Trading With Myself.... Sort Of

Since right around the beginning of this year, I have been selling some cards on checkoutmycards. While progress has been slow, I have managed $28.50 in sales so far, and this is how I spent it (including shipping).

1969 Topps Johnny Unitas

Sheer perfection on cardboard. This is a great looking card of one of the games greatest quarterbacks. I was fortunate enough to meet Johnny U a few times, shortly before he passed, and he was a very kind man.

2006 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Derrick Mason autograph #5/99

Truly a signature that could not be contained by any stinkin' sticker. As you can see, Mason's scribblings venture outside of the signing area, but at least you can still see it. I heart on card autos.

2005 Fleer Patchworks Dontrelle Willis/Josh Beckett dual patch #21/25

The D-Train on the front, with a great looking 4-color patch

Beckett on the back, with a great looking 3 color patch. If this isn't the ultimate Marlins fan trade bait, I don't know what is.

2008 Topps Chrome Ichiro Trading Card History refractor

A card I have wanted since the first time I laid eyes on it. The Trading Card History subset was pretty solid, and the refractors are particularly awesome. I believe this card is based on a Japanese Menko design from the 1950's.

2002 Bowman Chrome Reprints 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. refractor

This will most likely serve as trade fodder for one of the 2 Mariners fans I owe cards to.

All in all I think this is a stellar haul for $28 delivered. Lately a lot of people have been ranting about the excessive shipping costs on COMC, especially when compared to Sportlots & eBay. While shipping may not be cheap, in my opinion you are able to find better deals on checkoutmycards, especially on higher-end "hits", than you are on either of the other 2 sites. If I had purchased these cards individually on eBay, shipping would have easily exceeded $10, and may have been in the $15-$20 range. For instance, the other day, I picked up a Markakis/Adam Jones dual relic from Unique for $7.50. The card has a stated BV of $30 (ha!), routinely fetches over $10 on eBay, and would most likely cost a minimum of $2 to ship. I just saved almost $5 by picking this card up on COMC. Sportlots is another name that people often bring up. To be honest, I don't have that much experience with them, but I know that they do not give you the option to submit an offer for cards you want. You are stuck paying whatever the seller is asking, which in some instances, is simply too much. I've also found that a lot of listings on Sportlots don't include a scan or picture of the card. This might not be a big deal to some people, but if you're purchasing a patch card made by Upper Deck, don't you at least want to know if the edges are clean? They most likely aren't.

Opinions are like Gellmans (no offense).... and everyone is entitled to think whatever they'd like, and obviously shop wherever they want to. For me, right now, that place is checkoutmycards.

Junior Is Finally Home

Many thanks go out to Jay, of the recently defunct The Mojo Hand, for holding so many great contests throughout the year. I was fortunate enough to win his big year-end "Mother of all Contests", and late last week my prize arrived.

BEHOLD!

Bask in the glory that is Junior.

I've wanted a Junior Griffey autograph since I was about 9 years old, and to finally have one, that I didn't have to pay or trade for is absolutely amazing. This is one hell of a card to just give away, and that should tell you all something Jay's generosity.

More Cards From Check Out My Cards

I've been at it again, and here is another example of what $20 (including shipping) will get you on checkoutmycards.com. Whenever I get the urge to pick up some new cards (which is almost a daily occurrence), instead of paying shipping for each card on eBay, or dropping $75 on a box that will most likely yield junk hits anyway, I've instead been turning to Check Out My Cards. I got all of these cards for the price of a blaster, which is most likely what I would have spent my money on when the urge strikes me. Retail is so tempting because it is so easily acquired.

Speaking of acquired, here's what I picked up this time around, and all of it once again using the "make offer" feature. Most of them were had for around half of their asking price.

2007 Allen & Ginter's Nick Markakis black bordered mini

1967 Topps Frank Robinson

Awesome! Check out that cartoon? '66 was a big year for Frank, and the Orioles alike. A World Series ring and a Triple Crown in the same season? That has to go down as one of the best seasons in history.

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights Adam Jones All Star Jersey gold parallel #'d /50

Got outbid on this card a while back, and thought it might be awhile before there was another chance for me to get one. This card was the main reason I went on another COMC spree.

These next 4 are all from the same insert set. If you happen to have any, and want to trade them, I am officially collecting the 1994 Leaf Slideshow set.

1994 Leaf Slideshow David Justice

1994 Leaf Slideshow Ken Griffey Jr.

1994 Leaf Slideshow Juan Gonzalez

1994 Leaf Slideshow Tim Salmon

1968 Topps Frank Robinson game insert

Another card I kept getting outbid on at the last second. This one was less than $2.00, and looks great.

Last week I briefly mentioned completing the 2009 Allen & Ginter's base set. The last 7 cards I needed, all short prints, were purchased for a combined cost of $3.25. Here are a few of the final cards I needed:

And so concludes another post where I foolishly squander away my meager funds for some cardboard satisfaction. Hopefully you enjoyed it as much as I did. I think the next post will feature my flea market finds from yesterday. As always, it was a good day at the flea market, and great deals were had by all.

Just Because

I haven't posted in a little while, but have some stuff in the works. There are naturally new cards to show off; I mean, so is the life of a collector, right? In the meantime, here's a sweet Griffey hologram I got in one of those Looney Toons packs that motherscreatcher sent me a while back.

Sufferin' Succotash!