Cheap Cards & Small Investments

While some of you were picking up Heritage boxes, blasters, hangars, and/or packs last week... I decided to head over to Sportlots for the first time in over a year and find some singles for my collection instead.

Normally most of my online card purchases take place over on eBay or COMC, but there was one particular card I've been wanting to add to my collection and Sportlots offered the cheapest solution:

2019 Topps #126

Ever since people started showing off their 2019 Topps Series One, I've been in love with the team card subset and the amazing stadium photographs.  The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum card is extra special to me, because I grew up attending games and concerts there.

Sportslots ended my monthlong wait and it only cost me 18¢ + shipping.  It's seriously the best 18¢ I've spent in a long time.

While I was there, I decided to pick up another cheap card:

2017 Topps Pro Debut Ben's Biz #BBB-9

I try to go to at least one or two San Jose Giants games a year and the churros are pretty darn good, but I've gotta admit... I had no idea who Paul Cerda was until I saw this card.  But the fact that there's a card out there honoring a local is pretty cool.  I'm gonna take 18¢ card with me the next time I go to a game and see if he'll sign it for me.

The last cheap single I grabbed was this Matt Chapman rookie card:

2014 Bowman Draft #DP21

Chapman is one of the best defensive third basemen in baseball and he's a pretty good hitter too.  That's why I wasn't sweating the 20¢ investment I made on his first Bowman card.

The other three cards I grabbed were more expensive, but it made me feel less stupid for spending $3 on premium shipping.

The most expensive card I purchased was this Ramon Laureano rookie card:

2017 Heritage Minor League #3 (No First Name)

Laureano is projected to be the A's starting centerfielder for many years to come.  He caught my attention last summer after I saw this highlight:

The No First Name variations were tough pulls... seeded at 1:47 packs... which explains the $5 price tag.  I'm just hoping he doesn't fall into a sophomore slump.

The last two purchases were also rookie cards, however they're a little more established than Mr. Laureano:

2018 Topps Gallery Wood #101

2018 Topps Gallery #126

The Andujar was $2.50 and Soto was $2.  I threw these two into the shopping cart, because I was impressed by both of these guys last year.  Plus none of the Walmarts in my area sell cards, so I didn't have access to any 2018 Topps Gallery.

At the end of the day, I dropped $13.06 on six cards.  Was it the greatest deal of the year?  Definitely not.  But I did cross off two cards that I really, really wanted to own and added four rookie cards that may or may not have room for growth.  I can live with that.

Well that's it for today.  If you didn't see my Saturday post, I'm celebrating my blog's 9th anniversary with a contest.  Click here to enter.

Happy Monday and sayonara!