COMC Almost Black Friday Purchase

Like many of you, I had a COMC purchase arrive this week.  Unlike many of you, I didn't do the Black Friday thing. I wanted to make some progress on some of the various sets I am working, but wasn't planning on spending more than $25, including shipping. So it didn't seem worth it to me. I was able to finish one set, get a whisker away from another, and get within striking distance of a third. Let's look, shall we?

Last two cards I needed to finish the 1992 Conlon Collection set.  I'm going to work on the entire 5 year run of Conlon sets (1991 to 1995.)So, really, this is one down, four to go!

These are from the Forever insert set that was part of the 204 Fleer Greats of the Game.  I am slowly closing in on completion of that set.  There was a 145 card base set, with 4 insert sets totalling another 84 cards.  With these cards above, I am a mere 5 cards away from finishing.  I have to note that this does not consider the blue border parallels of the base cards or the auto/relic cards.  As I have said before, I may work on those if, and only if, I can find cheap lots of them.  But, I wil consider it done after I get these last 5 cards.

This is one of the short prints from 2009 Obak that are proving to be a problem for me. Alas, this isn't even one of the base set SPs, like I was looking for. It is actually one of the green print parallels, numbered to 75.  I must have been asleep at the wheel when I pulled the trigger on this one as I was just expecting to get the base card.  Not sure if I am going to try and replace it with a legitimate, unserialized base card or not. I realize that sounds odd, but the green print just doesn't look right in the binder.

I also picked up about 8 of the 2009 Obak T212 minis, leaving me 5 cards away from finishing that part of the set.

I picked up 3 more cards towards my 2011 Tristar Obak set (of which the Elston Howard card above was one), leaving me one measly, solitary, single card away from completion. I see the card I need out on Sportlots, but in a strange turn of events it is too cheap to get.  What, you say?  How could anyone complain about a card being too cheap?  Simple.  I cannot, in good conscience, buy a single 18 cent card from an online seller. I looked and looked, but couldn't find anything else in that seller's inventory that I needed.  So, I guess I will wait until the card shows up at COMC or someone from my vast readership finds it in their dupes box.  The card, if you must know, is #56 - Roger Connor.

So, there it is. I think I did pretty well considering how little I spent.  Up next is one of the two day card shows in OKC.  What with the holidays, I don't have much to spend, but I did save my birthday money over from November. Hopefully, that will be enough to make some progress on the 1973 Topps and/or 1959 through 1961 Fleer sets I am working on.

Added in Edit:  I found that Roger Connor Obak card on EBay for $3.71 delivered.  More than I really should spend on a non-SP base card, but it is the last one I need to complete the set. Screw it,  I'm pulling the trigger.


What I am listening to:  Near Wild Heaven by R.E.M.

August Mini-Card Show Haul

I went to the mini-show up at Al's Sports Cards in Edmond yesterday and spent a whole $10 on this.

I have always liked sets dedicated to the all-time great players.  They need to have a nice classic design, of course. No glitz, glam, or shiny.  So, this set is right up my alley. 

I haven't busted a box in well over a year.  So, this should be fun. I wonder if I have one of the 20,000 boxes with an autograph in it?

Answer: No.  Nor did I get a complete set.  I only need two more to complete it. So, a want list has been added over to the right.

December Card Show - Splurging

Having met my goals for the show, and having the pleasant surprise of making some progress on a couple other sets, I still had most of my funds left.  I could have left a happy man, but as you have probably surmised by now, I didn't. I mean I did leave happy, but not right away.  Thus, this third post.

I decided to take a look at another discount box and for a Jackson took a chance on a couple of autographed cards. 

This card looks better in person than it does in the scan.  At some point in the next few years (probably 2014), I'll start on the 1972 set. I figured why not have at least one autographed card in it.

This is a 1992 Sporting News Conlon collection card presumably signed by Marty Marion. I have to admit some reservations about this card now.  The signature doesn't look like other Marty Marion autographs you can see on the internet. This one is far less intricate and Marion normally dotted the "i" in his last name with a small circle rather than a dot. I have a hard time thinking someone would take the effort to fake the signagture of a minor star from the 1940s and it may be that the paint pen used to sign this card was too wide for him to sign his normal signature.  But, I have to admit that my concerns are enough to steal away a bit of the joy I initially felt at finding this card.

Moving on, I stopped by Bill Spillman's table to see what he might have had. He had just sold a 1975 Topps starter set of a little less than 200 cards to someone for $20.  I would have been all over that, given the chance. He had someone thinking over the purchase of a 1958 Ted Williams for $150.   He offered me the back-up position if the other person decided to pass.But, it was more money than I had left to spend, so I turned him down. But, good golly, it was in EX/EX+ shape and awfully tempting.

I did manage to get a couple of smoking deals from Bill, though.

A 1959 Stan Musial!  I am a little torn about one thing though.  Not the card itself.  As you probably know, Stan Musial is still alive.  He has a place where you can send in items for autographs. I am sorely tempted to send this card in, but at $125 for an auto it would put me on a collecting hiatus for about a month. I am struggling with what to do.  Can I go a month without scratching the collecting itch in exchange for an autographed playing-days card of one of the games legends?

I also got this from Bill:

1954 Topps Jackie Robinson. This may very well be one of my favorite pickups of the year.  As you can see there are some color issues with this, but is otherwise in stellar condition for a card that is nearly 60 years old.

It is cards like that affirm my decision to forgo collecting modern sets.  Spending several C notes a year on flagship and Heritage just doesn't compare to holding history like this in your hands. You can keep your Bryce Harpers (or whomever is the current Flavor of the Month.)  This is what I really enjoy about the hobby.

And that brings the card show posts to an end. We will now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.