Chaos and Kanji is the blog where I write about my adventures through Japan!

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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Card store mojo pickups and an A&G State Relic

Robert of $30 a Week Habit alerted me to the fact that I'm in the current Beckett Baseball (December issue - third time this year) so I had to run by the card store to grab a copy. While I was there I browsed the relic offerings and picked up a few.
 This card would have been good about seven years ago, but Willis is on his way out. He's been a member of several teams, including the Giants - he pitched for the Fresno Grizzlies minor league team last year.
 Hargrove was a pretty good player, and led the Indians to the World Series twice as manager.
 Kapler essentially retired this year, after being released by the Dodgers.
 Jim Piersall was a two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner during his career, but he might have been known more for being somewhat crazy.
 Roger Clemens was a great pitcher but he was also a jerk. Yup. But despite the allegations, he never tested positive for steroids. Yes, that's a bat card for a pitcher.
Speaking of great pitchers, here's a dual relic of mound heroes Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton. Here's the front.
 Here's the back. Wait, what's that going on with the 2 in 32?
Ah, crap. You know what, I stared at this card when I was buying it, and I never noticed the damage until I went to put it on my scanner. I'm still happy enough with it, I believe. That said, I originally bought the Clemens and Ryan/Carlton to offer to Sam in trade - he's got some cards on hold for me. I can still use the Ryan/Carlton in my own collection if he doesn't want it.

I also saw something really neat at the store. There are a nice quantity of rare pulls in one of the showcases. They are some super-auto-patch mojo cards, but also the fun rarer stuff that I never get my  hands on. There are legend SP variations, coin cards (2011 Heritage, for example), that sort of thing. And there was a single Allen & Ginter State Relic box topper sitting in the case.
It's TINY! I expected each card to be similar in size to a cabinet card, but it's much smaller than a regular card. (Oh, and look, even while I was at the shop, I took a picture of the Carlton side of the card and its damage.) While they're still awesome, the cards are so small I'm a bit disappointed. And yes, he's asking $120 for it. No, I didn't buy it, but someday I will own one of these cards.

7 comments:

  1. I'm a big fan of those "Awards Ceremony" cards. Great design and a checklist that includes some players you don't see too much of, like Mike Hargrove.

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  2. Willis was actually with the Reds last year. Fresno in 2010, Reds minor league and then a decent showing at the major league level. Just fyi lol.

    And I would've thought the states were bigger too!

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  3. I'm moderately disappointed that the state cards are so small.

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  4. Why were you in Beckett? I like that Hargrove card..

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  5. Love the Hargrove, like the Kapler and the Ryan/Carlton is awesome (even with the damage). I also thought those state relics were bigger. (That's what she said). Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

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  6. Hackenbush: It's a good set, for sure. I think the All-Time Fan Favorites sets were really good with that.

    Mooss: I think I remember reading that. It surprised me that he played for the Grizzlies though, and thus essentially a Giant.

    Napkin: Readers Write, every time.

    PATP: Nicccccccce.

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