30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Flea Market Finds #116: Shoebox Collection

We're already in the fourth week of 2017 and I have yet to set foot in one of my local flea markets. A combination of rain, illness, and a busy schedule has prevented me from attending one of my favorite weekend pastimes.

But that's okay.  Life has been so crazy that I haven't had time to write about my final flea market trip of 2016... until now.


Back in mid-December, I was doing my usual Sunday stroll around the Capitol Flea Market and was about 90% through the flea market when I came across the guy who sold me the 1981 Topps football starter set back in August.  I've actually purchased cards from him a few times in the past.  I'm pretty sure he's one of those guys who buys storage units and flips the excess junk at the flea market.



Anyways... he had a shoebox filled with 70's, 80's, and 90's hockey.  I flipped through the stuff and was interested.  I don't know much about hockey cards produced outside of the 90's, but his asking price of $100 seemed a little steep.



I set the box down and walked away.  About fifteen minutes later I ran into my buddy Frank.

Quick side story... Frank was the guy who gave me my first card shop job back in the early 90's.


Anyways... I told him I hadn't found anything worth buying, but mentioned the hockey collection I had just passed up.  He told me he knows the guy and that he'd probably be willing to take $40 for the box.  He also mentioned that there were two Bobby Orrs in the collection that would cover that price alone, so I turned around and headed back over to the guy.

Unfortunately... Frank was wrong.  The guy laughed at my $40 offer.  However we did settle on a $60 price tag.

The bulk of the shoebox collection helped me triple the size of my vintage hockey binder.  Here's a snapshot at what was in the box:


Check out a few of my favorites...




In addition to the vintage cards, there was a huge stack of 90's inserts and parallels as well...


Plus a smaller stack of 90's rookies...



Overall... I was pretty happy with the purchase.  Now some of you might be thinking... what's so great about this deal outside of that pair of Orrs?


Well... see for yourself.


Sitting within the stack of inserts and parallels was this on-card autograph of The Great One:



Now if you're scratching your head... thinking to yourself that you've seen this card posted on my blog before... then you're not mistaken.  Back in 2015, I picked up this copy on eBay:



So now I have a pair of Wayne Gretzky autographs sitting in my collection.  Considering that this card alone sell in the $140 to $155 range, this has to be one of my nicer flea market finds in recent years.

And just in case you're a hockey hater... there was one baseball card sitting among the collection as well:



It's a little beat up, but at this point... this 1962 Cepeda Woodie is nothing but gravy.


Well that's it for now.  Hopefully I'll be able to walk around the Capitol Flea Market this upcoming weekend.  If not... at least there's a card show on Saturday to look forward to.

Happy Tuesday and sayonara!

Overtime


Since this post is primarily a hockey post... I figured I'd throw a huge shout out to Patrick Marleau who scored four goals in the third period last night against the Colorado Avalanche.


Mario Lemieux was the last player to accomplish this feat almost twenty years ago.

Final update... I promise.  Marleau scored another goal tonight... the game winning goal with just under five minutes to play.  That was his 498th goal of his career.  Congratulations Patty!

23 comments:

shoeboxlegends said...

W-H-O-A! I would have paid $100 for that box in a second. Crazy haul Fuji, congrats!

The Angels In Order said...

Awesome stuff!

Mark Hoyle said...

I second Shane. The two Orrs were well worth the price. The two earliest hockey sets I ever completed

Marc said...

Simply amazing. Sweet pick up. Never see deals like that at any flea markets I visit.

Section 36 said...

Great find!

The Lost Collector said...

Did he know the Gretzky was in there??

Commishbob said...

Wow!! Great deal. I love those old hockey sets. My fave of what you've shown here...that Jacques Plante!

The Snorting Bull said...

Wow!

the sewingmachineguy said...

Day-ummm!

Daniel Wilson said...

Wow! I don't collect hockey much, but that is awesome!

Adam said...

Really nice find! Well worth what you paid for it.

Dion's IP Autos only said...

Very Nice Find! any interest in trading a Gretzky? LMK

Chris P said...

Not even a hockey collector but mannnn that Gretzky is NIIIIIIIICE!!! I love it!

Adam Kaningher said...

Four goals in a period. Ouch.

Greg Zakwin said...

nice!

Unknown said...

Nice pickups. Some very nice vintage there! Good Job.

SumoMenkoMan said...

Great pickups!

Collecting Cutch said...

Incredible Gretzky Auto

Man said...

Goal! Hat trick! Nice Hull his Topps rookie? Nice, and then the sweet vintage, any vintage OPC? Then a Great One auto as a Blues! Dang, eventually I will do s series on Blues hockey cards

Fuji said...

Thanks guys. This purchase was a huge boost to my vintage hockey binder.

Marc - I don't come across deals like this very often.

The Lost Collector - I don't think he did. The reason is... he knew about the two Orrs, which is why he wouldn't go lower than $60. My guess is if he knew there was a Gretzky autograph in there, he'd want much more. Honestly... I didn't even know that the Gretzky was in there until I got home and started sifting through everything. It was tucked in among a stack of 90's inserts.

Commish - That 1971-72 set design is one of my personal favorites from the 70's. That's awesome that you have a complete set.

Dion - Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. I might trade it eventually or possibly sell it at a show or on eBay.

Brady - Yeah, there were a few OPC cards mixed in. Not a lot of 70's though. Mostly 80's OPC.

Jafronius said...

Nice find! Here's hoping that guy doesn't read your blog!

Jafronius said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bamlinden said...

Nicely done.

Lots of juicy cardboard goodness. Love the 80's hockey.....my youth.

Oh....and Orr.

And Gretzky.

Wow.