How I Spent My Spring Card Expo - Relic Edition

This edition of my Toronto Spring Expo posts is going to be the briefest of the bunch. I managed to find very little in the way of relics that I was looking for, however, I was also near the end of my budget so I am sure there were number of cards I left behind.

I walked away with 4 Cubs cards and 1 card that will be used either for trade bait or if I happen to find someone trying to complete the set, I will send it their way.

The Kentucky Derby is about to get underway, so I feel I need to do the same.

Another card from 2010 Topps National Chicle made its way into my collection. This time it is a game-used bat relic.

2010 Topps National Chicle Bat Relic card#NCR-AS Alfonso Soriano

A couple of Upper Deck Relics from 2008 and 2009. Both are grey swatches, both could have come from the same item, who knows. One belongs to Aramis Ramirez, the other belongs to Kerry Wood.

2009 Upper Deck Icons Jersey Relic card#IC-RA Aramis Ramirez

2008 Upper Deck Series 2 Jersey Relic card#UDJ-KW Kerry Wood

I found a 2009 Topps silk card for a steal and I am sure I can easily find it a home with someone building the set or a Florida Marlins collector. If you are either, send me an email and we can work something out.

2009 Topps Silk Jeremy Hermida serial #'d 06/50

The final relic card also cost me the most, a whopping $10. I hope to eventually build this set but as always will gladly take my time as it gives me something to concentrate on when there are lulls in the set collecting world. This set ties in the historical players of the game with historical places of the game. I now own my own little piece of Crosley Field.

2009 Topps Heritage 'Flashback Relic' Crosley Stadium seat relic card#FR-EB Ernie Banks

Like I said at the start, a pretty brief post but some sweet cards making their way into my collection. Keep an eye on the blog as the next Toronto Spring Expo related post will cover the mini cards that I bought. A couple team sets were brought further to completion and I knocked a few cards off of a hockey set as well.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers,

How I Spent My Spring Card Expo - Autograph Edition

Outside of the sets themselves one of the things I enjoy the most about the hobby is the on-card, hard-signed autographs. Upper Deck says they have "watered down" the hobby, I would tend to disagreed. Then again, who am I to say? I am just a lowly collector.

So far, here is the story. We have covered the serial numbered and insert cards that I picked up last weekend at the Toronto Spring Card Expo. This time around I am going to show off the autograph cards that I bought. Once again, these came from the so-called "bargain boxes" that adorned a number of tables on the floor and all but 1 was $2 or under. A winning combination in my book.

The first three autographs I grabbed are from a set that I plan on pursuing to completion. The base set went heavily ignored by collectors but I still like the looks of the autographed versions.

2010 Topps National Chicle Autograph card#NCA-HR Henry Rodriguez, NCA-JF Juan Francisco

2010 Topps National Chicle Autograph card#NCA-BD Brent Dulgach National Chicle back Parallel #006/199

I had no idea I had picked out one of the parallels until I had looked through the cards once I was home. Of course, this now means that I will probably chase down the serial numbered versions of these cards.

The 2009 Topps T-206 framed mini-autographs are a set that I have liked from the beginning and are the first set of autographs that I decided to try and complete. I have a few sitting in my COMC account and admittedly picked this one up without being sure if I even needed it or not. The good news is it turns out I do need this one, the bad news is it was one of the cards in my COMC account. Nonetheless, it is still a fine looking card.

2009 Topps T-206 Framed Mini Autograph #FMA-13 Shairon Martis

The next autograph I picked up specifically for a fellow blogger who collects this particular player. I have no idea if he already owns it and I would be quite surprised if 'I Am Joe Collector' has not pulled from his crazy case breaking fiesta of 2007 Upper Deck 'Masterpieces' Baseball.

2007 Upper Deck 'Stroke of Genius' Autograph card #SG-BB Billy Butler

I had never seen one of the 2004 Topps 'Cracker Jack' autographs cards until I came across this one. They have a great look to them and it is a Toronto Blue Jay.

2004 Topps Cracker Jack 'Secret Surprise Signatures' card#CJA-DM Dustin McGowan

The last pair of autographs are from the same player but come from 2 distinct pints in his young career. Sadly though, one of the cards breaks my streak of on-card autographs from this group. The other card I picked up as I was leaving the show on Saturday, also it was the most expensive, $5.00. Hopefully, there is enough of the 2011 season left that when he returns from injury he can still make a significant impact for the Cubs.

2010 Topps Pro Debut Baseball Autograph card#PDA-AC Andrew Cashner

2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Autograph card#GQA-Ac Andrew Cashner

Finding bargain on-card autographs would make any collector happy. Finding bargain on-card autographs from players and teams you collect is even better. Finding cards for other collectors that might add something to their collection is the best. All reason to be a happy collector.

Stick with the blog as the next post from my Spring Expo spoils will be the relic cards.

Cheers,

How I Spent My Spring Card Expo - Insert/Parallel Edition

Last post we had a look at the serial numbered cards I had found at the Toronto Spring Card Expo held at the Toronto International Centre from April 29th to May 1st. This time I will show off all of the insert and parallel cards that came home with me. Most of the cards filled in a few gaps of my wantlists that the generous collecting collective know as the blogosphere managed to leave untouched. Others were picked up to send to unsuspecting fellow collectors, and still others were for my own PCs.

Let's get to it.

I found a couple gold parallel cards each from 2009 and 2010 Topps. I like doing parallel team sets like these, it gives me something to pick away at while in between building sets.

2009 Topps Gold Derrek Lee #1163/2009 Gold Omar Infante #0034/2009

2010 Topps Gold Parallel Kosuke Fukudome #1944/2010 Randy Wells #1081/2010

While there appears to be very little difference between the '09 and '10 versions, the biggest and most disappointing difference is that the '09's are gold foil stamped numbering while the '10's are black ink printed. While the numbering is cleaner on the '10's the whole point behind it being a "gold parallel insert set" is the gold. Disappointing.

Another handful of cards from 2010 Topps flagship strictly went towards completing sets, always a good feeling. The '2020 All-Star' cards have grown on me from the first time I pulled one, and 'Turkey Red' is what it is, you either hate it or love it. Guess which one I am.

'History of the World Series' Edgar Renteria card #HWS20

'2020 All-Stars' #T5 - Justin Upton, #T3 - Andre Ethier and #T18 - Clayton Kershaw

'Turkey Red' card #TR62 - Troy Tulowitzki

While I have not been too enthusiastic about the last couple Topps Heritage releases one of the staples that I have found myself collecting is the Heritage inserts. Consistency is what has helped make these insert sets a favorite of mine. I know what to expect and I know what I am getting. I managed to bring myself 6 cards closer to completing the 2010 issues. 3 'Then and Now', 2 'News Flashbacks' and 1 'Baseball Flashbacks'.

'Baseball Flashbacks' #BF9 - Al Kaline

'News Flashbacks' #NF-9 Vostok 1, #NF-9 Venera 1 (Can you REALLY go wrong with space stuff??)

'Then and Now' #TN-8 Ford/Hernandez, #TN-3 Kaline/Mauer, #TN-6 Ford/Greinke

The final 4 cards are just a collection of randomness that either filled a PC need or I simply found interesting enough to buy. I am usually not one to gather Mickey Mantle cards but honestly, how can you turn down Mantle with a basketball?

2007 Topps Allen & Ginter N43 box topper #N43-DW David Wright

1997 Upper Deck 'Star Attractions' #SA3 - Jeff Bagwell

2007 Bowman Heritage Rainbow Foil Parallel #230 - Felix Pie

2006 Topps 1952 Style Mickey Mantle card #7

I really like the N43 A&G's and will always pick them up when I can at a decent price and 50 cents is definitely that.

Keep checking back as I continue to post my finds from the Spring Expo. My next post will cover the autograph cards I purchased for a grand total of around $15.00. Until then.....


Cheers,

How I Spent My Spring Card Expo - Serial #'d Edition

As most of you who follow me through Twitter know this past weekend was the semi-annual Toronto Sports Card Expo. I spent Friday night and all of Saturday shopping around for deals, filling lists (or at least trying) and just soaking in all that is our hobby. I the end I was once again happy with the Expo in general and as usual I overspent, however, what I came home with still seems worth it upon further review.

The next few posts are going to cover some of the purchases I made as well as other items that came home with me. Firstly, we will start with the serial numbered cards that I purchased, most of which came from one particular dealer and his $0.50 boxes.

The first couple cards are serial #'d out of 500 and are from 2008 Bowman Baseball.

Alex Rios #470/500 Dmitri Young #173/500

The next 4 cards are numbered out of 250. 2 were picked up for potential trades or just to ship out to an unsuspecting collector and 2 were for my own Team collections and PC Bunting collection.

2007 Topps Sterling Tony Gwynn TG2-145 #211/250 TG4-147 #081/250

2008 Bowman Alfonso Soriano #194/250

2010 Bowman Jake Kahaulelio #001/250

The colours keep a happenin' with two green refractors from 2008 Topps Finest. 1 for my Team set collection and 1 to possibly send a fellow blogger's way.

Aramis Ramirez #139/199 Robinson Cano #063/199

I admittedly know very little about this following set but I know enough that it drove a great number of collectors insane. It seems to me to be the ultimate challenge for any set builder but for now I am happy just cherry picking singles here and there for trades or PCs. We will visit this set again in a little bit. For now, here are two cards serial #'d out of 150.

Albert Pujols 64 RBI #075/150 191 Hits #008/150

I grabbed the next card after finding a couple others including a blue parallel shown earlier. I figured that I would attempt to build the base and chrome rainbow of this particular player. I enjoy listening to him on Card Corner Club Radio and figured, what the heck, why not?

2008 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractor Dmitri Young #09/50

The final 3 cards are the lowest numbered cards I purchased and will fit nicely into my PC Team and Player binders. They are also from the loved or hated 2006 'Moments and Milestones' release. All 3 are numbered out of 29.

David Wright 27 HRs #02/29 17 RBIs #04/29

Derrek Lee 107 RBIs #28/29

I looked for a cheap 1/1 but was unsuccessful in that endeavor. Still, a few cards #/29 is nothing to complain about.

Stay tuned for the next few posts as I will be revealing more of the treasures that I uncovered at the Toronto Spring Card Expo. I have a handful of inserts I will be scanning and posting ASAP.

Cheers,

'Got 'em, Got 'em, Need 'em'

Every single one of us at some time or another in our collecting career have uttered this classic phrase. Whether silently in our heads or out loud amongst a group of fellow collectors it is our mantra.

Authors Jon Waldman and Stephen Laroche have graced collectors with the latest addition to a growing number of titles regarding the Sportscard Collecting hobby. 'Got 'em, Got'em Need 'em : A Fan’s Guide to Collecting the Top 100 Sports Cards of All Time' is scheduled to be released in April of this year. The book is described as follows;

For over 100 years, kids of all ages have enjoyed the thrill of collecting sports cards. Whether it was souvenirs from their parents’ cigarette packs, pieces that came in bubble gum packages or the modern dazzlers, the simple formula of pictures and text on cardboard has been a part of North American society for over a century.

Now, take a look back at one of the most popular hobbies in history with Got ’Em Got ’Em, Need ’Em. Covering baseball, basketball, football, hockey, boxing and golf, this unique book offers a look at the greatest sports cards ever produced, including the players and personalities involved. Relive the days gone by with some of the industry’s most well-known experts as we count down the best from the business.

Plus, as a special bonus, take a look at the best innovations, the worst blunders and a special tribute to the hobby’s boom era in the 1990s.

If you plan on attending the 2011 Spring Toronto Sportcard & Memorabilia Expo make sure you are there on the Friday night, April 29th at 6pm. Jon and Stephen will be officially launching the book with a reading followed by a signing and a Q&A session. They will also be available to sign copies of the book on Saturday and Sunday at the ECW Press booth.

If you cannot make it to the show then follow this link to the ECW Press website where you can pre-order 'Got 'em, Got 'em, Need 'em'. Either way I have a feeling this book will be one that everyone will enjoy adding to their collection.

Cheers,