If I had to rank my hobbies... collecting trading cards would sit atop the list. However they aren't the only things I collect. One of my lesser known hobbies is stamp collecting.
Okay. I wouldn't necessarily go around calling myself a stamp collector, but I have gone out of my way to purchase stamps on a few occasions. If interested, you can read about those purchases here and here. I'll even buy sheets directly from the USPS once in a blue moon. And if I'm really lucky... I will stumble across some discounted ones at a card show.
It's time to dive back into that box of goodies containing my Bay Area Sports Card & Collectibles Expo haul from a few weeks ago. Today's post covers stamp sheets from the vendor's 5 for $1 table.
First up are a pair of 1988 Grenada MLB stamp sheets:
I've seen these floating around our hobby for decades, but these are the first full sheets I've added to my collection. According to Baseball Stamps & Postmarks, Grenada originally issued five different sheets of stamps. However after MLB banned Pete Rose back in August of 1989, they removed him.
I also purchased these sheets of 1996 Pro Stamps:
If you're in the market for some of these.... here's a closer look at these faux postage stamps from the mid 90's:
If you clicked either of the links from earlier in the post, you'll notice that my stamp collection doesn't only focus on sports. I enjoy collecting stamps from a variety of topics. That's why I was super ecstatic to open up a care package from Rod @ Padrographs: Abner to Zimmer and see this sheet of stamps slide out:
This year the USPS released this sheet of stamps to honor the Japanese Americans soldiers from World War 2, who adopted the motto "Go For Broke". It essentially means "put everything on the line". If this or the topic of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team interests you, you might want to read this summary.
Thank you Rod for this very thoughtful collectible. It reminded me of one of my father's close friends who was a member of the 442nd. Ten years ago I had the opportunity to sit down with him and listen to his amazing stories. They were very interesting and humbling at the same time.
In addition to this stamp sheet, he also sent me a bunch of SI for Kids cards:
He also included a complete 1999 Pacific Crown Collection Oakland A's team set:
As well as an almost complete 2021 Topps Series One Oakland A's team set:
Over the past thirty-five years, an Oakland's A's player has won the AL Rookie of the Year Award seven times. This was accomplished most recently by:
Quantrill pitched briefly for the Padres back in 2005.
Rod's custom mentions that Paul has 3 children. His son Cal was the Padres' 1st Round Draft Pick in 2016. Cal was part of the trade that brought Mike Clevinger over from the Cleveland Indians.
2009 Topps Chrome Refractor #242
Bailey was a two-time MLB All-Star for the A's, but was part of the trade that brought Josh Reddick to the A's back in 2011. But during those three seasons with the team, Bailey shined almost as bright as this shiny, autographed rookie card.
I associate Rod with three things: the San Diego Padres, SI for Kids, and TTM autographs. That's why I wasn't surprised to see one in his care package. I was however shocked to see ten:
The first nine were A's players. The tenth was this custom card he created for Paul Quantrill:
I know this post is starting to drag on and on... but I figured this was an opportune time to show off two other San Diego Padres custom cards:
I also enjoy how the team's colors stand out on these customs. He also includes full career statistics as well on the back.
Nick isn't just a custom card creator... he also enjoys collecting TTM autographs like Rod. Thank you both for these awesome additions to the collection!
Today's question of the day:
Did you ever collect stamps?
Are you a TTM autograph collector?
Happy Monday and sayonara!
20 comments:
I don't collect (and never have collected) stamps but I've got enough other collections going (baseball cards, LEGO, video games, books, and woodworking to name a few). I've also wanted to get into the TTM game a bit but I still haven't done so.
garvey has a grenada stamp, too.
other than that one, i don't collect stamps. i did buy a sheet or two of the usps baseball all-century team stamps back in 2000 or so and finally used them over the last couple of years after i wondered why i was not using them. same for some abstract expressionist and ellsworth kelly stamps i had bought.
i haven't sent out any ttm requests in a while, but i did quite a few from about 2009-2014 with a few more in the years following. i was surprised at some of the returns - vin scully and tom lasorda - to name a couple that i really didn't expect to get back. in all, i had about a 75% return rate out of over 1300 requests sent.
bonus comment content: last time i was at the post office, i bought a sheet of star wars droid stamps. to use, not collect.
I just received an autographed-card haul from Rod today!
I collected stamps right around the time I started collecting baseball cards. Had an album and even took some after-school stamp-collecting class. But it didn't last. Baseball cards took over.
I did the TTM thing for the first 3 years of the blog. But it didn't stick.
Very briefly in my youth.
I've sent one card out for a TTM autograph and haven't received it back. It's not looking good, but I haven't officially given up yet.
Autographed Steinbach wins the round.
Biles and Bolt are good gets.
I did as a kid for like a year, lost interest fairly quickly. Every now and again, I run across one and grab it up then throw it in a drawer. No telling what I'll find one day if I ever clean the drawers out. (not clothing of course). Back in 92' I was sending a good bit of cards off when you could get addresses out the Beckett and Tuff Stuff months mags.
Stamps have always interested me, but I I've never collected them.
Just sent some TTM requests out recently. 3 for 3 so far. It's fun and I hadn't done it before.
That's an awesome haul from Rod and a really cool custom design from Nick.
The Padres customs are awesome, and the Grenada stamps are neat, too. I was wondering what happened to the Pete Rose stamp on the second sheet. Thought someone had kept one for themselves, but that explanation makes more sense.
The last time I went to the post office I got a book of "Go for Broke" stamps. I figured you'd know the story of those heroes.
Stamps would be something I'd look into collecting if I had more time. Postal history in general is fascinating to me. But alas, baseball cards take up enough of my time as is, and I can really only afford one hobby.
I don't do TTM. I understand its allure to others, but I just can't get into it.
Collected stamps as a kid. Bought a stockbook to put them in last year. Need to scan and post about that still.
And I obviously do the TTM thing. Is a big reason why I do customs (sent to both Colbert and Jones!) since sending those out has been a fun way write the letter.
Rod always sends you amazing stuff, I am jealous of the SI sheets!
I don't collect stamps, but when we need them we'll sometimes buy the fun sheets from the post office. My wife brought home a sheet of Star Wars droids and a sheet of Yogi Berra just last week.
I've only done TTM once in the past and I got a return back, which I was super excited about. I'm not sure why I haven't done more.
I acquired a stamp collection a few years ago. 1950's-1970's, I'd guess. Many countries, not just US. Not really interested in keeping most of it. I'd be glad to send you some - what kinds of stamps do you collect?
I collect stamps and have presented on my collection a few times. I had wondered about doing baseball as a theme but not developed that idea any further.
I never collected stamps or had any interest.
As for TTMs, it was an important part of my collecting for a long time, but have stopped over the past 2 years or so.
I collected stamps mainly in high school, but it pretty much fell off the table once I went to college. Like Nick Vossbrink, I bought a stockbook to organize what I have, and I've been meaning to write about it.
TTM sounds like fun, but I'm not much of an autograph collecter so I never get around to doing anything about it
I don’t collect stamps nor go out of my way to collect autographs, but appreciate those that do. You have a great collection here.
nachos grande - collecting legos (and building them) is so much fun. i have a video game collection too (although i rarely add to it)
gcrl - the beauty of collecting stamps is you can always use them if you have to. that's pretty cool that you received ttm's from scully and lasorda. i've only sent one (off the top of my head) and it came back. i saw those star wars droid stamps. if they were jedi, i would have bought them.
night owl - rod must be doing some summer cleaning. can't wait to see who he sent you. stamp collecting class? i definitely would have signed up for that when i was a kid.
elliptical man - who did you send it to? yeah... i love seeing olympic athletes on trading cards. the steinbach will probably get featured in a future post. love that card.
johnnystrading spot - it's important to clean your drawers from time to time ;D i hope you show off some of those stamps on your blog one day
jeff b - best of luck on your ttm returns. it's something i've considered starting at some point, but haven't. maybe one day
chris - those go for broke stamps are awesome. the usps have some collectibles that go along with them. i picked up two of the cheaper items on their website
nick - time plays a big role in hobbies. trading cards definitely take up a large percentage of my free time.
nick vossbrink - looking forward to seeing your postage stamp post. hope colbert and jones both return your cards signed. thanks again for the customs.
matt - rod is definitely my biggest contributor to my si for kids collection. these were single cards, but he has sent a fair share of sheets over the years
p-town tom - was vogelbach your single ttm attempt? i saw the star wars and yogi berra stamp sheets, but didn't grab them. i still have a bunch of sesame street ones i need to use before buying more forever stamps for use.
bo - that sounds pretty cool bo. i pretty much collect stamps that relate to my interests. off the top of my head, i'd be interested in any 1972 Olympics related stamps or stamps from Japan.
jongudmund - there are plenty of baseball stamps out there for people to collect. right now the usps has a sheet of yogi berra stamps
https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/yogi-berra-S_480304
the lost collector - they have yogi berra stamps right now. maybe it'll inspire you to start collecting stamps :D
shlabotnik report - i look forward to reading your stamp posts if you ever decided to write them. as for ttms... i enjoy collecting autographs, but just haven't started sending out requests.
sumomenkoman - at some point i'll need to gather all of my stamps and possibly write a post or at least share it on my website
I have never collected stamps. I have done a few TTM autographs over the years, but never on a regular basis. Back in the early 2000s, I got into doing it for a year or two. Pretty fun and I had some success going after 1970s and 1980s Cardinals players. I cannot remember the last time that I sent out a TTM card though.
I really like the Nate Colbert card. I have low-key collected his cards over the years. He's from St. Louis and have run into several different people who knew him back in the day. Sounds like a good guy and an underrated player.
the snorting bull - i remember reading about colbert attending a cardinals double header as a kid and watching musial hit 5 home runs that day. he eventually did the same thing when he played for the padres.
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