GCRL Trade Envelope

Got a little envelope the other day with a few cards from GCRL.

I'm always happy to get mail.

Getting 2016 off to a good start, especially with Topps Stickers as these are my first of the season.

Alright! Jim saw my post on Calling Card #444.

Two more for the set, and the second for Darryl Strawberry.

Does he have a third card #444?

Looks like Jim is starting up a new blog, this advertisement was included in the envelope.

I'll keep my eyes out for FRANKENDODGER.

Thanks for thinking of me Jim.

Hope you enjoy the cards I sent back.

Off Hiatus #Supertrader Trade

Big bag of Angels from #Supertrader Tony.

Here is every card.

1993 Spectrum Nolan Ryan #3 and #4

These are the only cards I have from this 10 card limited edition set.

Is is safe to assume these are the only 2 that show Ryan in an Angels uniform?

Tony sent 2 of each making it easier to show both the front and the back.

Since I'm a Ryan collector, I'll have to keep my eye out for the complete set as well.

Apparently there is also a "Promotional" version of each card.

Very cool.

2009 O-Pee-Chee

Gotta get on the black border version of this team set as well.

Love the Napoli card, nice addition to the PC.

2014 Donruss

Complete Series 1 Team Set?

Even better!

1999 Pacific Invincible Mo Vaughn

Okay these are both Seismic Force #1 what gives?

1999 Pacific Invincible Mo Vaughn

AGAIN! Both numbered Sandlot Heroes #1

How do know you have all the cards then?

So you have a #1 and you think you're done.

But Nooooooooo....

1992 Kelloggs #4 Rod Carew

Phew, I know for fact there's only 1 of these.

Random Assortment

The 1992 Score Dave Winfield does not seem familiar to me.

2015 Panini Contenders #14 Taylor Ward, #32 Grayson Long

Two young draftees in the Angels system.

The Panini collegiate sets are growing on me.

2012 Topps Mini

Not a team set, but getting me closer to it.

Nine-Carder of Jean Segura

I have to assume Tony started a Segura PC when he was traded to his Brewers.

These are either extras, or he's just not that into him anymore.

Great cards #Supertrader Tony, thanks!

Play At The Plate #Supertrader Trade

1998 Topps Gold Label #71 Class 1 Tim Salmon

Absolutely beautiful card set.

And one that I could never afford back in the 90's

1996 SP Special FX #42 Tim Salmon

I so happy this scanned well.

1996 Circa #22 Tim Salmon

Circa was always a mind-trip for me...too much going on.

But I do like the Angels logo in the background.

2000 Topps Tek #8-2 Mo Vaughn

Again can't figure out the numbering system on these.

And have boxes of these suddenly been discounted because this is like the third Tek card I've received this year after rarely receiving them in years past.

1999 Skybox E-X Century #101 Troy Glaus

Another really nice (and expensive) premium set from the 90's

Can't imagine what it would have been like ripping a box of these.

2007 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Americas Pastime AP-KM Kendrys Morales

Super cool autograph from before the name change.

Glad to see him still powering the ball...now as a World Champ with the Royals.

1986 Fleer Future Hall of Famer #4 Rod Carew and #6 Reggie Jackson

The two Angels in this 6-card set found randomly inserted into Fleer rack packs.

Now I have the team set...sweet.

2013 Topps Mini

The Pujols is also a Series 1 checklist.

Good cards #Supertrader Brian, thanks!

Black Gold, Texas Tea

A post or so ago I mentioned that I had won a set of Topps Black Gold cards a long time ago by mailing in one of those sweepstakes cards that I love so much.  I thought it was maybe a 1992 scratchcard that told me I had won, but I think it was actually a "Winner" card that I filled out and then mailed in to claim my prize of 11 Group A Black Gold cards.

Thinking that I had maybe a couple of the player cards left after trading many away, I searched but couldn't find them.  I absolutely knew that I had this cover card left though.

This card came with the set and on the back is a CHECKLIST! of the 11-card set.

No Angels unfortunately.

Calling Card #444, Do You Hear Me Card 444?

Long story I won't get into, but one of my quirky collections is Baseball Cards numbered 444.
Yep, I want an example of every #444 baseball card.

Here's my list so far:
1981 Topps Garth Iorg Blue Jays
1983 Fleer Al Woods Blue Jays
1983 Topps Wally Backman Mets
1986 Topps Alex Trevino Giants
1988 Score Charlie Moore Blue Jays
1988 Topps Cal Ripken Sr Orioles
1990 Leaf Checklist Will Clark Giants
1990 Topps Kyle Abbott Angels
1990 Upper Deck Craig Worthington Orioles
1991 Leaf Checklist Darryl Strawberry Dodgers
1991 Upper Deck Rickey Henderson A's
1992 Stadium Club Lance Johnson White Sox
1992 Upper Deck George Brett Royals
1994 Fleer Darren Holmes Rockies
1996 Fleer Ultra Gold Medallion Eddie Perez Braves
2006 Upper Deck Jorge Cantu Rays
2008 Upper Deck Matt Murton Cubs
2009 Upper Deck Oakland Team Leaders A's

Short list I know, but those are all cards I found by accident, I've never actively searched through stacks of cards looking for #444.

As I build up the collection I'll start tracking which team has the most players with a #444 card and I'll determine if any one player was lucky enough to get that number more than once.

So, as you're digging through cards, if you come across a #444, think of me.

Wish All The Angels Cards Came With Bubblegum

Angels cards via Jeff from Wish They Still Came With Bubblegum

1994 Mothers Tim Salmon A.L. 1993 R.O.Y. #1

Sweet, now only lacking #3 for this 4 card set.

1999 Topps TEK 44A P-21

No clue what the numbering system is on this set.

But a very cool card.

That Trout "rookie" up there is really a 2016 Topps Berger's Best.

You can tell by the gold foil (and by the back obviously).

There, I saved Topps the (lack of) effort on airbrushing this Simmons card to the Angels.

Package Part 3 From #Supertrader Hoyle

Got a nice package from Mark Hoyle, always generous with cards for my collection.  Mark knows what I like and didn't disappoint.  He hit three of my "likes" categories so I figured I'd break this down into three posts.

Part 3 Sweepstakes, Scratchers, Promos, Special Offers, Mail-Ins, Game Cards and Giveaways.

Call them what you want, I like them all, and Mark send me the biggest and best stack I have ever received.

1988 Topps Baseball Coins Mail-In

This is a blank back, mail-in (they give you the address to send your wrappers and money to) that came with a box of Topps Baseball Coins.

Super-stoked as I had never seen one of these before, and it's an awesomly odd shape.

1981 Topps Hit To Win Scratcher

This one is cool because although I have a version of this card, mine has the "plays" in a different order as opposed to the GROUND OUT, STRIKE OUT, and FLY OUT on this one.

Any other versions out there?

1989 Topps Spring Fever Baseball Sweepstakes

Didn't know this existed.

It's a smaller size, like a Topps mini.

I wonder if there is standard sized one?

1975 Topps Football and 1974-75 Topps Basketball and Hockey Scratch-Offs

Whoa Doctor!

Two of each so I could show you the front and back of these gems.

Oh my gosh these are so cool.

How many of those Diamond Giveaway cards did I GIVE AWAY before realizing they fit into the collection.  When Topps started printing codes on the back, I became blind to these cards.

Duh.  Now I have to go back and start rebuilding these sets.

That 2013 MLB Chipz card has Mike Trout on the front so I'll need another copy to go in the Trout PC. The little Cracker Jack card and the '94 Fleer card are pretty cool too since they have a checklist on the back.

Uh-oh, someone actually used the mail-in portion of those 1992 Topps Match The Stats Game cards.

I actually won a Topps Black Gold set this way back in the day.

I typically try to stick with baseball, but all these football, hockey, and basketball cards are cool too.

And boy I bought a lot of Pro Set football in the early 90's, all of which is just about gone now.

As well as the 1991 Stadium Club Hockey.

Super awesome stuff Mark.

Very much appreciated.

Checkin It Off - 1991 Leaf Baseball

1991 Leaf Baseball has a 6-card checklist set, to cover the 528-card base set and the 26-card BC Gold Rookies insert set.

(There were an additional 12 Gold Rookies numbered BC-265 thru 276 that are not on any checklist)

I love the Leaf checklist cards because the fronts of the cards include a photo thumbnail and card number, leading you to think it's actually the back of the card.

The photos included a nice selection of some popular players.

Good additions to your player collection.

1991 Leaf did not have an update set so there is no update checklist to try to obtain.

Thanks to Mark Hoyle for helping me complete this set.

Package Part 2 From #Supertrader Hoyle

Got a nice package from Mark Hoyle, always generous with cards for my collection.  Mark knows what I like and didn't disappoint.  He hit three of my "likes" categories so I figured I'd break this down into three posts.

Part 2 Checklists

Vintage is always good: 1971 #123, 1972 #103, 1974 #126, and 1974 NNO.

Vintage is best, but there's lots to like in checklists from the 80's-90's.

Leaf checklists with the thumbnail photo and the card number on the FRONT are some of my all-time favorites.

There were even some perfectly miscut football and hockey issues.

Again, good stuff.

Part 3 - Sweepstakes, Scratchers, and Inserts is next.

Please Don't Squeeze The Charmin

I admit it, sometimes I squeeze card packs to see if there's a relic in there. I can count on one hand minus a thumb the times there actually was one. I picked out a pack the other day that I thought maybe had a hit, not a stiff relic card but maybe a little something extra...the pack felt a little stiffer than normal.  Let's see.

Here's the base cards:

There's ten of the twelve card pack.

Got an insert.

Meh.

 Did I get a hit with the last card?

Hey!  That's a hit for this Angels collector!

My spidey-senses need some honing.

Package Part 1 From #Supertrader Hoyle

Got a nice package from Mark Hoyle, always generous with cards for my collection.  Mark knows what I like and didn't disappoint.  He hit three of my "likes" categories so I figured I'd break this down into three posts.

Part 1 Angels

1997 Topps #24 Garret Anderson

At first glance I thought, "Why does this card show Anderson in a rundown between two other Angels? Hmmm, must be a Spring training inter-squad game."

Seriously, my thought process that far before I looked a little closer.

2013 Gypsy Queen Mini #270 Jim Abbott

2015 Gypsy Queen Mini #49 Albert Pujols

I don't have enough minis in my Angels collection.

I know there are a ton of Angels mini's out there, I just don't have all the team sets yet.

1966 Topps 50th Anniversary Buyback #280 and #173

I literally hopped up and down when I saw these.

I have so few, I think these are my third and fourth, that when I get one I am super stoked.

I am super stoked.

Donruss 1986 All-Stars jumbo #46

Love these and hate these.

Well more like 80/20

Love them for their odd-ballness and for the team set,

hate them because I have to go get special pages for them.

And ALL of the rest of the Angels:

That 1990 Classic Yellow is my favorite design of the classic series, although the pink and the 1987 yellow versions are pretty close.

I keep meaning to do a team set check on those 1994 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes, I know I (now) have a handful of different cards.

Fun Fact: For you newbies to collecting, look for the GOLD Medallion on Fleer Ultra cards

(like on the Mark Langston card).

They were a randomly inserted parallel versions of the base cards, and putting a team set together can be difficult.

Good stuff Mark.

Part 2 is coming up: Checklists