Another surprise, another set to build

So yesterday I posted about finding a 1968 Topps Bench rookie card for a smidge over the cost of a blaster box. I had thought that the Bench might be one of the last cards that would find it's way into my '68 album. In fact, I had more than once thought about putting a bid on ebay for one of those reprints but thought better of it.

That Bench (along with  '68s Clemente, Carew, Rose, and #1 Clemente leaders card which I need to get when I have some money) was in a small stack of cards that one of the employees had elsewhere. As I set the Bench aside and the other '68s, I passed a 1969 Mantle, some other '69 stars and then I saw them ... three of them to be exact in varying conditions. Surely, there must be a heavy crease, pen marks, torn back ... nope!

Again, for the cost of 2012 Topps blaster box, I picked up this cornerstone card of the 1973 Topps set. Sure, a couple of soft corners and some of that black ink seen on many a '73 card, but no way I was going to get this particular card, in this condition on ebay or COMC at this price. And with that, I begin chasing down cards from the set of my birth year. I have posted a want list to the right. In the next day or two it should be up to date as I still sifting through what I have.

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Just a heads up, I have decided to put a couple sets from the 1980's together as well. 

The 1984 Topps set (and Traded set), which I favor design-wise over the 1983 issue. 

The 1986 Topps set (already have the Traded set) for it's black borders, the Red Sox magical run and then historic defeat (still can't fathom why Topps didn't do traded cards of Dave Henderson and Spike Owen), and maybe the best Topps Traded set of the 1980's. Speaking of Traded set omissions, how did Steve Carlton with an airbrushed uni not make that set? The certainly did the artwork for the 1987 Topps box panel cards. 

And lastly, the underrated 1988 Topps set ( have the Traded set). It's set that I see getting more love for it's design and it's photography. The photography in the '88 set I feel is far superior than that of the well-loved 1987 wood grain issue. The pictures seem more crisp, colorful, and I like how the players "pop up" above the team names. The Traded set isn't too shabby either. Forget about worth, but look at the players in it. Alomar, Grace, Sabo, Weiss, and Wells rookies, Kirk Gibson donning Dodger blue, Dave Parker and Don Baylor in A's green and gold, Gossage in a Cubs pullover. The USA team with Jim Abbott and Tino Martinez.

In the coming week I plan of posting those needs lists as well. Still sorting and putting things in order so please stay tuned. Hopefully someone has a stack or two they are tired of looking at and will want to trade away. Again, thank you for reading!

Latest Archives spurs a new set quest

So after opening two packs of the Topps Archives, I have rediscovered my love for the 1984 Topps set.

Growing up, I couldn't find many '84 Topps packs at the local Cumberland Farms, but rather 1984 Fleer packs seem to be always in abundance. And while I like the design of the 1983 Topps issue, I cannot tell you how many vending boxes I broke down putting sets together at the baseball card store I worked at. It seemed at the time, a painfully slow process.

Part of my lure of the 1984 set was that I also became a Don Mattingly fan. Wait ... what???? Are you not a Red Sox fan???  How is that possible???

Interesting you should ask. Now granted, I pretty much started being a fan of his come 1986 or so (and lasted till about the time I went to college in 1991). I remember one summer, my cousins and I were reading a particular issue of Baseball Cards magazine. In that issue there was an article about what players to collect and who would be the next superstars. At the time, I was collecting Jim Rice while my brother had close to every card of Yaz. I remember one cousin decided to collect George Brett, another Wade Boggs, and the other Cal Ripken. Myself, I went with Don Mattingly, while my brother chased Darryl Strawberry cards for a couple of years.

Fast forward to today .... I have a handful of 1984 Topps. I have the Mattingly, Strawberry, Ripken and most of the stars in the set. The Bretts, Schmidts, Sandberg, etc. What I don't have is a boatload of commons to fill in the holes. So, if anyone has a bunch that they would want to part with, I would love to make a similar trade. If you are looking to start a new set, from the 80's, 90's or 00's, please drop me a line and lets see if we can help each other out.

I could also use a 1984 Traded Set, I have the Gooden and Rose, so maybe someone has a partial for some reason. In any case, drop me a line. Thank you for reading.