Mail Day CaptKirk's Mail Bag

[captkirk42]

Got a package on Tuesday 26 March 2013 that had been sent via UPS (UGH and HAD to be SIGNED FOR per senders request). The package ended up being way smaller and lighter than I had been lead to believe. From the UPS "we attempted to deliver this" stickers I could have sworn one of them said the thing was 9 Pounds, ended up the package was a small padded envelope that was sort of light. Any way it had 3 cards.

The package was from SPORTLOTS and from the $2.00 shipping and listing description there was NO indication that UPS would be the carrier used or that a signature to receive was REQUIRED. Any way 2 of the 3 cards were really wanted or desired, The third one was a "gift" I assume. I thought the listing was for the 2 cards but only one is showing, maybe something was changed or I had really won two sportlots auctions? Anyway the auction bid cost was only the usual starting .25¢

1957 Topps Baseball
22 Jerry Snyder Senators
360 Johnny Groth Kansas City A's

Free "gift" Bonus Card:
2008 Bowman Chrome Baseball BCP209 Rhyne Hughes Rays

 

[captkirk42]

Thursday 28 March 2013: From listia for free free I got one lone card. I don't mind it was in a PWE but it had nothing else the PWE was a smaller note envelope not standard letter it felt incredibly thin but fortunately came through unscathed. The card a 1991 Fleer Baseball 479 Dave Johnson Orioles (the younger Dave Johnson not the current Nationals Manager "Davey" as I originally thought when I first hit the "bid" button, but a few seconds later realized it was the "other" Dave Johnson.)

 

[captkirk42]

Huge April Catch-Up Post:



Friday 29 March 2013 :
Got two cards from Sportlots and my share of the goodies from the TCZ Football Group Break.

Sportlots Duo:
1959 Topps Baseball 408 Keystone Combo Fox/Aparicio White Sox
1961 Topps Baseball 1960 NL Home Run Leaders: Ernie Banks Cubs, Hank Aaron Braves, Eddie Matthews

Braves, and Clete Boyer Cardinals

TCZ March Football Group Break: I had Rams and Ravens as my main bought teams and Random/Draft Teams

of Vikings, Falcons? maybe Steelers and Texans? (I think the last two teams were left over random teams)
Due to the time it took for me to finally log this stuff in I'll just say it 2010 Panini Crown Royale, 2011 Panini Gold

Standard 2012 Topps Strata (Hobby Version)

Saturday 30 March 2013:
Sportlots 2 cards both for .25¢ + $2.25 shipping
1952 Bowman 143 Sandalio Consuegra Senators
1975 Topps Mini 198 MVPs 1960 Roger Maris Yankees and Dick Groat Pirates

Tuesday 2 April 2013:
Got my part of the TCC Hockey Group Box Break: My team is the Capitals my Draft team was Lightning Looks

like 2011 Panini Pinnacle, 2010-11 Panini Donruss, 2007-8 UD Be A Player? and 2011 Panini Luxury Suite. I

got at least one of each but not very much.

Monday 8 April 2013:
Got my part of a group box break the Baseball Group at TCZ (Trading Card Zone) Boxes included:
2013 Topps Baseball Series 1
2012 Topps Archives Baseball
2011 Panini Limited Baseball
I had my main teams the Nationals and Orioles, then I bought at a discount the Twins and A's. I got some cards

from other teams that I guess were some of the random unclaimed teams (including my "Hit")

2013 Topps Baseball Series 1:
The base I have already since I got a full base set from ebay a while back (I don't think any of the ones I got were

the short printed action shots but I'll have to double check some of them)
I'll just list the numbers since there are a bunch: 1, 10(2), 21, 23, 43, 48, 62, 76(2), 80, 85, 88(2), 97, 98, 102,

107, 112, 119, 122, 134, 136, 138, 143, 170, 176, 208, 211, 216, 217, 233, 242, 254, 259, 276, 278, 287, 302,

309, 316, 317, 328
Emerald Variation: 16 Andre Ethier Dodgers
Chasing The Dream: CD-23 Jose Altuve Astros
Chasing History:
CH-8 Rickey Henderson Athletics
CH-19 Harmon Killebrew Twins

2012 Topps Archives Baseball:
BASE:
1954 Style:
32 Adam Jones Orioles
44 Cal Ripken Jr Orioles
1971 Style:
54 Jamie Weeks Athletics
69 Ryan Zimmerman Nationals (2)
82 Jose Reyes Marlins
90 Joe Mauer Twins
91 Ted Lilly Dodgers
1980 Style:
144 Ike Davis Mets
1984 Style:
153 Felix Hernandez Mariners
154 Starlin Castro Cubs
162 Jayson Werth Nationals
169 Michael Morse Nationals
171 Lucas Duda Mets
175 Justin Morneau Twins
183 Dan Uggla Braves
187 Nolan Ryan Astros
192 Brad Peacock Athletics
199 Mark Reynolds Orioles(2)
High Number SP 212 Andy Van Slyke Pirates 1988 style "Reprint Card Back"
1967 Sticker 67S-TS Tom Seaver Mets
1969 Deckle Edge 69DE-14 Harmon Killebrew Twins
1977 Cloth Sticker 77C-GC Gary Carter Expos
Gold Stamped Reprints:
1968 Rod Carew Twins
1972 Brooks Robinson Orioles
HIT - 1956 GU/Relic
56R-I Ichiro Mariners GU all Blue
Pennant Quiz Cards Nationals
The Million Dollar Chase card (useless to me since I don't have a dam credit card for shipping)

2011 Panini Limited Baseball:
(Copyrighted 2012)
2 Draft Hits Anthony Rendon Washington 050/249

Friday 12 April 2013:
Single card day from sportlots .25¢ plus $1.25 shipping
1957 Topps Baseball 16 Walt Moryn Cubs

Saturday 13 April 2013:
One package from Sportlots:
Football 2 cards and Baseball 5 cards total shipping was $4.50 most of the cards were .25¢ except the

1970 Pitching leaders card was $1.25 and the 82 Rose was .75¢

FOOTBALL
1959 Topps 172 Chuck Drazenovich Redskins
1963 Topps 39 Dick Bass Rams

BASEBALL
1962 Topps Ken Hamlin Senators
1964 Topps Zoilo Versalles Twins
1970 Topps:
70 AL Pitching Leaders: Denny McLain Tigers, Mike Cuellar Orioles, Dave Boswel Twins, Dave McNally Orioles,

Jim Perry Twins, Mel Stottlemyre Yankees
128b 2nd Series Checklist Unmarked (226 R. Perranoski with period)
1982 Donruss 168 Pete Rose Phillies

Monday 15 April 2013
Sportlots one PWE shipping $2.65
1953 Bowman Color Baseball 20 Don Lenhardt Browns ($1.50)
1972 Topps Football 251 John Unitus Colts IA ($1.25)

Friday 19 April 2013
Sportlots .25¢ + $1.65 shipping 1979 Topps Baseball 520 Gary Carter Expos (2)

Monday 22 April 2013
From TCZ (Trading Card Zone) "Pay It Forward" thread from Troy I got a single card but OH BOY WHAT A
CARD! [Cat is out of the bag] From the 2012 Topps Archives one of the Fan Favorites Autograph cards FFA-FH 1971 style Frank Howard Senators blue sharpie. It is a shame they didn't serial number these.

 

[Mike]

Nice adds all together, Kirk, but this...

From TCZ (Trading Card Zone) "Pay It Forward" thread from Troy I got a single card but OH BOY WHAT A
CARD! [Cat is out of the bag] From the 2012 Topps Archives one of the Fan Favorites Autograph cards FFA-FH 1971 style Frank Howard Senators blue sharpie. It is a shame they didn't serial number these.

...is just sweet! Troy has struck again. Awesome, Troy! :thumbup: Looks like I'm going to have to step up my game a little or, well, a lot!!

 

[captkirk42]

Nice adds all together, Kirk, but this...



...is just sweet! Troy has struck again. Awesome, Troy! :thumbup: Looks like I'm going to have to step up my game a little or, well, a lot!!

Yeah I think we ALL are Mr. Troy seems to have raised the bar a bit. It's all GOOD. :thumbup:

 

[franklinguy52]

I am not sure about stepping up the games but I figured it would be a pretty awesome 1-card Pay It Forward and I knew that no one would appreiciate it like you. I am glad you like it!

 

[captkirk42]

Wednesday 24 April 2013:
Got a single package from Kerry who writes the Cards On Cards blog as part of his "Guilt-Free Basketball Card Club". He sent a huge batch of Bullets and Wizards Cards (I counted 182 plus 1 sticker) with a sprinkling of 10 Cardinals cards as bookends in each team bag, way too many cards to mention individually here (aprox. 5 team bags worth) They appear to be mostly 1990s Bullets with some duplicates.

The few highlights at first browse:
The "I just got drafted cause I'm in a suit w/a team cap and b'ball in my hand" 2012 Panini NBA Hoops 277 Bradley Beal - Wiz
The Upper Deck Gave me this silly cap for the draft 1993 UD Basketball 164 Gilbert Cheaney - Bullets
2007-08 Upper Deck NBA Artifacts 99 Caron Butler - Wizards
2010-11 Panini Classics 100 Kirk Hinrich Wiz
Several"That's Right I'm the Bad-Ass Coach" Wes Unseld including 1992 Skybox NBA 281 Wes Unseld Bullets Coach
The "I didn't know we had a Token Asian Player" card 2010-11 Panini Donruss 184 Yi Jianlian Wiz
The "Why did you use this photo of the white dude looking lame?" 1993 Topps 262 Rex Chapman Bullets
2009-10 Panini Studio 101 Wes Unseld Retro "Retired Guy" Baltimore Bullets (The B&W background photo looks like a Washington Uni)
2009 Panini Prestige 107 Caron Butler Wiz in Throwback Zephers Uni.
1990 NBA Hoops 381 Bernard King Bullets Cool Painting/Portrait card w/team checklist on back
1992 Skybox 292 Washington Bullets Team Card cool painting/drawing of four players in front of Capital Building
2010 Panini Sticker 160 Nick Young Wizards

 

[captkirk42]

From Ebay got one of the Original 1970s Wacky Packages full Puzzle Checklist for Series 11 "Planet of the Grapes" Parody of "Planet of the Apes" TV show Topps cards. One of the rarer ones apparently as most of the full puzzle sets of this one go for super overinflated prices (up to and sometimes much more than $100) I managed to get these 9 cards all in Excellent to NearMint (dealer listed as NearMint) for $29.49 + $2.50 shipping ($31.99 total) that is aprox $3.50 per card when most dealers are selling this set sometimes in poorer condition and "puzzle piece" cards that don't match up too well for that $100+, mine matches up excellently BTW. Earlier I had gotten the actual "Planet of the Grapes" sticker for about $5.00 maybe a bit more.

Scans:

1974 Topps Wacky Packages Series 11 - Planet of the Grapes sticker

Now the plain back (sorry somehow a hair got on my scanner eewww)

Now the Puzzle/checklist (back of card the same on all 9 pieces of the "puzzle")

And the Puzzle:

[I really should scan the original "Planet of the Apes" wrapper that this parodies sometime, and show a side-by-side comparison]

 

[captkirk42]

OH here is the card I got from Troy on Monday (22 April) as a "Pay It Forward" gift.

and the back (faithfully reproduces the original 1971 card excepting of course the card number and copyright info):

Original 1971 Topps card back:

Original 1971 Front:

 

[captkirk42]

ON Friday 26 April 2013 I got two PWEs from one Sportlots seller. I had a bunch of auctions I won but one kept getting fresh bids and I had already one one auction from the guy but after the 5 days Sportlots forced the "buy it" card and then about 2 days later the "final" auction finished So that is why the one card was $2.00

OK so from one Sportlots seller I got 2 PWEs as I said. The first PWE had four cards that I got for .25¢ each Plus $3.70 shipping

1959 Topps Baseball 329 Detroit Tigers TC w/checklist UNMarked.
1960 Topps Baseball 119 - 1960 Rookie Star Chico Cardenas Reds
1965 Topps Baseball
116 - Cardinals 1965 Rookie Stars Dave Dowling and Bob Tolan
133 - 1964 World Series Game 2 Stottlemyre Wins

The second PWE had only one card that I ended up winning for $2.00 + $1.99 shipping.

1967 Topps Baseball236 NL 1966 Pitching Leaders: Sandy Koufax Dodgers, Juan Marichal Giants, Bob Gibson Cardinals, and Gaylord Perry Giants

 

[Mike]

I know it really doesn't matter when buying PC cards, but isn't $1.99 for a PWE containing one card kinda high? I think I can send one card in a bubble mailer, with delivery confirmation, for less than that. Maybe right around that after the cost of the bubble mailer itself.

 

[captkirk42]

I know it really doesn't matter when buying PC cards, but isn't $1.99 for a PWE containing one card kinda high? I think I can send one card in a bubble mailer, with delivery confirmation, for less than that. Maybe right around that after the cost of the bubble mailer itself.

Yeah, but that was a card that went through about 3 rounds of Sportlots 1,2,3 auctions. It was frustrating. Anyway unfortunately PWEs are a major player with Sportlots sellers. Some of the sellers have common sense and will only ship the penny valued commons in PWEs and ship higher-end stuff in bubble mailers, but most seem to not really care.

 

[Mike]

but most seem to not really care.

That's just unfortunate. Have you ever had any cards arrive damaged because they were shipped in a PWE, though?

 

[captkirk42]

That's just unfortunate. Have you ever had any cards arrive damaged because they were shipped in a PWE, though?

Fortunately not. I have had a few close calls. Usually when they put the card in only a "card saver"and TAPE the opening closed without putting something between the card and the opening (a simple piece of paper either around the card or on the opening between the plastic and the tape would help). IN a couple of those cases the edge of the card got caught on the tape and it required very careful and delicate patience to remove the tape slowly. In one case I think it actually took a little of the ink/paint from the edge, not enough to be noticed at a casual glance with the naked eye but I think enough that if it were to be graded would knock it down a grade.

Even some Ebay sellers do the PWE, card saver and tape thing. UGH.

 

[Mike]

Even some Ebay sellers do the PWE, card saver and tape thing. UGH.

That's fine, as long as they're not charging $2 for shipping, and they specifically say they'll be sending that way in the auction details. I would buy a base card, or low end insert, for my PC if it were being shipped PWE but I would expect the description and shipping price both expressed that shipping method.

Anyways, sorry to derail your topic.