Flea Market Finds #27: Not Your Everyday Box

When:  Thursday, January 3rd
Where:  Capitol Flea Market
What:  A Box of Cards
How Much?  $2

Every time I head out to the flea market, (as Darrell would say) I'm looking for the WOW Factor.  In other words, a deal you'll be talking about with your cardboard buddies for years to come.

And last Thursday... I found it.

Okay, before I give you the wrong idea.  It's nothing crazy like the Black Swamp Find.  However... it's easily my greatest find in over thirty years of collecting.

Purchase #1:  Box of Sports Cards $2

About halfway through the flea market, I stumbled across a box of cards in an old Apple box.  At first glance, there were about 300 mixed sports cards.  But underneath were some nine card SI for Kids sheets, which I have been collecting since my first year of teaching (1998).  The guy's table was crowded, so without going through the cards I asked him how much he wanted.  He replied $5, but I countered with $2 and he accepted.

Now before I show you the contents, let me assure you that I truly had no idea what I was lugging around.  In fact, I carried the box on its side and if you listened closely, I'm sure you would have heard the sounds of cards swooshing around.

Eventually, I met up with my buddy who was set up as a vendor.  I sat down on his bumper and started going through the box.  

Mixed inside the scattered stack of cards, were the following:

1986 Topps #161

2004-05 Upper Deck "Rookie Review SP" #LJ

2002-03 Upper Deck "UD Patch Numbers" #KBP

You can probably imagine how excited I was to find such as sweet Kobe patch, a cool jersey swatch of King James, and the rookie card of the greatest wide receiver of all-time.

But just when I thought things couldn't get better... it did.  After sorting the cards and finally coming down from the adrenaline rush, I started flipping through the SI for Kids sheets.  And after years of searching, I finally wrapped my fingers around the Holy Grail of SI for Kids cards:

1996 Sports Illustrated for Kids #536

Yup... an uncut sheet with the famous Tiger Woods card.  Not bad for $2, right?  Actually there were several other memorabilia cards, inserts, rookie cards, and even a few autographs inside of the box.  It's easily the best $2 I've spent on cardboard and probably my greatest hobby find in terms of value.

The end of the tunnel is finally approaching.  There's only two more posts relating to my cardboard spending spree... but I promise the last one will be worth the wait.  Or should I say, "weight".

Happy Saturday and sayonara!