It's Friday

I couldn't have planned a better day for tonight's post. You see tonight's post are cards that just came in yesterday afternoon. Why is Friday the most appropriate day? Simple really, I ordered these cards on Black Friday from ComC. After the long wait to get them, I am ready to get them posted.


I didn't go all crazy that weekend, in fact this is the only thing I ordered that entire weekend including Cyber Monday. I put $200.00 in my ComC account, and barely spent half well 2/3. I have since spent the balance but those cards are still sitting in inventory.

With this order I tried to keep to Braves cards that I needed. I did that (90.%), but I also wanted to go after cards that I wouldn't normally go looking for. So, I came up with the idea of going after the cheapest autographs (preferably certified on card) I could grab. I didn't stray too much.

One such stray were these cards for my "Miller" binder.

These autos were "stray" picks up too.  Podres and Alou were super great deals. O'Hearn and Beckham are for the Birthday binders. Kearns was just so cheap, like .50.

Hanson refractor I needed as well as the Gold Rush/Sparkle Uggla.

Turns out I didn't need the Limited Exposure 97' Limited Javy Lopez. That's okay becaude it fits into the broken bat binder.

I strayed here too.

There you have it. My Braves autographs got a huge boost. The avg. cost per card broken down to about a buck 50. I think I did pretty good.


Have a safe weekend.

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. 

ART SHOW

For those who don't know I have a mini collection that has an official title of NAME GAME. I started a binder several years ago before starting to care first for my mom and uncle (shortly after starting this blog). Although it has been all but abandoned (I like it too much to ditch it), the binder sits unattended back home. That doesn't mean I haven't worked on the collection. I've been collecting and continuously adding names for the collection.


Here's how it works: I take an "athlete" and find other athletes or celebrities/famous person with the same name or very very similar. Simple, right? Well, sometimes finding trading cards with the other names isn't easy, and on occasion impossible or just too damned expensive.

I've called upon the talents of the blogosphere's own DefGav on more than one occasion. The last time (which was a LONGGGGG time ago) I made a list for Gavin. And when I say a list it was HUGEEEEEEEEEEEE. I know Gavin wanted to shoot me (probably still does, lol). I made it worth his time initially, however it was an extremely daunting task, and was tearing him up. So, I doubled down and perked up the kitty, and alas I have my list (almost 100%). I promise I won't do that again. I will do as asked to keep the list short. That will also be hard on me as I probably need a couple hundred more, lol. Those aren't on a list for the most part. I have one started and in just one category, but I stopped around a hundred. Next year I'll drop a few at a time on him to keep it short and sweet.

Meanwhile, I have to say that the wait was worth it (after all I did say NO RUSH). Gavin's talents for customizing cards is fantastic. Perfect Fronts and backs with the backs sometimes being the highlight. I have no idea why Topps (or Panini for that matter) doesn't scoop him up for card design ideas. Tonight I'll be hosting an ART SHOW. It will be a 2 day event with day two coming Thursday.   BTW:  free admission.

THE ARTIST AKA DEFGAV
(It's also his birthday today- so give him a shout)

Now, all of the cards on my list (see yesterday's post) did not have their match here in Valdosta with me. Some are back in Ocala in a box. I did however have most of them here waiting for their companions.

There is also a Dustin Hoffman custom in the future as the original character in the The Graduate.

Bill's companion is back home.

No companion for Billy here either.

Bing's little brother did quite well for himself too.

Wow.

When I made this list I didn't have the FB card on the left. he was known at the time for the world's fastest human. Go figure he has son (Jr) playing college ball now.

Most Bob's are actually Robert's.

The counterpart is in Florida.

Remember Becca?

Just perfect.

I have to say that Coach was one of my favorite shows back in the day. (This card pairing is explained below).

 Typo here: Don Brown would be correct and the pairing is back home. In Gavin's defense he also corrected a typo of my own on my list for the above Craig T. Nelson card.  I'm going to have to chase down famous people for those two to have a pairing.

We all know the counterpart here, the new manager for the Chicago Cubs. I still need to yank out a dupe for this binder.

There is also the National Golf Shop chain: Eddie Watts Golf.

As a kid I loved Hunter. My kind of cop show. (My youngest daughter is also named Hunter).

Dual career athletes' are a plus.

This is the cut point for day one of the ART SHOW. Consider this a teaser as there are some kick butt customs set for Thursday. You can see the "most excellent" work done by Gavin. AMAZING!

Thank you kind sir, I'll finish this tribute to your talent day after tomorrow.