Completed Redemption Card Set

 1995 Collectors Choice Update Trade Card Redemptions

Series of five cards numbered TC1-TC5 inserted about 1:11 packs of 1995 Collectors Choice. Cards were redeemable (with $2) for an 11-card pack of specified Update cards. There were 55 cards in the Update set which was only available through these redemption cards.

TC1 Larry Walker for Update Cards 531-541

The backs are all the same except for the card number.

TC2 David Cone for Update Cards 542-552

TC3 Marquis Grissom for Update Cards 553-563

TC4 Terry Pendleton for Update Cards 564-574

TC5 Fernando Valenzuela for Update Cards 575-585

I'm glad that UDCC didn't pick the normal superstars for these inserts: Griffey Jr, Frank Thomas, Ripken, Jeter, Bonds, instead going with some different guys, still stars though, but refreshing.

Trades

 

TCDB trade with Dports1

I was especially excited to get the 1993 Kahns Tanana.

TCDB trade with Karensjer

(Topps Cards That Never Were)

Jeremy saw that I had recently traded for a Terry Pendleton 1995 Collectors Choice redemption card and offered this Grissom that I needed for the set. I set up a quick TCDB trade and here it is along with two Angels SPs. Jeremy threw in a few checklist cards as well.

TCDB trade with Mike and Dolly

After Jeremy offered the Grissom, I went to TCDB to find the last two cards I needed from the 5-card 1995 Collectors Choice Trade Card Redemptions. Mike and Dolly also had two of the 1992-93 Conlon TSN Color inserts. Getting a bit harder to find trades on the four I still need. And now I'm down to one letter for the DIAMOND COLLECTION redemption cards, a D.

They also had some PC and Angels I wanted. Now I just need the George Brett back on the 1989 Topps Joyner Sticker to have all six variations.

And 1986 Fleer Team Sticker variations for that set.

TCDB trade with cjswinko

The Donruss cards are all the factory set variations (minor design differences) which I am not chasing for all Angels, just those that are PC guys.

Maybe The Last of the Vintage TTMs

I only have a couple more TTMs out in the mail, but they are of newer cards, so this is probably the last of the vintage stuff I've sent out in the last few months. I don't currently have any plans for another round of requests.

Chuck signed this '68 Topps already signed by Jim Weaver, and returned it in 26 days from his home in Forrestville, MD.

Chuck is 81 years old.

He had an 11-year professional career but only appeared in 13 games in the MLB, all with the Angels in 1966. Unfortunate that his rookie card didn't come out for another two years when he was a mainstay in the minors until 1972.

Junk Mall Junk Wax Wednesday

1993 Upper Deck Deathmate

Pack of 8 with a chance to pull a Lithograms, Players of Deathmate, or Transitions insert.

110 cards in the set.

 I have no idea what these are, I've never heard of Deathmate, and I'm almost afraid to look.

Okay, starting out with a pretty cool-looking character. I like the artwork on this. Apparently, his name in "Solar" hence the radiation symbol on his chest. And I'm assuming, since he is featured on the wrapper, that he is the main character.

Um, yeah, it's gone downhill, these aren't gonna be my thing.

The team photo card is kinda neat though.

Here's the back of the checklist to show you the Upper Deck hologram. I haven't seen the triangle hologram used before. Is this a first?

I guess Topps and Upper Deck were supposed to work together on this set, but Topps backed after long delays from Image Comics resulting in certain character cards never being produced.

And with that little bit of trivia, I will never rip another pack of these.

Angels We Lost in 2024

 An annual tribute from my collection to those former Angels we lost this last year.

Jimy Williams
1975 El Paso Diablos (player/manager)
1974-77, 1979 Angels Minor Leagues Manager

Tom Qualters
1961-62 Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers (AA)

Ed Ott
1981 California Angels

1983-84 Angels Minors

Gordy Lund
1969-70 PCL Hawaii Islanders

Whitey Herzog
1974 California Angels MGR

Hank Foiles

1963-64 Los Angeles Angels

Reyes Moronta

2023 Los Angeles Angels

Bob Speake
1956 PCL Los Angeles Angels

Luis Tiant
1982 California Angels

Rudy May

1965, 1969-1974 California Angels

Fernando Valenzuela
1991 California Angels

Ray Semproch

1961 Los Angeles Angels

Al Fitzmorris

1978 California Angels

Bill Melton

1976 California Angels

Merv Rettenmund

1978-1980 California Angels

Rickey Henderson

Anaheim Angels 1997

More of Those Vintage TTM Returns

 

Returned in 14 days from his home in New Iberia, LA.

Mr. Fox is 89 years old.

Gave up Maris' 58th home run in 1961.

Returned after 12 days from his home in Poway, CA.

Tom had 200 strikeouts for the Astros in 1969, and along with teammates Larry Dierker and Don Wilson became the second team ever to have three 200+ strikeout pitchers.

Returned in 11 days from his home in Ventura, CA.

He is 80 years old.

Jim was an All-American at Stanford and played on Team USA in the 1964 Summer Olympics where baseball was demonstration sport.

His MLB career consisted of 3 pinch-hit appearances in 1967 for the Angels.

Returned in 18 days from his home in New Berlin, WI.

Mr. Botz is 89.

He went 2-1 with a 3.43 ERA and 2 saves in his only MLB season, 1962.

TCDB Secret Santa Part III

 

Final part of my Secret Santa gift is two unopened packs of 2023 Topps.

PACK 1

The two inserts in the pack, not bad.

This year's World Series hero Freddie Freeman.

PACK 2

Two good inserts, and the Freeman guy again.

Interesting pack order: nine vertical, two inserts, then five horizontals.

Love the Secret Santa gift, already looking forward to next years.