Graded Card Pickups; 2019 National Recap Part #6

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to participate in Topps' 3rd annual National Baseball Card Day this year, the very event that I talked about on my very first blog post back in August of 2017.

Though I'm fortunate enough to have multiple Baseball card shops in proximity to my house, only one of them was registered on Topps' list of participating stores, and they ended up being closed for vacation once the date came along.

Alas, I had no way of getting the free packs or the exclusive Bryce Harper card (not that I care that much about him, to begin with). With supplies running dangerously low and my LCS closed, I went to the Baseball card show today.

Not to worry, I didn't buy a single Baseball card. Rather, I went to the show because the guy who runs it has terrific prices and an unparalleled selection. I was able to purchase all the boxes, sleeves, and sheets that I needed without breaking the bank.

One of the many things I purchased was another 2-row box for my graded cards which are the subject of today's National recap. Collectively, my Dad and I ended up with multiple of PSA or Beckett graded cards during our time in Chicago but no space within the box to store them.

More so than upping the value of a given card, I see grading as a way to preserve some of the older collectibles. Nowadays, if I'm thinking of buying a vintage card (not from the want list) or even a modern autograph, I typically lean more towards graded cards, particularly Beckett.

Specifically, 3D cards often have issues with their surface if they're not preserved correctly. In addition to the singles that we picked up, my Dad and I found some unbelievably fair priced 3D cards, graded by PSA.

One of the first vendors we bought from had a stack of graded 3D cards from the 1970 Kellogg's set for just a few dollars each. Not only did multiple cards, including the Bando and Campaneris, pique our interest, but all of the grades were fairly high. 

Given how susceptible 3D cards' surfaces are to damage, I was impressed that the cards received grades like 6 (EX-MT). Bando and Campaneris were both essential parts of the 1972-74 World Champion Oakland A's teams, and Reggie Smith (at the top of this post) had some stellar seasons with the Red Sox.

I can't imagine there are many graded Seattle Pilots cards out there, nevermind a 3D card. After I completed the 1969 and 1970 Topps team sets of the short-lived team, I decided to turn my attention to any Seattle Pilots cards or memorabilia that I can find.

Certainly, a PSA 7 Tommy Harper from the 1970 Kellogg's set fits the bill. Though I'll be keeping this card alongside all my graded cards, it will definitely count towards the Seattle Pilots PC that I've developed.

It's challenging to fully appreciate a card when I can't scan it properly, but the Pilots jersey along with the 3D design makes this card one of my favorite pickups of the entire show.

The final of the 3D cards isn't in as great of condition as the previous 4, but I'm satisfied with a PSA 4 of Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, especially when the card is as phenomenal as this.

Backgrounds aren't something I pay attention to when it comes to 3D cards, but the sky and clouds are a magnificent choice for the shot of Killebrew in a classic Twins home uniform. I'm also not a fan of facsimile signatures, but for some reason, Killebrew's works well on his card.

Although I'd be content to buy nothing but graded 3D cards, I want there to be some variety in what I purchase, something I expanded upon in yesterday's post. I could've bought all of the graded 3D cards that the dealer had, but I opted to move on instead.

Unsurprisingly, many of the cards at the show were graded, ranging the 1st Bowman autos of today's hottest prospects to vintage Topps cards from the 1950s. 

Many of the sports cards on display were either out of my price range or not on my radar, but I didn't have to do much digging to find inexpensive and desired graded cards throughout my 2 1/2 days at the show.

I'm always looking to add new Red Sox cards to my collection, and a fair-priced graded card is just that much better. I forget exactly what I paid for this 1973 Topps Dwight Evans rookie, but I'm quite pleased with the purchase.

I've become very familiar with the 1970s Boston Red Sox teams, particularly the players on the 1975 club. Evans was a longtime Red Sox whose defensive capabilities aren't fully appreciated. 

Though he hasn't been in a recent release in some time, I enjoyed seeing him in Upper Deck and Fleer sets across the early 2000s.

When I began selling on eBay towards the end of last year, I listed and quickly sold a Topps Update base rookie card of Juan Soto, a decision I later regretted given how immensely talented the 20-year old is.

Though I have another Soto card from The National which I'll be showcasing later this week, I needed to make amends for my blunder and add another Soto rookie to my collection. For around what I sold the Update card for, I bought a graded version of his 2018 Topps Chrome Update card.

I originally planned on saving this gorgeous card for my final recap post where I showcase my greatest pickups of the show, but I felt that Lou Brock's 1962 Topps rookie card should be included along with the rest of the graded card pickups.

While I can't say that I was searching for this specific card as I was browsing the show, both my Dad and I have known about and wanted this card for several years. I remember purchasing his '64 Topps card, on the Cubs, at last year's National, but the rookie card is something totally different.

Everything about this card, the orange background, the wood borders, the blue cap, makes Brock's rookie a true classic. Given all the reprinted card insert sets that Topps has put out, I'm surprised this card hasn't been featured all that much.

Nonetheless, this card is undeniably one of our best pickups from the show, especially since it received such a high grade. A BGS 6 is challenging to come by, especially for a set that shows damage as much as '62 Topps.

It's still a little unusual to see Brock in a Cubs uniform, but I'm incredibly pleased with this card in addition to all the other graded cards that we brought back with us.

Buying a card that's already graded definitely affects the value, but if you like knowing the value of and preserving your cards, I firmly believe it's worth the little extra in cost.

Best 30 Cards From All 30 Teams; NL Central

Along with the AL East, the NL Central is home to some of the greatest cards in my collection. From the abundance of Chicago Cubs hits that I've been fortunate enough to pull to the vintage Cardinals, Pirates, and Reds cards from the 50s and 60s.

Thus, as I continue to make my way through the best 30 cards from all 30 teams mini-series, I've been anticipating my post for the NL Central. 

While there have been some teams in the past few posts that I have forced me to get creative regarding which card I'd choose, the opposite is the case for most clubs in the NL Central.

Aside from the Milwaukee Brewers who had 1 clear choice, the 4 other teams in the NL Central each had at least 2 candidates for the title of the best card. Ultimately, after much deliberation, particularly for the Cubs, I came to a consensus for each team in this division.

As I've mentioned, practically since the beginning of this series, I've thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of these posts. These countdowns are very interesting to compile, and I'm going to be disappointed once I finish up this series in a few days when I write about the NL West.

This mini-series has helped me break out of my writer's block and, now, I have my blog posts planned out for the next 5 days or so, something that's rarely the case.

Without any further adieu, let's continue on with these posts by discussing the best cards in my collection from each team in the NL Central.

Chicago Cubs

There are, arguably, 5 other Chicago Cubs cards in my collection that could claim the title of my best Cubs card. However, when all is said and done, none of them can come close to the legendary 1/1 quad relic patch, undoubtedly the greatest Baseball card in my entire collection.

I've discussed this card on a few separate occasions beforehand, so I won't waste time by repeating things that I've previously mentioned. However, the fact that this unbelievable card is graded at a 9.5 and features a patch from 4 Chicago Cubs stars, including 3 members of the World Series team, speaks volume.

My favorite aspect of the card would have to be the Billy Williams patch. He's always been my Dad's favorite Cubs player of all-time, and I'm thrilled and surprised that Topps was able to find a patch of his to put on this card.

Truth be told, I doubt that I'll ever pull another card as astounding as this one as long as I'm collecting, and I'm okay with that. After all, it's pretty challenging to top a card of this caliber.

Cincinnati Reds

Although there weren't as many options, I had to decide between a small group of fabulous Cincinnati Reds card for their spot on my countdown. As you can see, I settled on a graded Frank Robinson card from 1959 Topps, and I'm very confident that I made the correct choice.

For starters, I couldn't care less about the BGS 2.5 grade. Admittedly, a higher grade is preferred, but that isn't my prerogative. The card, on its own, is more than enough for me. 

The combination of black and red has always been something that I've adored, and I can't think of a Baseball card in my collection where that combination is more profound. Other details, such as the Reds logo, bring attention to the era in which this card was produced.

Topps did an incredible job with their 1959 Flagship set. The All-Star and combo cards remain iconic to this day, but it's the base card, like Frank Robinson's on the Cincinnati Redlegs, that make this product what it is.

Milwaukee Brewers

Since I started collecting cards, I've never focused that much on the Milwaukee Brewers nor have I pulled a valuable Brewers card from a pack. This is evident through the fact that Robin Yount is one of the only Brewers guys that I collect, and I only began his PC a few months ago.

Nonetheless, I do have 1 Brewers card that is head and shoulders above all the rest in my collection. Because I have a complete set of 1975 Topps, I also own Robin Yount's rookie card, an iconic, simple and amazing card from one of the greatest Topps sets of all-time.

The brown and orange color combination may not be my favorite from the '75 set, but it succeeds as far as Yount's card is concerned. The retro Brewers jersey is definitely a plus, but more so than that, the card itself is easily recognizable. 

Like the Robinson card, Yount's 1975 Topps rookie is just a base card, yet all the elements come together beautifully and cohesively to create an instantly recognizable rookie card worthy of this spot.

Pittsburgh Pirates

When I wrote my PC overview post for Roberto Clemente a few weeks back, I showcased this card as the #1 piece of Clemente memorabilia in my collection. Thus, it shouldn't come as a significant surprise that I chose this BGS 2.5 graded 1962 Topps card as my best Pittsburgh Pirates card.

Despite the low number (#10), I can't find a legitimate complaint about Clemente's '62 Topps card. The wood-bordered set is the perfect canvas for simple and traditional cards, and that's exactly what this is.

The image and the set design work together in perfect unison and the card, although not one of Clemente's most iconic Topps cards, never fails to impress me. 

Better yet, even though the grade is low like Robinson's '59 card, I couldn't be happier to have Clemente's 1962 Topps card protected in a slab.

St. Louis Cardinals

I'll be honest; if this mini-series was entitled "my favorite 30 cards from all 30 teams," I would've chosen the Jack Flaherty auto that I pulled out of 2018 Panini Chronicles for the St. Louis Cardinals spot. 

However, if we're talking about the best, you can't get much better than a Bob Gibson auto, numbered out of 50 copies, that I picked up at last year's National for the price of a blaster box.

Although the black background makes the text challenging to read, the card is perfectly legible in person. Moreover, I'm actually quite fond of the decision to use black for both the 2007 SP Legendary Cuts base set and the autographs as well.

The photo does add a much-needed pop of color, but the only true complaint that I have is I wish the auto was on-card. I understand that they'd need to alter the color scheme, but that minor change would take this autograph to a new level.

Best 30 Cards From All 30 Teams; NL East

Throughout the time in which I have been blogging (almost 2 years), I've written my fair share of mini-series posts. There have been 2 sets of division predictions, my favorite Topps Flagship sets by decade, and even top 5 relics and autographs for a number of MLB teams.

All of these mini-series either have or eventually will come to an end, for there is not an infinite number of divisions, Topps sets, or MLB clubs. 

Thus, the same thing is bound to happen for the best 30 cards from all 30 teams series, a group of posts that I have thoroughly enjoyed writing, maybe more so than anything that I've written before on this blog.

With all 3 American League divisions and all 15 teams done, this series is officially halfway over going into the 4th post; the NL East. Not only have I had a blast choosing the cards for these lists and talking about them on the blog, but the viewers have taken a strong liking to this series as well.

Although it'll prove challenging to conceptualize another mini-series as interesting as this, I'll do some thinking once the best 30 cards from all 30 teams posts are finished. 

The combination of me and the viewers' enjoyment of this series tells me that I must come up with another intriguing concept for a mini-series in the future.

The subject of today's post is the NL East and its 5 teams. Like the past 3 divisions, I'm pleased with the 5 cards that I selected, for I was able to feature an extensive selection of cards while staying true to the theme of these posts.

Starting off with the Atlanta Braves, let's take a look at the best card from every team in the NL East. Since I'm going off today's clubs, the Washington Nationals will be included, not the Montreal Expos.

Atlanta Braves

While the Ronald Acuna Jr 1st Bowman prospect cards are stellar, there's no doubt in my mind that I made the right decision regarding the Atlanta Braves spot on this countdown. I had a few different original Hank Aaron cards to choose from, but none of the combo or All-Star cards could surpass his 1959 Topps base card.

The card, despite the rather low BGS grade of 2.5, is a spectacular embodiment of vintage cards. The 1959 Topps set has always been one of my favorite vintage products, and Aaron's card truly exemplifies why.

It's simple, yet sensational at the same time. Even though I've become a huge fan of the shiny refractors and crazy parallels of today's collecting period, there's still something to be said for the vintage cards of the 1950s.

Miami Marlins

Unlike some collectors, I wasn't lucky enough to pull a rookie card of Christian Yelich and hold onto it until now. Otherwise, there'd be a different card for the Marlins slot on this countdown. With that being said, I'm still thrilled with the card that I ended up selecting.

Ivan Rodriguez's sole season with the Marlins was a critical one, for he helped them to their 2nd Fall Classic win in franchise history. Given that he barely had 500 at-bats with Florida, I'm surprised that Donruss produced a non-numbered relic card of him with the Marlins that includes a beautiful black, teal, white, and grey patch. 

This gorgeous patch is reason enough for Rodriguez's 2004 Donruss Elite Throwback Threads card to earn a spot on this countdown. The insane relic swatch, paired with the gold background, creates a stellar relic card of one of my favorite players in Baseball history.

New York Mets

I could've gone with a Tom Seaver base card from the exact same set graded at a 5.5 instead of a 3, but I'm confident that I made the proper selection with Nolan Ryan's 1970 Topps Flagship card nonetheless. 

The card, #712 in the set, is from the days in which Topps released their sets in numerous series. Thus, the high-numbered cards in vintage Flagship sets are rarer and more valuable. 

This, combined with the fact that the card above is my only original card of Ryan on the New York Mets, makes for a perfect choice for the Mets slot on this countdown. Despite the low grade, the card is absolutely stunning, another fabulous representation of how, sometimes, simplicity is key when it comes to Baseball cards.

Philadelphia Phillies

For some teams in the NL East, like the Braves and Mets, coming to a conclusion as to what card to feature on this list proved to be a challenge. This was not the case, however, for the Philadelphia Phillies, for I knew exactly what card I would choose for their slot on the countdown.

Truth be told, I don't have a single Phillies card in my collection that can compare to this gorgeous Rhys Hoskins gold rookie auto from 2018 Topps Chrome. This is aided by the fact that I pulled this card from a pack myself at last year's National, as I'm sure many of you know, so it has a lot of sentimental value to me.

After a rough period in which his batting average fell to around .240, Hoskins has gotten it together over the last 15 games or so. Now, he's back to hitting around .278 with over 40 RBI. While I don't believe he'll make the All-Star team, he seems destined to have a better 2019 season as far as contact hitting is concerned.

Washington Nationals

Don't get me wrong, I still love the Bryce Harper relic card that I chose for the Washington Nationals' spot on this post, but I also wanted to reserve a spot for the Montreal Expos as well. However, I already explained that this mini-series would be reserved for 30 teams, not 31. 

I have to go off the teams that are still in existence and that, unfortunately, means no Expos cards. That, however, shouldn't take away from the fact that the 2016 Topps Allen & Ginter mini framed relic of Bryce Harper is a stellar card, even if he already appears to be a bad signing for the Phillies.

I've always loved the framed relics and autos from Allen & Ginter because of how creative the design is. Even though the relic is just a plain white jersey swatch, I admire the way the card looks as a whole.

Like every other card on this countdown, the Harper relic is very representative of the team, player, and the set from which the card is from. Those factors are what make the best cards from a certain MLB team.

Best 30 Cards From All 30 Teams; AL West

After a few days of Mansfield show recap and a frankenset post to boost, I'm back on schedule with the best 30 cards from all 30 teams mini-series. Today, the division that I'll be overviewing is the AL West.

Like every other division that I have or will be showcasing cards from, the AL West is unique in a few different ways. Unlike the AL Central, it wasn't a challenge to find cards from each team to include in this post. In addition, while a few AL East teams had multiple candidates, there seemed to be 1 standout card from every club in the West.

Thus, it was manageable for me to craft this list for the AL West, for each team had just the right number of stellar cards that made deciding on the top 5 relatively easy.

Moreover, I'm also proud of the variety of cards featured in this post. Unlike the past division, the crown jewels of the AL West aren't just jersey relics. In fact, only 2 of the 5 team's greatest cards are hits (relics/autos). All the rest are rookie cards of iconic players from those teams.

Just as it was for the first 2 posts of this series, I thoroughly enjoyed creating this list of cards for the AL West, and I'm excited to see what the posts for the NL divisions will look like in the coming days.

For the time being, however, let's concentrate on the division at hand; the AL West and the #1 card from each of its 5 teams.

Houston Astros

Originally a dime box pickup, Jose Altuve's 2011 Topps Update card has quickly become one of the most cherished rookie cards in my entire Baseball card collection. Although he's had his fair share of struggles so far in 2019, Altuve is a perennial All-Star and former AL MVP award winner. 

Thus, it was a no brainer for me to get this card graded towards the end of 2018, and I was thrilled that it came back at a BGS 9.5. Out of all the top tier cards in my collection, I can't recall paying less than a dime for any of them.

That's the reason why, to this day, Jose Altuve's 2011 Topps Update rookie card reigns supreme as my greatest dime box pickup of all-time.

Los Angeles Angels

While we're on the subject of superstar rookie cards, let's move onto the next team in the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels, and my best card from this team. I may not have a rookie card of Mike Trout, but I arguably do have the next best thing; Shohei Ohtani's action image variation rookie card from 2018 Topps Heritage.

I pulled this card myself from a box of Topps Heritage last year, and I also sent this card off to Beckett and got it graded at a 9.5 towards the end of 2018. I don't stay up to date with Baseball card values, but this card, graded at a 9.5, was worth a solid amount following Ohtani's AL ROY win.

At the top of this post, you'll see another sensational card that I pulled from a pack of cards last year; Jo Adell's gold Early Indications auto, numbered out of 50, from 2018 Bowman's Best. 

If he develops and becomes the superstar that he's expected to become, I could foresee the Jo Adell auto taking Ohtani's place as the best Angels card in my collection.

Oakland Athletics

I've already shown this card on the blog a handful of times before, but I couldn't choose any other Oakland Athletics card to take its place on this countdown. This beautiful Dennis Eckersley autograph relic from 2017 Topps Gypsy Queen, numbered 45/50 on the back, cannot be beaten.

I have my reservations with the '17 Gypsy Queen set design as well as how the set is formatted, but I tend to ignore those problems as soon as I'm faced with this stunning card. Once again, I pulled this HOF hit from a box of 2017 Gypsy Queen, and I got it graded at The National last year.

While I wish it had earned a 9.5 like the Altuve and Ohtani cards, it's hard to complain about this eye-catching autograph relic. The attention to detail used when creating these cards is extremely evident.

Seattle Mariners

As far as the Seattle Mariners are concerned, I'm not blessed with as many fabulous cards as I am for the other teams in the AL West. Thus, my choice for the best Mariners card in my collection isn't as valuable as the card chosen for the other 4 teams, but it's still a card that I'm proud to feature at this spot.

Granted, I could've gone with a Gypsy Queen framed relic card of Ken Griffey Jr for the Seattle Mariners spot instead, but the Ichiro card stood out to me in a few different ways. Although it's not incredibly valuable, the 2001 Upper Deck card above is a true base rookie card of Ichiro, the only one that I have in my collection.

Texas Rangers

There were a ton of different Ivan Rodriguez relic cards that I could've chosen for this post instead of the one above. There were more glove relics, standard jersey cards, a dual relic with A-Rod, and all sorts of oddball options. 

However, I'm confident in the card that I selected for this spot; a 2002 Donruss studio dual relic, featuring a piece of his bat and batting glove. The card, numbered out of just 50 copies, is one of the coolest relic cards in my entire collection.

If it's able to achieve that status as it pertains to my whole collection, this card certainly deserves to be recognized as the best Texas Rangers card that I own. 

PC Overview; Roberto Clemente

Because today's MLB stars are arguably playing in a neo-overproduction era, there's no real shortage of cards available of almost every Baseball player. 

Sets like Flagship, Heritage, and Big League cater to a wide range of different players while products with smaller checklists like Topps Triple Threads feature only the brightest stars and greatest legends in Baseball history.

Thus, collectors like myself are continuously finding that the rookies and superstars of today are included in a plethora of different Topps, Bowman, and Panini products. Because of the sheer volume of cards available, it's easier nowadays to be a player collector with numerous PCs of active players.

Though I've never been one to be overly critical of what Baseball card collecting has become, I will say that, sometimes, the total number of cards in my player collections isn't necessarily what matters most.

Don't get me wrong, I cherish the feeling I get from building up my various PC totals, but I'm also a big fan of collecting memorabilia of guys that I collect. However, because of the present-day restrictions on who can and cannot use the MLB license, it's much more difficult to find posters, food issue cards, and other oddballs that used to be plentiful. 

Continuing on with the PC overview posts that I started 2 weeks ago with Reggie Jackson, I'll be doing an overview of another of my vintage player collections, Roberto Clemente. 

What I like most about these posts is that they allow me to go more in-depth about the different pieces in my player collections besides the cards I showcase during my top 5 cards posts.

While I don't want to talk for too long about the Baseball cards in my Roberto Clemente player collection, it's essential that I briefly go over this particular aspect of the PC. Currently, I have 87 total cards of Roberto Clemente, an impressive total considering how uncommon his cards are at the shows that I attend, particularly in the dime bins.

Roberto Clemente is #55 on my list of 250 player collections as far as card count is concerned, and he's closing in on Gold Tier status as I speak. Hopefully, I'll get this PC to 100 cards by the end of the year at the very latest.

However, unlike the majority of my other player collections, there's far more to the Clemente PC than what meets the eye. Along with a few more cards, there's a fair share of memorabilia that my Dad and I have accumulated over the years that I'm quite excited to be showcasing on the blog for the first time.

Being one of the most popular players in Baseball history certainly means that there's a ton of different pieces of Roberto Clemente memorabilia out there, including some posters which my Dad and I brought back from last year's National in Cleveland.

I mainly let my Dad spearhead the operation of choosing pieces of Clemente memorabilia from a vendor who was selling an entire table's worth of those very things. One of the posters that he selected is showcased above, featuring a gallery of Clemente's Topps cards surrounding a stunning image of #21 himself.

Currently, this eye-catching poster is hung up in our Baseball card room, surrounded by a slew of other Pirates posters, pictures, and cards. Some of the pieces don't feature Clemente whatsoever. Others, like the next poster I'm about to show, do.

The location of the next piece of Clemente memorabilia makes it difficult for me to take a photo of only the poster, so I ended up including a few additional Roberto Clemente 8x10 pictures in this shot as well. 

Nevertheless, the next poster, in different ways, is just as fabulous as the first, for they both do an excellent job of capturing who Clemente was and making excellent use of the space provided.

The 8x10 photos, although rather standard, add something different to the mini-section of the Baseball card room that I have devoted to Pirates memorabilia.

See what I mean yet? You'll never see Baseball card tins with exclusive metal cards or McDonald's glasses featuring Baseball legends produced nowadays. I've had both of these Clemente pieces for a little while now, and they're not only some of the best parts of my Clemente PC but my entire oddball collection as well.

As far as prices are concerned, I can't recall paying more than $5 for either of these incredible items, a true bargain given Clemente's status as one of the most highly sought after Baseball players on the market.

Even though graded cards don't make up a huge portion of my collection, I have a few different ones of the 1966 NL MVP that I personally chose to get graded. For starters, there's the infamous 1973 Topps card which earned a grade of 6.

The '73 Topps card may not be the greatest card or piece of memorabilia in my Clemente PC, but it's definitely one of the most special. Without a doubt, the card is very bittersweet given his tragic death just months before this set was released. 

Still, the card never fails to remind me of all that Clemente did over the course of his life, both on and off the field. He was one of the greatest men to ever play the game of Baseball, and that's the main reason why I chose to have this card graded.

Although I have Clemente's iconic 1972 Topps card, it wouldn't be convenient for me to have the card graded because it's part of the complete '72 set that I have. Instead, when deciding which cards to get graded, I turned to another card of #21 from the same year.

On their own, 3D cards are absolutely stunning. Similarly, many of Roberto Clemente's cards are true standouts as well. The combination of the 2 not only makes sense, but it also succeeds in delivering a beautiful and classic looking Kellogg's card.

Last up for the graded cards, we have the 2nd oldest Clemente card in my collection; a base card from 1962 Topps. As far as a set as old as 1962 Topps is concerned, I'm content with a grade of 2.5, especially considering one of the biggest problems with the card is the centering.

Like most of the big name vintage cards in my collection, I can't place my finger on exactly where this Clemente card came from. All I know is that my Dad purchased a huge lot of 50s-70s cards a while back, and this one was likely featured in the lot. 

Now, the card is graded by Beckett and serves as one of the crown jewels of my Clemente PC.

The condition of this 1958 Topps Roberto Clemente card is so terrible that I opted not to get it graded, for I knew the card would come back with a grade of 1 (poor). However, that's not to take away from the fact that I still have a 61-year old card of one of the greatest hitters and fielders in Baseball history.

This card, despite its flaws, reminds me not only of everything that I appreciate about the 1958 Topps set but everything that I love about Clemente as well. He was sensational as an individual player and alongside his teammates who helped form the historic all-black lineup.

He helped bring 2 championships to the city of Pittsburgh in 1960 and 1971 respectively. He lived his entire life as a hero, both as a Baseball player and as a humanitarian.

Simply put, Roberto Clemente has been and will always be one of my favorite players to collect. I'm thrilled with all the pieces of memorabilia that I've acquired of his, and I'm intrigued to see what the future will bring for this exceptional player collection.

'61 Commons and Graded Rizzo's; Card Show Recap #16 Part 3

For the remainder of my time at Monday's Mansfield card show, I ended up focusing solely on 2 different things. The first was cards from the 1961 Topps set, and the 2nd ended up being new additions to my Anthony Rizzo player collection.

With new Red Sox additions and dime cards serving as the primary focus for a majority of the time that I was there, I wanted to make the most of my remaining time and allotted budget by expanding the selection of cards that I brought home. 

By doing this, I could also accomplish one of my primary goals for this card show; track down some cards from the want list. The way I was able to do this was by purchasing some commons from the oldest set that I'm currently trying to piece together; 1961 Topps.

Last summer at The National, I was able to make some significant progress with the 1961 Topps set thanks to a major purchase of discounted cards from a vendor at the show. It was that significant purchase that confirmed my mission to complete this set and with my key rookie cards already in my collection (Santo, Williams, and Yastrzemski), there aren't a ton of key names still left to chase down beside Mickey Mantle, a card that's likely to set me back quite a lot of money.

I was able to put together a reasonable stack of 15 cards for an even more reasonable price with each card costing either $1 or $2 each. 1961 Topps isn't a huge set at only 589 total cards, but the set is home to dozens of Hall of Famers and, because of how old it is, even the costs of low-numbered cards can be a bit higher than one would expect. 

Because of that, any dent I can make in the set is extremely helpful towards my goal of completing the entire set within the next few years.

With 15 more cards going towards my set, I'm now 291 cards away from completing this product. While that may seem like, and still is, a lot more cards to track down, this 15-card purchase from Monday's show set me over the halfway mark which isn't too shabby considering I haven't even been collecting this set for a full year.

I must admit, 1961 Topps commons and graded Anthony Rizzo cards are a pretty strange combination for this blog post, but towards the very end of the card show, I ended up making my way towards a dealer who had marked down prices on all of his PSA and Beckett graded cards, including a surplus of cards of Cubs 1st baseman, Anthony Rizzo.

For the price of 2 retail packs of Topps Series 1, I picked up a graded yellow parallel from 2014 Bowman of the 3-time All-Star, numbered out of 99 copies on the back. While I first thought the bright yellow parallel would be too much for this card, I've grown to appreciate the untraditional color the more I look at this Beckett graded card.

It's kind of hard not to get sucked in by bright colored refractors and parallels, especially if it's a rookie card of one of your favorite players in all of Baseball. While this purple refractor from 2011 Bowman Chrome isn't serial numbered, the rookie card is graded at a PSA 9, and it just so happens to be my first rookie card of Anthony Rizzo, showing the slugger with the team he got his first hit with, the San Diego Padres.

And while Anthony Rizzo first played in the big leagues with the Padres, the 2-time Gold Glove award winner was originally a prospect in the Red Sox organization before he was traded for Adrian Gonzalez back towards the end of 2010. 

Much like the Bowman Chrome card was my first rookie card of Rizzo, this 1st Bowman card is my first ever card of Rizzo as a member of the Red Sox. Better yet, it's graded at a 9.5 by Beckett with some nice sub-grades, including a 10 for the surface. 

I could have paid $1 more for a black parallel graded at a 9, but I went with the higher grade and lower price instead, and I don't think I could've been happier.