New Player Collection Additions

 As I mentioned in my previous post, my hobby activity has basically gone on hiatus for a while. I have added three cards to my player collections.

I have always been ambivalent about buybacks. While I don't necessarily consider them a defaced vintage card, I do consider them little different than the pre-stamped vintage original.  But, my Paul Blair player collection has stalled with only a few additions each year.  Certainly, so few I can count them on one hand. Currently, I sit at 159 unique cards in my Blair collection out of 211 on my list, for a respectable 75%.  The problem is what I lack.  

Of the 52 cards I need, most are cards that I have little interest in:7 more vintage buybacks, 13 unlicensed cut autos (mostly Tristar), 10 low-pop serial numbered cards from 2004 UD Timeless Teams, 4 printing plates, and three uncut panels for cards I otherwise have.  See what I mean?  I am too much of a completist to just throw up my hands and consider this done, but further progress means picking up cards I would otherwise ignore.  I am not sure whether it is a blessing or a curse, but most of those remaining cards are valued too highly by their current owner and are priced well beyond what I will pay.  An unlicensed cut auto card for $40.  No way.  But these two were cheap enough with both being around $10 delivered.

Anyways, this is what I am most excited about:

I realize that may look like a well-loved 1960 Topps card of Johnny Antonelli.  And, it is.  But, what isn't obvious from the image is that it is on thinner, poorer quality stock which identifies this as a Topps Venezuelan.  In well over a decade of collecting, this is only the second 1960 Venezuelan card of Antonelli I have ever seen.  And I got it for about $15 delivered.

With regard to progress, I have 71 unique Antonelli items out of my identified population of 100. The remaining items I don't have are mostly photocards/postcards, buybacks, and a handful of reprints. I've never seen most of them, so this may be one of the last cards I acquire for this collection. 

What I am listening to: Bring Me to Life by Evanescence.