Stepping up to the plate: Blogger bat around

I still have plenty of mailings to scan, organize and thank publicly, and I need to get to those. But let me jump on the recent bat around posed by Chris at Nacho Grande about the most difficult set to complete.

If you spent any time on my Want lists (both A&G and regular), there are plenty of sets sitting on there for most of the 5 years of this blog, and any of them could get the title. But on many of those sets, it's not that they are difficult to complete, but that the building has stalled. Mostly for financial reasons, but also for time reasons. My 1964 Topps build is stalled because I have not had a chance to hit a card show in quite some time, stopping me from visiting one really good vintage seller and a couple pretty decent suppliers. My 2008 UD is just needing time on COMC, Sportlots or JustCommons to fill. Ditto for the numerous A&G mini sets (both insert and the 2010 minis), Gypsy Queen, Stadium Club, Cooperstown and even the 1977 Topps Star Wars sets. Sure, some of the prices can be a bit silly, but the cards are available. It's just the due diligence to actively search them out.

"So is it left at Piccadilly Square?"

The 2013 Heritage could almost fit the bill. There are a couple cards that sell for a crazy price I can't seem to fathom (looking at you any card with Mike Trout on it). But again, there are still other cards on my list that with time and effort, could be deleted from the want list. It's effort, but not crazy effort. It's more a changing of the mind set to know that my actions will definitely achieve results, instead of the gambler mindset. We all know what that is.

But when I thought a little more, a simple 5 card set jumped into my head, and I would have to put this as a difficult set to complete. "Five cards", you ask. Now we know there is something seriously wrong with you. How hard can a 5 card set be to complete? Are they made of gold and diamonds?

Not quite. But they brighten the outdoors.

2011 Allen and Ginter Flora of the World. I don't remember which card I first pulled from a blaster. I think it was the Alyssum at the bottom. I thought this was different and unique - cards you can plant and grow flowers from. I wonder if anyone actually did it. I would have if I had a dupe, but these were difficult pulls. Online it says one per hobby box. I can guarantee my one came from a blaster, so not sure how accurate those odds are.

Years back, though, it was hard to find these, and at a normal price point. I just checked ebay and some are listed pretty cheap. I remember finding 2 of them fast and inexpensively. The 4th took effort, but secured it at a price I could manage. It was the Mexican Hat card that proved elusive. Very few showed up online, and the couple that did were priced above the cost of a blaster. The usual drunken seller thoughts. I think it took a year, and a couple sniped losses, until I finally got my hands on one and I could put the set to rest.

Silly set? Sure. Small? You bet. Worth it? Totally. Difficult? I think so. Music video? Of course.

Working in the garden

Gonna start this by stealing an image from Matt's Heartbreaking Cards blog (or whatever the hell he's calling it these days), cuz he's halfway across the world and can't stop me!

Ukraine mobsters don't frighten me, Flaten!

 So what did I finally complete? Behold the wonder of Flora of the World:

While only 5 cards large, this was a limited insert at one per hobby box. Which is weird since I got turned on to this set from a blaster box pull. So I guess Topps made a slight error. It happens once in a great, great while, so they are forgiven. Or sorry - I had my sarcasm hat on. My bad.

Flora of the World? DONE! On to 2012's People of the Bible, Giants of the Deep and Man's Best Friend. You really should check my want list. Go on...I'll wait.