I'm three weeks behind on blogging... and end of the school year activities aren't helping. In an effort to catch up... I'm going to split my May 3rd trip to the De Anza Flea Market into two shorter posts.
It's the largest flea market in my area and gaining in popularity with each passing month. Unfortunately that means large crowds and congested parking lots. It also means more vendors are choosing to set up and sell stuff.
Let's kick this post off with the first and cheapest item of the day...
Purchase #1: Commemorative Baseball $1
1997 Opening Day Oakland A's Baseball
The second vendor down the first row had a bunch of tables with junk tossed on them. Found this ball (holder not included) sealed in a bag. Before I could even ask, the lady told me to take it for a dollar.
It looks like it might be a stadium giveaway promotion handed out on Opening Day at the Coliseum. This isn't something I typically seek out for my collection... but the price was right.
Purchase #2: Vintage School Supplies $8
Hasbro School Pak
A few dealers down there was a couple with crates filled with old stuff like books, candlesticks, and ashtrays. The lady had just put this school supply pack on a table when I walked up.
Although I don't normally collect school supplies... this item looked interesting and eight bucks seemed like a fair price for a piece of history.
Purchase #3: Unopened Packs of World Records $10
1992 Pro Set Guinness Book of World Records
This was an impulse purchase. Best case scenario... I build a complete set... while keeping a few packs sealed for a rainy day. Failure to do so will result in arguably the worst flea market find in 2025.
Purchase #4: Bags of Vintage $40
Found a guy with tons of sandwich bags filled with vintage baseball cards. He was asking $25 per bag or five bags for $100. The bags were sorted by years (ranging from 1958 to 1973 Topps) and contained anywhere from twenty to fifty cards. I wasn't looking to drop $100 on one purchase, so I found these two bags and offered him $40. He accepted.
I'll try to scan the contents in the next day or two and publish them in another post as well as start working on the second half of my flea market purchases.
Until then...
Happy Tuesday and sayonara!
Well, the ball seems like the best value. Takes me back to when the A's were in Oakland.
ReplyDeleteMays/Clemente Leaders card isn't a $40 card but is definitely a fun get. Hope the rest of the baggies are fun too.
ReplyDeleteFlea markets can be such fun. Never know what one may find. Cool finds!
ReplyDeleteCrazy to still see vintage in the wild! And cool pick up in the school supplies!
ReplyDeleteThat supplies packet could be a fun thing to hang up in your classroom. Would be interesting to see what kids think of it.
ReplyDeleteI remember getting an Angels version of that Opening Day ball as stadium giveaway.
ReplyDeleteGood pick ups. I'd had done the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI was in a 2nd hand thrift shop in the middle of Wisconsin and found a signed Minor League ball from the 2009 Albuquerque Isotopes for $2!! Signed by the mascot Orbit and number 4, Luis Maza!
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday! You’re probably at the tail end of school too so hopefully looking forward to summer!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to what's in the bags of vintage!
ReplyDeleteThat supplies pack is strangely compelling. I think I would have pulled the trigger on it as well.
ReplyDeleteA. Original retail price of 59 cents on those school supplies. Fun packaging, too!
ReplyDeleteB. That Guinness Book set only contains 100 cards. Here's to hoping you complete it! If not, I'll help you find what you need.
C. Looking forward to seeing what comes out of those bags of vintage cards.
Your flea markets are better than mine. All I find at mine are the 90s stuff priced like their 1956 cards.
ReplyDeleteGreat finds. Looking forward to seeing what's in the vintage bags. And the school supplies are a fun buy at $8. Especially considering inflation back then, basically still the 59 cents original price. I see a similar one on eBay for $20 shipped.
ReplyDeleteelliptical man - i was happy to find that ball for a buck. i'd love to add the candlestick park one to my collection too.
ReplyDeletenick vossbrink - gonna open the bags up today, so we'll see #fingerscrossed
karsal - yeah, i love going to flea markets even more than walking around card shows. i don't always walk away with cool stuff... but at least i get some steps in
sumomenkoman - i'm pretty sure someone eventually bought all of that guy's vintage. he seemed like he was eager to create a package deal and sell everything
brett alan - if my sister-in-law doesn't want it, i'll take it into my classroom :D
laurens - looks like they did it for every ballpark that year. i'm on the hunt for the san francisco giants ball for my candlestick park collection
johnnys trading spot - maybe one day we'll get a chance to hit up a flea market or card show together
anonymous - nice. i wish more of the thrift stores in my area had collectibles.
uncle charlie's shoebox - three more weeks! then summer school. very excited.
the lost collector - as soon as i'm done commenting on these two flea market finds posts, i'm going to open up those two bags of vintage.
stack22 - i agree. pretty cool piece of history
gregory - was hoping the price tag would give me a hint on how old those supplies are. 59¢ seems high for the 50's or 60's. but the packaging looks too old for the 80's. so maybe they were around in the 70's.
michael d - trust me... there are plenty of people asking silly prices for overproduced 80's and 90's cardboard. luckily there are others that are reasonable
bo - i should have the post with the contents of the vintage bags up tomorrow or wednesday. opening them up today :D