Card show pick ups - more randomness?

On a card show trip, maybe I was not really enthused about the vibe in the room where there were not as many sellers and things seemed slower - I stumbled upon a random seller with at least several monster boxes of assorted singles individually priced [at least $5 or more].

I tried to dig around and see what may catch my attention, maybe I wonder whether the material is passable or not - the seller said something about making offers to consider, so there was an opportunity to pick something up where this table might be it as far where I was going to spend most of what I had in-hand.

I found these three cards first and offered $10 for them - an old school rookie card of Keith Hernandez, a short print variation of Babe Ruth and a bat card of Tony Oliva.

After trying to go around the room, I came back to the seller's tables where maybe I'd find more cards - I found a little mix of cards I tried offering $20 for, though the seller expected more and I ended up paying $30.

Among the odds and ends included a second-year Gary Carter - I want to follow the mature collectors who have tried to make something about collecting old-school and/or vintage cards, even in bits and pieces.

A rookie year certified autograph of Michael Young - he was a second baseman who last played 10-15 years ago and was underrated as a longtime hitting star.

A certified autograph of Andrew Velasquez - even though the autograph on the sticker hologram looks sloppy, I picked it up for my all-time Angels collection.

While completion isn't realistic - it's cool knowing I have the most random players' autographs that played for my home team.

A Roberto Clemente insert that was too shiny to ignored - I'm not sure if this was numbered, but I like how it pops.

A Mike Trout / Shohei Ohtani insert I thought might have been worth something - but looked too neat to leave behind regardless.

A 1993 Donruss Dominator Greg Maddux - I guess it's not a pack pulled insert set, more like a 'box topper' bonus, but still a cool card.

Though it's a piece of plastic that I would have tossed a long time ago, I really like the branded top loader - which I assume was how the cards were originally shipped in.

Maybe the highlights were the 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson #482 rookie card and the 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. #21 rookie card - on first glance, I had second thoughts about picking the cards up [maybe the sticker price $15 each] because they were more 'well loved' and 'off-condition,' rather than cleaner copies with better eye appeal.

On the other hand, I've never really had these cards in my collection and at the very least, end up as binder material centerpieces to the collection of cards I have for each player - with these rookies in my possession, I'd have some bragging rights if I took a time machine to the junk wax era of the early 1990s.

Mail day - 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson #482

I've wanted to beef up my personal collection and while it isn't flashy, autographed or serial #'d like some modern card from the last 10 years - an old-school rookie card of a Hall of Famer starts the year right and maybe a nostalgic reminder of a 'hot card' when I first collected baseball cards over 20 years ago.

Autograph requests through the mail received: Willie Aikens and Josh Hamilton

Willie Aikens c/o home - signed my three cards in blue Sharpie in about a week. He also returned my letter with a note saying his book is coming out next year and it will answer the questions I had for him in my letter.

Josh Hamilton c/o Texas Rangers [spring training] - signed one card in black Sharpie; I thought I was glad to get this one back but I chose a card with too dark of a background and only the streaky part of the autograph is sort of visible.

Diamond Giveaway trade - 1968 Topps Matty Alou #270

I thought the 1980 Topps Gary Carter I ended up trading for this 1968 Topps card of Matty Alou was a keeper - but I think I may have been compelled to trade after seeing 10-15 trade requests seemingly every time I log in.

Most on the Diamond Giveaway site want my Vladimir Guerrero and Jered Weaver Diamond Die-cut cards from my portfolio - though it seems like it is the only cards offered are from the junk wax era, so I try not to pay attention to it.

I also got two throw in cards of little consequence - a 1980 Topps Joe Wallis #562 and a 1985 Topps Danny Ozark [manager] #365.

Topps Diamond Giveaway thoughts and trades

The 2011 Topps Diamond Giveaway is the 21st century way of collecting trading cards - the cards in your portfolio are mostly the same from the 00s, 90s, 80s, 70s and before, but you don't really have the cards in hand. If you want them delivered, you need a credit card to ship your cards to you for S/H.

I find myself logging in each day to see which cards I maybe able to trade for - even though I only have a lousy 11 cards.

I made a couple of more trades that seemed to make sense - I traded my 1979 Topps Dennis Martinez for a 1978 Topps Darrell Porter and my 1978 Topps Rollie Fingers for a 1980 Topps Gary Carter.

I got exposed to a lot of Martinez cards through the 1986-1992 junk wax era - so it was a breath of fresh air to trade for something just a little bit different.

I think I was ecstatic being able to trade my 1978 Topps Rollie Fingers for a 1980 Topps Gary Carter - I've stashed away a 'tools of ignorance' collection picturing catchers or non-catchers with catching equipment.

Most of my cards are from the last 20 years - so it is nice that I can pick up a card featuring a nice action shot of the Hall of Fame catcher showing he tagged out an incoming runner trying to score.