IT. MAYBE CHARLIE MORTON PASSED ON THE OLD GUY ACE BATON TO CHRIS THIS YEAR. I HAVE NO IDEA IF I NEEDED THESE CARDS AT ALL BECAUSE I DIDN'T BOTHER TO CHECK ANY WANTLISTS FOR THESE

THE LAST GINTER CARD IS A SHORT PRINT. NOT A GREAT SHORT PRINT BUT I DON'T PASS UP SHORT PRINTS IN THE DIME BOX

ANOTHER 2021 CARD I HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF PREVIOUSLY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO THINK OF THIS QYPSY GUEEN DESIGN, LIKE, WHAT WERE THEY GOING FOR HERE? OF COURSE THIS COULD BE SAID ABOUT JUST ABOUT THE ENTIRE PRODUCT. TREA TURNER IS ONE OF THOSE STEALTH STAR PLAYERS LIKE JOSE RAMIREZ I LIKE TO SNAP UP WHEN I SEE THEM. DON'T SLEEP ON TREA JUST BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS BEEN THE SECOND BEST PLAYER ON ALL HIS TEAMS 

YAY, ANOTHER CARD FOR THE TEAM SET BINDER. EXCEPT THIS ONE IS ALREADY IN THERE BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, I MOSTLY IGNORED THE WANTLISTS. YAY, ANOTHER CARD FOR THE SET BOX

CHROMEY ALTUVE, HELL YEAH.  I'M GLAD PEOPLE ARE STILL MAD ABOUT PHANTOM BUZZERS SO I CAN GET HIS CARDS FOR PENNIES

J-HEY IN THE DIME BOX! I AM PRETTY SURE I HAVE THIS CARD ALREADY BUT I AM POSITIVE I DO NOT HAVE A COPY WITH STRANGE TABS ON THE CORNERS LIKE IT WAS PULLED APART FROM A PERFORATED SHEET. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS HAPPENED BUT IT LOOKS COOL

FINISHING UP THIS POST WITH ANOTHER BRAVE IN THE WRONG UNIFORM. IGLASIAS HAS BEEN A PRETTY GOOD CLOSER FOR THE BRAVES SO FAR AND SINCE I ALREADY HAD 1977 TOPPS ON THE BRAIN FOR THE CARD SHOW I SNAPPED UP THIS ARCHIVES CARD OF HIM ON THE REDS. UNFORTUNATELY I WAS SO DAZZLED BY THE DESIGN THAT I DID NOT NOTICE THE GIANT CREASE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CARD. OOPS! YOU'LL SEE A LOT MORE OOPSES IN THE NEXT COUPLE POSTS, I WAS REALLY DISTRACTED THIS CARD SHOW

ONLINE DIMEBOX BLASTER - PART 8

 ANOTHER BIG MOJO HIT FROM THE BLASTER POPS UP HERE AND THEN CHAOS REIGNS. HAIL ERIS!

2022 BOWMAN RONALD ACUÑA JR.

CATEGORY - RONALD

IF I SEE A RONALD CARD FOR A BUCK AND I HAVE  BUCK IN MY POCKET, I BUY IT. I MAY NOT BUY ALL THE ACUÑAS BUT I'M COMING HOME WITH ONE OR THREE. A RONALD ACUÑA JR. CARD FOR ESSENTIALLY 15 CENTS? OH HELL YEAH GIMME THAT ALL DAY. HE AIN'T EASY TO SNAG ON THE SITE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS BUT I LUCKED OUT ON THIS ONE. IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET HARDER TO GET HIS CARDS AS HE'S ON PACE TO DO SOMETHING ABSURD LIKE A 40-80 YEAR. I MENTIONED BEFORE I ENDED UP BUYING A FEW CARDS TWICE ACCIDENTALY. THIS IS THE ONLY CARD I BOUGHT TWICE ON PURPOSE

2021 DONRUSS MIKE SOROKA

CATEGORY - BRAVES

MIKE IS STILL TRYING TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE BIGS AFTER HIS ACHILLES INJURY BUT ISN'T QUITE THERE YET, AT LEAST AT THE TIME OF WRITING THIS. WHEN HE WAS HEALTHY HE WAS MURDER ON THE MOUND SO BEING CAUTIOUS WITH HIS RETURN IS PROBABLY FOR THE BEST ESPECIALLY WITH A DOUBLE DIGIT LEAD IN THE EAST. THIS DONRUSS DESIGN SEEMS TO BE RIFFING ON THE 1991 DESIGN. I DIG IT

2022 DIAMOND KINGS SATCHEL PAIGE

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION, SUPERSTAR

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SATCHEL PAIGE CARDS I HAVE BUT WHEN I SEE ONE I CAN AFFORD, I LIKE TO PICK THEM UP. HE SEEMS TO BE IN A LOT OF SETS EITHER AS A LEGENDS PLAYER OR INSERTS WHICH PLEASES ME. ACCORDING TO TCDB IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S HAD AT LEAST ONE CARD PER YEAR GOING BACK TO AT LEAST 1998. EXCELLENT

1993 TOPPS GREG MADDUX/ROGER CLEMENS ALL-STARS

CATEGORY - WANTLIST, BRAVES

I HAVE BOUGHT THIS CARD SEVERAL TIMES AND I THINK I MIGHT'VE BOUGHT IT AGAIN ON THIS SITE AT SOME POINT. I KNOW FOR A FACT I TRIED TO BUY IT A THIRD TIME BEFOE I CAUGHT MYSELF. I ALSO HAVE ONE IN DOGSHIT CONDITION I PICKED UP FROM THE FLEA MARKET. WHY SO MANY? WELL, BEST PITCHERS EVER FOR ONE THING, BUT ALSO THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST CARDS I NEED TO COMPLETE MY 1993 TOPPS SET. OR AT THE VERY LEAST IT'S ONE OF THE LAST CARDS ON MY WANTLIST. I REALLY REALLY NEED TO PUT THIS CARD WITH THE SET AND TAKE IT OFF THE LIST RIGHT NOW BUT I WON'T SO MAYBE EXPECT TO SEE THIS CARD AGAIN A FEW MONTHS FROM NOW 

1991 FLEER ULTRA BRUCE SMITH ALL-STARS

CATEGORY - INSERT

I LOVE GOOD LOOKING INSERT CARDS AND THIS FITS THE BILL. I WILL NEVER COLLECT THE 91 ULTRA FOOTBALL SET EVEN THOUGH IT'S PROBABLY MUCH CHEAPER NOW THAT FAVRE'S ROOKIE HAS LOST ITS SHINE A BIT. THE ALL-STAR INSERTS, I MIGHT THINK ABOUT. BRUCE SMITH IS A HELL OF A PLAYER TOO, HE OWNED IN TECMO BOWL

WAIT... I HAVE FAVRE'S ULTRA ROOKIE CARD. STILL DON'T WANNA BUILD THE SET

1987 FLEER STICKERS ASTROS AND MARINERS

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

I'M FOR REALS SERIOUS ABOUT COMPLETING ALL THESE FLEER STICKER SETS. IT AIN'T GONNA BE EASY AS THESE CARDS ARE USUALLY CONSIDERED TRASH AT MOST CARD SHOPS NOWADAYS BUT THERE'S ENOUGH OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN FIND THEM OCCASIONALLY. THE BIG PROBLEM IS KEEPING ALL THE SETS STRAIGHT IN YOUR HEAD. I GET 1987 AND 1988 CONFUSED ALL THE TIME. IT'S ALSO HARD TO REMEMBER WHICH CARDS YOU NEED OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD. MADDUX/CLEMENS? EASY. ASTROS/MARINERS? HARD. THIS IS THE THIRD CARD OF THE BATCH I ENDED UP BUYING TWICE. I HAVE SINCE STARTED TRACKING MY PURCHASES BETTER. BUT Y'ALL KNOW HOW IT IS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING THROUGH DIME BOXES

1994 TOPPS BLACK GOLD CARLOS BAERGA

CATEGORY - INSERT

FOR SOME DAMN REASON I STILL HAVE NOT CATALOGUED ALL MY TOPPS INSERTS* EVEN THOUGH I WANT TO COMPLETE ALL OF THEM EVER. I HAVE A FEW WANTLISTED HERE AND THERE LIKE SOME OF THE VINTAGE ONES AND A FEW OF THE NEWER ONES BUT STUFF LIKE THIS THAT IS COMMON AS DIRT I'VE BEEN TOO LAZY TO PULL A CHECKLIST. AS A RESULT I END UP FINDING A CARD, GOING TO MY INSERT BOX, AND DIGGING AROUND TO SEE IF I HAVE THE CARD. THIS IS A PAIN IN THE JUNK BUT WILL I GET ORGANIZED TO MAKE THINGS EASIER ON MYSELF? NO! IT'S A MIRACLE I'M EVEN WRITING THESE POSTS INSTEAD OF GOOFING OFF. IF YOU THINK THAT'S BAD, I CAN'T EVEN FIND MY DONRUSS OR SCORE INSERTS RIGHT NOW**

1976 TOPPS COOKIE ROJAS

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION, COOKIE

C IS FOR COOKIE! IF YOU ORDER THE SITE CHRONOLOGICALLY, THE OLDEST STUFF ON THERE IS FROM 1982. BUT, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO DIG AROUND OLDER STUFF FROM THE 70S CAN BE FOUND. THERE'S EVEN ONE FROM 1973 TOPPS THAT I WOULD'VE BOUGHT ALREADY IF I DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE IT. THERE'S A BUNCH OF 1976 TOPPS CARDS ON THERE BUT I'M DOWN TO NEEDING ONLY FIVE MORE CARDS FOR THE SET. IF I HAD FOUND A 1976 AARON ON THE FREE CARD SITE YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD ME YELP FROM SEVERAL STATES AWAY. I DON'T LIKE TO BUY VINTAGE STUFF I ALREADY HAVE WHEN THERE'S SHINY NONSENSE LIKE THE REST OF THIS POST TO BUY. COOKIE ROJAS IS AN EXCEPTION. I MEAN, JUST LOOK AT THE BACKGROUND

1989 FLEER JOSE CANSECO ALL-STAR

CATEGORY - INSERT

I THINK I MIGHT NEED THIS ONE? I'M NOT COMPLETELY SURE AS I AM AS SLACK WITH MY FLEER INSERTS*** AS I AM WITH MY TOPPS INSERTS. SEE BRUCE SMITH ABOVE: NICE LOOKING INSERTS GO IN MY CART. TIME TO PULL OUT THE 89 FLEER BINDER AND SEE IF I GOOFED AGAIN

2006-07 IN THE GAME BETWEEN THE PIPES

ED BELFOUR 

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION

CHRIS CHELIOS IS MY FAVORITE HOCKEY PLAYER, BUT ED BELFOUR IS MY FAVORITE HOCKEY GOALIE. I HAVE A NICE LITTLE PLAYER COLLECTION OF EDDIE AND IT'S GROWING RAPIDLY THANKS TO CANADIAN CARDS. IN THE GAME WAS AN ODDBALL HOCKEY PROSPECT BRAND THAT DID AN ENTIRE SET DEDICATED TO GOALIES. I HAD FALLEN OFF HOCKEY CARDS PRECIPITOUSLY BY 2006 DUE TO THRASHERS DISASTERS AND THE MAIN STORE I FOUND COOL HOCKEY STUFF AT CLOSING DOWN SO I'M HAPPY TO FIND SOME NEAT STUFF I HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE

UP NEXT - MONSTERS, INSERTS AND A STAY AT THE HILTON

* SINCE WRITING THIS I GOT MY ACT TOGETHER AND GOT A LIST TOGETHER OF TOPPS INSERTS THROUGH 2009. I MAY EVANTUALLY GET CAUGHT UP TO THE CURRENT DAY

** I HAVE SINCE FOUND THESE. THEY WERE EXACTLY WHERE I THOUGHT THEY WERE

*** I HAVE FLEER AND FLEER ULTRA INSERTS COMPLETELY WANTLISTED. 1986-2007. SEE? I'M NOT AS INCOMPETENT AS I WRITE I AM