Pennysleeves and Nickel Cards

$$$$$$  This post is all about the money!

Sometime back before the first of the year [2019] longer actually, Jon dropped a pwe in the mail. While I did tweet a thank you, a glimpse into that long gone envelope is overdue.

My favorite hockey team  {I say favorite but haven't actually seen a game though might watch one if I felt like it} was represented with these 2013-13 Panindians.

The shining continues with these chromium men:

      2000 SPX  1999                 Stadium Club Chrome

1998 Chrome

I'd forgotten how colorful  these Boomers were! Justin was a top prospect in his day. All I recall is his being traded to Texas along with a miscellany of other players for Juan Gonzalez in 1999. He tried for years to overcome injuries but floundered in the minors. Detroit didn't fair much better since Juan spent his short time there with foot pain, whining about the 400ft outfield wall. He said for the Tigers to sign him long term, they would have to move the fence in.  Such a hard life.  Bye bye Juan.

While I still enjoy receiving player favorites like Piazza and Sandberg within trades, I no longer purchase these cards unless found in discount boxes.  Budget constraints and the ridiculous amount of product pushed me to choose among my PC men. Altuve and Cobb won out over the others, plus a little vintage here and there. Jon included a nice trio of Old Spikes!

Vintage was the highlight of the envelope. 1953 Bowman Color is filled with beautiful stadium backgrounds, dugout shots, bats - oh so many bats!  I pick up affordable cards from this set whenever possible. Fred Hatfield played with the Tigers from 52-56. His career spanned nine years and 722 games with 493 hits, 248 walks, 165 rbi and .242 average.

Wow Jon! Even after all this time, these cards still pack a punch! Thanks for your support and kindness. Jon's blog is a one-stop hub for Toys, Games and YoYos. You'll find vhs, comic books, cards and other trinkets from the past!

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If you saw my post last week, then you know I scored a thousand or so homeless cards from nickel boxes, and a few for myself.

 

I had this Rocco Stadium Club years ago. Rocco never did big things but he had such a great name. Still does. Hard to believe this young man is now managing the Twins!  This one goes with my yet-to-be-named collection of cards featuring portrait and still shots which reflect the beauty of our pastime. There are some uglier, more painful aspects of the game too, as this card so vividly details:

Into the catcher binder! I'm not sure why Score used a portrait layout for this one. 

Check out these little Jefferson's with no Monticello of their own:

PINNACLE UC3 AND SPORTFLIX

1995 ULTRA  - 3 Gold Medallions

BUNT PROGRAMS!

I showed off a small stack of these 2011 Diamond Anniversaries recently. I never been a fan of the real rocks. These however, are irresistible! When I came across this new batch, there was no leaving them behind for someone else to enjoy! I am a selfish individual with no time for shame.

Every card, a nickel each. Crazy?  Yes, it is and so am I. Thank you Tommy J!

Thanks Googly Images!

The French Connection

Do you know the Card Papoy?  Yes? No?  He is an un-met friend across the deep and wide ocean.  Kevin is a featured blogger in Nacho Grande's Better Know a Blogger series and one of  France's best kept secrets.  He is also a fun trading partner. You're missing out if you're not sending cardboard to France!  If cost is a concern, consider the trade as a charity write-off on your 2014 tax return. I am not a CPA, so this advice should be taken at face value. Kevin has also been nominated by a Cardboard Problem for ROY blog.   Trading with The Card Papoy guarantees a great package of surprises!

Three cards from 2009 Topps 206.  No longer Tigers. I'm still disgusted with the Porcello trade and too ill to discuss the Scherzer news of the day.  Moneyball.  How long can the modern game of baseball survive without a salary cap of some kind?  Would players dare strike again?   I certainly feel like striking today...

An attractive 1993 Gold Leaf Rookie with three from 94 Upper Deck.  I would've liked full blue sky and clouds behind Piazza too, not just along the right side. Ripken is a personal fave, in action on the parallel Electric Diamond.   Below:  Fielder and Clark on 95 Upper Deck. An attractive set of cards in 1995.  Name and logo in copper tones are sharp on the full bleed photos.     1996 Upper Deck Future Stock die-cut insert. Love the purple borders!

 

The 96 SP design was lost on me. I don't care for the wood-grain appearance, especially in combination with the foil background.  I loved 93 Flair and busted several boxes when it debuted. Sometimes the background photo can be a bit much, as you can see on this Bagwell.

I'm sure there are collectors who don't care for full bleed designs. Are there any who complain about the gorgeous photography found on Stadium Club issues?  1992 and 1999 are featured above.  The older design was an instant classic.  1999 features a splashy brand logo against baseball stitching.  I like this!  What I don't care for is the small, faint team logo.  Overall a great issue, imo.

 

2004 Leaf Certified Materials.  This card has a mirror finish, which came in handy while creating this post.  How vain am I?  Combing my hair while gazing at my reflection in this card.  This is Eric Munson's moment, not mine. I am so stinkin' selfish sometimes.

2008  UD  A Piece of History Baseball  - the background reminds me of more recent Triple Threads and Museum base designs.  Merely coincidence.

2003 Donruss Timeless Treasures #/900  a very attractive card.  Yet another release issued during the years of my collecting rebellion.  Another which tweaks the urge to obtain the completed set - minus pricey short prints of course. 

 

 

 

 

 2008 Allen & Ginter's mini relic.  Great looking little card.  This design enables Topps to create even more relic cards.  I imagine a bat cut into little 1/2 inch, square slivers could be added to cards for several years. 

 

Pudge is a pc.  I liked him as a Ranger and hated to see him leave the team.  I couldn't have been more happy though, when he won a ring with the Marlins.  He now has something most current and former Rangers don't have.  He belongs in the HOF but his roid-related troubles will likely keep him out for years to come, or perhaps always.

 

 

 Kevin sent a great batch of cards my way.  I enjoyed the player selection along with the years and brands covered.   But there was one more card at the bottom of the stack - a card even older than me.

 

Ted Gray played eight season with the Tigers through 1954.  He was a power pitcher known for his forkball.  Ted ranked among the leaders in the AL in strikeouts for four years running.  He also lead the league in homers allowed with 25 in 1953. Blister problems hindered his performance over the years.  In 1954, Ted was traded to the White Sox.  He went on to play for four different teams in the 1955 season.  His career numbers: 59-74 with 4.37 era in 222 MLB games. 

 

Behold a 1953 Bowman Color:

 

 

This beauty needed me!  Centering nice, corners soft and a slight crease which doesn't break completely through the colors. I basically just described myself.  I know this because I have a fancy Munson Mirror card.

 

Kevin, thanks for the trade!