The one-card challenge: my turn

I received this card in the mail on Monday. It came from hiflew who runs Cards From the Quarry. It's the 349th card that I have obtained in the 350-card 2011 Allen & Ginter set.

Ever since I declared my frustration with the set, that I have had a more difficult time completing the set than in past years and that I didn't know whether I would try to complete it for a fifth straight year when 2012 A&G came out, I have received what can only be described as an outpouring of assistance in helping me finish off the 2011 set.

Most of the credit can go to Brian at Play at the Plate.

In one quickly sent package, he knocked off 17 of my needs from the set.

There's the first group of them. I have a new scanner and there are infinite things that I don't know about it, including how to get nine cards on a scanner bed. So you're going to have to live with things like borders being cut off.

There's the other group.

Whoops ... that card on the bottom left is definitely not Allen & Ginter. Brian slipped in an xrefractor of James Loney. It kind of stands out.

I believe seven of the A&G cards that he sent are short-prints. That's a whole lot of short-prints to have on hand -- I hope Brian's got the set completed.

Of course, he had an ulterior motive. Like a few bloggers, he would appreciate it if I do attempt to collect 2012 Allen & Ginter. He even mentioned in a note that the cards were a little incentive in that area.

But I'm still not sure that I'll go that far. Something else is going to have to convince me. And they already put Hope Solo in last year's set, so it can't be that.

A couple of other guys sent A&G cards, too.

The Cardboard Junkie sent both of these cards. Robert from $30 A Week Habit also sent a Sabathia card, so now I've got a second short-print if anyone needs it.

Throw in the Justin Morneau card at the top, and I am now down to needing just one card to complete 2011 Allen & Ginter.

You know what that means.

I'm putting in a plea to the One Card Challenge.

In fact, I've already written my request in the comments on the One Card Challenge post.

This is the first time I'm calling on the OCC myself. And I'm hoping to have the success that some other collectors have had.

It's really not a difficult card to find. Sure, it's a short-print, but it's not like I'm looking for a mini from a rip card or something super obscure.

This is the card that I need:

Yep. It's Manny. Card No. 316.

I know if Manny was still a Dodger, I'd already have this card. I'd probably have two or three of them.

But now I'm asking someone to send me a Tampa Bay Ray. An ex-Tampa Bay Ray. Or a soon-to-be Oakland A. Or a guy loafing around his mansion.

Anyway, I NEED THIS CARD.

Come on, One Card Challenge! Do your thing!