Looking back (and forward)

Ah, the year end is nigh. I say that with Joy. 2019 had many bad moments for many of us, and I'm not complaining as it might sound. I know that no matter what life brings at me I have been blessed, and always will be thankful. 

I'm not the kind of fellow that makes New's Years Resolutions per say, outside of maybe being sarcastically humorous. Heck I'm not even one of those goal setters. I typically figure out what needs to be done or what I want done, and I just do it. None of that psychological bull shit needed for me. 

Each year here at Johnny's Trading Spot I do make (and review) "goals" for the blog/my collecting habits. This is just to put a limited (sort of) focus on my collection, which in reality has no rules. If I see something I want, outside of costs I typically get it, period. Other than a grocery list and my chores the only other list in my life is the baseball card want/needs lists that is updated nearly 365 days a year (and then some). Which is what this post is all about......


Let's look back at 2019 Braves baseball cards. I know that there are a few days left, but that doesn't matter, as the numbers below will always be added too for the next few years. I use Beckett for the main listings for Braves cards. Not unusual for me to get my first set checklist from Cardboard Connection though (they are typically the first out).

Here are the numbers thus far.

Total Braves cards released in 2019:  12,725 of which 12,297 are Atlanta Braves, 325 Milwaukee Braves, and 67 Boston Braves. In a time when we are ALL (for the most part) screaming at Topps to back off some Topps is picking up STEAM. 

2018 Braves: 11, 072
2017 Braves: 8,608
2016 Braves: 6,628
2015 Braves: 6, 145 

I used to want EVERY single Braves card. Nowadays, I could care less about the parallels. I still want them, but no way am I going to go out of my way and chase down anything other than the base cards. Like with the 2019 Prizm I went on a rampage on ComC and took out a ton which did feel good, but hey they were obtained on the cheap. I can live with that. I wasn't looking for them I just needed a couple of base cards and of course these they showed up in the search. And just last night on Ebay, I picked up what will probably be the last 2019's bought in 2019. Let's not forget about those ComC Triple Threads either. I grabbed up my Braves Bowman's Best base and refractors (on the cheap), and my High Tek, with a ton of the parallels too but mainly of Touki, (they were the only cheapies). All came from one seller that does the 45% off of 25 cards (under $5.00 singles). Bam done! Unless I pull them out of some cheap card show boxes or they are sent to me these will be the last of the 12,725 Braves cards to be had that I get. I did well this 2019 by closing out most team sets as they were issued barring those crazy expensive high end sets. Probably the best year ever doing such. 

Let us now peer into the breakdown of those 12,725 cards.

Main/base cards: 853 (now if that is where it stopped I could be happy).

Base parallels: 5,071
Inserts: 1,658
Insert parallels: 5,143


Player Breakdown:

Acuna: 1,938
Albies: 1,078
Freeman: 949
Touki: 755
Wright: 751
Allard: 724
Riley: 621
Wilson: 553
Chipper: 499
Hank Aaron: 436

That's only 8K worth, but as I mentioned earlier.........



BAM. DONE!


I will do my year end "how'd I do" post next Tuesday and the following day (or the next) New Year's Day "ish" throw out my plans for 2020.