Puzzled

I'm returning to that terrific card box from David -- the box that was my National -- for one last post.

I mentioned in that post that I received several base cards from 2013 Topps Series 2. I'm still debating whether I want to complete the thing or not (leaning toward "not").

But tucked in that box of 2013 cards were what I thought was packaging filler.

Donruss puzzle pieces.

Through the life of this blog, I have received my share of Donruss puzzle remnants that served as filler. Those thick cardboard slabs are excellent packing material and I have probably around 40 pieces just sitting in a box in my basement.

It's quite the variety ...

An arm of Aaron here ...

An ear of Yaz there ...

And half a cranium of Stan the Man.


It's like a slaughterhouse floor for cardboard greats.

I had even accumulated seven different pieces for the Duke Snider puzzle from the 1984 Donruss set (yet another reason why it's the only Donruss set that matters).

But even though I was one-third of the way to a complete Snider puzzle, it just sat there. Duke, like the late Jim Croce sang, "looked like a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces missing."

 In fact, I have never attempted to finish off any Donruss puzzle.

I think it's partly because of the attitude I had toward Donruss and Fleer when they first arrived in 1981. Because the two companies couldn't put gum with their cards, they had to find something else. Fleer went with stickers -- harmless fun but kind of babyish. Donruss went with puzzle pieces, which frankly seemed like a lot of work to me.

I was already collecting a set. I didn't need to collect puzzle pieces.

My attitude has changed now that I'm slightly more mature. A large puzzle of the Duke would be pretty cool, even if I don't have any place to display it.

But as I pulled the puzzle "filler" out of the box, I started to realize, I'd have to start thinking about displaying very soon.

This was the second puzzle piece ...

... and this was the third ...

Eighteen more "filler cards" later and I had my first complete 1980s Donruss puzzle.

The pieces haven't been punched out, of course.

So ...

What to do with this thing?

The card room walls are full. I'd probably have to negotiate something down to get the Duke puzzle up there.

I'd be interested in hearing any alternative options from those who have completed Donruss puzzles.

Signed,

Puzzled.