PWE Mania

Fred Flintsone. Fred Astaire. Fred Mertz. Fred Lynn. Fred McGriff. Fred Grandy. Fred Rogers. That's a short list of some better known, fantastic Freds but they  haven't sent me any cards. Ever. There's a lesser known Fred out there, north of the border. Canada always felt so far away when I lived in Texas. Now I'm 45 minutes from the Bluewater Bridge and still haven't it made it across.

My old and awful commute was to Troy, lower left on map.

Fred and I have been trading for a couple of years now, maybe three? He's a quiet and humble fellow who's tutored me a bit in the Trading Card Database. Helped me complete my first transaction and shared come collection tips!  I think he's a swell fellow, more so than these Baseball Greats he sent for set help. That's saying a lot cuz I like these cards!

1990 SWELL BASEBALL GREATS

2011 KIMBALL CHAMPIONS

I discovered these little minis in 2015, at my last big card show in Texas before the move. I'm finally working to complete the set. I've added more cards towards a finish in the last month than in the past five years. Fred tucked in a new Daulton too! I miss #10. 

1995 COLLECTORS CHOICE

I took advantage of the virus vacation to spend some time organizing my collection. Oh how it needed some TLC!  I worked 10-15 hours a week at the office to keep in touch with our customers. I wouldn't want to give the impression I did nothing but sit for six weeks straight. I've been updating TCDB and my three blog tabs with chase cards. It's been a beautiful thing to see the postal jeep stop at my mailbox several times a week!

One of those envelopes was from Chris Nachos Grande. He is a Ginter man and had a few cards to spare towards my 2019 Ginter Greats set build.

Chris the Collector had a few Free Card Fridays. I miss out on most giveaways because well, I'm me. This particular Friday was an exclusive for commenting on his All Teams series. I picked a sweet 94 Flair Cam plus a few fun ones!  I love the 93 Donruss Molitor. It's a floating bat beauty!

I don't win contests either - still me. Reading the blogs one day during the shutdown, I learned AJ makes excellent use of wax pack wrappers. He displayed his handwork and offered a choice of bookmarks to a random winner. I never make the top ten. This was a first, at being first! Check the link for his handiwork. I went with the bright blue Fleer wrapper. It makes me happy inside!

Bump n Run Trevor picked my pockets recently so sent a few cards in return. I appreciate that! When picks become trades, it's a win-win!  Three Tigers and a 95 Cyberstat assist!

Here's another pick-to-trade from Sport Card Collector Matt. He lives on a dead end road but puts a lot of life in a plain white envelope -  a Tiger den!

Guillen/399

Pickers be crazy. Sometimes, they're Crazie.  I-E no Y, he's cray-cray Joe.  Donruss Greats, a Daulton and Blackhawks - all in return for some virtual dimeboxing. Duncan Keith is a Timmy Horton.

Sometimes collecting is all fun and games! Big fun games. I participated in Johnny's Friday night escapades recently. I came away with my first 1977 Sportscasters card, a Willie Mays!

All cards but the Mays are results of picking pockets. Thanks to all of you for the return packages and envelopes. The PP page will return soon. I'm taking the month of June off. The weather has warmed and yard work beckons. I'm also planning a big July 4th party. I've missed having one the last two years. We cookout, maybe have a bonfire but always, always have a 30-45 minutes fireworks display. It's buy one, get two free at Phantom Fireworks!

I spent an hour creating this display for a party a few years ago only to blow it all up later that evening.  I'll do it again this year.  Who's cray-cray now? Are you pointing a finger at me? The  youngest attendees are too old for chicken egg laying stunts and tanks. The pooping dog though, never gets old.

I've chosen the date to reveal the political drama referenced in my last couple of posts. Am I running for office? Not exactly. Am I buying your votes? Perhaps. Independence Day.  July 4th, in case there are any doubts.  As for my personal opinion of the current political landscape...did I mention a pooping dog?

Boxes, Binders and Trades...

A new week!  One free of any tax deadlines!  I usually go into hiding during those last two weeks around the filing day.  Now I can press onward with purging and sorting, enjoying the hobby at least til Mid-August.   I took a break from unboxing to clean a little more from the study closet - broke the wrap on and dismantled a 2002 Topps Factory set, keeping maybe 50 cards.  The rest are up for adoption.  Cards like Griffey, Thomas and Bonds are still in the box.   

  [Well minus one.  It was lost in a fire.]

I also found a couple of Studio Boxes from the 90s.  The cards are probably stuck together by now but duty prevails.  I'll have these opened by the end of the week, hoping to pull a Heritage Collection insert or two.

94 Studio Heritage Collection

I came across a binder for 1998 Leaf Rookies and Stars.  I loved this release at the time for the full bleed shots and inserts.  While packing up for the Michigan move in 2015, I looked the binder over but wasn't ready to let go of it.  I had 195 cards all paged with slots empty, waiting for those that never made the binder.  I will never complete this set, one with too many sp rookie cards, mostly players with rather brief careers.  I sorted through these and chose ten cards to keep. That leaves a stack of cards for trading, possibly a few for the next discard giveaway which is just around the corner.

KEEPERS

KEEPERS

Binder Mates, say goodbye to Paulie and the boys.

I want to acknowledge more trades,  received only a few months ago. Only.   A.J of  The Lost Collector sent a nice lot of cards.  My favorite of the group is the Marquee Ty Cobb from 2011.  I like these cards and missed out on the release, a bit like a high end version of Stadium Club with four cards to a  box.  I'll take a Marquee in trade any day!

Douglas Corti - Sportscards from the Dollar Store sent a nice group of paper Tigers:

Douglas included a GQ relic and Bowman auto but I have to say, my favorites are the Sportsdisc and 1989 Schedule. Awesomeness right there!

Cards on Cards' Kerry Biggs sent a batch of 100 or so.  An assortment of Poseys,  Miggy refractor/99, GQ framed Tigers, and Heritage Rainbow Foil Kinsler were among the highlights. Hard to choose a favorite among these cards.

Thanks guys for the fantastic surprises.  Now that I'm sorting and arranging binders, these cards will be enjoyed all the more!   I have just a few more trades to share before lifting the ban. More discards will be given away.   Anyone out there collect back issues of Beckett???