Every now and then... like a punch in the face... I realize that I have an addiction to sports cards. It's not to the point where I'm overly stressed out or financially strained, but it's an addiction nonetheless.
The latest reminder came to me after one of my recent card show purchases. When it comes to card shows, I'm a total sucker for cheap autographs and memorabilia cards and one of the vendors had a couple of monster boxes filled with them.
The box was labeled with a $3 per card price tag. However he offered bulk discounts. The largest discount was 40 cards for $60.
The card that caught my attention was this Joey Votto relic card:
I've been looking for an affordable Votto memorabilia card to complete my Sports Card Trifecta and this card meets the requirements. After pulling this card out... I was committed to finding more cards to increase the discount. This is where my "addiction" come into play.
Before I knew it... I had a stack of over 70. I ended up putting a bunch back... which demonstrated some restraint. But I still walked away with 46 autographs/memorabilia cards.
Round 3: The Big Haul $65
The latest reminder came to me after one of my recent card show purchases. When it comes to card shows, I'm a total sucker for cheap autographs and memorabilia cards and one of the vendors had a couple of monster boxes filled with them.
The box was labeled with a $3 per card price tag. However he offered bulk discounts. The largest discount was 40 cards for $60.
The card that caught my attention was this Joey Votto relic card:
2017 Topps Tribute Stamp of Approval Relics #SOA-JV
I've been looking for an affordable Votto memorabilia card to complete my Sports Card Trifecta and this card meets the requirements. After pulling this card out... I was committed to finding more cards to increase the discount. This is where my "addiction" come into play.
Before I knew it... I had a stack of over 70. I ended up putting a bunch back... which demonstrated some restraint. But I still walked away with 46 autographs/memorabilia cards.
Round 3: The Big Haul $65
Do I need most of these cards? The answer is clearly "no". However while standing in front of the dealer, I convinced myself that $1.50 per card was a great deal. That's what an "addiction" will do to you.
The final price ended up being a slightly lower than that. After the dealer saw me struggling to cut the stack down to 40 cards, he told me if I wanted, I could have the last six cards for $5.
Here are some of my favorites that are going straight into my collection:
2016 Topps Tribute Relics #TR-AP
I realize that memorabilia cards have lost their luster over the past decade or so, but I will buy any Pujols relic at this price any day of the week (even if he's featured as an Angel).
The same can be said for gridiron legends like Bettis and Manning:
2017 Panini Spectra Epic Legends Materials #7
2011 Donruss Elite Craftsmen Jerseys #21
Plus, I grabbed this Winston for my Prime # PC:
2017 National Treasures Colossal Materials #18 (#'d 01/99)
Last, but not least is this Jared Goff:
2016 Panini Select Swatches #25
I don't usually target non-established football players, but Goff went to UC Berkeley. I'm glad I picked it up, because he's been playing really well this season.
I was hoping to wrap up my card show purchases in two posts. Unfortunately I went on a little too long about "cardboard addiction", so I'll go ahead and wrap things up here.
That being said... here is today's question of the day:
Are you on some level addicted to collecting cards? What other addictions do you have?
I'm definitely addicted to sugar and caffeine. No matter how hard I try to cut back... I struggle.
Well... that's all for now. Happy Thursday and sayonara!
Fantastic post and cards! Wow; that's such a great deal you got. Definitely finding that baseball cards (I'm exclusive to baseball) is something I think about all the time. I have collected books, too. More real life addictions are coffee and chocolate.
ReplyDeleteI suppose addiction is a reasonable term for my collecting habits. 2018 is my 45th consecutive year of collecting, I can't imagine *not* doing it.
ReplyDeleteVotto relic for that price? Color me jealous!
ReplyDeleteI really only collect baseball cards with any sort of purpose or plan. I'm pretty addicted, but I can step away for months at time and just enjoy looking at what I currently have.
ReplyDeleteIMHO, relics > autos. I have my reasons and maybe I'll make a post out of it someday. The Votto is sweet, but I think the Goff is my favorite and I'm not even a football guy.
Relics over autos is a helluva hot take. Defend it.
DeleteOnce again I am jealous of your card show's deals. I have a post in the works about why shows around here kinda stink compared to everyone else's.
ReplyDeleteAs for being addicted, honestly I'm not as much as I used to be. I only get a real craving for a card when I sense that I have a significant shot at getting it autographed in some fashion.
Hmm, this post makes me think about dumping all of my non baseball autos and relics, maybe do a trade post to swap out for Braves autos and relics.
ReplyDeletedang it Fuji. other addicts don't like to have someone else's big score waved in their faces. a real junkie would know this. perhaps you're not as far gone as you think. ;) amazing lot of cards, you done good. you done real good.
ReplyDeleteBecause I like so many different aspects of card and memorabilia collecting I figure maybe I’m a bit addicted. Not destructively so but my collection/accumulation does meander a lot. I definitely crave my lcs trip every Wednesday and Saturday flea market too. As a regular I get some great deals from both
ReplyDeleteIs that a Jeff Hornacek autograph hanging out on the left of the scan? That's a pretty sweet pickup.
ReplyDeleteWhat a deal! I stumble upon 2 for $3 relic boxes once in a while but every top loader is so scratched and faded you can't tell what the cards are. And, they are never good.
ReplyDeleteNice haul of some future HOFs! Collecting is just another name for addiction which comes in different “severities”. We are all here feeding out addiction! Ha. Sumo cards are my addiction for sure.
ReplyDeleteSweet haul! I've only been to one show that had a relic and auto box with a deal like that. I managed to fill my allotment.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely addicted. I buy these things then they just sit in a box or binder. Sometimes I wonder why.
ReplyDeleteNicely done. Your assessment of their value was spot on. Those are big name guys and cards from some good products. I second RAZs comment on the nice Hornacek auto...great pickup.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely an addiction. I find myself coming home from work and just wanting to handle some cards. And it's getting to the point where I can't put them away fast enough to leave room for the next haul.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people hate sorting their cards. I think it's the best part. It's relaxing to me.
Nice relics haul.
ReplyDeleteAddiction? (imitating Bill Clinton) "It depends on what the definition of the word 'addiction' is." (/Clinton impersonation).
Sorry...I could not scroll past that gorgeous-out-of-this-world Joey Votto relic card.. <3
ReplyDeleteFor me, "addiction" is basically a synonym for "collecting" at this point.
ReplyDeleteYeah..i definitely have an addiction especially to busting wax...i know logistically singles are the way to go but nothing beats pulling a nice card yourself! (Or getting killed in a break and complaining about it, haha)
ReplyDeleteTruly a big haul, nicely done. Votto and Pujols! But did I see two Jon Grays? Unless you're a supercollector, I would have just stuck with one.
ReplyDeleteAs for addiction, I guess cards is my only one. I still buy them even though it's probably smart to cut back. Specifically, I think I'm more addicted to getting packs of cards opposed to going through cards in a bin. I find it more thrilling (and thus addicting) to open a pack to see what I got instead of going through a box and pulling out what I want. Here you jumped at the chance of 40 cards for $60...I'd hesitate, thinking I can get a blaster box of the next 3 Topps releases.
Sorry to comment twice.... but...CLIFF HAGAN Auto????!!!? AWESOME!!!
ReplyDelete5 hour energy, Comc.com bargains, fantasy baseball & hour long showers, plus napping, to scrape the iceberg. Any and all notable Stamp of Approval/Clearly Authentic relics in the $3 range are included in what I would consider my wheelhouse for cardboard abuse, while star Tribute pinstriped relics will suffice in a pinch😆⚾️☄
ReplyDeleteCards, cookies and pizza here
ReplyDeleteYup, for me it's card collecting for sure. As for others I'd say music. Whether it's vinyl records, my digital music collection, playing the guitar, going to concerts, it's always on my mind. Great post Fuji!
ReplyDeleteI'm addicted to potato chips.
ReplyDeleteSome great cards with the Detlef Schrempf auto standing out to me. Good stuff. Thanks
ReplyDeletepeter k steinberg - books, coffee, and chocolate. i can relate
ReplyDeletethe shlabotnik report - 45 consecutive years? that's awesome!
jasongerman9 - it's the card that got the ball rolling
p-town tom - i'm with zippy. i'd love to read that post.
zippy zappy - i'd love to read your post as well. mainly just to see what card shows are like on the other side of the country
john miller - back in the day, you and i would have made great trading partners. but these days... i love collecting baseball cards way more than any other sport
julie owens - lol. i should know better. sorry.
baltmoss68 - good to hear you find deals at your local flea markets. my flea markets have slowly dried up over the years.
raz - yup. was pretty stoked to find it and i don't really collect basketball anymore
scribbled ink - i don't think these top loaders were in much better condition.
sumomenkoman - very true
angus - it's good and bad that there are boxes out there like these. it's good for collectors, but bad for investors ;)
the lost collector - exactly. i have so many inserts (two 5k boxes) from a purchase i made this summer. still haven't done anything with them.
josh d - good eye.
gca - i have a love/hate relationship with sorting. it is therapeutic, but at the same time... i feel like sometimes it's a job.
captkirk42 - lol. i could totally hear him say that
ana lu - if you look closely enough, there's another votto relic
nick - you and sumomenkoman are on the same page
chris p - i vicariously live through you when it comes to busting wax
jafronius - does it make a difference that the two grays are different colors? i mean... i admitted it's an addiction.
baltmoss68 - wow. had no idea so many of you guys appreciate basketball.
xavier higgins - hour long showers are awesome! well. i'm more of a 15 to 20 minute shower guy. but i love them.
sport card collectors - i love pizza and cookies too. i actually have to avoid the cookie aisle, because if I go down it, i know i'll buy it.
shoeboxlegends - i've got a vinyl record post in the works. stay tuned
adam kaningher - kettle brand jalapeno is my vice
bulldog - it was nice to see autographs of 90's basketball guys in this guy's boxes. it's even nicer seeing readers who appreciate those autographs.