Salvaging a few Topps cards

1972 Topps Juan Marichal #568

At my LCS there are a few 'newer' shoe storage boxes on display featuring old school / vintage 'beaters' for a buck each - I go through them because the cards were probably part of someone's collection and maybe I can pick up some cards representing cardboard relics of the past.

1962 Topps Tony Kubek #311
1967 Topps Jim Palmer #152
1973 Topps Steve Carlton #300

The cards are kind of a cheap thrill to have in my hand since they were printed more than 40 years ago - even if the cards are merely worth what I paid for them.

Assorted vintage / old school pick-ups

I picked up a handful of assorted vg-ex cards and spent about an hour or so trying to create a post late Saturday night - adding pictures and commentary.

I thought I saved it and figured to set up another post - but I guess I wasn't paying attention and [perhaps I had a duplicate tab open for whatever reason] probably cut and paste whatever that was going onto a subsequent post into the one I felt I'd put all my effort into.

I'm not happy, but perhaps losing a post only means there is an opportunity to put together a new one - with the original serving as sort of a rough draft.

Maybe the main point of the original post was I'm looking to build up a little more cardboard diversity in my mini-collections - besides just rounding up cards printed from the last 30 years.

If I was really more organized, I'd have a formal, detailed wantlist so I'd know what to grab - as is, I was mostly looking for cards of players from different nations, particularly Latin America.

1970 Topps Roberto Pena #44 - Dominican Republic
1970 Topps Gill Garrido #48 - Panama
1970 Topps Juan Rios #89 - Puerto Rico
1970 Topps Jerry Morales / Jim Williams #262 - Puerto Rico

1971 Topps Duane Josephson #56 - tools of ignorance
1972 Topps Jim Nettles #131 - bloodlines; brother of Graig

1973 Topps Ed Kirkpatrick #233 - tools of ignorance

1973 Topps Ivan Murrell #409 - Panama

1974 Topps Paul Casanova #272 - Cuba

1974 Topps Steve Mingori #537 - facial hair
1975 Topps Carmen Fanzone #363 - had a second career as a musician; goes into my cult players / cult feats mini-collection.

1976 Topps Pepe Mangual #164 - Puerto Rico
1976 Topps Willie Montanez #181 - Puerto Rico
1976 Topps Luis Melendez #399 - Puerto Rico
1976 Topps Ted Martinez #356 - Dominican Republic

1978 Topps Oscar Zamora #91 - Cuba
1980 Topps Fernando Gonzalez #171 - Puerto Rico

1980 Topps Mark Lee #557 - facial hair
1984 Fleer Roy Lee Jackson #158 - featured on the Dime Boxes blog, I stumbled upon the card while leafing through a loose stack of 1984 Fleer.
1984 Fleer Luis DeLeon #297 - Puerto Rico
1984 Fleer Mario Ramirez #309 - Puerto Rico

Random card pick ups

1998 Score Rookie & Traded David Ortiz #RT 74

1998 Score Rookie & Traded Billy Wagner #RT 77

1998 Score Rookie & Traded Vinny Castilla #RT 78

1998 Score Rookie & Traded Pat Hentgen #RT 87

1998 Score Rookie & Traded Garret Anderson #RT 162

1998 Score Rookie & Traded Darryl Hamilton #RT 200

1998 Score Rookie & Traded Mo Vaughn #RT 259

1998 Topps Doug Glanville #37

1998 Topps Scott Hatteberg #228

1998 Topps Roberto Alomar #285

1998 Topps Brian Jordan #287

1998 Topps Todd Hundley #294

1998 Topps Raul Mondesi #333

1998 Topps Tom Goodwin #376

1998 Topps Delino DeShields #400

Assorted football card finds

I don't collect other sports cards, but I'm tempted to pass by the football section of the quarter boxes - to leaf through cards that maybe of use to fill out some of my mini-collections and/or be used to update the 'Rolodex' of assorted NFL star cards I have somewhere.

2014 Topps Platinum Alshon Jeffrey #3 
2014 Topps Platinum Drew Brees #18
2014 Topps Platinum Rob Gronkowski #20 - Blue parallel
2014 Topps Platinum Calvin Johnson #28 - Blue parallel
2014 Topps Platinum Brandon Marshall #34 
2014 Topps Platinum DeSean Jackson #42
2014 Topps Platinum Joe Flacco #47 - Blue parallel
2014 Topps Platinum Marshawn Lynch #62

2014 Topps Platinum Marshawn Lynch #62 - Blue parallel
2014 Topps Platinum Robert Griffin III #66 - Blue parallel
2014 Topps Platinum Tavon Austin #93 - Blue parallel
2014 Topps Prime Richard Sherman #PT-RS - Prime Timers insert

2014 Topps Valor Gale Sayers #19 - Strength parallel serial #'d 297/499

2014 Topps Valor Jamaal Charles #60
2014 Topps Valor Adrian Peterson #100 - this one goes into my 'infamous' mini-collection

2014 Topps Valor Rob Gronkowski #108
2014 Topps Valor Drew Brees #166
2014 Topps Valor Dez Bryant #173

2014 Topps Valor Tony Romo #179

Featured autographs - certified pick ups

Sam Tuivailala - started out as a shortstop, converted into a pitcher, probably a future bullpen guy with the stuff of a closer.

Nick Howard - Cincinnati Reds' first round pick in 2014, already featured once on the blog.

Joe Gatto - not the Impractical Jokers guy who kind of looks like Gary Gaetti, but an Angels draft pick in 2014.

Random cardboard picked up

2014 Bowman Platinum Jonathan Gray #BPP 12
2014 Bowman Platinum Henry Owens #BPP 25
2014 Donruss Austin Jackson #293 - Silver Press Proof serial #'d 083/199

2014 Donruss Mat Latos #284 - Gold Press Proof serial #'d 64/99
2014 Donruss Salvador Perez #299 - Stat Line serial #'d 232/292
2014 Donruss Trevor Rosenthal #340 - Stat Line serial #'d 094/263
2014 Donruss Avisail Garcia #278 - Stat Line Gold serial #'d 134/289

2014 Donruss David Price #344 - Stat Line Gold serial #'d 075/400
2014 Donruss Yan Gomes #13 - Elite
2014 Donruss Evan Longoria #48 - Elite
2014 Donruss Bryce Harper #56 - Elite 
2014 Donruss Bryce Harper #2 - Elite Series serial #'d 120/999
2014 Donruss Chris Sale #10 - The Elite Series serial #'d 127/999
2014 Donruss Adrian Beltre #1 - Elite Dominators serial #'d 168/999
2014 Donruss Eric Hosmer #9 - Elite Dominators serial #'d 187/999
2014 Donruss Miguel Cabrera / Chris Sale #7 - Face 2 Face serial #'d 067/999
2014 Donruss Johnny Cueto / Troy Tulowitzki #11 - Face 2 Face serial #'d 625/999

2014 Topps Finest Eric Hosmer #67

2014 Topps Finest Justin Upton #96
2014 Topps Inception football Manti Te'o #83
2014 Topps Pro Debut Hunter Harvey #66
2014 Upper Deck SP Authentic golf Paula Creamer #6
2014 Upper Deck SP Authentic golf Natalie Gulbis #15
2014 Upper Deck SP Authentic golf Paula Creamer #66

Spent time at a card shop - found these

2014 Donruss Miguel Cabrera #9 - Diamond Kings subset / SP
2014 Donruss Chris Carter #26 - Diamond Kings subset / SP
2014 Donruss Kolten Wong #35
2014 Donruss James Paxton #39
2014 Donruss Yan Gomes #142
2014 Donruss Shelby Miller #16 - Breakout Pitchers insert
2014 Donruss Starling Marte #19 - Breakout Hitters insert
1972 Topps Ed Sprague #121 - I picked this up for my bloodlines collection, though I supposed I'll try and send it out TTM before putting it in its permanent home.
1972 Topps Mike Kekich #138 - he and a teammate swapped wives and families; goes into my infamous collection.
1980 Topps Randy Niemann #469 - x2 / was a Boston Red Sox coach a couple of years ago when Bobby Valentine was the manager but is now working in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system; if I have no way of getting these cards signed, these go into my facial hair collection.
2013 Topps 75th Anniversary Funny Valentines - Diamond Anniversary parallel serial #'d 32/75

Etc - a dollar each
2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Braden Shipley #BDPP 12 - Refractor parallel
2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Austin Wilson #BDPP 105 - Refractor parallel

Vintage / old school miscellany

I'm not really familiar with vintage / old school cards so I'd rather not get caught up in digging through vg-ex beaters featuring rank-and-file players - still, holding cardboard 'relics' that maybe 40-50 years old is pretty neat and maybe gives me a peek into the past.

Vintage dollar box

1960 Topps Gene Conley #293 - also was an NBA player, so this card goes into my two-sports stars collection, which consists of cards featuring athletes who may have been notable enough to play professional sports [mainly baseball] and in at least one other sport.

1960 Topps Don Mossi #418 - with his signature good looks, everyone knows about Don Mossi even if they were oblivious of his playing career.
1964 Topps Ray Sadecki #147 - I saw this card online 'years ago' and I laughed...

1964 Topps Mike Shannon / Harry Fanok #262

Vintage / old school [1970's] quarter box
1975 Topps Brent Strom #643

1976 Topps Hal McRae #72 - love the nice, warm hearty laugh on this card of McRae.

1976 Topps Johnny Briggs #373 - contrasting with the morose 'non-expression' Briggs gives on this card.
1977 Topps Brent Strom #348

1977 Topps Mike Miley #387 - another two-sport star, his life was cut short, after spending parts of two seasons with the California Angels.
1977 Topps Burt Hooton #484
1978 Topps Brent Strom #509

Etc
2011 Topps Allen and Ginter Cody Ross #312 - I picked up a partial lot of 2011 Topps Allen and Ginter short prints for about $7 several years ago, though Ross wasn't one of the cards included.

Latest Angels pick ups

The Angels are gearing up for contention in the American League West by inviting retreads like Ian Stewart, John McDonald, Brennan Boesch, Carlos Pena and Chad Tracy to spring training - it will be amazing if anyone of these players actually make the Opening Day roster and contribute this season, though I can't say the Angels have had much bench strength the past two years, so maybe the team gets lucky with one or two of these guys.

I suppose Boesch has the best potential to stick as he's the youngest at 29 - it seems like the New York Yankees cut bait on him early last year even though in a small sample size, he was slugging .529.