Upgrading underground

 

I always feel a bit sheepish writing about upgrading cards in my collection.

Most of my card upgrading happens "underground," meaning I usually don't write about it. It feels very much like a first-world problem.

But I shouldn't feel that way. First of all, just about any card collecting "issue" is a first-world problem because the hobby is a first-world hobby. Anything that I write on here that I consider "a problem" is not really a problem.

Secondly, I'm not encasing my cards in plastic and assigning them a random number based on condition. Since there are plenty of people doing that -- and I still have almost no idea why -- I shouldn't feel weird about upgrading. All I'm doing is finding a different copy that doesn't have wrinkles or worn corners. 

A portion of my recent sportlots order was upgrades -- a few of them quite overdue. I'm going to show off each of them and explain why they were upgraded.

 

 

1978 Topps Reggie Jackson, #200

This upgrade has been weighing on my mind for years. The original copy has bothered me so much that I've used the '78 Burger King Reggie as a stand-in a time or two during blog posts.

As I've mentioned before, the 1978 set is the last of the sets I collected as a youngster to show signs of them being collected by a youngster. I was 12 when this set came out. I officially completed the set during my early blog days -- so there is a vast difference in condition in the set, from card to card. That bothers me more than a single card with rounded corners.

So I've tried to upgrade any of the '78s that need it. I'm down to needing around 10 more and it's taken a long time because I don't upgrade that often. The original Reggie has rounded corners, worn edges and slight creasing on three of the four corners. It really stands out against the cards next to it -- and I know Reginald always wanted to stand out but not like this.

The new '78 Jackson isn't perfect, but I didn't want perfect, I just want something that fits with the other cards in the set. Now I finally do and I feel much better.

1978 Topps Reggie Jackson Record Breaker, #7

The Record Breaker Reggie isn't as worn as the base card but it does have worn corners and some notching on the left edge. And I've upgraded almost all of the Record Breakers in this set -- Brooks Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Willie McCovey, for sure. It was Reggie's turn.

 

 

1970 Topps Bobby Pfeil, #99

I'm getting down to the last few cards to finish the 1970 set, I should be focused on adding those and not upgrading ones I have already. But who says things need to be in order? Also, I added two cards I needed when you weren't looking.

The Bobby Pfeil card is in the first 100 cards, not difficult cards to get, yet mine had dinged corners, was miscut and there's a crease on the right side. The new Pfeil works better -- and is cheaper to get than either of the two cards I still need to finish the set.

 

 

1970 Topps Mike Kekich, #536

If I wanted to focus purely on 1970 Topps upgrades, I could probably do that for the rest of the year. I don't know why this set is so condition sensitive. My Kekich card was creased (strike one), miscut and dented (strike two) and stained (a big strike three). The new Kekich is much nicer.

The key to my 1970s, I think, is to not look too closely at them, especially that run of ALCS/NLCS cards.

1975 Topps Jerry Koosman (#19)

I am always upgrading underground on my 1975 Topps set -- it is a forever collected set. But I just don't come across '75 cards that are in better shape than the ones I have too often. The Koosman I've known was in line for an upgrade for awhile, there aren't too many scuffed corners in my '75 set.

The new Koosman isn't perfect, but it's better.

1972 Topps Bill Buckner (#114)

Last one. The 1972 Bill Buckner card was one of the first '72s I ever owned way back when I was a young lad. It's survived all these years with obvious wear.

Since I've needed two '72 Buckners -- one for the team set and one for the complete set -- the original one has lasted in my collection for a long while. But it's time for an upgrade as I start to look at improving some of my '72s (fat chance I upgrade some of those high-numbers though). The upgrade card is miscut top-to-bottom but miscuts are way down on the list of card flaws that bother me.

Unlike the 1975 Topps cards I collected as a kid, I don't have much affection for other old '70s cards I acquired as a kid, so the old Buckner will probably go in the dupes box with some of those other old '70s Dodgers.

 

Unless ...

 

Unless you want that old Buckner -- and the other old, worn cards I've shown here.

 

If you do, be the first to guess in the comments the player name of the second 1972 Topps Dodgers card I ever owned. (I'm sure I've written about it before). Buckner was the first.

If you're the first to get it right -- and email me when I say in the comments that you are the winner -- you will get old Buckner, Koosman, Kekich, Pfiel and the two Reggies.

Then you can do with those cards what you wish -- paste them in an album, glue them to the wall, treasure them in your own binder or imprison them in plastic and pay whatever they're charging to send a grade of "poor" back to you. It's up to you. It'll be your first-world problem then.