Million Card Trade

As I may have mentioned, my return to collecting is relatively recent. I started, tenatively, back in mid-November. I was mainly collecting Paul Blair cards at first, but occasionally picked up one of those repackages of recent cards and, rarer still, some packs of current releases of cards. As such, I only ever had two of the Million Card Giveaway redemptions. My first redemption was for a decidely underwhelming 2004 Mike Remlinger:



My second redemption was a little more interesting: a 1958 Don Pendleton:



Now, I will grant Pendleton probably isn't up there on the list of highly collectible cards (particularly given that this card has been selling on EBay for less than a buck), but I am thrilled to have redeemed it. Pendleton's Major League career wasn't noteworthy, but he did play a season in the Negro Leagues, and did have a decent AAA career. So, I find myself liking the idea of possessing a card that was printed 7 years before I was born and that it is an (albeit) small link to some interesting history. I have pretty much decided to keep it. A sentimental decision, to be sure, but my decision nonetheless.

But, I find it hard to actually pull the trigger on delivery for this card. Why? I am ashamed to admit because I am getting a perverse charge in seeing what kind of trades people offer me for this card and an even more perverse pleasure out of declining the trades. I get am getting several offers a day, two of which are usually from the same guy. I haven't kept track, but I would bet I have gotten at least a half dozen trade offers from metstrader75, with each subsequent offer including an increasing number of cards. Now, I will grant he is,at least, offering name players (Ryan, Boggs, Mattingly), however, they are all from the period of 1987 to 1989. Which, I am led to understand is part of the period known as the Junk Wax era. His latest offer was for 11 cards, all junk wax. Naturally, I rejected it. I am just looking forward to have that 53 year old card in my possession and a stack of 20 year old crap just doesn't promise the same excitement.

I probably ought to just go ahead and request delivery and put the poor sonuvabitch out of his misery. But, I am morbidly curious if he is actually going to up his offer. I'll still turn it down, of course. Now, if he is interested in that Remlinger.............