End of the year card show meanderings

I've probably gone to more card show dates this past year compared to the last 2 years before the pandemic - however I've gotten self-conscious about showing up to where the scene is a little more unfamiliar perhaps.

I find myself feeling too much like a rando in a room of guys in the know who are simply interested in 'here and now' concepts I'm not vaguely aware of - big time wheeling and dealing involving higher end slabs, other sports [NBA, NFL], non-sports.

Maybe there has always been something bigger, something hyped that people who might be collecting and speculating are chasing after - but maybe I'm stuck in my reality, which has me less emotionally invested in the nuts and bolts of a card show, where it’s harder to cultivate any enthusiasm.

With sellers are more focused on other things besides bringing material catering more to my interests - it takes more effort to find things I can get into.

On the other hand, keying on tables with bulk cards for a dollar and less has me looking forward to that next rummage at shows - where as much as things are different, I can still find my roots at a random card show.

At my last card show trip, I was aimlessly wandering around and found myself digging through boxes at a table in the corner of the main room in a hotel - the table didn't register to me at first glance and now that I've planted myself, it doesn't look like there is any good 'ole baseball in these parts.

I started to find clusters of some old-school and / or vintage cards to go through [even if not seriously consider] - there was some vintage 1960 Fleer Greats, but I'm not sure what to make of them because they are a retro set rather than a set with active players [circa 1960].

There was a father / son manning the table but it seemed clear to me that the adult son [probably in his 30s] - wasn't really into the cards and may have been tagging along as more of chaperone, compared to his old man who was really running the table.

The prices were half off the stickered price - though I worried the prices on the cards might be marked up.

Finding a 1996 Upper Deck V.J. Lovero Ken Griffey Jr. #VJ 10 [$4] may have actually spurred me on to find more cards - though it wasn't going to be that big splash purchase, it might have been a random scratch the itch want.

I found and set aside 1989 Upper Deck Dale Murphy REV NEG #357 [$30] in a yellowed semi-rigid, which may have been interesting - the guy grabbed it for a moment and was telling his son it was some kind of error.

I occasionally see random cards that I might not flag outright but end up dwelling on after the fact - maybe the cards are not semi-definitive or definitive cards for a collection, where it's only a big deal in my head, but types of cards I shouldn't let get passed me.

There was doubt whether I should make the Murphy the centerpiece of what I might have found off these random boxes - the card was a bit more on the quirky side of the junk wax era, but I might be second-guessing myself for not grabbing this error outright.

Finally I found a 1990 Leaf Frank Thomas #300 [$10] and while it's been over 30 long years and I have a graded copy - the card was a status symbol of early 1990s collecting, so I wanted a loose copy, even if there is a tiny bit of worry about potential counterfeits that might be mixed in various collections and/or inventory.

COMC finds - binder stars / decade stars

I had a haul of cards I'd gotten from COMC come in - after I'd started the shipping process, my order only took about a week, which was a pleasant surprise.

On their Web site, COMC lists when to expect delivery depending on the service chosen - I figure I don’t have a claim to anything otherwise if it they ship within the estimated window for the $3.99 economy charge, even if it takes two or three weeks.

I've had misgivings about a typical COMC order taking too long, but I actually got my shipment about five days earlier than expected - maybe the Web site might be an option again as far as picking up the most random cards and having them shipped sooner than never.

I kind of see COMC as a glorified swap meet of sorts - however they always seem to package cards well enough, regardless of shipping method chosen.

It’s nice to finally go through the cards I've had sitting in my account - though there maybe a caveat with some of the random cards I’ve chosen to pick up as far as finding an actual spot for them in my collections.

I’m trying to list and put away as many of the cards I purchased - while trying to feel something for most cards, so they aren't meaningless after the fact.

The following are too random to be stand alone A-Z singles or PC cards - yet I’d rather showcase them as highlights within others cards of the same player, than be obscured as rank-and-file additions within my A-Z inserts collection.

2002 Topps Gold Label Awards Ceremony Relics Class 1 Gold Andy Pettite ACR-AEP [$4.75] - considering their franchise history and late 1990s dynasty run, I'd probably be a New York Yankees fan, if not rooting for the Angels.

I was doing a random search and this card caught my eye - it's kind of shiny card featuring an image of a relevant Topps card in the inset image and a window with a pinstripe jersey swatch.

Pettitte is hardly a favorite but on the down low, maybe I want to build up a micro-mini collection of selected cards - featuring the Yankees Core Four [Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada].

1997 Topps Team Timber Frank Thomas #TT5 [$1.05] - I thought it would be cool to have a card in hand that was printed entirely on some sort of simulated wood material.

I've never seen these cards except for a Rafael Palmeiro on a page of scanned cards - these may have been long forgotten inserts and wanting a ‘sample’ card from the set, a more appealing player choice [Thomas] wasn't that much more than a Palmeiro.

The card fronts actually feature a more conventional glossy surface and not a 'wood' feel like I'd anticipated - it's actually the back of the cards that have a sort of matte / textured surface that may resemble a wood finish.

I suspect it's to make the cards seem like they actually came from a piece of wood - but it looks like someone poured water on the surface to create some depressions going down from top to bottom.

2003 Donruss Diamond Kings DK Evolution Barry Bonds #DK-16 [$1.25] - Bonds may not be going to the Hall of Fame since he was presumably both a perpetual ass and an alleged PED abuser, however I was drawn to his bad ass act when he broke the single-season and career home run marks through his 40s.

2003 Donruss Diamond Kings DK Evolution Tony Gwynn #DK-21 [$0.99] - unlike Bonds, the player was considered a saint where he was universally loved as a professional baseball player and a person, R.I.P.

I was vaguely aware of these lenticular cards but had just forgotten about them over time - I might have thought there might have been a time elapse image where a picture of a player early in his career is contrasted with a current [as of 15 years ago] picture, but this clears things up.

1998 Upper Deck Blue Chip Prospects Todd Helton #BC11 [$1.70] - serial #'d to 2000; it’s not a rookie or anything ‘special,’ but I guess I’d collect the retired Helton on the down low and this one caught my eye as a ‘film cell’ material card.

2015 Topps Update Series MLB All-Star Game Access Albert Pujols MLB-2 [$0.98] - this captures a poignant moment where another big leaguer [Joc Pederson] is hugging Pujols at the 2015 All-Star Home Run Derby for presumably all Pujols has done for Pederson’s developmentally disabled [Down Syndrome] brother Champ in particular.

The 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge - Day 26

"A favorite oddball card from the 1980s."

1988 P and L Promotions Cape Cod Prospects Frank Thomas #126 - though my collecting prime was when Thomas was neck and neck with Ken Griffey Jr. as hobby kings back in the 1990s, this card was kind of unfamiliar to me until the last 15 years.

I don't have reason to think this card isn't an original issue from 1988 since they have been graded by PSA - but besides the fact the card looks like an unlicensed Broder issue, maybe it was reprinted at some point to capitalize on Thomas' star power.

Best binder page - my starting nine

My best binder page represents nine cards that stick out in my collection - for better or for worse.

2001 Fleer Tradition Albert Pujols #451 - ever since he made his MLB debut in 2001, he has always been a guy to universally collect though the Pujols the Angels have is just not the same guy that played for the St. Louis Cardinals.

1987 Donruss Greg Maddux #36 - I never really noticed Maddux until he won his first Cy Young Award in 1992 and I had to pick up his key rookie card, which might have been going for about $6.

Because the card came out during junk wax era, the card maybe worth $3 these days - but between the wisp of facial hair he sporting and the Cubs uniform he is wearing sort of coming together with the design [with the Rated Rookie subset banner too], the card has grown on me.

1990 Leaf Frank Thomas #300 - it was either him or Ken Griffey Jr. battling it out for the top spot of Beckett Baseball Card Montly Magazine's Hot List back through the mid 1990s.

Thomas was a dominant offensive force and even though his numbers took a dive in his 30's - he still had his moments and has Hall of Fame plaque to show for his numerous achievements.

I'm not really sure what I paid for this card but I think I bought it 10-15 years ago - the price was likely less than the $30 I spent for a Sammy Sosa rookie card from the same set.

1987 Fleer Barry Bonds #604 - I prefer the juiced up version rather than the great all-around baseball player through the 1990's because he just didn't give a hoot and at least on the field, it was fun watching him portrayed as the biggest heel of the Steroid Era.

I was eating up all his theatrics and I probably paid about $60 for this card - like the Maddux rookie, it was a junk wax era card, but I was to hoping to possess the best mainstream rookie card of an all-time great.

Bonds might have been easy to ignore if he was an average ballplayer augmented his numbers and kind of faded away - but Bonds was already a superstar talent who managed to propel his numbers to historic heights.

While he is now trying to make inroads back into the game as the Florida Marlins hitting coach - Bonds is probably not going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame anytime soon and my once prized card is worth about $3.

2011 Topps Update Mike Trout #US 175 - it's a no brainer to have this guy's rookie card in the mix, even though there is a tinge of disappointment, just because I never got one of his 'big money' first-year autograph cards.

1994 Flair Alex Rodriguez #340 - ever since he had his first big season in 1996, he's always been a guy to universally collect.

Whatever he's done has always captured my interest, though the luster had finally faded after he was suspended by Major League Baseball in 2014 - as is, he had a quiet and successful 'comeback' run in 2015, though it remains to be seen if he can sort of leave the game on his terms.

I probably paid $40 for this card and now it's worth about $5.

1989 Procards Keith Comstock #14 - I have to throw this 'fun card' into the mix.

1993 Topps Derek Jeter #98 - he has always been a guy to universally collect and while I think this is a boring card from a boring set, it features a guy who put up some pretty good numbers, a 5-time World Series winner who always put on a good public face.

1989 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr.#33 - I was more or less just starting to collect 25 years ago when this card caught my attention in a loose stack at my cousin's house and I thought it was a big deal it was going for $8...during the same time, I think I bought a 1989 Donruss rack pack from a card shop and pulled another copy of the card.

Congrats Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas

Dime box finds for the end of 2012

I picked up about 65 cards for $6 at a card show trip - the random 2011 Playoff Contenders cards intrigued me the most, even though I'll still have to look up most of the players pictured on the cards, to see if they are legitimate MLB prospects or fillers used in a non-MLB licensed baseball product.

I tried to fill out my pile with a few cards of star players - I have my share of cards of guys who played five, 10, 15 and 20 years ago, but it's hard not to be nostaglic and impulsively flip through cards I may not have had an opportunity to pick up during my collecting adolescence.

1992 Bowman Frank Thomas #114 - the action shot of Thomas swinging away at a familiar looking [if somewhat obscured] Anaheim Stadium caught my eye.
1994 Fleer Ultra Ken Griffey Jr. 6 of 25 - Award Winners insert

1997 Bowman's Best Previews Ken Griffey Jr. #BBP 2
1998 Fleer Tradition Mike Piazza #391
1998 Sports Illustrated Ken Griffey Jr. #51
2000 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. #EP-4 - Epic Performances insert
2000 Upper Deck Ionix Lance Berkman #81

2002 Donruss Diamond Kings C.C. Sabathia #040 - stamped sample

2003 Fleer Tradition Nomar Garciaparra #22 of 25 - Milestones insert
2005 Bowman Draft AFLAC Cameron Maybin AFL 11 - I lost a similar card to a TTM request years ago that is still MIA.
2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites Rick Monday #110
2009 Upper Deck Tommy Mendonca #USAB-TB - USA insert
2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Tyler Goeddel #5 - Elite Series insert
2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Zeke DeVoss #11 - Elite Series insert
2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Logan Verrett / Phillip Evans #6 - Building Blocks Duo insert
2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Jeff Ames / Steven Ames #11 - Building Blocks Duo insert
2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Larry Greene / Mitch Walding / Roman Quinn #10 - Building Blocks Trio insert
2011 Playoff Contenders Travis Harrison #DT 1
2011 Playoff Contenders Lenny Linsky #DT 3
2011 Playoff Contenders Burch Smith #DT 4
2011 Playoff Contenders Ronald Guzman #DT 6
2011 Playoff Contenders Anthony Meo #DT 10
2011 Playoff Contenders Alex Hassan #DT 14
2011 Playoff Contenders Nick Fleece #DT 19
2011 Playoff Contenders Andrew Susac #DT 20
2011 Playoff Contenders Tony Zych #DT 21
2011 Playoff Contenders B.A. Vollmuth #DT 22
2011 Playoff Contenders Blake Snell #DT 26
2011 Playoff Contenders Kylin Turnbull #DT 28
2011 Playoff Contenders Evan Marshall #DT 30 - x2
2011 Playoff Contenders Jordan Cote #DT 31
2011 Playoff Contenders Aaron Westlake #DT 32
2011 Playoff Contenders Tommy La Stella #DT 42
2011 Playoff Contenders Cole Green #DT 45
2011 Playoff Contenders Matt Szczur #DT 46
2011 Playoff Contenders Cristhian Adames #DT 55
2011 Playoff Contenders Forrest Snow #DT 56
2011 Playoff Contenders Tyler Gibson #DT 57
2011 Playoff Contenders Josh Osich #DT 60
2011 Playoff Contenders Zach Good #DT 64
2011 Playoff Contenders Madison Boer #DT 71
2011 Playoff Contenders Kevin Comer #DT 73
2011 Playoff Contenders Jason Esposito #DT 74
2011 Playoff Contenders Dan Vogelbach #DT 75
2011 Playoff Contenders Cameron Gallagher #DT 77 - x2
2011 Playoff Contenders Jordan Swaggerty #DT 87
2011 Playoff Contenders Brian Dupra #DT 88
2011 Playoff Contenders Taylor Featherston #DT 97
2011 Playoff Contenders Matt Skole #DT 98
2011 Playoff Contenders Joseph Musgrove #DT 99
2011 Playoff Contenders Carson Smith #DT 100 - x2
2011 Playoff Contenders Kevin Matthews #4 - Future Stars insert
2011 Playoff Contenders Tyler Gibson #11 - Future Stars insert
2011 Playoff Contenders Logan Verrett #13 - Future Stars insert
2011 Playoff Contenders Jake Lowery #3 - Johnny Bench Award Winners insert
2011 Playoff Contenders Andrew Susac / Josh Osich #2 - Winning Combos insert
2011 Playoff Contenders Dan Vogelbach / Hudson Boyd #5 - Winning Combos insert
2011 Playoff Contenders Chad Comer / Jason Krizan #7 - Winning Combos insert
2011 Playoff Contenders Brian Flynn / Tyler Grimes #11 - Winning Combos insert
2011 Playoff Contenders 18 Chris Reed / Scott Sondgress #18 - Winning Combos insert
2011 Topps Allen and Ginter Josh Hamilton #HH 50 - Hometown Heroes insert

2012 Topps Yoshinori Tateyama #437

2011 Topps Update Value Box recap - a couple more #2 of 2

2011 Topps Update Value box - I don't know if I'll try and keep on picking these up [if I even find more] since it seems like I've come up with bupkis, but can I really complain not pulling 'OMG, super mojo cards' with these little mediocre retail breaks?

BCE-1 Bryce Harper bonus card - red refractor version; I think I pulled one 'silver' but no 'gold.'

#TDG-20 Kevin Youkilis Topps Diamond Giveaway code card - I redeemed a 1959 Topps Jim Brosnan #194.

2011 Bowman Chrome hobby pack
#BCP 124 Luke Jackson
#BCP 116 Jose Casilla

#2 Manny Machado - 2021 Future die-cut insert
#220 Aaron Crow

2011 Topps Update eight-card packs

Pack one
#US-213 Louis Coleman
#US-96 Ryan Hanigan
#US-148 Alex Presley
#TTU-22 Stephen Drew - ToppsTown

#US-42 Frank Thomas - SP
#US-273 Miguel Montero - The Beard lurks
#US-105 Joel Hanrahan
#US-254 Dustin Ackley

Pack two
#US-129 Brooks Conrad
#US-46 Angel Sanchez
#US-157 Reed Johnson
#US-211 Dustin Moseley
#DD-2 Andre Ethier / Matt Kemp - Diamond Duos insert

#US-258 Monte Irvin - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-59 Matt Kemp
#US-163 Adrian Beltre

Pack three
#US-158 Darren Oliver
#US-224 Bill Hall
#US-56 Ryan Adams
#US-155 Eric Hosmer
#US-178 Jason Bourgeois
#US-216 Takashi Saito - gold parallel serial #'d 0187/2011
#KC-112 Cole Hamels - Kimball Champions insert
#US-230 Miguel Cabrera

Pack four
#US-212 Pat Neshek
#US-284 Laynce Nix
#US-215 Michael Dunn

#US-56 Ryan Adams - Liquorfractor
#T60-103 Alex Rodriguez - Topps 60 insert
#US-207 Jay Bruce
#US-188 Eric Hosmer
#US-84 Pablo Sandoval

Pack five
#US-107 Brandon McCarthy
#US-301 Tom Gorzelanny
#US-220 Adam Dunn
#US-117 Michael Stutes

#US-152 Julio Teheran - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#510 Hank Aaron - Liquorfractor
#US-85 Roy Halladay
#US-140 Clayton Kershaw

Featured autograph - Frank Thomas

1990 Topps rookie card

Frank Thomas 1/2 - walking around at the 2010 MLB All-Star Fan Fest in Anaheim, I saw the two-time AL MVP winner at the MLB.com booth / taping area and watched intently as he did an interview on stage.

I have various things [particular set cards I want signed, about eight or nine poster-sized 'cards' I bought six or seven years ago on eBay] at home, but wasn't aware he was making an appearance at the fan fest - I ran to a baseball card dealer booth and tried to squeeze in-between a man and woman leafing through monster boxes of cards to grab a handful of Thomas cards.

I was looking for 'setters,' but couldn't find any - I ended up picking up a couple of Thomas' rookie cards [paid $2 for the 1990 Topps and $1 for the 1990 Score], hoping to get him after his interview time was up.

An acquaintance asked Thomas about his 1990 Topps 'No Name on Front' error card - Thomas wasn't really aware of of the controversy of the 'NNOF' error card and was straining to answer the question other than to guess that was his rookie card.

Afterwards, it was a madhouse to get Thomas with 40-50 people following after him, just to try and get an autograph - he was signing, but it was difficult trying to get his attention, while watching weary security guards trying to shield him [in vain] from everyone who wanted an autograph and guide him out of the hall of the Anaheim Convention Center.

I tried to find an opening and one barely opened up - where Thomas grabbed my clipboard and signed the Topps card.

Officially retired - Frank Thomas was considered one of the best in his era

Frank Thomas announced his retirement on Friday - I remember him going neck-and-neck with Ken Griffey Jr. as the two players considered the biggest hobby stars through much of the 1990s.

A possible blemishes holding 'The Big Hurt' back from first-ballot Hall of Fame status is the designated hitter issue, which should be a somewhat relevant issue for evaluating Thomas as a player - but shouldn't otherwise overshadow his accomplishments [including being two-time MVP in 1993 and 1994, hitting 521 home runs, having .301 lifetime batting average while generating a .419 on-base percentage ].

In his career, 'The Big Hurt' was always selfish about his stats and outspoken about his contract and his perceived value in the early 2000s - he kind of soured on people as his all-world hitting skills somewhat declined.

However, when he was hitting the ball in his peak during the 1990s - the man was considered to be what Albert Pujols is today and every baseball fan / baseball card collector wanted a piece of him. 

His best mainstream rookie card was probably from the 1990 Leaf set [card #300] - as Thomas' popularity waned over the last part of his career and the Leaf's value decreased [maybe around $10 these days, a little more if professionally graded], his 1990 Topps 'no-name on front' was still a well sought-after card by dedicated Thomas collectors.