CARD PICKUPS FROM AN ACTUAL STORE IN A BUILDING

 PRETTY MUCH 100% OF MY CARD PURCHASES SINCE ABOUT MAY HAVE BEEN ONLINE BUT LAST WEEK I WAS FORCED KICKING AND SCREAMING TO LEAVE MY HOUSE SO I MADE THE BEST OF IT BY GOING TO A CARD SHOP. AS YOU NOW KNOW, I HAVE NO LESS THAN THREE GOOD CARD SHOPS WITHIN MY ORBIT, BUT HAVE NEITHER THE TIME NOR MONEY TO BLOW AT ALL THREE. SO A SERIOUS CHOICE WAS AHEAD OF ME: GO TO MY LONG TIME COMFORT LCS, GO TO THE HOLE IN THE WALL SHOP AND HUNT BARGAINS, OR HIT THE GIANT WAREHOUSE SHOP AND BE INTIMIDATED. DECISIONS, DECISIONS. OF COURSE I SWERVED THEM ALL AND WENT TO THE ANTIQUE MALL INSTEAD. I HAD THE WHOLE DAY OFF SO I GOT TO GET SOME CARDS AND VISIT THE TRASH MUSEUM AT THE SAME TIME

THIS HERE IS WHY I MADE THE CHOICE TO GO ANTIQUING. THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE I FOUND THIS COMPLETED, PUNCHED AND STUCK 1984 DONRUSS PUZZLE OF DUKE SNIDER AND WAS HOPING IT WOULD GO UNNOTICED BY EVERYONE SCROUNGING DOLLAR BOXES AND PICKING UP ROOKIE SLABS. MY LUCK HELD OUT AND IT WAS STILL THERE. I PUT A COMPLETED PUZZLE IN THE FRONT OF MY DONRUSS BINDERS AS A FRONT PAGE PROTECTOR AND BECAUSE IT LOOKS PURDY. I PUNCHED OUT AND TAPED TOGETHER SEVERAL SETS WHEN I WAS A KID SO I HAD QUITE A FEW ALREADY BUT I NEVER OPENED MUCH 1984 DONRUSS SO DUKE'S COMPLETED PUZZLE HAD ELUDED ME FOR A LONG TIME. WHILE THIS PUZZLE IS GLUED INSTEAD OF TAPED I DON'T REALLY MIND BECAUSE IT MEANS I DON'T HAVE TO PUNCH OUT MY ONLY COMPLETED DUKE PUZZLE SET NOW. WHILE PUTTING IT IN THE BINDER I TOOK ACCOUNT OF MY OTHER SETS AND IT LOOKS LIKE I'M MISSING TY COBB (DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE I OPENED A CRAPLOAD OF PACKS WHEN I WAS A KID), MICKEY MANTLE (TOUGH BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY INSERTED IN THE ODDBALL SETS), TED WILLIAMS (SUPER TOUGH BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY INSERTED IN THE ALL-STAR PACKS), AND EVERYTHING AFTER 1989 AS IT LOOKS LIKE I STOPPED PUNCHING AND TAPING AT THAT TIME. I HAVE A STOOPID AMOUNT OF THOSE PUZZLE PIECES THOUGH SO IT LOOKS LIKE I'LL GET TO HAVE SOME FUN ON A FUTURE RAINY DAY

I ALSO POKED AROUND THE BRAVES DOLLAR BOX WHICH WAS, WELL, PRETTY BAD. TONS OF JUNK WAX BASE COMMONS IN THERE. STUFF THAT IS OVERPRICED AT A NICKEL, LET ALONE A DOLLAR. BUT MIXED IN AMONGST THE CRAP, THIS POPPED UP

HELL YEAH, EX-2000 CHIPPER CARD. I'VE BEEN BUYING GUYS LIKE HIDEO NOMO AND NOMAR GARCIAPARRA FROM THIS SET FOR A BUCK EACH. FINDING CHIPPER AT THAT PRICE IS A GODSEND. THIS IS ONE OF A SMALL HANDFUL OF SHINY ODDBALL 90S SETS I'VE PUT MY MIND TO WORKING ON COMPLETING SO ANY THAT I FIND IS GREAT. TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST I'VE GOT A FEW CARDS FROM THE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL SETS IN THE EX-2000 BOX ALREADY AND THEY JUST MIGHT STAY THERE. THEY ALL LOOK GREAT SO WHY NOT

ALSO IN THE BOX IN BETWEEN 1991 DONRUSS AND 1993 FLEER WAS SOME TOPPS TEK. THIS IS ANOTHER SET I AM INSANELY TRYING TO BUILD, ALTHOUGH MY GOAL IS ONE CARD PER PLAYER AND ONE OF EACH OF THE BACKGROUND PATTERNS. I KNEW I WAS BUYING THIS THE MOMENT I SAW IT SO I DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER LOOKING AT MY WANTLIST BUT WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED. DID I NEED MADDUX? YEP! DID I NEED THIS BACKGROUND PATTERN? YES YES! I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

LAST AND MOST BEWILDERING CARD OUT OF THE BOX WAS THIS 1997 LEAF Z-AXIS DIE CUT PARALLEL OF TOM GLAVINE.THIS CARD NOT ONLY DOES NOT PHOTOGRAPH WELL IT DOESN'T REAL LIFE WELL EITHER. THE CASHIER LOOKED AT IT FOR TWO MINUTES BEFORE SHE COULD READ THE NAME ON THE CARD. I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT THESE FRACTAL MATRIX CARDS ARE RIDICULOUS WITH THREE DIFFERENT RARITIES OF FOIL COLOR AND THREE DIFFERENT RARITIES OF DIE CUTS. YOU CAN READ ALL ABOUT THEM HERE, I'M NOT EXPLAINING ALL THAT. BOTTOM LINE THERE ARE ONLY 100 COPIES EACH OF THE Z-AXIS DIE CUTS. SUPPOSEDLY. THERE IS NO SERIAL NUMBERING ON THESE CARDS AND MANY RUMORS THAT A FEW EXTRAS SNUCK OUT THE BACK DOOR TO GO ON MANY ADVENTURES AFTER THE LEAF LIQUIDATION. BOTTOM LINE, Z-AXIS IS COOLER BECAUSE MORE CHUNKS OUT OF THE CARD AND THEY ARE REASONABLY SCARCE FOR A 90S PRODUCT. I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY FINDING SOMEONE LIKE BRIAN JORDAN WITH A Z-CUT. TOM GLAVINE OUT OF A DOLLAR BOX IS ABSURDLY LUCKY

THE LAST FIND AT THE MALL WAS THE BEST THOUGH EVEN WITH MY DOLLAR BOX FORTUNES. I HAVE BEEN CHASING DOWN THE TOPPS ALL-STAR GLOSSY RACK PACK INSERTS FOR YEARS. THESE THINGS ARE NOT SCARCE AT ALL AND I WAS ABOUT TWENTY CARDS AWAY FROM THE COMPLETE RUN. UNFORTUNATELY ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THAT WERE FROM THE 1991 SET. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A 1991 TOPPS RACK PACK IN MY LIFE AND HAVE HAD A HELLUVA TIME FINDING ANY OF THE GLOSSY INSERTS FROM THAT YEAR. THEN I FOUND OUT THAT RACK PACKS DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ALL-STAR CARDS IN 91, THE ENTIRE SET WAS GOTTEN THROUGH A MAIL IN OFFER. SUPER BUMMER. THEN THIS WAS JUST SITTING ON A SMALL METAL SHELF WITH SOME OTHER ODDBALL JUNKWAX STUFF

THE STICKER SAYS 1990 BUT WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT TOPPS 40 YEARS OF BASEBALL LOGO MEANS. WHOLE DAMN SET KNOCKED OUT IN ONE FELL SWOOP FOR WAY LESS THAN THE PRICE OF THE GRIFFEY CARD. WHICH MAKES SENSE THAT I FOUND THE COMPLETE SET WAY MORE EASILY THAN THE INDIVIDUAL CARDS SINCE THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS DISTRIBUTED. NOW I'M DOWN TO ABOUT SEVEN CARDS LEFT AND COULD EASILY KNOCK OUT THE RUN THIS YEAR IF I'M WILLING TO OVERPAY A BIT ONLINE. BUT WHAT FUN IS THAT? ESPECIALLY IF MY SUPERPOWER APPEARS TO BE FINDING UNEXPECTEDLY GREAT DEALS ON BASEBALL CARDS IN THE WEIRDEST PLACES

ANTIQUE MALL DOLLAR BOX GOODIES

 A FEW WEEKENDS AGO I GOT BORED AND DECIDED TO GO TO A CARD SHOP. I FOOLISHLY LET TWITTER DECIDE WHERE I SHOULD GO AND THEY CHOSE 'SOME PLACE I HAVEN'T BEEN TO BEFORE". THIS WAS A TERRIBLE DECISION AS NOW I HAD A NEW CHOICE TO MAKE. I WAS ABOUT TO DRIVE AN HOUR TO GET TO A COUPLE PLACES THAT LOOKED BRAND NEW WITH BRAND NEW STORE PRICES AND NO CHEAPO BOXES OF CRAP AT ALL WHEN I DISCOVERED AN ANTIQUE MALL WITH A CARD SHOP INSIDE. THE DRIVE WAS MUCH SHORTER AND AS A BONUS I HAVE A NEW 5000-PHOTO POST FULL OF ANTIQUE MALL DETRITUS THAT I'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE WRITTEN BY CHRISTMAS. NOT GONNA LIE, THE CARD SHOP WAS UNDERWHELMING WITH A TON OF STAR BASE CARDS AT FIVE BUCKS A POP AND A BUNCH OF JUNK WAX BOXES PRICED FROM TWO TO FIVE BUCKS PER PACK. FUN TO LOOK AT AND THEY PROBABLY MAKE A NICE CHUNK OF CHANGE OFF IMPULSE BUYS FROM NORMIES BUT NOT FOR ME. THERE WAS A DOLLAR BOX THOUGH, AND WHILE A LOT OF THE CARDS WERE QUARTER AND EVEN DIME CARDS IN MY ESTIMATION, MY SPECIALTY IS FINDING THE HIDDEN GEMS AMONGST THE CRAP. ONCE AGAIN I SET A GOAL OF KEEPING IT TO FIVE BUCKS AND ONCE AGAIN I ENDED UP WITH SIX CARDS

2017 TOPPS MATT OLSON RC

2020 OPENING DAY SEAN MURPHY RC

UNLESS THERE IS A MAJOR TRADE, A CATASTROPHIC INJURY OR THE COLLAPSE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, THESE TWO DUDES ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING FOR THE BRAVES THROUGH THE REST OF THE DECADE. I'M FINE WITH DROPPING A BUCK EACH JUST SO I CAN HAS THEM ROOKIE CARDS. REALLY WISH THERE WAS AN ACTUAL TOPPS MURPHY RC IN THE BOX INSTEAD OF OPENING DAY BUT OH WELL

1997 SPX KENNY LOFTON BOUND FOR GLORY 4 OF 20 #783/1500

SPX IS ONE OF THE MANY PREMIUM SETS THAT MADE THEIR DEBUTS IN THE MID 90S AND LOOKED ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. THEN AS THE YEARS PASSED AND GREAT LOOKING CARDS GAVE WAY TO SMALL BITS OF LAUNDRY AS THE MOST DESIRED THING AMONG COLLECTORS, THE SETS GOT SHITTIER AND SHITTIER UNTIL THEY WERE STRAIGHT GARBAGE BY THE 2000S. 1997 SPX IS THE APEX OF GORGEOUS UPPER DECK DESIGNS FEATURING ETCHED FOIL, HOLOFOIL WITH LITTLE UPPER DECK LOGOS, AND THE HOLOVIEW HOLOGRAM PICTURE ON EACH CARD. THIS IS THE LAST TIME UPPER DECK USED THE HOLOVIEWS ON BASE CARDS ALTHOUGH IT SORT OF SHOWED UP ON LATER INSERT SETS. THIS MAKES ME SAD AND I REALLY WISH NOW I'D PONIED UP THE 6 BUCKS A PACK FOR THESE THINGS BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE. FINDING ANY OF THEM CHEAP IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE NOWADAYS AND I WAS HONESTLY A LITTLE SHOCKED TO SEE THIS IN THE DOLLAR BOX

THIS HERE IS AN INSERT CARD AND A SERIAL NUMBERED ONE AT THAT. I CAN'T FIND THE BASE CARD ONLINE FOR A BUCK AND YOU KNOW HOW PRICEY SERIAL NUMBERED 90S INSERTS CAN GET. HOW THIS ENDED UP IN A DOLLAR BOX WHEN BASE GLAVINE AND SMOLTZ ROOKIES WERE PRICED AT FIVE BUCKS IS BEYOND ME BUT I AIN'T COMPLAINING. POOR KENNY LOFTON GETS NO RESPECT AT ALL. I FRIGGIN LOVE IT AND WISH I COULD GET LUCKY ON SOME MORE 97 SPX CARDS

1993 WHATABURGER TRIAD NOLAN RYAN'S RECOLLECTIONS HORSIE CARD

I SPEND A LOT OF TIME BELLYACHING ABOUT HOW NOLAN RYAN CARDS ARE SO OVERPRICED, AND I NEED HIS CARD FOR ALMOST ALL THE SETS I'M BUILDING, AND IT'S SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS, AND HE'S NOT EVEN THAT GOOD ANYWAY. THE FOUR PEOPLE WHO READ THIS BLOG RELIGIOUSLY HAVE TO BE SICK OF MY NONSENSE BY NOW. 

BUT.

LENTICULAR THREE-DEE FOOD ISSUE FROM WHATABURGER WITH A COCA-COLA LOGO ON THE BACK OF NOLAN RIDING A GOSH-DARN HORSE

OHMYFRIGGINGODITSSOBEAUTIFULIMGONNADIE

GEORGIA GOT THEIR FIRST WHATABURGER LAST WINTER SO THIS CARD WAS NEVER ON MY RADAR AND I THINK FINDING IT IN THAT BOX MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME I EVER HEARD OF IT. THIS IS ONE OF A TEN CARD SET AND IS THE ONLY ONE WHERE HE'S IN COWBOY GEAR INSTEAD OF A BASEBALL UNIFORM. THIS OF COURSE IS PERFECTLY FINE WITH ME AS THIS CARD WILL LIKELY END UP THE CENTER POCKET OF A PAGE OF HORSEY CARDS IN MY NEXT COOL CHAOS BINDER*. I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THE HELL TRIAD IS OR IF THEY EVER PRODUCED ANY OTHER TRADING CARD SETS. A GOOGLE SEARCH COMES UP WITH A TON OF RESULTS FOR A FINAL FANTASY CARD GAME AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE DIGGING THROUGH ALL THAT MESS TO RESEARCH IT. I ALSO HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE HORSE NOLAN'S RIDING IS OWNED BY DELTA AIR LINES. THIS IS JUST A STRANGE CARD ALL AROUND

1996 PINNACLE MANNY RAMIREZ PINNACLE POWER

HOO MAN THIS IS A PRETTY CARD. I BOUGHT WAY TOO MANY PACKS OF 1996 PINNACLE BACK IN THE DAY AND I LOVED PULLING THESE OUT OF PACKS. IT'S GOT A DIE CUT WINDOW FOR THE STRIPEY SHINY HOLOFOIL AND THE REST OF TEH CARD IS EMBOSSED, INCLUDING THE GOLD FOIL TEXT. THIS CARD REALLY MADE THE PACKS LUMPY. THE CHECKLIST IS FANTASTIC, A REAL WHO'S WHO OF MID 90S TATER MASHERS. MANNY'S ONE OF THE TOP GUYS ON THAT LIST DESPITE WHAT HALL VOTERS THINK

JEEZ, LOOK AT BABY MANNY ON THE BACK. PINNACLE WAS RIGHT, IT WAS SCARY HOW MUCH BETTER RAMIRÉZ GOT IN LATER YEARS. ALSO SCARY HOW LITTLE RESPECT HE GOT FOR IT. I DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT STERIODS, THE LAST PRESIDENT SENT A MOB AFTER HIS VICE PRESIDENT AND KEPT CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS IN THE TOILET. AIN'T NOBODY CARE ABOUT STEROIDS ANYMORE. MAYBE THE VETS COMMITTEE WILL LET MANNY IN BEFORE I DIE, UNTIL THEN I'LL KEEP PICKING UP CHEAP PRETTY MANNY CARDS

1998 LEAF BIP ROBERTS FRACTAL MATRIX PARALLEL CARD

SO YEAH I'M OFFICIALLY COLLECTING BIP ROBERTS CARDS NOW. I ALREADY HAVE SEVERAL DOZEN UNIQUE ONES NOT COUNTING ONES STUCK INSIDE SET BOXES. RECENTLY I'VE GONE FROM MERELY YELLING OH NOEZ! WHEN I STUMBLED ACROSS ANOTHER BIP WHILE SORTING TO ACTIVELY HUNTING OUT WEIRD BIPS. THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE WEIRDER ONES. 1998 LEAF HAD PARALLELS CALLED FRACTAL MATRIX. THE FRACTAL PART COMES FROM THE THREE DIFFERENT FOIL COLORS THE CARD COULD BE (BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD) AND THE THREE DIFFERENT DIE CUTS IT COULD HAVE (X-AXIS, Y-AXIS, Z-AXIS). IT'S ALL VERY COMPLICATED, BUT IN REALITY EACH CARD COULD ONLY HAVE ONE TYPE OF FOIL COLOR WITH ONE TYPE OF DIE CUT. BIP GOT THE MOST COMMON FOIL TYPE OF BRONZE** AND THIS ISN'T DIE CUT ANYWAY SO IT DOESN'T MATTER. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW HOW IT ALL WORKS BASEBALLCARDPEDIA DOES A GOOD JOB EXPLAINING THE MESS

1998 LEAF IS A SNEAKY GOOD SET. IT'S GOT A NICE DESIGN, GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY, AND SOME AMAZING INSERTS. THE BASE SET IS A LITTLE SMALL WITH SOME SHORT PRINTED SUBSETS, BUT IT'S A NICE CAP TO THE ORIGINAL 1990-1998 LEAF RUN. IF THE SHORT PRINTS AND PARALLELS PUT YOU OFF THE BASE SET, YOU SHOULD AT LEAST LOOK OUT FOR THE INSERT CARDS. STATISTICAL STANDOUTS, STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND ESPECIALLY HEADING FOR THE HALL ARE THREE OF THE BEST LOOKING INSERT SETS OF THE 90S. TOP TOPS STUFF. THE BRONZE PARALLELS ARE PRETTY NICE THEMSELVES, THIS IS THE CLOSEST THING YOU'LL PROBABLY EVER GET TO A BIP ROBERTS SUPERFRACTOR

ALL IN ALL THIS WAS A SUCCESSFUL WASTE OF AN AFTERNOON. ALSO PURCHASED WAS THAT PACK OF 1987 DONRUSS ALL-STARS, A JAMES BOND DVD AND AN OLD LEGENDS COLLECTABLES PRICE GUIDE WITH GRIFFEY ON THE COVER. FUN STUFF AND MUCH BETTER THAN A NEW STORE WITH A BUNCH OF SLABS

*REMIND ME TO DO A SERIES OF POSTS FOR THE CHAOS BINDERS ON HERE. THE PREVIOUS ONES WERE THREADS ON TWITTER AND WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THAT PLACE IS GONNA LAST

**MAN, THE ATLANTA OLYMPICS REALLY DID A NUMBER ON TRADING CARDS. HOW MANY LATE 90S SETS HAVE A BRONZE/SILVER/GOLD THEME WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RARITY. HOW MANY SETS STILL DO THIS NONSENSE

FOLLOWUP TO DEEP THOUGHTS

I SAID I'D GO BACK AND RESCUE SOME OF THOSE CARDS I LEFT BEHIND IN THAT DOLLAR BOX POST AND I DONE DOOD IT. I ONLY RESCUED THREE OF THEM THOUGH. AND PICKED UP THREE OTHERS I MISSED THE LAST TIME. HERE'S SIX DOLLAR BOX CARDS AND A FEW MORE REGRETS 

RESCUED: 1996 PACIFIC PRISM RAMON MARTINEZ LANZADORES DE BOLA DURA

AKA FLAME THROWERS. I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE THE PHOTO BECAUSE IT IS PURE HELL TRYING TO GET THE CARD BACK INTO A PENNY SLEEVE WITH ALL THOSE LITTLE POINTS AT THE END OF THE FLAMES. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS CARD IS FLAMING AMAZEBALLS. IT'S GOT A UNIQUE DESIGN, INTRICATE DIE CUTTING AND SOME REALLY NEAT GOLD FOIL STAMPING AS PART OF THE DESIGN. THESE WERE A ONE IN 73 PACK INSERT SO WERE FAIRLY DIFFICULT TO PULL. ALTHOUGH WHEN A DIE CUT CARD IS INSERTED INTO A TWO CARD PACK, YOU CHANCES OF PULLING ONE INCREASE GREATLY IF YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON TO GET THEIR HANDS ON THE BOX

THE 1996 PRISM SET IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY ONE TO GET AWAY FROM THE DAZZLING HOLOFOIL PATTERN USED IN THE OTHER PRISM SETS AND PREVIOUS INSERTS, USING AN ODD FOIL PATTERN INSTEAD. IT'S ALSO THE FIRST ONE TO HAVE INSERTS, THIS ONE AND TWO OTHERS WITH HEAVY HEAVY FOIL ALL OVER THEM. THOSE PRISM SETS WERE BRUTAL TO COLLECT, 144 CARDS AT ONE CARD PER PACK PLUS A LOGO FILLER CARD FOR OVER TWO BUCKS A SWING IF YOU COULD EVEN FIND THEM. IT'S FUN TO FIND THEM OUT IN THE WILD BUT YOU MAY BE LOOKING FOR A WHILE

NEW FIND: 1999 STADIUM CLUB JEFF BAGWELL TRIUMVIRATE LUMINOUS

TOPPS GOT THEIR LUNCH EATEN BY JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER MANUFACTURER OUT THERE IN THE 90S BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THEY DID SOMETHING WILD LIKE THIS. TRIUMVERATE WERE A TRULY WEIRD INSERT IN 1998 AND 1999 STADIUM CLUB. EACH 'CARD' WAS THREE DIFFERENT CARDS THAT WERE DIE CUT WITHIN AN INCH OF THEIR LIVES THAT FIT TOGETHER LIKE PUZZLE PIECES. IN ADDITION THERE WERE THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF EACH CARD: LUMINOUS IS BASICALLY CHROME, LUMINESCENT IS A REFRACTOR, AND ILLUMINATOR IS ACETATE. THERE'S ALSO FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL VERSIONS IF YOU WANT TO TRY TO CHASE YET ANOTHER SCARCE MICHAEL JORDAN INSERT. TOPPS TRIED TO RESURRECT THE CONCEPT FOR STADIUM CLUB IN 2014 AND 2022 BUT THE DIE CUTTING WAS MINIMAL AND THE CARDS ARE LAME

THESE CARDS AREN'T TERRIBLY SCARCE, THERE'S MAYBE A COUPLE THOUSAND OF EACH ACROSS ALL RARITY VERSIONS, BUT THEY'RE STILL A NICE SURPRISE WHEN THEY POP UP. THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT DIE-CUT DESIGNS, ONE FOR EACH SERIES IN 98-99. WITH CAREFUL PLANNING YOU CAN GET A TYPE CARD OF EACH DESIGN AND RARITY TO COMPLETE FOUR DIFFERENT PUZZLES. I PULLED A FEW OF THESE BACK IN THE DAY AND WHILE IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT, ACTUALLY PUTTING THE PUZZLE TOGETHER IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WITHOUT FEELING LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO DESTROY THE  CARDS. MY PERSONAL RANKINGS ON THE DESIGNS ARE:

#1 - 1998 SERIES 1 STITCHING DESIGN

#2 - 1999 SERIES 2 BASEBALL DIAMOND DESIGN

#3 - 1998 SERIES 1 GLOVE DESIGN

#4 - 1999 SERIES 2 BLOCKS DESIGN

STILL LEFT BEHIND: ALL THOSE NON-DIE CUT EARLY 90S UPPER DECK INSERTS I NEED. I STILL FEEL LIKE THOSE SHOULD BE PRICED AT LIKE A QUARTER

RESCUED: 1998-99 FLEER ULTRA ALLEN IVERSON UNSTOPPABLE

I WAS VERY COMPELLED TO RESCUE A 1:36 PACKS LATE NINETIES BASKETBALL INSERT OF A HALL OF FAMER. ESPECIALLY ONE THAT I DON'T ALREADY HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF. IT'S JUST SOOOO DAMN UGLY. THIS IS THE FRONT DESIGN WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED AS THE BOX FOR A FLEER METAL SET, NOT A SCARCE INSERT. THERE'S MORE GIMMICKS THOUGH, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CARD IS ACTUALLY A FLAP YOU CAN FOLD OVER TO SEE AN ACTUAL FULL SIZED PICTURE OF THE PLAYER. IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD! BUT TO SEE IT YOU HAVE TO FOLD A FOIL CARD IN HALF AND I DO NOT HAVE THE NERVER TO DO SUCH A THING YET. WHICH IS RIDICULOUS, BECAUSE THE CARD IS UGLY AND IT WILL NEVER SELL FOR MORE THAN ABOUT 5-10 BUCKS BUT I'VE BEEN TRAINED SINCE THE EARLY 90S TO NOT MANGLE RARE, EXPENSIVE CARDS BECAUSE I WILL REGRET IT FOREVER. I'M SUCH A DOOFUS. FOLD THE CARD, IDIOT! BUT I HAVE NOT. HERE'S A RODMAN CARD ON COMC WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. SO MUCH BETTER, RIGHT?! THE PLAYER BUSTING THROUGH THE METAL BASKETBALL LOOKS GREAT. MAYBE ONE DAY I WILL NOT BE A COWARD

HERE'S THE BACK. FOR THE RECORD THE BACK IS NOT NEARLY AS GOOD THE MIDDLE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING. PRETTY TYPICAL FLEER INSERT BACK, REALLY. REHASH OF THE FRONT, SMALL PICTURE OF THE PLAYER, CARD NUMBER IN A RANDOM LOCATION. IT'S FINE

NEW FIND: 2020 PANINI CONTENDERS DRAFT PICKS ANTHONY EDWARDS 2020 DRAFT CLASS

SO FAR MY PICKS HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT SCARCE 90S INSERTS FROM POPULAR SETS WORTH LIKE 5 BUCKS THAT LOOK COOL AND ARE A BIT OF A BARGAIN. THIS CARD IS NEW, NOT COOL AT ALL, FROM A SET THAT COLLECTORS ACTIVELY HATE AND COULD PROBABLY BE FOUND CHEAPER IF I LOOKED A LITTLE BIT. IT'S GOT AN UGLY PANINI DESIGN TOO! I HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR THIS, I LIKE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CARDS, THIS IS A UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CARD, SO I HAD TO GET THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CARD. THERE ARE ALSO WAY LESS BASKETBALL BULLDOG CARDS AND THIS IS ONE OF AN ACTUAL GOOD PLAYER. SHAME ABOUT BEING STUCK IN MINNESOTA, BUT HE PLAYS GOOD

I DO LIKE THE BACK DESIGN WHERE THEY JUST SAID SCREW IT, GIGANTIC FONT AND CALLED IT A DAY. THERE ARE LIKE A HUNDRED OTHER CARDS I COULD'VE PICKED UP THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER THAN THIS ONE, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE I HAVE NO OTHER ANTHONY EDWARDS CARDS AND THAT COLOR SWAP PACKERS LOGO MAKES ME HAPPY

STILL LEFT BEHIND: I WAS WRONG ABOUT THE WEIRD E-X INSERT LAST TIME, IT WAS ACTUALLY A TONY BATTIE CARD, NOT SHANE BATTIER. MAH BAD. I'LL PROBABLY REGRET PASSING ON IT ONE DAY SINCE IT'S SUCH AN ODDBALL. I ALSO PASSED ON ALL THOSE HAWKS ROOKIES LIKE HUNTER AND OKONGWU. IT'S STILL UP IN THE AIR IF ANY OF THEM WILL BE LEFT ON THE TEAM IF THE HAWKS HIT THE TRADE MARKET, PLUS I CAN DEFINITELY GET THOSE CHEAPER ONLINE

RESCUED: 1997 SKYBOX E-X 2000 HIDEO NOMO

MAYBE THE BEST SET OF THE 90S. JUST LOOK AT IT. A GIGANTIC PHOTO TAKING UP THE WHOLE CARD ON TOP OF A SHINY HOLOFOIL BORDER FRAMING A WINDOW OF PEACEFUL FLUFFY CLOUDS. I KINDA THINK CARDS PEAKED RIGHT HERE. I BARELY HAVE A QUARTER OF THE SET AND NOW I HAVE SLIGHTLY MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE SET. IF I SNEAK IN MY BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL VERSIONS INTO THE PILE. I NEVER BOUGHT ANY PACKS OF THEIS STUFF BECAUSE I WAS ALL 'EW, THAT'S TOO MUCH MONEY FOR NOT ENOUGH CARDS' BUT I'D TRADE A WHOLE BOX OF THE CHEAP JUNK I DID PICK UP FOR A FEW OF THESE NOW

SINCE EX-2000 IS ESSENTIALLY AN ACETATE SET PRINTED ON CARDBOARD, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT YOU CAN DO WITH THE BACK BUT THIS DOES IT WELL ENOUGH. I NEED TO TRACK DOWN A PILE OF THESE SO I CAN PUT THEM IN PAGES WITHOUT HALF OF THEM BEING COMPLETELY EMPTY. I'M ONLY HALF KIDDING ABOUT FRANKENSETTING THIS WITH FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL CARDS. I MIGHT DO IT IF THE OTHER SPORTS WEREN'T EVEN HARDER TO FIND. I WISH THE 90S SETS I WANTED TO COMPLETE WEREN'T THE ONES EVERYONE ELSE IS HARDING, WHY CAN'T I GET OBSESSED WITH A COLLECTOR'S CHOICE SET FOR ONCE

NEW FIND: 2022 PANINI CHRONICLES PHOENIX RONALD ACUÑA JR.

I LOVE ACUÑA AND I LOVE CHRONICLES SO THIS  WAS A PRETTY EASY CHOICE FOR ME ONCE I FOUND IT. THE ACTUAL OFFICIAL  BRAVES BOX UP AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE ACUÑA CARDS WERE LIKE FIVE BUCKS A THROW SO THIS WAS A FORTUNATE FIND. I'M HONESTLY A LITTLE NERVOUS THAT RONALD MIGHT REPLACE ONE OF THE CURRENT HOBBY DARLINGS THAT THE WHALES LOVE AND CAUSE PRICES TO GO NUTSO WITH THE SEASON HE'S HAVING. I'M GLAD I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PICK UP SOME CHEAPOS WHILE I CAN. PHOENIX IS A B-TIER CHRONICLES PRODUCT BUT IT'S NICE ENOUGH AND THE SHADES LOOK COOL

MY CURRENT OBSESSION WITH CHRONICLES IS STRANGE EVEN TO ME, BUT I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE TWO CHRONICLES THINGS I ACTUALLY LIKE ARE CHEAP SINGLE CARDS, PREFERABLY OF PLAYERS I LIKE (OR AT LEAST HAVE HEARD OF) AND THE SEVEN DOLLAR RACK PACKS. I SAW SOME BLASTERS AND WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY THINKING CHARGING 25 BUCKS FOR 20 CARDS?? THERE'S EVEN SOME 15 DOLLAR 30 CARD RACK PACKS, WHO IS BUYING THE RIPOFF BLASTERS. THE 2022-23 NBA SET  IS ABOUT TO BE RELEASED AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO USE SOME RESTRAINT AND JUST LIMIT MYSELF TO A SINGLE PACK. THE CARDS I REALLY WANT ARE ALL TRAE AND EVERYONE HATES HIM RIGHT NOW SO I'D PROBABLY BE BETTER OFF PICKING THEM UP INDIVIDUALLY. I WONDER IF THOSE PACKS WILL LINGER FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS LIKE THE DRAFT PACKS HAVE. I WISH THE BASEBALL PACKS WOULD DO THE SAME

STILL LEFT BEHIND: THERE WAS A CRAPLOAD OF RECENT STADIUM CLUB BRAVES CARDS IN THE BOX AND THE AUSTIN RILEY CARD OF HIM CELEBRATING AND POPPING CHAMPAIGNE HURT TO PASS UP. I ALSO FOUND A DIFFERENT ACUÑA CARD FROM CHROME UPDATE BUT I LIKE CHRONICLES BETTER. I ALSO ALSO FOUND ANOTHER E-X 2000 CARD, THIS TIME OF NOMAR GARCIAPARRA. YEP, I NEED IT. UGH, MAYBE I NEED TO GO HIT THE DOLLAR BOX ON MY LUNCH BREAK

SO WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? FIRST, I AM UPPING MY DOLLAR BOX LIMIT TO 6 CARDS. EVERY TIME I TRY TO KEEP IT TO FIVE BUCKS I FIND SIX CARDS. NOW I WILL FIND SEVEN CARDS I CAN'T PASS UP INSTEAD. HOORAY! MORE CARDS! I'M ALSO NOTICING THAT WITH THE TIGHT LIMITS I'M MOSTLY GOING FOR THE NICEST CARDS THAT FIT A SET OR PLAYER COLLECTION MIXED IN WITH SOME NICE SHINY INSERTS THAT DAZZLE MY EYES. THAT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD FOCUS, AT LEAST FOR ME. WE AREN'T DONE WITH THE DOLLAR BOXES EITHER, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER POST

IF I LOSE MY MIND AND BUILD A TRIUMVIRATE FRANKENCARD OR FOLD ANY INSERTS YOU ALL WILL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

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

Ze Card Show, It Has Been Hit

Went to Roger's show today. The card I will forever regret passing up for today: 1953 Topps Satchel Paige for $100. I had it in my hands. I had the money in my pocket. I bought 26 other cards instead for well under a C-Note. I am a bloody FOOOOOOOOOOOOL.

My loss is your gain! I now have another  "Top Twenty From the Card Show" series to post (by request). Here are the 6 cards that did not make the top 20 cut:

Not surprisingly, they are all from the dollar box and half of them will probably be in packages to be sent out by the end of the month.

Top 20 startes tomorrow night, Right now I'm going to go drink at a Hockey game. Toodles!

I'd buy that for a dollar

For one dollar, you could buy this 2006 Chrome rookie card of Wil Nieves...

Or you could get the actual Wil Nieves.

This card doesn't belong in a dollar box

Am I just overestimating Don Drysdale? Was I tricked into thinking he was a legend by the Brady Bunch episode he was in? Am I wrong to think a 1965 (!) Topps card of Don Drysdale has no business being in a dollar box? There was a 1966 Drysdale in there too! That one had a nibble taken out of a corner by a mouse and well, it was an inferior '66 Topps card, but still! The guy is a Hall of Famer, right??

as good as the front is, the back is better. Lookit that stat line - 237 Ks with a 2.19 ERA. And a record of 18-16 which means the win stat is - and has always been -  fucking useless. The best is the cartoon. Don hit 7 homers 7 years before this card came out. so of course this could only mean...

ANOTHER RUTH?

Cartoon Don doesn't seem to be trying to dispel the idea....

Also inexplicably in the dollar box:

1961 Topps second year Hondo (there must not be a big demand for Dodgers 'round these parts)

And a 1951 Bowman Stan Lopata. Ok, it's in *ahem* well-worn condition, but how do you sell a card with a purple cinderblock wall for a background so cheaply? It's a wonder these guys stay in business....