In my 3rd post, I talked about the J.J. Hickson autograph out of the 2008/09 Topps Signature set. The Hickson is the lowest #'d card in the set. There are only 125 copies of his autographed card and I have been trying to pick up this card ever since I started building this set over 18 months ago. Unfortunately, every time I found one the person had just traded it away or they outbid me at the last second.
Well when I saw the card on eBay a few weeks ago, I put in an insane bid and won. I was so excited when the card finally arrived. I quickly drove over to my buddy's storage unit and dug through my stuff for 5 minutes until I found the set. After I added the card, I quickly flipped through the set when I realized a problem. Where was my Shaquille O'neal autograph? I remembered that it wasn't on the original checklist, but he had a regular base card and the parallels to go with it. Did he have a signed version or did Topps take him out of the autograph set?
So I headed back home, checked eBay, and sure enough I discovered that he had signed 825 cards. I immediately put in another insane price into my sniper program and a couple of days later I won the autograph. Now the waiting game began. I waited several days until it finally arrived this weekend.
My 2008/09 Topps Signature autographed set is finally complete. Thank goodness... I was beginning to think I'd never finish that set.
Okay... so here's your question of the day: Do you have a white whale? If so, what is it and how long have you been looking for it?
By the way... thanks to everyone who responded to yesterday's question. I'm no longer accepting responses to that question, however I'll still accept people's links if they're plugging my contest (which will earn you 5 additional points)
Here's a current point breakdown:
TJ - 2 points
John - 1 point
night owl - 1 point
Sal - 1 point
Steve D - 1 point
Captain Canuck - 1 point
(...Joe) - 1 point
Play at the Plate - 1 point
I added up the points late last night. If you happen to see any errors in the scoring, please let me know and I'll update the totals.
There are a lot of cards I'm seeking that keep evading my grasp, but I guess my true white whale would be God Shammgod's 1997-1998 Fleer Ultra Masterpieces #168, which is a 1/1.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a single card from the 1/1 Masterpieces set, let alone the Shammgod card, on any card website I use. Worse yet, the Platinum Medallion versions of these guys (#'d to 100 usually) sell for $30 minimum, with many over $100 on Beckett. And even worse than that yet, God Shammgod has a ton of collectors out there, so there's a great chance that this card is already in someone's PC, or that I will be outbid by hundreds if it actually appears on Ebay someday.
So I think that's a pretty good white whale. A rare, never before seen card in a rare, never before seen parallel set that I could never afford if I ever found it. But would probably break the bank for since I can't have a God Shammgod Master Set without it.
White Whale? Hard to pick just one.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd like to get my hands on the prototype hockey cards made by Action Packed during the 1989-90 season. Specifically of Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman (I have Wayne Gretzky).
A 1991-92 Larry Bird regular Fleer 3-d Glass Card. That year on the back of their packs Fleer had a promotion where if sent 5 (+2 dollar shipping) to some company you could get a three dimensional glass card of any card in their set.
ReplyDeleteI only bought one - I told them I wanted the Larry Bird team leader card and I still have that card it is magnificent. I was short of money at the time (and paying about 7 bucks for one card was a lot for me at the time)however, if I had to do it all over again I problem would have bought 10-20 cards (including Jordan, Barkley McHale, All-stars, team leaders etc...).
The funny thing though is that I don't even know if a regular version of the Bird card exists. Someone would have had to order it back in 1992.
In fact, I might have the only Bird team leader card in existance.
Lots of white whales. At the moment it's a 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson.
ReplyDeleteMan, I don't have one and it's probably a good thing that I don't I tend to get a little obsessive about things like that. I can imagine sleepless nights scouring the interwebs tracking down my elusive white whale. Bad news, man. Bad news.
ReplyDeletehttp://allyourbasecards.blogspot.com/2010/08/fujis-holding-contest.html
At first, I thought..."No, I don't have a white-whale." But then I realized that I really do. I've been trying to get my hands on a Stan Musial autograph for about a year now. He charges $100 to autograph a card TTM (I know you can find Musial autos for about half that if you look hard enough), so it's been a little cost prohibitive to me so far. But I really want to get his autograph before he's no longer with us and the prices go way up. (Don't mean to sound morbid about it, but Stan is no spring chicken anymore.)
ReplyDeleteI don't consider them white whales but there are two cards that I have been looking for for a while. I see them pop up on the bay occasionally but I miss them for various reasons.
ReplyDeleteFirst is a 1948 Bowman Bobby Thomson RC. This is a player collection that has been on the back burner for a while, though I still look out for this card.
Secondly a 2007 Exquisite Adam Lind auto quad patch numbered out of 25. There's one on ebay right now and has been there for weeks. It can stay there forever at the price the sellers asking.
One day I'll get one of them but probably not for a while.
Graig Nettles rookie card. They still go for qutie a bit of dough. Lookin' for one in pretty good condition.
ReplyDeletespastikmooss - are you the guy who collect players with weird names? i'm not sure if it was you or not, but it was pretty cool. good luck in your hunt for the 1/1... btw... do you have the platinum in your collection?
ReplyDeletesal - i remember the action packed prototypes. how many hockey players did they make?
john - i'd love to see a scan of that fleer 3-d glass card... i remotely remember seeing the advertisements on the wrappers... or maybe on the back of a comic book.
night owl - me too... jackie robinson is one of my pcs
tj - thanks for promoting the contest
82redbirds - speaking of musial... i'd love to get my hands on the uda autographed photo of him and gwynn.
tony mc - i hear you on the money thing. i know i overpaid on the hickson and shaq autos... but i just wanted it to be done with. i didn't have the patience. i wish i had your willpower
longlivethewho - nettles, guidry, & randolph were the only yankees i liked growing up. nice card... good luck in your search for a clean one.
I don't really have a specific "white whale" however Being an avid Mets fan and collector, I would love to find a 1/1 of David Wright, Mike Piazza, Tom Seaver, or really any Mets player as I don't have any 1/1's of any Met as of yet.
ReplyDeleteNo question, I'm looking for a Bowman Batum Superfractor, but I'd still settle for a Red Chrome /5.
ReplyDeleteI'm not picky.
Sweet set. Congrats!!!! There are some great players in there. I especially like the "Hondo" and Stockton ones.
ReplyDeleteAs far as a white whale is concerned, there really are too many. I basically don't take any card that typically sells for over $125 as anything realistic with my budget and if being honest, anything over $50. So many of those white whales are out.
If I had to pick one card as a fairly realistic white whale, I would have to go with a mint version of the '96 Upper Deck SPx Anfernee Hardaway Tribute Card Auto With matching UD Holo COA #'d/300. I had a chance about a year and a half ago to buy one, but didn't win the eBay auction. They have gone up in price since. Great Question!!!!
JOHN, I am looking for those '92 Fleer cards. Please email me at Hoopography@yahoo.com or comment on my blog at http://hoopography.blogspot.com/ if you know of collectors, shops or sellers who have any cards from that set?!?!?!?!? Thanks
ReplyDeleteOf Course I do! Who doesnt? Its the 2004 Just Hunter Pence Minor League RC AUTO. I have been looking for it since I have been collecting Hunter (about a year) This card goes for around 60 to 80 bucks on ebay, but as a kid, I cant spend that.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, it may just be a David Wright auto card. Not really looking to dish the $$ out for it, so that's part of the problem.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of sports memorabilia, not just a card, I was after a Manny Pacquiao SF Giants bobblehead for a yr+ before I finally found a reasonable price on Ebay in May. It was given out during Filipino Heritage Night.
I have been trying to find a Brandon Webb 1 of 1 card for a while now. I have been outbid at the last second on eBay a few times. I'll get one someday!
ReplyDeleteContest entries are officially closed: Feel free to continue commenting, but it won't count for points.
ReplyDeleteIf you're plugging this contest on your blog, feel free to post it on the original contest thread to receive your 5 bonus points. I'll be accepting these links until 10pm on Friday night (Pacific Standard Time).
Thanks again for the amazing feedback. It was interesting to read everyone's white whales. Also, thank you to everyone who has promoted the contest on your blogs.
I'll try to have updated point totals by tomorrow morning. Good night!
I sometimes collect weird names - I pulled it out of my wants for now to try and thin my collection. But that is where my Wonderful Monds and God Shammgod collections stemmed from.
ReplyDeleteAnd nope, I do not have the Platinum. Haven't seen it listed anywhere as well. So...hopefully one of these days haha.
I don't have a specific white whale, but I've always wanted a card of Jim Thorpe which is the reason why I would have picked prize pack k in the last post. I know I'm too late for points, but I thought I'd comment anyway. Cool contest.
ReplyDeleteSpastikMooss - best of luck find the platinum... if I ever see it, i'll make sure to let you know.
ReplyDeleteJeremy - i'd like to add at least one thorpe card to my collection too. the contest is still in the early stages... glad to see you've jumped on board.