2017 National Card Show - Vintage Pickups

I picked up some nice vintage cards while I was at the National Card Show in Chicago.  I wanted to pick up some 1955 Bowman Hall of Famers.  The above Mickey Mantle was the prize of what I found at the show, and I got it for a great price.  With that pickup, I decided to try to find a couple other stars, and I feel like I did pretty well.

I liked this Hank Aaron, and picked it up on the final day of the show.  I picked up another Hank Aaron card, but I will have to show that another time.

Finally, I got a nice deal on this Willie Mays.  It is in really good shape.  I liked the price on it.  I went to get another 55 Bowman, but realized that I had blown my budjet, so I stopped with this card.

Instagram Trade With Jacob - Lots of Autos

I completed a deal on Instagram recently with my buddy, Jacob, after he had been offering me the above Willie Mays auto for some time now.  I think I passed on this card quite a few times before I finally gave in and bought it from him with some cash and also sent him a bunch of cards for his various PCs.

The Mays is a really nice card and is in good shape.  This auto is actually a lot better than the one I have on my Mays ball.

Jacob also included a bunch of extras that I wasn't expecting.  I imagine these cards were TTM autos that he had received, but I really liked them all, nonetheless.  This Wade Boggs relic/auto is pretty cool, even though it is creased quite a bit.  Two Hall of Fame autos in this deal, not too bad.

Here is an auto of the 1948 Rookie of the Year, Al Dark.  Dark passed away in 2014 at the age of 92.  He had a pretty decent career, having hit 2,089 hits, 126 home runs and carrying a .289 batting average over 14 years in the majors.  He won the World Series in 1954 with the Giants.

 Here is an auto the Jacob sent me of former 20-game winner, John Tudor.  Tudor played in the majors from 1979 to 1990 and had a career record of 117-72 with a 3.12 ERA and 988 strikeouts.  He won the World Series in 1988 with the Dodgers.

This 1986 Donruss of Chris Chambliss looks really nice signed in blue sharpie.  Chambliss was the 1971 AL Rookie of the Year.  Over 17 seasons, he had 2,109 hits, 185 home runs and a .279 batting average.  Chambliss won the World Series with the Yankees in 1977 and 1978.

Here is an auto of former pitcher, Bryn Smith.  This is a 1983 Fleer.  Smith played from 1981 to 1993 and had a career record of 108-94 with a 3.53 ERA and 1,028 strikeouts.

Finally, here is a 1983 Topps Traded Steve Kemp auto.  Kemp played from 1977 to 1986 and 1988.  He had 1,128 hits, 130 home runs and a .278 career batting average.

Thanks for the deal, Jacob.  I definitely wasn't expecting the extra autos and they all turned out to be really cool!

Ebay Pickup - 1959 Topps Willie Mays All Star

I added another huge piece to my 1959 Topps set when this awesome Willie Mays came in yesterday.  I got it at a great price and as you can see, it is in amazing shape.

I'm currently watching a Hank Aaron for a good price that is ending today, so if I get that, I'll have three of the major All Stars already.  Adding the Mays will leave me needing 97 cards to finish my set.  I would really like to complete this set soon, and I feel like I can do it.

Awesome Trade With Max S.

I completed a huge deal a few weeks ago with my friend, Max S., when I sent him a couple Michael Choice autographs and some other Cubs cards.  In return, Max sent me two packages of vintage stuff. There was so much in the packages, I was overwhelmed while looking through it all.  You can see how much he sent below.  There were 9 pages of 1975 Topps, a snap case with more 1975s and a few other 70s cards.  There was another snap case of advertising cards (mostly 1976 Hostess), three mini albums filled with 70s cards and some other miscellaneous stuff.  The card I liked the most was the above 1965 Topps Deckle Edge Willie Mays.  It was on the last page of the last mini album that i looked through and I was so excited to see it.  There were several other Deckle Edge cards, one of which was a sweet Carl Yastrzemski.

There were quite a few cards in the package(s) that looked like someone had went to town on with a pair of scissors.  Most likely, it was a kid who was trying to get their cards to fit into an album page.

This 1958 Topps All Star card of Stan Musial was the biggest example of the trimming.  There was also a 1956 Topps base card that had also been trimmed significantly.  While it would have been cool to get this Musial in untrimmed condition, it is still a nice card and carries a good story.  I'm not concerned with the value.

There were a whole bunch of these 1976 Hostess cards, not quite the complete set, but probably pretty close.  Most of them were cut like the above Cuellar, but this card will still look cool in my Cuellar PC.  The other ones will be put up for now.  I may consider going for the set later on.  They would look cool in an album, I think.

There were quite a few 1975 SSPC cards in the deal as well.  There weren't any stars, but the cards are still really cool.  This might be the first time Jorge Orta has made an appearance on my blog.

Max S. had to send this deal in two packages because the album pages of 1975 Topps didn't fit into his original package.  I ended up with a bunch of 1975s.  I already have completed this set, so I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with these.  I might trade or sell some of them, or I might hold onto them for a bit until Chris gets into set building.  If that happens, he will already have a nice starter set.

There were a bunch of 1976 Kelloggs cards, the highlight of which was this Pete Rose that was in really awesome condition.  Most of the Kelloggs cards that came in the deal were in great shape and didn't have all of the surface cracking that I have seen on these in the past.

There were also some 1970 Kelloggs cards in the package.  The nicest of which was this Rod Carew.  I know some people in the past have built these Kelloggs sets.  I don't know if I will, but at this point, I will definitely consider it.  Worst case, I will hold onto the Hall of Famers and flip the others, who knows.

Finally, there was a really nice 1971 Topps Catfish Hunter card in the package that will get put into my Hall of Fame box (probably where a lot of this stuff will go).  I have picked up a few early career Hunter cards and each of them looks so cool with his uniform.  Hunter is also a sort of local legend around this area, as I live about 2 hours from Hertford, NC, where he called home.

While I was waiting to get this huge deal posted, Max S. and I worked out another deal where I sent him some more Cubs cards.  In return, Max sent me some nice Orioles and this really cool Topps Archives chrome Hank Aaron.  The card looks really great and I was glad Max sent it.

Please note, I will be referring to Max S. as Max from now on.  Those who have been reading this blog since its inception will remember that I used to know someone else named Max who had been featured quite a bit on here.  Since we no longer associate with one another, I will not be referring to him at all and I didn't want anyone confusing the two.  So, from now on, Max S. is who I will be talking about; a really good guy from Chicago.  I hope that clears up any confusion.

What I Got With My Abreu Money

I'm sure you all know by now what I sold my Jose Abreu autograph for a whopping $165.00.  I was able to basically take a card that is hot right now and likely to cool off for a few Hall of Famers I needed for my sets.  Some of the cards haven't arrived yet, but the bulk of them came in today.

In my opinion, one of the best was the above Willie Mays catch card.  I had been looking at it for some time now, and finally jumped on it when the Abreu money hit my PayPal.  The card is just awesome and it is so cool that it depicts one of the most iconic moments in baseball history.

I knocked off a high number All Star card in this Warren Spahn.  These cards are the ones that are really going to hurt me when I start really picking them off.  This one was just over $10, but I know if I buy a bunch in bulk at a shop or card show, it's going to be painful.

Since I already have the Bob Gibson RC, the Mantle and the Hank Aaron cards from this set, the next biggest cards were of Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays.  I knocked both of those out courtesy of the Abreu.  The Koufax is a bit off center and the Mays is a little rougher, but I now have both cards in my set and am very happy about it!

Taking these off the list was very satisfying.  I think the biggest names I need now are Don Drysdale, Warren Spahn, and of course the All Star cards. That All Star Mantle is going to set me back about $100 or so, so I need to pick that one up when bonus time comes, or Birthday time.

Finally, of the cards that came in, I was able to take one off of my 1948 Bowman set.  This Johnny Mize "RC" was only $12.  As you can see, it is a bit rough, but not too bad.  I am still working hard on this 1948 set and am making pretty good progress.  The biggest card left is the Rizzuto, but those are going for around $100, so I didn't want to spend most of my money on one card.  I wanted to spread it out and I think I did much better that way.

2012 Topps Series 2 - The Hits

I bought 3 jumbo boxes of Series 2 Topps last week when it was first released from my LCS and was not disappointed when it came to busting them.  I got some seriously sweet hits from my 3 boxes, many of which will be up for sale or trade.

I really enjoy these World Series Pins.  This Roberto Alomar is a nice card.  The Blue really stands out.  I like Alomar, but I believe I will put this one up for sale at my next card show, or I will see about getting an Oriole, instead.

I won't have any trouble putting a price on this Madison Bumgarner relic, since he hails from NC.  He has a lot of fans around here.  I like the card, that's for sure, but I think there are several Giants fans who read the blog, so I'm sure someone will be contacting me for it.

This is the only Black Parallel card I pulled, Edwin Encarnacion.  He sure is having a good year, maybe that will parlay this card into a nice trade with a Blue Jays fan...?

I pulled 2 SP cards, both of which were this Jason Heyward.  I like the old school Braves uniform.  One of these is definitely up for trade.

I liked the Retired Rings from Series 1, so the Team Rings concept was fine with me for this series.  I was really happy to pull Willie Mays, so this one will be staying in my collection.

Another one for Giants fans, I pulled this Bengie Molina GU bat relic, numbered 22/99.

I still have yet to get Paul Molitor on a baseball, so this card is the next best thing, for now.  I was glad to pull a HOF auto, even though I was hoping for Mays or Koufax.  This card isn't numbered, and the auto is on a sticker, but I still think it is cool.

Any Rockies fans out there?  This Wilin Rosario auto is definitely for sale/trade.  I don't really follow the Rockies, so this is definitely available.

I like this Killebrew team rings also, but thought I had someone who would want to buy/trade for it, but it was not meant to be.  I'll probably hold onto it for now, unless the right deal came along for it.

I like Torii Hunter as a player, but I think I can get something decent in return for this one.  Numbered 1/99, I felt like I did pretty well in pulling this card.  It is very rare that I pull a card that is number 1 out of whatever print run is stated, or the last card, or the jersey number, etc etc, so I was please with the novelty of having this pull.  That being said, I will definitely be selling this one (or trading).

Now, this card is untouchable!  Numbered 6/10, I was lucky enough to get a case hit out of my boxes.  Jim Palmer Auto/Relic (I think it is a sock??).  This card is going into a magnetic case and will be put with my other Palmer cards.  I was so excited to pull an Oriole as my case hit.  This card definitely made my box break worthwhile.

So, I was really happy with what I pulled and I hope some of the cards can help me recoup some of what I spent on the boxes, or maybe add some nice Orioles to my collection (or help some of my set needs).

I have a ton of inserts I will be willing to trade.  I have gone through them already and taken out the Orioles and some other teams for my regular trade partners (you know who you are).  If anyone needs any to help with set needs, please let me know.

Also, I completed my 2012 set, that will be posted soon.  I hand collated 2 sets, actually, so I will have one available for sale/trade.  I also have 2011 still available if anyone is interested.

I'd be willing to bundle a lot of this stuff together in the right deal (possibly a HOF signed baseball that I need?).  Please email me if any of you need any of this stuff, or if you need any base cards to fill your sets.

Hall of Fame Signed Baseball - Willie Mays

I was finally able to knock off some huge Hall of Famers recently when I sent a check to the Columbia Antique Mall (The antique store that I visit when I go to Columbia to see my brother).  I got a really good deal on this Willie Mays baseball because I bundled it with another signed ball that I will discuss later.

This ball has been signed in blue marker, is PSA/DNA authenticated and is on a really old Chub Feeney ONL Ball.  Mays marks my 69th Hall of Famer, and my 67th player/executive/manager.  I was really happy to throw some support toward Conrad over at the Antique Store; he is a really nice guy and is a 'friend of a friend.'

Willie Mays (b. 1931) is regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time.  He played in the majors from 1951-1952, 1954-1973 for the Giants of New York and San Francisco, as well as the New York Mets.  His 1973 Topps card with the Mets is one of my favorite cards in my collection.

Mays ended his career with 3,283 hits, 660 home runs, 1,903 RBIs and a .302 career batting average.  He was the 1951 NL Rookie of the Year, 1954 and 1965 NL MVP and won the World Series in 1954 with the Giants.  He also appeared in the 1951 and 1962 World Series with the Giants and the 1973 World Series with the Mets.

Mays was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1979 when he received 94.7% of the vote, his first year of eligibility.  I'd like to hear some of the reasons why 7.3% of the writers DIDN'T vote for him.  Anyway, I'm really excited that I now have a Willie Mays ball.  I've been waiting a long time to take his name off of my list.

Stay tuned to see who the other Hall of Famer was that I got.

1955 Topps #194 - Willie Mays

Willie Mays (b. 1931) played in the majors from 1951, 1952, 1954-1973 for the Giants and Mets. Widely considered one of the greatest to ever play the game, Mays' numbers rank near the top in every offensive category. He received numerous accolades, such as:

• 3,283 hits (11th all-time)
• 660 home runs (4th all-time)
• 1,903 RBI (10th all-time)
• 6,066 total bases (3rd all-time)
• 2,062 runs scored (7th all-time)
  
• Won the Gold Glove from 1957 to 1968
• Won the MVP in 1954 and 1965
• Was All Star from 1954-1973
• Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1979 with 94.7% of the vote (1st ballot)
• Number 24 retired by the Giants

(HALL OF FAME 15)

Trip to the Card Shop - 1971 Topps Willie Mays

I was able to knock another 71 Topps off of my list today when Max and I went to the Greenville card shop. The shop owner has been holding this card for me for quite a while now, and I finally was able to pick it up. I need to take a look and see what other stars I need, but I don't think I need too many more huge stars.

Hidden in my Collection - 1973 Topps Willie Mays

As far as I know, this is the third different Willie Mays card that I have in my collection. I have his 1955 Topps, 1962 Topps and this one. I think. Maybe. You see, this is one of the huge drawbacks with moving from a 2-story house to a 2-bedroom apartment, you kind of lose track of where you have things stored. Anyway, I have another copy of this card in my 1973 Topps set, which I completed maybe 2 years ago. Seems like forever ago.

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I really like this card, not because the '73 set is a favorite of mine. Lets face it, it is not the best looking set that was produced, I'd even rank it in the bottom 10 of Topps flagship offerings. The set is good in that you can get Mike Schmidt's rookie card, and the above shown Willie Mays, which is his last Topps Flagship card.

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We all know and love Mays as a Giant. He won the World Series with the Giants in 1954 and moved west with them to San Francisco after the 1957 season. This card, to me, could be a shining example of a player who may have held on too long. I'm a huge fan of identifying a player with one team (Gehrig with the Yankees; Ted Williams with the Red Sox; Brooks Robinson with the Orioles), but it is always strange to me seeing some of the legendary players' last (or close to last) cards which feature them in a different uniform. I had no idea until I looked at his stats that Frank Robinson played a season for the Dodgers. How many of you remember that Mike Piazza played 8 games for the Marlins? Or that Hank Aaron finished his career as a Brewer?

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The look on Mays' face on this card tells a story as well. If you look, you don't see the face of the Giant amongst men who amazed the masses in Center Field at the Polo Grounds or Candlestick Park. You see the face of a man who is just about done. Holding on for one more season as the glory days of the past fade. I see the face of a man who knows that his time in the game is just about through.

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I really like this card. It is by far one of my favorites, because I can look at the card and Willie Mays' weathered face; the odd-looking uniform and see much more than a guy holding a bat. The card and the photo depicted on the front tells an awesome story.

I get a nice 'Welcome Back to the Card Shop...'

After taking an unintentional month off from the card shop, I returned yesterday to a packed house of Yu-Gi-Oh kids, and a couple nice surprises.

P.A. brought in an awesome Christmas present, which I will blog maybe Tuesday. I'd do it tomorrow, but I'm committed to watching the return of 'The Excellence of Execution' tomorrow night.

I will also be posting the results of what I got out of the few packs I got of Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects.
Finally, a guy came in looking to sell some vintage cards, so I bought two off of him. One of which will be gifted later on, and the other is this below: 1962 Topps Willie Mays. I know its very rough, but it is about the same condition of the 62 Mantle I got a while back. As some of you may know, I'm not too married to the whole condition thing, so this card is still pretty cool for me.

Pete and I were talking about Hall of Famer cards we'd like to get, and I now have a 1962 Topps Mays, haha. I mean, I do have the 55, but that's in my set.

I think I will scan and blog some of my Hall of Famer cards at some point soon as well, it is still going to be a long time before Spring Training... What do you guys think?

A productive trip to the card show...

Yes I did. I got the two cards I had in my sights. Good versions too. I got 17 cards I needed for the 1955 set, leaving me with 29 to go. The biggest name left now is Phil Rizzuto... Max also got a sweet 1954 Al Kaline RC, his first big name RC and vintage card. I'm very happy for him.

I am almost done with this set! I have no idea what will be next, but who knows, something may fall in my lap...

Got my sights set on 2 cards....

I'm getting close. So close. I will own these two cards soon. Mark my words. I will be on the lookout this weekend at the card show... I will find them. I will own them.