2024 WEEK IN REVIEW - WEEK 3

 I HAVE BASICALLY SPENT THIS ENTIRE WEEK WORKING AND FREEZING SO THOUGHT I MIGHT NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOW OFF BUT THANKFULLY I TOOK PICTURES AND SCREENSHOTS OF THE STUFF I DID DO SO THE WEEK IN REVIEW STREAK IS NOW UP TO THREE. TWO MORE THAN I EXPECTED, HONESTLY. THE HIBERNATION INSTINCT IS STRONG THOUGH, I'M STILL TRYING TO PROCRASTINATE WRITING THIS. I'VE WASHED TWO LOADS OF DISHES AND COOKED DINNER SO FAR TO AVOID TYPING BUT A TOO-LATE-IN-THE-DAY CUP OF COFFEE HAS ME HITTING THE KEYBOARD NOW. THAT AND SOMETHING EVEN MORE URGENT I'M PROCRASTINATING FROM DOING. LET'S START WITH A PILE OF CRAP

COLLECTING STUFF I DID THIS WEEK

I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF ORGANIZING DONE BUT THE MAIN ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS DRAGGING A BUNCH OF UPPER DECK STUFF TO MY DESK TO SORT. MY FINALIZED COLLECTING GOALS ARE STILL A DREAM BUT IT ISS SLOWLY COMING INTO FOCUS DAY BY DAY. I MIGHT HAVE IT ALL WRITTEN DOWN BY DECEMBER, WHICH MIGHT BE THE PROPER WAY TO DO SUCH THINGS. ABOVE ARE SOME SETS I MADE SOME WANTLISTS FOR BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO ADD SOME TO MY COLLECTION AND MAYBE EVEN COMPLETE THE SET ONE OF THESE DECADES! HERE'S A LIST OF 'EM:

1995, 1997 SP

1996-1999 SPX

1997 UD3

1999 UD POWERDECK

1999-2000 IONIX

2002 A PIECE OF HISTORY

1995 SP I WAS ALREADY WORKING ON BUT I FORGOT HOW INCREDIBLY SHINY THE 1997 SET WAS AND I HAD MANAGED TO ACCUMULATE A BUNCH OF IT, INCLUDING THE SHORT PRINTED HIDECKI IRABU ROOKIE. JUST LOOKA T THAT BIG SEXY CARD, ETCHED FOIL AND A HOLOFIL BORDER, YOWZA. SPX SPEAKS FOR ITSELF BUT I FINALLY GOT ALL THE ONES I HAVE IN ONE PLACE. I'VE ALWAYS PREFERRED 1998 UD3 TO THE 1997 VERSION BUT I HAD A REALIZATION: 1998 UD3 HAS A FRACTURED BASE SET WITH CARDS IN VARIOUS LEVELS OF SCARCITY THAT'S ALMOST 300 CARDS IN SIZE. 1997 UD3 IS 60 CARDS WITH NO FUSS. I HAVE A CHANCE IN HELL OF COMPLETING THAT SET! IONIX IS A CHROME-LIKE SET WITH SOME FUN DESIGNS, POWERDECK IS POWERDECK, AND 2002 PIECE OF HISTORY IS A COOL LEGENDSISH SET THAT IS SLIGHTLY SPOILED WITH SOME UNNECESSARY SHORTPRINTS BUT I LIKE IT. NONE OF THESE CARDS ARE TERRIBLY COMMON BUT IF I FIND SOME IN MY TRAVELS I CAN MAKE SURE I'M NOT SPENDING MY MONEY ON DOUBLES NOW

I ALSO GOT MY UPPER DECK INSERT CARDS SOMEWHAT ORGANIZED. THEY'VE BEEN A MESS FOR A WHILE AS SOME CARDS WERE IN AN INSERT BOX, AND OTHERS WERE WITH THE SET, AND OTHERS WERE HIDING IN RANDOM PLACES. I'VE AVOIDED DOING THIS FOR SO LONG BECAUSE AFTER 1993, WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS I DO NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHICH INSERT IS FROM WHICH YEAR AND SINCE A LOT OF THE MID 90S-EARLY 00S SETS HAVE A COPYRIGHT DATE OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR FOR SERIES ONE IT'S A REAL PAIN. THIS ARRAY OF PILES WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SORTED BY YEAR BUT HOO BOY DID I BUNGLE IT ON MOST OF THE STACKS. A LOT OF THOSE AREN'T EVEN FROM FLAGSHIP SETS. ASIDE FROM MOSTLY GETTING THINGS WHERE THEY BELONG I ALSO GOT ALL MY UPPER DECK E-CARD CODE CARDS IN ONE PLACE. THESE WERE CONTEST CARDS WHERE YOU COULD ENTER A CODE INTO A WEBSITE AND WIN ACTUAL CARDS, A DECADE BEFORE TOPPS DID IT. THERE'S THIRTY-THREE CARDS TOTAL BETWEEN TWO FLAGSHIP SETS AND AN ODDBALL CALLED EVOLUTION AND I KINDA WANT TO CHASE THEM ALL SINCE I HAVE A GOOD HEAD START ALREADY

WHILE SORTING THE IONIX, I FOUND THIS GEM:

THIS CARD IS A REAL MESS BUT THAT'S ON PURPOSE. UPPER DECK WAS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INTERNET 1337 5P33K WITH THIS SHOCKWAVE SET. THE WHOLE BRAND WAS VERY COMPUTERY WITH SOME WILD DESIGNS AND PIXELY COMPUTER GRAPHIC ART. THERE'S A SLIGHT PROBLEM WITH THIS ONE AS THERE'S A HOLOFOIL TEXTURED OVERLAY ON TOP OF THE CARD THAT OUTLINED THE PLAYER PICTURE BUT THIS ONE GOT A LITTLE JACKED UP. YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER OF THE HOLOFOIL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE CORNER OF THE CARD IN BETWEEN DELGADO'S SHOES. HERE'S A LITTLE BETTER LOOK AT THE TEXTURE

YOU CAN NOT OLY SEE THE TEXTURE ON THE CARD IS RIGHT ON TOP OF CARLOS, BUT THE PLAYER OUTLINE APPEARS TO BE FOR A HORIZONTAL DESIGN. THE HORIZONTAL INSERT IN 2000 IONIX IS CALLED ATOMIC AND IF WE LOOK AT THE BACK...

HERE'S A NICE RIDICULOUSLY MISCUT BACK OF TONY GWYNN'S ATOMIC INSERT. I THINK THAT IS ALSO THE OUTLINE OF TONY ON THE FRONT, HERE'S A PIC SWIPED FROM EBAY, DECIDE FOR YOURSELF. IT LOOKS LIKE A CARLOS DELAGO SHOCKWAVE CARD GOT INTO A TELEPORTER WITH A TONY GWYNN ATOMIC CARD AND GOT BRUNDLEFLYED. CARDS LIKE THIS REALLY GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF JUST HOW INTRICATE THE PRODUCTION OF THESE WILD LOOKING CARDS REALLY IS

MOVIES

ONLY WATCHED ONE MOVIE THIS WEEK FOR REASONS I'LL EXPLAIN SOON

#7 COMIC BOOK CONFIDENTIAL
I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS FOR A WHILE AND A COPY POPPED UP ON YOUTUBE. THIS IS A DOCUMENTARY THAT DISCUSSES THE HISTORY OF COMICS FROM THE '30S TO THE '80S THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH THE ORIGINAL CREATORS. FROM WILLIAM GAINES AND STAN LEE TO FRANK MILLER AND CHARLES BURNS. THE DOCUMENTARY SKEWS TOWARD THE INDEPENDENT AND UNDERGROUND COMICS BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF THE ALL TIME GREATS OF THE MEDIUM THIS IS A FANTASTIC WATCH

THE REASON WHY MOVIES GOT PUT TO THE BACK BURNER THIS WEEK IS BECAUSE THE AGDQ SPEED RUNNING MARATHON WAS LAST WEEK AND I ENDED UP WATCHIGN A LOT OF THAT INSTEAD. I FLAKED AND FORGOT IT WAS STARTING LAST SUNDAY OR I WOULD HAVE POSTED IT IN LAST WEEK'S ROUNDUP. A TON OF GAMES ARE SPEEDRUN FOR CHARITY TWICE A YEAR AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOME OF MAY FAVORITE GAMES RUN WAY TOO FAST. IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH SPEEDRUNNING, HERE'S A VIDEO OF THIS YEARS LEGEND OF ZELDA RUN WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN A LITTLE OVER A HALF HOUR

THEIR TWITCH CHANNEL HOSTS SPEEDRUNS ALL YEAR LONG IF YOU IND YOU ENJOY THIS SORT OF THING. I MISSED HALF THE MARATHON SO I'VE GOT A LOT OF RUNS TO CATCH UP ON

BOOKS

YESTERDAY WAS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTER'S ANNUAL BOOK SWAP AND I GOT A BUNCH OF GOODIES. TWENTY ONE BOOKS FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT READING ONCE I HAVE TIME! (SPOILER: I WILL NEVER HAVE TIME) I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS NOW WITH MY DAUGHTER AND WE MANAGED TO GET SOME STUFF WE WANTED AND GET THIRTY UNWANTED BOOKS OUT OF THE HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS A GOOD CROSS SECTION OF WHAT I GOT, WITH A LOCAL BASEBALL BOOK, A HORROR COMEDY AND MYSTERY NOVEL. I ALSO MADE A FEW RECORD SWAPS. I HAD A LOT OF FUN WRITING UP THE SWAP POSTS LAST YEAR AND I'LL START SHOWING THE NEW TRADES OFF IN A WEEK OR TWO

PODCASTY STUFF

I MEANT TO SHOW OFF THE POSCASTS I LIKE BUT I KEEP WRITING ABOUT OLD TIME RADIO INSTEAD. THIS BOX SET OF SYDNEY GREENSTREET'S VERSION OF NERO WOLFE JUMPED UP AT ME BECAUSE I WAS HOPING TO FIND SOME OF THE ACTUAL BOOKS AT THE SWAP. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO GET THIS AS IT CAUGHT MY EYE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW AND A FEW MINUTES LATER THE AUDIO BOOK SECTION WAS PICKED CLEAN.NERO WOLFE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE DETECTIVES AND I ENJOY THE BOOKS AND THE A&E TV SERIES. SYDNEY GREENSTREET IS A REAL CHARACTER TOO, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE FAT DETECTIVE. A TON OF THESE OLD RADIO PLAYS ARE ON ARCHIVE DOT ORG AND YOU CAN LISTEN TO GREENSTREET'S VERSION, MAVOR MOORE'S VERSION, WHATEVER THIS VERSION IS (MAYBE IT'S GREENSTREET'S? THE DESCRIPTION ISN'T CLEAR) AND WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THEM ALL YOU CAN LISTEN TO A PODCAST WITH COMMENTARY ON THE EPISODES. HA HA! I WAS ABLE TO BRING IT BACK TO PODCASTS AFTER ALL! THE GREAT DETECTIVES OF OLD TIME RADIO WITH ADAM GRAHAM IS A PODCAST I LEARNED ABOUT 15 MINUTES AGO AND IT LOOKS LIKE I HAVE - OH DEAR - THAT'S A LOT OF EPISODES TO CATCH UP ON. MAYBE I'LL JUST START WITH NERO FIRST

OK YOU READ THROUGH ALL THAT, TIME FOR YOUR REWARD

THE BEST CARD I BOUGHT THIS WEEK

THE ONLY CARDS I BOUGHT THIS WEEK WERE ON BASEBALLCARDSTORE DOT CA. I GAVE COMC A REST AND IT WAS TOO COLD TO GO OUTSIDE. I MANAGED TO KEEP IT UNDER FORTY CARDS THIS WEEK TOO ALTHOUGH IT WAS HARD TO PICK A FAVORITE FOR THE POST. I GOT A VERY NICE WILLIAM ANDREWS 1983 TOPPS STICKER, THE JOHN SMOLTZ SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (R.I.P.) CARD WHERE HIS DAD'S PLAYING THE ACCORDIAN AND A CHRIS CHELIOS POST CEREAL CARD THAT I DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED. THESE ARE ALL GREAT CANDIDATES BUT YOU KNOW HOW I CAN'T RESIST THE SHINY

I HAVE TO GO WITH THE 2021 TOPPS CHROME PRISMIC POWER CARD OF FREDDIE FREEMAN. I'VE SEEN THESE BEFORE AND THEY ARE VERY PRETTY BUT I NEVER PICKED ONE UP. I'LL TAKE A GOOD LOOKING FREDDIE INSERT CARD (IN A BRAVES UNI) ANY DAY

HERE'S THE TOTALS FOR THE WEEK:

WANTLIST CARDS - 7
BRAVES/HAWKS/ETC. - 6 
SHIIINY - 5
INSERTS - 11
STARS/PLAYER COLLECTION - 5
CHRONICLES - 2
NON SPORT - 1
CHUCK MCELROY - 1

OH NO! I FINISHED THE POST! NOW I HAVE TO DO THAT THING I WAS PROCRASTINATING ABOUT. UNTIL NEXT WEEK, KEEP HAVING FUN OUT THERE

DUCK YOU SUCKER

SO THAT TIME WHEN I WENT TO THE SECOND ANTIQUE MALL AND GOT A BUNCH OF CARDS IN A LEOPARD PRINT BAG I SPIED THIS IN THE PARKING LOT:

A WHOLE OTHER CARD SHOP IN THE SAME SHOPPING CENTER! THIS PICTURE BURNED UP THE LAST OF MY PHONE'S POWER SO NO PICS FROM THE ANTIQUE MALL BUT THANKS TO THIS PHOTO TO REMIND ME I KNEW TO GO BACK AND CHECK OUT THE STORE AT A LATER DATE. UNLIKE MY MAIN LCS, THIS ONE IS OPEN ON SUNDAYS WHEN I CAN ACTUALLY GO. THE PLACE IS HUGE, HAS A TON OF CASES FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH GRADED SLABS AND A GIGANTIC AMOUNT OF VERY EXPENSIVE MEMORABILIA. IT'S ALSO GOT A BUNCH OF WAX I CAN'T AFFORD AND A WHOLE WALL FULL OF EVERY KIND OF SUPPLY THAT I USUALLY TRY TO FIND CHEAPER SECONDHAND. IT WAS VERY INTIMIDATING AND I FELT LIKE I MIGHT GET KICKED OUT AT ANY MOMENT FOR BEING POVERTY. UNTIL!!! WAY IN THE BACK CORNER I FOUND A TABLE FULL OF BOXES OF NOT-SLABBED CARDS THAT WERE MORE IN MY PRICE RANGE! AND A FEW BOXES OF ODDBALL STUFF TOO! I SPENT A GOOD HOUR DIGGING FOR GOODIES AND FOUND A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEAT STUFF

2001 NBA ALL STAR GAME 2001 VINCE CARTER

THIS WAS THE ONLY STANDARD SIZED BASKETBALL CARD I PICKED UP THIS TIME. THERE WERE TOO MANY GOOD BASEBALL CARDS IN THE DOLLAR BOXES AND HOOPS GOT SQUEEZED OUT. THIS ONE CAUGHT MY EYE THOUGH, MAINLY BECAUSE I HAD NO FRIGGIN IDEA WHAT THE HELL IT WAS. FLEER INSERTS I AM FAMILIAR WITH, ONES WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ON THEM? NUMBERED ONE OF THREE?? NOPE, DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. VINCE CARTER IS THE BEST AND WE'D ALL BE BETTER OFF WITH HIM IN THE WHITE HOUSE SO I WAS COMPELLED TO PICK THIS UP. MAINLY BECAUSE I THOUGHT I MAY NEVER SEE IT AGAIN IF I DIDN'T

TURNS OUT THIS IS PART OF A THREE CARD CROSS-BRAND INSERT SET HONORING THE 2001 ALL STAR GAME IN DC. IT'S KINDA FUNNY HOW EACH BRAND'S CONTRIBUTION IS CAPTURES THEIR VIBE. FLEER GOES WILD WITH THE DESIGN AND COMES UP WITH SOMETHIGN MEMORABLE AND A LITTLE BIT GOOFY. TOPPS LEANS HEAVILY INTO THEIR VINTAGE CARD HISTORY. UPPER DECK'S DESIGN IS FLASHY BUT ULTIMATELY INSUBSTANTIAL. EVERYONE WHO CLICKED ON THAT LINK AND TOOK A PEEK AT THE DESIGNS: QUICK, TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT THE UPPER DECK DESIGN WAS AND THEN CHECK BACK TO SEE IF YOU WERE RIGHT. I HAVE TO ADMIT THOUGH, THAT SHAQ CARD IN THE 1971-72 TOPPS BASKETBALL DESIGN LOOKS AWESOME AND I WANT IT

2000 BOWMAN'S BEST FRANCHISE 2000 SCOTT ROLEN

THIS CARD SHOWS YOU THE INFERNAL POWER THAT THE SHINY HAS OVER ME. I HATE BOWMAN AND THIS CARD DESIGN IS OBJECTIVELY HIDEOUS, YET DIE CUT CORNERS AND HOLOFRACTOR SHINIES DAZZLED ME SO MUCH I HAD TO GET IT. THERE IS NO COLOR INK ON THIS CARD! IT'S BLACK AND WHITE FRONT AND BACK! THERE'S AN INTERESTING DESIGN EMBOSSED ON THE THING BUT THERE'S NO INK AND YOU CAN BARELY READ THE TEXT. BUT GODDAMN IT'S SO SHINY! IT'S HYPNOTISING! IT'S SCOTT ROLEN THOUGH AND I'M SO HAPPY HE MADE THE HALL I'M HAPPY TO FIND A 90'S INSERT FOR HIM EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEAUTIFULLY HIDEOUS

LOL LOOK AT THIS MESS, IT'S SO UGLY. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING

1992 FLEER ROOKIE SENSATIONS JEFF BAGWELL

OMG THESE CARDS WERE SO INCREDIBLY FLAMING HOT BACK IN 1992. THESE CARDS WERE ONLY FOUND IN JUMBO PACKS AT A RATE OF ONE IN FOUR PACKS AND PEOPLE WENT BERZERK OVER THEM. MAN, THESE WERE SO EXPENSIVE BACK IN THE DAY. FRANK THOMAS WAS BY FAR THE BEST CARD IN THE SET, AND PHIL PLANTIER THE FUNNIEST, BUT JEFF BAGWELL IS A GOOD #2 CARD IN THE SET. UNLESS YOU PREFER IVAN RODRIGUEZ. STILL THE BRONZE WINNER IN A SUPER COOL HISTORIC INSERT SET IS A NO BRAINER PICK UP OUT OF A DOLLAR BOX, EVEN IF MOST OF THE REST OF THE CARDS CAN BE GOTTEN FOR WELL UNDER THAT PRICE

THESE ARE REALLY REALLY NICE LOOKING CARDS WHEN YOU GET THEM IN HAND. SUCH A SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE DESIGN. AND A NICE PHOTO SELECTION OTHER THAN A COUPLE CLUNKERS (I'M LOOKING AT YOU, MARK WOHLERS). I'M PRETTY SURE I HAVE ALL THE BIG NAMES IN THIS SET NOW, PERHAPS IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT WORKING ON THESE FLEER INSERT SETS

1996 TOPPS LASER BARRY BONDS

1996 TOPPS LASER IS A BEAUTIFUL DISASTER OF A SET. IT'S COMPLETELY UNNECCESSARY, LOOKS CHEESY AND IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STORE ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH JAGGED BORDERS. OF COURSE I FRIGGIN LOVE IT. I BOUGHT AS MANY AS I COULD FIND BACK IN 1996, WHICH WASN'T MUCH AND I STILL LOVE FINDING THEM TODAY. THEY ARE HARDER TO FIND THAN YOU MIGHT THINK, AS PEOPLE TEND TO SNAP THEM UP QUICKLY JUST FOR THE NOVELTY. I WAS VERY HAPPY TO FIND ONE AT ALL LET ALONE A BARRY BONDS. I DON'T NEED TO HARP ON THE FACT THAT PEOPLE DISRESPECTING BONDS KEEPS GETTING ME COOL CARDS CHEAP, BUT IT DOES AND I'M GLAD SO KEEP DISRESPECTING

THE THING ABOUT TOPPS LASER IS THAT YOU ONLY REALLY NEED FOUR CARDS FROM THE SET. ONE BLACK BORDER BATTER CARD, ONE GOLD FOIL BORDER FIELDING CARD, ONE OF THESE RED BORDER RUNNER CARDS AND A PITCHER'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT IN A PENNY SLEEVE FLAMING FIREBALL CARD. ONCE YOU'VE SEEN ONE OF THE LASER DESIGNS, HAVING TWENTY FIVE MORE CARDS JUST LIKE IT HAS EXTREMELY DIMINISHING RETURNS. INSTEAD OF A COMPLETE SET YOU'D PROBABLY BE BETTER OFF WITH A PAGE OF ONE CARD OF EACH DESIGN FROM EACH SERIES OF YOUR FAVORITE PLAYERS AND ONE OF THE COOL LASER CUT INSERT CARDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE. I BET YOU COULD GO ON COMC AND COMPLETE THIS FOR MAYBE 10-15 BUCKS AS LONG AS YOU AVOIDED THE SUPERSTARS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY COLLECT

1992 UPPER DECK HOMERUN HEROES BARRY BONDS

MOAR BONDSES. ONE OF MY RECENT OBSESSIONS IS FINISHING OFF ALL THE JUNK WAX UPPER DECK INSERT CARDS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE SCARCE SETS PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM ARE PLENTIFUL AND CHEAP. THIS 1992 SET UPGRADED THE SILVER SLUGGER BATS FROM 1991 TO GOLD HOMER BATS. IN 1993, THE BATS BECAME EMBOSSED! THIS IS A GREAT LOOKING CARD WITH BONDS TAKING A MIGHTY CUT IN FRONT OF SOME BUNTING. I WONDER IF THIS IS OPENING DAY BUNTING OR PAYOFF BUNTING?

THERE WERE A TON OF THESE IN THE DOLLAR BOXES AND THE BONDS WAS SHOWING AS A NEED ON MY WANTLIST SO THIS IS THE ONE I WENT HOME WITH. SADLY, MY WANTLISTS WERE BUNK AND I ALREADY HAD A TON OF THEM ALREADY INCLUDING THIS ONE. I LAMENT GETTING A DOUBLE WHEN I WAS ALREADY IN A MONEY SQUEEZE AND MAKING SOME HARD PASSES ON SOME COOL CARDS BUT IT'S BARRY BONDS. IF THE UNIVERSE IS FOING TO FORCE ME TO BECOME A BONDS COLLECTOR WHO AM I TO ARGUE

1992 UPPER DECK BASEBALL HEROES THE BIG RED MACHINE

I COLLECTED THE HELL OUT OF UPPER DECK BASEBALL HEROES BACK IN THE DAY BUT WHEN THEY SPRUNG THIS DUAL HEROES SET IN THE 1992 UPDATE SERIES I WAS TERRIBLY OFFENDED. HOW DARE UPPER DECK FOIST HEROES THAT COULDN'T EVEN FILL OUT A WHOLE INSERT SET BY THEMSELVES UPON US? YOU GO FROM TED WILLIAMS TO A TAG TEAM? HARRUMPH! THIS IS AN UTTERLY RIDICULOUS THOUGHT PROCESS BUT I WAS A REAL DUMBASS IN 1992. NOW I AM WAY BEHIND ON THIS SET BUT THANKFULLY THEY ARE NOT TERRIBLY HARD TO FIND THANKS TO THOSE PRINTING PRESSES RUNNING OVERTIME BACK THEN. THE VERNON WELLS ART CHECKLIST CARD IS A NICE PICKUP EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT COLLECITNG THE SET

I STILL FEEL LIKE JOHNNY BENCH COULD HAVE HELD DOWN AN ENTIRE BASEBALL HEORES BY HIMSELF THOUGH

1971 TOPPS JOSE AZCUE

THERE WERE A LOT OF 70S CARDS IN THE DOLLAR BOX. I SCROUNGED THROUGH THE LARGE PILE OF 1972 CARDS AND DISCOVERED I HAD THEM ALL ALREADY. BUT! THERE WERE 71S IN THERE ALSO AND THEY HAD HIGH NUMBERS!!! I SNAGGED THREE I NEEDED. NONE WERE SHORT PRINTED BUT STILL, YOU DON'T STICK YOUR NODE UP AT HIGH NUMBERS IN BARGAIN BOXES. THIS IS JOSE'S LAST TOPPS CARD WHICH IS A SHAME AS WE WERE DENIED A 72 BREWERS CARD OF HIM

1971 TOPPS MOE DRABOWSKY

MOE DRABOWSKY IS A GREAT NAME. THIS CARD IS BEAT TO HELL BUT IT'S AUTOGRAPHED ON THE BACK SO THAT MAKES IT BETTER THAN MINT. MOE DID GET A 1972 CARD, BUT LIKE JOSE, NO CARD FOR THE TEAM HE FINISHED HIS CAREER WITH, BUT @WTHBALLS FIXED THAT A WHILE BACK

1971 TOPPS ROYALS TEAM

HIGH NUMBERED TEAM CARDS ARE SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS, THIS HERE IS ALMOST A MIRACLE OF A CARD. IT'S KINDA WILD THE ROYALS HAD ONLY EXISTED TWO YEARS WHEN THIS CARD CAME OUT. EQUALLY WILD THEY HAD THREE MANAGERS IN THOSE TWO SEASONS. I REALLY HAVE TO GO OUT OF MY WAY TO FIND TRULY VINTAGE STUFF I CAN AFFORD NOWADAYS SO THREE HIGH NUMBERS IN THE DOLLAR BOX IS KINDA AMAZING

1971 TOPPS SCRATCH OFF TOM SEAVER

THIS IS THE ONLY CARD I PICKED UP THAT WASN'T FROM A DOLLAR BOX. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO COMPLETE A VINTAGE INSERT SET - ANY VINTAGE INSERT SET - FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND HAVE BEEN FAILING SPECTACULARLY. WHY DIDN'T I PICK UP ALL THESE CARDS 10-20 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE GARBAGE NO ONE WANTED. OH THE REGRETS. THE TWO SETS I'M CLOSEST TO ARE THE COMIC BOOKLET CARDS FROM 1970 AND THE SCRATCH OFF GAME CARDS FROM 1970-71. THE COMIC BOOKLETS ARE KINDA HARD TO FIND BUT WEIRDLY CHEAP WHEN YOU DO. THE SCRATCH OFFS ARE SUPER EASY TO FIND, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT WHICH YEAR IT'S FROM. THE CARDS FROM BOTH YEARS ARE MOSTLY IDENTICAL EXCEPT THE ONES FROM 1970 HAVE A WHITE INTERIOR AND THE 71S ARE RED. THIS TOM SEAVER CARD WAS INSIDE THE VINTAGE NON-GRADED CASE AND HAD A SUPER CHEAP PRICE TAG ON IT. I HAD A FEELING I KNEW WHY IT WAS SUPER CHEAP BUT GOT IT ANYWAY AND WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THE MOMENT IT WAS PULLED FROM THE CASE

SO THIS IS TECHNICALLY HALF OF A 1971 TOM SEAVER SCRATCH-OFF INSERT CARD. THE OTHER HALF HAS A BUNCH MORE SCRATCH OFF SQUARES, GAME RULES, AND A SCOREBOARD WHERE YOU CAN RECORD THE RUNS SCORED BY YOUR INVISIBLE SCRATCHOFF PLAYERS. THE CARD WAS DESIGNED TO BE RIPPED IN HALF SO THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, SOMEONE ALSO TRIED TO SCRATCH OFF A COUPLE SQUARES AT SOME POINT AND DISCOVERED THAT THESE SCRATCHY SQUARES HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE. I TRIED DOING THIS MYSELF ON ONE OF MY CARDS BACK IN THE 80S AND GOT THE SAME RESULTS OF COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE CARD. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OF THE BELIEF THAT A COMPLETELY TRASHED VINTAGE CARD IS STILL A VINTAGE CARD SO HALF A TOM IS ACCEPTABLE. THIS ALSO SOLVES A DILEMMA SINCE MY NATE COLBERT CARD IS ALSO MISSING A BACK SO I CAN HOLD OFF ON UPGRADING THAT SINCE I'VE ACCEPTED ANOTHER RIPPED CARD INTO THE BINDER

I GOT A FEW OTHER ODDBALLS ON THIS TRIP, BUT I'M SAVING THOSE FOR ANOTHER TIME. I'VE ALREADY BEEN BACK A COUPLE TIMES TO PICK UP STUFF I'VE LEFT BEHIND SO I CAN CONFIRM IT'S A REALLY GOOD STORE. YOU CAN CHECK OUT THEIR WEB STORE AND GET A GOOD IDEA OF ALL THE STUFF IN THIS PLACE AND MAYBE GET AN IDEA OF HOW INTIMIDATED I WAS WITH MY WELL-UNDER-TWENTY-DOLLARS BUDGET. I GOT SEVERAL MORE POSTS TO SHOW OFF FROM HERE SO SETTLE IN AND ENJOY MY CHEAPNESS

ANATOMY OF A $25 DOLLAR JUNK MONSTER BOX

 

MY LCS SELLS 3200 COUNT BOXES FILLED WITH CRAP FOR $25 A POP. IT'S A DECENT DEAL IF YOU LOVE BASE COMMONS, DON'T WANT TO SPEND THAT CASH ON A BLASTER AND HAVE SEVERAL WEEKS FREE TO SORT ALL THAT MESS. LAST DECEMBER I HAD BIRTHDAY MONEY TO SPEND, AND THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE BOX PILE: A 5000 COUNT BOX FULL OF 90S CRAP FOR THE SAME PRICE. I LOVE 90S CRAP! I KNEW I WOULD GET AN ABSURD AMOUNT OF DOUBLES BUT I WAS ALSO PRETTY SURE I'D GET ENOUGH CARDS OFF MY WANTLIST TO MAKE IT A BARGAIN COMPARED TO PICKING THEM OUT OF A DIME BOX. MAYBE EVEN A NICKEL BOX! SINCE IT WAS HOLIDAY SEASON AND I WAS EXTRA BORED I MADE A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF EXACTLY WHAT I GOT OUT OF THAT BOX SO I COULD MAKE A GIGANTIC BLOG POST ABOUT IT AND SQUEEZE THREE OR FOUR MORE HOURS OF ENJOYMENT OUT OF MY TWENTY FIVE BUCKS. SINCE IT APPEARED THAT THE CARDS WERE FIRST ADDED TO THE BOX INTO THE FAR RIGHT ROW AND THEN BACKWARDS TO THE FIRST ROW, THAT'S HOW I SORTED THROUGH THEM MYSELF. GET YOURSELF A DRINK AND SETTLE IN BECAUSE I'M NOT SPLITTING THIS POST UP, JUST GONNA GO FOR IT AND IF IT TAKES SIX MONTHS TO WRITE* SO BE IT

ROW FIVE

175 2022 TOPPS SERIES 1 CARDS

CANYA BELIEVE THAT OTHER THAN A COUPLE SINGLES I PICKED UP HERE AND THERE THAT THIS WAS MY FIRST 2022 TOPPS OF THE YEAR? THIS PILE ACTUALLY SOLD ME ON THE BOX WHEN I SAW IT AS I AM STILL UNDER THE DELUSION THAT I AM BUILDING ALL THE TOPPS FLAGSHIP SETS. I WAS THINKING ABOUT GETTING A BINDER FULL OF CARDS THAT HAD A FEW PAGES OF HEYWARDS THAT I MOSTLY ALREADY HAD FOR THIRTY BUCKS BUT THE NEW STUFF WON ME OVER INSTEAD. I ENDED UP GETTING A HEYWARD CARD AFTER ALL!

46 2021 STADIUM CLUB CARDS

I HAD ZERO RECENT STADIUM CLUB CARDS BEFORE THIS. I DON'T REALLY COLLECT STADIUM CLUB SO THAT MAKES SENSE. NEW STADIUM CLUB TO ME IS A COUPLE DOZEN AMAZING STUPENDOUS FANTASTIC CARDS PER SET, SURROUNDED BY A BUNCH OF REALLY CRISP, WELL PHOTOGRAPHED BORING ACTION SHOTS OF PLAYERS I DON'T CARE ABOUT. THIS IS ONE OF THE AMAZING STUPENDOUS FANTASIC ONES WITH WORLD SERIES LEGEND JORGE SOLER LEAPING IN FRONT OF A GEROGE FLOYD TRIBUTE TO MAKE A CATCH. I STILL HAVEN'T DECIDED WHAT TO DO WITH THE REST OF THEM, I'M THINKING EITHER A NEW STADIUM CLUB FRANKENSET OR A PAGE PER YEAR OF THE AMAZING STUPENDOUS ONES

383 1996 TOPPS SERIES 1 CARDS

I HAVE A REDONCULOUS AMOUNT OF 1996 TOPPS AND WAS ONLY MISSING THREE CARDS FROM THE SET, ALL OF WHICH I ALREADY HAVE SOMEWHERE IN A BOX I'VE HIDDEN FROM MYSELF. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE MOST WELL-LOVED TOPPS SETS OUT THERE DUE TO THE SIZE AND THE UNCANNY FACE SQUISH UNDER THE LOGO BUT IT'S A REMINDER OF ATLANTA'S FIRST WORLD SERIES VICTORY TO ME. THIS KARKOVICE IS ONE OF THE MISSING THREE, WE'LL SEE IF THE OTHER TWO POP UP BECAUSE, HOO BOY, WE AIN'T DONE WITH THIS SET

BOBBY ABREU TRIPLE A SUBSET CARD. HIS 'ROOKIE' CARD IS 1995 BOWMAN BUT HIS EARLIEST CARD IS 1992 CLASSIC. THIS IS IS FIRST TOPPS CARD THOUGH. BOBBY'S ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO WILL SNEAK INTO THE HALL OF FAME ON A FRIENDLY VET'S COMMITTEE BALLOT ONE OF THESE DAYS AND PEOPLE WILL SCREECH WTF?! UNTIL THEY LOOK AT HIS STATS AND THEN GO OH YEAH

BIG UNIT CROTCHBALL CARD. FUCKIN CLASSIC

398 1992 DONRUSS SERIES 2 CARDS

I HAVE A STUPID AMOUNT OUT 1992 DONRUSS CARDS AND I REALLY DID NOT WANT MORE BUT THAT'S THE PRICE OF CHEAP BULK. THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME OVERPRDUCED CRAP YOU DON'T WANT IN THERE, I'M JUST THANKFUL IT WASN'T 1987 TOPPS FOR ONCE. IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE BUSTED OPEN A BOX OF THIS STUFF AND DUMPED THE WHOLE THING IN DISGUST, BUT THEY FORGOT TO PICK OUT THE INSERTS. I WILL ALWAYS APPRECIATE A CARD OF FRED 'MR. FINALLY ELECTED TO THE HALL OF FAME' MCGRIFF

ROW FOUR

60 MORE 1992 DONRUSS SERIES 2 CARDS

YEP, MOARER 1992 DONRUSS. THE DUMB THING IS I ONLY NEED ONE CARD FROM THIS SET AND IT'S A SERIES 1 CARD. THIS JOHN JAJA RATED ROOKIE IS DOPE THO. GOING ON THE THEORY THAT THIS IS A PICKED OVER FULL BOX, THIS GETS US TO 458 DONRUSS CARDS AND A FULL WAX BOX GETS US 540. I WONDER WHAT 82 CARDS THEY KEPT

195 1996 DONRUSS SERIES 2 CARDS

OK WE'RE FINALLY GETTING INTO THE GOOD GOOD STUFF. ANYTHING PRINTED FROM 1995 TO THE EARLY 00S IS HARD AS HELL TO FIND NOWADAYS BECAUSE IT WASN'T PRINTED IN JUNK QUANTITIES AND PEOPLE ASSUME IT'S NOT WORTH ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TRAINED TO THINK IT A CARD ISN'T OLD AS HELL OR NEW AND SHINY IT'S WORTHLESS. LATE 90S ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE CARDS AND I LOVE PICKING THEM UP ON THE CHEAP. 1996 DONRUSS ISN'T MY FAVORITE MAINLY BECAUSE THAT FOIL BOX IS HARD TO READ BUT I NABBED QUITE A FEW I NEEDED INCLUDING THIS NEAT NOMO RATED ROOKIE

219 1995 UPPER DECK SP CARDS

HOO BABY, I LOVE THIS SET. THIS IS THE FIRST SP SET I GOT INTO BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS SETS WERE HARD TO FIND AND EXPENSIVE AND THIS ONE WAS MUCH MORE PLENTIFUL AND STRAIGHT UP LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE OTHER TWO. THE PICTURES ARE FANTASTIC AND THAT FUNKY FOIL WITH THE UD LOGOS SOMEHOW ETCHED IN MAKE MY EYES HAPPY. AMERICAN LEAGUE CARDS HAVE RED FOIL LIKE ON THIS WINFIELD CARD

OH NOEZ! I HAZ BEEN BIPPED! NL CARDS GET THE BLUE FOIL TREATMENT. I NEED TO START TRACKING WHICH BIP CARDS I HAVE NOW THAT I AM UNOFFICIALLY COLLECTING HIM. OR MAYBE JUST FREAKING OUT EVERY TIME I STUMBLE ACROSS A NEW BIPPING IS THE PROPER WAY TO GO

THIS SET HAD A PARALLEL OF FULLY SHINY HOLOFOIL WHICH LOOKS SO DAMN GOOD YOU ALMOST FORGET ABOUT THE RED AND BLUE CARDS. THIS ONE WOULD LOOK AMAZING IN A FULL SET

THE PROSPECTS SUBSET IS DIE CUT ON ETCHED FOIL CARDS AND THEY LOOK PRETTY FANTASTIC. THE ONLY ACTUAL ROOKIE CARD OF NOTE IS HIDEO NOMO SO THESE ARE PRETTY CHEAP TOO. EXTRA CHEAP WITH ALL THE DINGS AND CHIPS THESE CARDS ATTRACT. WITH THIS PILE OF A STARTER SET I'VE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO BUILD THE THING SINCE IT REACHES THE THREE CRITERIA I NEED FOR COLLECTING AN ODDBALL SET: 1) IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD 2) NO SHORT PRINTS 3) I ALREADY HAVE A TON OF THE CARDS

299 1997 UPPER DECK SERIES 2 CARDS

MOST NORMAL PEOPLE HAD MOVED ON FROM CARDS BY 1997 BUT NOT ME I BOUGHT A TON OF UPPER DECK THAT YEAR BECAUSE IT LOOKED SO DAMN GOOD. EVEN THIS OBNOXIOUS TOPPS FANBOI ADMITS THAT UPPER DECK BLEW EVERYONE ELSE OUT OF THE WATER THAT YEAR. HERE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THEIR GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY AND WILD WOODGRAIN FOIL

GOTTA LOVE GRIFFEYS IN THE JUNKBOX. THIS IS ONE OF THE EXTREMELY FOILY SUBSETS UD WAS KNOWN FOR IN THE LATE 90S. THESE CARDS HAD A LITTLE SECRET TOO. WHILE MOST OF THEM HAD TEXTURED GOLD INK ON THE BACK SOME OF THEM WERE LIKE THIS:

NO GOLD INK WITH A WHITE BORDER. IT MAKES THE TEXT EASIER TO READ AT LEAST. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THESE ARE SCARCE OR NOT BUT I HAVE QUITE A FEW OF THEM FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH

247 1996 FLEER UPDATE CARDS

I WAS HOPING THESE WERE 1997 UPDATE CARDS WHEN I SAW THEM IN THE BOX SO I COULD CHASE THE DAVID ARIAS/ORTIZ ROOKIE BUT I'M HAPPY WITH THE 1996 VERSION. THESE ARE GREAT LOOKING (AND FEELING) CARDS AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET SOME WONDERFUL ONES

I CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND DUMPING A BUNCH OF TIFFANY PARALLELS IN A JUNK BOX BUT TO INCLUDE BARRY BONDS? OK, SO IT'S MISCUT, BUT THAT JUST MAKES IT EVEN MORE INTERESTING! IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO INSIST THAT BONDS CARDS AREN'T WORTH ANYTHING I'LL BE HAPPY TO SNATCH THEM ALL UP

43 1992 TRIPLE PLAY CARDS

HONESTLY THIS WAS WORSE THAN THE 92 DONRUSS AS FAR AS TRASH IN THE BOX WAS CONCERNED. I BOUGHT A BUNCH OF THIS BACK IN THE DAY BECAUSE I WAS A BROKE COLLEGE STUDENT AND IT WAS CHEAP BUT I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT ANY HAD I KNOWN THAT IT WOULD STILL BE DUMPED ON ME THREE DECADES LATER. THAT BEING SAID, THERE WERE LOTS OF STARS IN THERE INCLUDING MAD DOG

INSERTS TOO. CHASING THESE GALLERY OF STARS CARDS IN THE JUMBO PACKS IS A BIG REASON I ACCUMULATED SO MANY TRIPLE PLAY CARDS IN THE FIRST PLACE. STILL DON'T HAVE THE COMPLETE SET OF THESE EITHER THO

ROW THREE

474 MORE 1992 TRIPLE PLAY CARDS

SO YEAH. THAT'S OVER 500 CARDS FROM A 264 CARD SET. DID I MENTION I STILL DO NOT HAVE A COMPLETE SET OF THIS TRASH? I CAN'T BE MAD AT THE PHILLIE PHANATIC THOUGH. THE HALF A DOZEN CARDS I HAVE OF PHIL PLANTIER, TODD VAN POPPEL AND BRET BARBERIE? EACH?? YAH, THEMS I'M MAD AT

351 1995 UPPER DECK SERIES 1 CARDS

1995 WOULD HAVE BEEN SUCH A BALLER YEAR FOR BASEBALL CARDS HAD BUD NOT SELIGED EVERYTHING UP. 1995 UPPER DECK OUT STADIUM CLUBBED STADIUM CLUB WITH ITS GREAT PICS AND UNDERSTATED DESIGN. THIS CARD OF SHOULD-BE-HALL-OF-FAMER LOU WHITAKER LOOKS FANTASTIC

ERRYBODY GOTTA HAVE PARALLELS AND 95 UPPER DECK'S INVOLVED SILVER FOIL AND A HOME PLATE LOGO. IT DOESN'T MAKE ME WANT TO RUN OUT AND COLLECT A SET LIKE THE SP HOLOFOILS BUT I APPRECIATE A NICE GWYNN

THEY HAD TO MAKE THE HOME PLATE FOILY FOR THE PARALLELS FOR CARDS LIKE THIS STAR ROOKIE WITH NO FOIL. CAN YOU IMAGINE IT, A BASEBALL CARD WITH NO FOIL?? EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I REMEMBER TAVAREZ CRYING AFTER THE 1995 WORLD SERIES AND I FEEL A LITTLE BAD

ONE BAD THING ABOUT 1995 UPPER DECK WAS THAT THE CHECKLIST CARDS WERE INSERTS. ANOTHER BAD THING IS I FORGOT TO ROTATE THE PICTURE. AS I SAID BEFORE, JUNK BOX INSERTS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED

237 1996 UPPER DECK SERIES 1 CARDS

1996 IS ANOTHER AMAZING LOOKING UPPER DECK SET. LIKE THE 97 SET IT HAS A BOTTOM STRIPE OF TEXTURED FOIL EXCEPT THIS ONE HAS LITTLE BASEBALL DUDES INSTEAD OF WOODGRAIN. THERE'S ALSO SPECIAL FOIL STAMPING FOR STUFF LIKE MVP AWARDS AND LIKE ALWAYS THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TOP NOTCH. THIS ONE HERE WITH THE TWO VAUGHNS WOULD LOOK GREAT IF I HADN'T ALSO BOTCHED THE ROTATION ON THIS CARD

LOVE ME SOME RICKEY HENDERSON CARDS. THIS YOUNG AT HEART SUBSET WAS SUPPESED TO BE FOR OLD GEEZERS WHOSE STATS FILLED UP THE WHOLE BACK OF THE CARD BUT RICKEY FOOLED THEM AND PLAYED EIGHT MORE SEASONS AFTER THIS CARD CAME OUT

MORE INSERTS SNUCK INTO THE BOX. THESE POWER DRIVEN CARDS WEREN'T SUPER SCARCE AT 1:36 PACKS BUT THAT'S LESS THAN ONE PER BOX. THEY LOOK GREAT WITH UPPER DECK ONE-TWO PUNCH OF ETCHED HOLOFOIL. REGGIE SANDERS IS A FUTURE BRAVE AS WELL

THESE PREDICTOR CARDS ARE NOT AT ALL SCARCE AND SEEM TO BE LOOKED DOWN UPON BY THE HOBBY SINCE THEY WERE GAME CARDS BUT I'LL HAPPILY TAKE ANY INSERT OF RANDY JOHNSON

21 1996 BOWMAN CARDS

I DO NOT GIVE TWO CRAPS ABOUT BOWMAN CARDS ANYMORE. I'M EVEN DONE WITH BOWMAN HERITAGE CARDS AFTER THE RECENT ONLINE EXCLUSIVE DEBACLE. I DO HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THIS IS AN INTERESTING '1ST BOWMAN CARD' OF RON GANT HERE. (SPOILERS: IT IS NOT HIS FIRST BOWMAN CARD)

ROW TWO

223 MORE 1996 BOWMAN CARDS

BLUH. MOAR BOW MAN. COOL BIG SEXY CARD THOUGH, BACK WHEN HE WAS LITTLE SEXY

I WON'T BEGRUDGE A RUSS ORTIZ PRE-ROOKIE CARD. HE PITCHED WELL FOR THE BRAVES AND SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN YANKED SO SOON IN THAT WORLD SERIES GAME. OH WELL

THERE WAS ALSO A BOWMAN'S BEST PREVIEW INSERT. THESE LOOK EXACTLY LIKE REGULAR BOWMAN'S BEST EXCEPT FOR THE NUMBER SO YAY

375 MORE 1996 TOPPS SERIES 1 CARDS

SO IF YOU'RE COUNTING, THIS IS NOW 758 CARDS FOR A 220 CARD SET. ABOUT A BOX AND THREE-QUARTERS WORTH OF PACKS. THIS JOE CARTER CARD IS ONE OF THE THREE THAT PEOPLE SENT ME TO COMPLETE THIS THING AND I MISPLACED SO GETTING CLOSER TO THAT SET NOW

AGAIN PEOPLE TREATING BARRY LIKE TRASH. TO BE FAIR I AM 100% CERTAIN THIS IS THE LEFTOVERS FROM AT LEAST ONE BOX RIP AND ALL THE GOOD STUFF WAS DISCARDED. EXCEPT THE JETERS. WHOEVER RIPPED THIS STUFF DEFINITELY KEPT THE JETERS

HERE'S ANOTHER NICE INSERT, THIS TIME OF JEFF BAGWELL WITH A TONY GWYNN CAMEO. OR IT WOULD BE A NICE INSERT IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE EYE-POPPING STUFF LIKE THAT REGGIE SANDERS CARD UP THERE. IT'S ALMOST COMICAL HOW TOPPS JUST PUNTED THE FLAGSHIP TO FOCUS ON FINEST AND STADIUM CLUB AND ODDBALL STUFF LIKE LASER AND THAT 3D EMBOSSED SET I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF. BY ITSELF THOUGH THIS IS A DECENT LOOKING SET ALTHOUGH THE FOIL BORDERS CHIP BADLY, ESPECIALLY ON THE SERIES TWO CARDS THAT DON'T HAVE THE WHITE BORDERS

SPEAKING OF FINEST, LOOKIE HERE

REMEMBER MYSTERY FINEST? THE ONES YOU HAVE TO PEEL TO SEE WHO YOU GOT? YEP, ONE MADE ITS WAY INTO THIS BOX. MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE THIS CONVINCES ME THAT WHOEVER PICKED THE CARDS FOR THIS BOX WENT 'IS IT JETER? NO? THEN IT'S CRAP'. LET'S LOOK AT THE BACK TO SEE WHO THIS MIGHT BE

EVEN THE BACK IS RIDDLED WITH MYSTERY. PLAYER NUMBER ONE IS OBVIOUSLY GRIFFEY AND YOU CAN SEE ALBERT BELLE'S NAME ON HIS JERSEY. PLAYER NUMBER THREE ELUDED ME AND I HAD TO LOOK IT UP TO FIND OUT IT WAS DANTE BICHETTE. SO THE THING ABOUT THESE MYSTERY FINEST CARDS IS SINCE FINEST HAS THAT CHROME ETCHING AROUND THE PLAYER OUTLINE IT'S PRETTY EASY TO LOOK AT THE CARD UNDER A BRIGHT LIGHT, SEE THE OUTLINE THROUGH THE BLACK FILM AND FIGURE OUT FROM THE PICTURE ON THE BACK WHO IT IS. THIS ONE'S GRIFFEY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A REFRACTOR OR NOT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T PEELED IT. YES, I KNOW THAT I'M THE 'FREE THE FINEST' GUY BUT I ACTUALLY PULLED AND PEELED A GRIFFEY MYSTERY FINEST BACK IN 1996 SO THERE'S NO NEED TO PEEL ANOTHER. I'M REALLY CONFUSED ON HOW THIS CARD EVEN GOT IN THIS BOX, RAW COPIES ARE SELLING ONLINE FOR MORE THAN WHAT I PAID FOR THE WHOLE BOX. OF COURSE YOU COULD SAY I'M PAYING A HIGH PRICE BY BRINGING IN THOUSANDS MORE DOUBLES INTO MY HOUSE

236 1995 UPPER DECK SP CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION CARDS

MOARER 1995 SP CARDS, EXCEPT THIS TIME IT'S A CHEAPSKATE RETAIL VERSION WITH A PLAYOFFS THEME AND ONE TENTH OF THAT BEAUTIFUL FOIL THAT MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH THE HOBBY VERSION. NO LIE, I BOUGHT A PACK OF THIS BACK IN '95 AND WAS SO DAMN MAD THAT THEY WERE SO STINGY WITH THAT FOIL. I GUESS I'M COLLECTING THIS SET TOO NOW THAT I HAVE SO MUCH OF IT

ROOKIES, I MEAN PROSPECTS, I MEAN DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH CARDS LOOK BETTER THAN THE HOBBY VERSION IN MY OPINION. IT STILL HAS THE SUPER CHIPPABLE BORDERS BUT LEAVES OUT THE DIE CUTTING AND REPLACES IT WITH SOME COOL LOOKING TEXTURED FOIL BACKGROUNDS. LIKE LAST TIME THE ONLY REALLY BIG RC IS NOMO, BUT UD DID ADD A JETER CARD THAT WILL BE A PAIN FOR ME TO CHASE

THE SET IS ORDERED BY TEAMS AND THE MAJOR LEAGUE PRO-FILES CARD IS BASICALLY THE CAP CARD FOR EACH TEAM. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY RHYMORE OR REASON FOR THE CHOICE OF THE PRO-FILES SUBJECT, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE A REGULAR BASE CARD AND SOMETIMES LIKE THIS DEION CARD THEY DON'T 

OCTOBER LEGENDS IS THE OTHER BIG SUBSET AND I GOT THE BEST OCTOBER LEGEND THERE IS IN DIE-CUT PARALLEL FORM. I DIDN'T THINK TO MAKE A TOP TEN PULLS FROM THE JUNK BOX LIST BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN I WAS TAKING THESE PICTURES BUT I ASSURE YOU THIS CARD IS ON THE LIST

265 1996 COLLECTOR'S CHOICE CARDS

I HAVE WEIRD FEELINGS ABOUT COLLECTOR'S CHOICE. ON ONE HAND I DEEPLY REGRET BUYING SO MANY PACKS OF IT INSTEAD OF REGULAR UPPER DECK (OR VINTAGE CARDS FOR THAT MATTER). BUT ON THE OTHER HAND AS THE YEARS PASS THE MORE I REALIZE THAT THE ORIGINAL COLLECTOR'S CHOICE SETS WERE REALLY GREAT SETS AND I WISH WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE IT TODAY. THE FACT THAT UPPER DECK KILLED IT IN FAVOR OF MVP AND VICTORY ADDS TO MY SADNESS, BUT IT ALSO INCREASES THE POSSIBILITY THAT I TRY TO COLLECT THE FIVE YEAR RUN OF OG COLLECTOR'S CHOICE.  THE 1996 VERSION IS VERY NICE, IF A BIT BLOATED, AND KICKS THE ASS OF TOPPS' FLAGSHIP THAT YEAR. CERTAIN CARDS ALSO GOT A FULL BLEED BORDER LIKE THIS KRUK CAREER CAPPER

UGH PARALLELS. NOW I REMEMBER WHY I'M NOT THAT HOT ON COLLECTOR'S CHOICE. SILVER AND GOLD BORDERS WITH A FOIL AUTOGRAPH. FINDING A NICE IVAN RODRIGUEZ IS NICE, BUT A GIANT PILE OF PARALLELS I'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IS NOT

GAME CARDS THO! I LOVE GAME CARDS! THIS IS A 45 CARD SETS BUT THERE ARE TWO VERSIONS OF EACH CARD WITH DIFFERENT PLAYS SO IT'S ACTUALLY A 45 CARD SET. THE DISRESPECT FOR ALEX RODRIGUEZ CARDS IS JUST AS BAD AS THE DISRESPECT FOR BARRY BONDS CARDS. MAYBE EVEN MORE BECAUSE I GET EXCITED WHEN I FIND A BONDS CARD AND AM JUST LIKE 'HEY, AN A-ROD, NEAT' WHEN I SEE CHEAP RODRIGUEZ CARDS

YEP, EVEN THE GAME CARDS HAVE  PARALLELS. THE ONLY GOLD SIGNATURE CARD I GOT WAS MATTINGLY HERE AND I DON'T LIKE DON ANYMORE SINCE HE DECIDED TO HAVE HIS PITCHING STAFF TAKE TARGET PRACTICE AT RONALD ACUÑA. I'M GLAD YOU NEVER WON A TITLE YOU SCHMUCJ

ROW ONE

59 MORE 1996 COLLECTOR'S CHOICE CARDS

STILL NOT DONE WITH COLLECTOR'S CHOICE, HERE'S A GREAT MID AIR PHOTO OF CRAIG BIGGIO. I'M JUST NOW REMEMBERING THAT 96 COLLECTOR'S CHOICE WAS RELEASED IN TWO SERIES AND I DID NOT CHECK TO SEE WHICH SERIES I GOT IN THE BOX. I'M GOING TO GUESS IT'S ALL SERIES ONE SINCE THAT'S THE ONE WITH THE GAME CARDS BUT IF YOU SEE A SERIES TWO CARD POSTED, FEEL FREE TO HOLLER IN THE COMMENTS

FRD MCGRIFF HOME RUN! YA DAMN RIGHT. I LOVE WHEN GAME CARD RESULTS MATCH THE PLAYER PERFECTLY

384 1996 TOPPS SERIES 2 CARDS

HOLY FUCKING SHIT, EVEN MORE 1996 TOPPS CARDS. MIKE PIAZZA WAS THE THIRD OF THREE CARDS I NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE SET AND NOW THAT I HAVE IT, I'M OFFICIALLY CLOSE ON MY SECOND COMPLETE 1996 TOPPS SET. HELL YEAH

488 1992 LEAF CARDS

LEAF IS ANOTHER BRAND I HAVE A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH. I'M SOMEWHAT BITTER THAT THE 1990 SET HAS ALWAYS BEEN OVERPRICED AND TOUGH TO FIND, AM A LITTLE TIRED OF SEEING PILES OF 1991-93 CARDS IN EVERY JUNK WAX DUMP, BUT LEGITIMATELY LOVE SOME OF THE LATER SETS. I WAS A LITTLE BIT LIKE JULIO WHEN I REALIZED THAT MOST OF A BOX OF 92 LEAF WAS DUMPED IN HERE BUT THEN

IT REALLY WAS MOST OF A BOX INCLUDING THE BLACK GOLD! THIS IS MY FAVORITE PARALLEL OF THE 90S, THE BLACK BORDERS AND GOLD FOIL LOOKS GREAT AND THERE'S SO DAMN MUCH OF THIS SET OUT THERE IT'S NOT TOO HARD TO STUMBLE ACROSS IT. IF I EVER LOSE MY MIND AND REALLY TRY TO COMPLETE A PARALLEL SET IT WILL BE THIS ONE. I GOT A BUNCH OF NICE ONES IN HERE INCLUDING THIS LARRY 

THE GOLD LEAF ROOKIES WERE IN HERE TOO. I REALLY LIKE THIS INSERT EVEN THOUGH 90% OF THE PLAYERS DIDN'T REALLY PAN OUT. THE CARDS LOOK NICE AND THEY ARE CHEAP AS HELL AND THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. GOTTA LOVE A NICE TURK WENDELL CARD

127 1990 UPPER DECK CARDS

LAST THING IN THE BOX WAS SOME WORTHLESS CRAP. OK, OK, IT'S A NICE LITTLE SET, AND ALSO WORTHLESS CRAP. I HAVE A LOT OF BAD FEELINGS TOWARDS THIS SET BECAUSE I BOUGHT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A COMPLETE SET FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD KID IN 1991 AND THE LITTLE SHIT CHEATEST ME AND KEPT ALL THE GOOD CARDS. GUYS LIKE RICKY JORDAN AND CHRIS SABO. SO NOT ONLY DID I NOT HAVE A SET OF THIS JUNK FOR DECADES I HAD BEEN GETTING PILES UPON PILES OF THE STUFF INSIDE JUNK BOXES FOR YEARS. I PROBABLY HAVE A SECOND SET OF THIS STUFF AT THIS POINT BUT I HAVE NO INTEREST IN PUTTING IT TOGETHER. HERE'S A KEVIN MAAS CARD FOR YOU, I THINK THE KID KEPT THIS ONE TOO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SO AFTER THE INITIAL FUN OF CHECKING OUT ALL THE NEW STUFF IT WAS TIME TO GET DOWN TO THE GRUELING WORK OF ACTUALLY SORTING ALL THIS NONSENSE AND CHECKING THE WANTLISTS. JUST KIDDING I FUCKIN LOVE SORTING CARDS, I LOVE SORTING MORE THAN HAVING. I'VE SPENT A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF TIME THE PAST THREE YEARS RE-SORTING A LOT OF THE CRAP I ALREADY HAD. HERE'S THE FINAL TOTALS FOR EVERY SET AFTER SORTING IN ORDER BY YEAR:

1990 UPPER DECK - DIDN'T BOTHER. I ALREADY HAVE A SET OF THIS AND DO NOT WANT A SECOND

1992 DONRUSS SERIES 2 - DIDN'T BOTHER. THE ONLY CARD I NEED IS FROM SERIES 1. PLUS I ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH 92 DONRUSS DOUBLES TO FULL UP MOST OF ANOTHER MONSTER BOX. THE REST OF THE SETS I ACTUALLY GAVE A DAMN ABOUT THOUGH

1992 LEAF - NEEDED 50, ALSO GOT 20 BLACK GOLD CARDS AND 2 INSERTS. I KINDA WANT TO BUILD THE BLACK GOLD SET, SO GETTING THE PARALLELS ALONG WITH THE JUNK WAS SUPER COOL

1992 TRIPLE PLAY - NEEDED 24, ALSO GOT 5 INSERTS. THIS WAS THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT AS I ALREADY HAD AN ABSURD AMOUNT OF CARDS FROM THIS SET BUT STILL DID NOT GET A COMPLETE SET EVEN WHEN ADDING OVER 500 MORE. JUST IN THIS BOX I HAVE 200/264 CARDS FOR A SECOND SET. I DON'T EVEN LIKE THIS SET!

1995 UPPER DECK SERIES 1 - NEEDED 54, ALSO GOT 28 ELECTRIC DIAMOND AND 2 INSERTS. THIS WAS FANTASTIC! I AM ONLY MISSING TWO CARDS FROM THE SERIES ONE SET NOW! ONE OF THEM IS THE STOOPID MICHAEL JORDAN CARD BUT AT LEAST THAT ONE WILL BE EASY TO FIND

1995 UPPER DECK SP - NEEDED 76, ALSO GOT 27 HOLOFOIL PARALLELS AND 1 INSERT. A LOT OF THESE CARDS WERE IN BETTER CONDITION THAT THE ONES I ALREADY HAD SO THIS BOX HAD A BIG IMPACT. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON WHAT NON-FLAGSHIP ODDBALL SETS I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TRY TO COLLECT AND 95 SP IS NOW IN THAT LIST

1995 UPPER DECK SP CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION - NEEDED 83, ALSO GOT 36 DIECUT PARALLELS AND 3 INSERTS. WHILE I DON'T LIKE THIS SET AS MUCH AS PLAIN SP, I'VE GOT SO MUCH OF THE SET NOW I MAY AS WELL BUILD IT ALONG WITH SP

1996 BOWMAN - GOT 183/385 BASE CARDS. WHILE I DID SORT IT, I ALSO DO NOT CARE ABOUT BOWMAN EVEN A LITTLE BIT AND DIDN'T BOTHER TO ADD IT TO THE CARDS I ALREADY HAVE. MY ENTIRE BOWMAN COLLECTION IS A COMPLETE MESS AND WILL REQUIRE A MASSIVE RE-SORT SOON IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN SO I CAN START TO GET RID OF IT

1996 COLLECTOR'S CHOICE - GOT 177/365 BASE CARDS, 57 SILVER PARALLELS, 33 GAME CARDS AND 3 INSERTS. I CARE WAY MORE ABOUT COLLECTOR'S CHOICE THAN I DO BOWMAN, BUT I DO NOT HAVE A WANTLIST TOGETHER FOR IT AND HAVE NOT TAKEN THE TIME TO MAKE ONE. I ACTUALLY LIKE THE COLLECTOR'S CHOICE CARDS UNLIKE THE MVP AND VICTORY VERSIONS OF UPPER DECK'S POVERTY PRODUCT SO MAYBE SOME DAY

1996 DONRUSS SERIES 2 - NEEDED 14. DONRUSS CARDS AFTER 1993 GET INCREASINGLY SCARCE EACH YEAR SO FINDING ANY THAT I NEED IS A GODSEND

1996 FLEER UPDATE - NEEDED 12, ALSO GOT 21 TIFFANY PARALLELS. I FOUND A BOX OF THIS BACK WHEN BOXES OF CARDS WERE CHEAP AND FINDABLE AND GOT MOST OF THE SET SO KNOCKING OFF OVER A THIRD OF THE REMAINING CARDS WAS VERY NICE

1996 TOPPS - I ALREADY HAD THE SET COMPLETED, BUT GOT 377/440 TOWARDS A SECOND ONE. THE THREE PRO-FILES AND GRIFFEY MYSTERY FINEST DEFINITELY MADE ALL THE DOUBLES WORTH IT

1996 UPPER DECK SERIES 2 - NEEDED 36, ALSO GOT 3 INSERTS. I'M DOWN TO A DOZEN CARDS LEFT FOR SERIES ONE NOW. I HAVE VERY LITTLE CONFIDENCE I'LL COMPLETE ANY UPPER DECK SET AFTER ABOUT 1994 UNLESS SOMEONE DROPS A PALLET OF THEIR DOUBLES ON MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY HAPPEN NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING OLDER AND PEOPLE ARE DOWNSIZING THEIR COLLECTIONS

1997 UPPER DECK SERIES 2 - NEEDED 24. 1997 IS MAYBE THE ONLY UPPER DECK SET WHERE I HAVE WAY MORE SERIES TWO THAN SERIES ONE. THIS STILL KNOCKED ME DOWN TO THIRTEEN CARDS LEFT TO COMPLETE THE SERIES, AND MOST OF THOSE ARE THE SHORT PRINTED GRIFFEY HOT LIST CARDS

2021 STADIUM CLUB - NEEDED ALL 45. THIS WAS MY FIRST LOOK AT 21 STADIUM CLUB. IT'S FINE. ONE DAY I NEED TO GET THE NOUVEAU CLUB CARDS I HAVE AND MAKE A FRANKENSET OUT OF THE GOOD ONES AND DUMP THE REST

2022 TOPPS SERIES 1 - NEEDED ALL 174. I HAD PICKED UP A COUPLE SINGLE CARDS FROM 2022 TOPPS HERE AND THERE BUT HAD GOTTEN NO PACKS TO THIS POINT SO THIS PILE IS MY START TO BUILDING A TOPPS SET AGAIN. EXCEPT FOR THE HEYWARD, THAT WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE PLAYER COLLECTION BINDER

FINAL TOTAL: 

OUT OF 5425 CARDS, I NEEDED 592 BASE CARDS. I ALSO GOT 189 PARALLELS AND 57 INSERTS.  ABOUT ONE-SEVENTH OF THE BOX WAS STUFF I DIDN'T HAVE ALREADY. FOR SOMEONE WHO ALREADY HAS AN ABSURD AMOUNT OF CARDS, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD! NOW I JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THE DOUBLES. BUT THAT'S NOT AS MUCH FUN AS SORTING! 

*DEAR READER, IT ABSOLUTELY DID TAKE SIX MONTHS TO WRITE THIS THING