Here are a couple of more cards I've been able to land on the Topps Diamond Giveaway site, which is a "rip-off" according to some.
I have a hard time considering it a rip-off when I get a 1959 Norm Larker card out of the deal. And, yes, I'm 100 percent sure that I will request the '59 Larker card and Topps will ship me the '59 Larker card. Why? Because that's the way it's happened every time I've requested cards. Every time. I know that hasn't necessarily happened to a handful of others. And I'm sorry. But I'm not ready to switch on the drama. If I don't get one of my cards, then you'll see me howl. But even then, I won't call the whole thing a "rip-off."
I acquired the Larker card for my '59 Harvey Haddix card. The phantom person I traded with got the better of the deal. But I don't care about Haddix when you line him up next a Dodger. Especially a '59 Dodger. You know what the Dodgers did in '59. Haddix wasn't celebrating a championship in '59. So this was an easy one for me.
I have this card coming to me from Topps, too. I have many reasons to like this card. It's from '65. A certain night owl was born in '65. A certain favorite team of night owl's won a World Series in '65. And before you get annoyed at me for referring to myself in the third bird, look at Moon's eyebrows. Moon is beloved by collectors the world over because of his facial grooming habits.
This is one of the few Dodger Moons that I didn't have. I traded a '64 card to get it. Yes, I'm one of about 6 people on the Giveaway site who is willing to trade an older card for a newer card. But I find doing that actually gets me RESULTS. I have no desire to rip anyone off on the "rip-off" site.
However, I don't know if I'm willing to go this far:
This is the first time anyone has offered me the Andre Ethier diamond cut card, and of course it had to be for the Reggie diamond cut card. I don't think I want to do that. I'm really tempted, but I just can't get that gold-and-green uniform out of my mind. If Reggie was a Yankee on the diamond cut, I'd hit the little red box in an instant.
Meanwhile, I have suddenly become aware that there is a Sandy Koufax diamond cut card out there. I'm pretty sure I knew this at one time and probably even wrote about it on the blog, and then blocked it out of my mind so well that I thought there were only 3 Dodger diamond cuts.
Then, while making some wild trade offers last night, I stumbled across the Koufax diamond cut, and all those repressed memories came rushing back. Needless to say, the wild trade offers became even wilder.
I don't expect to land it because Koufax has suddenly become the most revered former athlete on the face of the planet.
So, a hopeless, penniless Dodger sucker like me will likely go without. But that doesn't mean I'll give up for good. I'll get it eventually.
Maybe I'll even find a way to do it on the Giveaway site. Then I'll order it, I'll pay a little unnecessary shipping, and it'll come to my door. And I'll wonder about the marvels of the Topps rip-off site.
The site isn't perfect. There are glitches. Sometimes card condition is an issue. It has been for me. And people who didn't get the cards they redeemed have a right to complain. Topps needs to fix that.
But over here, I'm looking at a '59 Larker and a '65 Moon. I can't complain.
Comments
"the third bird"
You, sir, are brilliant. That one simple phrase made me literally laugh out loud.
On the card note, why can't get something cool like the Reggie. My only die cut was Vernon Wells and I couldn't even trade it for one of the 3 Rockies.
And I second the notion that it is far from a rip off. I have had 40 cards shipped so far and they were the same 40 I ordered (and in better condition than I expected).
I think the complaints about both years of this program show that people will complain about just about anything. There's really no way for the card companies to win these days.
I do, however think what happened to a select few was dishonest at best and could have been avoided. It's also why I'll gladly trade away vintage if it means getting a diecut that I know they'll be able to ship.
--Jon
But to imply or to say that the whole thing is a sham based on their one experience, which some have done, is not right.
Put it this way...you make a trade with a fellow blogger with the "promise" of getting a certain card maybe vital to a set that you are working on and when the trade is made, you get a card that has no interest to you other than it might be a slightly older card...I and many others would consider that being ripped off...doesn't mean the whole trading thing is a ripoff, just one particular transaction
Ah, then you agree with me. That's all I'm saying.
Too bad not everyone expressed it as you did. I'm referring to people who threw the whole Giveaway site under the bus. If you didn't do that, then my reference has nothing to do with you.
Are these real physical cards, or just cards you have "on line"? I don't get it.