Tino Tuesday #59: 1996 Topps Chrome Refractor #48

I'm always bummed that Topps didn't put out a Traded set in 1996. It would have been Tino Martinez's first Topps card as a Yankee. Instead, I had to wait until 1997.

Anyhow, 1996 Topps Chrome included Martinez in the set, and I just picked up this Refractor on Listia for 110 credits. The lot also came with two more Refractors, which I'll show later.

From the scan, you would think that the card is textured a but bumpy, but it's smooth. The circles/dots are part of the design. These Refractors actually look a bit more like a modern X-fractor.

I don't always read...

...but when I do, I bookmark my pages with long baseball cards.

Ok, so I usually mark my pages digitally these days because most of my books are on my Kindle. I needed an excuse to show off this Danny Tartabull 1993 Bookermarkers card, brought to you by Listia for 50 credits.

I especially liked the short write-up on Danny. He had impressive batting skills, you know.

ATBATT PWE

I amused myself with the title of this post.

Anyhow, out of the blue, Oscar from All Trade Bait All The Time sent me a PWE bomb (err, might be time to stop with that term) filled with a few Yanks. Here are a few favorites below, all new cards for my collection.

Oscar, it was a great surprise. Thanks, bud!

Napkin Doon is a jerk

Strong words, I know. Read on.

A few days ago, I received a bubble mailer from Napkin Doon. It was unexpected, and I was excited. You see, the last bubble mailer he sent me contained a Phil Rizzuto relic. My mind was racing as I ran upstairs, bubble mailer in hand, straight into the bathroom like Ralphie when his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring arrived.

I gently tore open the bubble mailer, so as to not accidentally damage the treasures from Cleve's that awaited me. Would it be a jersey card? An on-card auto? Heck, a sticker auto? Vintage? Minis? Vintage minis?

I peered inside and saw a snap case; a case normally reserved for the rarest of baseball player picture cards. I reached inside, and immediately felt a strange burning, tingling sensation in my fingers as they came in contact with snap case. With the skin melting from my hands, I looked at the "present" Napkin sent me in disbelief:

 

Your eyes are not deceiving you. It's a 1990 Topps Rance (Rance? Really? Not Lance? Or France?) Mulliniks. The card was covered in old, moldy remnants of a substance we were lead to believe was bubble chewing gum.

See, it all goes back to this post: http://napkindoon.blogspot.com/2013/03/garbage-pail-topps.html . I made what I considered to be a humorous comment at the time, asking if the Mulliniks was for trade when Napkin whined that his 23 year old cards were gum-stained. Apparently, the card was for trade.

I was hoping to salvage the snap case at least, but I don't have a Hazmat suit laying around to remove the Rance.

On another note, I'd like to express my disappointment in the USPS for allowing such a package, containing such dangerous materials, to successfully make it through their rigorous screening processes.

Nap, "thanks" for the "gift." You're one heck of a guy, and the blogosphere is a better place with you. Now quick, somebody Bip me so I can move on from this travesty.

TTM Success: Darnell McDonald

I wasn't expecting anymore spring training TTM successes to roll in, but lo and behold, one did. I sent to Darnell McDonald at the Cubs spring training, and he signed my two cards for me. McDonald made a cameo with the Yanks last year, although he is best known for his time with the Red Sox.

I sent both his 2012 Topps Update base card and gold, and he returned both with his signature scrawled across. Cool success.

Real or Fake?

I have been at my mother-in-law's house all weekend. I've been sneaking away to watch some of the NBA playoffs, but mostly I've been sitting with her and my little lady in the TV room. She likes to watch the show "Two and Half Men," so I've endured a few episodes of the show tonight. I've never liked that show, and can't for the life of me realize why it has been so successful. The acting is awful and that kid is annoying as hell.

Regardless, we were watching an episode tonight, and it was all about real or fake...yes, you know what body part I'm talking about. That's not comfortable subject matter when sitting next to your mother-in-law. Anyhow, it inspired my post, because I recently picked up a signed card on Listia I don't know if it's real or fake.

The auto in question is Ron Guidry. I got it for a reasonable amount of credits, and felt it was worth the gamble. I don't have an autograph of Gator, and I've never gotten him to sign for me TTM. When I saw this, I figured I'd put in a capped bid, and if it went over, well, I would lose. It didn't.

I certainly think the signature looks legit compared to some of this others I've seen. Even if not, the card didn't cost me anything. I'm sure I'll never know, but I'm choosing to believe that I now have an autograph of one of the best Yankee lefties ever.

I got a tattoo!

 Ok, so not a real tattoo. I don't like needles. But when I came across these old Topps tattoos on Listia, I had to pick up a roll.

I remember these from when I was a very little guy. My mom used to buy us these plastic bags of cards that had all sorts of goodies...unopened packs, big cards, embossed cards, and these tattoos. Sort of like the repack of the '80s. Did anyone else used to get these? I'm pretty sure they came from K-Mart.

I remember the tattoos not working very well when I used to try them. Maybe I'll tear one off and give it a try sometime soon.