A-MIZE-ingly Nice Yard Sale Pickup

My mother-in-law is one of a kind! Who else goes to yard sales to not only look for things for themselves, but to look for any sports stuff for their son-in-law as well. Most of the time she goes for cards, this time something else caught her attention.

Yesterday, she brought this signed pic of HOFer Johnny Mize to me knowing I am a Yankees fan and I collect signed items and said she picked it up for $10. I thought that was a great deal for such a nice pic, signature and the fact he is a HOFer.

Another thing I like about this item is the inscription. I don't on any pieces of memorabilia with one on it. So it sort of adds another personal touch  and extra signature to the photo. I just wished my name was Ron lol. Either way it will look good in the man cave.

Let me know your thoughts on this piece and what pieces you have found at yard sales.

That 90's Sport Card Blog Post Of The Day

Another That 90's Card topic has been posted. What's the topic today..only one way to find out..follow this link:

http://sportcardblog90.blogspot.com/2014/06/that-90s-card-topic_30.html

You Might Be A Card Collector If.......

You Might Be A Card Collector If.......you hear, "this is possibly the greatest INNOVATION of all-time!" Then go to check it out only to be disappointed not to find a basketball card box from Panini America.

What's In The Mail Box?

 

Yesterday, I received this card in the mail that I knew would be arriving soon and one I really wanted to add to my PC. Growing up in the 90's, I was HUGE Knicks fan. I would watch them every time when they played on NBC (didn't have cable back then) that I could. To me, basketball in the 90's was just as important as Saturday Morning cartoons. One of my favorite players, other than John Starks, was Patrick Ewing. Loved watching him play and loved seeing when he posted-up. What a player!

Adding this card of Ewing yesterday marks it as my first memorabilia card of him and I owe a big thanks to Michael Mcmannis, ‏@JGfan24ever on Twitter, for the contest and card. This will forever be in my PC and bring back those nostalgic moments of watching basketball in the 90's. Thanks again Michael and if you are not following him yet on Twitter, please do so. He not only does giveaways like this all of the time, but he is a great guy as well.

That 90's Sport Card Blog Post Of The Day

If you haven't heard yet, I have brought back That 90's Sport Card Blog. Yes, break open the champaigne and celebrate! There won't be daily posts anymore but I plan on doing posts on and off and keeping the blog going as I really liked doing those posts and showing cards off from the 90's. You will also see some 90's posts on here and you have already, over the next couple of months. So if you didn't know I brought that blog back and have missed the last three NEW POSTS I am here to catch you up. Here are the links to those:

That 90's Card: 1997 Spx Herman Moore

That 90's Card: 1996 Topps Hobby Masters Kerry Collins

and the new post I just put up today:

 That 90's Card: 1996-1997 Fleer Kobe Bryant (Rookie)

Enjoy!

Panini Card Of The Week: 2013 Panini Rookies And Stars Game Plan Eli Manning

Hobby Break 'Em: 2014 Topps Series 2 Baseball 6 Pack Break

With every new baseball card release I try to pick some up especially when there are some good rookies to chase after. With the recent release of Topps Series 2 baseball I was at an LCS on vacation so figured, hey, why not.

My main goal in the product was to find rookie cards of Tanaka and Abreu. Though my six packs didn't provide me those, I did get a few other pretty cool cards instead.

Now onto the break. As always with my Hobby or Retail Break 'Em's I show off all of my "hits" along with a pic of a base, rookie and subset card if there.

A different kind of base card pic:

Good rookie pickup in Beckham. Maybe next time on Abreu and Tanaka. I also pulled two inserts in this pic as well including only my third Power Player. I haven't been too fortunate with those yet.

Two gold numbered parallels and two sweet looking red ones:

And finally a 75th anniversary buyback that falls 1:18 packs where Topps takes an original card and stamps it with Topps 75.

Overall, I felt good about this break. I wished I could have gotten the rookies I wanted but I did get a few decent insert pulls and I found the buyback card was pretty cool despite not being a big player pull.

Review: BCW SHOE HOUSE WITH 6 SHOE BOXES

Recently on Twitter, BCW Supplies posted a pic of something I knew I could really use and I knew many other collectors could use too.

If you are like me and collect a lot of sports cards and store most of them, sets, commons, inserts, etc in 300-800 ct white boxes and they seem to be lying around everywhere in your house..well...BCW has a solution for you! It's called the BCW SHOE HOUSE WITH 6 SHOE BOXES.

I received this new product in yesterday and went right to putting it together.

The shoe boxes come in three flat pieces:

The middle divider

The cover

The Bottom Box

The box didn't have instructions on how to put these together, but it was pretty self explanatory when you looked at them. I am someone who can barely put a nail in the wall straight, but I easily put these together.

But I will quickly give you a sum-up on how to put them together.

1. Start with the middle section and fold it into itself so that the white is showing upwards. This will make more sense once you see it.
2. Take the bottom and fold in the longer sides first. Place the middle section in the middle of the box between the two longer sides you folded in. You will notice that the shorter sides have cut-outs where they will fit tightly around the middle section once you fold them in around it. Boom. Bottom box is now put together
3. The cover, you fold in the longer sides and seal them in with the shorter ones. Like I said, this was pretty easy to do but don't be ashamed to ask for help. If you do buy this and cannot figure it out, please feel free to contact me with questions at sportcardcollectors@hotmail.com.

Here is what the inside of the boxes look like:

Each box holds around 1600 cards and the total Shoe House can hold up to 9600 with all 6 boxes. The cards you can fit in here can range from base cards, cards in toploaders and cards in one-touches. I tried to fit a graded card in here but was a little too wide.

The Shoe House came in 4 pieces (1 outside, 3 inner) that I struggled with it at first especially with the inner pieces, so I emailed BCW with questions on it and they were more than helpful giving the following instructions:

"Fold the outside box, overlapping the flaps on the bottom. Tape is recommended."

"Fold the 3 inner pieces, folding so the white is out. The small flaps also fold out."

"Interlock the 3 inner pieces. Insert the 3 inter pieces with the small flaps to the outside."

I than realized I was actually just one step away from completing it. I just needed to fold the inner 3 pieces. Overall looking back on it, I could have done it without the help had I looked a little more.

Anyways, here is the finished product:

Boxes in:

After completion of it, I realized how much nicer things will look when I switch everything over to the shoe boxes especially after seeing what my white card box area looks like right now:

The numbers on my boxes represent what's inside each one..clever huh?

Overall, this is going to be a very helpful product containing my card overflow in the man-cave and if you have this problem it will help you as well. It should house most of the cards I have so I can move out these smaller boxes and slide this nicely organized shoe box house in its place.

If you like what you see and will find it useful, I know you do and will, you can locate this item on BCW's website HERE. Let me know your thoughts on this item as well and if you would find it useful.

Hobby Break 'Em: 2014 Score Football 9 Hobby Pack Break

When hearing that the first NFL release would appear while I was on vacation near an LCS, I knew I was going to make a run for it. So my first purchase was for eight packs (the ninth was free) to see how many rookies I could get.

Here are the best cards I got from the break along with some examples of the base cards.

Here is the base card, Top 100 Card and rookie card (Odell Beckham was the best rookie of the group I pulled. Most packs contained 2-3 rookies) design that makes up the base set:

Here are the Scorecard parallels I pulled from the nine packs:

And the rest of the inserts:

I didn't pull an autograph, memorabilia or numbered card but thought I did pretty decent for a nine pack break. It appears that inserts fall one-per-pack as I got one in every pack. I must say out of those inserts I am a huge fan of the Hot Rookie design! Looks spectacular! I am also happy to finally have some NFL true rookies of this exciting draft class to put in my PC.

2014 Panini Father's Day 16 Pack Break: 1 WOWZER!

If you have been wondering why it has taken me awhile to post these, I have been on vacation away from my computer. Now that I am back, I have gotta share these and couldn't wait to!

I ended up getting enough Panini product to land myself 16 packs to open. Last year, I broke about the same and ended up with half of the packs being hits. This time was pretty similar except the only difference was,  I hit it big this year.

First off, I will show off the base cards I pulled.

 

Sweet Tanaka and Abreu rookies!

Numbered rookie cards:

 

Elements is a pretty cool insert set displaying athletes playing in the "elements".

Not a bad guy to have any cards of right now. Pretty cool design as well:

First hit..numbered to 15! Green 2013 Select parallel!

Now onto the rest of the hits including a huge one!

Piece of a draft day hat!

Pulled from my first pack!

Some Lava Flow LUCK!

Another big hit, Patrick Kane auto 15/15!!

And the BIG HIT.......BOOM! Jose Abreu rookie autograph! I almost fainted!

Some amazing stuff in Panini Father's Day packs. I went on vacation four hours away so I could participate. So glad that I did.

Let me know your thoughts on Panini's Father's Day promo and my pulls from the promotion!

REVIEW: Pro-Mold TOPPS/BOWMAN MINI 1-SCREW SCREWDOWN

Ever looking for a place to store your valuable Topps and Bowman mini cards? Well, BCW and Pro-Mold have an answer with their Pro-Mold Topps/Bowman mini 1-screw screwdown holder.

This is a 2 piece product with a brass screw are individually packaged and made in the USA. They have the following dimensions which work perfectly for the mini cards both in depth interior and outside size.

Exterior Dimensions:

2 7/8 x 4 x 1/4

Interior Dimensions:

2 3/16 x 3 x 20pts

Here is the outside of the package:

Here is a Topps Magic mini which fits perfectly in the case. The crystal clearness really showcases the card beautifully. This case will also fit the mini's from Bowman baseball as well.

However, they don't fit these size mini's found in Bowman Football and Topps. You will need to find another case for these. These are too small for the grooves and move around.

If you have the right sized mini cards like the Topps Magic example I gave above, I recommend using these holders as they are great for these cards in both protecting them and displaying them. If this is a product you think you will use, you can find these located on BCW's website HERE.

That 90's Mail Day: The J.Hoffman Trade Part 3: EPIC AUTOGRAPH!

Awhile back I had made a trade with Jonathan Hoffman in which I acquired some pretty sweet stuff, you can find that article right HERE, well, after much delay, now is the time to reveal the final part of it.

We are finally down to the best card out of my trade and it is absolutely a beauty and is mind blowing. If you remember, I posted an article about a Barry Sanders card that made me cry and here is why. Well, fast forward almost 20 years and I finally have come to a resolution...I have traded for that card I wanted so many years ago and here it is....THE ONE....THE ONLY..... 1996 SPX JOE MONTANA UPPER DECK TRIBUTE AUTOGRAPH:

WOWZA! WHAT A CARD!! I can't take my eyes off from it most days. If it wasn't for this huge trade with Jonathan, this dream card never would have been made an reality. Thanks again Jonathan! Now I just need to get myself the autographed Dan Marino one to match!

I also may try and get a round-a-bout complete 1996 Spx football collection.  I just need the Joe Montana Tribute insert along with the Dan Marino Record Breaker one and obviously the Marino Auto. I don't think I will aim for all of the gold parallels or the Holofame Collection but you never know!

I plan on keeping you guys updated on my search for my next pieces I want. In the meantime, take a minute and comment with your thoughts on this mail day!

That 90's Mail Day: The J.Hoffman Trade Part 2

Awhile back I had made a trade with Jonathan Hoffman in which I acquired some pretty sweet stuff, you can find that article right HERE, well, after much delay, now is the time to reveal the rest of it!

Next up, is roughly a half set of 1996-1997 Spx Hockey. As you can tell by now, I am completely addicted to the design of this product no matter the sport. Check out this gallery below! I must note before you view, that this lot came with 47 cards but there were many doubles and in some cases triples so I thought I would just narrow it down a little.

Overall, pretty sweet. Now I just need to find a way to finish the set and you know I will find a way to do so.

Well, you have seen two of the hidden parts that I got from this trade but there is still one more to go and I promise you that one is one HUGE BEST CARD IN MY COLLECTION MAIL DAY! It will be well worth the wait!

That 90's Mail Day: The J. Hoffman Trade Part 1

Awhile back I had made a trade with Jonathan Hoffman in which I acquired some pretty sweet stuff, you can find that article right HERE, well, after much delay, now is the time to reveal the rest of it!

First up, is a 1996 Spx Football set. Below is all 50 cards in this beautiful set. If you haven't ever seen it, just let your eyes look below this:

I cannot get enough of it. The blend of being a die-cut card, with hologram and a touch of player color just looks amazing. The pictures on this blog don't even come close to doing it justice but I hope you get the idea. If you have seen these in person you will totally get what I am talking about. If you haven't ever seen these in person, I strongly recommend you hitting eBay right now and pick some up!

You thoughts on this mail day are welcomed!

WIN Two Sweet Cards From The Pack Gambler

Once again our generous friends over at The Pack Gambler are providing goods for me to host a contest for you guys! This also means a contest that is open to BOTH U.S. AND CANADA residents!

Now onto what you are entering to win:

And now onto how to enter. This month, The Pack Gambler wanted to run this contest a little differently.  Instead of picking a winner of a game, The Pack Gambler has a trivia question for you. I won't be moderating these answers so they will be right out in the open. However, remember not to copy another persons answer because they may not be right. Do your homework :)

Here is your trivia question:

Which player had the highest Plus/Minus in the 2013-2014 playoffs that was not in the Finals? I need the player's name, team name and number of Plus/Minus.

The contest ends on Monday, June 30th 2014 at 5:00 pm e.t. A RANDOM winner from ALL CORRECT ENTRIES will be announced on Tuesday, July 1st 2014.

Good luck and please remember to thank The Pack Gambler for another great contest!

You Might Be A Card Collector If.......

You Might Be A Card Collector If.......you take your kids drawings and put them into Ultra Pro sleeves like a collectible.

The Hobby: Has It Declined?

Having been on vacation this week and actually being able to go to an LCS has made me realize how much I miss the hobby where I live. I than began to wonder, how many of you are in the same situation?

About 20 years ago, the hobby was strong where I am. There was a nearby LCS (even another one but it was an hour drive but still within reach), cards in grocery stores, gas stations, craft stores, EVERYWHERE! I could walk down the street and trade with other collectors and when I held a yard sale, I could sell my cards to others and discuss the hobby at the same time. There would also be a card show every other weekend where collectors from near and far would gather together and have a good-ole time hanging out together. Fast-forward to now, both LCS' went out-of-business, grocery stores, gas stations, craft stores and others no longer carry sports cards. Other collectors nearby are rarer than pulling a 1/1 and selling my cards at a yard sale where I used to be able to sell 25 cards for $1 I can't sell in a diaper size boxed packed for the same price (most I give away to unsuspecting kids who I hope get into collecting). As for card shows, it's been about the 20 years since one has been local. When it comes to collecting where I live, it's tough.

The hobby where I live I can definitely say is on the decline and seems to be heading even further that way after seeing the card rack at the only other place besides online that I can buy cards from,Walmart. They narrowed what used to be a huge card section down to 6 different blaster boxes and about 8 different rack/jumbo pack options. It truly makes me sad to see this for a couple reasons as I won't be able to buy when I have a chance and that also means others won't either who may be trying to get into the hobby or continue on. It seems they are driving the hobby out of the store and trying to get rid of one more spot in my area.

With the above stated, this is why I started blogging and expanding how I collect by using social media. I want to be able to reach other collectors and discuss the hobby. I am glad to have found many outlets to discuss such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and forums. As for my purchases, I do them online or do take the occasional whatever Walmart offers approach. I can't fix not having a card show and for the most part I don't sell my cards except my doubles so if they don't sell at my yard sale, you guys and unsuspecting kids will get some freebies. Trading, I don't do much of as in the past I lost out BIG TIME on some moves (not to mention I am a card hoarder) but I do trade with a couple of REALLY TRUSTWORTHY individuals online and that's enough for me. What I am trying to say is, despite the decline in the hobby around me, I have put a positive twist on this and have found there are many other outlets to try and keep it going for myself and recommend if you are in the same boat, to try these as well. I know from experience it has worked for me.

Also after reading this, you may ask me, why do I think the hobby has declined so much around me (possibly you as well) and my simple answer would be, hard to tell. Probably the same reason it has overall, we live in a technological age where there are ton of flashy things to get into. For example, when I think flashy things I think a sweet refractor card, but most now-a-days are thinking a PS4, a new iPhone, Xbox, iPad, or some other device. Like I said, a much different time.

So to answer my overall question in the title of this post I would say yes, I think the hobby has declined but I don't think it's leaving anytime soon. There are still a lot of us long-time collectors and I see a few newbies join everyday. However, if this dying off trend keeps happening to others like it did to me in the next 20 years,ask me this question again then and my answer may be different.

HOBBY TOPIC

Another post in our new series Hobby Topics. This is not so much a post for us to comment about or give our opinions on, this is your chance to let your voice be heard on a variety of topics in the hobby. We are leaving the floor open to you! So comment away! But please no language and keep your answer clean as we do have a younger following as well.

Today's Topic: Sport Card Blogs

Which ones are your favorites? Do you take bloggers advice on cards and thoughts on the hobby? Out of the blogs you like, what is your main reason for liking it or them? What do you look for in a card blog?

Let's hear your thoughts!

Upper Deck Soccer Card Of The Week: 2011 Upper Deck Landon Donovan

Sage Card Of The Week: 2014 Sage Hit Jadeveon Clowney Autograph

Upper Deck Card Of The Week: 2000-2001 Upper Deck Black Diamond Paul Pierce

Upper Deck Soccer Card Of The Week: 2011 Upper Deck David Beckham