30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Perfect Timing

When it comes to oddball issues, there are few that rival 70's and 80's Kellogg's.  And with each passing year, my fascination and fixation on these lenticular rectangular treasures grows.  Over the past five months alone, I have added the 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1981 sets to my collection, which complement the 1980, 1982, and 1983 sets I already owned.  I also picked up a clean 1978 starter set on eBay last month for way less than a blaster.  Hopefully I'll be able to complete this set in the near future, however I'm willing to be patient if it saves me a few dollars.

Unfortunately... my willpower alluded me two weeks ago while vacationing in Las Vegas when I bid and won a complete 1972 Kellogg's set for $153.01 (+ $6.99 shipping) on eBay.  Normally I wouldn't have even searched for a complete set.  However... a few hours earlier, I had hit a $1,200 jackpot on a Walking Dead slot machine and was itching to find something nice for my collection.  Low and behold... this auction was closing within two hours of me discovering it.  If that wasn't enough incentive... eBay was offering 10x eBay Bucks that day.

It was as if the Cardboard Gods and the Slot Machine Gods had gotten together and line things up for me to come along and add this set to my collection.

Anyone who has collected 70's Kellogg's lenticular cards is probably aware of their cracking issues.  Well outside of the NM description and two photos, I was honestly taking a risk by bidding on this set.  For this price, I was expecting it to be nice... and I wasn't disappointed.

Out of the 54 cards, I only noticed four or five with cracks.  The Willie Stargell is the only one that needs to be replaced.  I can live with the rest.

I'm not the biggest fan of scanning, but I'm so excited about this purchase I scanned every card so that other Kellogg's collectors could enjoy it too:


Top Row: #1 Tom Seaver, #2 Amos Otis, #3 Willie Davis
Bottom Row#4 Wilbur Wood, #5 Bill Parsons, #6 Pete Rose


Top Row: #7 Willie McCovey, #8 Ferguson Jenkins, #9 Vida Blue
Bottom Row#10 Joe Torre, #11 Merv Rettenmund, #12 Bill Melton


Top Row: #13 Jim Palmer, #14 Doug Rader, #15 Dave Roberts
Bottom Row#16 Bobby Murcer, #17 Wes Parker, #18 Joe Coleman


Top Row: #19 Manny Sanguillen, #20 Reggie Jackson, #21 Ralph Garr
Bottom Row#22 Jim Hunter, #23 Rick Wise, #24 Glenn Beckert


Top Row: #25 Tony Oliva, #26 Bob Gibson, #27 Mike Cuellar
Bottom Row#28 Chris Speier, #29 Dave McNally, #30 Leo Cardenas


Top Row: #31 Bill Freehan, #32 Bud Harrelson, #33 Sam McDowell
Bottom Row#34 Claude Osteen, #35 Reggie Smith, and #36 Sonny Siebert


Top Row: #37 Lee May, #38 Mickey Lolich, #39 Cookie Rojas
Bottom Row#40 Dick Drago, #41 Nate Colbert, #42 Andy Messersmith


Top Row: #43 Dave Johnson, #44 Steve Blass, #45 Bob Robertson
Bottom Row#46 Billy Williams, #47 Juan Marichal, #48 Lou Brock


Top Row: #49 Roberto Clemente, #50 Mel Stottlemyre, #51 Don Wilson
Bottom Row#52 Sal Bando, #53 Willie Stargell, #54 Willie Mays

Although 25% of the set is made up of hall of famers, I was pretty bummed that guys like Steve Carlton, Frank Robinson, Johnny Bench, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan, Nolan Ryan, Brooks Robinson, and Rod Carew weren't included on the checklist.

That being said... I'm really excited to finally add the Roberto Clemente to my collection:



The 1972 design isn't one of my favorites, but it's still special to me because it represents my birth year.  Knowing the kind of humanitarian that Clemente was and the fact that he passed away only a few months after I was born makes owning this card even more special.



Entire career statistics, a second player photograph, along with a team logo make the backs just as impressive as the fronts.  Speaking of fronts... here's a closer look at some of my other favorites:


With this set crossed off of my list... I'm down to only needing the 1970, 1971, 1973 (non-lenticular), 1975, and 1978 (only 6 cards needed) to complete my run of Kellogg's baseball sets of the 70's and 80's.

I'd love to add at least one more in 2019, but I'm not counting on it unless I'm lucky enough to hit another jackpot in Vegas.

Today's question of the day...

You've just won a $160 eBay gift card, but you're only allowed to spend it on either one card or one set.

What would you buy?

Happy Thursday and sayonara!

22 comments:

sg488 said...

I would find a nice set to buy ,but I have always been a set man. As for Kellogg's the 70,73,75 and 78 should be easy to find at a decent price, but to afford a 71 set you may have to win another jackpot. Good Luck.

Baltmoss68 said...

I could change my mind a hundred times but today the 1 card would probably be the SP Derek Jeter rookie and the set would be as many 1955 Topps All American football cards in decent shape that I could grab. (I have 44 of the 100 card set)

Brett Alan said...

If I were going to buy one big-ticket card, I'd be thinking about the 1975 George Brett mini. (Or a Seaver rookie, but I don't think I'm finding one for $160.) Maybe a 1952 Hoyt Wilhelm, or some high-end auto of a guy I collect.

Nick Vossbrink said...

Nice! I'd probably lean toward getting a set but getting one guilt-free big-ticket card would be fun. I've never even priced anything at the $160 mark so I've got no good answer but there are plenty of Mays and other HoFers on my searchlist.

RunForeKelloggs said...

I would lean toward a set. I'd target a Hostess set in panels if that would fit into the dollar amount. I really like the first few years of Hostess cards. If I could get a lower graded 1968 Topps 3-D card that would be cool too.

Nick said...

You hit the jackpot indeed! I'd probably buy a beat-up '55 Clemente rookie with that amount of cash.

GTT said...

I'd get the 1953 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese.

https://adventuresofabaseballcardcollector.blogspot.com/

SumoMenkoMan said...

Wow! Nice pickup. I think I’d go for some nice Japanese sumo wrestling post card set.

Matt said...

I didn't win nearly as much as you, only a few hundred, but the only time I got a big slot machine win was in Vegas on a Walking Dead machine! I wonder if it was the same one... ;) The Kellogg's cards are beautiful. I have the Otis from that set and think the design is just fantastic.

The Lost Collector said...

Congrats on the win! I would definitely go straight into my Jeter autograph saved search.

Reds Card Collector said...

Nice set Fuji! I might have to go with a 1933 Goudey Ernie Lombardi.

Peter K Steinberg said...

What a nice buy! Congratulations!! Wow. I think I'd try to get the most I could with that amount of money. Probably a Strawberry minor league card or two; the few John Kruk minor league cards, and then I'd step back into some vintage to round it out with some nice HOFer cards.

Robert said...

While reading this post I thought to myself...

"I've seen so many posts about Kellogg's cards over the years, should we really be considering them oddballs?"

Maybe somebody out there will write a post that actually defines oddball as far as the hobby goes...

Greg Zakwin said...

If I could find a presentable PSA or SGC 1 Koufax rookie, that. If not, something oddball Jackie from the 50s that was graded.

The Shlabotnik Report said...

(This is my second attempt at a comment, the first disappeared when I hit "Publish". Forgive me if I'm repeating myself)

I was surprised/amused to find out that there's such a thing as a Walking Dead slot machine, but maybe I wouldn't be if I'd ever been in a casino. What came up to get you $1,200? Five Michonnes? :-)

At any rate, congrats on the slots win and on the set!

With that gift card I would buy...
Card: Either the Koufax or Mays short print from 1964 Topps "Giants".
Set: If one can buy any 1970's Hostess set for $160, I'll go with that.

Angus said...

I would buy a Jim Brown autographed card.

Adam Kaningher said...

Wow, what luck! Feels awesome to hit the gambling machines just right. I did once for about $400 in video poker. Unfortunately, I didn't convert it into cardboard awesomeness like this.

But if I did, I'd probably go out and add a 1993 Finest Refractor to my collection.

Paul Hadsall said...

I'm getting the nicest Tom Seaver rookie that $160 will buy, which will probably be in pretty rough shape, but sitll...

arpsmith said...

Congrats on the jackpot and nice purchase. My choice would probably depend on the day but I would probably gravitate to a vintage Willie Mays card I need for the Giants collection.

Ana Lu said...

Ohhhhh I also have one Kellogg's 3D set, just cannot remember from each year it is..
I'd spend that in a set rather than in a single card..Unless it was Paul Molitor relic-auto card =D

Fuji said...

sg488 - i'd be happy with just the 1970 set. it's hands down my favorite kellogg's design of all-time.

baltmoss68 - i missed the boat on the 93sp jeter. early in his career, i thought he was a fluke. never been more wrong.

brett alan - can't go wrong with any of those vintage cards you mentioned. i'd love to add a seaver rc to my collection as well.

nick vossbrink - you're a smart man. i have no business looking at $160 cards or sets... but every now and then i can't control myself.

runfore kelloggs - i've never seen a reasonably priced 68t 3d, but i definitely would love to add one to the collection

nick - clemente rookie has never been on my radar. maybe one day though.

gtt - awesome card. that card will eventually pop up on my top 10 most wanted. btw... i'm excited to check out your blog.

sumomenkoman - i'm pulling for ya. always love seeing new sumo wrestling cards on your blog.

matt - i was over at main street casino (downtown las vegas) when i hit it. a while back, i won on walking dead over at red rock casino too (not quite as big though).

the lost collector - good call. can't ever have enough jeter autographs

reds card collector - is there a story behind the 33G Lombardi?

peter k steinberg - just watched that documentary on strawberry (it's probably the 2nd or 3rd time seeing it), but it really made me relive memories and made me want to buy some of his cards. i might have to track down a strawberry minor league card for my collection

robert - lol. personally oddballs are a large umbrella that covers a lot of things. food issues being one of them.

greg zakwin - both of those are solid picks. personally i'd target a 56t koufax though before his rookie. i've been looking for that card for over a year now.

the shlabotnik report - yeah... it was essentially five michonnes or something very similar. i took a photo and posted it on another post, but i can't remember which one. the 64t giants are awesome. it's one of the reasons i love the 1970 kelloggs set.

angus - dang. you just reminded me that i probably should add one of those to my collection in 2019. my father loved watching him play.

adam kaningher - i should retire from the slots, but it's one of the things that helps me connect with my mom. i could have bought some really nice cards with the money i've lost playing video slots.

paul hadsall - second seaver rookie comment. didn't realize he was this popular among bloggers. excellent choice.

arpsmith - you can't go wrong with mays. the guy was one of the greatest to ever play the game. i have a few i'm looking to add to my collection.

ana lu - pretty sure you can pick up a molitor autographed relic for $50 or less. i've seen non relic, on-card signatures sell in the $15 to $20 range.

Henry Blanchette said...

Those are some sick 3D cards, especially the Clemente. Now, if I had $160 for 1 card or set, I'd go for either a low-numbered autograph of Benintendi, Mookie Betts auto if I could find one for that price, or the '77 Topps set.