Whatever your era

 

Happy Independence Day. Hope you aren't working like I am.

This is the day that collectors who are online show off their red, white & blue, patriotic-themed cards. There are a lot of them. I think Panini churns out something with stars on it every week. There are red, white and blue cards for every era.

Today, I've seen current stuff, I've seen U.S.-flagged themed Upper Deck stuff, cards from the 9/11 period, cards with flag patches, etc., etc.

But those aren't my era. I wasn't collecting in the late 1990s, nor the the early aughts. I don't collect Panini, I don't collect patches. The best thing I've seen from the last five years are the 2019 Topps Independence Day parallels. I was fortunate enough to pull the Max Muncy while in a hotel room on vacation four years ago.

 

But MY era is the '70s/'80s. And for me, there's nothing more patriotic than those red, white an blue cards that came out during the bicentennial. 

I showed a bunch of those cards last 4th of July and I really hate repeating myself. But there are some of those cards that I just purchased and they're sitting on my card desk just waiting for the opportune time. Here they are:

I've been panel collecting.

I've made a renewed effort to pursue '70s Hostess cards. After finishing the '76 Hostess set, I kind of cooled on pursuing anything else from that time, which is plain dumb if you ask me.

So I've been chasing Hostess panels and single cards, doesn't matter. Sure the '76 set is complete but the '76 Hostess PANEL set isn't complete. And if I didn't have these to show, what would I do then?

OK, I'd probably do something like this. You didn't know the '78 Topps All-Star cards were patriotic? Take a look at those badges.

 

Obviously, grabbing Hostess cards knows no particular holiday. You can get them anytime you want. This is a 1975 panel that I recently added. I also am waiting on a 1978 panel that's been taking a little too long. (Check out that abbreviation of "George," why?)

Hostess cards do seem like summer cards to me, which may be why I'm reviving my chase right now, but I hope to continue to do so when the snow's coming down as well.

Whatever your era, there's an oddball card or set for you, and probably a red, white & blue card as well. I may not understand yours, you may not understand mine. But the key thing is we have the freedom to collect what we want.

So bring those cards to the park or the beach. Put them right there on the picnic bench next to the hot dogs, relish and potato salad. It's your right as an American.