Three SCM Original Cards

The latest issue of SCM is out. SCM is the Japanese version of the Beckett monthly magazine. Each month, there are a few articles, previews, reviews, and checklists for the newest releases including MLB cards, and of course a price guide.

The guide rotates between Calbee, soccer, and BBM listings and serves as a pretty good price guide/card guide for modern issues. Actually, I've noticed that the listings are more incomplete for recent sets; many of the 2013 and 2014 BBM issues don't have full parallel details included. The rotation isn't exactly consistent, as I recall them going Calbee-soccer-Calbee-soccer for a while. And Epoch and Frontier don't get listings in the guide; smaller issues and team sets are ignored just like Beckett does.

But I digress; it can be a useful reference, even more so than Beckett at times.

Included with the magazine are original cards (link to English-language checklist at JBC). The number of cards in each issue hasn't been consistent, though this year they've had six Cosmic Cross cards and six other cards in each issue. They are approaching their 300th numbered card (plus many unnumbered cards), and it would be cool to have them all, but that can be quite costly. So I've just picked up the ones that match my collection.

I missed out on some from last year's issues that randomly showed up at the card store last week.

 You know Sadako, right? The girl who drowned in a well or something? Well, the movie series is still strong here so the monster came back from the dead to toss out the first pitch as part of a promotional event.

 Nishikokun is the mascot of Nishikokubunji, an area of Tokyo. Created in 2010, he was the number three mascot in 2011. He's a black-and-white tile with legs. I don't understand, either, and I don't know how he could possibly throw out the first pitch. Maybe he kicked the ball to the plate?

The last card is a promo for the Real Venus set that came out at the end of 2013. The 2014 set should be out soon! Last year, they convinced a couple of the subjects to dress up in Santa costumes (well, Mrs. Claus, I guess) to add some special costume and autograph cards. The SCM promo was pretty popular and I'm surprised I could find it!