A lost package finds The Lost Collector

Since I started this blog, I've had four different residences in six years.

In 2011, I was still living in NYC when I made my first post. In 2012, I moved to Hoboken, NJ, where I stayed for three years. In 2015, we moved further west into the burbs to a rental in my current town. And in 2016, we purchased a permanent home in that same town.

I don't blame anyone for not being able to keep up, and I'm sure I've lost some mailings and TTM returns along the way. Although I've always set up mail-forwarding, that service is not always reliable.

Just yesterday, my wife got a Facebook message from the family that currently lives in our prior residence, the one before we bought our house. She said that there was a package for me there, and that it was just delivered, although the postage said May. Weird. Whether or not that last part was true, I appreciate that she reached out. I wasn't expecting anything, but had a hunch it was a card package.

And it was.

The package was from way upstate in NY from Night Owl, someone who has been trading card packages with me from day one and has had to ensure these constant address changes of mind. Greg was only one address behind, so I don't think that's too bad.

Anyhow, I was happy to have a bonus, unexpected package! And even happier when it contained some vintage:

I love '56 Topps and love Jerry Coleman, so this card is very welcome in my collection. I don't get too many vintage cards in trade packages, so I always appreciate them. The little hop Coleman is doing as he turns two is great.

There was also a nice stack of Allen & Ginter minis. I don't know about you, but I've officially gotten to the point where I have no idea what year of A&G each card is by simply looking at them. They have officially all blended together.

The last few years of Topps Chrome have really outshined the flagship, no pun intended. The Pink Refractors are ones I always enjoy, and I believe this is my first from 2016. Greg Bird is currently about a week away from returning to the Majors in what has been another lost season. Many Yankee fans feel the team needs another bat down the stretch, but in the next few weeks should be getting back Bird, Starlin Castro, and Matt Holliday. That's like making a trade! Hopefully one or two of them will give them offense a nice boost.

I'm not the biggest Chase Headley fan, but I've really respected the way he moved from 3B to 1B without a peep to help the team. And he even started hitting! The black border looks great on the '68 Topps design.

I like the 2017 Yankees team card because it shows how much can change in a year. Gone are two players from this photo, Brian McCann and Mark Teixeira. The 2018 team card should feature younger, more exciting players.

I expect the guy above to be on that card, as he's having another great season for a catcher, at least offensively. His passed balls have been an issue, but honestly not to the point where he should sit. His three-run bombs outshine a ball or two going to the backstop every couple of games.

I don't buy much Opening Day, but I love the card of the player running onto the field during actual Opening Day. I'd be cool if the entire set featured cards like this instead of just the re-hash of flagship.

Greg, thanks for the cards. I swear I wasn't being rude by not thanking you for the package from three months ago.

And if anyone needs my latest - and most permanent - address, let me know.

Trip to a new LCS

Since moving to my new town over a year ago, I've been wanting to visit a local card shop that is just 15 minutes away. Not a bad distance at all, as many collectors don't have anything nearly that close.

I'm a little ashamed it took me over a year to get there. However, both kids went down for a nap yesterday, so I told my wife I was sneaking out for a few minutes.

I made the drive to the shop, which was about two towns over. The store is not visible from the outside, which confused me a little. However, around back there is a glass door that leads to the second floor of a small strip mall, and the card shop is on the second floor.

It was fairly small, with piles and boxes overflowing. It was sort of organized chaos, but I liked it. There was one other shopper in there, obviously a regular who spends a lot of time there, as I could gather that by their banter. The owner was very nice as well, saying he's been in business since 1988. No small feat!

He immediately asked what I was looking for and what I collect. Honestly, I didn't go in with a plan, so I just sort of blurted out "errr, Yankees." To which he replied, "Ok, but new, old, autographs, what?" I just said, "Yeah, a little of everything." The truth was, I'm also kind of guarded in these situations, as I was ready for him to sell me on the more expensive stuff. After a while, we started chatting a bit more and told him I collect Tino, and have about 800 different. The guy in the shop said he has a Frank Robinson collection like that.

I started to settle in and went though a box of Yankees, all priced between about $1 and $15. Most were a few bucks each. Pricing was pretty standard for a small shop, with cards selling for a bit more than you could find them online. I did find one Tino marked $1, so I snagged it:

Next, he showed me a box of very beat up vintage. They were all older than 1960, and all priced fairly well. I only bought one, but I think it was a decent find for $5. I've been wanting this card for a while.

Lastly, I decided I wanted a few packs. I asked if he had gotten any Bowman Draft in yet, and said he hadn't, which was disappointing. I settled on four packs of 2016 Update. I opened them on the spot, and in the last pack, I snagged a hit, which is unusual for me:

I definitely will be going back. The owner was nice and not pushy at all. It's not the most comfortable setting with the size and clutter, but still was fun to look around a bit, and if I had more time, I'm sure I could have done more damage. I'm looking forward to returning and going through a box of Yankees inserts he mentioned, but I had to go before I could check it out.

The nicest '56 Topps I've ever seen

A few days ago, I got an email from Mark Hoyle saying that he had a 1956 Topps Jerry Coleman and 1976 Hostess Catfish Hunter, if I wanted it. Not one to pass up such vintage goodness, I said sure. A few days later, they arrived.

Holy crap, that Colemen's condition is phenomenal. I've never see a 1956 this nice. Very good centering, exquisite color, no creases. The corners might be a litttttle fuzzy, but honestly, it's gorgeous. It's gradable, for sure, although I don't get cards graded.

The Catfish, however, looks like someone cut it out right handed with some lefty scissors. Still very cool though, as this is my first Hostess card from the '70s. Man, I wish Hostess or Drake's or Little Debbie's or whomever would put cards on boxes again.

Mark, thanks for the cards. I love 'em!

RIP to a TTM legend, Jerry Coleman

A lot of TTM legends have passed away in the past year or so, notably Virgil Trucks and Bob Turley. news yesterday broke that we had lost another one. Hall of Fame Broadcaster and former Yankees infielder Jerry Coleman has passed away at 89.

I can't say anything better than what Marcus over at All The Way to the Backstop said, as he is a Padres fan and has had a first hand experience growing up and listening to the Coleman broadcast since the '70s. From what I know of Coleman, he was a pure and total class act right until the last day. He missed significant big league playing time due to military service time, and never sounded bitter or remorseful. I just can't imagine what that would be like today, seeing guys in their prime leave to serve in the armed forces. In a way, this no longer needs to happen because of guys like Coleman, and what they gave up for our freedoms today.

Over the course of my collecting life, I sent Coleman two TTM requests, with two cards each time. Both times, he signed the cards for me and returned them promptly. I'm sure there is a lot he would have rather been doing, but taking time to respond and connect to fans is just the type of guy he was. I'm especially honored to have Coleman bat leadoff in my Topps Yankees Project, as his 1951 Topps card is the first I have signed in my collection.

I wish his family the best during this difficult time.

New Jerry Coleman score - 1954 Bowman

In addition to Phil Rizzuto, I also unofficially collect vintage Jerry Coleman cards. I believe this is my first 1954 Bowman of any kind, and I'm glad it's of Coleman. The card is pretty severely creased, which lead to its very low price.

Overall, I like the set. It's very simple. If Night Owl were naming it, I think the "Post-It Set" might work, as the name strip reminds me of those thin Post-It strips. It's funny to think that this simple set preceded the "TV set" by just one year. Bowman really went after it in '55.

I found the card back to be a pleasure to read as well.

Fine, I'll show some vintage too

Well, everyone else is showing some vintage. I might as well. Vintage is popping up on blogs more and more. I think people are bored with newer Topps issues and prefer the good old stuff. I could be wrong, but it just seems that all 2012 issues, even Heritage, aren't holding too much attention amongst collectors.

I picked up this 1956 Topps Jerry Coleman for $2.50 shipped. Condition is ok. I haven’t decided if I’m going to hang on to it as is, or send it to Coleman TTM. I already have a few TTM autos from him, so maybe I won’t deface this particular card. Either way, I love getting cards of Coleman, and this was impossible to pass up for the price.

 

Goofy vintage baseball poses

One of my favorite things about vintage cards is the goofy poses the photographers made the players do. Before live action shots became the norm in the late '60s and early '70s, collectors had to suffer through these dorky spring training or pregame shots. I love looking at the few vintage cards I have and checking out these poses, because they look so undeniably nerdy.

There were three main poses - a fielder getting ready to throw (or pretending to), a batter with the bat on his shoulder little league team photo style, and a pitcher who supposedly just finished throwing a pitch. I could be missing a few and there were exceptions of course, but these seemed to be the most common. The worst part is, it didn't even look like the actual baseball action. Are you telling me that Jerry Coleman looked like this when he fielded a ball and threw to first?

 Or this? He looks like he us surfing, which I guess makes sense because he ended up in San Diego.

Poor Jerry. He was far too cool to be depicted in such a manner. What are you favorite goofy vintage poses? Any cards stick out in your mind?

TTM Success: 1951 Topps!!!!!!! Yes, 1951.

So my Topps Yankees Project was supposed to start with 1952. I had Charlie Silvera and that was the starting card...until I read one of your blogs and saw that 1951 was actually a year that Topps produced cards. Oh well, these were a game and I wouldn't let it bug me. But it did. Deep down. It nagged on me because I knew my project wouldn't be complete until I had a 1951. I picked up this 1951 on eBay (it's in great shape too) for a few bucks, and got the balls up to ship off this request. I sent it about six weeks ago and I started to get a little worried lately. It paid off today when I found this in my mailbox:

How sweet is that?! A signed 1951 Topps Yankee card! It actually says "Gerry Coleman", not Jerry, but rest assured it's him. I got greedy and also sent along a 1950 Bowman REPRINT and got that returned with a signature as well. Mr. Coleman is a great baseball man and I couldn't be happier.

Anyways, now I have a slight dilemma. I already had Jerry Coleman as 1957...and I don't want to include two of the same player in my project. So here's one solution: replace my '57 Coleman with my '57Bobby Shantz, my '58 Shantz with my '58 Gil McDougald, and my '60 McDougald with a new 1960. I have a request out to Art Ditmar for a 1960, but I'm not so sure how that's going to go. I could also send out another request or two 1960's. I think Eli Grba might sign.

Anyways, I'm super excited about the 1951 Topps addition. I know some people may cringe that and that I may have devalued the card, but I love it.

TTM Success: another 4 successes!

After having my streak snapped on Tuesday, Wednesday brought me four more TTM success from former Yankees!

First, one for my project. Bob Watson signed my 1981 and 1982 Topps cards. I needed the 1982 for my Topps Yankees Project, so that's a big help! Bob also signed my letter "Best wishes, Bob Watson." I sent to him c/o MLB league office in NYC. I now am only missing 16 years out of a possible 60. Gettin' there!

The other three successes are all duplicate years in my Topps Yankees Project. The 1957 Topps Bobby Shantz (signed in less than a week, by the way) is important, as I hope to make a switcheroo...1957 is currently Jerry Coleman, but I want to move him to 1951 (I sent him the '51 Topps I bought....eek), Shantz to 1957, McDougald to 1958, and then someone I pursuing to 1960 (request is out). Hope it works because it took a lot of thinking and tinkering!

I also received a 1964 Al Downing. I meant to send him a 1966 but I was dumb and bought a 1964 by mistake. I still have a 1966 out in the mail for a different player, so hopefully that will take care of itself. I also received a 1976 Tippy Martinez, and I think I'll use him instead of Ed Herrmann because Tippy is awesome.

Hope to return home to a full mailbox again today!

Purchase Review: My first 1951 Topps, and a 1957 to boot

I didn't even know 1951 Topps existed until I saw one on one of your blogs. True, they were tiny little cards and they were a game, but hey, Topps is Topps. So I had to have one, and I had to have a Yankee. After searching the checklist, I set my sights on Jerry Coleman (or on this card, Gerry Coleman). I found one on eBay that I liked, and about $6 later it was mine. It's a red back version. I have to say, the card is in fantastic condition outside of a small nick at the top. Do I care? Nope. It's now my oldest, and one of my coolest cards. Somehow, I have a nice little Jerry Coleman collection going on. I have a 1957 Topps, and a 1955 Bowman as well. So I suppose I unofficially have a PC of him, so let me know if you have one and maybe we can make a deal.

I also managed to pick up this 1957 Bobby Shantz. Card condition isn't great, but it's 55 years old, what do you expect? I also paid $1 for it, so I knew what I was getting. It has a crease and a small stain. I love the Yankees jersey he is wearing - the navy blue trim is awesome. Mr. Shantz is in the TTM Hall of Fame of great signers, so I think I'll send this one to him in hopes of getting it autographed. I'm not trying to collect the full 1957 team set or anything, but I've managed to get my paws on four Yankees cards from the set - Shantz, Coleman, Skowron, and Larsen. Pretty cool stuff and I love the set - simple design, and I believe it's the first year Topps went to its current card size. Keep me honest though.

I'm still searching for my Holy Grail - an original Mantle. I'll have to get one that is all wrinkly and beat up, but I still want one. I also hope to get a Yogi, Maris, and Whitey Ford at some point as well. I picked up a 1955 Topps Rizzuto a few years ago and I love it. The card has a lot of character (i.e. creases), but it's special and original and that's what matters to me.