COMC December 2018 Video mailday

Something I have wanted to do for a while and finally got around to doing, a video post. The sound sucks and the focus goes in and out, but I already started putting stuff away so it's too late to go back. Presented as is.

10 From Sportlots

2015 Gypsy Queen for some reason has been a huge pain to finish. I finished 2016 a long time ago and other than maybe 2011 no other set has given me as much grief. A quick sportlots search took me a little closer. For some reason these short prints have a high asking price most places, but these we all 50 cents a piece, a total no-brainer at that price. This plus another order leave me just 4 shy.

Night of the Living Set

My first dip into the another of Topps On-Demand sets, these have been getting a lot of hype around the hobby and when the chance to get both of these for a reasonable price I couldn't resist. First impressions are that these are nice, better in-hand than scans to justice, which is weird for neo-vintage, usually it's the shiny stuff that I am saying that about. I may not be a full convert, but I will definitely try to pick up any Rockies or other players that catch my interest.

A Great Cardboard Trade

This is why trading is so great, I bought some 2018 Update, didn't get anything I really wanted, but was able to start a trade with Cardboard Greats and turn some Red Sox into some keepers, including the above, about 75 Gypsy Queen needs from a set that I total myself I wasn't collecting, but probably lied.

"Oh", Say Can You See

Despite the Canada Post rolling strikes, packages keep trickling in a couple weeks behind what they should be. This little beauty came from Sportlots, while Topps has really dropped the ball with base set parallels the last couple years, this is a rare exception. The 2018 Update Rockies checklist is ridiculously small, but the fact the did get an Oh card in there redeems them a little, even if it is airbrushed, and gives the opportunity for horrible puns.

A Trade from P-Town

It seems like most of my trades have come from TCDB, but a few recent ones have come from the blogs, the first being from P-Town Tom from Waiting 'til Next Year. Starting with a real beauty of a Larry Walker card from 1997 Bowman. My collection of cards with the old Maple Leaf is embarrassingly small so this a welcome addition.

A Completed Set 27 Years in the Making (TCDB Trade #33)

Yes, it took me 27 years to complete probably the most overproduced junk wax of all junk wax sets, 1991 All-World CFL. This was the last card I needed and there was no way I was paying 99 cents on COMC. Finally it came via trade, allowing me to check off my first hand collated football complete set.

RLC Custom Card Project: Zac Rosscup (1987 Topps)

The Player: One of the more recent players to be featured here, Zac Rosscup was acquired by the Cubs from the Rays in a pretty big deal involving Matt Garza and Chris Archer in 2011 and was with the Cubs organization until June of 2017 when the Rockies traded Matt Carasiti for him. Rosscup would pitch in 9 games with Colorado in 2017, then start 2018 on the DL before being selected off waivers by the Dodgers in July of 2018.

The Card: The result of playing around with a template for too long, a border-less 1987 "inspired" card. I like the wood borders too much to even imagine this as an improvement, but something I thought was interesting enough to post, along with a black parallel and "3D"ish style version as well.

The Project: Rockies Legacy Collection custom project to make digital cards of Rockies players who never had one issued.

TCDB Trade #32

Another trade in what is turning out to be a pretty busy month or so. This one with some Archives. The most recent Archives featured 1977& 1981 Topps, which is interesting because I believe this is the first time that Rockies have been used on these years. I still wish they used action shot on archives, but still nice cards either way.

Yes, Another Baseball Card Trade

Another Canadian trade, this time with Mike from Not Another Baseball Card Blog, the star being the above "Raining Blood" parallel from 2014 Topps, these are awesome and probably the last flagship a parallel I have really, really liked.

What's In 2 Blasters of Update?

I like Update, players with new teams, weird middle relievers, utility guys and rookies. This year I got a little caught up in the rookie class hype and picked up two blasters.

A Rare Intraprovincial Trade

A rare trade in which the cards didn't even have to leave the province, the start being St. Robert from last years Canadian Tire set, followed up by a big stack of set help.

RLC Custom Card Project: Jim Czajkowski

The Player: I am still shocked I found a picture of Jim Czajkowski with the Rockies just recently after looking off and on for years (yes the project has been going on for at least 8 years off and on and in several different forms). He is kind of the embodiment of the project, a journey-man reliever, veteran of 558 minor league games over 12 seasons with 6 different organizations, makes his MLB debut at ager 30, pitching in 5 games with the 1994 Rockies, then back to the minors. Not a resume that get a lot of cardboard love. The weird thing is I actually, and kind of accidentally,  have a real card of his, as a pitching coach for the Vancouver Canadians from a team set I bought at a game there in 2013.

The Card: I am almost scared to admit it, but I was never in love with 1975 Topps, it just seemed a little over the top for me, but after spending some time on the custom, the design grew on me, purple and green just kind of work somehow. I can't say I will rush out to build the 1975 set, but will say I am very happy with how this custom came out.

The Project: Rockies Legacy Collection custom project to make digital cards of Rockies players who never had one issued.

Rockies Topps Now Player's Weekend Review

Sometimes I really don'y know myself. I say I don't like Topps Now and I really wasn't too sure about Players Weekend, but here I am buying Topps Now cards of Players Weekend cards.

I bought this set last year when I didn't really like the Rockies road grey jerseys, but this year I really liked the home black and purple, so I didn't hesitate to pick up the set. 

Although this year was not a straight forward as this year. Last year was a 5 card set. Simple. This year was a five card set, but if you bought 5 sets you got a bonus card and if you bought 10 sets you got two bonus cards. Fearing the cost on the secondary market, and the scarceness of some Topps Now Cards (I am still looking for the Neshek from last years post-season set), I was suckered into the ten sets and two bonus cards. So if anyone wants to buy a set from me, I have 9 for sale.

Also, like last year, the Rockies had a 6 game winning streak, so another bonus card will be on it's way, which is a plus.

TCDB Trade (aka Tradin' with Canadians)

My first trade with fellow Canuck and big time trader over on TCDB, sandyrusty. Spending some time on the trade/want list is starting to pay off with some bigger trades, and this was one of the bigger ones I have done. Starting with finishing off the 1994 O-Pee-Chee Rockies team set. I didn't even know about this set until a few years ago, nice to have it done.

I Buy Weird Stuff

Maybe I have too much time on my hands, maybe I am just drawn to weirdness. Juan Rincon never did get a Rockies card for his 28 games with Colorado across the 2009 and 2010 seasons, other than this Venezuelan card that I know nothing about other than it was on eBay, and I bought it. The listing has it as a 2018 card, but I am sure I saw one before this year. The back has no stats or year so I really have no idea how to catalog this. It does look and feel like a card card, although I am not sure if the position "P" is supposed to be "distressed" looking or just a print error.

Sportlots

A quick little Sportlots mail-day that is severely lacking a witty title. As with most Sportlots orders there was one card I really wanted, then the rest just filled it out to make shipping worthwhile. The main card was the above Tim Cheveldae, a good Saskatchewan boy and former Saskatoon Blade, I didn't remember him being with the Bruins, probably because he only played two games for them. I know nothing about this release other than it has a playing card back and I assume it's the hockey version of the Showdown MLB and NFL releases. 

One Card Mailday (Topps Now Edition)

I have a love-hate relationship with Topps Now, I love the "moment in time" cards, but the price always throws me off, $10 plus shipping to Canada or processing through COMC is a lot for me, so I was mostly limited to picking them on the secondary market. I probably would have done the same with this one, but it came out the same time as the Player's Weekend set, so it shared shipping with that order, and surprisingly the Spring Training code from the Mike Trout came that came out in the spring still worked.

RLC Custom Card Project: Matt Nokes

The Player: Maybe not a household name, but a player that put together a pretty solid career, probably best know for hitting 32 home runs as a rookie with the Tigers in 1987, playing in his only All-Star game and being awarded the American League Silver Slugger at Catcher that year. Also played 5 years for the Yankees, catching Jim Abbott's no-hitter in 1993. 1995 would be his last year in the majors, starting with Baltimore and finishing with the Rockies, playing in 10 games with one start.

The Card: 1978 Topps has been a set that I fought with for a while, never really figuring out the font. Eventually Topps would do the work for me with the "On Demand Inspired by '78" set, the first time the Rockies were using in this design. 

PWE from TCDB

A rare PWE trade, only 4 cards, but some stuff I am pretty happy to get. Starting with this 2015 Update J.T. Realmuto. This is his first base Topps cards, but no Rookie Card logo. COMC lists this as his rookie card, but he did have a Panini/Donruss card in 2014 with a RC logo, weird that Topps would acknowledge the Panini rookie and leave the logo off this, makes for an interesting card.

Gearing up for Hockey with a Trade

Baseball is in the pennant race and NFL is only days away, so it's easy to forget hockey season is creeping up. The most recent trade reminded of this, (and that I need to get my skates sharpened and buy a new roll of stick tape). Some new Cam Neelys with an All-Star sticker featuring a Reggie Lemelin cameo and a Stadium Club with my favorite Bruins alternate jerseys from the NHL's 75th season.

Cards from SCFTDS

We all know and love him, Sportscards From The Dollar Store, one of the more prolific traders around, and lucky for me a fellow Canadian that we can send packages back and forth without crazy shipping costs. His most recent package arrived full of good stuff as usual, here are a few of the highlights. Starting with some Pro Debut, I don't usually collect minor league stuff, but I really should. Who could pass up Hartford Yard Goats and Albuquerque Isotopes?

RLC Custom Card Project: Robbie Beckett

The Player: Not a household name by any means, but older collectors might remember the Padres first round pick in 1991 from 1991 Score or from a couple Bowman Cards. He would make his MLB debut in 1996 for the Rockies, pitching in five games, then would pitch in two more in 1997 making up his entire Majoe League career. 7 career games, 7 career innings and an ERA of 11.57.

The Card: Probably my favorite parallel, from probably my favorite modern set. I already had a 2011 Gypsy Queen template, so this one was pretty easy. I am trying to to repeat design to much in this project, but I really liked how this turned out so here it is.

The Project: Rockies Legacy Collection custom project to make digital cards of Rockies players who never had one issued.

Free Neely (or What I did with my ebay bucks)

Well, almost free, using my $1.21 ebay bucks, this came to 4 cents. Nice insert from his playing days with a Flair Showcase / Bowman Mojo kind of tractor tire refractor thing going on. A couple things to love about this card other than the shiny, is the serial number to 10000, nothing screams mid 90's like that, and the back has Mikael Renberg, who although I strongly disliked the Flyers, was a player I always kind of liked, and scored a lot of goalies for me on the Bruins in some NHL video that I forgot the year of.

The Most Expensive Checklist I Will Ever Own (aka the Joy of a completed team set)

I don't even know when I started this project. In my mind I can track it back to at least 5 moves ago, so that is right around 2001. I have been chipping away, adding cards, and after I picked up my personal white whale in Eddie Brown, the end was near. When everything fell together for this card it was too hard to pass up.

It was listed for a ridiculous $299.99 from big-time PSA seller 4 Sharp Corners, then reduced down to $90.99, still a little high, but everyones favorite online auction site had a 20% off everything discount, good for a savings of  $18.20. Figure that in with $6.00 shipping to Canada, made an expensive card, but something that fit in the budget.

The next step is to get the complete team set all in PSA slabs, but that is a long way off, but should get closer fairly soon.

Summertime Hockey Trade

A new project is underway after liberating my childhood Bruins binder from its banishment in a closet for close to 20 years. Collect every Cam Neely from his playing days. Here is the first step with a TCDB trade giving me a few I didn't have, some American versions of Score and a French Pinnacle. This puts me up to 180 different Neely cards.

RLC Custom Card Project: Sun-Woo Kim

The Player: Sun-Woo Kim had a very weird Rockies career, selected off waivers in 2005, pitched in 12 games with the Rockies with a 5-1 record and a 4.22 ERA, including throwing a complete game shutout in Coors Field, something as of today has only happened 14 times. He returned in 2006 giving up 15 earned runs in 7 innings and was shipped to the Reds.

The card: 1999 Fleer Tradition gets some mentions around, but I still feel it is pretty underrated with a big and diverse checklist, including and update set. The set really has some gems as far as photo selection as well. This custom is a fairly close representation, foil is always hard for me to get right, and the font has been changed to be a little readable, but overall, I am pretty happy with the result.

The Project: Rockies Legacy Collection custom project to make digital cards of Rockies players who never had one issued.

Trading Old for New

In return for some not so great condition wise vintage I had laying around, I checked off some more recent stuff, including most of the Series 2 base I was looking for. The two new Rockies in Bryan Shaw and Wade Davis, along with Jonathan Lucroy (who is ridiculously with the Rockies in this set) and fellow catcher Tony Wolters. I would rather have catcher gear photo photos, but I do like shots with the Coors scorebox in the background.

Sportlots Box Canadian Review Part 3 (Plus the actual Cards!)

The cards are here, no extra weird customs fees so the last post on total cost still stands. I really wish I would have done a video post of the opening, but I was too eager to get into the package. It came in a regular bubble envelope, and inside was what you see below.

Nine packages from the original sellers, some in posted PWEs and some in plain PWEs with no postage, probably from a bigger order sent into Sportlots. Everything was packed well with no damage, so this seems to work, and probably allows for cheaper processing as is it now stored by card (like the COMC model), but by package. That pretty much wraps that up, on to the good stuff.

Weird TCDB Trade

I mentioned in my Sportlots posts that my last two trade packages from the States never showed up. Well, after over a month, one of them actually arrived, and looking at the postage date, it wasn't the post office, it was the trader either forgot to mail it out, or waited until he got his package to mail mine out. Either way I am happy it finally arrived as it checks a lot of boxes off the want list.

COMC Everything Else.

Buried in my scan folder was the rest of my recent COMC order, starting with a 1950 Bowman Dick Fowler, the first Canadian to pitch a no-hitter and pretty much forgotten until James Paxton threw his.

Sportlots Box Canadian Review Part 2

On to step two. (Part 1 here) All the cards I ordered arrived at the "Box" and are on their way to me. 10 cards from 9 different orders came to $11.25 shipping. One card alone was $9.75 so there is unsurprisingly better price per card on bigger orders.

My issue was that the total is weight based and the minimum weight was 1 ounce, meaning my 9 order calculated weight was 9oz when the actual weight was still under 1. (It took 14 base cards from 2018 Topps to make an ounce on my scale.) A quick message of explanation dropped the total to $11.25 once they released how small my orders were. I checked after the first package was processed and the total for one card was $9.75. Again, the bigger the order, to bigger the savings. (Reminder all these totals are to Canada).

A huge plus was that the cards were processed almost immediately, whereas the COMC mailbox program takes around 2 weeks after the card arrives. This took about a week to ship and process. One package took longer, but I think that ironically might have been a Canadian seller. Also from the time I paid for shipping to getting a tracking number was about an hour, probably less, nice.

Also there is no cost for processing while COMC is a minimum $3.60 ($3.00 per package / $0.60 per card followed by an added cost in the shipping phase, I think it's another $0.25). The difference here is Sportlots doesn't scan the cards, and COMC adds them to a marketplace where you can either put them up for sale or have shipped to you. While these services are similar, it is really not fair to compare them (although I just did).

So here are the new totals. (Clicking on the chart should enlarge it). The $11.25 shipping has been split somewhat evenly coming among the 10 cards and added to the initial shipping giving me a total savings of $19.53, or $1.95 per card even with two cards being cheaper to ship direct to me.

I have to say I am pretty happy with the results so far, and unless there are any weird customs fees, $2.00 a card savings ($1.68 total shipping per card) are worth the extra week or two. I will definitely be using this in the future, and will probably let my box inventory grow the nest time. This time I just didn't want to let this little experiment drag on. I really like what Sportlots is doing here, two thumbs up so far.

2014 Bowman Platinum Want/Trade List

Wants

Updated July 24, 2018 (Yes, I know this set is 4 years old, but I am going to finish it eventually)

Base:
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 40, 43, 44, 45, 47, 49, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 70, 71, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 96, 98, 99

Prospects (BPP):
4, 8, 9, 13, 21, 22, 27, 30, 32, 36, 42, 52, 58, 59, 60, 65, 68, 78, 79, 84, 87, 88, 94, 98, 100

Prospects Atomic:
Jonathan Gray

Prospects Blue (Sapphire /199):
Jonathan Gray

Prospects Camo:
Eddie Butler, Trevor Story

Prospects Gold:
Jonathan Gray

Prospects Refractors:
Jonathan Gray

Prospects X-Fractors:
Jonathan Gray

For Trade

Base Gold:
1 Taijuan Walker

Prospects
29, 38, 53

Prospects Refractors:
22, 30, 45, 94

Top Prospects Die Cut
Eddie Butler

RLC Custom Card Project: Justin Miller

The Player: I was alway surprised Justin Miller never got a card with the Rockies. In fact, as far as I can tell, he has no MLB cards, no Bowman prospects, no nothing. After pitching in 8 games as a rookie with the Tigers in 2014, Miller pitched in 34 games with the Rockies in 2015, going 3-3 with 1 save and a 4.05 ERA, good for a 115 ERA+, which is outstanding for a Rockies reliever. His 2016 was not as strong, but still passable. His 2017 was spend in Triple-A, but he returned to the majors in 2018 with the Nationals, and has an impressive 4-0 record over only 10 games so far, but a far less impressive beard.

The Card: 1953 Topps is a classic design, that I feel still holds up well. Topps obviously agrees with 53 getting some love in the 2016 Archives release, then being the base for the new, and very popular, Living Set.

The Project: Rockies Legacy Collection custom project to make digital cards of Rockies players who never had one issued.

Sportlots Box Canadian Review Part 1

As a Canadian, I am always looking for better ways to buy cards, or anything online for that matter. Shipping rates have become crazy high, and now two of my trade packages have been lost in the mail so far this year alone, after only losing one since I started trading in 2012. So when Sportlots added their "Sportlot box" feature I was intrigued. I have always loved the sheer number of cards that are available there, but also hated the difficultly of browsing to fill up an order with cards from the same seller. The Sportlots Box, which seems like a cross between basic COMC and the COMC mailbox system, looks to help reduce this problem, or at least make it more reasonable to make smaller orders. So I loaded up my card and made an order, half as an experiment, and half to just get some cards that I can not find anywhere else. Below are the 10 I picked, from 9 different sellers (The top row counts shipping for two cards and accounts for the second row, allowing that value to be zero). Normally this would have cost $36.35 in shipping, with the one seller asking $10.50 for a single card as the outlier. With the Sportlots Box, my shipping was $5.57, or a full $30 cheaper.

This was just stage one, the cards still need to get to Sportlots, then on to myself, which will cost something obviously. I will continue to make update posts along the process, partly to document it, and partly in case anyone else cares to see how this all works. Thanks for reading and stay tuned.

Check Out My Rockies (Summer 2018)

You knew it was coming after the NBA post, my COMC Rockies package with a mix of the mailbox service cards, Spring cleaning sale, a random stuff I have bought over the last few months. Starting off with 3 different (I assure you they are different) Jonathan Lucroy cards from 2018 Heritage. We have the 100th Anniversary, the Flip Stock and the Red Back. I just need the Black border and the base for the rainbow. Despite playing in 46 games with the Rockies in 2017, this as a photoshop from his Rangers days. The beard is a dead giveaway.Also Despite being in Oakland all year, Lucroy is listed on the Series 2 checklist with the Rockies.

Check Out My NBA

The results of a small basketball binge arrived in my recent COMC mailday. Some decent stuff, including the above Peja Stojakovic, capturing his 2 game career with the Raptors in his sunset season before going to Dallas and helping them win a title. As a bonus it an on-card auto from a nice looking higher end set. I am a sucker for the Gold Standard brand.

Recent Hockey Pick-ups

I don't buy a ton of hockey anymore, but playoff fever struck and I bit on a few things from different places. They are all thrown together in favor of three smaller posts. The first from the Bay. High on the list of my hockey interests are Pelle Lindbergh and acetate, so when this card came out in the new Upper Deck Ice offering, I watched around and found one cheap from a Canadian seller meaning low shipping and the card came direct to me instead of through a mail forwarding service, so win-win. It didn't scan well (old scanner), but the clear section has a little holographic thing, very cool card.

RLC Custom Card Project: Nick Masset

The Player: Nick Masset was a very good relief pitcher from 2006 through 2011, but someone probably only Reds fan will remember. He would miss all of 2012 and 2013 with injuries, finally returning to the majors with the Rockies in 2014. He never reached his pre-injury form, pitching in 51 games with Colorado with a 5.80 ERA, then splitting the 2015 season with the Marlins and Braves. His most famous Rockies moment was probably hitting Evan Gattis and being suspended for 3 games.

The Card: A brand that seems to have got lost in the over-production era, but I always have liked, 1995 Score Summit. I stayed very loyal to the original design, just tweaking the player name font into something a little more to my liking. If you are not familiar with this set, check out the Nth Degree parallels for some mid 90's greatness.

The Project: Rockies Legacy Collection custom project to make digital cards of Rockies players who never had one issued.

April Showers Bring May Cards: 2016 Threads

Finally finishing off my April Showers Blowout order, this was one that really caught my eye after missing out on it during the Black Friday sale, 2016-17 Panini Threads Basketball.

April Showers Bring May Cards: 2018 Gypsy Queen

Consider my rubber arm twisted. I resisted 2 boxes of Gypsy Queen this year, but I couldn't resist a blaster. First pack, first card, see above, Shohei Otani. Nice to get that one out of the way if I decide to build the set.

RLC Custom Card Project: Mike Ekstrom

The Player: Mike Ekstrom appeared in 15 games for the Rockies in 2012, in what would be his final season in the majors, tying his career high for games. In total he pitched in 51 MLB games, all in relief with a 0-3 record and a 5.61 ERA.

The Card: Probably my favorite modern set, and one of my all-time favorites, 2011 Gypsy Queen. This set helped really define what my collection looks like as this is far and away the product I have bought the most of over the years.

The Project: Rockies Legacy Collection custom project to make digital cards of Rockies players who never had one issued.

April Showers Bring May Cards: 2017 Diamond Kings

Continuing on with my last post, along with the 2013 Update, I picked up two blasters of 2017 Diamond Kings, a product that I have liked the little bit I have seen, but have not opened a ton of. I really like this product, I like the feel of the cards, I like the look and other than the obvious Panini no-logo issue, these are great in my eyes. Starting with the old timers, it's a way bigger, more varied group than you see from Topps, interesting to learn a little about these guys like Harry Brecheen.

April Showers Bring May Cards: 2013 Update

A combination of some extra cash laying from a contract job and a sale at Blowout obviously equals buying cards. Nothing crazy exciting, but it's always nice to open some packs, get some new keepers and traders, and have something to show off here. Starting with probably the least exciting, a hanger pack of 2013 Update. I always like Update and the real draw here was the chance at pulling a Nolan Arenado rookie. 

RLC Custom Card Project: Brooks Kieschnick

The Card: I have cards older than 1996 Collector's Choice SE, but they are the oldest cards that I actually remember opening packs of. The weird blue border, high quality photography and the gold and silver parallels all bring back memories of the old, long gone, first LCS. While not a set I actively build or am building, still a set I will always be fond of.

The Player: Before there was Shohei Ohtani, there was Brooks Kieschnick. Well, not exactly. Kieschnick was a two way player in college earning him the 10th overall pick by the Cubs in the 1993 draft, gave up pitching for the outfield and didn't really do much, bouncing around originations, mostly playing in the minors for the Cubs, Rays, Reds, Indians and 35 games with the Rockies in 2001 His wikipedia calls these "The Wilderness Years" which is pretty funny. In 2002 he pitched and hit in Triple A, then in 2003 he pitched, pinch hit, DHed and became the first player to homer from each position, along with starting 3 games in the outfield. Injuries in 2004 limited him to just pitching, then was out of baseball a few years later.

The Project: Rockies Legacy Collection custom project to make digital cards of Rockies players who never had one issued.

Buckstore Care Package

Another awesome package from frequent trader Sportscards From The Dollar Store with a little sample for all my team collections, starting with some High End football in Hall of Famer Charley Taylor and my first Ryan Kerrigan auto. I have been looking for a Kerrigan auto for a while so this is a very welcome addition to the collection.

Just a Taste: 4 Packs of Diamond Kings

A trip to the LCS with three things in mind, supplies, Diamond Kings and maybe some Gypsy Queen. Gypsy Queen was a no show from the supplier so there was no temptation there, but there was the one thing I really wanted to try, 2018 Diamond Kings, so I scooped up 4 packs.