TOP 20 CARDS FROM 1991 PACIFIC NOLAN RYAN SERIES 2

SOMETIMES AT THE CARD SHOP YOU BUY SOMETHING EXTREMELY STUPID JUST BECAUSE IT'S FUN. I WAS AT A CARD SHOP. I BOUGHT SOMETHING EXTREMELY STUPID. A COMPLETE SET OF 1991 PACIFIC NOLAN RYAN SERIES TWO FOR A COUPLE BUCKS. I DON'T EVEN LIKE NOLAN RYAN! I ALREADY HAVE A BUNCH OF THESE CARDS AND I DON'T WANT THEM! BUT! COMPLETE SET FOR TWO BUCKS, THAT'S FUN

THE SET FIT IN A LITTLE SNAP CASE WITH ROOM ENOUGH TO CRAM A WRAPPER IN TO KEEP THE CARDS FROM JOSTLING AROUND. WHILE I AM NOT A RYAN FAN, AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THESE GOT SO OVERPRODUCED EVEN BOOMERS THINK THEY'RE WORTHLESS, I GOTTA ADMIT THERE ARE SOME COOL CARDS IN THERE. ENOUGH TO DO A NEEDLESS TOP 20 LIST AND THEN SOME

HERE'S A PIC OF THE CRINKLY WRAPPER. ALL THE PACIFIC WRAPPERS FROM THIS YEAR WERE WEIRD SILVERY PLASTICY MESSES. HOW DID THEY GET LIKE THIS? I KNOW I OPENED A BUNCH OF 1991 PACIFIC FOOTBALL BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE WRAPPERS BEING WRINKLED. DID THEY CRINKLE UP OVER TIME? I KNOW THEY LOOKED LIKE THIS IN THE EARLY 00'S BECAUSE I'D TAKE MY SON TO THE CARD SHOP AND HE'D PICK UP A COUPLE OF THESE PACKS BECAUSE THEY LOOKED LIKE CHOCOLATE BARS. SOME BASEBALL CARD ARCHAEOLOGIST NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS PHENOMENON

ENOUGH WITH THE TANGENT, HERE'S YOUR TOP 20:

#20 GOOSE AND NOLAN

THERE ARE A FEW CARDS WHERE NOLAN SHARES THE SPOTLIGHT IN THE SET AND THIS ONE RANKS THE LOWEST BECAUSE GOOSE HAS BECOME A MISERABLE OLD CRANK. BUT IT MAKES THE LIST BECAUSE GOOSE WAS A HELL OF A PITCHER AND HAS A COOL MUSTACHE AND WAS NAMED GOOSE. A REAL SHAME ABOUT THE MISERABLENESS THO

#19 BABBY NOLAN

I WILL BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT BABIES ARE PROBABLY NOT AN APPROPRIATE SUBJECT FOR TRADING CARDS. A WHOLE SET FULL OF BABIES WOULD BE HORRIBLY CREEPY. BUT ONE BABY IN A SET? THAT'S PRETTY CUTE. BUT DON'T OVERDO IT

#18 DRAWING A CROWD

THERE ARE TWO CARDS IN THE SET WITH A PICTURE OF NOLAN SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS FOR THE CROWD. I CHOSE THIS ONE BECAUSE THE COMPOSITION LOOKS BETTER WITH HIM FACING RIGHT AND IT'S NUMERICALLY EARLIER IN THE SET AND I HAD PULLED THIS ONE OUT ALREADY AND COULDN'T BE ARSED TO PUT IT BACK

#17 PASSING ALONG WISDOM

THIS CARD FEATURES PITCHING COACH TOM HOUSE WHO IS THE BRAVES BULLPEN PITCHER WHO CAUGHT HANK AARON'S 715TH HOME RUN WHICH PRETTY MUCH MEANS THIS IS A BRAVES CARD 

#16 NOLAN RYAN FIELD

THIS AWKWARD POSED PHOTO OF NOLAN STANDING IN FRONT OF HIS RENAMED HIGH SCHOOL FIELD IS EXTREMELY QUAINT AND I'M SO GLAD IT'S NOT IN COLOR BECAUSE THAT MIGHT RUIN THE WHOLE VIBE

#15 SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS

I UNDERSTAND WHY THE PHOTO ON THIS CARD IS CROPPED SO STRANGELY, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO GET EVERYONE ON THE CARD OTHERWISE. BUT DOING IT LIKE THIS MAKES IT LOOK LIKE THEY ARE ALL EXTRAS IN THE BIG SCENE AT JUPE'S PARK IN THE MOVIE NOPE. HERE COMES JEAN JACKET

#14 LITTLE LEAGUE ALL-STAR

IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO A WHOLE-ASS BASEBALL CARD SET ON JUST ONE PLAYER THERE BETTER BE A CARD OF THAT DUDE IN LITTLE LEAGUE. IT'S REQUIRED

#13 NUMBER 500

GONNA BE REAL WITH YOU, LIKE 80% OF THIS SET IS GENERIC PORTRAITS OR ACTION SHOTS OF NOLAN PITCHING AND THEY ALL START TO BLUR TOGETHER AFTER A WHILE. NOT THIS ANGELS MUGSHOT THOUGH. NOTHING ELSE IN THE SET LOOKS QUITE LIKE THIS

#12 NO HITTERS ENDED IN THE NINTH

SOMETIMES THE BACKS ARE MORE AMAZING THAN THE FRONTS. THIS MICKEYFICKEY ALMOST HAD TWELVE NO HITTERS

#11 NOLAN THE COWBOY

THE WHOLE TEXAS COWBOY IMAGE NOLAN CULTIVATED IS ONE OF THE REASONS I NEVER REALLY GRAVITATED TOWARDS HIM BUT I CAN'T BEGRUDGE A GUY HAVING THIS MUCH FUN COSPLAYING ROY ROGERS

HONORABLE MENTION: THE NET CARD

A SHORT BREAK IN THE FESTIVITIES TO APPRECIATE ONE OF THE WEIRDER CARDS IN THE SET. AN ENTIRE CARD DEDICATED TO NOLAN STANDING BEHIND A NET ON THE FIELD. I LIKE THIS CARD, IT'S A UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPH THAT YOU MOSTLY ONLY SEE ON CARDS FROM THE EARLY 90S WHERE ALL THE MANUFACTURERS WERE WILLING TO DO DAMN NEAR ANYTHING TO GET ATTENTION IN A CRAZY SATURATED MARKET. BUT THIS CARD GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND

NET PHOTOS ON THE FRONT AND THE BACK. THE ONLY OTHER TRADING CARD THAT IS MORE DEDICATED TO NETS THAT I CAN THINK OF ARE THE PACIFIC INSERTS FROM THE LATE 90S THAT HAD AN ACTUAL PIECE OF NET SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN SOME DIE-CUT CARDBOARD. PACIFIC IS TRULY THE BRAND LEADER IN NETS

OK BACK TO THE SHOW

#10 NOLAN'S FAST BALL IS JUST A BLUR

THIS CARD DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS IT DOES. THERE'S NOLAN'S FASTBALL. IT IS INDEED A BLUR. I LOVE CARDS WHERE THE BALL IS HANGING IN MIDAIR IN THE PHOTO AFTER IT IS PITCHED. YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THIS SOON

#9 ASTROS RETURN OF THE PRODIGIOUS SON

WHEN I SAID EARLIER THIS SET IS FILLED WITH ACTION SHOT OF NOLAN PITCHING THAT ALL BLUR TOGETHER I MEAN POSES LIKE THIS. WHAT MAKES THIS ONE STICK OUT ARE THOSE ADS ON THE OUTFIELD WALL OF WHAT I ASSUME IS THE ASTROS' SPRING TRAINING FACILITIES

#8 PURE SPEED

NOLAN HANGING OUT WITH ANOTHER HALL OF FAMER WHO AS FAR AS I KNOW WAS NOT A CRANK. THERE'S A WHOLE LOTTA STRIKEOUTS ON THIS CARD

#7 STRETCHING BEFORE THE GAME

THE UNIQUE POSE GOT THIS CARD ON THE LIST. THAT INCREDIBLE FACE NOLAN'S MAKING GOT THE CARD THIS HIGH ON THE LIST

#6 NOLAN RYAN JACKSONVILLE SUNS

VINTAGE MINOR LEAGUE PHOTOS ARE ALWAYS GREAT ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE FROM A WELL KNOWN FRANCHISE LIKE THE SUNS. THE TEAM IS NOW KNOWN AS THE JUMBO SHRIMP, I WONDER IF PHOENIX SUED

EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS: THE WORST CARDS IN THE SET

PACIFIC HAD TO COME UP WITH 220 CARDS TO FILL UP THIS THING AND THIS IS THE SECOND SERIES, YOU KNOW THERE HAD TO BE SOME CLUNKERS. HERE'S MY PICKS FOR THE BOTTOM THREE

#218 HARD WORK PAYS OFF

NORMALLY I WOULD APPRECIATE A UNIQUE PHOTO LIKE THIS OF AN ATHLETE TRAINING BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A CHEESY PHOTO FROM SOME ADVERTISING PAMPHLET. AND EVEN WORSE I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HECK IT'S TRYING TO PROMOTE. IS IT AN AD FOR NIKE? THE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT? THE CAYMAN ISLANDS? THE COMPANY WHO INSTALLED THE WOOD PANELING? WHATEVER IT IS SOME PR COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PHOTO. YECCH

#219 NOLAN PASSES NIEKRO

BOOOOOOOOOOOOO! PHIL STRUCK OUT ALL THOSE GUYS WITH A KNUCKLEBALL! AND BARELY PITCHED IN THE BIGS BEFORE HE WAS THIRTY! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

#220 NOLAN RYAN BANKER

IMAGINE OPENING A PACK OF CARDS DEDICATED TO YOUR FAVORITE PLAYER AND SEEING THIS NIGHTMARE. HOW HORRIFYING. SOME KID SAW THIS CARD IN 1991 AND REJECTED SPORTS IMMEDIATELY AND STARTED A LIFE OF CRIME

#5 "DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS"

ANYBODY JUMPING IN THE COMMENTS TO COMPLAIN THAT I PUT THE CARDS WITH GOOSE GOSSAGE AND BOB FELLER ON THE LIST BUT NOT THE ONE WITH ROGER CLEMENS CAN HUSH BECAUSE THIS IS THAT CARD. EVEN WITH ROCKET ON THE FRONT THE BACK OF THE CARD WHERE NOLAN IS IN A BUGS BUNNY WINDUP POSE IS SO MUCH COOLER. NOLAN'S ABOUT TO STRIKE OUT 27 GASHOUSE GORILLAS IN A ROW

#4 NOLAN BREAKS JOHNSON'S RECORD

NOLAN BREAKING A LONG HELD STRIKEOUT RECORD (AND IMMEDIATELY GETTING IT POACHED BY STEVE CARLTON, HEH) IS COOL BUT EXPOS UNIFORMS AND 123 METERS ON THE OUTFIELD WALL IS COOLER. ALSO: FLOATING BASEBALL #2

#4 NOLAN IN MOTION

IN THE EARLY 90S THERE WERE A TON OF THESE MULTI-IMAGE PHOTOS ON BASEBALL CARDS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THEN THEY SUDDENLY VANISHED, NEVER TO RETURN. MAYBE MANUFACTURERS MOVED THEIR BUDGET FROM PHOTOGRAPHERS TO AUTOGRAPHS AND RELIC CARDS BUT WE NEED THESE PICTURES TO MAKE A COMEBACK

#2 300TH WIN

300 WINS IS AN AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE LIKELY WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN. BUT THIS CARD IS #2 BECAUSE OF THAT PHOTO. NOLAN FOLLOWING THROUGH, FLOATY BALL, BATTER READY TO STRIKE, OUTFIELDER POISED FOR ACTION. PERFECT PHOTO. ALSO THE FLAMING BASEBALL IS LINED UP PERFECTLY WITH NOLAN'S ARM AND IT AMUSES ME

THE BEST CARD IN 1991 PACIFIC NOLAN RYAN SERIES TWO:

NOLAN LOVES ANIMALS

WAS THERE EVER ANY DOUBT? LOOKIT THAT DOGGO. WHO'S A GOOD BOY? YOU ARE! YOU'RE A GOOD GOOD BOY. UNLESS THAT DOG'S A GIRL. WHAT A GOOD GOOD GIRL YOU ARE! PUPPER CARDS ALWAYS WIN

NON-SPORT FRANKENSET - CARD #13

LOL I WAS SO EXCITED TO POST A JACK DAVIS CARD I FORGOT CARD #13

COUNT DUCKULA! Y'ALL KNOW I AM A FAN OF VAMPIRES, AND WHY SHOULDN'T DUCKS BE ABLE TO GET IN ON THE BLOODSUCKING ACTION. COUNT DUCKULA PREMIERED IN 1988 AFTER SPINNING OFF FROM THE SERIES DANGER MOUSE. I REMEMBER IT WAS PRETTY DECENT, A SERIES ABOUT A VEGETARIAN VAMPIRE DUCK IS A NEAT CONCEPT. IT WAS NO DANGER MOUSE, BUT WHAT IS. BUT WAIT, THIS ISN'T THAT COUNT DUCKULA, THIS IS FROM A CRUMMY COMIC BOOK MOVIE

13 - 1986 TOPPS HOWARD THE DUCK - DUCK-O-VISION: COUNT DUCKULA

HEY A MARVEL MOVIE. EVERYONE LOVES MARVEL MOVIES... RIGHT? THIS ONE NOT SO MUCH, WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE IT'S A PRETTY INTERESTING MOVIE 

I DIDN'T SAY GOOD, I SAID INTERESTING

YES, IT IS A BIT LOT OF A MESS, AND THE DUCK SUIT IS KINDA GOOFY, AND THE PLOT IS BATSHIT CRAZY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF CRINGEY MOMENTS NOT LEAST OF WHICH IS A SCENE THAT EDGES UNCOMFORTABLY TOWARDS FURRY PORN, BUT! IT'S A COMIC BOOK MOVIE! WHO CARES IF IT MAKES SENSE, COMIC PLOTS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS LUDICROUS. THE MAIN CHARACTER IS LITERALLY AN ANTHROPOMORPHIC DUCK, THE SUIT IS CLUNKY BUT WORKS WELL ENOUGH. I... HAVE NO DEFENSE FOR THE FURRY STUFF. THERE ARE NEKKID DUCK BOOBIES WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES. BUT SOME PEOPLE DIG THAT VIBE, LET PEOPLE ENJOY THINGS. IT AIN'T A CLASSIC BUT THE CAST IS GREAT, THERE'S SOME COOL ACTION PIECES AND FUN MONSTERS, AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY NO MORE EMBARASSING AND RIDICULOUS THAN 90% OF 80'S COMEDIES. IS A DUCK GETTING SUCKED DOWN TO EARTH FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION ANY MORE ABSURD THAN WHAT GOES ON IN BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS OR EVEN GHOSTBUSTERS? AND IT'S A HELL OF A LOT LESS EMBARASSING THAN SOUL MAN. THERE'S A BUDDY COP MOVIE WITH TOM HANKS AND A DOG, STUFF WAS GOOFIER IN THE 80S

I'LL ADMIT, WHEN I WAS 14 AND THIS CAME OUT I WAS AS LIVID AS EVERYONE ELSE. GEORGE LUCAS QUIT MAKING STAR WARS MOVIES FOR THIS??? UNACCEPTABLE. THE FILM HAD A LOT GOING AGAINST IT. THE LUCAS THING. COMICS WERE STILL DORKY IN THE 80S, EVEN WHEN BATMAN BLOWED UP. HOWARD WAS NOT A SUPER WELL KNOWN CHARACTER. EVEN WITH THE TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW GEORGE BROUGHT TO THE PROJECT A LOT OF THE THINGS THEY WERE TRYING TO DO DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT RIGHT. PEOPLE STRAIGHT UP WEREN'T READY TO SEE LEA THOMPSON TRYING TO PLUCK A DUCK

BUT EVENTUALLY I DISCOVERED THE ACTUAL HOWARD THE DUCK COMICS AND THEY WERE FANTASTIC. CLEVER, CYNICAL AND VERY FUNNY. NOW WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHARACTER I REWATCHED THE MOVIE AND... WELL, THE FILM DIDN'T GET A LOT OF THINGS RIGHT. IT TRADED THE CLEVER FOR SILLY AND A LOT OF THE HUMOR ENDED UP BEING UNINTENTIONAL. BUT IT GOT THE CYNICAL RIGHT, THE HUMAN WORLD IS A RIDICULOUS WORLD. AND A VERY ADULT AND SCARY WORLD AT THAT. SOME OF THE CHOICES TO SHOW JUST HOW ADULT THE WORLD IS LIKE HAVING HOWARD WORK IN A SEX CLUB AND SHOWING OFF DUCK BOOBS (A-WOO-OO) FAILED PRETTY HARD, BUT WHILE THIS MOVIE IS A FAILURE IT'S A DAMNED INTERESTING FAILURE. IT'S A BAD MOVIE BUT BAD MOVIES CAN BE A HELL OF A LOT OF FUN

ISN'T HOWARD HANDSOME IN HIS LITTLE SUIT. THAT'S ANOTHER THING WHERE THE FILM AND COMIC DIFFER, COMIC HOWARD DOES NOT WEAR PANTS. THERE'S A WHOLE STORY ARC ABOUT HOW THE OPRESSIVE OVERLORDS (LITERALLY DISNEY) FORCED HOWARD TO WEAR PANTS AND HE STILL ENDED UP CHUCKING THEM BY THE END OF IT. I'M NOT SAYING THE FILMMAKERS WERE WRONG FOR THIS. WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED HOWARD HANGING FREE ON THE SILVER SCREEN

UP NEXT: THE CORRECT CARD THIS TIME

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 13: KITTY

HERE'S A FUCKING BIG ONE

I DON'T THINK I'VE PUT A DENT IN THIS PROJECT FOR FIFTEEN YEARS AT LEAST

N25 1888 ALLEN & GINTER WILD ANIMALS OF THE WORLD

EARLY IN THE DAYS OF THIS BLOG I WAS OBSESSED WITH ALLEN & GINTER CARDS. I REALIZED I COULD BUY ACTUAL VINTAGE ALLEN & GINTER CARDS ON EBAY AND YAHOO AUCTIONS (remember them?) FOR SUPER CHEAP AND ATTEMPTED TO BUILD A TYPE SET OF THE ANTIQUE MINI CARDS. YOU CAN SEE MY PROGRESS OVER ON THE SIDEBAR ALTHOUGH I GOT LAZY AND NEVER MADE POSTS FOR A LOT OF THE CARDS. I GOT VERY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE SET BUT THE LAST THREE CARDS I NEEDED WERE FROM SCARCE ISSUES AND THEN YAHOO AUCTIONS SHUT DOWN AND EBAY GOT SHITTY ABOUT PAYMENTS SO I QUIT BUYING CARDS ONLINE FOR A WHILE. NO MOAR CHEAP OLD NON-SPORTS CARDS FOR ME. THEN I SLOOOOOWLY STARTED PICKING UP STUFF ON COMC AND REALIZED THAT THERE IS ALSO A BUNCH OF COOL OLD NON-SPORTS CARDS THERE AS WELL. NOT THE FIREHOSE OF NEW STUFF LIKE ON EBAY BUT IT'S THERE AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEAT STUFF AVAILABLE FOR A BOTTOM FEEDER LIKE ME. SINCE I STARTED MY BLACK FRIDAY BUYS I'VE BEEN PEEKING AT THE GINTERS AND FOUND ONE I NEEDED LAST YEAR

THIS ONE IS FROM THE WILD ANIMALS OF THE WORLD SET FROM 1888. THERE ARE A BUNCH OF ANIMAL-THEMED SETS IN ALLEN & GINTER'S NON-SPORTS RUN, THE GIMMICK WITH THIS ONE IS EACH ANIMAL IS SHOWN JUST IN A PORTRAIT WITH A VERY EXPRESSIVE FACE. MY WILDCAT HERE SEEMS VERY SURPRISED BY SOMETHING. IT'S A GREAT LOOKING SET AND WOULD BE A TOP CHOICE FOR ME TO COLLECT THE SET IF THAT LOTTERY WIN EVER HAPPENS. THE MET ALSO HAS SOME NICE PICTURES OF THE BURDICK COLLECTION IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DIG FOR THEM. THIS CARD WAS NOT VERY EXPENSIVE AT ALL, BUT FOR SOME REASON MY 2021 ORDER IS COMPLETELY MISSING FROM COMC SO I COULDN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT PRICE. I'M GUESSING ABOUT 5-6 BUCKS. I GOT LUCKY THAT I FOUND A VINTAGE KITTY CAT SO CHEAP, YOU'LL BE SEEING A FEW MORE COOL CATS IN THESE BLACK FRIDAY POSTS

I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHY THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST CARDS I NEEDED AS IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE OVERLY RARE IN COMPARISON TO OTHER VINTAGE GINTER CARDS. THE LAST TWO I NEED ARE DEFINITELY SCARCE THOUGH. THE N17 NAVAL FLAGS ARE WAY HARDER TO FIND THAN THE OTHER TWO SET OF FLAGS ALLEN & GINTER PUT OUT, POSSIBLY BECAUSE IT'S MADE UP OF ODDBALL FLAGS AND ADMIRALS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS WIDELY COLLECTED, EXCEPT FOR THE GROVER CLEVELAND CARD WHICH IS PRICEY. THEN THERE IS THE 1890 N23 SET OF SONG BIRDS WHICH IS LEGITIMATELY SCARCE AS IT IS ONE OF THE LAST SETS RELEASED BY GINTER BEFORE THE AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY MERGER THAT KILLED OFF THE NEED TO INSERT PROMOTIONAL ITEMS IN CIGARETTE PACKS AT ALL. THAT SET WAS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM AS I REALLY WANTED THE BROWN THRASHER CARD FOR MY COLLECTION BEFORE THE NHL RIPPED OUT MY HEART FOR THE SECOND AND FINAL TIME. I CAN GET ONE NOW FOR NOT TOO MUCH MONEY EXCEPT THAT ONE OF THE RULES OF THIS SET BUILD IS I DON'T PAY MORE THAN $20 FOR ANY CARD AND I DON'T USE EBAY ANY MORE. SO NO THRASHERS FOR ME

TOP THIRTY CARDS FROM NIGHT OWL'S JUNK DUMP GIVEAWAY BOX - #20-11

ALL RIGHTY TIME FOR THE FORGOTTEN MIDDLE CHILDREN OF MY NIGHT OWL CARDS TOP THIRTY LIST WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED LIKE TWO MONTHS AGO BUT THEN STUFF HAPPENED AND IT WAS THE HOLIDAYS AND NOW NONE OF YOU EVEN REMEMBER THE OTHER CARDS BUT I'VE UPLOADED THE IMAGES AND I'M PROBABLY RUNNING OUT OF CLOUD SPACE SO I BETTER USE WHAT I HAVE AND CAN YOU TELL I DON'T KNOW HOW TO START THIS POST

#20 - 2014 WACKY PACKAGES THE VAMPIRE DAIRIES

I'LL NEVER SERIOUSLY COLLECT WACKY PACKAGES BUT I LOVE VAMPIRES AND THIS IS A FIRST-CLASS PUN. MOVE OVER, COUNT DUCKULA

#19 - 1978 KELLOGG'S GEORGE FOSTER

WHEN I REQUESTED A GIVEAWAY BOX, I KNEW GREG WASN'T GOING TO INCLUDE THE JUNKIEST OF THE JUNK, BUT I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT EXPECT VINTAGE KELLOGG'S CARDS OF MVP WINNERS EITHER. I HAD A VERY GOOD 2022 PICKING UP A TON OF OLD KELLOGG'S CARDS AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE THIS TREND IN 2023

#18 - 1981 BASEBALL IMMORTALS BILL KLEM

THIS IS BEING POSTED EITHER RIGHT BEFORE OR RIGHT AFTER A HUGE POST ON BASEBALL IMMORTALS CARDS SO I'LL LET THAT POST EXPOUND UPON THE SET. LONG STORY SHORT I LOVE THIS SET AND I AM VERY BELATEDLY TRYING TO BUILD IT BECAUSE I WAS NEVER ABLE TO BUY THE FACTORY SET FROM A MAGAZINE AD WHEN I WAS A KID. ALSO, THIS PICTURE OF BILL KLEM IS FANTASTIC

#17 - 2021 ALLEN & GINTER JUAN SOTO

I'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS MANY, MANY TIMES, BUT AFTER COMLETING THE ALLEN AND GINTER SET EVERY YEAR FOR LIKE A DECADE, I CAN BARELY SCRAPE TOGETHER ENOUGH TO FILL A PAGE NOWADAYS. THIS WAS ONE OF MY FIRST GINTER CARDS FROM 2021, AND ONE OF THE FEW JUAN SOTO CARDS I HAVE PERIOD SO IT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THAT'S A PRETTY COOL LOGO ON THE CAP TOO 

#16 - 2011 TOPPS LINEAGE ANDRE DAWSON

LINEAGE REALLY PISSED ME OFF IN 2011 AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHY ANYMORE. I KNOW I SHOULD HOLD A GRUDGE BUT THAT'S REALLY HARD TO DO WITH GORGEOUS CARDS LIKE THIS. HAWK + EXPOS + ROOKIE CUP = 😍

#15 - 2022 TOPPS JONAH HEIM

IT TOOK UNTIL DECEMBER TO BREAK SINGLE DIGITS IN MY 2022 TOPPS FLAGSHIP COLLECTION BUT THAT DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE I GOT PROBABLY THE BEST CARD IN THE SET RIGHT HERE

#14 - 2021 ALLEN & GINTER YOGI BERRA

MOARER 2021 ALLEN AND GINTER! AND I ACTUALLY COLLECT THIS PLAYER ON PURPOSE! VERY VERY NICE

*****BONUS*****

FOR SOME REASON I ACCIDENTALLY UPLOADED THE UNCROPPED SCAN OF THE PAST 9 CARDS SO YOU GET AN EXTRA BEHIND THE SCENE LOOK AT MY BLOGGERY PROCESS

#13 - 1970 TOPPS LUIS APARICIO

ALONG WITH THE FOSTER THIS CARD WAS THE HOLY SHIT MOMENT WHERE I TRULY UNDERSTOOD HOW DAMN GOOD THIS BOX WAS. VINTAGE HALL OF FAMERS ARE MOST DEFINITELY NOT JUNK. FOR SOME REASON THIS CARD SEEMS VERY ICONIC TO ME AND I'M NOT SURE WHY. I THINK IT JUST IMPRINTED ON ME AS A CHILD THAT THIS WAS A COOL CARD AND IT STUCK

#12 (TIE) - 2010 TOPPS EDDIE MATHEWS & CHIPPER JONES DIAMOND DUOS

#12 (TIE) - 2011 TOPPS JASON HEYWARD & FREDDIE FREEMAN DIAMOND DUOS

CHEATING, BUT HOW DO YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN THESE TWO. I HAVE A GREAT NEED FOR AN UPDATED CARD WITH EDDIE, CHIPPER AND AUSTIN RILEY ON IT. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE HEYWARD/FREEMAN CARD'S CONTIGUOUS BACKGROUND THAT LOOKS LIKE FREDDIE IS RUNNING AWAY FROM JASON IN TERROR. JASON JUST CAUGHT UP TO YOU IN L.A., BETTER KEEP RUNNING FREDDIE 

#11 - 2016 ALLEN & GINTER MOOSE MASCOTS IN THE WILD

MOOOOOOOOOOOOSE 

I HAD THIS CARD ALREADY BUT WHO CARES BECAUSE MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE

THESE CARDS WERE SO GOOD, JUST IMAGINE WHAT THE TOP TEN COULD BE! IMAGINE HARD YOU SAW HOW LONG IT TOOK THIS POST TO COME OUT

BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 12: MOONED

 I'VE GOT A GIGANTIC BOX OF COMC CARDS IN MY GREEDY LITTLE HANDS AND I STILL HAVEN'T POSTED THE MAJORITY OF 2021'S CARDS YET. AND I'M WRITING THIS POST TO PROCRASTINATE WRITING MY TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS POSTS SO THIS WON'T EVEN BE UP UNTIL JANUARY PROBABLY. GOODNESS GRACIOUS. IF IT IS JANUARY, HERE'S A GOOD COLLECTING GOAL FOR 2023: GET ALL THESE POSTS DONE BY THIS YEAR'S BLACK FRIDAY 

1924 WILLS'S CIGARETTES DO YOU KNOW SERIES 2 - A LUNAR CORONA

I ONLY GOT INTO BRITISH CIGARETTE CARDS RECENTLY MOSTLY BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THEY EXISTED AND HARDLY EVER SAW ANY IN THE WILD. I'VE MADED UP FOR LOST TIME, PICKING UP THREE FROM COMC IN 2021 AND FIVE MORE IN 2022. THE SHEER VARIETY OF SUBJECTS THAT CAN BE FOUND ON THESE THINGS IS AMAZING. BIRDS, ANIMALS, HORSES, KINGS, TRAINS, SHIPS, ACTORS, DOGS, FLOWERS, MACHINES, JOKES, HOUSEHOLD HINTS, FOOTBALL PLAYERS, THERE'S A CARD FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU COULD THINK OF AS LONG AS IT WAS POPULAR BETWEEN THE 1920S TO 1950S IN BRITAIN. AND THIS SET FROM WILLS'S CIGARETTES HAS JUST ABOUT ALL OF IT. BASED ON A GENERAL QUESTIONS THEME THIS SET HAS A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING. TAKING A PEEK AT THE CARDS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON COMC SHOWS ALL KINDS OF STUFF: PYRAMIDS, BAROMETERS, GIRAFFES, GRAPES, STALACTITES AND STALAGMITES, SEA SHELLS, X-RAYS AND EVEN A BISHOP. THIS IS VERY GOOD FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WHOSE COLLECTING FOCUS FOR BRITISH CIGARETTE CARDS CONSISTS OF LOOKING AT A CARD AND SAYING 'YEAH, THAT'S COOL!'

I REALLY LIKE SPACE STUFF AND TRADING CARDS OF MOONS AND PLANETS SO THIS ONE IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT MY EYE. I MEAN, C'MON, A TRADING CARD OF A MOONBOW? LET'S FUCKIN GOOOOOOO. THE FRONT IS VERY PRETTY AND THE BACK HAS A COOL DESIGN AND LOTS OF TEXT AND IT'S IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE AND WAS CHEAP AS HELL. PERFECT CARD FOR MY COLLECTION. ESPECIALLY WITH AMERICAN NON-SPORTS TOBACCO CARDS GETTING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE, NEAT OLD BRITISH CARDS ARE THE WAY TO GO

SURPRISES IN THE 1971 BOX

I HAVE A ROUTINE AT MY LOCAL CARD SHOP. COME IN THE STORE. SAY HI TO THE OWNER. DIG THRU THE 50 CENT BRAVES CARDS. CHECK OUT THE BASEBALL DIME BOX. REPEAT FOR BASKETBALL, SOCCER AND NON-SPORTS. LOOK AT THE CASES. STUMBLE AROUND FOR A BIT LOOKING FOR ANY NEW BOXES OR BINDERS THAT CAME IN. COMPLETELY FORGET TO BUY ANY SUPPLIES. IF I HAVEN'T SPENT ALL MY MONEY AND/OR GOTTEN TOO HUNGRY FOR LUNCH TO SCREW AROUND ANYMORE I'LL TRY TO LOOK AT THE VINTAGE BOXES FOR SOME CHEAP THRILLS. ON ONE SUCH TRIP THIS SUMMER I ASKED FOR THE 1971 BOX. I'M NOT SURE WHY AS THE SETS I'M TRYING TO FOCUS ON AT THE MOMENT ARE 1976 AND 1972 TOPPS. I'M GLAD I DID TRY MY LUCK WITH THE 1971 BOX THOUGH, AS MY LUCK WAS GREAT

THERE WERE, IN FACT, 1971 TOPPS BASE CARDS IN THE 1971 BOX. THIS WAS EXPECTED. I PICKED OUT A FEW I NEEDED OFF THE WANTLIST. THIS CARD WAS NOT ONE OF THEM. AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, I FRIGGIN LOVE THIS CARD TO DEATH AND AM STARTING TO HOARD THEM A BIT. BY A BIT, I MEAN I HAVE MAYBE FOUR OF THEM TOTAL BUT IF I SEE ONE IN A QUARTER BIN IT'S MINE, NO COOKIE FOR YOU. THE REST OF THE CARDS IN THE POST ARE ACTUAL CARDS OFF THE WANTLIST, BUT AS USUAL I HAD TO PICK THE STRANGE ONES

EXPOS IN 3-D. POOR JIM GOSGER LOOKS EXTRA SINISTER IN THIS PICTURE AND THE CRAZY REGISTRATION IS NOT HELPING. THAT EXPOS LOGO LOOKS TRIPPY AS HELL. THEY DON'T MAKE CARDS LIKE THEY USED TO

I COULD STARE AT THIS DAVE MCNALLY CARD ALL DAY LONG, IT'S HYPNOTIZING. WHY IS DAVE LOOMING? WHAT'S HE STARING AT? WHY IS THE ENTIRE BACKGROUND A LONE FLAGPOLE? THAT BLACK BORDER JUST ACCENTUATES THE WEIRD VIBES ON THIS CARD, I LOVE IT

JERRY JOHNSON LOOKS LIKE THAT HANDSOME SQUIDWARD MEME AND IT CRACKS ME UP EVERY TIME I LOOK AT IT. I'M GIGGLING LIKE AN IDIOT AS I TYPE. IF YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT AND ENJOY YOUR SANITY. BUT IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW

IT'S GOOD TO FIND OLD TEAM CARDS BECAUSE IN ANY SET BUILD THERE'S ALWAYS THAT ONE GODDAMN TEAM CARD THAT YOU CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE AND WHEN IT FINALLY DOES TURN UP IT COSTS LIKE FIVE BUCKS. OR FIFTY IF THE SET IS OLD ENOUGH. THIS SEMI-HIGH NUMBERED PADRES CARD WAS CHEAP AS DIRT BECAUSE IT HAS A BIG NOTCH GOUGED OUT OF THE TOP. I'LL TAKE IT!

ALONG WITH THE THE BASE CARDS, THE BOX HAD SOME SCRATCH OFF INSERTS. TOPPS GOT LAZY AS HELL AND PUT IN THE EXACT SAME SCRATCH-OFF INSERTS IN 1970 AND 1971 PACKS. SAME PLAYERS AND EVERYTHING, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE COLOR OF THE SCRATCH-OFF BOARD. THIS SORT OF WORKS FOR ME BECAUSE I AM BUILDING A SET OF THEM BUT AM MIXING AND MATCHING THE 70S AND 71S

THE BACK OF THE CARD HAS INSTRUCTIONS AND A SCOREBOARD. MOST OF THE CARDS I SEE HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED BUT I HARDLY EVER SEE THE SCOREBOARD FILLED IN

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A SCRATCHED OFF INSIDE OF A RED 1971 VARIATION. THE 1970S ARE WHITE INSIDE. IT'S COOL TO SEE ALL THE OPTIONS YOU COULD HAVE SCRATCHED OFF BACK IN THE DAY. ONLY TWO DINGERS ON THE WHOLE CARD, THEY'D NEED AT LEAST EIGHT TODAY WITH THIRTY STRIKEOUTS

ONE OF MY 2022 COLLECTING GOALS WAS TO COMPLETE A VINTAGE TOPPS INSERT SET FROM THE 60S OR 70S, A GOAL I FAILED MISERABLY. I REALLY SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO DO THIS TEN OR TWENTY YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE ALL DIRT CHEAP BECAUSE THE STARS HAVE GOTTEN SUPER SPENDY LATELY IF YOU CAN EVEN FIND THEM. I KNOCKED THREE OFF MY LIST AND AM DOWN TO ONLY NEEDING FOUR TO FINISH, FIVE IF I UPGRADE MY NATE COLBERT CARD WHICH IS CURRENTLY RIPPED IN HALF AND MISSING THE BACK

THIS WAS THE REAL SUPRISE IN THE BOX. A BIG PILE OF 1971 FLEER LAUGHLIN WORLD SERIES CARDS. FLEER PUT THESE OUT IN 1970 AND 1971 WITH DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATIONS. YOU CAN TELL THE TWO APART BECAUSE THE 1971S HAVE THE MLB LOGO ON THEM. THIS IS ANOTHER ODDBALL SET I'M TRYING TO FRANKENSTEIN INTO COMPLETION AND I KNOCKED OUT A HUGE CHUNK RAIDING THESE BOXES THIS YEAR. FIRST ONE IS THE THE 1929 CARD WHERE A'S PITCHER EHMKE STRUCK OUT A BUNCHA LOTTA CUBS

NEXT UP IS 1937 WITH AN ILLUSTRATION OF TONY LAZZERI LOOKING VERY SHY. ANOTHER BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 70 AND 71 SETS IS THERE ARE MORE ACTUAL PLAYERS IN THE 1971 SET INSTEAD OF GENERIC SCENES. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE AND YOU'LL SEE PLAYERS IN THE 1970 SET, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE IN 71 AND YOU'LL SEE SOME DIFFERENT PLAYERS EACH YEAR SOMETIMES. THE 1937 CARD SHOWED CARL HUBBELL IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S SET

HERE'S ANOTHER DAMN YANKEE WIN. I PREFER THE 1970 VERSION WITH KING KONG KELLER

THAT'S BETTER, LET ANOTHER TEAM WIN FOR ONCE. I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE A DUKE SNIDER BROOKLYN DODGER CARD WITH A 35 CENT PRICE TAG ON IT. SURE IT'S FROM FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER THE DODGERS MOVED TO LA, BUT 35 CENTS SEEMS A LITTLE DISRESPECTFUL

THIS CARD BUGS ME. NOT THAT I DISLIKE MOOSE SKOWRON, HEAVENS NO. WHAT BUGS ME IS THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION OF BILL MAZEROSKI ON THE FRONT OR BACK OF EITHER THE 1970 OR 1971 VERSION OF THIS CARD. THEY JUST MENTION A LEAD OFF HOMER IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH DECIDING IT. THEN AGAIN ANY DISCUSSION OF THE 1960 WORLD SERIES TODAY BEGINS AND ENDS WITH MAZ SO IT'S GOOD BOBBY RICHARDSON GOT SOME RECOGNITION

LASTLY WE HAVE TWINS VS. DODGERS. LAUGHLIN COULD NOT RESIST DRAWING TWINS ON BOTH CARDS EVEN THOUGH THEY LOST AND WHO CAN BLAME HIM

AFTER ALL THAT THERE WAS ONE LAST SUPER MEGA SURPRISE IN THE BOX

1971 KELLOGG'S TONY HORTON. TONY HAD A SADLY SHORT CAREER THAT ENDED PREMATURELY AND FOR SOME REASON NEVER APPEARED ON A TOPPS CARD. AS A RESULT THIS KELLOGG'S CARD IS THE MOST MAINSTREAM RELEASE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND FROM HIS PLAYING DAYS. I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THE SCARCITY OF HIS CARDS FOR A WHILE AND WAS STUNNED TO FIND KELLOGG'S CARDS AT ALL IN THE VINTAGE BOX, LET ALONE ONE I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR

IT'S GOT A LITTLE GOOP GROWING ON IT BUT THAT JUST GIVES THE CARD THAT MUCH MORE PERSONALITY. ALL THESE CARDS TOGETHER COST LESS THAN MOST OF THE NEW PACKS THEY HAVE AT THE SHOP. I TRIED CHECKING THE OTHER 70S VINTAGE BOXES TO SEE IF I COULD SCORE MORE KELLOGG'S BUT NONE OF THEM HAD THE BOUNTY OF ODDBALLS THAT I FOUND HERE. IT PAYS TO DIG SOMETIMES, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR