Archive for the Hall of Famers Category

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Deuces Don Drysdale rookie …

Posted in Hall of Famers, Misc. with tags , , , , , , , on January 13, 2018 by Cardboard Icons

If you’re not familiar with the primary focus of my collection, I’ve been acquiring the Rookie Card or a tobacco-era card of every member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Wagner. Ruth. Mantle. Etc. And on top of that, the card has to be stabbed by Beckett Grading Services because I like uniformity.

This week I added to my collection a 1909-11 t206 John McGraw already stabbed by BGS/BVG. Low grade, but still wonderful to see.

It’s so much fun adding these century-old cards to the wall display. It’s a lot more fun adding these baseball icons than chasing something new and flashy. But that’s just my opinion.

So now the McGraw will be inserted in the top row — to keep things chronological — and since the Drysdale is the last card in the case it has to be moved.

So what happens with the Drysdale? It’ll get bumped to the second graded card display which presently houses stabbed HOF rookies from 1958-1991.

I’ll need another case eventually as I have a half dozen more ungraded HOF t206 that need BGS/BVG cases. This will eventually force the move of Jim Bunning and Bill Mazeroski as well.

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Ben,

Collector of Hall of Fame tobacco era and Rookie cards.

Collector of Roger Clemens and Clayton Kershaw.

You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram @cardboardicons. You can also e-mail me at cardboardicons@yahoo.com

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A dozen new HOF relics added to collection; Jackie Robinson for trade/sale

Posted in Hall of Famers, Newspaperman with tags , , , , , on August 2, 2016 by Cardboard Icons

Yesterday I stated a new page on this site called the “Hall of Fame Hits.” The page is designed to house the relics and autos of baseball hall of famers in my collection.  One reason is to show them off; another reason is so that I don’t obtain too many duplicates.  RobinsonJackieNTUNISome sets I really like and will acquire the relics from that set regardless of whether of not I already have a game-used card of that player. The same goes for cool-looking swatches. I added another dozen to the site this morning — highlighted by 2001 UD HOFers Frank Robinson auto relics and a sweet National Treasures Carl Yastrzemski swatch featuring stitch holes from what looks like his jersey number — and I should be all caught up until my newest shipment from CheckOutMyCards arrives. As the title of the page suggests, autographs will also be shown here, but they are not ready to be uploaded quite yet.

On a side note, while uploading I realized I have a second Jackie Robinson relic card that I’d be willing to move for something nice for my collection.  The one for trade hails from 2015 National Treasures and is serial numbered 25/99.  The card is somewhat unique because it features a swatch of flannel whereas most of the other Robinson’s feature a slick blue fabric presumably from a jacket worn by Robinson.

Have something to offer? You can reach me via e-mail at cardboardicons@yahoo.com or on Twitter @cardboardicons

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Some things should never be slabbed

Posted in Hall of Famers, Newspaperman with tags , , , , , on July 30, 2016 by Cardboard Icons

Earlier this year I was on a quest to acquire a relic card of one of the hobby’s biggest names: Honus Wagner. During my search I found a relic of Wagner at a fairly decent price, but it maybe because the card was in a Beckett Grading slab, and was stuck with an 8.5 label.

photo AEAA0C4E-CE82-42FC-B722-88B54DA22CD5_zpsof3wvn15.jpgA lot of graded card collectors see 8.5 on a modern card and run away. The card obviously isn’t mint, leaving it in a state of uncertainty for collectors who are real sticklers on condition.

I’m OK with 8.5 sometimes. It just depends.

I digress. While the grade may have turned people away in this case, I saw this as an opportunity to swoop up a card that would satisfy my particular collecting goal at the moment. So I bought it for less than the price of two retail blasters.

The card arrived and it has been sitting in a box for months as I sort out stuff in my life.

Alas here I am, card in hand thinking about the acquisition and how the card fits into my collection. But then it hit me. It doesn’t fit. I mean physically.

Relic cards do not belong in slabs. Period.

I know I am not the only collector who  has received a relic card of a legend and instantly touched the piece of material, whether it be part of a jersey, pants or bat.

Honus shall be no different.

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A proud father moment: kids hold a century-old Honus Wagner

Posted in Hall of Famers with tags , , , on February 29, 2016 by Cardboard Icons

In my last post I discussed my alternative to THE Honus Wagner card and described why I think the 1909-11 Colgan’s Chips card/disc is a fair replacement in a collection that likely will never see the Million Dollar Card

Well, lastnight I cracked the Wagner from its SGC case so that I could submit it to Beckett Grading, my preferred grading company.

While breaking it out I explained to my kids the big deal with the t206 Wagner and tought them a bit about cards. When we were done talking, I let each hold the Wagner I recently acquired. It was a proud moment.
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An alternative to THE Honus Wagner t206 card has arrived

Posted in Hall of Famers, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , on February 27, 2016 by Cardboard Icons

Like many of you, the 1909-11 t206 Honus Wagner is considered the Holy Grail of Sportscards.  It’s such a rare card that even in the worst condition an authentic copy costs about as much as a house.

Well, I’ve come to terms with the fact that unless I managed to unearth one of these Wagners during a trip to a garage sale or a thrift store I’ll never own one.

So where does that leave me, a collector who aims to get the rookie card or a very early card of every Hall of Famer? It basically sends me looking for alternatives.

Wagner has quite a few options.  I could’ve settled for the 1948-49 Leaf card that is a bit more common but I actually don’t like that card because it’s hideous and was produced like 40 years after his iconic card.  And most of the Wagner tobacco era cards — the non-t206 ones — still go for upward of four figures.  I mean it’s Honus freakin’ Wagner, a hobby giant, I would expect nothing less.

But then I found what I have deemed to be a much cheaper alternative: the 1909-11 Colgan’s Chips card/disc. photo E478CD75-2D36-4881-8877-9DE6778B4000_zpsrjnl8lmu.jpg

It may not have corners, but this item has a few things going for it. First off, if that pose looks familiar that’s because it’s the same one used on the legendary Wagner. Secondly, it hails from 1909-11, the same era as the hobby’s most expensive card. And third, it’s an item that was distributed in GUM packages instead of cigarettes.

Part of the reason the t206 Wagner is worth so much is because it was pulled from circulation at the request of Wagner who reportedly didn’t like his name being associated with tobacco. So the fact that this was a gum card adds some charm as Wagner likely approved of this.  Also, gum and baseball cards haven one hand in hand for much of the hobby’s history. 

This is my first true vintage Honus Wagner and in a few days I will unseal it from its SGC case and send it to Dallas, Texas, so that it can be slabbed by Beckett Grading. Upon its return, it will fit nicely in my graded card display case.

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