One Shiny Dime: A Card Show Frenzy

A week into my new job, all is going well! Having never used it, I'm now immersed in Quickbooks.  I've yet to do anything for which I was hired. They keep calling me a 'numbers person' and I continue to correct them. But you worked for an accounting firm. Yes, on the administrative staff.  On day one, I was given access to all their financials and banking information. No problem. I'm now using a pencil everyday.  It's been 40 years since I used a pencil for anything but marking the wall for a nail.

To celebrate my new career {?}, a friend and I made the 1.5 hours drive to Saginaw for a 50 table show.  All dealers were new to me but most had little to offer.  I found no affordable vintage. Several dealers had junk wax boxes for sale. $30 for a box of 1991 Upper Deck? No thanks. I found two tables with a nice assortment of nickel and dime cards, and box of autos and relics for $2, $3 and $4 each.

Wanna seen the shine a dime can get ya?

2018 Heritage Chrome Refractors in vanilla and grape

2018 Fire - and frankly I don't know what these are - other than the center Ichiro is a blue platinum
something or the other but possibly not.

1996 Special FX were righteous in their day! High priced goods then, now worth at least the dime paid. I was tempted to draw bars over Mondesi's infield window but why ruin a nice card?

This batch of foiliciousness  comes from 1998 Aurora Pennant Fever.  Now it may be that these goldies aren't worth much more than .25 - $1 each but how often do you see them? This was my first time so I bought 'em all - in case you want one, of course. There are two red parallels included:

I can only wonder what the fella before me pulled from the box. I saw the stack he was making and winced. All these cards came from the same box. He said, 'don't worry, I left you some.' Why leave any? These aren't big names but what fun cards to add to your hoard!!!

2018 Flagship Independence Day. One of the finest Topps designs ever. All numbered to 76. 

These are for my America binder; also known as the Independence, RW&B, Patriot and/or Anthem binder. I can't make up my mind and I don't have to! One NICKEL each! Stick it, my fellow Americans.

The same dealer had  boxes full of one, two, three and four dollar cards. I didn't find too many for myself but picked a few for some trade pals so I won't show them all, lest the surprise be ruined.

Another card at $4 for the same binder, or perhaps my 70s Pop Culture binder?  Bye, Bye Miss American Pie... Pie? I want some - Boston Cream, of course!

Now here's where the purchase gets tricky. I only had so much to spend. This batch features a $2 swatch and $3 autographs. I also have a rule: I don't collect Yankees unless they're deceased. Well then, why did I need these cards and none of the 15 left behind?

Hank Behrman, d.1987, meets criteria except he's a Dodger. A rookie with Brooklyn in 1946, traded to the Pirates in '47, back to the Dodgers the same year and finally to the Giants in '49. He finished out his four year career there, 24-14 lifetime. Hank appeared in five games of the 1947 World Series with the Dodgers. I like this card, with its swatch and a smiling Behrman. I may keep it but could trade for the right card.

Lee Mazzilli, still living. Fail. Looking all Bucky Dent. Win. He was actually traded for Dent by Texas, sending Lee to the Yanks. I chose this card for the most shallow of reasons. Cute factor. 

1975 NL Rookie of the Year, the Count has one of the games' more fun nicknames. John hit a home run in his first ML at bat.  Apparently he also hit his wife on more than one occasion. A long list of charges ranging from assault, burglary and making terroristic threats saw him indicted in 1997. After two years behind bars, he was acquitted after the most serious charges were dropped. He was sentenced to three years probation for criminal trespass and simple assault. SIMPLE?  I haven't decided the fate of this card. A nice signature for a fellow with a smudged history.

The last gem was an easy choice. The name Alou includes brothers Felipe, Matty and Jesus, along with Felipe's son, Moises. Papa Alou played for several teams over his 17 year career and managed fourteen more with a record of 1033-1021. He was the NL Manager of the Year in 1994, leading the Expos to the best record in baseball before a strike ended the MLB season.  Felipe's player stats are noteworthy: .286 BA; 206 HRs; 985 runs and career fielding percentage of .986.  This card, with its beautiful signature stays with me.

Thanks for reading!