General All Purpose Baseball Card Thread

[Guest d'Kong76]

That was unnecessary. Particularly the picture for
the final cyber-punch.

[Edgy MD]

Not meant as an assault. Only a lament.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Edgy MD wrote: Not meant as an assault.

No, assault would be the wrong word. But
it's something.

[Zvon]

SteveJRogers wrote: Most likely 1965/66-1987, with the explosion being since...I want to say 1994, or possibly 1991 with Topps' 40th Anniversary, is when the nostalgia boom hit the hobby in terms of the brands that focused on the current sports making tons of cards of past stars in some fashion.

I thought the boom started around 85, took off and peaked 88 and 89 (w89UD), and then the whole structure of card collecting and card dealing changed, starting with the upshoot in quality and prices. I stopped buying any more than one box of cards a season (only if my bros and I go in on em) around 1994ish. Basivcally stopped collecting although Id grab packs here and there and hope for Mets.

Like Kong, I was no longer having fun, and getting fixed on a card that was almost impossible to get without buying it (for a nice lil markup) from someone who hoarded 50 hunded boxes to get it, I found a frustrating and empty experience. When you look at a card you wanted after you get it and you don't feel great about it being in your hand, the thrill is gone.

But lately I've been getting a lil excited about collecting again. Like in 85, I got back into it because of Gooden. Harvey could have the same effect on me. If he does as great as he thinks he is going to do, and I really hope he does, I'm gonna want to start a nice Harvey collection---mostly by getting them thru packs.

OE: Topps didnt really take advantage of the boom until around 1990/91. I have to say, Topps is a wacky company for the front runners in card making.

[Edgy MD]

Zvon wrote: Like Kong, I was no longer having fun, and getting fixed on a card that was almost impossible to get without buying it (for a nice lil markup) from someone who hoarded 50 hunded boxes to get it, I found a frustrating and empty experience. When you look at a card you wanted after you get it and you don't feel great about it being in your hand, the thrill is gone.

That's what I'm trying to describe.

[seawolf17]

d'Kong76 wrote: That was unnecessary. Particularly the picture for the final cyber-punch.

Perhaps, but ultimately spot-on. The industry is thriving -- just in a very small niche market. The mass market isn't there, and probably never will be again. Since I restarted collecting about ten years ago, I've gone in waves. I'm cutting back considerably.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Elitist swine!
http://www.kcmets.com/CardImages/

[Guest d'Kong76]

Here's what I was looking for, I never throw anything
away (nor finish anything) ...
http://www.kcmets.com/MetsCardsTopps62to71.html
http://www.kcmets.com/MetsCardsTopps72to81.html
http://www.kcmets.com/MetsCardsTopps82to91.html

[Guest d'Kong76]

http://www.kcmets.com/MetsCardsDonruss81to91.html

[ashie62]

The industry feels like a bunch of 50 year old men selling/buying to other 50 year old men.

The high end stuff, or the hot guy Du jour i.e.deGrom move, the rest is pretty much moribund for now.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Yeah, and the problem with selling to aging men is
sometimes they forget to pay their eBay bills!

[ashie62]

d'Kong76 wrote: Yeah, and the problem with selling to aging men is sometimes they forget to pay their eBay bills!

[Guest d'Kong76]

Yeah, that's basically how it went. Thanks!

[Zvon]

Ashie62 wrote: The industry feels like a bunch of 50 year old men selling/buying to other 50 year old men. The high end stuff, or the hot guy Du jour i.e.deGrom move, the rest is pretty much moribund for now.

I've been making the rounds baseball card blog's, the ones that deal with real cards, and from what I see from the outside they have a great online community that works fantastically with each other.

Some are older, some are younger, none in it to make money. They all have their own specialty, whether its a team or a player (usually a mix of a number of different types of collections). Those people take care of each other, hook each other up with cards. They trade cards, give each other cards for nothing when they can, conduct contests and give cards away to readers. It's great what they do, and if I ever got back into it real serious I'd enjoy being part of that community.

[Zvon]

Here's what I was looking for, I never throw anything away (nor finish anything) ... http://www.kcmets.com/MetsCardsTopps62to71.html http://www.kcmets.com/MetsCardsTopps72to81.html http://www.kcmets.com/MetsCardsTopps82to91.html

That's like my lifes motto, unfortunately.

I've never seen that site. Is it active? Great info.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Gosh, no not active as a site ... that was several
chapters ago on the intermets. Use the server a lot
here and a few other places.

There's a few pages that still get a lot of hits, this
one in particular:
http://www.kcmets.com/YearbookImages/Yearbooks62to86.html

[Zvon]

d'Kong76 wrote: Gosh, no not active as a site ... that was several chapters ago on the intermets. Use the server a lot here and a few other places. There's a few pages that still get a lot of hits, this one in particular: http://www.kcmets.com/YearbookImages/Yearbooks62to86.html

Very kool. Oh, I hit that page before, a number of times, going waaaaay back. Never noticed it was yours. Found the great rez YB pics there. Saved them all and a much belated thank you for those.

[Zvon]

Went all out for a Topps update deGrom. Got it in my second blister box. Also got his "debut" card. Topps put's the SC (rookie card) symbol on both. I don't like that. I consider only the one that has stats as his true rookie card.
[fimg=200:2xvsiubj]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hpnpE_mGAeQ/VH4lxoGVkTI/AAAAAAAAV4Y/KVHs99jrw-I/s512/ToppsUD50-JdG.png[/fimg:2xvsiubj] [fimg=300:2xvsiubj]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hn4gpcsFG6Y/VH4ly8pJG7I/AAAAAAAAV4c/mblIjp-MA70/s720/ToppsUD57-JdG.png[/fimg:2xvsiubj]
Got all the Mets in the set, I think (missing one checklist). Got Montero RC, Bobby Abreu, Murph allstar game card (I don't like the ASG cards being in the update set- that's a waste), and I'm pretty sure that's all of 'em.
[fimg=200:2xvsiubj]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5l6c1rb4lPg/VH4lyoidFpI/AAAAAAAAV4k/PhHTxyRPSyI/s512/ToppsUD278-RM.png[/fimg:2xvsiubj]
The UD packs also include a sub series called :"The Future Is Now". It depicts a slew of rooks and I assume there is one of these for deGrom. As a matter of fact, Mike Wacha has at least 4 different versions of his "Future Is Now" card ( I have 4- Maybe there are more-have not seen a chklist for these). Does anyone know if there is a "The Future Is Now" card for Mr. deGrom?

[seawolf17]

There are a handful of throwaway Mets in the Update set this year: Chris Young, Matsuzaka, Satin, Q, Andrew Brown.

No "Future Is Now" cards for deGrom in the set, though.

[Zvon]

seawolf17 wrote: There are a handful of throwaway Mets in the Update set this year: Chris Young, Matsuzaka, Satin, Q, Andrew Brown. No "Future Is Now" cards for deGrom in the set, though.

Well, I think spending 40 bucks for deGroms rook is enough for now. I'd like to have all the Mets in the set but I'd do better to get them individually at this point. 330 cards in this UD set. That's too many cards, man. There's dead weight in there with the ASG cards and all the other bullshit.

I'm glad deGrom doesn't have a "Future Is Now" card. I'm not a big fan of those fancy side subsets. But I think I would have wanted that card. So deGrom gets none and Wacha gets four. Ha. Good job Topps.

Thnx 4 the info seawolf17.

[Guest Madoff's Mets]

I have a case of 1989 Score Cello packs if anyone wants to buy them. LOL

[Guest Madoff's Mets]

Oh and being a Mets fan in the 1960's hurt me financially. I hated the Yankees so much, I would use Mickey Mantle cards as noisemakers on the spokes of my bicycle.

[seawolf17]

Madoff's Mets wrote: Oh and being a Mets fan in the 1960's hurt me financially. I hated the Yankees so much, I would use Mickey Mantle cards as noisemakers on the spokes of my bicycle.

That's pretty funny.

And your other post reminded me that I bought a box of 88 Score packs for five bucks in Cooperstown last fall, and I have no idea where I put it. I need to find that.

[Zvon]

So now I find out that there are alternate versions of Topps cards in 2014. Some use a different photo, some have all sabermetric stats on the back instead of reg stats. Some have a sparkly effect (reg white border, not the red sparklies). I'd like to shoot for the rarest Topps deGrom card out there, but I don't even know which card that would be. Saw this on Ebay (deGroms/Montero/Abreu photo variations-20 bucks for the deGrom):

[fimg=200:p4zp9mm1]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CEe6chzOZho/VIODRlUOdRI/AAAAAAAAV54/t3vnUOdXzJU/s500/ewfg.JPG[/fimg:p4zp9mm1][fimg=200:p4zp9mm1]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ASKrfixfKIU/VIODSYMynDI/AAAAAAAAV6I/dwpdjsltG3Y/s512/wew.JPG[/fimg:p4zp9mm1][fimg=200:p4zp9mm1]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-otMdnWIee-Q/VIODRsy0O4I/AAAAAAAAV5w/IwvAhygFOAA/s512/tut57.JPG[/fimg:p4zp9mm1]

Looking through the cards I have picked up over the last season I'd have to surmise that the sabermetric stat cards are the rarest. I've only seen one (Mike Olt). I don't know if there is one for deGrom. I've seen a bunch of photo variations. No Mets.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Does anyone have the Topps Met team set that comes in a blister pack? I see it on eBay for about $5. Are the cards in that any different that in the packs?

[seawolf17]

The only card that's particular to that set is the 17th card, which is a "Citi Field" card.

On the Update variations: those three you posted are the short-printed variations. The fourth Met variation is Dice-K; the short-printed one shows him bunting. No other deGrom variations; the only other Met SPs are two "sabermetric stats" and one "sparkle."

[Zvon]

One of my brothers got the Dice-K bunting card. I'll have him check the back for saberskullduggery.

He also got this Derek Jeter card, a reproduction of his 2009 card with a metal (frame like) border, numbered 53/75. Don't see much about them on-line. Very kool card.

[Zvon]

Jason, I read about the Topps Archive pics you bought (at F&FiF). I'm curious as to what those pics go off at (i think you said auction), on average? And I'm not thinking stars, but average Mets.


I spend way too much time removing watermarks. shhh!

[seawolf17]

The pictures are all over eBay; poke around. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-Topps-Baseball-Color-Negative-Jack-Fisher-New-York-METS-/191449740727

Also: Sy Berger, the father of modern baseball cards, passed away. http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12027167/sy-berger-father-modern-day-baseball-cards-dies-age-91

[seawolf17]

Keith Olbermann on Berger.

[youtube:3f7jx93w]jHHmMAcOIXg[/youtube:3f7jx93w]