A FUN DAY AT THE ANTIQUE MALL

GOOD NEWS! I FIGURED OUT A THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS. I STILL HAVE TO DIG OUT THE CARDS AND GET PICS AND WRITE EVERYTHING IN A RUSHED PANIC BUT WE ARE GOOD TO GO. HOWEVER I JUST REALIZED THAT STARTS IN FIVE DAYS AND I HAVE TWENTY DRAFT POSTS I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING. IT'S FEAST OR FAMINE FOR YOU LOYAL BLOG READERS, GET FAT WHILE YOU CAN. SO BASICALLY I CAN GET MAYBE TWO OR THREE POSTS UP BEFORE HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES EATS UP THE REST OF THE YEAR. SO I GOTTA CHOOSE THE POSTS TO WORK ON WISELY. THIS ONE SHOULD HAVE GONE UP FOUR MONTHS AGO BUT I WAS AFRAID ONE OF YOU WOULD DRIVE TO GEORGIA AND BUY A THING IN THIS POST I WANTED BUT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET. THAT WAS MY EXCUSE FOR PROCRASTINATING AT LEAST. BUT THIS IS A HELLUVA POST AND I WANT TO GET IT OUT BEFORE I BURN OUT AGAIN. YES IT'S ANOTHER ONE WITH AN INSANE AMOUNT OF IMAGES I SWORE I'D STOP DOING. JUST A WARNING TO THE BASEBALL CARD GUYS IN THE AUDIENCE: THERE IS A WHOLE BUNCHA LOTTA JUNK IN THIS POST BUT I PROMISE YOU IF YOU HANG IN THERE YOU'LL SEE SOME NEAT BASEBALL AND/OR CARD STUFF

IN A RECENT POST, I MENTIONED MY FAVORITE ANTIQUE MALL BECAME CONDOS OVER THE PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN. IT WAS MOSTLY MY FAVORITE BECAUSE IT WAS THE CLOSEST, BUT IT HAD A LOT OF NIFTY STUFF IN IT AND WAS A FUN WAY TO MURDER AN HOUR OR TWO ON A DAY OFF. WHILE I DO LIKE BUYING STUFF AT THEM, I VIEW ANTIQUE MALLS AS MORE OF A TRASH MUSEUM. A SINGLE BUILDING WITH JUST A HUGE AMOUNT OF COOL THINGS AND OBSCURE EPHEMERA JUST OLD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THOSE HAPPY NOSTALGIA NEURONS TO FIRE OFF IN YOUR BRAIN. A MUSEUM WHERE THE ENTIRE BUILDING IS A GIFT SHOP WHERE YOU CAN CHOOSE A TRINKET TO MEMORIALIZE YOUR FUN DAY FROM THE ACTUAL EXHIBITS. THANKFULLY THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THESE ANTIQUE MALLS IN ATLANTA AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF DECIDING HOW FAR YOU'D LIKE TO DRIVE TO CHECK OUT SOME WEIRD OLD CRAP

MY SON HAD A JOB AT THE BRAVES' STADIUM THIS SUMMER SO I HAD MANY SUNDAY AFTERNOONS WHERE I HAD A FEW HOURS TO KILL BEFORE PICKING HIM UP AFTER THE GAME. USUALLY I'D HIT THE CARD SHOP OR BOOKSTORE OR MAYBE SEE A MOVIE BUT THIS PARTICULAR AFTERNOON I DECIDED TO HIT GOODWILL TO SCROUNGE FOR TREASURES. I SCORED A BINDER OF POKEMON CARDS FROM THE 90S FOR UNDER TEN BUCKS AT THIS ONE ONE TIME AND KEPT GOING BACK TO SEE IF LIGHTNING WOULD STRIKE TWICE. I FOUND NO CARDS BUT WAS FASCINATED BY THIS POSTER:

THERE ARE MANY THINGS I WILL SHOW YOU IN THIS POST THAT I HAVE REGRETS FOR NOT BRINGING HOME WITH ME, BUT THIS BY FAR IS THE BIGGEST REGRET. I DON'T REMEMBER THE PRICE BUT WHETHER IT WAS TEN DOLLARS OR THIRTY, I ONLY HAD ABOUT NINE BUCKS AND CHANGE ON ME AT THE TIME. I CAN RATIONALIZE THE DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE FACT I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYWHERE TO HANG THIS UP BUT I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH THE MEMORY OF SEEING SUCH BEAUTY IN PERSON

THEY ALSO HAD THIS POSTER FOR SALE WHICH WAS INTERESTING ENOUGH TO TAKE A PICTURE OF AS LONG AS MY PHONE CAMERA WAS ON. THIS ONE WAS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE ROSS FOR SOME REASON

AFTER GOODWILL I WANDERED NEXT DOOR TO BIG LOTS BECAUSE SOMEONE ON TWITTER MENTIONED THEY HAD DISCOUNTED OLD HANGER RACKS OF BASEBALL CARDS. I FOUND NO BASEBALL CARDS AT ALL, BUT THERE WAS SOME ODDBALL COLLECTOR STUFF LIKE BLINDBAGS AND A LUMP OF DIRT INSIDE A CARDBOARD BOX SHAPED LIKE A GOLD BAR WHERE YOU COULD FIND GEMS AND REAL GOLD. I ALSO FOUND THESE CHAIR MATS FOR TWENTY BUCKS EACH AND I TOOK PICTURES OF THE CLEAR AND FAKE WOOD VARIETY TO SHOW MY WIFE IF THEY WERE THE RIGHT SIZE TO WORK WITH MY ODDBALL DESK, WHICH THEY WERE NOT. I FORGOT TO DELETE THE PICTURES THOUGH AND ACCIDENTALLY UPLOADED THEM SO NOW THEY ARE PART OF THE NARRATIVE. DO YOU SEE WHY I SOMETIMES HAVE PROBLEMS WRITING POSTS FOR MONTHS AT A TIME NOW???

GOODWILL AND BIG LOTS WERE MOSTLY A BUST AND I HAD A LOT MORE TIME TO KILL. I REMEMBERED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER LITTLE STRIP MALL BEHIND THE GOODWILL THAT HAD... AN ANTIQUE MALL! I HAD BEEN THERE ONCE AND SAW A GRACE JONES ALBUM THAT LOOKED COOL BUT I DIDN'T BUY IT. COULD IT STILL BE THERE? (THE ANSWER IS OF COURSE NOT, THAT WAS LIKE SEVEN YEARS AGO) BUT IT WAS AN EXCUSE TO CHECK IT OUT SO INSIDE I WENT. FOR SOME REASON I WENT IN, TOOK AN IMMEDIATE LEFT, CHECKED OUT A BOOTH AND INSTANTLY SAW THE THING THAT WOULD COME HOME WITH ME

NO IT'S NOT THIS. THIS WAS AT THE SAME BOOTH, WHICH SPECIALIZED IN VINTAGE TOYS AND ASSORTED COLLECTIBLES. I TOOK A PIC OF THE THING I BOUGHT BUT THAT WAS THE LAST PHOTO I TOOK. YOU CAN SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM IF THE SUSPENSE IS TOO MUCH. IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME TO TAKE PICTURES IN THE JUNK MUSEUM INTIL I WAS UTTERLY GOBSMACKED BY A SMALL PILE OF 8MM MARILYN MONROE STAG FILMS STACKED UP IN FRONT OF SOME VINTAGE HANDHELD PINBALL GAMES. UNLIKE LITERALLY  EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE BOOTH THERE WAS NO PRICE TAG WRITTEN ON THIS ONE SO I HAVE TO ASSUME THEY WERE STILL FIFTY BUCKS EACH. THEY WERE GONE ON MY SUBSEQUENT TRIP SO SOMEBODY GOT 'EM

SAME BOOTH, A CHEESECAKE PHOTO OF SARAH JESSICA PARKER WITH A CUT SIGNATURE OF DUBIOUS PROVENANCE FOR FITEEN BUCKS. I'M GIVING A BAD IMPRESSION OF THIS BOOTH, IT REALLY IS MOSTLY VINTAGE TOYS AND PAPER EPHEMERA BUT I TOOK PICS OF THE TWO MOST PERVY THINGS BECAUSE, WELL, I'M A PERV I GUESS

THE DAY'S REGRET COUNTER: 2

AN ATLANTA UNITED MLS CHAMPIONS METAL BEER THINGY. ANOTHER PIECE OF WALL ART I HAVE NOWHERE TO PUT BUT I'D BUILD A WALL OR SOMETHING TO HANG IT UP ON

THE DAY'S NOSTALGIA PANG COUNTER: 1

MY MOM LIKES TO SEW AND I SAW THIS VINTAGE SEWING STUFF SO I TOOK SOME PICS FOR HER IN CASE SHE WAS INTERESTED. PARAPHRASED, HER REACTION WAS BASICALLY 'I GOT TOO MUCH OF THIS CRAP ALREADY'. IN REALITY, MY GRANDMOTHER ALSO LIKES TO SEW AND SHE HAD A LOT OF WOODEN SPOOLS OF THREAD AND OLD CLOTHES PATTERNS FROM THE 60S AND 70S AND LOOKING AT THESE IS DREDGING UP OLD FEELINGS

BOBBLEYHEADS AND AUTOMAGRAPHS! THIS APPEARS TO BE THE WESTERN ANNEX OF JT'S CARD SHOP. IT WAS FUN TO TAKE A LOOK BUT MY SINGLE DIGIT BUDGET MEANT THERE WAS NOTHING HERE FOR ME

THERE WERE SEVERAL FRAMED REPRODUCTIONS OF OLD COMIC COVERS FOR SALE. I TOOK A PIC OF THIS ONE BECAUSE I LIKE MOON KNIGHT, AND LO AND BEHOLD, IN THE TIME IT TOOK TO FINALLY WRITE UP THIS POST WEREWOLF BY NIGHT HAS ALSO BECOME A THING THANKS TO OUR EVIL MOUSE OVERLORDS

HELLZAPOPPIN!

I DISCOVERED THIS FILM LAST YEAR AND I ABSOLUTELY ADORE IT. IT'S KINDA HARD TO FIND BUT THE OPENING THIRTEEN MINUTES ARE ON YOUTUBE I THINK NEVERMIND THE WHOLE THING'S ON YOUTUBE. IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE WATCH THOSE FIRST THIRTEEN MINUTES BEFORE IT TURNS INTO A REAL MOVIE, IT'S THE MOST LOONEY-TUNES-ASS CINEMA I'VE EVER SEEN. THE VERY FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS IN THE FILM IS SHEMP HOWARD PULLS A LEVER THAT DROPS A BUNCH OF CHORUS GIRLS DOWN INTO ACTUAL HELL FLAMES AND DEVILS WITH PITCHFORKS AND SHIT AND THEN IT GETS WEIRD

THIS IS THE PROGRAM FOR THE BROADWAY SHOW I THINK AND IT HAS GOT AN EXTREMELY COOL AESTHETIC. A BUNCH OF 1940S HEPCATS DEBAUCHERIZING AND CAROUSING AND GENERALLY BEING INAPPROPRIATE. THIS WAS THE LONGEST RUNNING BROADWAY SHOW FOR A WHILE BEFORE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER RUINED EVERYTHING 

THIS IS ANOTHER FAVORITE BOOTH WITH JUST TONS OF OLD CARDS AND MAGAZINES AND GENERAL EPHEMERA. THERE ARE LIKE FIFTY THINGS I WANT TO BUY FROM HERE INCLUDING A PILE OF OLD VICTORIAN ADVERTISING CARDS 

FINALLY SOME BASEBALL! I TOLD YA TO HANG ON. THERE'S A FEW SPORTS MAGAZINES AND PROGRAMS AND PHOTOS TO GO ALONG WITH THE OLD AD CARDS AND BROADWAY PLAYBILLS. THIS ONE HERE IS A PAGE REMOVED FROM SOME MAGAZINE OR BOOK AND SIGNED BY HALL OF FAMER GEORGE KELL. I KINDA WISH THE WHOLE BOOK WAS THERE IT LOOKS LIKE A GREAT BOOK

SO THERE *ARE* SOME TRADING CARDS IN THIS PLACE BUT THERE'S A GENERAL RULE ABOUT TRADING CARDS BEING SOLD IN PLACES WHERE TRADING CARDS ARE NOT NORMALLY SOLD. IF IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD DEAL, IT'S PROBABLY ALREADY GONE. SO YOU USUALLY ONLY FIND THE STUFF WITH LUDICROUS PRICES, LIKE THIS JUNKWAX ERA SUBSET CARD FOR TWENTY BUCKS. YES, IT IS MICHAEL JORDAN, BUT SERIOUSLY C'MON. SOMEONE WILL EVENTUALLY BUY IT THOUGH AND BE HAPPY THEY DID. I DO APPRECIATE THE SOMEWHAT INGENIOUS WAY OF SELLING INDIVIDUAL CARDS LOOSE IN AN UNMONITORED ANTIQUE MALL BY TAPING A CARD IN A PENNY SLEEVE TO A LARGE INDEX CARD AND THEN PUTTING A PLASTIC SLEEVE OVER THAT

THIS ONE GOT THE PRICE STICKER RIGHT ON THE CARD THOUGH

JUST LOL

IT MAY SEEM I'M DUNKING ON THIS BOOTH BUT IN REALITY IT HAS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF COOLNESS PER SQUARE INCH AND THAT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE HANDFUL PLACES WITH CARDS. THERE'S TOYS, GAMES, RECORDS, CASSETTE TAPES, COMICS, MAGAZINES, INCLUDING DIRTY ONES, GLASSES, PENNANTS AND ALL MANNER OF TCHOTCHKES AND COLLECTIBLES. ANYONE WANT A GIGANTIC DARRYL STRAWBERRY SUPERSTAR STATUE THAT GOT HIT BY A TRUCK FOR THIRTY BUCKS? TOO BAD IT'S ALREADY SOLD 

REGRET COUNTER: 3

I REGRET I RARELY HAVE THIRTY BUCKS TO BLOW ON AMAZINGLY COOL RECORDS LIKE THIS. THERE WILL BE MOAR RECORD REGRETS LATER ON

NOSTALGIA PANG COUNTER: 2

I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED CRACKED MAGAZINE BECAUSE WHILE IS IT NOT THE TOP-TIER HUMOR MAGAZINE, IT STILL HAD QUALITY STUFF AND SETTLED INTO ITS OWN PECULIAR NICHE. ONE OF ITS HALLMARKS ARE REGULAR SPECIAL ISSUES DEVOTED SOLELY TO FAMOUS MOVIE MONSTERS. THIS IS PROBABLY A BYPRODUCT OF THE MAG'S EARLY DAYS COINCIDING WITH THE HEYDAY OF FAMOUS MONSTERS AND OTHER MONSTER MAGS IN THE 60S AND CRACKED HOPPING ON TO RIDE SOME COATTAILS. I HAD SEVERAL OF THESE MONSTER MAGS WHEN I WAS A KID AND WOULDN'T MIND ADDING TO THE COLLECTION

NOSTALGIA PANG COUNTER: 3

THIS WAS THE TOP-TIER HUMOR MAGAZINE AND I'M MILDLY FURIOUS THAT WARNER TURNED IT INTO A ZOMBIE PUBLICATION RECENTLY. I GOT THIS GAME AS A KID AFTER BEGGING FOR IT AND WAS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED IT WAS A GENERIC BOARD GAME INSTEAD OF THE TABLETOP 23-MAN SQUAMISH I IMAGINED IT WOULD BE. IT DISAPPEARED SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, SOMETHING I DEEPLY REGRET JUST BECAUSE OF THAT AMAZING JACK DAVIS COVER

OH WAIT.

REGRET COUNTER: 4

I HAVE NEVER SEEN AND PROBABLY NEVER WILL SEE AGAIN A PETE ROSE MONTREAL EXPOS GLASS. I GOT A PIC OF IT SIMPLY TO PROVE TO MYSELF THAT IT EXISTS. A LOT OF YOU ARE SCREAMING AT ME TO UP THE REGRETS COUNTER RIGHT NOW BUT YOUR REGRETS ARE NOT MY REGRETS. I AM CONTENT SIMPLY KNOWING THIS EXISTS SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD

LAST PIC FROM THE COOL BUT SPENDY BOOTH IS A TUB FULL OF VINTAGEY COMICS. I LOVE HORROR ANTHOLOGY COMICS AND WHILE MY FAVES ARE OLD EC REPRINTS AND DC TITLES FROM THE 60S AND 70S I DO HAVE A SOMEWHAT BEMUSED APPRECIATION FOR THE MARVEL HORROR TITLES. MARVEL HORROR FALLS INTO TWO CATEGORIES: AWKWARDLY SHOVING A CLASSIC MONSTER INTO A SUPERHERO MOLD LIKE WITH WEREWOLF BY NIGHT OR TOMB OF DRACULA, OR A WEIRDLY POSITIVE APING OF THE EC HORROR TALES. IN EC COMICS AND ITS DC DESCENDENTS THERE'S A LOT OF TWIST ENDINGS WHERE THE VICTIM SUFFERS A HORRIBLE AND SOMEWHAT DESERVED FATE. THEY ARE VERY DARK AND MEAN SPIRITED ABOUT THEIR TERRIFYING TALES. MARVEL IS ALMOST THE EXACT OPPOSITE, IN MOST OF THE STORIES I'VE READ THEY END UP WITH LEGIT HAPPY ENDINGS WHERE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT IN THE END. IN A HORROR COMIC! IT SOUNDS ABSURD ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THE MOST VILE, DISGUSTING HORROR STORIES ARE MAINSTREAM BUT IT WEIRDLY WORKS. IT HELPS WHEN JACK KIRBY OR STEVE DITKO IS DRAWING THE COMIC TO BE SURE. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG HAS NEVER BEEN MY THING BUT I WAS A LITTLE STUNNED THAT THE SONIC COMIC THAT CAME OUT AFTER THE 90S COMIC CRASH COST SIX TIMES AS MUCH AS THE HORROR COMIC THAT'S OLDER THAN I AM. I DON'T KNOW IF I REGRET I DIDN'T BUY THE COMIC WITH THE GIANT MONKEY ON THE COVER OR THAT I LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE SONIC IS THAT MUCH MORE POPULAR THAN COMICS WITH GIANT MONKEYS ON THE COVER BUT I'M PRETTY SURE I REGRET SOMETHING

REGRET COUNTER: 5

NOSTALGIA PANG COUNTER: 4

I HAD THIS TOY AS A TINY TINY CHILD AND I REMEMBER PLAYING IT BY MYSELF IN MY GRANDPARENTS'S FLORIDA ROOM AND THINKING IT WAS ABSURD THAT IT WAS BASICALLY A CRAPSHOOT WHEN YOU THREW THE BEANBAG AT A SQUARE TRYING TO GET AN X OR AN O. IT WAS HARD ENOUGH TO HIT THE SQUARE YOU WERE AIMING AT WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE KID, LET ALONE HIT IT AT THE EXACT SPOT SO IT SPUN TO THE SYMBOL YOU WANTED AND NOT HIT IT TOO HARD SO IT SPUN MORE THAN ONCE AND LANDED ON THE WRONG ONE. I DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE PRICE FOR THIS THING, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE PRICE OF MY YOUTH

WARIO HOT WHEELS!!!

I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS OTHER THAN WARIO HOT WHEELS!!!

NOSTALGIA PANG COUNTER: 5

THIS IS THE COCA-COLA CAPITAL OF THE WORLD THESE ANCIENT WOODEN COCA-COLA CRATES CAN STILL BE FOUND EVERYWHERE. IT MIGHT BE A LAW THAT TO GET YOUR ANTIQUE STORE LICENSE YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE OF THESE ON THE PREMISES AT ALL TIME, EVEN IF YOU SELL ONE. THIS IS ANOTHER THING WE HAD IN THE HOUSE WHEN I WAS A KID AND THAT CHUNKY RED-PAINTED WOOD HELD TOGETHER WITH METAL BRACKETS HITS ME IN A GOOD WAY

SOMETHING ABOUT THIS TABLEAU OF VINTAGE TOOLS WITH THE WELL-WORN MURDER AXE AND COLLECTION OF CLUE WEAPONRY AMUSED ME

THE AESTHETICS OF THIS ART PROJECT OF A BEAN SACK PLACED IN A RUSTIC WOODEN FRAME APPEALS TO ME IN SOME WAY. THE ONLY PLACE I COULD EVER THINK TO HANG IT IS IF I SOMEHOW BECAME THE OWNER OF A COWBOY BAR BUT WEIRDLY I DIG IT, AND NOT JUST FOR THE PONY

THE BIG CHICKEN

I LOVE THE BIG CHICKEN AND I REGRET NEVER CRAFTING MY OWN TINY BIG CHICKEN BIRDHOUSE WITH GOOGLY EYES MYSELF

REGRET COUNTER: 6

REGRET COUNTER: 7

I WAS TAKEN ABACK AT SEEING AN ELVIS EP FOR ONLY $2.50 AND THEN REALIZED THE DISC WAS MISSING. AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT FOR A BIT THOUGH I'M NOT CERTAIN YOU'RE GOING TO FIND A BETTER VINTAGE PHOTO OF THE KING FOR THAT PRICE. SOUNDS ODD, BUT I COLLECT CARDBOARD AND THAT IS A REALLY NICE PIECE OF CARDBOARD RIGHT THERE, EVEN IF IT IS MISSING THE WAX. TRY TO FIND AN ELVIS TRADING CARD THAT OLD FOR THE PRICE, I DARE YOU

MOAR CARDS!!!

THIS BOOTH IS FILLED WITH COMICS, BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE BOXES OF VINTAGE WAX PACKS ON THE COUNTER. NINJA TURTLES ARE COOL BUT I HAVE A HARD TIME BUYING PACKS I USED TO GET FOUR FOR A BUCK AT THE DOLLAR TREE FOR THREE BUCKS A THROW. THERE WAS A BOX OF BATMAN PACKS AT THE SAME PRICE. I DIDN'T GET TO CHECK OUT THE COMICS MUCH BECAUSE THERE WERE A COUPLE RIVAL NERDS HOGGING THE PLACE

UNEXPECTED RAINBOW BRITE BEER GLASSES PEERING DOWN UPON ME. I DON'T QUITE GET IT BUT I CAN'T REALLY SAY MUCH ABOUT PEOPLE'S TASTE IN BEER GLASSES. I'LL EXPLAIN LATER

UNEXPECTED WAX BOX IN A CASE. MOST CASES WERE FILLED WITH COINS AND JEWELRY AND ACTUAL VALUABLE STUFF SO I WAS HAPPY TO SEE SOME BASEBALL CARDS MANAGED TO WORK ITSELF INTO A SPACE REQUIRING A KEY. THIRTY TWO BUCKS PROBABLY AIN'T A BAD PRICE FOR A BOX OF THIS STUFF ANYMORE I GUESS. IT'S NOT THERE ANYMORE AT LEAST. I HOPE WHOEVER GOT IT DIDN'T END UP WITH BRICKS OR WISELY DECIDED TO KEEP THE WRAPPING ON

I RIPPED TOO MUCH OF THIS STUFF BACK IN THE DAY ESPECIALLY SEEING HOW I COULD NOW BUY A COMPLETE SET FOR THREE BUCKS AT JT'S. DOES THIS MAKE IT NOSTALGIC? KINDA, BUT I'M ONLY GIVING IT HALF A POINT

NOSTALGIA PANG COUNTER: 5.5

NOSTALGIA PANG COUNTER: 6.5

WE NEVER HAD ONE THIS OLD BUT MY GRANDPARENTS HAD SEVERAL TYPEWRITERS FROM THEIR OLD BUSINESS INCLUDING AN AMAZING CLUNKY ELECTRIC ONE. SADLY ALL OFF THEM DISAPPEARED AND I DIDN'T HANG ONTO ONE OF THEM. I TRIED PICKING UP A CHEAP ELECTRIC ONE AT THE FLEA MARKET YEARS AGO BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET IT TO WORK

THIS NEAT OLD FALCONS TEAM PHOTO CAUGHT MY EYE AND WAS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS IN MY PRICE RANGE. I MIGHT HAVE PICKED IT UP HAD I NOT BEEN A LIFE LONG STEELERS FAN, BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY AM A LIFE LONG STEELERS FAN AND HAVE NEVER ROOTED FOR ANY OTHER TEAM EVER

OH SNAP! THIS IS A COCA-COLA/WPLO RADIO PROMO! JUST LIKE THE BOB HORNER PRE-ROOKIE CARD I COVETED WHEN I WAS A KID! NOSTALGIA BOMB RIGHT IN THE FACE

NOSTALGIA PANG COUNTER: 7.5

WE HAVE REACHED THE RECORD CRATES BOOTH PORTION OF THE POST, WHICH TERRIFYINGLY IS ONLY ABOUT THE HALFWAY POINT. THIS STORE HAS A TON OF GREAT STUFF BOTH ON THE WALL AND HIDDEN IN THE CRATES AND THERE'S ALSO A SEPARATE ANNEX OF EVEN MORE CRATES HIDDEN IN THE BACK CORNER OF THE MALL. I MADE A CONCIOUS DECISION TO ONLY TAKE PICS OF FOUR RECORDS BECAUSE OTHERWISE I MIGHT'VE COMPLETELY FILLED UP MY PHONE MEMORY. IT WAS NOT A DECISION TO TAKE A BLURRY PICTURE OF THE BOOTH BUT IT SORTA LOOKS COOLER THAT WAY??

I FOUND SOME REALLY QUALITY RECORDS AND THEY MOSTLY HAD GREAT PRICES. I'M NOT SURE WHY I PASSED ON THIS BILLY COBHAM CLASSIC OTHER THAN I WAS LOW ON CASH

CLASSIC HIP-HOP WAS A LITTLE MORE SPENDY BUT THEN AGAIN IT IS MUUUUCH HARDER TO FIND

ANOTHER KILLER ALBUM FOR ONLY SEVEN BUCKS. THIS ONE'S A LITTLE MORE COMMON THAN THE LAST TWO AND YOU MIGHT GET LUCKY AND FIND IT AT A THRIFT STORE BUT WITH ANTIQUE MALL PRICING THIS IS USUALLY LIKE TWENTY BUCKS

THE ONLY TRULY PRICY DISCS AT THIS BOOTH WERE THE LEGENDARY ONES UP ON THE WALL. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER EVEN SEEN THIS ONE ON VINYL BEFORE. BUT I GOT IT ON CASSETTE SO NO REGRETS

A TINY PIRATE SHIP! VERY FUN. I ALSO LIKE THE HURRICANE LAMP NEXT TO IT

AFTER COCA-COLA PARAPHERNALIA THE SECOND MOST COMMON BRAND CRAP YOU'LL FIND IN ATLANTA IS ABANDONED EASTERN AIRLINES STUFF PICKED UP CHEAP AFTER THE BANKRUPTCY. DECKS OF PLAYING CARDS ARE THE MOST COMMON THING YOU'LL FIND BUT TRULY ODD STUFF LIKE THESE FIRST CLASS HIGHBALL GLASSES CAN BE FOUND AS WELL. GET HIGH ON THE DEFUNCT SKIES

RANDOM AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALLS IN A BOOTH YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT THERE TO BE HIGH-END SPORTS MEMORABILIA. THEN AGAIN I WASN'T EXPECTING TO SEE AUTOGRAPHS FROM TOM GLAVEN AND JOHN SMOKES EITHER

THIS IS HELLA COOL AND WAS JUST LYING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BOOTH WITH A BUNCH OF LEGIT ANTIQUEY STUFF. SADLY THERE WAS NO PRICE TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE AND NO ONE TO ASK. I HAD MORE OR LESS DECIDED WHAT I WAS GOING TO BUY AT THIS POINT THOUGH SO NO REGRETS

NOSTALGIA PANGS COUNTER: 8.5

I REMEMBER SEEING THIS DISPLAY ALL THE TIME IN GROCERY STORES WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE!!! THERE'S A FAN BLOWING AROUND LITTLE BITS OF STYROFOAM AND IT'S VERY NOISY! THIS THING PROBABLY GOT ME TO BUY MGD LITE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THIS IS WAY UP IN THE FRONT OF THE STORE AND THERE ARE SEVERAL GIGANTIC PROMOTIONAL THINGAMAJIGS ALONG WITH IT BUT NONE OF THEM MADE ME HAPPIER THAN THIS ONE

BASEBALL CARDS AND PLAYBOYS 10% OFF. YOU CAN GET AN IDEA OF HOW LONG THIS POST HAS BEEN PERCOLATING FROM THIS PIC. THESE ARE BOTH NOSTALGIC THINGS FROM MY YOUTH, BUT... NAH

I FOUND A LITTLE ARTSY STALL WITH SOME NEAT FAKE VINTAGE STUFF LIKE THIS VICTORIAN STYLE POSTCARD BOOKMARK. I REALLY LIKE THE LADY MOON WITH A BICYCLE HAT ON HER HEAD. IT'S SO QUIRKY I COULD PUKE. EVERY GOOD ANTIQUE MALL SHOULD HAVE A PLACE PEDDLING THE FAUX NOSTALGIA LIKE THIS

THE SAME PLACE HAD THESE NOVELTY MOTEL-STYLE KEYRINGS AND I LOOKED THROUGH EVERY SINGLE ONE THEY HAD AND CANNOT EXPRESS THE DISAPPOINTMENT I FELT THAT THERE WAS NOT ONE FOR THE GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL, TWIN PEAKS, WA,  ROOM 315. I'M GOING TO ASSUME THOSE IMMEDIATELY SOLD OUT AND MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE

REGRET COUNTER: 8

I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY AT THE TIME, BUT I WISH I HAD COME BACK A COUPLE WEEKS LATER WHEN I DID AND SNAPPED THESE UP NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT. 50 CENTS A POP FOR REPRINTS AIN'T THAT TERRIBLE NOW THAT THE ACTUAL CARDS ARE SO FAR OUT OF REACH

LOL

THIS WAS FIVE BUCKS

JUST LOL

THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS DECADENT AND DEPRAVED. AND YOU CAN BE TOO IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU DRINK OUTTA THIS

NOSTALGIA PANGS COUNTER: 9.5

I DID SOME SILK SCREEN ART IN HIGH SCHOOL AND IT WAS SUPER FUN. I WISH I HAD A WAY OF DOING IT NOW BUT I HAVE ENOUGH EXPENSIVE HOBBIES. HERE'S A WHOLE STACK OF USED SCREENS FOR THIRTY FIVE APIECE IF I RECALL CORRECTLY WITH THE DESIGNS STILL ON THEM. I LIKE THE FARMER DUDE ON THIS ONE

A PAGE OF OLD CIGARETTE CARDS FOR TWENTY BUCKS. NOT BAD, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A FAN OF BOATS AND TRAINS. THESE WERE LOCKED UP IN A CASE SO I'M NOT 100% CERTAIN HOW MUCH THE BICYCLE PAGE COST

THE NEXT CASE OVER HAD A YOGI AUTOGRAPH HIDDEN BEHIND SOME OLD TOYS. IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY IN THE MIRRORED BACKING OF THE CASE YOU'LL FIND A WALL OF FUNKO POPS AND THE CLOSEST THING TO A SELFIE YOU'RE GONNA GET FROM ME ON THIS BLOG

THERE WAS A LITTLE SECTION SELLING TOYS AND THE WAY THEY PACKAGED RANDOM LOOSE VINTAGE GAME PIECES AND SMALL TOYS INSIDE JARS SEEMED INGENIOUS TO ME. SURE SOMEONE MIGHT BUY IT FOR THE SPARE SCABBLE LETTERS BUT MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE WOULD WANT TO DECORATE THEIR HOUSE WITH IT. VERY CLEVER

THIS GIGANTIC ROOT BEER TAP FASCINATES ME. I'D NEVER WANT TO HAVE ONE BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE TO CLEAN BUT IT'S MERE EXISTANCE MAKES ME SMILE

I WAS LOOKING IN THE CORNER WITH THE ROOT BEER BARREL WHEN SUDDENLY THIS NIGHTMARE JUMPED OUT AT ME. MY FIRST REACTION WAS THAT I HAD WANDERED INTO THE HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS FLICK THE GRUESOME TWOSOME, BUT THE MORE I LOOKED AT IT THE MORE IT REMINDED ME OF DUSTY OLD LEFTOVER 60'S AESTHETIC I REMEMBER FROM MY CHILDHOOD. NOSTALGIA DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE A GOOD FEELING

NOSTALGIA PANGS COUNTER: 10.5

REGRET COUNTER: 9

NOSTALGIA PANGS COUNTER: 11.5

I REALLY SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS TWO-PACK OF OLD VHS TAPES FOR A COUPLE BUCKS. I PROBABLY HAD JUST ENOUGH MONEY ALTHOUGH I MIGHT HAVE HAD TO GO OUT TO THE CAR AND DIG FOR CHANGE IN THE SEATS. A PETER DAVISON DOCTOR WHO EPISODE AND DEER HUNTER DOUBLE FEATURE HAS TO BE A WINNER. PLUS I PROBABLY MISSED OUT ON SOME AMAZING VINTAGE COMMERCIALS

ONE THING I NOTICED WANDERING THROUGH THE MALL WAS THAT THERE WAS WAY MORE BUDDHAS THAN JESUSES. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN MY EXPERIENCE IN ANY SOUTHERN ANTIQUE STORE EVER. I GUESS WHEN COBB COUNTY TURNED PURPLE WE ALL JUST WENT HEATHEN. WORTH IT

VIDEO GAMES! HOW FUCKIN OLD AM I THAT VIDEO GAMES ARE GODDAMN LEGIT ANTIQUES NOW. THESE WERE IN A CASE  WAY IN THE BACK NEXT TO THE OVERFLOW RECORD CRATES. THEY ALL SEEM TO BE PRETTY DECENT PRICES AS WELL. COLLECTING VIDEO GAMES IS MY SON'S BAG THOUGH, I HAVE ENOUGH COLLECTIONS

NOSTALGIA PANGS COUNTER: 12.5

THIS IS THE SAME CHRONICLES OF NARNIA BOX I BOUGHT FROM THE SCHOOL BOOK SALE WHEN I WAS A KID. I THINK I STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF THE BOOKS BUT THE SLIP CASE IS LOOOONG GONE. IT WAS NICE TO SEE IT AGAIN

DISCO LUNCHBOX

DISCO LUNCHBOX

DISCO LUNCHBOX

DISCO LUNCHBOX

DISCO LUNCHBOX

DISCO LUNCHBOX

THIS ONE WAS COOL JUST FOR THE CRAZY OBSCURE FORMAT. THE FRENCH CONNECTION ON CAPACITANCE ELECTRONIC DISC FORMAT, WHICH IS LIKE, A MOVIE RECORD??? I LEARNED ABOUT THESE IN ONE OF FOONE'S MEGA TWITTER THREADS ON OBSCURE MEDIA FORMATS AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND ONE IN THE WILD

REGRET COUNTER:10

WHY DIDN'T I HAVE THIRTY DOLLARS??? RENEGADES OF FUNK HOLY SHIT. I WANT THIS HANGING ON MY WALL, SO FUCKING COOL

MY SON WAS OBSESSED WITH OLD CAMERAS FOR A LITTLE WHILE, I THOUGHT THIS SHELF FULL OF THEM WAS NEAT

I KINDA NEED A GOLDEN GIRLS PRAYER CANDLE. THIS CRACKS ME UP EVERY TIME I LOOK AT IT. LIGHT IT UP AND SEND MY PRAYERS TO ST. OLAF. I COULD NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS DECIDE ON WHICH ONE TO BUY HOWEVER I'D HAVE TO JUST GET ONE OF EACH

NOSTALGIA PANGS COUNTER: 13.5

I USED TO SEE THESE KIND OF OLD WELL WORN SCI-FI AND FANTASY BOOKS ALL THE TIME AT USED BOOKSTORES. THEY'RE ALL STILL THERE BUT THEY ARE MIXED IN WITH ALL THE NEW WELL WORN SCI-FI AND FANTASY BOOKS. AND COME TO THINK OF IT, THESE WERE FAIRLY NEW AT THE TIME. JUST SEEING A BUNCH OF SHELVES WITH NERDY BOOKS IS HEARTWARMING TO ME

AND NOW WE ARE BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR JOURNEY. I KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO TURN INTO A POST SO THE LAST THING I TOOK A  PICTURE OF WAS THE FIRST THING I HAD SEEN IN MY ANTIQUE MALL TRIP. A LITTLE ZIPLOC BAGGIE OF VINTAGE TRADING CARDS. A COLLECTOR IS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BUY THE FIRST THING THEY SEE WHEN SCROUNGING FOR GOODIES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ONLY HAVE A COUPLE BUCKS ON THEM. BUT SOMETIMES THAT FIRST THING REALLY IS THE RIGHT THING. HERE'S A GOOD LOOK AT THEM

THESE ARE FROM THE CHURCHMAN'S CIGARETTE CARDS WONDERFUL RAILWAY TRAVEL SET FROM 1937. THE CARDS FROM THAT PAGE FOR TWENTY BUCKS ARE FROM A SIMILAR WILLS' SET. I'M NOT A SUPER HUGE FAN OF TRAINS PER SE BUT THESE CARDS ARE ALL GORGEOUS AND UNIQUE. MY FAVORITE IS THE KEY WEST VIADUCT TRAIN WHICH SADLY GOT WIPED OUT IN A 1935 HURRICANE. NO ONE TOLD CHURCHMAN'S I GUESS. THE OTHERS ALL LOOK GREAT TOO, THE LIGHTHOUSE AND ALPS ARE PRETTY AND I LIKE THE AUSTRALIAN CAMELS AS WELL

THE BACKS ARE PACKED WITH INFO AND I MANAGED TO TAKE A DECENT ENOUGH PICTURE OF THEM SO YOU MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO READ THEM. SOMETHING ABOUT THE DESIGN OF OLD TOBACCO CARD BACKS MAKES ME HAPPY

WHILE THE TRAINS ARE COOL THE BIRDS ARE REALLY GORGEOUS. THE ARTWORK IS INCREDIBLE, THE COLORS REALLY POP AND I GOT A NICE SELECTION OF PRETTY BIRDIES

THERE WERE TEN SERIES OF BIRD CARDS FROM BAKING SODA MANUFACTURERS ARM & HAMMER AND DWIGHT'S SODA PRINTED FROM I THINK 1908 TO 1938. THE CARDS IN MY LOT ARE FROM THE SIXTH AND EIGHTH SERIES WHICH ARE FROM 1929 AND 1935. I THINK. THERE'S NOT A TON OF INFO ON BIRD CARDS OUT THERE. THEY'RE PRETTY AS HELL THOUGH AND I KINDA WANT TO FIND SOME MORE. CHEAP OLD NON-SPORTS ARES ARE THE BEST. 

I DIDN'T GO COMPLETELY EMPTY HANDED AT GOODWILL EITHER, i FOUND SOME NEW BEER GLASSES TO REPLACE ALL THE ONES MY KIDS KEEP SMASHING. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ANYWHERE NEAR OREGON SO DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD ROGUE BEER IS BUT I LIKE THE VIDEO GAME ROGUE AND THE LITTLE DED GUY MAKES ME SMILE. MAYBE HE DRANK FROM THAT ROOT BEER BARREL THAT HADN'T BEEN CLEANED PROPERLY

THIS GLASS IS FROM A LOCAL MANUFACTURER I ALSO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE BUT THAT OWL LOGO IS SUPER COOL

LAST GLASS IS THIS FUN GUINNESS GLASS WITH A THIRSTY OSTRICH DOWNING THIS POOR SAP'S BEER, GLASS AND ALL. THIS GLASS WAS FILTHY WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY NO ONE BOUGHT IT BEFORE I SAW IT. I HAD A GUINNESS GLASS FOR YEARS BUT ONE DAY WHEN I WAS CLEANING UP I FOUND A FEW SHARDS OF IT UNDER THE COUCH SO IT WAS NICE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT. HOWEVER I REGRET TO INFORM YOU ALL THAT THIS GLASS LASTED BARELY A MONTH AROUND THE KIDS. GOODBYE THIRSTY OSTRICH, I'M GLAD OUR PATHS CROSSED FOR A SHORT WHILE

REGRET COUNTER: 11

THE FINAL TALLY FOR MY FUN DAY AT THE ANTIQUE MALL IS NOSTALGIC PANGS 13.5, REGRETS 11. NOSTALGIA WINS! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS LUDICROUSLY LONG POST REMINISCING ABOUT GARBAGE. NO, I REALLY DO HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT BECAUSE I WENT BACK LAST MONTH AND I'LL HAVE ANOTHER JOURNEY THRU THE ANTIQUE MALL WRITTEN UP SOMETIME EARLY NEXT YEAR. I EVEN PICKED UP ONE OF THE THINGS I PASSED ON THIS TRIP! CAN YOU GUESS WHAT IT IS?

WASTING SOME MONEY AT THE CARD SHOP

THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN ROUGH ON MY FAVORITE MONEY WASTING PLACES. A BOOKS-A-MILLION DOWN THE STREET CLOSED. MY FAVORITE ANTIQUE STORE GOT TURNED INTO CONDOS. MY FAVORITE BOOK STORE IS FINALLY GIVING IT UP AND WILL BE CLOSING BY THE END OF THE YEAR. EVEN SECOND AND CHARLES HAS STOPPED SELLING CHEAP COMICS, THE ENDCAP THAT USED TO ALL BE FIFTY CENTS A POP IS NOW FILLED WITH TWO DOLLAR BOOKS. BUT WHEN DOORS CLOSE, WINDOWS GET SMASHED IN. A NEW BOOKSTORE ABOUT A MILE AWAY IS THRIVING AND JUST EXPANDED. I FOUND A BETTER ANTIQUE STORE. AND I'VE RE-DISCOVERED A LOCAL CARD SHOP THAT HAS BEEN AROUND DECADES, BUT HAS BEEN BOUNCING AROUND FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION. I WENT TO WHERE I THOUGHT IT WAS, FOUND A KARATE PLACE AND GOOGLED THE STORE NAME AND FOUND THEY STILL EXISTED AND MOVED A COUPLE MILES DOWN THE STREET

THIS STORE, JT SPORTS COLLECTIBLES, IS A MUCH DIFFERENT STORE THAN MY MAIN LCS, CHAMPION SPORTS CARDS. THEY BOTH HAVE WAX, SINGLES AND MEMORABILIA, BUT CHAMPION HAS MORE SPACE AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF SHELVES FILLED WITH HIGHLY ORGANIZED BOXES OF SINGLES. JT'S PLACE IS MORE CRAMPED AND HAS LESS CARDS BUT YOU'RE WAY MORE LIKELY TO FIND SOME UNLIKELY HIDDEN TREASURES. CHEAP SETS, RARE ODDBALLS, UNEXPECTED AUTOGRAPHS. I'VE FOUND A LOT OF GOOD STUFF THERE THROUGH THE YEARS AND AM HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND IT AGAIN. ESPECIALLY SINCE UNLIKE CHAMPION, THEY ARE OPEN ON SUNDAYS. HERE'S A SAMPLE OF NEAT STUFF I FOUND ON MY LAST TRIP THERE

ANOTHER NOTE ON THE IMAGES HERE, I TRIED A PHONE APP THAT 'SCANS' CARDS BY TAKING 4 DIFFERENT IMAGES AND MERGING THEM ALL TOGETHER TO REMOVE GLARE. IT KINDA WORKS? IT'S MUCH FASTER THAN SCANNING BUT IS A LITTLE DARK AND CAN HAVE SOME DISTORTION (CHECK THE FOIL ON THE DREXLER CARD FOR SOME WEIRDNESS). I MIGHT TRY IT AGAIN SOMETIME BUT WILL PROBABLY DEFAULT TO PHONE PICS WHEN I'M BEING LAZY 

1995 DENNY'S GREG MADDUX

IT'S STRANGE, IN 1996 AND 97 MY ROOMATE AND I WENT TO DENNY'S SO MANY TIMES TO EAT CRUMMY FOOD AND BUY TONS OF PINNACLE DENNY'S CARD PACKS, BUT IN 1995 WE DIDN'T GO EVEN ONCE TO BUY SOME OF THESE. WHY DID WE IGNORE THE UPPER DECK YEARS? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THESE EXISTED UNTIL MUCH LATER. WE PROBABLY HAD DECENT JOBS BY THEN AND COULD AFFORD TO PAY MORE TO GET BAD FOOD WITH BASEBALL CARDS INSTEAD OF JUST GOING TO WAFFLE HOUSE. DENNY'S HOLGRAM CARDS ARE GREAT THOUGH AND ARE RARE ENOUGH TO SEEM SPECIAL BUT COMMON ENOUGH TO FREQUENTLY BE FOUND IN BARGAIN BOXES. I DROPPED TWO BUCKS ON THIS ONE BECAUSE MADDUX IN ATLANTA BUT HAD TO HAVE IT BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE VERY FEW NON- KELLOGG'S CARDS I'VE EVER SEEN THAT HAS A CRACK IN IT, YEAH I KNOW IT'S NO LONGER GEM MEEENT ANYMORE BUT THAT IS FASCINATING TO ME. HOW DID THAT CRACK EVEN GET THERE? I DON'T SEE ANY CREASE ON THE CARD. WHAT HAPPENED? PRETTY SURE I ALREADY HAVE THIS CARD AS WELL BUT I SURE DON'T HAVE ONE WITH A BIG CRACK SNAKING OVER THE HOLOGRAM

1996-97 FLEER ULTRA CLYDE DREXLER 1986 ULTRA DECADE

FOR FLEER'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY THEY CREATED AN INSERT SET OF TWENTY OF THE BEST PLAYERS FROM THEIR 1986-87 SET. AND PUT THEM IN FLEER ULTRA FOR SOME REASON. I WISH I HAD BOUGHT MORE ULTRA THAT YEAR TO PULL MORE OF THESE CARDS (AND FOR OTHER REASONS) BUT I'VE GOT A SMALL COLLECTION OF THEM. I WAS VERY EXCITED TO FIND CLYDE IN THE BASKETBALL BOX FOR A NICE PRICE. THIS IS ACTUALLY A SOMEWHAT REASONABLE SET TO COMPLETE, EVEN THE CARD OF YOU KNOW WHO ISN'T CRAZY EXPENSIVE

1971-72 TOPPS WALT WESLEY

I HAVE A RULE: IF I SEE CHEAP VINTAGE BASKETBALL CARDS WHILE SCROUNGING THRU A BOX, I GOTTA PICK ONE OF THEM UP. I FOUND SOME AND I PICKED THIS ONE. 1971-72 TOPPS IS A GREAT LOOKING SET. LOOKS LIKE A SET OF 1969 TOPPS FOOTBALL GOT THROWN IN A BLENDER WITH A FEW 1986 AND 1972 TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS FOR FLAVOR. I SLIGHTLY PREFER THE 72-73 DESIGN BUT IT'S LIKE PREFERRING PIZZA OVER BUFFALO WINGS. GIMME BOTH AND A BOTTLE OF TUMS. WALT WAS A SUCCESSFUL BACKUP CENTER WHO PLAYED IN THE LEAGUE FOR TEN YEARS. THIS CARD SHOWS OFF THE STATS FOR HIS BEST SEASON AS A MEMBER OF THE EXPANSION CLEVELAND CAVALIERS. IT'S ALSO VERY CHRISTMASSY WITH ALL THE GREEN AND RED

2003 FLEER SWEET STITCHES TODD HELTON RELIC CARD #888/899

RELIC CARDS ARE WORTHLESS NOW LOL. YOU CAN FIND SO MANY GOOD RELIC CARDS FOR DIRT CHEAP NOWADAYS, EVEN OF PLAYERS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE ELECTED TO THE HALL OF FAME BY THE TIME THIS GETS POSTED. TODD'S A GREAT HITTER, WAS A QUARTERBACK FOR TENNESSEE AND THERE'S A SERIAL NUMBER THAT LOOKS LIKE A SNOWMAN CONVENTION ON THIS CARD AND I STILL GET IT FOR LIKE A BUCK. I ALREADY HAVE SEVERAL TODD HELTON RELICS BUT HAD TO PICK THIS ONE UP BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY THE JERSEY SWATCH IS ALL MESSED UP. THERE'S A GAP IN BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE FABRIC AND HALF THE WINDOW FOR THE WORD SWATCHES IS MISSING THREADS. JERSEY RELICS MAY BE PLENTIFUL BUT GOOFS ARE RARE AND FUN

2001-02 UPPER DECK JOE JOHNSON RC

IN THE EARLY 2000S, DOMINIQUE WILKINS WAS OUT OF THE LEAGUE AND THE HAWKS WERE JUST DISMAL SO MY BASKETBALL CARD COLLECTING TOOK A DIP UNTIL AL HORFORD WAS DRAFTED IN 2007. AS A RESULT I MISSED A FEW ROOKIES HERE AND THERE. JOE JOHNSON WAS A BIG PART OF SOME OF THOSE DISMAL HAWKS TEAMS AND PLAYED FOR-EVER. HE CAME EXTREMELY CLOSE TO WINNING A TITLE WITH BOSTON LAST YEAR AS HE GOT BROUGHT BACK FOR ONE GAME WHEN HALF THE LEAGUE WAS SICK. ISO JOE IS A BASKETBALL LEGEND AND I COULDN'T PASS UP HIS ROOKIE FOR FIFTY CENTS

2019-20 PANINI CERTIFIED CAM REDDISH 2019

WHAT KINDA IDIOT NAMES AN INSERT SET THE YEAR THE SET WAS PRODUCED. THIS WAS A VERY CONFUSING CARD TO LOOK UP. I WAS SOOOOO EXCITED WHEN CAM DROPPED TO THE HAWKS IN THE 2019 DRAFT. MAN, THAT WAS A FUN DRAFT EVEN THOUGH DE'ANDRE HASN'T QUITE YET LIVED UP TO POTENTIAL AND CAM CRASHED AND BURNED IN ATLANTA. BUT SINCE HE WAS DRAFTED RIGHT BEFORE THE WORLD ENDED, I HAVE BEEN ALMOST COMPLETELY UNABLE TO RIP ANY NBA PACKS AND HAVE VERY FEW ROOKIES OR EVEN CARDS OF CAM. I WAS HAPPY TO SNAG A CHEAP EXTREMELY SHINY ROOKIE YEAR INSERT SO I COULD BE REMINDED OF THE GOOD TIMES AND BE HOPEFUL HE GETS IT TOGETHER IN NEW YORK OR WHEREVER HE GETS TRADED TO NEXT

2015 PANINI ROOKIES AND STARS MATT RYAN LONGEVITY PARALLEL

NOW THAT MATTY ICE IS OUT OF ATLANTA I CAN FINALLY STEP BACK AND LET GO MY ANGER TOWARDS THIS CHUMP TRYING TO REPLACE MICHAEL VICK AND ADMIT THAT MATT RYAN WAS A DAMNED GOOD QUARTERBACK. I AIN'T GOING TO COLLECT HIS CARDS, BUT I'LL PICK UP A SUPER SHINY ONE HERE AND THERE FOR OLD TIME'S SAKE. THIS ONE IS VERY SHINY AND COLORFUL AND THE SCAN DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE. THE SHEER NUMBER OF PANINI PARALLELS IS TEDIOUS AND I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS ONE IS SCARCE OR NOT BUT IT'S PRETTY SO WHO CARES

2020-21 PRIZM JEFF TEAGUE WHATEVER THE RED PARALLEL IS

JEFF TEAGUE IS WEIRDLY UNDERRATED IN ATLANTA. HE WAS A SOLID STARTING POINT GUARD FOR FIVE YEARS AND WAS ON THE 60 WIN TEAM THAT WENT TO THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS. THE ONLY POINT GUARD IN ATLANTA HISTORY TO GO FURTHER IN THE PLAYOFFS IS TRAE. HE EVEN SNUCK HIS WAY BACK ON THE TEAM AS THE BACK OF THE CARD SAYS AND IS STILL IN THE ORGINIZATION AS A SCOUT. PLUS HE MANAGED TO GET A RING WITH THE BUCKS TO CAP A NICE LITTLE CAREER. THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS CARD IS THE SHINKY* RED BORDER THAT MATCHES PERFECTLY WITH THE WEIRD TRIANGLE UNIFORMS THE HAWKS WORE FOR A WHILE. I'VE BEEN PICKING UP MORE COLOR-APPROPRIATE PARALLEL CARDS LATELY, IT'S A FUN DIVERSION

THIS IS THE KIND OF STUFF YOU CAN FIND AT JT'S. MAYBE NOT CARDS FROM THAT SET YOU'RE LAZER FOCUSED ON COMPLETING BUT IT'S A GOOD WAY TO KILL AN HOUR AND A FEW BUCKS ON A A SUNDAY AFTERNOON

*THIS SHOULD SAY 'SHINY' BUT I THINK SHINKY WORKS

WASTING SOME MONEY AT THE FLEA MARKET - PART 1: RANDOM JUNK

DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND MY CONTROL I DID NOT GET TO GO TO THE FLEA MARKET ALL SUMMER LONG. KIND OF A DICK MOVE BECAUSE ONE OF THE SELLERS HAD SEALED COPIES OF TOPPS MAGAZINE AND I TOLD HIM I WAS INTERESTED IN MORE AND THEN GHOSTED HIM. I FINALLY GOT BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER AND IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TWENTY BUCKS ON RECORDS. MY RECORD PLAYER DOESN'T EVEN WORK AT THE MOMENT. I SAVED A COUPLE BUCKS FOR SOME WEIRD JUNK AT THE CARD BOOTH THOUGH. HERE'S THE ODDBALL STUFF THAT DIDN'T FIT IN WITH THE REST

1960 FLEER JIMMY FOXX

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I LOOKED AT WAS A COUPLE BOXES OF OLD HALL OF FAME CARDS. ONE BOX WAS FILLED WITH STUFF THAT WAS 50 CENTS A POP, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT IN THIS AND THE NEXT POST. THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE WHERE CARDS WERE PRICED AS MARKED. JUST ABOUT EVERY CARD IN THESE BOXES WERE FROM LEGENDS SETS FROM THE 80S TO 00S. ONE CARD HOWEVER WAS FROM A 60'S LEGEND SET

I'M NOT GOING TO BE ARROGANT ENOUGH TO CONSIDER MYSELF AN EXPERT AT AUTHENTICATING VINTAGE CARDS. I'VE SEEN A TON OF THEM THOUGH AND I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD FEEL FOR WHEN THEY ARE REAL. PRETTY SURE THIS ONE'S AUTHENTIC, IT'S GOT THE LOOK THE FEEL AND THE SMELL OF A VINTAGE 1960 FLEER CARD, ALTHOUGH I DON'T SEE MANY IN DECENT CONDITION LIKE THIS ONE. FOR SOME REASON THIS WAS PRICED AT TWO BUCKS. NOW, PRICES AT THIS PLACE ARE CHAOTIC AT BEST BUT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS THAT CHEAP 

2011 TOPPS THE LOST CARDS STAN MUSIAL '55 AND '57

IN 2011 TOPPS HAD A SMALL INSERT SET FEATURING MOCK UPS OF BIG NAME CARDS THAT WERE MISSING FROM VINTAGE TOPPS SETS OF THE 50S

IT'S A PRETTY NICE LITTLE SET, FILLED WITH BIG NAMES ALTHOUGH 40% OF THE SET IS STAN MUSIAL. STOOPID BOWMAN

MIXED IN AMONG THE LEGENDS CARDS WERE THESE TWO LOST CARDS OF STAN MUSIAL. I KNEW I HAD SOME OF THESE CARDS BUT HAD NO IDEA WHICH ONES I WAS MISSING. I THREW CAUTION TO THE WIND AND GRABBED THEM BOTH

GOT HOME, TOOK A LOOK AND NEEDED THEM BOTH. THINGS WORK OUT SOMETIMES!

1996 SCORE SELECT TEAM NUCLEUS - GARY SHEFFIELD, CHARLES JOHNSON, ANDRE DAWSON

I'M A SUCKER FOR ANY 90S INSERTS, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE SHINY AND FOILY AND PLASTIC. THIS HAD BEEN HIDING IN A DIFFERENT 50 CENT BOX FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND I FINALLY RESCUED IT. THIS IS A HEAVY LINEUP OF PLAYERS FOR THE MARLINS, CHARLES JOHNSON WAS THEIR FIRST DRAFT PICK AND AN ALL-STAR, SHEFFIELD WAS AWESOME EVEN THOUGH NO ONE LIKES HIM BUT ME, AND HAWK IS A HALL OF FAMER. IT'S KIND OF BITTERSWEET SEEING THEM ALL ON A TEAM NUCLEUS CARD AS DAWSON WOULD RETIRE AFTER THE 96 SEASON AND SHEFF AND CHARLES WOULD GET TRADED TO THE DODGERS IN THE FIRE SALE TWO YEARS LATER

1996 UPPER DECK RUN PRODUCERS TIM SALMON

90S INSERT: CHECK. DIE CUT: CHECK. WEIRD SUPER THICK TWO TIERED DESIGN: CHECK. BOTTOM LAYER IS RED FOIL: CHECK. TOP LAYER HAS SPOT COATING OF A WEIRD WAXY PLASTICY SUBSTANCE THAT KINDA SORTA HAS THE TEXTURE OF HOME PLATE: CHECK. ALSO IN THE RANDOM 50 CENT BOX THAT IS 90% BASE CARD OF MINOR STARS FROM THE EARLY 90S: CHECKITY CHECK CHECK CHECK

I BOUGHT A LOT OF UPPER DECK IN 1996 AND I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, THE COMBINATION OF A SUPER THICK CARD THAT WAS ALSO DIE CUT MEANT THAT THESE INSERTS WERE SUPER EASY TO FIND USING ILLICIT MEANS. AS A RESULT I HAVE QUITE A FEW OF THEM AND I PROBABLY ALREADY HAD THIS ONE. I COULDN'T PASS IT UP JUST FOR THE NOSTALGIA VALUE HOWEVER. BY THE WAY THE WEIRD PLASTIC TEXTURE IS ALSO ON THE HOME PLATE ON THE BACK. YOU'RE ONLY GETTING THAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL ON AN INSERT CARD IN THE 90S, THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN TODAY

2021 ALLEN & GINTER MASCOTS IN REAL LIFE MARLIN

I NO LONGER HAVE THE MEANS TO BUY A CRAPTON OF ALLEN & GINTER PACKS EVERY YEAR TO ACCUMULATE A GOOD MIX OF MINI INSERTS BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T STILL LOVE THEM. THEY ARE VERY TRICKY TO FIND THOUGH AND I TRY TO SNATCH THEM UP WHENEVER THEY CROSS MY PATH. THIS IS MY FIRST MINI INSERT OF ANY KIND FROM 2021 GINTER, WHICH IS GOOD. IT ALSO MEANS I NEED TO FIND A NEW SHEET TO PUT IN THE MINI INSERT BINDER, WHICH IS BAD

ALLEN AND GINTER HAD ALREADY DONE A FULL SIZED INSERT SET OF MASCOTS IRL A COUPLE YEARS EARLIER BUT I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH REPEATING IT FOR THE MINI CROWD. I AM SAD THAT MY OWN TEAM'S MASCOT IS ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE FOR SUCH A SET. IF YOU IGNORED THE HISTORICAL LOGO AND USED BLOOPER AS THE MASCOT IN REAL LIFE HE IS BASICALLY A BEIGE SHAG CARPET SO THAT'S NOT A GREAT SUBJECT FOR A MINI CARD. BIG FISHIES ARE COOL HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A GREAT DISLIKE FOR THE ACTUAL TEAM. I DID NOT NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR FISHIE NOW HAS BUSHIER EYEBROWS, THAT JUST SEEMS ODD

STAY TUNE FOR PART TWO: THE IMMORTALS

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 11: VROOM

BLACK FRIDAY 2022 IS OVER BUT I STILL HAVE MY BLACK FRIDAY 2021 CARDS READY TO POST. THE COMC POSTS MIGHT START DOMINATING THE BLOG, MY PICKUPS WENT FROM 10 CARDS IN 2020 TO 19 CARDS IN 2021 TO 58 THIS YEAR. GETTING FREE SHIPPING HELPED A LOT BUT IF I KEEP GOING AT THIS RATE I'LL BE BUYING 187 CARDS IN 2023. WHICH IS FINE WITH ME, OBVIOUSLY. MY 2020 GETS WERE PRETTY AWESOME BUT I THINK 2021 WAS EVEN BETTER. LET'S START OFF WITH POSSIBLY THE CRUMMIEST, MOST TRASHED CARD OF THE BUNCH 

1953 WORLD ON WHEELS - M.G.

AIN'T THAT JUST BEAUTIFUL? FILTHY. WORN CORNERS. CREASES IN TWO DIRECTIONS AT NON-RIGHT ANGLES. SCUFFS. STAINS. MATHS.

1953 TOPPS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SETS BUT I'VE REACHED THE POINT WHERE THE ONLY CARDS LEFT I NEED TO COMPLETE IT ARE:

1) HALL OF FAMERS

2) SHORT PRINT HIGH NUMBERS

3) SHORT PRINT HIGH NUMBER HALL OF FAMERS

SINCE MY COMC BINGES HAD A SELF-IMPOSED LIMIT OF THE PRICE OF A BLASTER THERE SURE WEREN'T ANY CARDS I NEEDED ON THERE IN THAT PRICE RANGE, DISCOUNTS OR NO. HOWEVER! THE WORLD ON WHEELS SET IS ALSO A FAVORITE OF MINE AND ALSO 1953 TOPPS CARDS! AND 1954 AND MAYBE 1955. I SEE ALL THREE YEARS WHEN LOOKING UP THE SET.  THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS I LIKE THIS SET. THE OLD TIMEY CARS LOOK COOL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE OF WHAT WAS THEN A FUTURISTIC PROTOTYPE CAR. I'VE ALWAYS LIKED CARDS WITH BRIGHT BLOCKS OF COLOR ON THEM. AND THE FONT USED FOR THE VEHICLE NAMES SPEAKS TO ME. THE BACK IS THE BEST PART OF THE CARD THOUGH

I DON'T CARE IF THE SET WAS MOSTLY RELEASED IN 1954 OR 55, THIS IS SUCH A 1953 TOPPS BACK. JUST BEAUTIFUL. THE GIGANTIC CARD NUMBER BEING INSIDE A TIRE INSTEAD OF A BASEBALL TICKLES ME THE MOST. I'M NOT REALLY A CAR GUY AND LEARNING ABOUT CARS FROM 1950 ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE THAT AT ALL BUT IT IS KINDA FUN TO READ THESE DESCRIPTIONS ON THE BACK. TOP SPEED FOR THIS SPORTS CAR IS 83 MILES PER HOUR, MEANING IT WOULD GET RUN OFF THE ROAD BY A TRUCK THE MOMENT IT GOT ONTO I-75 AND EXPLODE. I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT HALF THE BACK IS A CARTOON, VERY OFTEN ABOUT NOTHING EVEN SLIGHTLY RELATED TO CARS. WHY IS THERE A GERMAN BLACK BOAR ON THE BACK OF A CARD OF A BRITISH SPORTS CAR? WHO CAN TELL?? MAYBE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE BACK OF THE MERCADES CAR AND SOMEONE GOOFED. PEOPLE HOLLER ABOUT QUALITY CONTROL ALL THE TIME NOW BUT THERE'S BEEN WEIRD SHENANIGANS HAPPENING ON TRADING CARDS FOR DECADES

OH, WHY DID I SPECIFICALLY CHOOSE THIS CARD TO BUY? BECAUSE IT WAS THE CHEAPEST OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CARS. I SEEM TO REMEMBER SEEING THE M.G. IN ONE OF THE OLD CAR-TOONS MAGAZINES I SWIPED FROM MY UNCLE WHEN I WAS A KID. I JUST LIKE THE SET AND WANTED A CARD. THAT'S A RUNNING THEME AMONG THESE COMC PURCHASES: CHEAPNISS 

NEXT UP: M-O-O-N SPELLS MOON

NON-SPORT FRANKENSET - CARD #14

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK DAVIS

NON-SPORT FRANKENSET IS ANOTHER SERIES I'VE ABANDONED FOR YEARS BUT NOW I HAVE AN EXCUSE TO JUMP BACK IN. THE THREE PEOPLE WHO STILL READ THIS BLOG ALREADY KNOW WHAT A FRANKENSET IS BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SPAMMERS PUTTING LINKS TO SKETCHY SHIT IN THE COMMENTS HERE IS MY DEFINITION OF THE FRANKENSET:

A CHAOTIC TRADING CARD SET COMPOSED OF CARDS FROM A SPECIFIC BRAND OR THEME NUMBERED 1-100 OR 200 OR 10000 OR HOWEVER LONG YOU WISH WITH ONE CARD PER NUMBER ON THE BACK. EXAMPLES OF FRANKENSETS I COLLECT:

ALLEN & GINTER MINI SET

TOPPS GOLD PARALLEL SET

PANINI GOLDEN AGE SET

THIS HERE NON-SPORTS SET

EACH SET IS WHAT IS SAYS ON THE TIN: THE A&G MINI SET IS MADE OF MINI CARDS FROM ALL ALLEN & GINTER SETS NUMBERED 1-300. THE TOPPS GOLD PARALLEL SET IS MADE UP OF THE NUMBERED PARALLEL CARDS FROM 2001-ONWARD FOR CARDS 1-660. THE GOLDEN AGE SET WAS MADE BECAUSE I HAD A BUNCH OF GOLDEN AGE CARDS BUT WAS NEVER GOING TO COMPLETE ANY OF THEM SO I MADE MY OWN DAMN SET. AND THIS HERE IS, WELL, THIS HERE. SO FAR I HAVE PUT TOGETHER TWO SERIES OF 44 CARDS AND A PAGE OF STICKERS! I SHOULD PROBABLY MAKE A POST LINKING TO ALL THE PREVIOUS ONES BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE FINGERS ARE TYPING AND I'M NOT GOING TO BREAK MY INERTIA

#14 1990 SUNKIST WACKY PLAYERS - THE CRUSHER

JACK DAVIS ILLUSTRATED TRADING CARDS FROM AT LEAST 1959 TO 2009. FIFTY DAMN YEARS OF TRADING CARDS! AND THAT'S JUST THE ONES I KNOW ABOUT, HE MIGHT HAVE A FEW OTHERS HERE AND THERE BEFORE OR AFTER. THIS SET WAS INSERTED INSIDE SUNKIST FRUIT SNACKS AND WAS A MULTI-SPORT SET OF WACKY SPORTS STARS. SPORTS WERE A GREAT SUBJECT FOR JACK'S ART STYLE AS HE COULD EXPRESS THE MOTION AND ENERGY OF ATHLETICS SO WELL. NOT TO MENTION THE HUMOR, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE MANY MORE ILLUSTRATIONS OF A DUDE GETTING HIS HEAD STOMPED THAT'S FUNNIER THAN THIS ONE. IT'S ALSO A GREAT DEPICTION OF A MONSTER OF A FOOTBALL PLAYER. I'M SURE THE RED UNIFORM WASN'T AN ACCIDENT BY THE GEORGIA BULLDOG FAN

THERE'S LIKE TWO DOZEN GAGS ON THIS CARD AND THE BEST ONE MIGHT BE AVID GOLFER. WHOEVER DESIGNED THIS SET CERTAINLY HAD THE MAD MAGAZINE MINDSET OF THROWING EVERY JOKE AT THE WALL AND HOPING SOME OF THEM STICK. ALONG WITH MAD MAGAZINE, MOST OF THE JOKES DO LAND. I HAVE TWO CARDS FROM THIS SET AND I HAD TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHICH ONE TO INCLUDE BUT IN THE END THIS WAS THE CLINCHER:

FUCK YEAH RAMONES. SO WHAT IF THE SONG IS ABOUT WRESTLING, YOU THINK THAT CRUSHER UP HERE WOULDN'T BE KING OF THE RING?

UPDATE: HERE'S THE FIRST ONE FIGURE IT OUT FROM THERE