Flea Market Finds #118: Shoebox & Unopened Wax

My first flea market trip of the year didn't prove to be very eventful, but I was pretty happy with my second.

On the third Saturday of every month, Branham High School opens up their parking lot and hosts a flea market to help raise money for their clubs and athletics program.  Although the size of the parking lot limits this flea market to less vendors than the other two flea markets I frequent, there are always two or three guys with sports cards.  Plus it has a lot of cool, nerdy items like toys, comic books, and other collectibles.

One of my personal goals has been to cut down on picking up clutter, but unfortunately I fell off the wagon this month and found a bunch of stuff that I probably don't really need.

That's what happens when you put cheap cards in front of me.

Purchase #1:  Stadium Club First Day Issues  $1

My favorite kind of vendor is a person I've never seen before with sports cards.  This guy's selection sucked, but I was able to find three cards in his 3 for $1 box:

Remember when these sold for big bucks?  I was so excited to see First Day Issue parallels for 33¢ each. I quickly discovered that's pretty much the going rate for these cards.  Oh well... the Clemens goes into my binder (love seeing him wearing a Boston jersey) while the others will be sent off in care packages.


Purchase #2:  Ultraman Beer Mugs  $3

Box Bottom Guy was set up again.  This time he was pretty busy with customers so we didn't really stand around and chit chat, which means I didn't sift through his cards.  However I did notice these two mugs sitting on a table, which took me straight back to my childhood.  I just couldn't pass them up for the price.

I don't really know the story behind these, but they look like they were giveaways at a Japanese bar or something.  Regardless... this might be my favorite pickup of the day.

Purchase #3:  Three for Five  $5

My buddy Tony was out there too.  He's the guy who busts a lot of blaster boxes, pulls out a few of the inserts and hits, then sells them to me for two or three bucks.  He opened up some 2017 Topps, but I avoided the urge to pick up the base cards.  Instead, I grabbed the sweet 1987 Topps Canseco buyback and these two hits:

There was a brief moment when I considered building the Jackie Robinson commemorative patch card set, because they're really cool looking and I love me some #42.  Then I realized that there's 50 cards in the set, which isn't really realistic for me and my budget right now.

Purchase #4:  Shoebox of Cards $15

Tony's buddy had this shoebox partially filled with cards sitting on his table.  About a quarter of the box was filled with refractors and other inserts.

The rest was a bunch of Bowman products, which meant lots and lots of prospects and rookie cards.  Just sitting there sorting through everything was worth part of the price I paid.

Purchase #5:  1983 Donruss All-Star Box  $5

I already own this set and have even featured a pack break on my blog five years ago, which means I don't really need to open anymore of this product.  However... for five bucks... I just couldn't pass it up.

Purchase #6:  The Bad News Bears DVD Set $2

One of my favorite Branham vendors is this elderly gentleman with tons of Americana memorabilia.  His stuff ranges from concert passes to movie scripts to 8-track tapes.  I've purchased items from him a few times in the past.  Remember the Hawaiian Pidgin books I picked up back in December?  Those were from him.

This time around I found this box set of The Bad News Bears for my sports movie collection.  The box and cases are a little worn, but the DVD's are clean.  Maybe next weekend I'll sit down in front of my television, have a BNB marathon, and sort some cards... just like the good old days.

Until then...

Happy Tuesday and sayonara!