So my card show habits should be well known to readers of this blog. I head straight for the cheap boxes and rarely come up for breath. This has a big effect on how my collection develops. Here are a few examples:
1. Certain players, I end up with a lot of. This is because these players, while good players, do not have a high $$ value among the greater collecting public. Because of that, I end up finding cool cards of theirs (serial numbered, cool inserts etc.) all over the cheap boxes. Some examples are Joey Votto, Juan Gonzalez, Zack Greinke... My collections of these kinds of guys are pretty cool.
2. The hot rookies generally don't make it into my collection. Actually, this 'problem' seems to have diminished lately. With the card companies pumping out soooo many cards due to the resurgence of the hobby, base RCs and even some nicer RCs are starting to end up in the affordable areas of the show. As long as they are not graded.
3. Another effect of soo many cards being pumped out is that I am finding just a ton of the recent cards in the cheap bins. Nice ones too, so they keep my attention even as I wish for more older stuff. In fact, I've noticed that the ratio of 2020-2023 cards in the stacks I bring home has skyrocketed. Used to be, maybe 60% of my stack was from at least 10 years ago, but now it might be more like 15%. Lots and lots of new stuff.
Which brings me to the point of the post. I have my keeper cards in alphabetical order, so Vladimir Guerrerro's cards are right next to his son, Vladdy Jrs cards. As I was going through them the other day, I realized that even though I have been collecting Vlad Sr for a loong time, I actually have MORE Vlad Jr cards than his dads. That isn't because I want baby Vlad more, its just that they are very plentiful in the cheap bins!! That just felt weird. Its not that I don't like junior, but I really like senior.
The end result of THAT, was that I went through the Vlad Jr cards I had in my keepers, and pulled a bunch. They aren't bad cards, but I think I will focus my Vlad Jr collection a little tighter, at least for now. So I have a bunch of Vlad Jrs below (they weren't all keepers) that I am willing to trade if anyone needs to bulk up their collections of him. I'd strongly prefer to send a bunch out in bulk, rather than one or two at a time, but will entertain offers!
Young Vladimir started slowly this year, but really came on and should get some down ballot MVP votes.
Anyone else have players that they accumulate too many of?
Anyone want to trade for BabyVlads?? Shoot me an offer in email if you don't mind (find my email in my profile), I'd rather keep offers private at this point. I like most players, modern and vintage, so many kinds of offers would make me happy.
Here's what I have available.....there are a few nicer base cards, but most are inserts or parallels of some kind.
I'm also shocked at how many one-time hot prospects like Vlad Jr. end up in the cheap bins after a couple years. Not that I'm complaining, since I collect him too! (He's got a long way to go before he passes Vlad Sr. in my collection though.)
ReplyDeleteThanks to a couple of really big donations... I have way too many Gwynns. Not complaining though :D
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm definitely another one of those guys who head for the cheap boxes at card shows.
Don't have a lot of Vladdy Jr cards. Not really that much of a fan. I too am a cheap box diver at shows. Most of what I get are Rangers, but every now and then I find a little gem.
ReplyDeletePart of my having not gone to show in the last few years is the fear that all of the bargain boxes will be made up of nothing but newer stuff; in other words, stuff that is of zero interest to me.
ReplyDeleteKen griffey jr here. Haven't been to a show in 30 years but doesn't surprise me more and more new stuff ends up in there.
ReplyDeleteGive me 90s inserts any day!