3 From The 'Bay (aka Joy of a Completed Set)

IT'S DONE! Time to take a big black sharpie, cross off the short prints and toss the 2015 Gypsy Queen wantlist in the bin. A rare 'bay seller with reasonable shipping to Canada and a Hoyt Wilhelm in stock crosses the last one off and finishes the Gypsy Queen run from 2011-2016. 

First Comc Mailday of 2019 (Part 2)

I passed on buying a couple boxes of Panini Revolution and instead just bough the two autographs I really wanted, along with the Bogdanovic I found for cheap as a pending redemption. It's so nice to see Jason Williams on-card autos with the Kings in modern products and having one in Revolution, my favorite NBA product is about as good as it gets. 

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.

1st COMC of 2018: Baseball

No "saving the best for last here", we are going to lead off with my favorite baseball card of the package, a Cooperstown "Dufex" card of Dale Murphy. The good old Foilly Dufex from 90's Pinnacle, this is a pretty sweet card now, I bet it was a big deal back in 1993. As far as the Cooperstown part, I feel Murphy is HoF worthy, more so than a lot of recent guys that have got in.

Check Out Everything Else

I already went through the Basketball and Rockies card, so here is the rest out of the scan folder. If you are will to put some serious time in trading you can get some decent card from the Upper Deck e-pack program, this Tokarski is the Gold version, I really don't want to do the math, but 10 Base = 1 Blue, 5 Blue = 1 Red, 5 Red = 1 Gold.

4 (Plus 1) More from Sportlots

I have a love-hate relationship with Sportlots. I love the shear amount of random, cheap singles, but I hate searching for cards, trying to fill an order from the same seller after finding one that doesn't charge $99.99 for shipping to Canada. My search began looking for Redskins cards, but ending up with none. The big one was the above 2015 Gypsy Queen Madison Bumgarner. The short prints I need are all way overpriced on COMC, so I am starting to look elsewhere to complete the set, check card 350 off the list.

A Small TCDB Trade

Along with slowing adding my collection to TCDB, there have been a few trades happening. After the Rockies called up Ryan Hanigan his cards made their way to the want-list. Just a professional catcher who is a joy to watch behind the plate, with the added bonus of fitting into the Goalie mask catchers collection.

Zistle PWE Trade

I nice little trade from zistle showing a little more diversity from what I am usually looking for. Of course there would be Gypsy Queen though, another short print down from the 2015 set, a card with a good photo, kind of a rarity for 2015 GQ.

Check out my Cards from COMC

COMC package day is always one of favorite days, I usually only make an order every 4 months or so, and not only do I get the COMC cards I picked up, I also get my "Shipping to Canada is Crazy" Mailbox cards, including, yes, another 2013 Ramon Hernandez, the last non-printing plate needed, the mini black numbered to #5.

Gyspy Queen Pick-ups with Some 1/1 Action

I'm getting really bad at not scanning and posting thing, so I am making a point of getting back to it, starting with a compilation of recent Gypsy Queen additions. I am pretty excited about the above card, a Charlie Blackmon 1/1 Framed Black from this years GQ. I got this for $11 plus shipping probably due to the auction being listed with an un-descriptive title. I think this is only my second "true" 1/1 as I don't really count printing plates.

First 2016 GQ Trade

My first set help from 2016 Gypsy Queen comes from Judson over at My Cardboard Habit, but the coolest part wasn't the set help, it was the Mini Foil. I don't get a chance for much retail, and I think these are retail only. The shiny foil look is something different for Gypsy Queen and is a nice change of pace.

Gypsy Queen Needs from Zistle

A quick little zistle trade chipping away at 2015 Gypsy Queen. This trade check two short prints off the list, I absolutely love that Johnny Bench, I almost always want in-game actiony photos, but there is something about the laid back feel of this card I love.

Just Commons, The Rest and Some Thoughts

After showing off the catchers portion of my first JustCommons order, here is the rest. The Weiss above is by far the best looking card so it gets top spot. The one card I really wanted was in my cart, but I was informed after my order was processed that it was out of stock. I was refunded the amount for this card, and a few others they didn't have, but if I wish I had known that before my order was finalized. I found the cart system the used to be really lacking, leading me order cards they didn't have in stock and ordering 2 of a couple cards that I only needed one of.

Black Friday (The Rest, Finally)

I know these are pretty late, but a few cards I wanted to show off before putting away. I might have to stop trying to convince myself I don't like relic cards as my favorite pick-ups were a 30 year old sock card, a couple tie-dyes and this quad relic of Paul Lo Duca. As far as I can find this is the last of the 4 mask cards made that I needed to go along with the Johnny Estrada, Ivan Rodriguez and John Buck.

My 5 Favorite Sets of 2015

Enough with the "look-what-I-got-in-mail" posts and something with some actual content, although lists barely count, lists are easy, but I like lists, it's like mini articles and year end lists are unavoidable. So, here are my favorite sets of 2015, in no real, with no real rhyme of reason.
 

Topps Archives -Like Heritage only better, in-game action photos and designs that aren't from the boring 1960's (yes, they are classic vintage designs, but there are boring).  Well, there was the super boring 1957, but we did get 1976 with the cool little position icon and the two photo design of 1983.

Recent Rockies Additions

Another "clean out the scan folder" post loaded up with Rockies that I have picked up over the last who know how long. Starting with my favorite of the bunch, David Dahl. One thing Bowman Platinum did right is parallels. Not just different color borders, but changing the whole background, and the camo parallels are the nicest of the bunch. Topps is lacking big-time in this, while Panini is doing it fairly well in the Prizm line.

Bubble Gum Trade

As gross as the title sounds, I did not trade bubble gum with anyone, I just really suck at coming up with witty titles.A quick trade with Jeff Jones from wish they still came with bubble gum with what else? Gypsy Queen, sparing any readers there might base cards, the above Bruce Sutter is a short print, a Hall of Famer, and a beard card.

Zistle Trade #40

Quick zistle trade with mattdamick filling some 2014 Redskins needs, Ryan Grant and Trent Murphy both made the 2014 Washington roster, nut neither really made a huge impact.

Cardboard Collections Trade

As with most trades this time of year, Gypsy Queen set needs are coming in, today from Cardboard Collections. Always nice to get Mike Trout out of the way, he usually seems short printed, but this year he is card #1, and this completed page 1 in the set binder.

Another Subjective Trade

I still have no idea who Kennys Vargas is. After posting my Gypsy Queen box break including an autograph of Mr. Vargas, I noticed a comment by Brian from "Highly Subjective and Completely Arbitrary" saying Vargas was his favorite Twin and he had the power of two regular guys called Kenny and he wanted to trade for the card. Once I realized he was being serious, a trade was born. Starting with some Gypsy Queen for my set, including two short prints and Wilin Rosario that as far as I can tell is the only card in set featuring catcher gear.