The "Special Project" update

It has been a crazy 6-7 weeks since I started the Atlanta Braves mini collection. For those who didn't catch that post: I was attempting to get 2 (two) of the earliest card produced (preferably Topps base) of every player wearing an Atlanta Braves uniform, but the earliest card I can get is just fine for set 2. Believe it or not, I am near completion, with less than 100 to go, maybe even less than 50. I haven't did an actual count yet. That's over 1200 cards thanks to all the Bowman Draft and prospect sets of players that may not even get to the majors.

 I really wish the card companies would only produce cards for the players that actually played games in the Bigs during the previous season, not sure how everyone else feels about that but that's how I feel.

Anyways, this month so far I've made 44 trades most of which were for the Braves including several 100+ different Braves trades, which has landed me with multiple dupes!!!!!Or should I say Trips + as I am putting together 2 binders. It has been rather easy but busy and time consuming. The main set (a lot of Rookies) is year by year and the binder for my brother is alphabetical. I am quite confident that both sets will be complete by Thanksgiving as was hoped, or shortly thereafter. The 1966 Aaron ...  still in need of two of those, one can be any lesser condition the other needs to be in GOOD to VG.

I was able to add a few cards to the Gator binder, and 39 to the Super Elway collection (my main PC) including some really nice short prints. I even added 8 vintage Wacky packages to my collection.

When I started building my brothers Braves set I winded up adding the Atlanta Hawks and Falcons just so I could make a trade happen. I do like helping other traders out, sometimes you just gotta go with it.

Anyways, My Elway Collection is now at 1314 unique cards. The magazine covers are at 34 (Beckett and SI completed but for 1).  I hope to finish October with a push for 1400 on Elway.

I needed this sort of slow trade month as the last two months were nearly overwhelming with the large volumes that I had got. Definately prefer this, still have piles but that is what we do.

Enjoy, Lets swap some cardboard.

jfmjr1@aol.com

A slow but very good week

This week didn't bring many packages to my doorstep, but all and all I can not complain.

I added another 1986 Dairy Pak cut out to my Elway collection, that's 2 now the dark blue and now a red one, several more colors to go (the rainbow chase started along time go, lol). These cards came from the 1/2 gallon milk cartons, and the colors varied by locale.

Speaking of rainbow, the next card reminds of just that: 1995 Zenith Z-team Elway that I've wanted for along time. Beautiful card. I really need to figure out how to add pictures to this blog, maybe I should ask JediJeff for little help. Normally I have no problem adding pictures to things, put this post only seems to want to upload from either my phone or g-mail, again I will eventually get that figured out.

I was very surprised even though I knew I traded for this next card, a 2008 Elway of course, Donruss Classics Platinum Timeless Treasures serial # to just 25 (23/25). In a way its ugly, but I like it not because of the low serial number, but because the photo on front and back is black & white, gives this otherwise bad design card some character. Again, I wish I could post a pic. Jeff, help!

The last Elway this week is a special one, again a very low serial numbered card in fact another 7/10 card Elways' jersey number, sweet. 2012 Panini National Treasures Century Legends, awesome card!!! It too has a black & white photo on front, but the card is just nice, simple but awesome at the same time. Great job with this design.

The highlight came from the last two packages (1 package, 1 envelope) that I got yesterday, one of which I had no idea was coming, love those! 4 cards for my Gators in the NFL collection, yippee. They were vintage too! (3 1974 Topps including a John James Atlanta Falcon,  and 1 card from 1979). Lit my day up, and it just got better with the last package 17 of the Topps 1st year cards for my Atlanta Braves collection. I knew these were coming, but man it was fun to go through those vintage cards and put them into their reserved spot in the binder. 3 from 1966 Woodward, O'Dell, and team card, 3 from 1967 Jarvis, Nicholson, and Schwall, 5 from 1968 Johnson, T. Aaron, Boyer, Francona, and team card, 6 from 1969 Causey, Pappas, Britton, Reed, Garrido/House, and Didier/Hrniak/Neibauer. Not to mention the Timeless Treasures Elway was in this package along with another Elway I didn't talk about.

Now I had earlier in the week got a package of 17 different covering 12 years, Dale Earnhardt Jr cards, all very cool. Now I am not into racing, and these cards were just to make a trade happen (along with with 14 Braves from the 80's) to a trader who wanted two very short printed Don Mattingly cards for his super collection. I compromised to get it done, and I am glad I did! You see, I have a "niece" that absolutely has a crush on Jr, and I am going to look like a hero when I give her those cards in 2 weeks. I now owe that trader a bump.

Slow month starting out, but already very happy. Let's trade!

Most of my cards available for trade are listed on Beckett ( ID jfmjr1966), many are listed on my site, and thousands more sitting in boxes, and in piles. LOL. If you want to trade just send me an e-mail.

Most of my basketball is not listed yet, but there are a couple thousand there including 18 Michael Jordans (remember the huge package I got in last month) Yeah I'm smiling..

jfmjr1@aol.com

September trading

Another month of trading, which netted over 10,000 cards in all. 6,000 cards were basketball, which are now sorted but I don't know what to do with, except for the Jordans', I will be be keeping most of them. The rest will be put into my org on Beckett eventually. 3,000 football, most of which are sorted and entered into my org including 7 Robert Griffin III, and 1,000 baseball. Not much in the way of vintage cardboard, but last month was a homerun in that aspect.

I was able to add 30 Elways to my "SUPER COLLECTION" now sitting at 1275 unique cards, 31 magazine covers, 20 figures, 16 plates, 800 dupes (440 different), and always a lot of misc items. I really want to hit the 1500 unique cards mark by year's end. I believe I just might. The highlight card this month was an Elway serial numbered to 10, and was number 7 (7/10). Got to love that, at least I do, lol.

The 2 new projects have started to show progress, at least on the Atlanta Braves side. The Gators is slow to get moving, but shall be finished as there are only 185 of them to get, through 2013.

Zero T206 cards this month, not even my desperate cry out for poor to fair cards netted my any. Good thing I'm a patient man, when it comes to that set.

I was also able to pull a good handful of baseball cards for fellow blogger NICK and his many mini collections. I must say I do enjoy reading his blog, keeps me inspired. They are in tomorrow's mail run buddy. (there are thousands more packed away in boxes).

I did have to buy 6 monster boxes, and I am still short a couple. Still piles of cards here and there, just not so much as the last 2 months, which I am still very proud of myself. Although I need to back the large trading down abit ( I did two 75 card lot trades today, that's coming in with only 2 going out on 1, and 16 on the other).  But that seems to be the trend on Beckett. I don't like that, but when they don't have cards you actually collect then to make a trade work for them you take a lot on that you otherwise wouldn't. I did make 3 other smaller trades there today too.

I like the smaller trades 5-10 cards each way, which I get from fellow bloggers, my site (which has undergone major reform), https://sites.google.com/site/johnnystradingspot/home   and other trade groups to which I belong like OCT (Old Card Traders) and the like. I don't mind the 1-2 card trades either, they are actually more fun to me, and so much easier to just get the trade done.

I should have the 25,000 cards to trade listed in my organize on beckett by tomorrow, as I had hoped.  (Beckett id  jfmjr1966), its free to look to check it out and if you see something you like e-mail me at

jfmjr1@aol.com.

My personal collections are by priority: John Elway anything (not just cards), T206 White Borders, 70's Vintage Wackys, vintage baseball and football trade bait, The 2 new projects: Atlanta braves 1st year uniforms, and the 1st year NFL uniforms of former Gators.

Until next time, cya

TWO New PROJECTS

Today is my birthday and I have decided to gift my self 2 new collections, or least to start them. 

#1) To obtain 2 cards of each Atlanta Braves player in their first season with Atlanta, rookies and veterans alike, doesn't matter. Prefer them to base Topps cards. Going back to the 1966 season. This will be a task just to pull out the ones I already have, considering I just broke up my player collections and put them back into sets. I have most or at least half of the cards I'm sure, but not doubles as I would like to put a set together for my brother in Atlanta too. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

#2) To obtain 1 card of every former Florida Gator in their first NFL/professional football team uniform, again prefer to be base Topps for the modern day cards, but not set in stone and the vintage well, you know not really possible. Now, this collection, is multi-phased as I will take any former Gator that I don't have regardless of whether it is a rookie. I can swap them out for an earlier card as I get them. This collection goes way back. The earliest I am aware of would be a handful of players (4-5) debuting in 1930 that went to UF. 

That's my present to myself. #1 I hope to have completed long before Christmas, and #2 should last the rest of my life like the T-206 and Elway collections. 

Proud of myself

Okay, I got a medium flat rate box crammed full of football cards yesterday about 3000 I guess, and I can proudly say they are all sorted, listed (in my org), and put away. I am proud of myself! 

Now, if I can just get the last box that came in put away, I'd be in good shape. You all know what I am talking about: cards all over the place, piles stacked high, boxes crammed full of unsorted cards.

I had promised myself to get it done by this weekend as I am expecting a rather large haul of basketball. Shipping was $60 on that lot, glad I didn't have to pay it, whew! I actually paid $18.50 on Ebay with free shipping. I want to be able to go through those cards when they come in. I am hoping to FIND something good in the box, and if so I'd like to help the fellow out with some of the shipping. I don't actually collect basketball, just couldn't pass on the deal. So I hope there is some that I will be able to trade away. Always looking for my Elway, and the T206, and my Vintage Wacky's haven't been hit in awhile in case you're a Basketball collector.

I'm going to have to buy some more boxes too, I've used up my empties, oh no. I've no where to store those incoming cards. I've one slot left in A 3200 ct box, which I am filling with the cards from the previous haul. Pretty good mix too from the half that wasn't ****.  Nice cards, so I went for another box from the guy and got them in sorted them and no pro set  yippie!!! No score either, yippie !!! LOL. Did get about 1000 collectors choice (out of 3000), but the stars were there so I 'm okay with that. The rest were Upper DEck, Topps, and some nice Pacific, and there was teh one set set of Summitt too. All and all another good week, so proud of myself.

I did also let go of the other Mantle (56) I mentioned before, didn't quite bother so much as letting the 52 go. That one still smarts abit.

Back to the cards I go, HI HO HI HO.

The Final Count

Okay, heres the breakdown on that vintage baseball that came in the other day.

135 cards from the 50's most are VG, 110 from the 60's including stars like Bench, Morgan, Drysdale, Robinson, Catfish, Neikro, Banks, Killebrew, and the list goes on..............................
and I was wrong, there were only 13 70's cards (4 1972 Killebrew, Robinson, Bench, and The WS champs Pirates team card---- and 9 from 1970 all EX-NM). There were also 35 Elway inserts that came with that package, of which I sadly only needed 1, but the rest are great bait!

Not a bad lot at all, but know this: I gave up a 52 Bowman Mantle for them. It wasn't a perfect card, a little paper loss on the back, and a minor crease in the middle, but Hey it was the MICK, and a 52 to boot. I'm a little down about that, not too much as I have 7 more Mantles, hehehhehehe..Albeit, one of them (1956) will soon be gone as well for another awesome trade for 4 highend Elway cards that I need.

Still sorting the near 4,000 football cards, and I need to hurry, as I have another 2500 football cards on the way, and 5,000 basketball. But so far a handful of Favre, a couple of Adrian Peterson, a lot of Bledsoe, Culpepper, and the like. Tons of inserts no high end though. Slowly but surely we will get them sorted. 


Back to the cardboard!!!!

John

Look what the mail lady brought me today

I just had to get on here and write about the haul that came today. Nearly 4,000 football cards that is.
In addition to the normal Elway hit or two, I got 7 hits from one trader for my PC John  Elway Super collection. Working hard to hit that infamous 1500 unique, getting there hopefully by Christmas.

In the 4K football cards were a hundred 2010 Absolute memorabilia, with 1 game used prime patch serial numbered 21/50, another rookie game jersey, a spectrum card, and absolute heroes card.  There were close to 750 Ultra cards (I like those cards, always have for modern day cards), handfuls of premium cards too.

But the big haul was the 250 vintage baseball cards mainly 50's and 60's maybe 25-30 early 70's, now those are going to be fun looking at this weekend!

I had figured on getting a thousand cards in total for the month of September, boy was I wrong, lol. I still have two large trades in the works. With that said, I bid you farewell as I must do some sorting.
Until next time.

John

Wow! What a month.

Well, August has come and gone. I have my first month completed for trading cards over the web. I must say it was definitely a great month for trading cards.

I made a few new friends and of course a lot of trading buddies. At first, the cards coming through the mail was  slow, but nearing the end of week two it seemed as if cards were rolling in everyday. Not that all of the cards were for my PC ( wouldn't that have been awesome), but there is some give and take when making trades. After all, you do need trade stock or "bait" as it if often called. BOY did I get some bait, and a nice stack for the PC too.

In short, August brought to me about 30 cards for my John Elway super collection, including a serial numbered card 7/9, yepper his jersey number, SWEET. It was a SportKings (not a great set of cards), but this one limited to 9, and to get #7, that set usually doesn't have pictures of the player on the card, but this one did, not to mention it was a dual jersey of Elway and Aikman too. Elways swatch was nice, Aikmans eh, lol. Either way, very nice add to the PC collection.

I also got in 200 different Dan Marino cards (all available for trade) including some nice inserts. Likewise, 50 Adrian Peterson inserts, again nice "bait". I got dozen or so Tim Tebow ( I like the guy!), he's a hard working good guy, not too many of them out there you know. Besides, I am living in Gator Country, and I'd be very happy if that young man wanted to marry any of my daughters, LOL.

I got in some Atlanta Braves cards too, born and raised in GA. I've been a Braves fan since I was 8 years old, they called those years "The Rotten Years", but I loved those Braves. They used to come to my school all the time, it was great. Players like Phil Neikro, Darrell Evans, Bob Horner, Gary Matthews (Sr.), Jeff Burroughs, Adrian Devine, the list goes on... Don't get me wrong, I love the Braves today as well, LOL. I had one heck of a Chipper PC, but gave them to a younger cousin of mine a few years back (she was crushin on him big time). Anyways, I'm also a Tampa bay Buccaneers fan, thought I'd throw that plug into the mix.

All and all, over a thousand cards came in this month, most of which are still needing to be cataloged and put away (never ending battle). Card piles and boxes everywhere, lol. I did make headway yesterday knocking out about 1/3 of what just came in. Scary part is, I know that I already have about the same coming in for this month (September), Yea me, my birthday is in 2 weeks, can't wait to turn 47, lol.

That's it for this month, see ya soon!

T206 White Borders: Sovereign 150 Backs, Mystery

Good morning,

As promised here is my bit on the T206 White Borders:


After searching and watching the boards and blogs for awhile now, I have come to believe that the Sovereign 150 backs are just as rare as the Hindu backs or Drum. Most would not say so, but ask any collector of the T206 cards, "How many Sovereign 150 backs do they have?"

I've seen or read about collectors having T206 cards in the hundreds, but only having on average 3 of the 150 Sovereign backs. One collector had over 500 cards with just 3 of those backs, one fellow did have 5 of the "150" backs with only 200+ cards in his collection. Interesting, yet none of the experts say anything about this "limited" back from the first printing or explain this phenomenon.

This weekend I spent hours looking at Vintage dealers T206, for sale of course. Almost 400 cards, wanna guess how many sovereign 150 backs? 2.  Any comments appreciated.

This is all new to me: blogging to "trade sportscards" A New Hope

Forgive me in advance for the simplicity, this is my very first blog. I'm not very techy, but I will learn.


After being away from "our" hobby for many years now I decided to go through my old card collection, and it has definitely "fired me up" again. For the last couple of months digging through search engines looking to find card traders (when I last traded cards, AOL had groups for that, and it was super easy, made tons of trades that way, it doesn't exist anymore :( ), ultimately finding a handful of groups that I have or am planning on joining. Still because I mainly collect John Elway cards and whatever I can get my hands on of him, makes trading hard in the groups especially the vintage groups difficult. (I have cards dating back to the "White Border T206" and other 1930's tobacco cards) I can hit their want lists (they all seem to want my Mickey Mantle cards), but they usually do not have Elway. Thus, I've been frustrated, until this past weekend. I stumbled across some blogs, via search engine, and read them.

 I believe that this "blogging" thing is an awesome way of getting into groups that help each other with their collecting needs no matter how limited they are. The frustration from the past several weeks is fading away, I see "New Hope" on the horizon.

https://sites.google.com/site/johnnystradingspot/home  this is a link to what I have listed and what I need. I truly focus on the John Elway (highest priority) cards for my needs, but I do collect the old school Wackys (2nd priority) and looking to build as best I can the T206 (lowest priority) more of a prove a theory than anything else, we can save that for a later blog though.

Thanks for reading,

John