I don't need to go too much into Listia. I think we all know what it is, and how it works, blah blah blah.... I think we also know that people on there are frigging out of their minds thinking some '90 Score card of Brian Holman is worth 499 credits. Free or not - that's real money in my book. But, from time to time, something will come on Listia that makes it worth the effort. This is the culmination of one of those times.
See, about a month back, an auction hit for a Panini National Trasures booklet of Lance Berkman. Now, there isn't a binder on Lance here at Casa Dos por Tres. However, there is an avid collector of Mr. Berkman in Alabama. Here's what was listed.
I was fairly certain that while the swatch was not Lance as an Astro, I was sure the Dimwit would be interested. Also, what the hell else did I have to spend my 20k+ of credits I have earned from surveys? After an intense bidding war, I snagged this for just under 8400 credits. Listia math puts that about $28. But since I sold nothing to get the credits, it was free to me. I have had my eye on a card from Dimwit's trade bait, and I knew this could wedge it from his hands....
....only to learn it was already promised to someone else. CURSES!!!
I'll get you next time, Plaschke! And your fantasy wife too!
So I had to come up with a plan B. Which, after a lot of white board work, came down to "Hey Sam - let me know what you want to trade for it". One of my better plans, if I say so myself. It took Sam less than a week to come up with the perfect trade. In the package came some new...
Some old...
YUMMY VINTAGE! And the prize of the trade was this...
Errrr.....well that didn't scan so well. Let me try this another way.
Ahhh - much better. My original plan was to swap the booklet for a Pee Wee Reese relic card. After that fell through, Sam offered a TriStar certified autograph of Harold Baines. Well hell yeah! This is my first autograph on a baseball, and I couldn't ask for a better player.
So, children, what have we learned? Free can be pretty dang cool.
Every Thursday, I post a card showing a ballplayer wearing a throwback uniform from my collection. Hopefully, he will be wearing it well, with proper pants blousing. I'll try not to duplicate a uniform. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.
Albert Belle - 1998 Upper Deck - Chicago White Sox
I should have expected that Jaybarkerfan would not leave his bombing at just 6 envelopes. Sure enough - 4 more arrived yesterday. None today, so maybe 10 will be the final count. A fine, fine final count if you ask me. So, let's look at the best 3 again in each penny sleeve - 8 sleeves to view.
A nice 91 Leaf of Big Frank. Great shot of Ozzie on the 86 Topps All Star set. Love the kick up of dirt from the bat. I have that Thome Upper Deck X, but I need one for my throwbacks binder. Not any more.
Needed that 05 Topps of AJ. A Topps Ultimate Archives of Bill Wilson. And dig the specs on Kelly!
Vintage-y. Tolleson and Fregosi are gazing longingly into the future. I love seeing Flecher choking up on the bat a bit. Don't see players doing that much these days.
Lot of white space on the Just Minors of Lumsden, but I like that they used the team logo. I do not remember Flash being a Chisox. Early Wynn Archive - do I really need to say anything about that?
Pod-zillas are always welcome at 2x3 headquarters, based on this hit. More Frank, signing autos (yes, I know Nick....I know). And more Alex in the lovely yellow of Fleer.
A Ray Durham Finest that I released from its cover. Even more Big Hurt. And a nice Jose Valentin on the base paths of Comiskey.
I have pulled a few of those UD Premier Prospects from repack boxes, but never any player I cared about. This one....I care about. Vasquez in a Topps black parallel. There were three of those Score cards in the penny sleeve, all players sporting those beautiful stirrups.
The last sleeve had 10 cards, and picking just 3 was too difficult. You can see why. Rookie of Alex Fernandez. Great chops on the Spencer. Topps sticker of Melido Perez's no-hit. A blue parallel (#247/309) of a minor league prospect. Pauly 06 Topps Walmart exclusive. And that sweet Buehrle Cracker Jack. That is a set I should try and complete.
If you have been around the blogs, you know that Jaybarkerfan has been dropping PWEs like the Bible's got Psalms. I was his latest recipient, coming home Saturday to 6 envelopes. All total, I got about 75 cards in the envelopes. Jaybarker nailed it with a fine assortment of White Sox though the envelopes. About 6 cards per penny sleeve - let's pull the three best of each sleeve to show off.
Nice vintage DP card to start off the images. A mini from 1990 and an '82 KMart Allen.
Couple a Apaicios. I have the Fleer great as an auto, so I am glad to get the base. Dig Hoyt frontier-man beard. Suck it, Brian Wilson. Always love the Aparicio from the 2001 UD Hall of Fame set.
Love that picture's face, Ken. Documentary - a set I really need to complete (insert humor here). And a shiny of the Big Hurt.
More shiny with the Pearson Bowman. A great Marsh reprint from the Ultimate Archives, and a 89 UD of Hillegas, where the highlight is the beautiful stirrups on the back. Though the front has a great background of old Comiskey.
OCD ALERT! Nice to add another of the UD Prosig cards to my collection. A decent OPC of Konerko, cuz all the other 09 OPC suck).The Belle is a nice batting cage shot. The back is cool, too. I like the inserts of the old timers. Not sure how Belle relates to them, but it's still pretty neat.
Not sure when 322ft made someone a "hero", but ok. Like those All Time Great cards - so simplistic, yet classic. Was Frank ever that skinny?
Bowman of a guy in AAA ball. Nice All Star set from Topps. And a Fernandez. I liked Alex a lot - great young pitcher. Should have had a longer career.
Shiny Harold (that I had to release from the sticker. Frank praying about something. And a great vintage of Squires.
Addison Reed Bowman? Yes please. Harold Baines All Star? Yes please. Ed Farmer vintage? Err...sure!
The Thomas scan shows no justice. But take note, Panini. It's Pri-S-m done right.
Garland is another Sox I wish stayed in Chicago longer. Gotta love a Baines Sportflix. I'm must showing that Lee to get a rise out of the Dimwit.
Last, but not least, two great Buehrles with a sweet Crede All Star in the center.
Thanks again, Jaybarker, for the bombing. You sure know how to work a stamp.
Every Thursday, I post a card showing a ballplayer wearing a throwback uniform from my collection. Hopefully, he will be wearing it well, with proper pants blousing. I'll try not to duplicate a uniform. The picture may be from the front of the card, or the back. Enjoy the uniforms from years past.
It's been a few days since I have posted. I've been meaning to get something up sooner, but well, we all know the real world plays havoc with our online lives. So let's get my desk caught up with a somewhat quick glace over all that has come in over the past week.
If you follow me on Twitter, I posted about receiving this card, one of the most wanted. Scored it off eBay for about $10. Considering most everything I see out there is this Red Heart card graded and out of my price range, I was more than happy with the price and quality of this card. Just five cards remaining in the Pierce Project.
A Sisler win off Listia for 199 credits if I recall. One of those deals you can't pass up.
Dennis at Too Many Verlanders tried out his first PWE attempt on me. This Pierce Archive refractor arrived in perfect shape, so Dennis will be mailing more to other people. Thankfully, Dennis is a Red Wings fan, so he won't drop any of that junk cardboard on you.
I think I sent Weston from Fantastic Catch some cards a while back and he sent me a nice stack of Sox in return. Or Weston is being totally cool and sending me stuff for no reason. Either/or, the cards are awesome. While the Big Sort is stalled out (ie being lazy), I know I don't have these three cards. While I hate those uniforms, anything with Seaver is cool. Proof that the Big Hurt can jump, and a nice Buehrle. Thanks Weston.
Mike at the Card Raven exchanged a few cards. I think I hit a want list, and in return he sent more Sox I know I don't have, like a 1st Bowman of sale and a sweet diecut Durham.
Couple more from the Raven - both serialed. The Black Jack looks far better in person, because what looks yellow is really refractor-ish gold. The Shingo? #53/100. I wish he stayed around longer. Thanks a bunch for all the cards, Mike.
Robert from $30 a week (and Serial Insanity) responded to a bunch of set fillers for both blogs with the pretty ChiSox team card sparkle, plus the on card auto of Tuomo Ruutu. He never fit in well with the Hawks, but found his place in Carolina. Great card to me, no matter where he is.
Yes - 2013 Heritage. 2013 Heritage SHORT PRINTS! Thank you Robert!
That's just your average 1989 Trevor Linden rookie card from JD at Buckstore Cards. I received this card about a month back, in O-Pee-Chee form. I loved that one, and I am only giving the nod to this version, because it is the last card needed to complete the 1989-90 Topps Hockey set. Only took 23 years.
JD stepped up the vintage with this gorgeous 1962 Sox team card. I think JD opened a pack, cuz there is not a mark of ding on this card. I think I can still smell the gum. Did they put gum in '62 packs? Google says they did. All I know is I love this card. Thanks again, JD.
Last is a PWE from Kevin, the Diamond King. And talk about your PWEs! Two autos (Joey Cora and Matt Ginter), two serials (Crede Heritage and Magglio Donruss Naturals) and an error card of Steve Sax (notice the lack of foil on the front). Kevin included the regular base to compare,
And then this beauty of Ernie Banks from the 2001 Upper Deck Hall of Famers set. I did a nice dent on that set with a upick auction I found on eBay, but still short in completing.
Anyway, I think that covers everything and everyone. If I forgot someone, or screwed something up, let me know. Between you and me, I can be dumb at times. No - really. Just ask my wife.
