One man's trash...

Is another man's treasure. Or so I've heard...

Last Saturday, I emailed a gentleman about a Craigslist ad he posted. He was giving away a bunch of sports cards and I figured they were long gone, since he posted the ad earlier in the week.

But to my surprise, I received a response Sunday evening that I could have them if I picked them up by 8pm. So, I downloaded a map to his house and when I arrived there were several boxes of cards sitting in his driveway. I was pretty excited because as I loaded my car, I noticed there was a box labeled 1984 Donruss, while another box had a 5x7 of Tony Gwynn, that I'd never seen.

When I got home, I piled everything into my garage. Normally, I'd dive into the collection, but I didn't want to open up Pandora's Box, since I had to go back to work the next day.

The next day, I rushed home to sift through the boxes. I was like a little boy on Christmas morning tearing through presents. And although I didn't discover any vintage Mickey Mantles... I found these:

Completed Sets

1988 Score Baseball Set (1-660)

1988 Topps Baseball Set (1-792)

1990 Score Football Factory Set – Opened (1-660 + 5 bonus cards)

1991-92 Bowman Hockey Factory Set (1-429)

1991 Comic Images Boris Set (1-90)

1991 Impel U.S. Olympic Cards Set (1-90)

1993 Fleer Football Set (1-500)

1993 Studio Baseball Set (1-220)

1994 Fleer Baseball Set (1-720)

1994 Fleer Football Set (1-480)

1994 Upper Deck Football Set (1-330)

1995 Collector’s Choice Football Set (1-348)

Partial Sets

1982 Topps E.T. The Extraterrestrial Set (86/87 cards)

1983 Topps A-Team Set (57/66 cards)

1984 Topps Supergirl Set (38/44 stickers)

1988 Donruss Awesome! All-Stars Text Back Set (57/71 stickers)

1988 Donruss Awesome! All-Stars Puzzle Back Set (41/56 stickers)

1988 Topps Dinosaurs Attack Set (51/55 cards)

1988 Topps Dinosurs Attack Sticker Set (10/11 stickers)

1989 Topps Batman Series 1 Set (122/132 cards)

1990 Topps The Simpsons Sticker Set (20/22 stickers)

1991 Comic Images Boris Set (86/90 cards)

1991 Pro Set Super Stars Musicards Series 1 Set (247/260 cards)

1991 Pro Set Super Stars Musicards Series 1 Promo Set (4/6 cards)

1992 Topps Batman Returns Set (83/88 cards)

A bunch of unopened non-sport wax packs...

These three unopened packs of 1988 Maxx Racing...

As well as this sweet addition to my Tony Gwynn collection...

If you don't recognize this behemoth... it's a 5x7 Lite Beer card commemorating his 1984 batting crown. If anyone out there knows the history behind this piece... I'd love to hear it.

And if these cards weren't enough... there's almost 25,000 additional sports cards and non-sport cards sitting in storage boxes. It took two days to go through them and although there were some minor rookie cards, a few cheap inserts & parallels, and a bunch of star cards... most of the boxes were filled with common cards from the junk wax era.

I did find these...

Which I'll be adding to my "not so mint... but definitely cool vintage" PC.

Plus, I'll be keeping a few of the sets, like the 1993 Studio baseball set and the 1994 Upper Deck football set. And I'll be attempting to build all of those cool non-sports sets... which I'm sure will be interesting and challenging.

The rest of the cards will be given away. Some will be thrown into team bags and given to my students and the rest will be donated to Goodwill.

But before I wrap this up... I want to share one last treasure with all of you.

I know what you're thinking... this haul is no treasure. And I couldn't agree with you more. However... there was a hidden treasure I failed to mention and it's nothing Beckett can place a value on... but at the same time it's something most of us hold dear.

It's the entertainment and joy I obtained, while sitting on my office floor sorting through boxes and boxes of cards... just like when I was a little kid.

Have a great week everyone. Sayonara!

It's all about the Benjamins...

My sports card collecting philosophy is like Lady Gaga's wardrobe... it's always changing.

I started off collecting for fun when I was a kid. When I hit middle school, I started buying as many cards as I could get my hands on in hopes of one day paying for college.

Eventually, I figured out that base cards weren't the way to go, so I switched over to collecting rookie cards. A few years later, companies began putting inserts and parallels into packs... so I began chasing those instead. In college, I was introduced to autographs and memorabilia cards.

After I started teaching and living on my own, I realized how much money I had wasted in the hobby... so I decided to cut my losses and pay off my debt. I sold the majority of my collection and figured I was finished with the hobby.

Fast forward six or seven years... when I noticed two students trading cards at recess... and in a blink of an eye... I was back into the hobby. This time with a whole new philosophy.

I was just going to collect a couple of things: autographs and memorabilia cards of certain players and teams. And most importantly... I decided this time around, I was going to do it for fun... not as an investment.

Well... I actually stuck with this philosophy for several years... until a few months ago. That's when I picked up a few cards for a set and realized I didn't need them.

So I turned around and was able to sell most of them for a small profit. At this point, nothing had really changed... I still had little interest in selling cards.

Recently, a dealer on COMC dumped a bunch of his PSA graded cards at insane prices, so I decided to purchase a few that I liked.

Last night, I finally sold two of them.

The best part about it is... it was a win/win situation for both me and the buyer. They picked up a 1992-93 Ultra PSA 10 rookie card and a 1992-93 Hoops PSA 10 rookie card for $10 each. One of the Ultra rookie cards recently sold on eBay for $20 (free shipping), while the Hoops rookie card closed for $9.99 (+ $2.50 shipping)... which means the buyer saved over $10... while I made $13.28 in profit.

By the way... if anyone else is interested in picking up PSA 10 graded copies of Shaq rookies, I still have eleven more Ultra's and eight more Hoop's for sale.

1992/93 Hoops #442 Shaquille O'Neal

1992/93 Ultra #328 Shaquille O'Neal

I'm asking $15 each, but will accept offers of $12 on the Ultra rookie and $9 for the Hoops rookie... or I'll sell one of each for $20.

As I'm typing out this post... I just realized I'm like a shark who smells blood in the water. I've gotten a taste of money and I like it. But don't worry... I have no intentions of falling back into old habits.

These Shaqs were too good of a deal to pass up... and it's hard to turn away free money. As soon as COMC has a shipping special, I'll take them down... have them shipped to me... and my sports card collecting philosophy will return to the way it was... collecting for pure entertainment purposes.

Lol... until Shaq is inducted into the HOF... then I'll throw all of these onto eBay.

What about you...

Have you ever collected cards as an investment?

What the most profit you've made off of a card?

By the way... I apologize for the lack of posts. The past few days have been crazy. It's the start of the school year... plus I've been spending a ton of time sorting through a huge sports card pickup I made on Craigslist. I'll write about it in my next post. Stay tuned.

Happy Friday everyone. Sayonara!

MLB Dream Team: Outfielders & Designated Hitters

While studying Child Development in college, I discovered that I have "anal retentive" tendencies... which means that sometimes I pay too much attention to certain detail. More specifically... I'm a neat freak... and love to organize & sort things, which is why sports cards is the perfect hobby for me.

So, when I decided to start this blog, I knew I wanted it to be structured and organized. As a result, you'll often notice many of my posts are part of a series. Here are few of my personal favorites:

Blog Trade - A series which shares and documents trades I have made with fellow bloggers.

Flea Market Finds - A series of posts where I share my purchases from local flea markets.

I Love the 80's - A series that shows off items of personal interest from my childhood.

Sports Card Busts - A series that displays my personal collection of top 5 draft busts from the four major sports.

Set Showcase - A series where I showcase some of my favorite sets in my collection.

Hidden Treasures - A series of posts that catalogs the discovery of hidden treasure within my collection.

And of course there's my MLB Dream Team series, which gave me the opportunity to blog about my favorite baseball players. But unlike the other series... this one is coming to an end, because after today, I will have covered all of the key positions in baseball. If you're interested in reading my first two posts from the series, click the appropriate links:

Part A - Manager, Catcher, & Pitchers

Part B - Infielders

Part C - Outfielders & Designated Hitter

Okay... I've stalled long enough. Here's the final part of my MLB Dream Team series... in which I share my favorite outfielders and designated hitters of all-time.

Left Fielder - Rickey Henderson

One of the most exciting players in the game during the 80's and early 90's... and he played in Oakland for most of those years. He's one of the greatest leadoff hitters in MLB history and arguably the greatest Oakland Athletic to take the field. I can still picture Rickey leading off of first base... feet spread apart... hunched over... fingers dangling... waiting for the right moment to take off and steal second base.

Honorable Mention - Bo Jackson

Center Fielder - Kirby Puckett

Puckett was my American League version of Tony Gwynn. He was a chubby ball player, with a great personality, who was loyal to his team, and could hit for average. My only regret is that he wasn't drafted by the A's or the Padres.

Honorable Mention - Ken Griffey Jr.

Right Fielder - Tony Gwynn

Tony Gwynn isn't just one of my favorite baseball players... he is and always will be... my all-time favorite baseball player. If you're interested in a more detailed explanation... click here.

Honorable Mention - Ichiro Suzuki

Designated Hitter - Frank Thomas

The Big Hurt was one of the best hitters during the 90's and I was excited that he played on the A's twice in his career. It was tough not putting him at first base on my team, since that's the position I associated with him for the majority of his career. But it just wasn't possible to put Will Clark at DH, so thankfully... Frank's flexibility solved my dilemma.

Honorable Mention - Edgar Martinez

I really enjoyed building this team and writing these posts, but as Porky Pig likes to say... "That's all folks!". One of these days, I'll go back and see if I need to make any revisions to the roster. Until then... maybe I'll build my NBA Dream Team or NHL Dream Team next.

Okay... you know the routine. It's your turn.

Which players would make up your dream outfield and who would be your designated hitter?

Happy Monday everyone... have a great week... and until next time... sayonara!

I've Got Worms!

"I go out there and get my eyes gouged, my nose busted, my body slammed. I love the pain of the game" - Dennis Keith Rodman

There's the saying... "we're all unique in our own special way". Well Dennis Rodman took this to the next level and beyond. Whether you're fifteen years old or fifty... if you're reading this blog... then you're probably a sports enthusiast who has either witnessed Mr. Rodman "on the court", "off the court", or hopefully both.

Last night, he was honored for his basketball accomplishments by being inducted into The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. While a lot of NBA superstars are recognized for their offensive skills, The Worm is known for his defense and rebounding abilities.

Here are just a few of his basketball achievements from his 14 year career:

5x NBA Champion

2x NBA All-Star

2x NBA Defensive Player of the Year

7x NBA All-Defensive First Team

4x NBA Rebound Leader

4,329 Career Offensive Rebounds (4th All-Time in NBA)

7,625 Career Defensive Rebounds (16th All-Time in NBA)

11,954 Career Rebounds (22nd All-Time in NBA)

I'll admit... I wasn't really a Rodman fan until he joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 1998-99. The fact is... his Detroit Pistons kicked the Lakers' butts to end the 80's and kickoff the 90's... and he didn't become more popular by my standards when went to the Chicago Bulls in the midst of their dynasty.

These days, I look at the big picture and can appreciate everything he's given to his employers, his teammates, and of course his fans. So this post is my tribute to The Worm.

Today... I have two questions for you...

What adjectives would you use to describe The Worm?

&

When you picture The Worm playing basketball, what uniform is he wearing and what color is his hair?

Zany, Athletic, Outlandish, Colorful, Extraordinary, Talented, Arrogant, Eccentric, Confident, and Loud

This is the list of words my friend and I came up with to describe The Worm.

And although I was glad to see him play for the Lakers, I'll always remember him as one of Detroit's Bad Boys... with Isaiah Thomas, Rick Mahorn, John Salley, Vinnie Johnson, Bill Laimbeer, and of course Chuck Daly.

So one more round of applause for Dennis Rodman and the rest of Basketball Hall of Fame's Class of 2011... which includes Chris Mullin, Teresa Edwards, Tara Vanderveer, Arvydas Sabonis, Reece "Goose" Tatum, Artis Gilmore, Tom "Satch" Sanders, Herb Magee, and Tex Winter.

I can't believe my summer is officially over. On Monday, I go back to work... and by next Wednesday... I'll be in front of the room with my new group of seventh graders. So... I'll be enjoying every minute of it. I hope you do too. Stay safe & sayonara!

MLB Dream Team: Infielders

If you were creating your dream MLB team, who would be on your team? Would you load up your squad with legendary Hall of Famers? Or would you go with only current players who are bonafide superstars. What about players from your favorite team(s)?

Well if you're like me... then you'd go with your favorite players from the past and present.

Today is Part B of my three part series showcasing my MLB dream team and I'll be focusing on the perfect infield. Last week, I blogged about my dream team's manager, catcher, and pitchers. If you missed it, click part A below:

Part A - Manager, Catcher, & Pitchers

Part B - Infielders

Part C - Outfielders & Designated Hitter

Okay... let's get to it...

First Baseman - Will Clark

I'm a lifelong A's fan... and grew up hating their Bay Area counterpart... the San Francisco Giants. However Will Clark is a huge part of my hobby history and there's no denying his ability to thrill his fans.

Honorable Mention - Adrian Gonzalez

Second Baseman - Jackie Robinson

He's the only player on my roster that played before my time. But his legacy lives on in baseball today. His accomplishments on the diamond are amazing... but to me, Mr. Robinson is more than a ball player... he's a man of character. Every year I use a quote of his in my classroom to inspire students to be positive role models in our society.

Honorable Mention - Ryne Sandberg

Shortstop - Ozzie Smith

If you grew up in the 80's and loved baseball... then chances are you've seen The Wizard of Oz and his incredible defensive plays... along with his trademark back flip. If not... I encourage you to check it out.

Honorable Mention - Cal Ripken Jr.

Third Baseman - Bill Madlock

My third baseman selection is the perfect example of where childhood trumps adulthood. I originally chose Chipper Jones, because of his loyalty to the Atlanta Braves and his accomplishments over the past two decades. But then I remembered Mad Dog and how I used to pretend to be him when I was younger.

Honorable Mention - Chipper Jones

So what do you think? As The Rock would say... "It doesn't matter what you think!". This is my dream team... not yours. Just kidding... feel free to leave me some feedback.

And stay tuned for the final post in this series... where I'll share my dream outfield... and whether you like them or not... my all-time favorite designated hitter.

Until then...

Who's your dream infield?

Have a great day... only two days until the weekend. Sayonara!