Some Check Out My Cards Cards
January 19th, 2011 by slangon

Since I’ve already showed the very first card acquisition of the new year, I figure I probably should show the very last card acquisitions of last year. Hell, I probably should’ve showed it before I showed the new years new cards, but if I didn’t do things just because I should’ve done them before, I’d never get anything done. I think. I just confused myself. Here’s the last batch of cards I got in 2010.

Last year, I tried a few different avenues for getting cards, including eBay, Check Out My Cards, Sportlots, trades, the local card shop and retail packs. After trying both COMC and Sportlots a few times, I started to really lean on Sportlots more just because it kind of fit my type of collecting a bit better, namely picking up beat up vintage on the cheap. That and the fact that Check Out My Cards has one of the most messed up shipping systems I’ve ever seen. However, one thing that they’re really great for, at least as far as I found, is getting some pretty cool relics and autos for fairly good prices. That was what prompted me to pony up for some COMC credits. I was having a mojo jones. So I threw down $20 on the barrel and walked away with these goodies, which arrived right around Christmas.

2008 Topps Mayo #293 Brandon Jacobs Mini

As disappointing as the Giants season was this year, I was pretty happy with Jacobs. Plus I think the 2008 version of Mayo was pretty awesome looking, especially the mini’s. I wish I was into football cards in 2008.

2008 Playoff Contenders Draft Class #1 Ike Davis / Kirk Nieuwenhuis #765/1500

I mostly got this card because I like Ike, but I’m also pretty excited to see what Nieuwenhuis brings to the table in spring training. He damn well better be good, because if I have to remember how to spell that last name and he doesn’t stick around for a while, I’m going to be pissed.

Next, comes some relic-y sweetness.

I snagged a couple of Jose Reyes jersey cards.

2003 Bowman Heritage Diamond Cuts Relics #JR Jose Reyes Jersey Relic

The interesting thing about the 2003 Bowman Heritage set, as compared to other years of that set, is that it mirrors a set that was designed about 50 years prior but was never released. The excellent Topps Archives blog had a post about the 1956 Bowman prototypes, which is pretty awesome. There were 3 different designs that were being considered at the time (before Topps took them over). One of the designs was used for the base cards, one was used for the box toppers, and all three were mushed together for these Diamond Cuts relic cards.

2008 UD Masterpieces Captured on Canvas #JR Jose Reyes Jersey Relic

I think it’s become pretty clear that I am certainly a Topps man over Upper Deck, but I have to give credit where credit is due. They really got the Masterpieces set right. I can definitely see why people love this set so much. The artwork on the base cards is really well done as is the overall design of the set. I particularly like on the relic cards how the frame is a separate piece and is raised above the artwork. It’s like when you have a piece of fine art and get it frames up all nice with a matte. I also really love the texture of the cardboard.

I also got me a retro-y D. Wright relic.

2006 Topps Heritage Clubhouse Collection Relics #DW David Wright Jersey Relic

As much as I love retro themed sets, they do strike me as decidedly uncreative. I mean, after all, you’re just taking an already existing design from 50 odd years ago, slapping a modern day player on it and saying “Hey, look what I made. Isn’t it cool?” Geez. After putting it that way, maybe I don’t like retro themed cards after all. Anyway, one place I feel like the design team really earns their money os with the hit cards and inserts. Since hit cards didn’t exist back in 1957, and collectors sure as hell weren’t going to sit still for a release that didn’t include hit cards in 2006, Topps needed to come up with something. Looking at it by itself, I think this Wright relic looks really cool, but I just don’t know how well it sits with the 1957 design. I think it’s mostly the red and yellow boxes. Although I think they look great, but they kind of seem to go against everything that makes the ’57 set cool, namely that it was all photo, with very little graphic elements. Like I said, looking at it as a stand alone card, I love it, but looking at it in the context of being part of a retro set based on 1957 Topps, it’s lacking a little.

Rounding out the relic portion of our presentation, I also was able to grab a couple of relics of my favorite baseball player of all-time and current favorite sportscaster, Mr. Keith Hernandez.

2005 Upper Deck Classics Materials #KH Keith Hernandez Jersey Relic

For some reason, in my head, plain white swatch = terrible, but plain white swatch with just one thin stripe of blue = awesome. By the way, one of the many reasons I love Keith: no batting gloves.

2005 Diamond Kings Materials Bronze #300 Keith Hernandez Jersey / Bat Relic #170/200

I always remember kind of liking Diamond Kings when I was kid collecting cards in the 80’s. I always kind of forget the second coming of Diamond Kings during the oughts (Is that what we’re calling 2000-2009?), probably because it took place mainly when I was far removed from collecting. I particularly like the 2005 version. It has a nice retro look without directly ripping off an old design. I also absolutely love that it’s a jersey / bat card. I think this is actually my first, true dual relic. The only other thing that even slightly comes close is a Topps Triple Threads Daniel Murphy Auto Relic that may or may not hold multiple bat pieces. This however is clearly a bat and a jersey. Beautiful in its simplicity. By the way, when I first got this, I thought it was pretty cool that it was numbered 170, since Keith wore #17 as a Met, although it would be so much cooler if it was 17.

I also did pick up a few vintage cards. You didn’t think I would buy all new cards, did you?

First up is a couple of more cards for the old 1960 set.

1960 Topps #67 Jose Pagan

1960 Topps #74 Walt Moryn

1960 Topps #536 Wynn Hawkins

If you notice, that last card of Wynn Hawkins is actually one of the short printed 7th Series. I was able to get that for a whopping $0.76. Why so low you ask? Take a gander at the back.

Yessir. That little bit of card altering knocked what should have been at least a $3-$4 card down to 6 bits. What makes it sort of weird is that usually when you see that sort of writing on a card it’s because a player got traded and the owner of the card is reflecting the players team change accordingly. Wynn Hawkins was never traded to the Twins, however. The Mets bought out his contract from the Indians after the 1962 season, but he never played a game for them. I have no idea why someone chose to cross out “Cleveland Indians” and write “Minn.T” back here. He threw a 2 hit shutout against the Twins on May 21, 1961. Maybe someone was trying to add to Wynn’s career highlights. Hawkins also gave up Ted Williams 500th home run, by the way.

Lastly is this little creased gem.

1969 Topps #601 Tug McGraw

Since I’ve been focusing on getting all the Topps Mets team sets, I’ve closed out quite a few. The earliest I’ve officially killed off, however has been the 1975 set. With the addition of this Tug McGraw card, I’m officially 1 card shy of polishing of the ’69 set, which would be a pretty sweet one to finish since that was the Miracle Mets year. Of course, the 1 card that I have left for this set happens to be Nolan Ryan. Damn Hall of Famers who weren’t really that great until after they left the team.

So there you have it. My first COMC purchase in almost a year. Maybe that’ll hold me over for another year.

One Response to “Some Check Out My Cards Cards”

  1. Nice cards. I agree with you about the retro sets and not much creativity on the manufacturer’s part.

    I like the look of that Masterpieces card. And I never noticed Keith sans gloves. I’ve never been much of a hands man.

    On the Wynn Hawkins card, perhaps the previous owner couldn’t spell and meant to write “Minty”.

    I’ve got an order queued up at SportLots just waiting to push the “buy” button. They’ve made searching a bit easier over there.

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