Mail Day (aka MOAR PYE!!!!)

Now, I realize that the entire collecting collective is collectively collecting Topps Series 1 flagship baseball, At this very moment the world is looking for Albert as an Angel and some rodent.

I am here to sober you all up.


I am here to slap you in the face and wake you the hell up!!!!

HEY!!!!!!

Let us not forget that not too long ago the darling of the hobby world was a little release known as......


Yeah!! Remember her?!?!

Remember how we were all hanging out together and saying how cool she was?!?

Remember!!??!!

Well, I do!! And you know what? She's STILL cool!! She's STILL awesome!!! She's STILL my friend!!

Thanks to Lou who is a regular listener to Wednesday Night Card Talk show that I am a part of on Cardboard Connection Radio, I am now the proud owner of the one card I knew I had to have when I first saw it. The one card that has been on my mind since I ripped my first of 4 blasters of this stuff. Now, as I said, thanks to Lou I can proudly proclaim.......


........AHEM.........

I HAZ DEH SHYNEE ZAPPA CAHD!!!!!!!

Very rarely have I ever acquired a parallel version of a card before I have acquired the base version. Thanks Lou, you have no idea how much this card means to me.

After some research I have found the source of this photo. It is from the live MTV simulcast of the Frank Zappa Halloween Concert at the Palladium in 1981. Nina Blackwood (pictured on the card) and Sam Copper hosted. Even better a search of YouTube turned up the concert (was there any doubt??) and Frank being Frank.

Enjoy!!




Lou also sent me a bucketload of 'Hollywood Walk of Fame' cards that fit perfectly into the empty spaces of my 'American Pie' binder pages.

Thanks Lou!!

I am glad you shared this opportunity with me to revisit a sorely and rather abruptly neglected beauty in Topps 'American Pie'. If you have a chance please check out my original AP wantlist post and see if there is anything you are not using that perhaps I might be able to. I can also do the same with my spares.

See??

This trading stuff works!!

Of course, like all of you I am now off to tear into some 2012 Topps Series 1 baseball that miraculously made it to Canada on "opening day".

Happy squirrel hunting!!

Cheers,

Another Helping of Pie

When I first posted my wantlist for Topps American Pie there were two rather quick respondents to my request. The second of which showed up in the mail this week from my fellow host of Wednesday Night Cardboard Connection Radio, Rob Bertrand, better known to all as The Voice of The Collector. Rob absolutely killed my wantlist as I am now down to needing/wanting only 5 base cards. However, one card that is proving to be far too elusive is the one that features Francesco Vincent Zappa.

I NEEDZ ME SUM ZAPPA!!!

Most of the images from American Pie have been seen several times over so I will not bore you with scan after scan of the cards I received. But, I will show you two of the cards I am happiest to have in my possession.

Card #8 - Jackie Robinson

Card #109 - George Carlin

My main focus of collection for 'American Pie' is the Hollywood Walk of Fame 50-card insert set. Rob sent along 8 cards to help shrink my wantlist for those cards as well. The coolest part of this set is that the street location of the star in Hollywood is printed on the back along with a short but concise biography of the subject on the front. A nice touch.

#HWF-47 Leslie Nielsen, #HWF-42 Fred Astaire
#HWF-44 Harry Houdini, #HWF-40 Douglas Fairbanks

The black and white photos really work on these cards and give them the old time look that fits the historic nature of the set. Harry Houdini is one of 9 Walk of Fame stars to have their one-word stage name grace their star. I love trivial facts like that.

#HWF-34 Spencer Tracy, #HWF-26 Marlon Brando
#HWF-33 Orson Welles, #HWF-16 Humphrey Bogart

If you have not picked up a blaster of 'American Pie' yet I would suggest you do so. Not just to enjoy the product and the cards you get but also you may be able to help me finish up my set as well. That would not be such a bad thing, would it?

Thanks Rob for the trade and getting me closer to the finish line.

Follow Rob on Twitter @VOTC and give little old me a follow too @LongFlyBall

If anyone else is trying to complete 'American Pie' hit me up with your wantlist and I might be able to help you out. Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers,

First Helping of Pie

The first envelope has arrived from a very kind Nick, has made its way to my greedy little hands and it goes to knock a few cards off my Topps American Pie wantlist. As I stated in the last post, I am not building the base set but I am gathering certain cards that have significance for me. The set I am building is the 'Hollywood Walk of Fame' insert set and thanks to Nick I can look for 1 less of them now too.

Let's get right to the contents of the envelope and a pair of cards featuring one of the coolest actors that has ever lived. I think every Canadian who grew up in southern Ontario in the 70's holds a special place in their heart for Vincent Price and owes a HUGE debt to Ted Barris for putting him there.


I read a great deal, far less than I used to but I am struggling to get back to the levels I was at a year or two ago. Call it a "New Year's Resolution" if you will. I am impressed at the literary subjects that are peppered throughout 'American Pie'. Hopefully it spurs some people to find out just what these books and authors are about. I know I will be revisiting Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird' this year, as well as perhaps taking on 'The Godfather' as well.


Someday I would also like to own a Harper Lee autograph. Scarcity is definitely an issue but if a card company were to include her in a release you can bet I'd be a part of the chase.

If you were a child of the 70's then I defy you not to have a special place for this guy and his creatures.


While I do consider myself a Beatles fan, I mean really who does not like The Beatles, I am disappointed that there is very little if any cardboard representations of my favorite Beatle, George Harrison. Yes, he was the quiet one and sometimes the forgotten one, but as far as I am concerned he was the most talented one. This guy, however, runs a close #2.


Last, but definitely not least, is the greatest author you could do every child a favor and introduce them to. Every Christmas I look forward to 3 specials and his is one of them. It has aired practically every year since its release in 1966 and hopefully it continues to air long after I am gone.


Thank you very much to Nick for these cards and please take the time to go check out his blog 'Dime Boxes' dedicated to one of the most addictive and rewarding experiences I had introduced to me at the 2011 National.

As well, please take a look at my initial 'American Pie' wantlist post and if you can help me out I would greatly appreciate it. The base cards are almost gone but the parallels and inserts are going to be a challenge worthy endeavor.

Cheers,

Updated Want Lists

For the longest time I have neglected my Want Lists linked to the blog. I decided the time was right to update some and add others.

If you have the time please take a quick look and see if there is anything you can help me out with. I would be most grateful and will happily return the favor. After I get my "wants" sorted out I will work on updating what I have to offer, including an ongoing "Trade Bait" listing.

Until then here are the lists I have up-to-date;

2002 Topps Baseball - Series 1

2009 Topps Baseball - Series 1, 2 & 3

2009 Topps Baseball - T206

2010 Topps Baseball - Series 1 & 2

2011 Topps Baseball - Series 1


As always the links will remain on the sidebar for future reference. Thanks to all my trading friends in the past and all my potential trading friends of the future.

Cheers,

Mail Day (aka Packs from a Junkie)

While I am currently attempting to catch up in thanking previous senders of valuable and cherished bubble mailers of cards, I also wish to attempt to begin to keep up to date with recently sent items as well.

One such package was sent to me courtesy of dayf over at 'Cardboard Junkie'. Knowing from other blog postings that nothing but goodness comes from Georgia area I tore into this mailer like a rabid hound. Onto the desk spilled three packs of unknown cardboard contents.

This was going to be a fun adventure.

Football or Baseball.......Baseball or Football.......Topps or Upper Deck.......Upper Deck or Topps.......what to do, what to do.......MechaGodzilla gets the pick.

PACK #1

2009 Upper Deck Philadelphia Football - This stuff is wicked. Mini National Chicle inserts, Autographs, Jersey Swatches.......the whole nine yards, so to speak.

Now, before we go any further, I want to touch on a subject that has been hashed time and time again on countless other blogs. Quality Control. I understand that in a high volume automated process things can sometimes get past QC. However, sometimes things are so bad it makes you wonder if there even is a human being watching this stuff go by.

You tell me.......

CARD #1 - Phil Hughes T206 Framed Mini Autograph

Is that a Topps card in my Upper Deck package?!? The madness folks, is just beginning!!!

CARD #2 and CARD #3, ALSO T206 Framed Mini Autos
Elvis Andrus and Jonathan Van Every

I do not think this has ever happened in the history of card collecting. Not ONLY have I just hit on a "hot pack" but said pack is loaded with another companies' product!!

THIS IS MADNESS!!!!!!

However, fear not. All is not lost. There is some semblance of normalcy in this hottest of packs. I did hit an Upper Deck relic card that ACTUALLY belonged in this pack. WHEW!!!! Thank goodness!!!

CARD #4 - Andre Caldwell 'Game Day Gear' Jersey Relic

All I can say is, I knew Upper Deck had a few "issues" here and there but THIS is ridiculous, unprecedented, unfathomably believable and downright insulting.

MY GOD!!!!

I need normalcy. I need reassurance. I need to know that the world is all it should be, right now. C'mon Topps, if ever your trusted brand was needed to re instill hobby security it is now!!!

PACK #2

Good ole' 2010 'Allen & Ginter'. 8 Picture cards of World Champion goodness.....ahhhhhhhh!!!

WHAAAAAATT!!!!!

OHZ NOZ!!! THEYZ GOTZ TO YOUZ TOO??!!!??

8 Cards - Check!

That is where the similarities end. If I did not know any better I would say that these are a mixture of 2009 and 2010 Heritage. There is no hope left in the collecting world. No serious thought is being placed into the security and management of the product we so devoutly love and cherish.

Upper Deck does not care!!

Topps does not care!!

Heck, I no longer care!!! Thankfully we have only one miserable, pathetic, useless pack left to wade through. If there is any shred of decency left in this universe this will all come to an end mercifully soon. My apologies fellow bloggers, you deserve much better than this. You do, indeed!!

PACK #3

2009 Upper Deck Philadelphia Football - Or should I guess here.....maybe some Obak, or Press Pass, or even some rogue Classic from the 90's......*sigh*.........here we go.....

ZOMG!!!

2009 T206 base, SPs and bronze parallels!! OH THE HORROR OF IT ALL!!!!!!!

Base - Trevor Cahill (OAK)


Bronze Parallel - Ricky Romero (TOR) & Aramis Ramirez (CHC)


SPs - Gordon Beckham (CWS), Koji Uehara (BAL) & Evan Longoria (TB)

What to say?.......Where to begin?.......I AM SPEECHLESS!!!

All the good intentions, all the selfless giving of a fellow blogger is completely ruined by the incompetence and complete abandonment of integrity by both Topps and Upper Deck. Those companies should be ashamed of they actions. To you dayf I apologize and offer the only thing I can, in return. I pledge to see to it that these abominations that we shall loosely call "packs of cards" here will receive a proper and loving home. I will try and see they fit in amongst their brethren regardless of their bastardized origins.

In order to make room for them and see to it that they "fit in" I will be removing several members of the current collection of cardboard misfits. And, will be sending them your way, so as to ease the pain of an attempt at generosity gone awry due to mismanagement at the production level.

Thanks dayf,

Cheers,

Mail Day (aka Plain Ketchup (Act II))

For the last month I have been inexcusably lax in honoring those who have seen fit to send me cards worth putting into my collection and in return taking on those cards which I have no desire to keep. Things creep up on you incredibly fast when it comes to bubble mailers and the next thing you know, you have to do a post like this just to cover what has been sent.

Let's get to it.

Firstly, I have begun to seriously focus on the players I collect. Putting sets together can really chew up the time and make it easy to neglect the supposedly simpler things in Cardworld. Four cards have been added to my Ricky Romero collection. One of them came from Chris over at 'Stale Gum' who gladly parted with some 2010 Heritage Chromero-Jo. I am still looking for the Refractor and Black-bordered version of these. Like I said, I have neglected my PCs.


The next two Romero cards were purchased as a lot on eBay for a VERY acceptable total. The 'SP Prospects' National Honors card is the first relic card I have added to the PC and the 'Bowman Heritage' is the first RC.


One of the things I like about Ricky Romero, aside from him being a Southpaw, a Blue Jay and quite possibly the future Ace of their staff, is his signature. It is clean and more importantly, legible. I received my first Romero auto last year, coincidentally, from Chris at 'Stale Gum' This auto I had seen sell several times and was happy to finally snag at a great price on eBay. A 2006 Bowman 'Signs of the Future'.


Yeah, I know its a sticker. On card would have been much better on this set but that is true for any set. No sense in complaining and it still has a home in my collection. This winter I am going to make a solid effort to build my Ricky Romero collection by at least a hundred cards or so. This thing needs to be shown some lovin'.

An even longer time ago, Chris over at 'Nachos Grande' posted some trade bait. I had a few things he was looking for so two of his cards came my way for a series of cards that were better served in Pennsylvania. Besides certain players I like to collect certain subjects that have been featured on cards. One of those subjects are authors. When those authors are featured on shiny cardboard it is even better.


The other card that caught my eye happens to be my first relic from the 2008 Allen & Ginter set. Some pin-stripey-Cubbie-goodness featuring Carlos Marmol.


The last card I want to feature in this post was an eBay purchase and one I decided to grab on a whim one night. If I ever get around to redeeming it I hope the card looks as good "in hand" as it does as a scan. More Cubbie-goodness, this time redemption-style. 2010 Topps Finest Rookie Redemption #7 for Andrew Cashner.

THIS......

...will eventually become, THIS.

Any opportunity to get an on-card auto of a Cub is one I cannot pass up.

Looking at my desk here I have managed to shrink my pile of envelopes by a total of five. I have a few group break envelopes to open and sort and share with you. It feels good to get through some of the clutter and it feels even better to properly thank those that took the time to trade me some of their discards.

As always, if you see anything you want on my "For Trade" lists or if you have anything from my "Want Lists" I would gladly work a deal to benefit us both.

Send me an e-mail.

Cheers,

Mail Day (aka I'm NOT At 'The National' Either)

So, today the doors opened on what is one of the most highly anticipated annual events in the card collector universe. Scores of VIPs made their way into crowded rooms gathering swag as well as their bearings and planning their assault for the next 5 days.

Not me.

I however DID come home to a wonderful greeting of two bubble mailers, and did not have to stand in line to get them. Both were from fellow bloggers and both were parts of negotiated trades. The first package is , I believe, my second trade with Derek over at 'Hey, That's Mine!'. The other mailer is from a new blogger on the block and someone who will definitely be benefiting from the fact that we all have somewhere to send our Colorado Rockies cards now. Send them all to Shellie at 'The Middle Child'.

The trade with Derek involved some Series 2 Topps inserts that I have been chasing and a bonus Cubbie, just cuz. 1992 will always be my favorite year as a Jays fan but as far as my favorite "Rent-A-Player" that The Jays were able to win one for goes, it is nice to know that Toronto helped out Paul Molitor get what he so rightly deserved in Milwaukee.

The other three cards are from the 'Vintage Legends' set, which I feel is still a great set regardless of a few reaches in design by Topps. IMHO, these three cards featuring Johnny Mize, George Sisler and Rogers Hornsby are awesome.

Derek also sent along another UD Spectrum card that I am sure has a spot in my Cubs team binder.

Shellie has started up a wonderful blog and has gone full bore into the whole trading aspect of what we all do here. After seeing what she pulled from some Allen & Ginter I caught sight of an A&G back David Wright mini that needed to come my way. Shellie mentioned she had found some other cards on my wantlists and told me she would be sending them my way. 20 cards later I was a happy, happy collector.


Along with the A&G mini there were three other David Wright cards for the PC. An '07 Fleer, a '10 Bowman reprint and a '10 Heritage Chrome. LOVE the Chrome-jo!

Off of my wantlists Shellie banged out some '09 Topps Series Series 3, '10 Topps Series 2 and some '10 Heritage inserts. The more I see the National Chicle cards the more I think about buying a box or two. I have to keep reminding myself that T-206 is just around the corner so I need to save the cash. Shellie helped by filling in two needs. Adam Lind and a bunting Phil Rizzuto.

I love when I complete a set, and this card......

...helps me finish of the Series 1 'History of the Game' set. Thanks Shellie.

Whenever I get sent some 'Turkey Reds' it is an exceptionally great mail day. I have two boxes of the '07 and '06 sets that I purchased just before my LCS closed. Hopefully there are enough singles to make a go at the sets worth my while. Shellie got me closer to the '09 and '10 versions with Ordonez, Beckham, Halladay, Volquez and Foxx.

If you have any that need a good home, I can provide.

I will be going through a couple more boxes in the next day or so and your end of the deal will be out before the weekend, hopefully. Shellie is also going to be housing what was my Mark McGwire collection, seeing as I no longer have the drive to chase him.

Great trading partners are always a welcome find amongst fellow bloggers and I have managed to work with two that I hope will be continual trading partners throughout. Head on over to their blogs and check out their wantlists and help them out. You will not regret it.

Cheers,

Mail Day (aka Cards from the Hartland)

While quietly consuming other bloggers thoughts and opinions on the latest happenings in the hobby I happened upon a post over at 'Roll Out The Barrel' in which owner Ed was lamenting his lack of luck pulling Brewer related autos from Topps T-206 Anniversary set. Being one who is always on the lookout for fellow collectors of this set, I sent him a quick trade offer for a couple autos I had hanging around.

When I got the famous yellow envelope in the mail this week I could not wait to bust into it. I knew that there were some prized Piedmont minis coming my way including two of the coveted Short Prints. Ed managed to knock off 16 minis from my want list, including 2 of the SPs, which now has me needing below 90 cards to complete the set.


Also included in the package were 8 more base cards as well. The more I look over this set and receive trades through the mail, the more I appreciate and enjoy this set. Not to get too far off topic here but I think the lack of current releases has been a blessing in disguise. It has afforded me the opportunity to revisit some of the many releases from 2009 and truly appreciate what was sometimes so quickly overshadowed by the "latest thing". Each time I look at the T-206 set I find something different to enjoy.


Speaking of enjoyment, this next card is one that I was super happy to secure in this trade. The framed autograph of David Hernandez brings me one card closer to completing this insert set. I have set this challenge for myself and it is proving to be a fun exercise, it is also been amazing how helpful people have been in my pursuit of this set. Truly amazing indeed.


Having more than fulfilled his end of the bargain I was blown away that there was still another substantial chunk of cards to sort through, admire and proudly call my own, another 25 cards to be exact. There were some 2009 Topps cards that got me closer to that ever elusive word, "complete", as well as a mitt full of Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays. Included in the bundle were my very first Topps 'Opening Day' cards. What can I say? I have been away from the hobby for some time and Baseball is not exactly sport #1 up here in Canada.

The best "bonus card" of the lot was of the player who is single-handed responsible for keeping my Fantasy Baseball team from being a total embarrassment at this point, he is also my selection for Comeback Player of the Year for 2010, Vernon Wells.


So, to Ed I say much, much thanks indeed and I would be happy to trade with you any time. I will also forward all of my Brew Crew cards to you in the future as I know they will be given a loving home.

If anyone else out there wishes to help me with the T-206 set, or needs help, feel free to email me and we will definitely work something out.

Cheers,

Mail Day (aka Unearthing Artifacts)

I received a package in the mail from a new friend of LFB2B the other day.

Roy left a comment on a fellow blogger's site referring to Upper Deck's 2009-10 Artifacts release and so I contacted him hoping to work a deal and gather some much needed singles for the set. Not only did he provide me with some Artifacts but Roy managed to send along some Cubbie and Blue Jay bonuses as well.

Firstly let's get to the meat of the deal.

Upper Deck Artifacts is what I guess you would call a mid-range product. The product itself, from a hobby-box perspective, is hit driven. Each pack contains one of the inserts or serial numbered cards in the set. The base set consists of 100 cards. Cards 101-135 consist of National Hockey League 'Legends" and are serial numbered. Cards 136-150 are also serial numbered and feature the games 'Stars'. The final 50 cards feature the 'Rookies' and are also serial numbered. There are the requisite jersey and autograph inserts to fill out the set. Every single card in the set has 3 different tiers of scarcity as well, those being Bronze, Silver and Gold. Suffice it to say if this were a baseball release it would proudly wear the "gimmick" tag.

The cards themselves are excellently done and if you just want a decent sized hockey set featuring the players of today then the 100-card base, which can be had for a steal, is just that.....a steal. Here's a look at a few of the cards Roy sent.

Goalie cards will always be brilliant. I was lucky enough to get 5 of them in this package.

Marty Turco (Dallas Stars)
Rick DiPietro (New York Islanders)

Peter Budaj (Colorado Avalanche)
Chris Osgood (Detroit Red Wings)

Along with a handful of other singles off my wantlist I also received a pair of cards featuring some Gold Medal heroes of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic games....

Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks)


Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)

I included the backs in the scans because they are just as nice to look at as the fronts. I have read the sentiment expressed before and I tend to agree looking at these cards. If Upper Deck had given their Baseball releases the apparent respect and honor that they give their Hockey releases, I think it quite plausible that there would still be two companies releasing "licensed", and therefore unconfusing, Baseball cards.

Along with the Artifacts Roy took the time to include some cards from my favorite teams and players nicely packaged in pairs. (it is so easy to please a collector with O.C.D.....lol).

A pair of Rynos....

A pair of Hills....

...and 2 Scutaros...Hey, Topps!! 2 years and you could not find a new photo??


Not to be outdone I also received a card of the best thing to come out of Calgary, Alberta since Bret and Owen.......

Thanks again Roy and rest assured, I will be busting at least one or two more blasters of '09-'10 Artifacts so your want lists may shrink a little more. I will keep in touch for sure.

Cheers,