I won't find these at my local show

  

Car problems again, guys. Same car, too. This is the third time I've had my vehicle in the shop this year and the timing, while never good, sucks for the hobby side of things.

 

This weekend I was facing the exhausting-but-fun prospect of card shows on back-to-back days. But now the Sunday show is out because I don't have a vehicle to drive that distance. That leaves the local show, which I appreciate -- especially in times like this -- but it's not as good, not nearly.

 

To illustrate, I have some cards that I received from Jeff of Cardboard Catastrophes. I can safely say that I will find none of these cards at the show a couple miles away this weekend. In fact, all of these are from my want lists -- my blog want lists, which may or may not be accurate as we will soon see.

 

 

 

 

First, three 1970 Kellogg's cards. All three of these were needs, well, still are needs. The cracks mean they stay on the want list. I was going to compare this Bill Singer with the Singer I have in my Dodgers collection, which is at the top of the post, but then I realized that that one has cracks, too. (I'm hoping that it had cracks when I got it and hasn't cracked sitting in a top loader all this time).

 

In the note Jeff sent, he said that he didn't realize until getting home that the cards had cracks ...

 

 ... and writing on the back. Seriously, who writes prices ON THE CARDS??? The writing on the back actually doesn't bother me a bit and I would be comfortable with those in my set if not for the cracks, but this gives me the opportunity again to campaign for better lighting at card show venues.

 

I've encountered the discovery of Kellogg's cracks when I've brought the cards out in the light of day many times. And I saw the cracks on these cards right away when I pulled them out of the envelope. No doubt, if I opened the envelope at a card show they would look perfectly fine. It's an orchestrated plot between the show operators and the dealers, I tell you.

 

So, anyway, these cards will go in a binder that I dedicate to cracked 1970s Kellogg's cards. I will try to upgrade if prices for uncracked Kellogg's ever dip to reasonable levels again.

 

 

A nice 1979 Hostess Gary Matthews. I'm afraid I have this card already. My blog want lists apparently sabotaged Jeff. I admittedly forget to update my blog lists these days and just update TCDB. That's not cool of me, but I don't want to tear down the blog want lists due to my ever-present fear that another card cataloging blog site will disappear forever.

 

Anyway, a nice Hostess dupe is never a bad thing. And the final three cards I'm showing are definitely not dupes.

 

 

A welcome semi-high number need at No. 472 from the 1967 Topps set. I can't wait to slide this into the binder.

 

Jeff is also collecting the 1967 Topps set and having as wonderful of a time (slightly sarcastic) as I am with it. He's farther along on it than I am, too, and doesn't like it nearly as much as I do, which he's going to have to explain to you, not me.

 

 

This 1962 Bell Brand Daryl Spencer is exactly the type of card that I could find at the bigger show that I'm going to miss this weekend.

 

I haven't done very well tracking down more of these Bell Brand cards for my collection, considering how attractive they are. I have many more 1962 Bell Brands than any of the other sets, I don't know if they are more available.

 

 

Last card, it's a big one! It's the 1979 Hostess Ozzie Smith rookie card!

 

As someone who is stuck on trying to find the final five 1975 Hostess cards that I need and not expecting to get any of them any time soon, I had already crossed completing the '79 Hostess set off my list of future projects, knowing how much the Ozzie Smith and Dale Murphy cards go for.

 

But here is the Ozzie now!! Do I care that it has a bite in the lower right corner? Absolutely not. These are Hostess cards! I likely won't ever try to find one in better shape (because they aren't cheap at all).

 

I still need the Murphy and that's a problem, especially since I don't get why it goes for so much. But that's not anything I'm concerned about now, especially with the Ozzie that I can proudly march down the street with as I announce that it is mine.

 

I suppose it's possible I could find one of the above cool things at the local show -- it's revealed unexpected prizes in the three years or so it's been around. But the chances are much better I'll find cards of made up creatures.