National'd again, part 1

Although attending The National is not an annual tradition in this collector's journey, receiving cards from The National often is.

I've been fortunate in that way, that's what blogging does, it connects you to collectors everywhere and some of them are lucky enough that The National sets up a short drive from where they live.

I was the recipient of what I believe are two different sets of packages that came from the recent National in Chicago. I've separated them into two different blog posts, just because each are so wonderful.

The first one that I know for a fact is from The National (because he mentioned it in a note in the package) is from Nick of Dime Boxes. He's sent me National cards in the past, a few times, because they keep staging that thing in his backyard.

Nick and I have been around long enough to know what each other likes. We are somewhat the same kind of collector, although I'm a lot more preoccupied with sets than he is. Random stuff like above is tied together by a single theme -- I need it. I have that great 1952 Bowman Cal Abrams already but who doesn't need another one?

I will always take a new-to-me Ted Williams card -- Nick knows this. And Dukes cards and 1980s Fritsch Cards oddballs are a given for my collection.

Retro cards of 1970s and 1980s greats are a given, too, especially when they coincide with another collecting interest, such as the Fleer Stickers sets, box bottoms and that fantastic Heritage High Numbers insert set in which I need every one of those cards right now.

The only one on the fringes is the Pete Rose card from this year's Donruss. Panini is adding legends types in its sets this year because it can't show current MLB players. That's opened up a whole new weirdness portal in which people like Whitey Herzog are showing up in Prizm -- I don't know what to think of that -- but it's better than becoming just another prospects set, I guess.

Now we're at the point of sets that contain legends but only as a subset to the greater theme of Sets For Which I Have An Irrational Attachment. I still like the 2021 Chrome Platinum Anniversary thingy a lot -- even more so now that I've seen the 2022 version (yes, Topps is still a year behind) that uses the '53 design in a very lame way. 

I will not commit to collecting the 2021 set because nobody needs to get attached to a 700-card set that isn't on real cardboard anymore, but if you have these just lying around -- yes even cards of people like Miguel Yajure and Eli White -- I'll accept them.

Similarly, these things. Gee, Nick sure does have a good memory. These inserts are now four years old and have faded a little thanks in part to the super confusing way Topps released them (along with needless stoopid parallels). But I still like the look and like collecting them here and there. I probably will never commit to trying to find them all though.

Another Larsen card. This is a very good-looking Nu-Card Scoops but as a Dodger fan I am conflicted. Is this a Dodger card? TCDB says no, which gets me off the hook, but I have disregarded what TCDB says plenty in the name of adding a card to my Dodger binders, so, um, I guess it's up to me, huh?

Less conflict with this one. I am amazed every time one of these legends short-prints fall in my lap. I suppose by 2019 they didn't mean much anymore because Topps redundances everything into oblivion, but I just love seeing '70s and '80s action on present-day cards. This photo is a game between the Angels and Twins, I think. But there's a fan in an Orioles hat just to be obstinate.

I am also on board with 1980s Drake cards. Outside of knowing I have the full 1981 and 1983-85 Drake's sets and am sorely lacking in the 1982 Drake's set, I am less clear on the others. Drake's broke away from Topps in 1986 and these two are from '86. Just my third and fourth cards from the set.

Nick is about the only blogger that I know who likes these 1978 SSPC cards as much as me and he'll distribute a couple each package. I appreciate it. Got a long way to go on these. Don't even ask me about the missing Dodgers, it will throw me into a crying rage.

My entire 1955 Bowman collection entails Dodgers. I will definitely take stragglers and, yes, condition doesn't matter to me with most '50s cards.

My Allen & Ginter frankenset mission is complete, but I still have upgrades in mind. Only Beltre makes the cut here. Weirdly, the card blocking the black-bordered Early Wynn card is ... a black-bordered Early Wynn card, the same one!

Dodger cards are always the best thing to send. Each of these are needs. The two 1998 Score cards are from a Score Team Set that I didn't know existed and they would have completely flown over my head if I didn't spot the foil team logos. More '90s Unneccessary that I'll have to work up the energy to chase.

Also how about the reflection on that Capstone Pepiot card? Sadly, the sun needs to follow that card around at all times to get that effect.

This is where a lot of my energy is going right now. I'll have a post later updating my progress on the 2023 Heritage set. It's going quite well for being just over a couple of months into the chase. The best part is I've hardly spent any money on buying them yet have like 80 percent of the set.

Granted the High Numbers will knock me flat at some point soon. That's why I really appreciate Nick sending the Minor, Bard, Morgan and Boyd high number cards, along with the rest.

 

So, that's a super-fine stash from The National and very appreciated.

 

But we're just at the halfway point and Part 2 is impressive.