Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Organic Nature of The Budget Trading Card Collection Pt. 2

This is a continuation of the post in which I looked at the organic nature of my trading card catalog.  The myriad number of sets to the growing number of cards, in its organic nature, my card holdings seem to have a mind of its own.  Recently, I have added even more variety to my collection.  I gave in and went off budget and acquired one of those special cards that I wondered if I would ever own.  1982 Topps card #21, the Ripken rookie card.  With the acquisition of this card, I also now have hope and the possibility of completing the 1982 Topps checklist.

In a recent haul, I acquired what I believe to be a complete set of 1992 Topps Home Alone 2 and the 11 sticker cards.  As a whole I am a fan of Topps and the sets that they produce.  While I am not ravenous about non-sport cards, I like them okay.  But the Home Alone set has to be one of the worst sets that I have ever had the misfortune to catalog.  It is not as if a photographer had to be dispatched to get the shots for the set, just take them from the movie.  The images are grainy and, to me, do not tell the story of the movie well.  But it is cards in my catalog, it increases my non-sport numbers as well as my over all numbers.


Early in this period of collecting, I acquired a large block of cards and in it was a stack of 1987/1988 Pacific MISL Soccer cards.  I put off cataloging these cards for a long time.  Then as I started to work on the set and am now over half finished, I find that I am beginning to like the set.  There are no great photo shots, but over all it is a set that I am now enjoying adding each new card.


I am working on the 1991 Impel Marvel Universe set.  Shades of my youth and Spider-Man comic books.  I was hoping that the entire set was there, but alas I think it is missing a couple of cards.


Another small stack of cards that I recently came purchased, 1976/1977 Topps Hockey.  I was able to pickup over 50 of these and they are nice.  I do not collect much Hockey, but I am proud to have these in my catalog.

Yet another small stack, about 60 cards, came my way, 1982 Fleer Baseball.  1982 Fleer Baseball is not a popular set as it is not a very well produced set.  All this being equal, I like the set and am very pleased to have my small holding of 1982 Fleer increased.


In the high production era, 1987 Topps Baseball cards are everywhere.  I do not purposely seek these cards but add them if they happen along.  I cracked a couple of repacks lately and, as usual, many '87 Topps, '88 Donruss and '89 Topps.  My number of '87 Topps is up to 524.  I have a complete set, but decided not to break it just to add to my catalog.  Just letting the '87 Topps grow organically.


And some other cards that I have added lately.


Another stat that I follow in my catalog is the number of cards from Topps Baseball base sets 1953-2005.  I am speaking of just base sets, not Traded or Total, Opening Day, Chrome or anything other than base sets.  Total number of cards(with variations that I have cataloged thus far) 34059 and of this number, I have 4271 for 12.54% complete.

  • Cards from 735 different sets
  • Would take 232,037 cards to complete
  • Have 5.1544 % of cards in sets represented
  • Cataloged 11960 Total
  • Cataloged 9489 Baseball
  • Cataloged 1089 Football

Happy collecting
Jerry Yeager

Some Links That Could Be Useful

Trading Card Database  Very Nice site for creating online collection as well as resources for researching your collection and images for over half million cards so far
SportLots  Sports Card Auction Site

The Card Collector High end Software for cataloging cards

Sports Card Collector Software better for budget with fewer features.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Treasures Via the Mail.

In 2005 as I was acquiescing to the reality that I was about to embark on another journey of cheer and discovery of trading card collecting.  With millions of cards of a great number of subjects available, I knew that baseball would always be my first choice.  The final decision saw all subjects being considered with my favorite, Baseball far out in front.

As I began to collect in earnest, good fortune shined upon me and with a few good luck finds, I found myself with over 15000 cards to sort and catalog.  There was no way that I could think about trading as I had no idea what cards lay hidden in that mass of cardboard.

Here it is 2013 and 11404 cards cataloged and finally I can see the bottom of card stacks to be cataloged.  A short time ago I decided it was time, I sought a trading partner and initiated the first trade.  Here's to Nick, the great blogger of Dime Boxes -- The Low-End Baseball Collector's Journey for a truly wonderful first trade experience.  A few of the treasures I received.

2001 Topps 378 Don Larsen.  Only baseball can produce such moments that define the history and presence of a spectator sport.  Throughout the history of baseball, moments of this type have woven is fabric into the aesthetic of American culture.  I like this card and the feelings that it evokes.
1996 Topps 189 John Smoltz.  If you ever had the pleasure of watching Smoltz pitch you were treated.  But if you ever witnessed that wild look in his eyes and the hard line of the jaw, you knew what was coming, he was mad and the hitters did not have a ghost of a chance.
2001 Upper Deck Vintage 337 Jeffery Hammonds.  Hammonds means little to me as a player that I would seek, but 2001 Upper Deck Vintage is a issue that I like.  Not being a particular fan of Upper Deck, I must confess that they did a very good job on this issue.  It is nice to add this card to my catalog.
 
2002 Topps 604 Rick Ankiel.  You have to admire a player that would be willing to totally reinvent himself to remain in the game.  Rick came to the majors as a picture, but retrained himself and became an outfielder when his pitching career was not keeping him in the game.  I like the determination.

 
2003 Ultra 94 Fred McGriff "Crime Dog".  This is one of those players that I am always happy to get a new card of.  2003 Ultra is a nice set and this is a player that I like, so the two together make this a treasured card in my collection.  Like ripping a pack and finding a favorite player.
 
I am always happy to get certain players on sets or brands into my collection.  These are the cards that make the work of sorting and cataloging fun and a pleasure.  As I find new examples of these cards, it always brings a smile.  Topps is my favorite brand most of the time.  It is always great to find a card of one of the true greats of the game like Hank Aaron.  And John Olerud and Chili Davis are players that I do not mind adding to my catalog.
 
Nick sent these and bout 55 other cards.  My collection is improved.
 
Happy Collecting.
Jerry Yeager
 
Some Links That Could Be Useful

Trading Card Database  Very Nice site for creating online collection as well as resources for researching your collection and images for over half million cards so far
SportLots  Sports Card Auction Site

The Card Collector High end Software for cataloging cards

Sports Card Collector Software better for budget with fewer features.