The Grady Chronicles: NASCAHHHH

The latest Grady box installment brings me to NASCAR. I definitely don't watch the sport anymore and don't know many of the names like I used to when I was a big fan pre-2005, but I still collect the cards.

Especially the shiny stuff and there was plenty of that to be found in this mail day.

 

These Titan cards I have always like from Panini. Not sure why Panini never made this a product. The design is out of this world!

Another Grady mail day show off is done, still a few more to go in this series. As I stated from the beginning, this mail day was stacked.

While I got your attention, please also check out Cards Over Coffee and FOLLOW IT and add it to your blogroll!!!!!!!!!!

Check the blog out here,

CARDS OVER COFFEE

I Don't, But I Do

 

As 2021 moves on, I find myself actually starting to put more focus on my collection and what I like to trade for/acquire etc.

My one exception, is my great big boxes of goodies from reader Grady M.

Grady sends along a huge box filled with inserts, parallels and team hits. It's sometimes mind blowing what I will find in the boxes and the dig is just as fun as the cards I find.

He sent another round of his goodness around Christmas and I am just getting to do a series of posts on it now. There is no way I could ever cover all of them though. NEVER. Unless you want me to do a post every day of it and I figured you wouldn't want to see that continuously so I will just focus on some things that really caught my eye.

Today, I am starting off the shiny NASCAR that I found in the box.

Yes, this Deegan isn't shiny, but I like the design and it's my first card of her. I really want a rookie card of her as well.

Prizm continues to be one of my favorites from Panini no matter the sport. The parallels put Chrome refractors to shame.

There's just something about shiny and cars.

 

These Velocity inserts are amazing in color.

This wasn't even all of the NASCAR fun but for this round of Grady M posts, it will be all that I tackle.

More goodness to follow in this series.

The Origins Of A Cardboard Addict: Closing Time Part 3

Closing time
Time for you to go back to the places you will be from. 

It was 2001-2002. I had been dating the girl for a couple of years now.

 

My card collecting days were gone and now I was into rap music, girly music (you know, Britney Spears etc), WWE (used to watch all of the TV events with her brother) and NASCAR (her father was into racing big time so I watched every race and went to a few also) . Not something I had ever pictured myself getting into. 

I was a changed person, except on the inside. I still felt something wasn't right.

And boy was I right. The relationship started to hit a few bumps in the road after I had graduated from high school and began a full time job working in a meat department. I think she began losing interest in me despite everything I had given up for her. I had given up everything I knew and changed into what she turned me into. I was cooking her family meals, carrying her books around at school (she was really smart so she had lots of books from big classes) and pretty much everything you would consider a maid or butler to do, I was doing.

In February of 2002, it finally came to an end. The relationship was over. And even though I didn't take it easily, I sobbed for a few weeks, I got over it with time. I think my favorite part was when I went out and spent my entire paycheck a week later just to despise her and used it all on cards. To be honest, it was sort of a relief after the initial break up like I could get my life back together again. Question was, was it too late.

So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits
I hope you have found a
Friend.

I  moved out and back home with my parents. I went around and tried to find the friends I once had and tried to make amends with each one. Things seemed to had finally turned back to some normalcy. I got back into card collecting, but this time without my father who had sold all of his off after I moved out and no longer collected. He did watch me do so from afar though. I gained back at least one of my good friends and made some others at work.

Most importantly of all, I was happy again. I felt I left a lot of that behind once I got with that girl.

I also began reading a Bible that my boss at work had given me as I was in the search for answers in places I never looked before. Work also changed my life as a month later after my breakup, I met another girl. I know it sounds crazy, after all that I had been through for those two years, but this was different and when you just know, you know. A girl who forever changed my life in a good way. She became my best friend and still is today, 17 years later. This, this was the girl I needed to had met in the first place. 

One who loves me for me. One who lets me do this blogging and card collecting and even Madden. Let's me be my geeky self. One I didn't have to change for or let anything go for. The One.

It's like find that 1/1 in card collecting. Once you see that pop up on eBay, you have to grab it or you may never see it again. So glad that I did.

So there was my story of my dark age of collecting. Two years I missed out on. Including a big year in 2000 when I should have been owning some Tom Brady rookies instead of being a slave. However, 2002 was the new 1995 for me as I began picking up steam with my soon to be wife by my side and here I am today collecting more than ever.

Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. 

And speaking of ends, this marks the end of the two year long storytelling adventure of my collecting origins. The series has hit its finale which is why I called this three-part series Closing Time.

****Closing Time was a great song released by Semisonic in the 98-99. If you haven't heard it, go grab their CD or check out the music video on YouTube. *****

Unsolved Mysteries Episode 1

This blog post series is about unraveling unsolved mysteries from a card lot my mother-in-law bought me from an estate sale. What you are about to see isn't a breaking news broadcast or some new releases. There is a lot to go through here so whenever possible, I will try to condense down some of the graphics and whenever possible, real cards from the actual lot (well all of them are from the actual lot but let's have some fun with it) will be used for pictures.

Someone, somewhere can help me uncover the mysteries within this lot. Let's take a look and maybe one of you, will help me solve some mysteries.

*insert creepy music and theme song. I swear that song could have been used in the movie Halloween it's so creepy. It gives me the chills still*

My mother in law had driven to a remote location where they held monthly estate sales and she went there looking for some furniture. That's when she walked through the door and immediately noticed this pile of cards. She stuck them under the table knowing she would go back once she found out a price.

She went looking for someone to ask how much when a man walked over to her.
"How much for the sports cards?"
The man told asked her, "Do you plan on taking them all?"
She politely responded, "yes."
"Well then, how does $25 for them all sound?"
 "Sounds good."

She hadn't expected quite a deal on them since most of the times when she hunts down cards for me from these kind of lots and they are $25 for each item. She was afraid she would have to leave some behind, but now she didn't. Whoever this man was that day, he had given her a blessing. But why? Was he trying to just get rid of them? Were they all base cards? Were they all damaged? Or was there more to the story.

We need to solve this mystery and find the answers by looking at what the contents were.

A almost filled base set of 2002 Ex baseball.

Why is it almost filled? Why not have finished it? Mysteries Unsolved.

Four incredible looking NASCAR die cut inserts. Why would you toss these in the box? What kind of cruel monster would just toss these and not keep them?

Is this a memorabilia card? Or is it a plain insert? Hmmm...

Two hologram cards I haven't ever seen but now want a set of. Were these purposely planted in there?

Brett Bodine autograph was a first random find. There were some cards in screwdown holders that were the best of the box, but why have this random card without a sleeve tucked into the box unprotected?

Rickey Henderson....enough of a mystery.

Who are the Expos...another mystery.

Why was a Boomer Esiason rookie card just tossed in there? Very random as it was the only '86 Topps card of the lot.

Kobe Bryant insert? I am Starstruck by why he would do this.

Four Triple Doubles. The mystery is deep here when it should be three to make it a Triple.

 

And to end this section, a player I have never heard of. Was he missing in action or was I when he played baseball?

This does it for Episode One of Unsolved Mysteries. There is a lot of unexplained findings here with even more mysteries to unravel. Tune in next time and Perhaps YOU, can help solve a mystery.

Museum Musings:Pieces Of NASCAR

Back in March, I held a contest taking suggestions on what kind of stuff you guys would like to read more about on the blog. Many of the suggestions were toys to non sports to non card items. Well, to please the crowd I will do my best to post those kind of items in this new segment.

Over the years, I have accumulated so much junk. A good portion of it including most of my Starting Lineups and any figures were traded off. I also had a bunch of autographed items I was just looking to downsize with and traded half of those off as well. I still have some to go in that area.

Most of the items I acquired over the years were from purchases in online catalogs, local outlets, department stores, gifts from family, and from a few contests I won. I originally really wanted these items, but as time has gone on and I have gotten older and what feels as my house getting smaller, I decided it was time just to collect cards now. No more adding those markdown McFarlane figures just for the fun of it.

There are some pieces however, I plan on keeping forever. These pieces I will showcase on here.

Today's pieces came back from when I had a love of NASCAR. Back in late, late 90's, I dated a girl whose father was a major fan of NASCAR. Somehow or another, I became a fan fast and never missed a race for a few years and up until 2005ish. Then I lost interest.

During that time I was fortunate enough to attend a couple races during those years and a time trial or two. I also went to a race show in Massachusetts once as well.

Here are a few photos from the races I attended,

During my love of racing, I turned into a huge Tony Stewart fan. I chased down every car he owned and even chased a few cards of his as well. It was during my dark hobby time-I will touch on this at another time-so I didn't do a lot of cards then. I did manage to snag a couple Tony rookies.

In that time, a company product magazine called LTD, produced a few really cool pieces that I had to add.

First one is of Tony, of course, it has a piece of the Brickyard from the Brickyard 400 and the paint scheme that Tony used to win that race.  (sorry for the dust)

Back side of the piece

The other one I simply picked up because it was Dale. I was into racing at the time that Dale passed and watched the race he crashed in. I had no idea he had hit the wall hard enough to do what happened but he did. I thought this cool piece from Daytona was a nice collectible.

For the most part I sold/traded off my Tony Stewart 1:64 cars including a sick see-through Jurassic Park 3 1:24 I had. But, I held onto three of them. One I didn't show but it was cool as it's inside of a coke bottle. I will show that off another time. However, I am showcasing the two "rookie cars" I held onto.

 

These pieces I don't plan on trading away or losing. Just a piece of memory history for me. 

How many of you have ever seen these especially the track swatches? I know Billy may comment on this and maybe has seen these. Also, how many of you are into NASCAR just out of curiosity?

GIVEAWAY! Win THE FINAL PWE PRIZE

When I recently broke some Panini products I mentioned doing a giveaway with some of the cards. Well, that time has finally arrived!

In these 5 envelopes is a mix of 3-5 numbered insert cards and some decent hits. There are 3 chaser cards to be found in the 5 envelopes that I will reveal in just a second. There may be more contests down the road for more of the cards from the breaks so stay tuned for that too.

ONLY NUMBER 3 REMAINS!

The above envelopes are numbered 1-5. There will be 5 separate contests held over a 5 week span. Each contest will be easy to enter but all will be different.

 

When a winner is announced, the winner will have their choice of what envelope they would like. Even though I just put them together, I shuffled them and then numbered them so I have no idea which one has the chase cards.

 

Here are some of the cards you will be chasing.....

/199

 

 

400 PANINI REWARD POINTS

 

/24

 

 

 /50

 

 

and..../49

 

To win THE FINAL PWE PRIZE, JUST SIMPLY DO THE FOLLOWING...just guess how many views this post will get. The closest wins!

 

That simple. Well, and these other rules of course....

1. MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT TO ENTER. I CANNOT AFFORD SHIPPING OUTSIDE THE U.S. SORRY FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE AS I APPRECIATE ALL OF MY READERS. However, if you live outside the country but have an U.S. address, you can enter.
2. CARDS WILL BE SHIPPED PWE
3. SPORT CARD COLLECTORS BLOG OR IT'S OWNER/BLOGGER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST, STOLEN OR DAMAGED MAIL. 
4. Envelopes will be mailed at the same time when the contest is over. I think this will make the suspense more fun.
5. IN CASE OF A TIE, RANDOM 3 TIMES WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE A WINNER
6. ENTERING MEANS YOU ABIDE BY ALL OF THE RULES ABOVE. 
7. You will have til Sunday, September 3rd 2017. Winner announced on Tuesday, September 5th 2017.
8. Good luck and please remember to THANK Panini America and Tracy Hackler!

GIVEAWAY! Win 1 Of 2 PWE Prizes!

When I recently broke some Panini products I mentioned doing a giveaway with some of the cards. Well, that time has finally arrived!

In these 5 envelopes is a mix of 3-5 numbered insert cards and some decent hits. There are 3 chaser cards to be found in the 5 envelopes that I will reveal in just a second. There may be more contests down the road for more of the cards from the breaks so stay tuned for that too.

Envelopes 1, 2 are claimed! The Third winner has not claimed theirs yet but I wanted to get this contest going.

The above envelopes are numbered 1-5. There will be 5 separate contests held over a 5 week span. Each contest will be easy to enter but all will be different.

When a winner is announced, the winner will have their choice of what envelope they would like. Even though I just put them together, I shuffled them and then numbered them so I have no idea which one has the chase cards.

Here are some of the cards you will be chasing.....

/199

 

400 PANINI REWARD POINTS

/24

 

 /50

 

and..../49

 

To win ONE OF THE TWO PWE envelopes remaining, today's entry is simple,TELL ME THE TOTAL SCORE OF THE RAMS VS 49ERS PRESEASON GAME PLAYING ON SEPTEMBER 24TH 2017. THE PERSON CLOSEST WITHOUT GOING OVER, WINS!

That simple. Well, and these other rules of course....

1. MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT TO ENTER. I CANNOT AFFORD SHIPPING OUTSIDE THE U.S. SORRY FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE AS I APPRECIATE ALL OF MY READERS. However, if you live outside the country but have an U.S. address, you can enter.
2. CARDS WILL BE SHIPPED PWE
3. SPORT CARD COLLECTORS BLOG OR IT'S OWNER/BLOGGER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST, STOLEN OR DAMAGED MAIL. 
4. Envelopes will be mailed at the same time when the contest is over. I think this will make the suspense more fun.
5. IN CASE OF A TIE, RANDOM 3 TIMES WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE A WINNER
6. ENTERING MEANS YOU ABIDE BY ALL OF THE RULES ABOVE. 
7. You will have til Thursday, August 24th 2017 by 6 pm e.t. to enter. Winner announced on Friday August 25th.
8. Good luck and please remember to THANK Panini America and Tracy Hackler!

GIVEAWAY! Win 1 Of 3 PWE Prizes!

When I recently broke some Panini products I mentioned doing a giveaway with some of the cards. Well, that time has finally arrived!

In these 5 envelopes is a mix of 3-5 numbered insert cards and some decent hits. There are 3 chaser cards to be found in the 5 envelopes that I will reveal in just a second. There may be more contests down the road for more of the cards from the breaks so stay tuned for that too.

Envelopes 1, 2 are claimed!

The above envelopes are numbered 1-5. There will be 5 separate contests held over a 5 week span. Each contest will be easy to enter but all will be different.

When a winner is announced, the winner will have their choice of what envelope they would like. Even though I just put them together, I shuffled them and then numbered them so I have no idea which one has the chase cards.

Here are some of the cards you will be chasing.....

/199

 

400 PANINI REWARD POINTS

/24

 

 /50

 

and..../49

 

To win ONE OF THE THREE PWE envelopes remaining, today's entry is simple,Follow this link to my new blog, The Origins Of A Cardboard Addict and leave a comment on one of the posts.Comment below and tell me you did so and you are entered! Feel free to follow the blog, add it to your blogroll and subscribe by email too!

That simple. Well, and these other rules of course....

1. MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT TO ENTER. I CANNOT AFFORD SHIPPING OUTSIDE THE U.S. SORRY FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE AS I APPRECIATE ALL OF MY READERS. However, if you live outside the country but have an U.S. address, you can enter.
2. CARDS WILL BE SHIPPED PWE
3. SPORT CARD COLLECTORS BLOG OR IT'S OWNER/BLOGGER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST, STOLEN OR DAMAGED MAIL. 
4. Envelopes will be mailed at the same time when the contest is over. I think this will make the suspense more fun.
5. Random winner after 3 randoms.
6. ENTERING MEANS YOU ABIDE BY ALL OF THE RULES ABOVE. 
7. You will have til Tuesday, August 15th 2017 by 8 pm e.t. to enter. Winner announced on Wednesday August 16th.
8. Good luck and please remember to THANK Panini America and Tracy Hackler!