Let's get serious

 

Whenever I finish off an old vintage set, it takes a little while to get serious about another one.

I have to work up the energy to go through what it takes to tackle another one. It's a time-and-money investment. It's a project, really, not a work project, but a fun one. But, as always, projects take dedication, drive and stamina. It's not for the weak. Take that however you want.

 

Often it isn't until I purchase a certain card do I feel like I'm really in the right mind-set and I'm on my way to pursuing another set.

 

The 1969 Topps set, coming after I finished the 1970 Topps set, has been a goal for the last four or five years but casual-like as I focused on more pressing card needs. It's always been in the background even as I added '69 Topps cards to my collection.

 

But with 1970 and other stuff out of the way, it's not in the background. In fact it's staring me in the face, waiting for me to commit.

 

You may think that with 624 of the 664 cards in the set (yes, that number surprised me when I looked it up just now), I have already committed, that I am already serious. But I didn't think so, until this card arrived yesterday:

 

Now I am serious.

Cards like this don't come easily these days, not even as easily as they did three years ago. I needed to have an unexpected arrival of some cash to commit to this card. Even though it is very off-center, it still cost more than I normally throw at cards.

I don't care that it's off-center in the least -- I grew up with vintage cards, they went every which way out of a pack, it was perfectly normal. I'm happy people will knock some dollars off because of that.

So now I'm fully immersed in 1969 Topps. Yes, there is still Reggie and Mickey and Nolan out there and who knows how long it will take to get those ones. But I can confidently say that I am pursuing the 1969 Topps set now above all others whenever someone asks.

The monthly card show is coming up and I know that this set will be my top goal (whether I succeed with that is up to the show).

Now for something completely different:

This showed up yesterday, too. It arrived from Uncle Charlie's Shoebox. It's a "red" parallel of Clayton Kershaw's 2024 Heritage card.

I'm already on record as saying parallels weren't necessary with this year's Heritage design, but obviously that's not going to stop Topps or collectors. The red ones seem weird online. Red letters on a red border with a purple-ish border below.

But in person the card is a little sharper and I like it. I really appreciation Uncle Charlie sending it my way.

So, yeah, this card and the '69 Mays don't have a lot in common. Yet, I like both things. I understand both things. Kind of wish more people could do that. In cards ... and other things.

Maybe that's too serious. Jermaine, take us out.