ONLINE DOLLAR BOX PART 3: THEM DAWGS

I'VE COLLECTED GEORGIA BULLDOGS CARDS SINCE THE EARLY 90S WITH THOSE OLD CHEAP COLLEGIATE COLLECTION PACKS THEY SOLD AT THE UNVERSITY BOOKSTORE AT A HEFTY MARKUP. I'VE GOT A PRETTY DECENT AMOUNT OF THEM THROUGH THE 00'S BUT NOT MUCH SINCE I QUIT COLLECTING FOOTBALL ON A REGULAR BASIS. GEORGIA'S THE BEST THEY'VE EVER BEEN AT THE MOMENT SO I'VE BEEN CATCHING UP AND PICKING UP NEWER PLAYERS WHEN I STUMBLE ACROSS THEM. I FOUND A COUPLE FANCY ONES IN THE ONLINE DOLLAR BOX AND COULDN'T PASS THEM UP

2022 SELECT DRAFT PICKS MATTHEW STAFFORD

I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE PANINI DRAFT PICKS SETS OTHER THAN YOU CAN FIND A LOTTA PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE LEAGUE FOR YEARS IN THERE. ALL THE PRESS PASS AND SA*GE SETS WERE ONLY MADE UP OF CURRENT YEAR PROSPECTS WITH MAYBE ONE OR TWO LEGENDS IN THERE. USUALLY COACHES. I LIKE THE PANINI STYLE OF DOING THINGS AS I'VE PICKED UP A COUPLE NICE NICK CHUBB CARDS AT THE LCS AND NOW I'VE FOUND THIS SUPER SHINY MATTHEW STAFFORD CARDS WITH RED BORDERS AND SPARKLEY SQUARES EVERYWHERE. I'M SURE THIS IS CALLED A SPECTRAL RUBY CUBIST PRIZM PARALLEL OR SOME SUCH NONSENSE BUT I DON'T CARE BECAUSE IT'S BULLDOG COLORS AND SUPER SHINY AND MAKES MY EYES GO CROSSED WHEN I LOOK AT IT. IN A GOOD WAY

2022 WILD CARD MATTE QUAY WALKER #134/250

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HECK NEW WILD CARD IS, I'M USED TO THE OLD ONES THAT HAVE THE CARD MULTIPLIERS ON THEM THAT ALL BRICK TOGETHER BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THEM IN 30 YEARS. I WAS A LITTLE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THIS ONE BUT IT HAD A SERIAL NUMBER ON IT AND THAT MEANS SUPER EXTRA ADDED VALUE SO I GOT IT. I'M GLAD I DID, THIS THING LOOKS GREAT. THE GREEN BACKGROUND REALLY IS MATTE WHILE THE PLAYER AND GOLD TEXT IS GLOSSY AND KIND OF EMBOSSED SOMEHOW. IT'S A REALLY UNIQUE LOOKING CARD AND QUAY IS PLAYING VERY WELL FOR THE PACKERS. I NEED TO TRACK DOWN AS MANY OF THESE PLAYERS FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS AS I CAN SO I CAN REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES WHEN THE DAWGS EVENTUALLY FALL BACK DOWN TO EARTH

THE BACKS ARE ALSO DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE MINIMALISM SPECTRUM. PANINI'S BACK IS BORING AND LAZY AS ALWAYS WHILE THE WILD CARD BACK IS CLASSY LOOKING AND -GASP- EVEN HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PHOTO! VERY NICE INDEED

UP NEXT: NOPE, NOT BRAVES YET

ONLINE DOLLAR BOX PART 2: VINTAGE HOCKEY

I IGNORED MY VINTAGE HOCKEY COLLECTION FOR A LONG TIME DESPITE HAVING VERY FOND FEELINGS TOWARDS 70S SETS THAT HAVE ATLANTA FLAMES CARDS. LAST YEAR I FINALLY DECIDED TO GO THROUGH MY LONG NEGLECTED HOCKEY CARDS TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING I STILL LIKED. TURNS OUT NOT MUCH! IT DID GIVE ME A CHANCE TO RE-APPRECIATE MY 1980S CARDS. HOCKEY CARDS IN THE 80S ARE A LITTLE ODD FOR ME AS I MOSTLY COLLECT TOPPS AND THEY QUIT MAKING CARDS FOR A COUPLE YEARS IN THE EARLY 80S. I FINALLY TOOK ACCOUNT OF MY COLLECTION AND REALIZED I'M ONLY MISSING ABOUT 20 OR SO CARDS FROM THE 1985-86 TOPPS SET. I WONDERED HOW THE HELL THAT HAPPENED BUT REMEMBERED THAT THERE WAS A HOCKEY CARD STORE IN A MALL IN THE LATE 90S THAT HAD 80S COMMONS AND I PICKED UP A BUNCH FROM SETS I REALLY LIKED. SO NOW I'M TECHNICALLY BUILDING THIS SET EVEN THOUGH ONE OF THOSE TWENTY I NEED IS THE MARIO LEMIUEX ROOKIE WHICH AIN'T HAPPENING UNLESS I DO SOMETHING DRASTIC. I HAVE A 90S REPRINT THOUGH AND THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. A COUPLE CARDS I NEEDED THAT POPPED UP ON THE SITE SO I GRABBED 'EM

I'M NOT SURE WHY I CHOSE THIS SET TO BUY UP AS MANY AS I COULD BUT I'M GUESSING IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN WITH THAT GIGANTIC LOGO IN THE CORNER. I ALSO SNAPPED UP A LOT FROM 1981-82 (ALTHOUGH I STILL NEED A TON OF THE EXTENDED SERIES CARDS) AND 1984-85 SINCE I'VE ALWAYS LIKED THOSE DESIGNS. IT ALSO HELPS THE 1985-86 SET IS FAIRLY SMALL AT ONLY 165 CARDS. THERE'S A FEW 70S SETS I WOULDN'T MIND COLLECTING BUT THE TOPPS SETS ARE 330 CARDS IN SIZE AND O-PEE-CHEE EVEN BIGGER SO I'VE BEEN SCARED OFF. STEVE LARMER ISN'T REALLY A COMMON CARD, HE WON THE CALDER CUP (BASICALLY NHL'S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD), SET THE RECORD FOR MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES PLAYED WITH THE SAME CLUB AS A MEMBER OF THE BLACKHAWKS AND THEN WON THE STANLEY CUP WHEN HE GOT TRADED TO THE RANGERS. I REMEMBER HIM FONDLY FROM THE EA SPORTS NHL GAMES FOR SUPER NINTENDO, I SCORED A BUNCH OF GOALS WITH STEVE

THE CARD OF PETER ZEZEL IS AN ACTUAL ROOKIE CARD! NO WONDER THAT GUY AT THE MALL WOULDN'T SELL IT TO ME FOR A QUARTER. ZEZEL WAS A GOOD PLAYER WHO HAD HIS CAREER DERAILED BY INJURIES AND SOME CRUMMY FRONT OFFICE DECISIONS. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED BY THAT FLYERS LOGO AND LOVE SEEING IT ON A CARD LIKE THIS. THE LAST VINTAGE HOCKEY CARD IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT

1971-72 TOPPS HOCKEY IS A GREAT LOOKING SET. JUST CHECK OUT THE GALLERY AND ENJOY. TOPPS REALLY WENT ALL OUT ON DESIGNS IN THE EARLY 70S. I SAW THIS CARD HIT THE ONLINE DOLLAR BOX AND FELL IN LOVE. I DIDN'T BUY IT RIGHT AWAY BUT DAMN I LOVED THIS EXCESSIVELY AUGMENTED CARD. NOW THIS IS A VINTAGE CHECKLIST. CHECKED, DOUBLE CHECKED AND TRIPLE CHECKED, ERASED, SCRATCHED OUT WITH EXTRA ADDED NOTATION. EVENTUALLY I GOT TOO SCARED THIS BEAUTY WOULD BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ME AND IT BECAME THE LAST DOLLAR CARD I BOUGHT FROM THE SITE BEFORE IT WENT BACK TO FREE WITH SHIPPING. IF YOU THINK THE FRONT IS GOOD, WAIT TIL YOU SEE THE BACK

MOAR SCRIBBLES! AND AUTOGRAPHS. WE GOT A.J., BILL BOOGER, CORRIGAN, MIK LA.K., P        A, AND %$ICK @DMOND LG&. SOMEONE WHO KNOWS EARLY 70S HOCKEY ROSTERS TELL ME HOW RICH I AM NOW. I HAVE NOT COLLECTED HOCKEY CARDS OLDER THAN I AM SO MUCH AS I HAVE ACCUMULATED THEM BUT OF ALL THE ONES I HAVE ACCUMULATED, I HAVE THE MOST 71-72S. I DUNNO IF I'LL EVER COLLECT THE SET - THERE'S A KEN DRYDEN ROOKIE IN THERE I DON'T EVEN WANNA KNOW SHOW SPENDY IT IS - BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO BE ACCUMULATING MORE OF THESE CARDS IN THE FUTURE

UP NEXT: SOMETHING LEGENDARY

ONLINE DOLLAR BOX PART 1: HOCKEY GAS

FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME THE ONLINE DIME BOX WAS AN ONLINE DOLLAR BOX AND HONESTLY? I KINDA LIKED IT.  THINGS HAD STARTED TO BECOME EXTREMELY FRANTIC ON THE SITE WHEN TRYING TO SNAG THE GOOD CARDS BEFORE SOMEONE BEAT YOU TO IT. PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE DISCERNING AT A DOLLAR BOX AND IT GAVE ME SOME TIME TO BREATHE AND PICK UP STUFF I REALLY REALLY WANTED WITHOUT HAVING TO REFRESH THE SITE AT 3AM. ALL IN ALL, I PICKED UP SIXTEEN CARDS FROM THE DOLLAR BOX AND THEY WERE SENT ALONG WITH CARDS FROM A SECOND ONLINE BLASTER. I'M GOING TO SPRINKLE THE DOLLAR CARD POSTS IN WITH THE BLASTER CARD POSTS TO KEEP THINGS INTERESTING AND BECAUSE THESE ARE EASIER TO WRITE. I BOUGHT THESE THREE THE MOMENT THEY POPPED UP

YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THIS FROM A PREVIOUS POST. THIS IS THE CHECKLIST OF THE 1988-89 ESSO STICKERS ALBUM. I FOUND A PAUL COFFEY CARD TO ADD TO MY PLAYER COLLECTION, THEN PICKED UP MIKE BOSSY BECAUSE HE'S COOL AND THEN... WELL WE'LL GET TO THAT SOON. NOTICE THE CHECKMARKS ON THE LIST. I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THESE WERE AN INSERT IN THA ALBUM THAT YOU COULD TEAR OUT AND STICK INTO THE ALBUM BUT POKING AROUND ON ETSY I FOUND A PHOTO THAT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE THEY ARE ACTUALLY PRINTED RIGHT ON THE PAGE

THANK YOU, RANDOM ETSY SELLER THAT I CAN'T FIND NOW THAT IT'S TIME TO WRITE THE POST. AS YOU CAN SEE NORM ULLMAN IS PLASTERED AWKWARDLY ONTO THE PAGE WHILE PIERRE PILOTE IS JUST RIGHT THERE. THIS IS GOOD BECAUSE THERE ARE ONLY 48 CARDS IN THE SET NOW BUT BAD BECAUSE YOU NEED TO TRACK DOWN AN ALBUM IF YOU ARE A COMPLETIONIST. TWO IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO CUT OUT THE 'CARD' STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOOK TO KEEP WITH THE REST OF THE CARDS. I DUNNO IF ANYONE WANTS TO PASTE THESE INTO THE ALBUM BECAUSE THESE STICKERS ARE LIKE STAMPS WHERE YOU HAVE TO LICK THE GLUE ON THE BACK TO PASTE THEM IN. ACTUALLY, STAMPS HAVE BEEN SELF ADHESIVE FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'D COMPARE THESE TO ANYMORE

ANYWAY, HERE ARE THE CARDS I COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT ENOUGH TO PAY A BUCK EACH FOR WITHOUT HESITATION

BOBBY ORR HAD BEEN RETIRED FOR A DECADE WHEN THIS SET CAME OUT BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING EVEN APPROXIMATING A VINTAGE CARD OF HIS. THIS IS VINTAGE ENOUGH FOR ME, IF YOU SAW THIS CARD IN A DARK ALLEY YOU COULD EASILY BE CONVINCED IT WAS FROM THE 70S. WHILE I DON'T CARE FOR 21ST CENTURY HOCKEY I STILL HAVE WARM FEELINGS TOWARDS 70S HOCKEY. I'VE SEEN THAT PICTURE OF BOBBY FLYING THROUGH THE AIR LIKE SUPERMAN A HUNDRED TIMES AND ORR IS A GREAT GET

KEN DRYDEN IS BASICALLY A CANADIAN LEGEND AND SINCE HE WAS A SUPERSTAR WHO ALSO RETIRED IN 1979 I NEVER GOT ONE OF HIS CARDS. HIS CARDS WEREN'T IN THE 70S COMMON BRICKS I PICKED UP CHEAP AND WEREN'T IN THE PACKS I BOUGHT IN THE 80S. I PICKED UP A FEW TRIBUTE CARDS OUT OF SOME 90S RELEASES BUT THAT WAS IT. DRYDEN HAD A RIDICULOUS CAREER, SIX STANLEY CUPS IN EIGHT SEASONS AND HE EVEN TOOK A SEASON OFF TO WORK FOR A LAW FIRM WHEN THE CANADIENS STIFFED HIM ON HIS CONTRACT AFTER WINNING THE CUP AND VEZINA AWARD. FUCKIN' HERO IS WHAT THAT IS

YOU KNOW WHO THIS IS AND WHAT HE DID AND WHY I INSTANTLY BOUGHT THIS CARD. I LOVE DIRT COMMON JUNKWAX ERA GRETZKY CARDS, AN ACTUAL ODDBALL CARD IS JUST WONDERFUL. GRETZKY CARDS SEEM WEIRDLY UNDERVALUED TO ME, I NEED A GRETZKY FOR MY 85-86 SET AND IT APPEARS I CAN PROBABLY FIND ONE PRETTY EASILY FOR TEN BUX. IMAGINE FINDING A COMPARABLE JORDAN CARD AT THAT PRICE!

THESE THREE ARE ALL HOCKEY SUPERDUPERSTARS BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY REASON I INSTABOUGHT THE TRIO. I HOPE YOU LIKE THESE CARDS BECAUSE... WELL YOU'LL SEE SOON

SINCE I WROTE THIS, BASEBALLCARDSTORE DOT CA HAS ADDED A DOLLAR BOX FEATURE TO THE SITE WHICH IS PRETTY COOL. I'VE ALREADY PICKED UP ANOTHER POST'S WORTH OF CARDS BUT THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY