Stop number one was the usual Not-so-LCS. I had to put in a few hours of work today and so naturally I thought a quick stop and $10.00 later I'd be at home.
Not so much.
I looked through 3 boxes of '50% Off' items but nothing that I or anyone else would have wanted. The closest I came was a Darren McFadden 'Absolute' relic for $3.50. Had it been auto'd I would have pulled the trigger.
Disappointed but undaunted I decided to scout out another card shop a little further down the road. This one is a Definitely-not-so-LCS and after my visit today will not become a regular anytime soon.
Enough yakking, on to what I did find.
I sifted through 2 4800-count boxes of $1 cards that were mostly Hockey and Basketball. To the store-owner's credit he did inform me off the top that he dealt in very little baseball but I was free to look. I found a grand total of FIVE cards!!!
As you may or may not know, on of the kinds of cards I collect are ones featuring players bunting the ball. I collect any and all kinds of them. It gives me something to do when boredom sets in with set building. Some of the harder cards to find, let alone even learn of their existence, are relic and insert cards that belong in my PSC. I found 3 that fit the bill in the $1 box.
The first one is from 2002 Upper Deck SweetSpot USA Jerseys Insert set. Card #USA-DM featuring Doug Mientkiewicz.
Card number 2 is from 2006 Bowman Draft Future's Game Prospects Relics Insert set. Card #FG20 features Trent Oeltjen drafted by the Minnesota Twins.
The third card in the bunting series is from the 2007 Topps Heritage Clubhouse Collection Insert set. Card #CC-RF is a Rafael Furcal GU bat card.
The next two cards were purchase simply because I collect Cubs cards. No other reason, although the GU relic card does look pretty good with the jersey-shaped cut out window. The first card is from the 2008 Bowman Draft Prospects Jerseys Insert set. Card #BDPP82 is of Welington Castillo.
Cub number 2 is actually a former Cub now but I still like the looks of these 2009 Topps T-206 full size card autographs. I cannot help but feel had they been on-card they would get much more attention from The Hobby. My last $1 card from the five is Card #NFA-16 and it features all-around major-league curmudgeon Milton Bradley.
The last card making its entry into The Challenge was a throw-in from the store owner when I told him what I was buying the cards for. He let me pick a 6th card at no cost as long as I made it BIG. A choice of a card that could put me over the top. I decided to take his advice literally and went BIG.
I went 485 pounds BIG!!
I WENT GIANT!!!!!
Card #S-BS from 2010 Topps WWE Superstar Swatches insert set of Big Show.
Now, as I stated at the top I spent $9.50 of my $10.00 budget. The card selection just was not there. I tried and tried but everything I found just felt forced and upon further review had no rightful place in my collection. However, I did find something in this shop that DID complete a collection AND I had been searching for one for about a year.
I defer to the judges but with $4.50 I completed my 6-issue Batman series written by the great Kevin Smith.
All things considered an afternoon spent at card shops is never a bad way to spend the day. I added a few cards to my collection and that is never a bad thing. For some greater successes and to view the other entries in this impromptu challenge head on over to 'The 400 Level' and check out his loot, 'Cardboard Icons' came away with some nice stuff and Tweet Mr. Chris Olds to provide you a link to what he purchased for $10.00.
Keep an eye out for the next challenge laid down and join in. Its all in good fun.
Cheers,
