One of the unconscious reasons that I decided to return to card collecting eight years ago was because it was a hobby I could keep under my thumb.
When it comes to collecting, there are a lot of hobbies that can get away from you very quickly. I don't know how antique collectors do it. If I collected antiques, that would have to be my full-time job. There is no way I am going to fill the estate with giant objects and call it a "hobby." If I see it wherever I go, then it's officially a job.
But with cards -- unless you're out of control -- you can put them in a binder, throw them in a box, close the door, and -- presto! -- people don't even have to know you have a collection. And this is very important if you happen to live with others who don't share your enthusiasm.
So that's a minor reason why I collect cards and try to refrain from any other kind of memorabilia. To keep the peace. And to make sure I don't trip over anything. My hobby can't hurt me. That's a rule.
Recently, I've received some larger objects that are very cool and also acceptable because they're not THAT big. They fit neatly in a spot and I can close the door on them, too.
But not long ago I received a package that made me a little nervous.
It wasn't the usual card size. It was more magazine size.
And all of the items that fell out were larger than cards, too. In fact nothing that fell out was actually cards.
Uh-oh.
But never fear, I pretty much knew everything that was arriving already.
The items were from Mark of Stats on the Back. He asked me if I could use a 1988 World Series program.
Back when I was a young teenager, and collected lots of non-card memorabilia, I had tried to obtain a World Series program from every Series in which the Dodgers played.
My mission ended with gaining the 1977, 1978 and 1981 programs. And then I stopped caring.
But as soon as Mark mentioned he had the '88 program, it all came back to me. The quest for every Dodger World Series program! Of course! Sure, Mark, I definitely want one of those!
So is the quest back on? Not really. Getting a WS program from 1955 I'm assuming would be a bitch. And I'm just not that interested. If I pick up something from 1974 someday, I'll be happy. And, of course, I'm buying that 2012 program.
I'd show you a few pages of the epic 1988 edition, but the image here is a pilfered scan because I have to appease my high-maintenance printer that won't scan 3-D items.
So I'll move on to the next non-regulation size item.
This was not expected and totally groovy.
It's a 1970 Topps poster of Willie Davis. It's poster No. 3 in the set and Davis wore No. 3!!! That's fantastic.
I love "The Electric Company" feel of this item. The posters came in packs of 1970 Topps cards and are a lot more colorful than the cards are.
Plus, you can fold this up neatly and put it in the pocket of a page and suddenly it's Regulation Size!
The last item is why Mark sent the package in the first place. He had some tobacco-size mini pages for me. Enough to start an A&G mini frankenset.
This is one of the pages once I've filled in all the cards. As you can see, I have a long way to go.
But it also means I have some mini cards that didn't make the cut that are now available! So some of you can expect to see those in future card packages.
And there you are.
Items that are not regulation size can actually be useful to me.
Instead of just being items to trip over.
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