Trade with Ross from Sports Card Info

Another nod to my friend Ross from Sports Card Info. He has come up trumps again, with a great selection of Red Sox cards in exchange for the Phillies that I pull from packs. The pick of the cards being these 2009 SP Legendary cuts base cards- Jacoby Ellsbury included. Also from Sellinsgrove, Pennsylvania came:

2008 Timelines #30 David Ortiz
2008 Goudey #26 Bobby Doerr
2008 Goudey #28 Daisuke Matsuzaka
2009 Allen+GInter #215 Jed Lowrie
2009 Allen+Ginter #300 David Ortiz
2009 SP Legendary Cuts #20 Kevin Youkilis
2009 SP Legendary Cuts #34 David Ortiz
2009 SP legendary Cuts #58 Jonathan Papelbon
2009 SP Legendary Cuts #60 Jacoby Ellsbury
2009 Topps Finest #18 Daisuke Matsuzaka
2009 Topps Finest #34 David Ortiz
2009 Topps Finest #64 J.D.Drew
2009 Topps Finest #106 Jon Lester
2009 Topps Finest #119 Jason Bay
2009 Topps Heritage #54 Jonathan Papelbon
2009 Topps Heritage #117 Michael Bowden
2009 Topps Heritage #336 Paul Byrd
2009 Upper Deck #544 John Smoltz
2009 Upper Deck #549 Jeff Bailey
2009 Upper Deck #554 Dustin Pedroia
2009 Upper Deck 20th Anniversary #1111 Nomar Garciaparra
2009 Upper Deck 20th Anniversary #1286 Pedro Martinez
2009 Upper Deck Starquest #SQ-38 Dustin Pedroia Emerald Super rare
2009 Upper Deck Starquest #SQ-45 Jonathan Papelbon Blue uncommon

Thanks again Ross. It is always great to trade.

Epic Journey of 1994 Flair

When I discovered these packs of e-bay way back in December 2008, without giving it a thought I bid, as you do now and again. I won but unfortunately the seller wanted to charge a rather astronomical price for postage to the UK. I tried very hard to negotiate but to no avail. So I was in a tricky position and then discovered that the parents of a friend (of a friend) were going to the US for a holiday and asked that they be delivered to a US address in Massachusetts. They were duly posted and I forgot all about them. Last week, a chance meeting with the mentioned friends, I obviously don't get out enough, the cards in question were bought up! I took a little drive to the parents house in London and low and behold these cards had been sitting there waiting for me to collect. Not only that but they had also purchased some other cards for me as well, which is pretty nice considering I hardly knew them. (Just a pity they were 2008 Topps.)
To cut this long story short...I now have in my hot little hands 4 packs of 1994 Flair in their cardboard jackets. The reason I had purchased these cards in the first place was due to the

distinctive packaging. Fleer appear to have tried very hard with the Flair range of cards and I wanted to be part of this effort. I have now cracked these packs and have shared the luxurious contents over at Pursuit of Red Sox.

As usual they are up for trade.

1952 Bowman

These would be more at home at 'Things done to cards' but I picked up these 4 1952 Bowman cards on e-bay UK for the massive amount of 99p. Yes I was a little surprised as well.
We have card #59 Murray Dickson Pirates, #89 Billy Hitchcock Athletics, #73 Jerry Coleman Yankees and #7 Mike Garcia Indians.

Not the best examples of this set but much loved and nice looking cards none the less.
It's a shame that Topps didn't persevere with the Bowman Heritage brand. The modern versions, based on the 1950's Bowman designs, have always been a favourite of mine. I was lucky enough to secure the 2005 Bowman Heritage Rookie card of Jacoby Ellsbury recently as well.

I also found that these cards came in 1 card penny packs, so it would technically cost you $2.52 to buy the entire set of 252 cards. On the back it explains that you could purchase a $1.00 baseball cap for 50cents and 5 wrappers. Oh to be alive and collecting in 1952.

Searching for US Sports cards in the UK

I know for a fact that there are no baseball cards in my locality. I have searched high and higher but to no avail. Whenever I go someone new, much to the annoyance of my family, I will search toy shops, gaming shops and hobby shops. This is just in case, on the off chance, that they may have mistakenly ordered baseball cards rather than the LOST or Wrestle Mania cards.
The store I visited on my holidays to Dorset was in Dorchester, the old Roman city of Dumovaria. Which incidentally was, in the 17th Century, at the centre of the Puritan emigration to America. The local rector, John White, organised the settlement of Dorchester in Massachusetts.

Anyway the store I visited had a huge display of cards, a variety that I hadn't seen for awhile and a discount bin!!! The cards on displayed consisted mostly of Pokemon, Yugioh and some Warcraft? type cards. No joy there, but the discount bid had a range of sports cards (this is England, so the cards were all football) and some TV/movie related items-James Bond predominately, the LOST cards, Harry Potter, Tomb Raider and Star Trek.

But none of the cards that I hope to one day find buried deep , mistakenly ordered by an absent minded shop assistant, who thinking they had placed an order for the latest Yugioh cards but were delivered baseball cards instead. I can dream...

I opted for some cheap James Bond inkworks packs and a interesting pack of 'Rocketman'. Maybe next time.

1980 Topps #100 Johnny Bench

Following quickly behind Pete Rose was card #100 Johnny Bench, which leaves me perilously close to the 727 cards needed for the complete set. This is one of the more 'collectible' cards from the set, so I was pleased to have secured it.
As I said in the previous post I am edging closer, one card at a time.

1980 Topps Pete Rose

I have finally arrived at the 700 mark of my 'Pursuit of 1980's Topps'. I captured card number 540, a Mr Pete Rose, from e-bay recently, which took me a step closer to completing the set. Only 27 cards to go. One card at a time is fine by me.

A short break

I have just arrived back from a short break with my family. We went to 'Sunny'(It rained the whole time) Dorset. The highlight being Monkey World and Corfe Castle. Here we are at Corfe Castle which was built about 1066 by William the Conqueror shortly after he arrived on these shores. The castle is a dramatic ruin now because it was blown up in 1646 by Roundheads during the English Civil War.