30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Flea Market Finds #141: G.O.A.T Autograph

We interrupt your regularly schedule publishing of A Few of My Favorite Things to bring you a soon to be out of date Flea Market Finds post for you.

I've been sitting on this post for more than a week and I can't delay its publication any longer.  To make a long story short... it's flea market season and things are starting to get backed up.

Today's post deals with my trip to the De Anza Flea Market back on August 3rd.  These days, I don't have very high expectations of finding cards at this particular flea market.  However as luck would have it, I came across a guy who purchased a huge collection and was trying to piece it out set by set:



Purchase #11993 Topps Baseball Set (x2$40


The dealer had a little bit of everything from 1981 Fleer to 1994 Topps.  He knew his stuff and had lists of completed eBay sales, but his prices were reasonably competitive.

After going through his 1993 Topps sets, I settle on these two because they had the cleanest Jeter rookie cards.  I'll binder up one of them.  Not quite sure what I'll do with the other one.  Regardless, I'm excited to see Jeter join Mariano at Cooperstown next year.


Purchase #2Signed Gretzky: An Autobiography  $2.50


Found this book sitting among hundreds of other books and was stoked to see this on the inside:


I immediately texted my buddy who specializes in autographs and he replied "looks good".  If this thing is legit, this would be the second Gretzky autograph I've found at the flea market in recent years.  If not, it set me back a few bucks.


Purchase #32014 Topps Star Wars Perspectives Box  $10


Never seen or heard of this product, but for $10 I just couldn't pass it up.  I'll bust it open one of these days.  Until then... it sits with my other unopened boxes.


Purchase #42019 Allen and Ginter #183  $2



Already showed this card off on Saturday's post, but gotta document it for my records.


Purchase #5Krazy George Talking Bobblehead  $7


I'm trying my best to avoid eye contact with any bobbleheads I stumble across at my weekly trips to the flea market.  They're hard to clean and take up too much space.  But Krazy George is a part of my childhood, so I've been looking for one of these.  It worked perfectly when I handed the lady my seven dollars.  However by the time I got home, Krazy was mumbling at best.

Well that wraps up this week's flea market haul.  My buddy and I headed down to Los Angeles last weekend and hit up a few flea markets, attended a Dodger's game, met up with a fellow blogger, and attended a pair of card shows.  Stay tuned for that post.

If things go as planned, A Few of My Favorite Things should be back next Tuesday.  Same time.  Same place.

Happy Tuesday and sayonara!

19 comments:

Jon said...

If that Gretzky is legit, that would be one heck of a find! Might want to steer clear of PSA if you're going to try and get it authenticated, just about all of their services are under fire right now (and rightfully so).

shoeboxlegends said...

Awesome haul Fuji! I agree on that Gretzky book, either it's an amazing steal or just a good read, but either way you can't go wrong for that price.

BTW, at first I thought you were going to say that lead-off picture was of your trunk, and you came home with all those sets!

Commishbob said...

You come up with the best stuff at flea markets!! I was just telling my wife the other day that I need to change up my little circle of Goodwill and second-hand stores because I never find anything worth a second glance.

The Snorting Bull said...

Great find with that Gretzky!!! Amazing find.

P-town Tom said...

Flea markets in my area never have anything but over priced junk wax. I envy you.

Bulldog said...

Sweet find and fun post.

Matt said...

Lots of good stuff there!

Johnnys Trading Spot said...

Way to go with the Gretzky auto.

SumoMenkoMan said...

Definitely better deals than we saw this weekend.

GCA said...

I got one of those Tatis cards just in case I didn't pull it from my two boxes. And of course, I did...

PS small package on its way to you

Matt said...

Man what a find!

Fuji said...

jon - no plans on getting it authenticated. it's too expensive for top tier guys like gretzky.

shoeboxlegends - i was blown away at the number of sets this guy had. he also had about 50 more sets sitting on a table. he had some really cool stuff like fleer and topps vending boxes, but they were a little more than i wanted to spend

commishbob - if you're ever in the bay area, shoot me an email and i'll give you a tour. gotta admit though... they've been hit or miss the past 5 or 6 years.

the snorting bull - lol. assuming it's legit. but yeah, i was happy to grab it.

p-town tom - part of it has to do with the fact that i highlight my purchases. i've been to just as many flea markets where i walk home empty-handed or with a bag of pistachios.

bulldog - thanks

matt - thanks

johnnys trading spot - crossing my fingers that it's legit

sumomenkoman - i know. the best part of the road trip was the game, eating del taco, and hanging out with you and mike.

gca - i'm putting together a care package for you as well.

sport card collectors - thanks

Anonymous said...

Being Canadian love the Gretzky find, real or not. I do not collect non-sport but quick look on Ebay and that Star Wars box was a steal.

Bo said...

Nice finds. My library's copy of Ball Four is autographed by Jim Bouton.

Collecting Cutch said...

Even if its not legit, that book is good for two fifty.

Nick said...

I don't really dabble in hockey, but a few months back I noticed we had some signed copies of a different Gretzky book in the clearance section at my Barnes & Noble job. I seriously thought about picking it up.

Chris said...

What a haul, and the Gretzky book is a bargain at that price. The autograph is incredible, I hope it's legit and it certainly looks great. I read an article a few days ago that 'dared' to proclaim Wayne as the greatest team sport athlete of all time. My response was Of course he is! Why is this a question?

arpsmith said...

Great finds! I am envious of your flea market hauls. I am not a hockey fan but was living in the LA area when Gretzky was around. He is probably the only hockey auto I would ever seek out - great stuff, congrats.

Fuji said...

canadian anonymous - yeah... i looked it up. seems like they sell pretty easily for $40 on ebay.

bo - that's pretty cool. one of these days i need to sit down and read that book

collecting cutch - that's what i figured. i don't really read books, but it's nice to have this one sitting on my shelf if i decide to start

nick - if they still have them, you should. you could end up putting some extra spending money in your pocket. there are people who collect gretzky and hockey fans in general would love to add his signature to their collection.

chris - i really wish i would have been a hockey fan during the 80's, so i could have seen him play. but just one look at his stats and i'm in awe

arpsmith - i've been lucky with finding gretzky at my flea markets. hopefully this one is legit.