What’s Better Than a Package Arriving on a Monday? Two of Them

Yep, a two-package day at the Runner household. First package was an addendum from Colbey at Cardboard Collections, where he sent me some additional Twins on top of the 2-relic trade we did last week — there were a few wantlist hits, and they were much appreciated. I’ll find a good home for the cards I already had.

clockwise, from top left: 2005 Skybox Jersey Graphics #JG-TH Torii Hunter; 2006 Ovation Apparel #OA-HU Torii Hunter; 2008 Upper Deck First Edition Update #400 Livan Hernandez; 2006 Fleer Ultra Gold #164 Torii Hunter

Package #2 was from The Collective Troll at Troll at the Plate, part of a relic/auto exchange. Sorta a Perkins love-fest, if you’re into that kinda thing 😉

left to right: 2007 Topps Chrome Refractor #348 Glen Perkins [164/500] autograph; 2009 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee #271 Glen Perkins

Thanks guys! I know where you live should other stuff turn up…

Advertisement

Flotsam and Jetsam from the Massive Troll Ripathon

A package arrived in the mail from Collective Troll, the likes of which haven’t been seen in these parts since a few minutes earlier when I opened Grand Card’s package ;), and it contained a wide assortment of goodies. If you were like me, you were beginning to wonder if CT’s behemoth riparino was ever going to end, but we all know how life can get in the way of things, and eventually that day came when the fruits of his labor were scattered like debris upon the waves of the USPS.

^{the shipwreck washed ashore here — a slew of junk wax, some 2010 Heritage, a pack of ’89 Topps Mini League Leaders, 2004 Fleer National Trading Card Day, a couple Classic Best minor leaguers, some various newer stuff, and a nice little pile of 70s-80s O-Pee-Chee}

I hardly knew where to start. There are no Twins in the Fleer National Trading Day set (Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, Jose Reyes, Brett Favre, Marshall Faulk, Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony, Yao Ming), so if anyone wants to trade for it, let’s talk. The rest have been organized into smaller piles, shuffled, sorted, and reminisced over.

^{clockwise, from top left: 1994 Topps Stadium Club Golden Rainbow #670 Scott Leius — say, did I ever tell you how on his birthday my youngest brother caught a Leius HR? Yeah, I thought so; 2007 Topps Opening Day Diamond Stars #DS13 Justin Morneau, boy that didn’t scan well; 1984 O-Pee-Chee #322 Ken Schrom; 2010 Topps Heritage #354 Twins Team}

Interesting that I picked up two missing 1994 Stadium Club Golden Rainbow cards from my wantlist from two separate trades on the same day. And although I (surprisingly) only needed two of the O-Pee-Chee cards, several were better centered than ones I already had. The junk wax will work their way here to build team sets.

Sir Troll, it was worth the wait. There’s a good chance some mail will find its way in your direction before too long as well…

Collective Troll Just Doesn’t Get It

I noted that Collective Troll had a couple of this year’s Topps Gold Twins posted on his blog, and I took a stab at his Rays wantlist to work out a trade for them (and others).  On my return from an Omaha business trip, a package had arrived:

^{clockwise, from top left: 2010 Topps Gold #273 Pat Neshek [1811/2010]; 2010 Topps Gold #101 Scott Baker [750/2010]; 1973 Topps Vikings Team Checklist – huh?!; 1972 Topps #515 Bert Blyleven}

Two 2010 Topps Gold cards – check.  A few other hits on my wantlists – check.  What’s this – some vintage cards?  Cool.  I have them, but a couple are upgrades – nice.  Some junk wax; oh well, everyone likes to clean out their stock, and I can find them a new home.  And…huh?!  A 1973 Topps Vikings Team Checklist?!  Ha!  Okay, whatever.  Yeah, obviously Troll just doesn’t get it…enough credit for his great work, that is.  Keep up the good fight, CT, and thanks for the cards – even the Vikes card!

Trolling for Trades

In my continuing effort to traverse the virtual neighborhood of online collectors and find a home for my odd collection of non-Twin cards, I noticed that The Collective Troll needed most of the 2002 Topps Devil Rays, and as it so happens, I’m busting my 2002 set into team sets to trade.  After tossing a couple emails at each other (he was in the midst of a massive rip-fest), I went ahead and sent him my cards.  After returning from an Omaha business trip this week, Troll’s half of the trade was sitting in the mail pile.  All kinds of neat stuff!

^{(Okay, I’m trying the digital camera on macro instead of the ancient HP All-in-One scanner to see if the images are any cleaner here.  Besides the flash, not too bad…)}

clockwise, from top left: 2007 Topps Moments & Milestones Black #66 Francisco Liriano 38 K’s [18/29]; 2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Black Border Mini #272 Matt Tolbert; 2009 Topps Chrome Prospects Blue Refractor #BCP190 Michael Harrington [150/150]; 2007 Topps Own the Game #OTG15 Justin Morneau

There were several Topps Heritage cards and some other cards which I haven’t had time to see if I had yet or not, but this is my first black variation on a Moments & Milestones card, as well as my first black border variation of a A&G mini. Even more interesting is the serial number of the Topps refractor; I’ve never heard about Michael Harrington, but a number 150 of 150 seems pretty special to me.

I’ve had fun trading emails with TCT, and look forward to another card swap someday in the future — I’ll have my eyes out for any Ray’s cards!  If you see this “signature” in any package you receive in the mail, well, enjoy!  Thanks again, Troll.