Sports Cards Hobby Thread

[Baby Shoes]

Not sure if I mentioned it here but last week I caught a Target restock of the 2020 Topps Chrome. I have RedCard and there was another promo that worked on cards so I got it for $18 and change.

I was sitting here on my lunch break when UPS dropped it off. Started opening and in the second pack I hit an Aaron Hicks autograph. I was very surprised. Though I try not to collect Yankees, solid player and it looks like odds for an autograph is 1:41, which is good luck considering these boxes are 7 packs of 4 cards. I need to get back to opening the other five packs before I need to log back in to work.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Just did this Beckett order for $80 (after putting $500 into Savings) via Three Star Sportscards and Diamond Jim's. This is an example of where I'm trying to zag a little bit and get some Hall of Fame players with fairly "low" serial numbers from under the radar sets: 2017-2020 Topps Archive in this case. For the modern-day players, I've been targeting guys I think have a legitimate chance to cement their HOF status over the next 3-6 seasons. Age + Stats play a factor as well thus my general avoidance of guys like Aaron Judge or Paul Goldschmidt mostly due to their ages and where they are at stat-wise.

Only 4 cards were $6+ and Bryce Harper was the highest at $10 but I don't have many of him in my collection. A lot of "modern-day" players were very overpriced like $10+ for cards /99 or /175 compared to HOFers like Chipper Jones, Smoltz, McCovey, and Carew. Just crazy that I picked up 11 cards /75 or less including 3 at /25 and yet on Ebay a 2020 Topps Archive base RC of Luis Robert went for $6 + $4.45 Shipping...

Peach /199: Earl Weaver (Manager)
Purple /175: Jose Altuve, Robin Roberts
Silver /99: Jose Altuve, Chipper Jones, Ernie Banks
Blue /75: Robinson Cano, Duke Snider
Red /75: John Smoltz, Juan Marichal, Willie McCovey, Larry Doby, Rod Carew
Orange Foil /75: Bryce Harper
Blue /25: Larry Doby, Alex Rodriguez, Wade Boggs

A few of these came in so here's the pic

 

[Baby Shoes]

As much as I don’t like A-Rod, I like that card of him.

I always think of him as a Mariner. Maybe it’s my bias of getting his autograph as a Mariner at Spring Training. Well, not me but I have it. Was on a 7th grade trip to a game and he ignored me so a girl in my class took my card and asked him and he signed it for her, which she gave back to me.

 

[SFH]

I still want to get a No Name Frank Thomas at some point.

I should have pulled the trigger a few years ago when $1400 was the low end.

 

[Baby Shoes]

Here’s another one showing the wacky card market. I think Topps Now is a cool concept that allows some moments to be recognized and immortalized quickly. I just got a notice from Topps that they are releasing a Topps Now card commemorating Tatis’ new contract. Pay money to remember this contract!

 

[HarleyQuinn]

As a fan of baseball (and general sports) history, there's a lot of cool cards out there that don't get the love they really deserve for their historical significance. There are cards commemorating Jackie Robinson's 1st MLB Game, Jackie & Doby breaking the color barrier in 1947, 2016 Topps has a 100 Years of Wrigley Field Insert set, etc. Yet because they are just Inserts or Common, you can get them for $1 or less in most cases. Yet some doofus who never made it past AA signed a card as a rookie and it fetches $15 minimum.

 

[snuffbox]

Ran into a bit of a financial pickle due to a big dumb electric bill (we averaged about -20 for over a month and just recently got back into positive integers). Sold my 1950 Sid Luckman, SGC 7. Bought it last year for $100 and sold it for $200. Sad to see it go but a nice profit helps ease that.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Just ordered the following cards via Beckett. I usually wait until I've paid off my Health Insurance (working cut hours so my job hasn't paid it for almost a year), Bills, etc. first. Decided to opt back into football and focused on QB Legends and Jerry Rice/Randy Moss (finally). Also threw in some of the 100 Years of Wrigley Field, 2016 Topps History of the Game - Jackie Robinson/Jackie Robinson's 1st MLB Game, the Curse of the Bambino card showcased above, etc.

2019 Donruss Legends of the Fall Holo - Troy Aikman /100
2018 Classics Timeless Tributes Gold - Jim Kelly /99
2018 Unparalleled Astral - Aaron Rodgers /200
2018 Unparalleled Pioneers Hyper - Jim Kelly /25
2017 Certified Mirror Silver - Terry Bradshaw 264/499
2017 Donruss Legends of the Fall Holo - Troy Aikman 69/100
2017 Limited Silver Spotlight - Troy Aikman /99
2017 Unparalleled Star Factor Orange - Jerome Bettis /25
2017 Unparalleled Zoned In Orange - Russell Wilson /25
2016 Elite Green - Jim Kelly /99
2016 Elite Teal - Jim Kelly /75
2016 Panini Phoenix Orange - Aaron Rodgers /99
2016 Select Prizm Blue - Jim Kelly /149
2015 Certified Mirror Legends Blue - John Elway /99
2015 Topps Triple Thread Golds - Steve Young /99
2015 Topps Triple Threads Ruby - Jerry Rice /50 ($12)
2013 Certified Mirror Blue - John Elway /100
2010 Classics Classic Combos Gold - Jim Kelly & Bruce Smith /100
2010 Topps Tribute Blue - John Elway 74/89
2009 Certified Mirror Blue - Randy Moss /100
2008 Donruss Classics Classic Combos - Joe Montana & Jerry Rice 817/1000
2008 Donruss Classics Classic Combos Silver Holofoil - Jim Brown & Leroy Kelly /250
2008 Donruss Threads Century Stars Century Proof - Brett Favre /100
2008 Leaf Limited Team Trademarks Holofoil - Jim Brown 16/100
2008 Upper Deck Icons Blue Die Cut - Randy Moss /81
2007 Donruss Classics Classic Triples Bronze - Jim Brown/Lou Groza/Otto Graham /500
2001 Crown Royale Living Legends - Jerry Rice /950
1998 Upper Deck Superpowers Die Cut Silver - Jerry Rice /2000

 

[Baby Shoes]

@HarleyQuinn Not sure if you looked at comps on that Dylan Carlson you pulled but I saw his prices were getting high on eBay. Looked up that Black /70 and the lowest auction is over $100 with four days to go, the one with three days to go is over $200. All the fixed price listings, while I‘m not sure if they are getting any bites, are around $400

 

[HarleyQuinn]

The Russell Wilson /25 that I was really stoked over got refunded $7.50 back but damn it, lol.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Broke down the 2018 Topps Heritage to see what the SP (Color Swap) and SSP (Throwback Uniforms) print runs actually were. Just from what I worked out, as both were Hobby Exclusive, the Color Swap = Roughly a /207 Print Run and the Throwback Uniforms are roughly a /10 Print Run. They both jibe pretty well with the respective Pack Odds (1:205 for the CS, 1:6,753 for the TU).

I built it off the Real One Triple Autographs 4 Card Set serial #'d/5 (Hobby Exclusive). Those pack odds were 1:50,906

 

[snuffbox]

More of the market being crazy in a good way: I sold my 1950 Bowman Marion Motley (SGC 2, centered) for more than twice what I paid for it less than a year ago.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

More of the market going crazy in a bad way
- 2018 Panini Chronicles Juan Soto RC Select Aqua /299 PSA 10 went for $550
- 1957 Topps Frank Robinson PSA 5.5 went for $550. Robinson won 2 MVPs, had 2943 Hits, and 586 HR in his career.

It's "only" a PSA 5.5 of a 60+ year old card but c'mon... is Soto really gonna match or challenge Robinson's career totals? And that was an unlicensed card from a product better associated with the NBA. Tired of these NBA Flippers coming into the NFL and MLB trying to make "their" products mean the same thing in that respective sport.

 

[Baby Shoes]

Soto, Acuna and Tatis are the ones seen as can’t miss names now going nuts.

Not just players but some product lines are surprising. Last night I was looking and I saw a Lebron rookie in the Upper Deck MVP line as a PSA 10 going for $1800 with some time left. I was shocked because that was a bargain line that I liked, and I have that card, but UD MVP may be his fifth or sixth most prominent rookie? I’d say Topps, Topps Chrome, Upper Deck and Fleer all ahead of those and that isn’t even getting into Pristine or Finest.

And I can’t chalk it up to Lebron being Lebron because the same seller has a Chris Bosh from the same set ending shortly after and it was up to over $200. I have both those cards and at least the Wade, if not Melo, here somewhere so I guess they need to speed up in my grading pile.

But outside names, stuff is nuts. Last night I laughed because I stumbled on a 2004-05 Topps Chrome Refractor of Robert Swift. For those note familiar, he was a 2004 lottery pick of the Sonics who was a seven-foot redhead guy with a face full of acne. A buddy of mine and I went all nuts over him as kind of a meme interest before that was a thing since he looked like a giant second grader. Dude ended up having a lot of drug issues and was out of the league fast. He got cut I think after the I know he played a little bit in China. I have an odd little collection of his cards because they’ve always been cheap. This PSA 10 rookie refractor for this guy who really had four or five uneventful years in the NBA went for $17 and change plus $5 shipping. I’m of mine if anything I’m slightly interested in is around $15 shipped that’s a good deal since it would cost around $15-$20 to a get a card graded considering fees and shipping but seeing Robert Swift go for that in 2022 shows how nuts the market is at the moment.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

This PSA 10 rookie refractor for this guy who really had four or five uneventful years in the NBA went for $17 and change plus $5 shipping. I’m of mine if anything I’m slightly interested in is around $15 shipped that’s a good deal since it would cost around $15-$20 to a get a card graded considering fees and shipping but seeing Robert Swift go for that in 2022 shows how nuts the market is at the moment.

That's the most baffling part. Like I'm all for collect who you want but why is somebody paying $20 for a PSA 10 2004 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects RC of Luke Jackson (3.5 PPG in 73 GP)?

Those are the deals where people are just getting fleeced and stupidly overpaying in a high market even if it's "at cost" of grading. Any other time and that card probably went for $5-$10 at most even graded.

 

[Baby Shoes]

In this article about the reopening of the Negro League Baseball Museum there is a note that Topps is working with them on creating a Negro League set. This could be really cool.

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article249351220.html

 

[Baby Shoes]

That's the most baffling part. Like I'm all for collect who you want but why is somebody paying $20 for a PSA 10 2004 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects RC of Luke Jackson (3.5 PPG in 73 GP)?

Those are the deals where people are just getting fleeced and stupidly overpaying in a high market even if it's "at cost" of grading. Any other time and that card probably went for $5-$10 at most even graded.

Lol - I hadn’t thought of Luke Jackson in a long time so had to look him up on eBay

2004-05 TOPPS CHROME LUKE JACKSON ROOKIE #175 PSA 10 GEM MINT **POP 6** | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2004-05 TOPPS CHROME LUKE JACKSON ROOKIE #175 PSA 10 GEM MINT **POP 6** at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I will say I ended up getting the black border Robert Swift refractor (/500) for $2 raw last night. JUST WAIT TIL I GRADE IT.

 

[SFH]

Let my ambition get in the way of good sense and wound up being high bidder on an SGC 7 Rickey Henderson rookie, $165 after tax. While I DO want a Henderson rookie, I didn't mean to bid to that extent.

 

[Baby Shoes]

I had a cousin gift me a Rickey rookie as a child that was the first high value card I ever had. Think it was valued around $100 at the time. I sent It to PSA a few months ago so waiting another long stretch to get it back and see what happens.

 

[SFH]

Random friend request from a guy with a lot of sports posts, thought maybe he was one of the investors for the upcoming local card shop so I accepted. Turns out, he's not with the shop. Apparently he's in the market to buy cards as a collector and someone that knows me (he hasn't identified who, yet) said to hunt me down, I'll sell him stuff.

I JUST moved 11 autos and low serial #'d cards on Saturday, pretty much wiping out more modern stuff. I linked him to my PC albums, if he keys in on something I have duplicates of, I might be willing to negotiate. That said, with my Brees registry being #1 @ BGS I'm leery on selling any of my Brees cards.

One good thing about Paypal is anything over $99 is 6 months no interest and with 4 paychecks per month in my home between the two of us, I can pay less than $10 per payday and still pay it off before interest kicks in.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

In this article about the reopening of the Negro League Baseball Museum there is a note that Topps is working with them on creating a Negro League set. This could be really cool.

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article249351220.html

That'd be cool. I know there have been some Negro League subsets/Inserts in various years but I'd like to see them go a bit deeper.

1987 Dixon's Negro Baseball Greats is a cool "rare" set that goes 45 cards deep.
1999 UD Century Legends had just Gibson, Paige, and Buck Leonard
2001 Fleer Tradition Stitches in Time Insert went 25 cards deep. Covered "rarer" names including Ray Dandridge, Max Manning, Ted Radcliffe, Bill Perkins, and Artie Wilson. Notable for including Oscar Charleston. A must own if you want a 'Negro League' Card Set
2001 Topps What Could Have Been Insert went 10 cards deep. Notable for including "Cool Papa" Bell, Martin Dihigo, Mules Suttles, and "Pop" Lloyd
2003 SP Legendary Cuts is notable for including Judy Johnson and Leon Day
2020 Dreams Fulfilled Negro League Legends is a super deep 184 card set done by artist Graig Kreindler with each card printed /5000. Set was made in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Negro National League.

 

[snuffbox]

Let my ambition get in the way of good sense and wound up being high bidder on an SGC 7 Rickey Henderson rookie, $165 after tax. While I DO want a Henderson rookie, I didn't mean to bid to that extent.

I think (hope) you won't have any regrets about that. I've been tempted by much higher prices for Henderson rookies in a high grade like that before. I've never owned one, definitely want one, and I think got yourself a real good win with that.

 

[Baby Shoes]

My Topps 2021 hobby boxes arrived today. See about cracking them open tonight. Will let you know if anything interesting comes out

 

[HarleyQuinn]

A few of my NFL cards came in along with the Curse of Bambino card from Dugout Zone. Threw a post up on IG but the Rice cards are really cool and I always forget just how thick stock the Topps Tribute cards are.

 

[snuffbox]

It hasn't been all heating bills and selling stuff on my end.

I got the Ray Nitschke and Paul Hornung autographs from the 1997 Upper Deck Legends product. And added the 1966 Topps card (PSA 8!) to my Harvey Kuenn collection.

 

[Baby Shoes]

Had gotten two boxes since they were way cheaper. Only opened one so far. The cards are nice but I don’t feel like I pulled anything super exciting or great. My guaranteed autograph or relic was an autograph of Tyler Glasnow. I don’t remember any super exciting inserts, I got Brandon Drury and Detroit Tigers carda that were clearly some kind of variant. My silver bonus pack was solid but not remarkable getting a rookie of Luis Patino, who was a top Padres prospect that went to Tampa in the Blake Snell deal and Acuna with a Green (/99) variant of Greg Maddup.

Gonna sit on second box for a bit because I wasn’t overly excited on these after the long wait.

 

[SFH]

Talked it over and I don't think I'll be putting us in a bind by keeping it and not flipping it. Everyone in every industry state wide still honored Mardi Gras holiday pay even though most of the parades state wide were cancelled, so I feel a little better. I'm knocking out 50% of the purchase as soon as my check clears. I'm still butt hurt about panic selling previously mentioned HOF RCs in 2013 but it is what it is.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Had gotten two boxes since they were way cheaper. Only opened one so far. The cards are nice but I don’t feel like I pulled anything super exciting or great. My guaranteed autograph or relic was an autograph of Tyler Glasnow. I don’t remember any super exciting inserts, I got Brandon Drury and Detroit Tigers carda that were clearly some kind of variant. My silver bonus pack was solid but not remarkable getting a rookie of Luis Patino, who was a top Padres prospect that went to Tampa in the Blake Snell deal and Acuna with a Green (/99) variant of Greg Maddup.

Gonna sit on second box for a bit because I wasn’t overly excited on these after the long wait.

I've read that there's a much higher print run and as a result, the 'Pack Odds' for certain types of cards went up/made those harder to get so one could argue they may actually be more valuable down the road.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

PSA is expected to be raising their prices on March 1st (after BGS raised theirs a week or two ago). I continue to aim for the $15-$20 window if I bother to pick up any slabbed cards off Ebay but I'm also of the attitude that I'm not paying a "mark up" price just because PSA raised their prices and the PSA 'label' isn't worth $20-$30+ more than the card itself.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

And my order from Three Stars Sports Cards came in