$1600 to Spend on the 'Bay - What Would You Buy?

There's a fun post/contest over at Drop the Gloves! that asks what you would spend a hypothetical $1600 buying on eBay.  Believe it or not, it's not just Griffeys for me.  Here's my list:

#1: 1993 Finest Griffey Refractor – 524.95

#2: 1989 Topps Traded Tiffany Set - $150.00

#3: Griffey Sr/Jr Dual Autos - $125.00

#4: Four boxes of 1989 Upper Deck (strictly for the thrill of pulling a Griffey from a pack) - $200.00

#5: T.J. Oshie RC Auto/Patch (what can I say? - I'm a Blues fan) - $55.00

#6: 1954 Topps Ted Williams Graded - $247.50

#7: Will Clark Triple Threads Auto Relic  - $237.49

#8: 1984 Ron Kittle Donruss RC PSA 10 - $50.00

#9: Chuck Finley 283 card lot – 11.00 shipped

Let's see yours!

Jedi Jeff Jettisons Juniors to Junkie - Junkie Jumps for Joy

I got a PWE from Jeff at 2x3 Heroes that was loaded with class, history, fun, and mystery, in that order. 

Take a look:

Class

I'll admit that I've never been big on the Allen & Ginter cards.  I was raised on the sparkly, the glossy, and the refract-y.  But after 6 months of being back in the game, they are definitely growing on me. 

That being said, these black bordered minis are super-classy.  The detail is great on a card so small and the design is attractive and timeless.  Awesome card.



History



Victory is another set I've never really taken a shine to.    They seem so plain and unremarkable compared with all the great stuff out there. 

The specimen above is the exception.  It's a well put-together card with a lot of historical clout.  Daddy like.

Fun

The modern takes on antique designs are one of my favorite trends going on.  I really enjoy the Topps Heritage sets as well at the '75 minis in the 2013 flagship set.  I find them cool and instantly likeable.  This particular card is a lot of fun. 

One question: Is that a batter at 3rd base?

Mystery

Which brings us to the mystery part of this PWE.  Unfortunately I'm in the same boat as you, Jeff, in not knowing why this card made it into the stack.  I must admit though, it's a pretty baddass card - certainly one of the better "play at the plate" cards I've seen from the peak of the overproduction era. 

Plus the 10 year-old Braves fan in me likes seeing Kelly Gruber get dirty (even though he's probably safe).

Thanks for the great cards!

Record Store Day 2013 - Release Your Inner Music Geek

Are you going to Record Store Day?

This is a great opportunity to let your baseball card collecting take a back seat to your music appreciation for one day and go spend some money at a local business.  It's gotten pretty huge, so I hope you are near a participating independently-owned record store.  Click here to check for stores near you.

I am not affiliated with RSD, it's just something I love and get behind.  This is a wonderful nationwide event, and I'm proud to say I've attended every RSD there's been. 

It's a tradition for all the music geeks in town to gather in droves at 8am in front of whatever record shop we frequent and talk about music while we wait to spend a bunch of cash on limited edition vinyl and CDs.  It can be a bit bankrupting, but it only comes once a year.

Here is a list of all the great limited edition stuff that's available only at your local record shop starting Saturday morning (or Friday at midnight).  If you're planning on picking anything up, leave it in the comments below.  Here is my personal shopping list:

Bob Dylan Wigmam 7"
Elliott Smith Alternate Versions from Either/Or 7"
Dave Brubeck Trio Distinctive Rhythym Instrumentals 10"
Fela Kuti and the Africa 70 Sorrow, Tears & Blood 12" (this is the first thing I plan on grabbing!)
The Cure Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me reissue
Deftones Live Volume 1 - Selections from Adrenaline
John Coltrane Newport 61
Lamb of God New American Gospel (only 500 pressed - will be tough)
Miles Davis Milestones
Miles Davis 'Round About Midnight
Miles Davis Someday My Prince Will Come
Miles Davis The Kind of Blue Sessions '59
Nick Drake Nick Drake
Sigur Ros Agaetis Byrjun (I own the original, but this one may sound better - limited to 1000 - ouch)
Astralwerks 20/20 box set
Blues at Newport

There's no way I'll be able to afford all that.  I only plan on actually landing a few of those items, but the items in bold are my top priority.  (By the way, if you see a Sigur Ros or a Lamb of God at your shop, please buy one for me and I'll pay you back - I already know those are going to be tough grabs.)

I have a mild interest in the Beta Band and Grizzly Bear LP's as well as the Placebo EP, the Cake single, and the Bonobo box set.  I will also be taking advantage of my shop's RSD discounts and try to pick up vinyl copies of Beach House Bloom, Queen News of the World, The Who A Quick One, and whatever else I see that tickles my fancy (and my credit card).

So, what are you going for?

And of course, here a Griffey for all you vinyl collectors to look at while you wait in line to buy said items....

 

 

Happy vinyl hunting!

1999 Skybox Thunder: Phat

 

Skybox Thunder #292





In my collection: 1 regular, 3 Batterz, 1 In Depth

Griffey looks: in the midst of a home run trot

Is this a good Griffey card? Yes.  A ridiculous/awesome set with some cool inserts.

The set: Hip-hop Upper Deck.  Bam, nailed it.

You've seen this set before.  These are the cards with the bizarre hip-hop prose on the backs.  They're a cringe-worthy read, too, like watching Michael Scott (or David Brent, whichever you prefer) awkwardly try to win over a group of black teenagers. 

The base design is kind of all-over the place with several randomly interchanging fonts and text running in multiple directions.  The front is Pepto Bismol pink with generic baseball pictures lining the top.  The blurb on the back looks like a haiku (10-12-5 instead of 5-7-5). 

It's not a horrible effect, but I love this design for the same reason I love the movie Leprechaun 2.  It's got a silly "what were they thinking" quality to the point of being endearing.

Like 1999 Skybox Molten Metal, this set does that tiered short print thing.  Griffey is in the one-per-pack tier 3, the rarest of the tiers.

Here's Griffey......

 



Griffey is in the midst of a home run trot, watching with satisfaction as the ball soars over the right-center wall.  A great shot of the Kid, despite the gaudy background.

Enough of that - check out these phat inserts:

 

Skybox Thunder Batterz #3

 



This may be the most recognizeable baseball insert Skybox ever did.  Not only is the design clever and fun, it's hilariously dated.

I don't want you to take "dated" as a bad quality.  I found myself getting a little wistful while perusing the detail in this insert.  I've used a Mac, and I was a Prodigy user way back when.  The design of those interfaces did look mighty similar to this.  Not to mention the card uses the word "phat" unironically.  Yowza.

Still, the background on the front and the pixellation on the back, the icons along the top and the little details around them, the cool foil, the colors, the phatness - I positively love this insert.

By the way, if you go to batterz.com today, GoDaddy asks you to register your domain name there.  Just saving you some time....

 

Skybox Thunder In Depth #5

 



In Depth is another really cool insert.  The design stands the test of time and could very well be produced today to some acclaim.  The front features a cool gravitational field effect on repeating text.  The back takes an in-depth (A-ha....) look at Griffey's stats in day, night, home, away, and before and after the All-Star break.  Great idea, solid execution.

Then you get to the blurb and all Hell breaks loose.  They do give one good peice of information about Griffey's record against left handers, but then they use the word phat again.  Just wow.

In case you don't think Skybox Thunder wasn't pandering enough, they included an insert that looks like a cell phone.  I don't have that one, but I want it.  Bad.  I went ahead and found an image of it for your enjoyment:

Ridiculous or not (it is), this is a cool card.  Printed on plastic stock, they were seeded at 1:300 packs and still go for $20 on the 'bay.

Here's all the Griffeys I still don't have for 1999 Skybox Thunder:

#292 Rant

#292 Rave - #/150

#292 Super Rave - #/25

H4 Hip-No-Tized - 1:36

TC3 Turbo-Charged - 1:72

D3 Dial 1 - 1:300

I can't complain too much about this set because the inserts re great, and it's just so stupidly appealing.  I may try to acquire a box as I bet the packs were really fun to bust, and I still want to see what the other inserts look like.  Plus the embarassingly indulgent prose on the back of every card is damn entertaining.  In all seriousness, the most appropriate word to describe 1999 Skybox Thunder is phat.  Maybe even phiggity-phat.

Have a blessed day!

Hold the Inserts: 1999 Skybox Molten Metal

 

Skybox Supernatural #133

 


 
In my collection: 1 regular

Griffey looks: about to hit something very hard

Is this a good Griffey card? Yes.  While there are no inserts, the parallels are cool.  Plus it's the first year Skybox made baseball cards.

The set: Everyone was really excited when Topps decided to identify their short prints for 2013, but it seems Skybox beat them to it....by 14 years.

The 1999 Skybox Molten Metal base set was divided up into three subsets of various scarcity.  The first 100 cards called "Metal Smiths" are the most prevalent at four per pack, followed by the next 30 "Heavy Metal" cards at one per pack.  Griffey appeared in the rarest subset, "Supernatural," which is the last 20 players of the set at 1:2 packs.

So we ended up with a base set of 150 cards, 50 of which were short-printed for planned scarcity.  Not only that, but it was the 50 biggest names in baseball - the most desireable cards. 

I was no longer collecting at this point, and having just picked it up again short prints are still a new concept to me.  Serial numbered insert cards are one thing, but base cards?  That aren't variants?  In my research for this set I was surprised to see they'd been a device for card companies for so long.

Let's see that Griffey again:

 



I detect a shift of weight to the left foot here, right arm outstretched slightly to accomodate the cocked left elbow, and the focused stare of someone who's about to hit something very hard.....

 



Complete stats + flipped-up shades = successful back.

There are no inserts - only parallels.  Here are the Griffeys I am missing from Skybox Molten Metal '99:

Xplosion - 1:2
Fusion - 1:24
Fusion Sterling - #/500
Fusion Titanium - #/50

Those parallels are really made of metal which, while gimmicky, is also pretty darn cool.  As soon as I can get one, I'll post it here for looking at.

A Trio of Tremendous Trade Triumphs

I got a package from Kerry aka madding over at Cards on Cards.  He send me Griffeys pretty regularly, and they tend to be unique and easy to find a place for in the collection.  I recommend you trade with him....

Look at all the people on that sheet of stickers - it's like a who's who of card collecting in 1998!  Here's the reverse:

A lot of great players on this one sheet that I collect to this day.  Awesome.

There are a lot of dual cards out there that feature Griffey and a young player that doesn't end up going anywhere or a single-season superstar that doesn't stand the test of time.  Here is the exception: Griffey and Larkin.  There's a lot of skill on this little card. 

The Reds had a great lineup in the mid-00's.  I'm really surprised when I read about how unsuccessful they were in that time.  Reds fans, I'd like your input on this.

Kittle!

Geaux Hornets!  Er, I means geaux Pelicans?  Hm.  That sounds weird.  Anyway, I don't know who this guy is.

I remember this card from my collecting days.  I was really psyched to find it in that trade package as I have no idea where mine went.  A great piece of cardboard history.

Thanks again, Madding!

There is a beast living in my soul that thirsts for all the Griffeys of the Earth, and it is sated not just by new Griffeys but also by duplicates.  Bert at Swing and a Pop Up sent me a package loaded with delicious duplicates of Griffey goodness.  Bert, your offering has pleased the beast.

That's not your computer trying to catch up with your scrolling.  Those are lots and lots of duplicates!!!

There's so many of everything, plus a Donruss rookie!  This package was truly awesome.

He also included these which were too numerous to scan effectively:

Griffey Sr, Griffey Jr, and......Jim Abbott?  I'll never understand the player selection here, but dammit if they're not fun cards.  I may have to look more closely as building the whole set.  They will definitely be getting their own post.

I see Bert just updated his want lists, so go check 'em out.  Thanks, Bert!

Last but certainly not least, Spankee from My Cardboard Mistress sent me a package he assured me I would enjoy.  It was gigantic because the cards inside were stored inside this:

I'm a sucker for small boxes.  I don't know why, I just like them.  This one shows a Griffey signature which is amazingly cool.  The cards inside were just as impressive:

That's five serial-numbered Griffeys.  And that's not even all of them:

That big postcard-sized mamma-jamma is also serial numbered!  Plus that Fleer Triple Crown card is news to me, and who doesn't love collector coins?  He sent two.

Thanks, Adam!  You were right - this was a really fun one to go through.

I've just sent out a massive wave of trade packages.  My memory is not great (thanks, college), so I'm hoping I'm square with everybody.  I try to keep up with everybody using an Excel document, but it's far from perfect.

And if you sent me something and have gotten nothing in return, don't be afraid shoot me an e-mail.  I embrace every opportunity to mail out free cardboard.

COMC and My LCS Win the Wallet Wars Over the Evil Repack Boxes

Last month was the first card show I skipped since I started paying attention to card shows again.  I thought my money better spent on COMC.  Here are the cards I picked up, all for around 30 bucks:





My first Ron Kittle autograph!  This was not the most expensive card I purchased, but it's very cool and has a neat signature.  Check out the stylized R and the oval that dots the i and crosses the t's all at once.

I consider this one of the most interesting cards ever made.  Embarassingly enough, I still wonder how they did it....  Was he holding a blue or green card and they added it later, or is it some early version of Photoshop?  Madding, I'm sure you know, but don't ruin it for me!  I'm enjoying my ignorance.

I've wanted an un-mustachioed Rollie for a long time, and that Hank Aaron is just a beautifully put-together card (1994 Topps had some gems).  Then you've got Steve Lake with his pet cockatoo, Ruffles.  Cockatoos tend to live a long time, up to 70 years, so I wonder if that guy is still alive today.  Plus I don't always collect basketball cards, but when I do, they have rainbows over the Golden Gate Bridge.  Yowza.

That Desert Shield Kittle card is the most expensive card I bought in this whole post.  I am still on the hunt for the Griffeys, but at least I've got that Kittle on lockdown.  The Bowman Kittle card is a Tiffany, and that Staley Bowman card is one of the more disturbing pieces of vintage I've ever seen.

AHHHHHHHH!!!

The rest is a bunch of silly names, pictures, etc.  You know the type.

Hee hee.

I also had to stop into my LCS for 5000-count box I'm using for a secret baseball card-related project that has taken up nearly all my blogging time.  While I was there I snagged a few neat cards just for me.

That Chipper rookie is one of the few I don't already have.  The big Unit '89 UD offcially completes that set for me - very exciting.  The '90 Leaf Frank Thomas RC is one of the great ones of my time, so for a buck I just couldn't pass it up.  The Yaz just kind of spoke to me, as did ol' Gern.  I've been trying to pick up that Yogi on ebay and COMC for cheap, but none doing.  It's one of the most iconic manager cards ever made.  And finally, yes, that is an Aaron Brooks autographed card.  He's kind of a joke in NOLA, so I guess I kind of bought it as a goof.

I feel better when my money goes to cards I already know I love and want to keep as opposed to packs and packs of cards that, while some are cool, just cost too much to gamble on.  That's why I'll keep going back to COMC.  You other bloggers make sure to keep posting new cards for me to drool over, especially if they have names like Stubby Clapp and Urban Shocker.

Did you notice that none of the above cards are Griffeys?  What is happening to me?  Am I becoming a collector again?