The Slump Is Over

It's the day after my birthday, of course I have leftover cake with my coffee this morning. 

*takes a sip*

*takes a bite...followed by another sip*

If my mother-in-law was a baseball player and was a hitter, you can say the last few years she has been in a "slump" when it comes to getting me a gift, whether that's for Christmas or for my birthday. She has been buying me junk wax completed sets from a place similar to Goodwill. Even though junk wax sets are my least favorite thing, I don't complain because she is trying, and she doesn't have to get me anything, but she still does. So, I just accept it, smile and say thanks.

But, just like with any hitter, you get yourself out of a slump. 

And she did just that when it came to this year's birthday present.

 

First, she handed me this cheesebox full of cards. This is from the same place she normally buys the complete sets for me. 

I was a little worried at first this was checkerblock full of 1991 Fleer and 1988 Topps, but it wasn't. It had its expected junk moments, but there were some fun surprises hidden within as well. For once, the good outweighed the bad.

Just check them out,

*but first, a sip and another bite of cake*

Now you can see the cards,

This was just a few of the fun finds. There were other baseball parallels and some holiday base cards for my set chase as well. 

Next, she picked up these two packs from Walgreens.

Sweet!! I only recognize the NPB packs. I had wanted to open some so I could try and land a Yamamoto.

Inside of each package came with one pack each of 2021 Topps NPB and a 2023 Topps Series One Pack.

The results weren't too shabby.

These were the key inserts and then came a surprise....

Vlad Jr manu-relic! I didn't expect this or anything from these packs. I thought one felt a little thicker. 

I don't know much about the Topps NPB packs other than searching for the one player.

And, I didn't pull a Yamamoto. I am not sure of any other names in this set, so if you do, let me know.

 

I did pull this gold parallel. These are dope and fall 1:12 packs. Makes me wish Topps did these for their flagship parallels.

Between the decent cheesebox and the packs, I would say this slump ended for my mother-in-law with a homerun.

Thanks Ma!

*takes a sip before closing up today's post*

Well, I still have to finish rest of the piece of my cake and my cup of coffee before it gets too cold. I still need to sort these cards all out as well.

Hope all of you have a great Wednesday.

Before I close up today's post, I also wanted to remind you of the Coffee Card Hall Of Fame voting and that it needs you guys to nominate cards in. So far, ONLY 3 cards have been nominated!!

Details on the Coffee Card Hall Of Fame can be found HERE. I may add this to every post from here on out for a reminder as I will forget about this too! Haha!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

It's My Birthday, I Will Post If I Want To!

Yes, it's my birthday.

Am I excited? Not really. 

I am more focused on Friday which is when I can finally get this painful stent out of me. I have been counting down to that day like it was Christmas which is my expected feeling for that day.

On top of that, you hit an age where your birthday just isn't that exciting anymore. I hit that over ten years ago.

I am just hopeful that after Friday, my year can finally turn around.

So far this has been my 2024,

• Broken bone in my shoulder to start the year
• My van got backed into leaving a dent on the side door
• My septic system backed into my house causing a big mess and a big bill.
• Kidney Stone stuck
• Kidney Stone surgery #1 to put in stent
• Kidney Stone surgery #2 to take out stent this week
• Hernia found, will need surgery
• Finances are bad
• And family sicknesses

And I am sure I am forgetting something or somethings.

I could use a break for once.

Guess for now I will take a coffee one...but need a bigger one at some point.

*takes a sip*

A lot has changed in my life of 41 years. 

There are no more Saturday morning cartoons with a big bowl of cereal. Playing outside until I knew to come home. Jamming to some great music and pretending I was the artist. Friday nights being spent at the video store renting movies with my parents and sometimes my friends. Also, renting video game machines and games at said video store. Pizza birthday parties. Cool toys to play with. Staying up all night (which I did once). And playing sports with friends and actually having and wanting friends.

All of this has been replaced with work, kidney stones, back pain, grunting while getting out of chair or sitting down in one, more work, electronic everything that you need to get by everyday life with-which isn't an upgrade as nothing lasts anymore that's electronic, even more work, trying to stay in shape, stress, anxiety, work again, early bedtime, multiple medications, falling asleep during a movie, neck pain when you sleep wrong, lots of doctor appointments, aches and pains when I shoot a basketball, not wanting to leave the house past 7pm and work.

But, the one thing that hasn't changed, is collecting cards.

Yes, over the years my preferences and collecting habits have changed, that comes along with finances as well, but the actual addiction of collecting has not.

One of my latest additions keeps me at 41 years old but also brings me back to my youth.

Ken Griffey Jr was my very first player collection and favorite player of the 90's. I watched any game I could when he played on TV and mocked his swing in the backyard playing against friends. He was the idol that every kid looked up to who watched baseball.

So, I collected him and collected him hard. I became to be known as the Griffey kid.

And when I saw a Griffey card I wanted, I went and did all I could to get it.

So now as a Griffey Adult, I try and do the same. Even though now as an adult it's more challenging to.

This 2022 Topps Chrome Cosmic Launched Into Orbit had me. I think its one of the better looking modern day inserts around.

 

There are two Griffey's in the set, one in his Reds uniform and one in his Mariners uniform. I usually would choose Seattle first, but the Reds one captured the Griffey swing so that caught my eye more. Though I will need to add the other another time and will add it to my want list.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I don't have a lot planned today, probably nothing really. Well, besides drinking coffee and I think my mother-in-law is making me a chocolate strawberry cake to go along with my coffee. This is a usual day.

Just hoping after this Friday I won't be having the usual 2024 day.

I hope all of you have a great Tuesday.

*Another Year Older Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Unfinished Cup:1995-96 Flair Hardwood Leader

I have my coffee, my cards and my laptop fired up.

You know what to do...repeat as me and let's do some Cards Over Coffee!!!

*takes a sip*

I have found these Unfinished Cups to be helpful for my set chases over the years. Not everyone of these has led to me some help, but some have.

And every little help counts. I know I don't like leaving anything unfinished, coffee or cards.

So, I plan on posting these to see if any of you can help me finish these sets up. It also helps give me some posts on here as well though I don't always like doing post fillers.

Today's set I am ever-so close on finishing with only four cards remaining of the twenty-seven needed.

 

1995-96 Fleer basketball had a one-per-pack insert called Flair Hardwood Leader. 1995 Fleer included one-per-pack Flair inserts into their base products across multiple sports that year. I think it was a way to fully introduce the Flair product line.

The Hardwood Leader design was my favorite one. Especially since it felt like a high-end card product at the time with thick glossy cardstock.

I have been chasing this set ever since and have narrowed it down to just needing 12, 20, 21 and 23 for a full set completion.

If any of you have them, please let me know! Either comment below or drop me an email to sportcardcollectors@hotmail.com.

Thanks and hope everyone has a great Sunday.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Haven't Felt Like It

Sorry for the lack of posts recently on here.

I just haven't felt much like posting nor have I had anything to post about. With the lack of mail days and product openings, I am trying to think of other hobby things I can post about and motivate me to do so again.

In the meantime, today is just a filler post so I can share my latest posts on other websites.

My latest post on BCW Supplies blog is Spring Cleaning one,
https://www.bcwsupplies.com/blog/2024/03/08/spring-cleaning-for-card-collectors/#more-8239

My second post is my latest on Beckett. I still have three others they need to post but after this one, but I believe I am done writing for that series. So, enjoy this look back on 1997-98 Metal Universe basketball and try to read the article thoroughly unlike the person who commented on it.
https://www.beckett.com/news/second-look-1997-98-metal-universe-basketball/

Hope everyone has a great Saturday. I haven't had my coffee yet, so guess what I am doing.

*Coffeeless Card Blogger Out*

It Was Spring

The snow was melted. The spring flowers were poking up through the ground. The birds were chirping. I was spinning around like Mary Poppins outside singing happy melodies while the cartoonish animals followed me around.

Spring was on its way......

Until I woke up this morning.

(even the birds were sad)

There was a fresh 5-7 inches on the ground with more on the way. UGHHHHHHHHH.

But that's just how 2024 has gone. I went from Mary Poppins to Snow Miser overnight.

 

At least I was able to enjoy a fresh taste of Maple Syrup, the real stuff not the kind with lady on the bottle, before the snow fell.

Because you know, it was spring.

90's On The 9th: 1997 Leaf Fractal Matrix X-Axis Die-Cut Amani Toomer

Coffee is ready and so am I. 

Not a lot of posts this month, but hopefully some incoming mail days will help.

*takes a sip*

For the first time this year, I am posting a #90sOn9th post. So far, this segment has been a little disappointing as I hoped this would turn into a monthly blog bat-around but also star on Twitter/X as well. 

I am usually the only one who posts these.

That's okay though, I have no plans to stop and hopefully at some point others will join in and use the hashtag #90sOn9th.

*takes another sip*

Today, I am showing off a NY Giants card, something I normally only post on Big Blue Cardboard, but it was my most recent 90's card addition so it fits the segment.

1997 Leaf Fractal Matrix X-Axis Die-Cut fell in random packs of 1997 Leaf. This 200-card parallel set is a multi-micro-etched parallel set with a die-cut. Each player's card is featured in one unique die-cut version and there are 3 different die-cut parallels to chase in X,Y,Z. Each probably comes with their own rarity.

The X-Axis die-cut which is the Amani Toomer above features 100 cards with five of them gold, 20 silver, and 75 bronze.

 

Back of the card is the base look other than the die-cut.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I hope to see a few more of you start to join in on this fun monthly event. If not this month, next.

Remember to use the hashtag #90son9th.

Hope everyone has a great Saturday.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

The Shoebox Delivers Part 5

My first post of March begins on Day 3 of the month.

It has been a busy week overall and one that was a bit rough for me as well. When hasn't 2024 been rough for me? I ended up with a nasty head cold Wednesday night which carried over to Thursday where it completely knocked me out and I was in bed by 8:30. Friday, I spent 80% of the day in bed with Kidney stent pain followed by another round of kidney stent pain on Saturday.

I am hoping for a better day today.

Guess it all starts with my coffee.

*takes a sip*

Today, I am finally finishing up posting about the shoebox trade with my father. I was going to drag this out a little longer, but I have nothing else to post about as I had no card mail days incoming recently.  I could post the bills I got as there was plenty of those, but I wouldn't want you to be as depressed as I am about it.

So, before I continue with today's finale, if you missed the previous parts of this series, you can check them out here:

Part 1 of the magical Shoebox trade

Part 2, which you can see HERE.

And Part 3 which is HERE.

And Part 4 you can read HERE.

Now onto the cards.

This is a set I was considering chasing, now with the toughest player on the checklist acquired in Jerry Rice, I may have to make this a reality. Really cool design.

 A ton of 1994 Action Packed Warp Speed. There was 7 of the 12 cards in the set found in the box. And before you ask, yes I already had this Rodney Hampton.

Next, I found these Golden Domers subset cards of Rick Mirer. However, what I can't figure out is that one has a shine to it. I don't see a parallel noted for it. If any of you have info, please comment with it. I think it's a pretty cool looking one.

Up next, autograph cards! This was completely unexpected. This is why I questioned if my father even looked through this box before trading it to me.

Not a lot of big names to start out with.

Not too often you find a Basketball Hall Of Famer autograph tucked into the bottom of a shoebox. He was also a former Knick so that's cool as well.

And then Jake the Snake Plummer autograph who also happens to be a side PC player for me. I will never forget when he led the Cardinals to the playoff upset of the Cowboys which I loved every minute of.

I would say in the end I made out pretty well in this trade. It was like the cardboard Gods were blessing me for once.

If you are reading this dad, thanks again for the trade.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

There were a couple things I didn't mention in my opener. One, I went to see a surgeon on Wednesday before I fell sick with the head cold to discuss options with the hernia, they discovered on my catscan when they gave me one for the kidney stone. Apparently, the surgeon looked at a past catscan from a previous kidney stone in 2020 and saw the hernia then but it has grown bigger over time. Most likely another needed surgery this year that will knock me out for four weeks. UGH. But it will be completely up to me though if I want it done. Knowing that it has been growing, it probably should be taken care of sooner rather than later.

Second thing, I called my urologist on Friday since I was dying in pain, and she wasn't available. The nurse took notes and info from me. I should hear back on Monday if there is anything they can do for me sooner. Prayers on that. I need this stent out as I don't want to wait another three weeks.

I hope this week goes better, hope all of you have a great week as well. 

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*