Trade with Heartbreaking Cards of a Staggering Genius

Now know as My Year Without Cardboard. Matt is spending the next 12 months in the Ukraine. This must have been one of the last trades he sent before he went on his tour. Follow his Ukrainian adventures on Use my Camera blogspot.
Now back to the cards he sent. What an incredible diverse selection or Red Sox Matt sent.

 

Firstly shown above;

1964 Topps Coin #30 Dick Radatz 

This set contained a 164 metal coins and were inserted into the Topps wax packs.

 

1953 Bowman Colour #35 Maury McDermott

A much loved , cut and lovely card from an early Bowman series.

 

1974 Kellogg's 3D Super Stars #24 Orlando Cepeda

These small 3D cards were only available from Kellogg's. I have done a little research and I cannot determine whether you found them inside the boxes of cereal or by collecting box-topps.

 



1970 Topps Scratch Off #24 Carl Yastrzemski

The Scratch-offs were inserted into 1970 Topps baseball cards, one per wax pack. Unfolded, they formed a game board which is played by scratching off each one of the 44 boxes covered with black ink. There must have been versions of this in all different kinds of sports. I remember playing a football variation at about the same time.

 

1976 Hostess #138 Fergie Jenkins

I love the fact that these were cut from the bottom a box of snacks. How many must have been ravaged by an over zealous 10 year old. This particular card is very nice, so they had the sense to ask an adult to cut it out. This set is also unique as 1976 was 'the bicentennial' year and everything apparently was swathed in Red, White and Blue.

1970 Kellogg's #49 Jim Lonborg

The first of Kellogg's 3D sets to be released with the relatively new 3D technology. This set has a really lovely design and simple with the baseball logo in the top right corner.

 

Thanks Matt, these great baseball cards (and coin) are a welcome addition to the collection.

Trade with Martyn from Abitrary Crap

There is a small band of UK baseball card collectors out in the blogosphere. Limited by the availability of baseball product and it being readily accessible. It is easier now, through e-bay and COMC, than it has been in the past, however the US Postal Service, Royal Mail and UK customs are trying their hardest to thwart out collecting efforts.
In a effort to get my hands on some recent baseball releases I contacted Panini. Panini America will not deliver to the UK. International postage is limited to Canada only. So I contacted Panini directly. Firstly in Tunbridge Wells England, that's Royal Tunbridge Wells, a very posh place. Spoke to a nice lady and explained that I was hoping to get hold of a recent baseball  release called 'Triple Play'.
She advised that I should contact Panini Europe, in Modena Italy, which I did.
My local newsagents in Westgate-on-Sea is up to its armpits in Panini stickers and has even had Panini basketball cards for goodness sake.
So what did Panini Europe advise, after I had explained my dilemma?
I'm afraid their only advise, if I really wanted to get hold of these cards, is to look online and see if there are any collectors that could sell them to me.
In other words look on e-bay or somewhere like DAcardworld who will charge $24.00 for a $24.00 box of cards. That doesn't include being hit by the friendly people at UK customs and excise.
Which leads nicely to the importance that trading has for UK collectors.
One of the small band of UK collectors is Martyn from Abitrary Crap. He is holding a contest at the moment, so take a look. (I'm sure the stadium picture is in the UK, definitely not Fenway!)

Martyn sent a whole host of cards including the mother lode of Jacoby Ellsbury relic cards, which is great - I very rarely pull him from a pack. The red All-Star game worn is intriguing because it is not the usual white.

A John Lackey game used.

A Big Papi, when he was a littler Papi, game used bat.

And the worlds thickest base cards from the ridiculously expensive 2007  Upper Deck Exquisite. Which, if I remember correctly was selling for about $300 for a 6 card pack. Although each pack contained at least 5 autographs, one of them being a 1of 1 card. The 100 card base set was limited to 99 of each card, imagine trying to collect the base set?

These two cards are part of the parallel set numbered to 75.

Thanks Martyn.

Trade packages ahoy

It is so good to be on holidays for a while. Its the only time I get to really sort out my card collection. There have been stacks of cards, unopened packs and Red Sox screaming out for organisation. In between watching the Olympics, seeing Australia get crushed in the swimming pool and rowing, I have posted a number of packages  to the usual suspects
Kevin -Orioles
Steve -White Sox
Tribescards-Indians
Matt- Royals
Tim- D-backs
Capewood- Astros (some Phillies too)
Tony - Giants
Simon - Bay Rays
Brian - Rangers
Tom -Angels
Ted - Blue Jays
James - Braves
Travis - Padres
Steve -Yankees
Greg - Dodgers
Paul - Cubs
 a couple of Red Sox packages to Martyn, Matt and Anthony

still to go are
Kerry - Cardinals
Michael- Pirates
Big B - football
Dayf - packs

AND (hopefully)
Jason - Reds
Ed - Brewers

The only ones missing are
Athletics
Marlins
Tigers
Rockies
Mariners
Nationals who are all still looking for homes.

A simple request

It's a short holiday, (half term break), before the end of school year madness. Time once again to sort the growing piles and piles of baseball cards that are around the house.
I have a bunch of regular traders who I can rely on to accept, with arms open wide, baseball cards for a particular team or player, with the occasional odd-ball request such as 'cup cards'. However there are a number of traders that I have lost contact with, either through laziness on my part or lack of contact on their part so,
The simple request is...
I need to find traders/ collectors willing to take piles of cards from these teams;

Los Angeles/Anaheim Angels

Oakland Athletics

Seattle Mariners

Florida Marlins

New York Mets

Baltimore Orioles

Pittsburgh Pirates (have never found a trader for this team-so there is quite a few)

Cincinnati Reds

Detroit Tigers

Minnesota Twins

All I ask in return is that when you receive the cards, you acknowledge receipt and send back what you feel is fair trade. Nothing could be simpler.

A super trade with Adam from Thoughts and Sox

Nothing like a trade to boost the collection and wipe off cards from the wants list. This stack of cards came from Adam E at Thought and Sox in two heavily laden packages last week. Unexpected and greatly received. Thank you Adam.

Vending machine Junk Wax

Many, many months ago, I was desperately searching for trading partners and was unable to find a good home for some teams. The pile of cards continued to build, my plea for collectors wasn't working so I ventured on a different route. Message boards. There were two teams in particular that were growing faster than others, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Colorado Rockies. There were some very nice cards and a number of game used/memorabilia cards that screamed to be housed in a friendly environment. Very little response, except to send a list of the cards and they would think about it. After roughly 10 requests there was a positive response from Jonathan in Toronto, of all places, that put the wheels of trading into motion. Jonathan explained that there was a vending machine in his local bowling alley that was well stocked of Junk Wax. He and his friends would buy packs of 1999 Upper Deck from the said vending machine and then go home and run simulations all night on how teams made from one pack of cards would fare against another.

Sounded like a pretty good Friday night; bowling, packs of cards, baseball simulations, throw in a pizza and some beer and it's the perfect night.

So in February 2009 the 200+ Blue Jays made their merry way to Toronto and I was happy. For those of you who participate in these types of blind trades, sometimes nothing is returned and receipt isn't acknowledged. That is the way it goes. There is a happy ending to this tale, out of the blue in November, Jonathan e-mails to say sorry, he was clearing out and remembered that he had agreed to send some cards. Last week some Junk Wax arrived from Toronto. Five packs from 1990 that I will bust in Pursuit of Red Sox. He also enclosed two Topps sticker packs that I hope were bought from the vending machine he mentioned. A vending machine full of baseball cards that is something that I would like to see.

The Rockies are still building too, they remain homeless.

12 months of Trading baseball cards

One of the more regular trading buddies I have is fellow Red Sox collector Adam. His blog Thoughts and Sox puts mine in the shade. However, he is willing to clear some numbers from my wants list if I am able to clear some from his. A great stack of about 60 Red Sox cards arrived a few weeks ago reducing the list.
Then I realised as I was writing this post that it would mark the 12month anniversary of my first trade with a US resident.
Tribecards posted about our trade on the 4th October 2008 and he was the first collector to sent cards back. I had posted off cards to Thorzul and Steve at White Sox cards and soccer cards to readers of 'A Pack a Day'. These blogs would quench my thirst for baseball cards and I wanted to contribute somehow. At the time I thought there would be no interest in 'swapping' cards with a Gent from Kent. How wrong I was to be.
The trade with Tribecards was quickly followed by ones with NightOwl, Orioles card 'O' the day and then Steve at White Sox Cards. Many, MANY more were to follow. I have posted an abundance of card packages and acquired a multitude of cards. This wasn't, however the most important outcome of trading.
Besides getting to know our postman on first name terms and becoming friends with the ladies who work in the post office, I have made some good friends in the US. I will probably never meet any of them face to face but the generosity and kindness they have shown a fellow collector in the UK cannot be faulted.
And this is what card collecting and trading is all about.
Thank you, all of you who have taken the time to send a package to the UK.

Trade with Greg from Night Owl

Here is note attached to some cards from Greg at Night Owl. I knew they would be good, but I couldn't help but notice the plural on Jacoby, as in Jacoby's. Here is the best bit, Greg didn't place them on top so they would be the first cards I stumbled across. He placed them through out the other cards so I would find them in at intervals, leaving the best a 2009 Topps Chrome refractor until last.

My children share my excitement of the yellow packages arriving from the USA and Canada. Even our postman enquires about the cards I receive. So this package from Greg was a treasure hunt for all of us. So much so that we had to label, with post it notes,my two 7 year old daughter's Pokemon cards and hide them around the house. I was finding cards for days.
So not only thanks for the fantastic cards Greg (still cannot believe 4 Jacoby's in one package)but also for the game, now called Greg's Game in our house. It will keep us amused on the cold wet days of winter that are just around the corner.

Oh and Greg sent these Red Sox from Watertown New York as well:
1983 Topps #654 Bob Ojeda
1983 Fleer Red Sox sticker
1987 Donruss #622 David Henderson
1991 O-Pee-Chee Red Sox set
1992 Bowman #690 John Valentin
1993 O-Pee-Chee #35 Andre Dawson
1993 O-Pee-Chee #88 Ivan Calderon
1993 O-Pee-Chee #220 John Valentin
1993 O-Pee-Chee Premier #9 Jeff Russell
1993 O-Pee-Chee Premier #18 Andre Dawson
1993 O-Pee-Chee Premier #48 Scott Fletcher
1993 Pacific #31 John Dopson
1993 Pacific #34 Tony Pena
1994 Topps #292 Danny Dawson
1995 Upper Deck CC #413 Tom Brunansky
1996 Leaf #32 Dwayne Hosey
1997 Stadium Club #354 Heathcliffe Slocumb
1998 Donruss #191 Derek Lowe
1998 Thunder #141 Jim Leyritz
1998 Topps #178 Darren Bragg
1998 Topps #242 Tim Wakefield
2000 Fleer Gamers #94 David Eckstein
2000 Topps #169 Reggie Jefferson
2000 Victory #247 Jason Varitek
2002 Leaf Rookie Stars #199 Cliff Floyd
2009 O-Pee-Chee #18 Justin Masterson
2009 O-Pee-Chee #78 Julio Lugo
2009 O-Pee-Chee #365 Jacoby Ellsbury
2009 O-Pee-Chee #375 Daisuke Matsuzaka
2009 O-Pee-Chee #454 Jon Lester black border
2009 O-Pee-Chee #AR6 Jacoby Ellsbury
2009 Topps Chrome #96 Justin Masterson
2009 Topps Chrome #117 Josh Beckett
2009 Topps Chrome #170 Jacoby Ellsbury
2009 Upper Deck X #11 Jacoby Ellsbury

Thanks Greg. Always a pleasure to trade Dodgers for Red Sox.

Trading on 'Sports Card Forums'

Brad, the Reds collector from Hawaii, suggested that I try some of the trading card forums to perhaps get trades going. I was still struggling to find a trade partner for a couple of teams (Are there any Seattle Mariners Fans?) So I signed up to three forums, Hobby Kings, Sports Card Forum and The Bench. I must say I have very, VERY mixed results.


Firstly Hobby Kings. This is where I had the least amount of joy. A simple message introducing myself , about wanting to set up trades and lets take it from there. About 50 views, no bites. I sent personal messages (PM) to about 5 members. Three answers: Don't collect them anymore, Won't trade with the UK and What relic, game used, autos do you have? I sent a list and I can only presume they didn't fit the bill as there was no return reply.


Secondly Sports Card Forum. This is the friendliest place on Earth. To join you must view the 'new members' page, which lists a number of rules about etiquette, setting up trades and general ways to talk on the forums, no bad language, no slagging off other members cards and if you don't abide by the rules- heaven help you. My introduction message was answered 15-20 times. All very polite and friendly. They welcomed me to the forum, I've been to the UK, What do you collect?, etc, etc. Again a simple message of intention on the general baseball forum page; live in the UK, setting up trades, my team for yours, 30-50 cards. A few views, some questions: What game used, relics, autos? PM me a list of what you have. I've been down this road before. I sent personal messages to a few more collectors, about 8 this time. Four answers: PLMK what you have? I had to ask what it meant. Common sense would have told me but when I received the explanation, there was the sudden dawning Ohhhh, you idiot. I replied, but obviously this member does't trade with idiots, no answer. Then success ! A very positive 'Yes lets do it' 50+ Pirates for 50+ Red Sox'. Edward didn't ask for a list, or for what game used relic refractors there was. And there it was! A trade arranged. He was even kind enough to walk me through the trade process. Write that here, fill in the details here, sign on this line, initial next to this, get this bit witnessed by someone you have known for 5 years. After that it was simple. Being new I had to send the cards first, so off they went. Ed sent an email on the 27th November to say '...just to lyk (let you know) the cards arrived Ed'. Great! Cannot wait to see what is sent back. That was it for Sports Card Forum but there were other replies such as ~ LMK what you have, I have just completed a trade for Red Sox and I collect only Mickey Mantle cards. I listed the cards that they asked for but no further trades were arranged, so I'm guessing that the cards were not to their liking.

Thirdly The Bench. I had heard about The Bench, through their collecting of the Yankee Stadium Legacy cards. This had a different feel to the others. Third time an introduction and statement of intent, to set up trades. I had no bites, a couple of welcome aboard messages and that was it. There is a section on The Bench that lists player, team and set collectors, so I sent a PM to just about everyone who collected the teams I had to trade. I was thinking law of averages here. I sent 25 messages saying Hello I'm John from the UK, I would like to set up a trade of Boston Red Sox for your team. I have about 30 -50 cards. I had a banter by now. Honest and straight to the point. The law of averages worked.. sort of. I had 5 replies which led to 3 trades being arranged. Cross the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants from the list of trading partners. The other two, the Colorado Rockies, only wanted Todd Helton cards (may have been the same collector) and the Seattle Mariners, only wanted Randy Johnson cards. I listed what I had but no reply. I was new , so the cards have to be sent by me first, which is what I prefer anyway. The Minnesota Twins/ Red Sox is now complete. I received some Baseball Heroes cards which I will review in the next post.

My conclusion from what Steve at 'White Sox cards' calls blind trading, if I'm honest positive. I had set out to trade my baseball cards, which I succeeded in doing. I arranged 4 trades for teams that I didn't have a trading partners for. If anything else I learnt some new lingo LMK, PLMK, LYK, PM, in my bucket, WTTF. I also learnt that there are a million and one Boston Red Sox collectors, all after the same cards and just as many Yankees collectors. Maybe I should have picked another team to collect.

Using some pointless figures below I came to the conclusion that Hobby Kings is predominately a Basketball trading site, Sports Card Forum a predominately Football trading site and The Bench a Baseball trading site.

Some pointless facts about the Forums:
Registered members
Hobby Kings 2 182
Sports Card Forum 20 688
The Bench 7 165

Highest numbers of users at one time
Hobby Kings 105
Sports card Forum 1 262
The Bench 398

Baseball Posts
Hobby Kings 9 466
Sports card Forum 1 015 780
The Bench 97 264
Basketball Posts
Hobby Kings 357 837
Sports Card Forum 551 414
The Bench 2 667
Football Posts
Hobby Kings 15 795
Sports Card Forum 1 389 639
The Bench 14 165
Hockey Posts
Hobby Kings 4 489
Sports Card Forum 61 194
The Bench 618