ONLINE MEGA BOX - PART 30

SO MUCH FOR SPEEDRUNNING THE REST OF THIS BOX LOL. HERE'S A FEW GINTER MINIS WHICH ARE STOOPID HARD TO FIND UNDER THE BEST CONDITIONS. WE'LL START OUT WITH AN ICKY BUG

CATEGORY: MINIS, INSERTS

2015 ALLEN & GINTER A WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET - CALLETA SILKMOTH CATERPILLAR

AROUND 2014 MY SUPPLY OF ALLEN & GINTER PACKS AND CHEAP SINGLES DRIED UP QUICKLY SO I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO COLLECT DIFFERENTLY SINCE THEN. WHILE I AM WORKING ON COMPLETING A FEW OLDER GINTER MINI SETS THE MAIN GOAL GOING FORWARD SINCE 2014 HAS BEEN TO GET JUST ONE DAMN MINI INSERT CARD AS A TYPE CARD FOR EACH SET. I COULD DO THIS QUITE EASILY IF I WENT ONLINE BUT I USUALLY FOCUS ON OLD AND ODDBALL CARDS WHEN I BUY ON COMC. THIS MEANS I HAVE TO RELY ON FATE DROPPING SOME MINIS IN MY LAP. THIS TIME SHE DROPPED A BUG IN MY LAP, WHICH IS USUALLY PRETTY GROSS BUT THIS LITTLE GUY IS KINDA CUTE. I WANT IT OFF MY LAP THOUGH, SHOO

I REALLY LIKE HOW THE NUMBERING PREFIX FOR THIS SET IS BUG-. TOPPS GETS IT RIGHT SOMETIMES. THIS TURNED OUT TO NOT BE MY FIRST BUG CARD AS I ALREADY HAD FIVE OTHER CRITTERS BUT I WILL NEVER TURN DOWN A MINI INSERT JUST BECAUSE I HAVE ONE ALREADY

2019 ALLEN & GINTER IN BLOOM - BUTTERFLY BUSH

THIS ONE DID WIND UP BEING MY FIRST TYPE CARD FOR THIS SET. I GOT THIS ONE MIXED UP WITH AN OLDER SET THAT HAD WILDFLOWER SEEDS EMBEDDED INTO THE CARD SO IF YOUR COLLECTION GETS WIPED OUT IN A FLOOD YOU'LL AT LEAST GET SOME FLOWERS GROWING OUT OF YOUR BINDER. THERE ARE A LOT OF GINTER INSERTS SO I'M NOT SURPRISED THEY ARE RECYCLING SUBJECTS NOW

THIS WAS A REALLY PRETTY CARD, THEN I TURNED IT OVER TO DISCOVER THAT THIS BUSH IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES WIPING OUT THE ENVIRONMENT. I WISH THIS REALLY DID HAVE SOME SEEDS IN IT SO I COULD PLANT IT IN AN ATTEMPT TO CROWD OUT ALL THE WEEDS IN MY YARD WITH PRETTY BUTTERFLY FLOWERS

2020 ALLEN & GINTER 9 WAYS TO FIRST - FIELDER'S CHOICE 

THERE'S NOT A TON OF GINTER MINI INSERTS WITH A BASEBALL THEME BUT THEY'VE BEEN DOING MORE OF THAT THING RECENTLY. THIS SET SHOWS OFF ALL THE WAYS A BATTER CAN GET ONTO FIRST BASE. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THEY GOT IT RIGHT OR FORGOT ONE BUT IT'S A NEAT LITTLE SET

I ALREADY HAD HIT BY PITCH SO NO TYPE CARD THIS TIME. I DON'T MIND BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE A FUN ONE TO BUILD

2022 ALLEN & GINTER BEARING FRUIT - LUCUMA

I ONLY HAD ONE OTHER MINI INSERT FROM 2022 AND IT WAS THE PRICKLY PEAR FROM THIS SET. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A LUCUMA IS SO LET'S FLIP THE CARD AND FIND OUT

I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER EAT ONE SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. MY ALLEN & GINTER CARD FROM THE 1800S WITH A FRUIT THEME IS A QUINCE, ANOTHER FRUIT I WAS WHOLLY UNFAMILIAR WITH SO THIS ONE PAIRS NICELY WITH IT. AS A CARD, NOT A FOOD, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT EITHER TASTE LIKE

2022 ALLEN & GINTER DUCKS - SCOTER

QUACK! IT'S A DUCK! I LIKE HOW ON ALL THE OTHER INSERTS THERE'S THIS LARGE ELABORATE SET NAME PLASTERED ON THE CARD WHILE HERE IT'S JUST A DUCK. NO TITLES, JUST DUCKS. WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE? DUCK CARDS NEED NO LABELS

THERE'S NOT EVEN A TITLE ON THE BACK, WHICH IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR A GINTER CARD. SOME OF THE BEST DESIGNS ON ANY GINTER CARD IS THE ELABORATE TITLE ON THE BACK BUT NOT HERE. DUCKS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

QUACK.

2022 ALLEN & GINTER BASEBALL LEXICON - WEB GEM

THIS IS ANOTHER BASEBALL THEMED MINI SET BUT THIS ONE'S A LITTLE MORE ABSTRACT. BASEBALL TERMS ARE DEPICTED LITERALLY ON THE CARD WHICH WORKS REALLY WELL FOR CAN OF CORN OR GOLDEN SOMBRERO BUT NOT SO MUCH FOR WORM BURNER OR PICKLE. THE WEB GEM HERE IS PROBABLY THE PRETTIEST CARD IN THE SET AND MAKES A NICE TYPE CARD

 I CAN HEAR THE BACK OF THIS CARD EVEN THOUGH I HAVEN'T WATCHED BASEBALL TONIGHT IN MAYBE A DECADE. THIS WILL LOOK GOOD IN THE BINDER BUT I HAVE NO ROOM CURRENTLY AND WILL NEED TO PICK UP SOME NEW PAGES TO PUT ANY CARDS FROM AFTER 2018 IN THERE. I MAY HAVE AN LCS POST COMING UP SOON

UP NEXT: EASING BACK INTO THE CHAOS WITH SOME MORE ALLEN & GINTER

APRIL 2024 CARD SHOW PART 1: PATRICK'S QUARTER BOX

GETTING A PROPER APRIL CARD SHOW POST UP IN APRIL, HELL YEAH. THIS SHOW WENT LIKE MOST OTHER SHOWS. SCOUT OUT THE VINTAGE TABLE AT THE FRONT, GLANCE AT SOME CASES FULL OF STUFF I CAN'T AFFORD. REVEL IN THE COMFORT OF THE QUARTER BOX [YOU ARE HERE], PASS BY MORE TABLES WITH HIGH/NO PRICES, DIVE INTO DIME BOX CARDS, MAKE THE LOOP BACK TO THE VINTAGE TABLE AND BLOW MORE MONEY. THERE WERE NO COLLECTORS SELLING THIS TIME, AND WHILE ONE TABLE WAS SELLING BULK BOXES THERE WAS NO PRICE ANYWHERE. SINCE MY BUDGET WAS TWENTY BUCKS FOR THE SHOW THERE WAS NO NEED TO ASK. THE QUARTER BOX HELD FUN SURPRISES AS USUAL BUT I ALSO SPLURGED ON A CARD AT THE SAME TABLE

I MENTIONED THIS IN THE PREVIEW POST, BUT MURPH HERE IS THE LAST AND FINAL CARD NEEDED FOR MY 1981 FLEER SET. THE NEXT TO LAST AND NEXT TO NEXT TO LAST CARDS WERE BOUGHT IN MY COMC BINGE AND IF I KEEP TO MY SCHEDULE YOU'LL BE SEEING THOSE IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. I DEFINITELY OVER PAID AT TWO BUCKS BUT IT FELT GOOD TO PICK IT UP IN PERSON. SINCE THERE'S NOT MUCH NEW TO SAY ABOUT THIS HERE'S THE ENTIRE 81 FLEER BRAVES TEAM SET AS A BONUS

THE PAGES ARE OUT OF ORDER AND I DIDN'T NOTICE THE RING SHADOWS UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE BUT IT'S CARDS AND I NEED TO GET MOVING ON THIS POST. ALONG WITH THE TWO DOLLA MURPH  I PICKED UP TWO DOLLAS WORTH OF QUARTER CARDS STARTING WITH SOME FRIENDS FROM THE LAST QUARTER BOX POST

THREE MOAR SHAKEY'S PIZZA CARDS! I WAS HOPING SOME OF THESE WOULD BE LEFT AFTER LAST TIME AND PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM WERE STILL THERE. I STILL LEFT BEHIND QUITE A FEW BUT THEY WERE MOSTLY COMMISSIONERS AND EXECUTIVES. TOMMY MCCARTHY PLAYED HIS BEST SEASONS FOR ST. LOUIS BUT SPENT A FEW YEARS WITH THE BOSTON WHATEVER-THEY-WERE-CALLED-BEFORE-THE-BRAVES* SO IT ENDED IN MY PILE ONCE I READ THE BACK OF THE CARD. ED WALSH CAUGHT MY EYE AS HE IS THE ONLY HALL OF FAMER I HAVE A T-206 CARD OF IN MY COLLECTION. THIS CARD EVEN USES THE SAME PICTURE! THEN AGAIN SO DO A LOT OF OTHER CARDS. THE LAST ONE IS CARL HUBBELL, WHO'S JUST A GREAT PITCHER

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING WITH THESE CARDS AS I DOUBT I COULD PUT TOGETHER EVEN A PAGE OF THEM BUT THEY'RE FUN AND THAT'S THE POINT OF A CARD SHOW

ONE OF THE BIG B'S ON A CARD WITH A BIG B FOR THE DESIGN. THIS CARD SAYS BOWMAN'S BEST BUT IT IS REALLY ONE OF FIVE SUBSETS FOR TOPPS FUSION, THE GREAT GRANDPAPPY OF PANINI CHRONICLES. THAT MESS OF A SET HAD CARDS FROM FIVE DIFFERENT SETS: BOWMAN'S BEST, STADIUM CLUB, FINEST, GALLERY AND GOLD LABEL ALL MASHED UP IN ONE PACK AND IT FLOPPED SUPER HARD. I BOUGHT A FEW PACKS AND DID VERY WELL FOR MYSELF INCLUDING PULLING A ROCCO BALDELLI AUTOGRAPH BACK WHEN HE WAS THE HOT PROSPECT DU JOUR. I WANT TO BUILD A LITTLE FRANKENSET OF ONE PAGE PER PRODUCT BECAUSE IT'S A FUN SET BUT ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH BUILDING A SET. I KNEW I NEEDED A BOWMAN'S BEST CARD TO HELP FILL OUT A PAGE BUT DIDN'T REMEMBER WHICH CARDS I ALREADY HAD SO I TOOK A LEAP OF FAITH ON THIS ONE AND WAS REWARDED WITH A CARD I NEEDED. FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS OF NEEDED

HERE'S THAT BOOTLEG CRACKED ICE CARD I SHOWED OFF IN THE PREVIEW POST. HERE'S THE REAL FUN BIT:

ONE OF 10,000 CARDS! THESE ARE AS RARE AS DONRUSS ELITE INSERTS! THERE'S NO SERIAL NUMBERING ON THE BUT YOU CAN TRUST SPORTS STARS USA, RIGHT? RIGHT?

I FRIGGIN LOVE 90S STUDIO BUT THERE WERE A TON OF STARS FROM THIS SET IN THE QUARTER BOX AND GREG WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAME HOME WITH ME. PART OF IT WAS MY BUDGET OF ABOUT FIVE BUCKS A TABLE FORCED ME TO MAKE SOME TOUGH CHOICES. THAT WASN'T ALL OF IT THOUGH, AS I WAS LOOKING AT A WANTLIST WHERE I HAVE MAYBE A QUARTER OF THE SET IT WAS HARD TO SPEND A COUPLE BUCKS ON CARDS THAT WOULD BARELY MAKE A DENT EVEN IF THEY WERE GUYS LIKE RANDY JOHNSON AND CAL RIPKEN JR. I GOT SOME 70S VINTAGE CARDS FOR A QUARTER AT THE SAME SHOW SO I FEEL LIKE I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE

I DON'T COLLECT THESE FOIL SCORE PARALLELS AT ALL AND ACTUALLY GET ANNOYED WHEN I FIND THEM WHILE SORTING. SHINY BAGWELL THOUGH. AND HE'S GOT BUBBLE GUM! I'M TRYING TO HAVE RESTRAINT BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH I CAN RESIST

I LOVE THESE PACIFIC INVINCIBLE CARDS WITH THE PLAYER PORTRAIT INSIDE A LITTLE ACETATE WINDOW. AND I LOVE GARY SHEFFIELD WHO HAD TWO GREAT SEASONS WITH THE BRAVOS. EASY PICKUP EVEN WITH THE HATED MARLINS LOGO MESSING UP THAT BEAUTIFUL FOIL.I ALSO FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE BEST LOOKING OF THE INVICIBLE SETS

THIS IS THE FIRST JARRED KELENIC CARD I'VE ENCOUNTERED IN THE WILD SINCE THE TRADE. ALL JARRED HAS TO DO IS PLAY GOOD DEFENSE AND BE A LEAGUE AVERAGE HITTER TO BE A MASSIVE UPGRADE FOR THE BRAVES THIS YEAR AND HE'S SURPASSED THAT SO FAR. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HIM ON SOME CARDS WEARING AN ATLANTA UNI SOON

PATRICK IS AN EAGLES FAN SO THE QUARTER BOXES ALWAYS HAVE A FEW EAGLES PLAYERS IN IT INCLUDING MICHAEL VICK. I HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT RESISTING BUYING THEM ALL UP SINCE I DON'T REALLY HAVE A HANDLE ON THE VICK CARDS I ALREADY HAVE. THIS ONE GRABBED ME THOUGH, YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW WHY

SERIAL NUMBERS! I CANNOT RESIST THE SERIAL NUMBERS. DO TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX PEOPLE EVEN COLLECT VICK CARDS ANYMORE? PROBABLY NOT! I ALSO THINK I MIGHT HAVE THIS INSERT ALREADY. I FINISHED A FLEER SET AT THIS TABLE, I'M ALLOWED TO BE A LITTLE FRIVOLOUS AS A REWARD

BASEBALL-REFERENCE SENT THE BEANEATERS AND RUSTLERS NAME TO THE SHADOW REALM ALONG WITH PLUTO AND THE NEW WILE E. COYOTE MOVIE AND I'M STILL BITTER ABOUT IT

2024 ONLINE BLASTER - PART 8:90S WANTLIST STUFF

 WAY BEHIND IN EVERYTHING SO IT'S TIME TO GUZZLE A POT OF COFFEE AND WRITE ABOUT BASEBAWL CARDS. I HAVEN'T POSTED SOMETHING I GOT THIS YEAR IN A WHILE SO LET'S DO SOME WANTLIST GETS

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

1993 DONRUSS DIAMOND KINGS BILL SWIFT, GARY SHEFFIELD

TOPPS INSERTS I HAVE WANTLISTED OUT OF OBLIGATION, FLEER INSERTS I HAVE WANTLISTED OUT OF LOVE. DONRUSS INSERTS? MEH. THERE'S A FEW COOL DONRUSS INSERTS FROM THE 90S BUT I'M NOT QUITE AS INVESTED IN THEM AS I AM IN INSERTS FROM TOPPS, FLEER AND UPPER DECK. I LIKE 'EM BETTER THAN SCORE'S INSERTS AT LEAST. DIAMOND KINGS THOUGH? THOSE ARE THE GOOD STUFF. I'VE HAD THE 92 SET COMPLETE FOR A WHILE BUT THERE'S STILL A HANDFUL MISSING FROM 93. I WISH I COULD TELL YOU HOW MANY I STILL NEED BUT I TYPED UP A LIST OF ALL THE DIAMOND KINGS I NEEDED AND WINDOWS ATE IT IN AN UNEXPECTED UPGRADE REBOOT. I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH PICKING UP THE SHEFFIELD WANTLIST OR NOT

1992 FLEER RYNE SANDBERG ALL STAR

I WILL NOT BE COMPLETING ANY FLEER INSERT SETS ANY TIME SOON BUT IT'S STILL FUN TO CHIP AWAY AT THEM. SO MANY CARDS, SO MANY SETS. THEY ALL (MOSTLY) LOOK REALLY GOOD TOO LIKE THIS ALL-STAR SET WITH THE BLACK BORDERS AND GOLD FOIL. RYNE SANDBERG AIN'T TOO SHABBY A PLAYER EITHER

1994 FLEER JEFF BAGWELL PRO-VISION

I'M PRETTY SURE I HAVE THIS PRO-VISION CARD OF BAGWELL ALREADY. I THINK I PULLED IT FOR A BLOG POST A LONG TIME AGO AND NEVER PUT IT BACK IN THE BOX, SO NOW I HAVE IT. IT'S STILL NOT IN THE BOX BECAUSE I HAVEN'T PUT THESE CARDS AWAY YET BECAUSE I'M SCREWING AROUND INSTEAD OF PUTTING THINGS AWAY

1995 DONRUSS DON MATTINGLY CHECKLIST

1995 DONRUSS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES, BUT I'M NOT TERRIBLY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE THING. NOW I CAN PULL OUT THE BALL POINT PEN AND SEE EXACTLY WHICH CARDS I STILL NEED. YOU THINK I'M KIDDING - AND I PROBABLY AM - BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I'M GETTING A BIT WEIRD ABOUT MY COLLECTING LATELY AND IT WOULD BE HANDY TO SEE AT A GLANCE THAT I STILL NEED THAT ANDRES GALARRAGA CARD

1996 PINNACLE JEFF BAGWELL CHECKLIST

I'M ALSO NOT TERRIBLY CLOSE TO COMPLETING 1996 PINNACLE THANKS TO MISSING A TON OF SERIES TWO CARDS. I DON'T NEED MANY ON THIS FIRST SERIES CHECKLIST SO I PUT THE PEN AWAY. I ACTUALLY PREFER THE 1997 SET WITH THE COOL CARVED BAT TEAM NAMES ON THE BACK BUT THIS SET IS PRETTY NICE TOO

1997 UPPER DECK ANDY PETTITTE

ONE OF THE PROJECTS I'VE BEEN DOING INSTEAD OF WRITING BLOG POSTS FOR ALL TO ENJOY IS TRYING TO GET MY UPPER DECK SET BOXES IN ORDER. THIS... HAS BEEN GOING POORLY. A REALITY CHECK ON THE SETS I WAS CERTAIN I HAD COMPLETED HAS SHOWN WAY MORE MISSING CARDS THAN I EXPECTED WHICH MEANS:
1) I FUCKED UP
2) THERE'S ANOTHER BOX FILLED WITH UPPER DECK CARDS THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT AWAY SOMEWHERE

IT'S PROBABLY BOTH SINCE I FUCKED UP BY NOT PUTTING AWAY THINGS IMMEDIATELY BUT ANDY AND THE REST OF THE UPPER DECK CARDS IN THIS POST ARE THANKFULLY SAFE AND SNUG IN THE SET BOX NOW. THIS MEANS I KEEP PICKING OUT THE CARDS TO LOOK AT THE BACKS WHICH IS MAKING THIS POST TAKE FOREVER

1997 UPPER DECK TINO MARTINEZ

97 UPPER DECK IS ONE OF THE BEST SETS OF THE NINETIES NOT JUST FOR THE SNAZZY DESIGN BUT FOR THE PHOTO EXPLAINER ON EVERY CARD. IT'S NICE WHEN YOU GET TO FIND OUT THAT ANDY PETTITTE BEAT UP ON THE A'S IN JUNE. BUT WHEN YOU LEARN THAT TINO MARTINEZ WAS GETTING INTO FIGHTS WITH UMPS IN SPRING TRAINING - IN MAY SOMEHOW - WELL THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY. I WANT TO GO DIG THROUGH MY CARDS TO FIND MORE WEIRDNESS LIKE THIS NOW

1997 UPPER DECK JUAN GONZALEZ GLOBAL IMPACT

NOT GONNA LIE. I DON'T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA WHICH SUBSET GOES WHERE FOR EVERY MID-90S UPPER DECK FOILBOARD CARD. IT'S HARD ENOUGH REMEMBERING 96 UPPER DECK IS THE ONE WITH THE ORANGE FOIL AND OVAL AT THE BOTTOM WHILE 97 HAS THE ORANGE FOIL WITH THE WOODGRAIN BORDER. IT DOESN'T HELP THAT THE COPYRIGHT DATE FOR SERIES ONE IS THE PREVIOUS YEAR BECAUSE THE NEW YEAR SETS WERE RELEASED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER BACK THEN. BETTER THAN RELEASING 2023 PRODUCTS IN 2024 BUT STILL CONFUSING

1997 LEAF KEN GRIFFEY JR. LEGACY

THIS IS KIND OF A TECHNICAL WANTLIST CARD AS I AM NOT REALLY WORKING ON 1997 LEAF. IT'S KIND OF AN UGLY SET AND SERIES ONE'S BORDER IS A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN SERIES TWO LIKE THEY DID WITH 1991 DONRUSS. THIS WAS MAYBE THE FIRST SET THAT WAS DESIGNED WITH GOOFY PARALLEL BORDERS IN MIND WITH THAT FRACTAL MATRIX MESS. A GRIFFEY JR. IS A GRIFFEY JR. THOUGH AND THESE LEGACY CARDS HAVE A DECENT ENOUGH DESIGN

1997 LEAF CAL RIPKEN JR. GAMERS

CAL RIPKEN JR. WON'T BE THE LAST CARD I NEED FOR THIS SET! I'LL NEVER GET TO THAT POINT BUT IT WON'T BE! I MIGHT TRY TO FINISH THE GAMERS SUBSET JUST BECAUSE I ENJOY THIS DESIGN. I GOT A LITTLE EXCITED THINKING THE LEAF FOIL STAMPING LOGO WAS OFF CENTER BUT IT TURNS OUT THEY ARE A LITTLE OFF CENTER ON EVERY CARD. SEARCHING FOR OFF CENTER/MISCUT/GOOFED UP FOIL CARDS IS STARTING TO MESS UP MY BRAIN

1997 SCORE TINO MARTINEZ

I LOVE ALL THE SCORE BASE SETS AND WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BUILD THE FULL 1988-98 RUN BUT IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN WITH MY CURRENT LEVEL OF FOCUS. I JUST NEED TO BUY THE FULL 1993 AND 1997 SETS BECAUSE I THINK I'M UNDER 50% COMPLETE ON BOTH OF THEM. 1993 SHOULD BE EASY IF I FIND ONE THAT HAD THE JETER PICKED OUT OF IT BUT 1997 IS TOUGH TO FIND. LOOKING AT THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF STATS ON THE BACK OF THIS CARD REMINDED ME OF JUST HOW DAMN GOOD TINO WAS IN HIS PRIME

1997 NEW PINNACLE FRANK THOMAS

THIS SET IS FUCKIN BEAUTIFUL AND THANKFULLY IT'S ONLY A 200 CARD SET. THIS IS ONE I REGRET NOT BUYING MORE PACKS AT THE TIME. IT WASN'T EASY TO FIND TO BEGIN WITH AND WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING WHEN YOU FOUND THIS WHEN EXPECTING PINNACLE SERIES TWO. POOR PINNACLE WAS FLAILING WILDLY AT THE END BUT THEY HAD SOME REAL BANGERS IN 1997 AND 1998

1997 NEW PINNACLE BARRY BONDS AURA

LIKE THIS! THIS IS A SUBSET CARD! TOPPS AND DONRUSS COMBINED RELEASED MAYBE THREE INSERTS THAT LOOKED EVEN CLOSE TO THIS GOOD IN 1997. COMBINED. CLOUDS AND PYRAMIDS AND HOLOFOIL AND BARRY SMUSHING A BASEBALL OH MAH GAWD. THIS MIGHT BE THE PINNACLE OF PINNACLE

1998 SCORE MANNY RAMIREZ

THIS IS TECHNICALLY THE ROOKIE AND TRADED SET BUT IT WAS RELEASED IN PACKS AND NOT A BOX SET SO I JUST SEE IT AS SCORE SERIES TWO. JUST LIKE THE 1994 SCORE R&T SET THE DESIGN IS DIFFERENT FROM THE BASE SET. UNLIKE 1994, IT'S NOT A COMPLETE AND SOMEWHAT RADICAL REDESIGN BUT A SIMPLE CHANGE FROM BLACK TO SILVER ON THE BORDER. MANRAM LOOKS PENSIVE ON THIS CARD AS HE SEEMS TO BE AWARE OF PINNACLE'S IMPENDING BANKRUPTCY. I'M LEARNING NOW THAT THIS SET HAS ALSO HAS SHORT PRINTS IN IT, MANNY INCLUDED. MAYBE IT WAS TIME TO PINNACLE TO GO

1998 UPPER DECK ROGER CLEMENS

I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT 1998 UPPER DECK. I LIKE THE DESIGN AND ONE OF THE LAST UPPER DECK SETS I CARE ABOUT AT ALL BUT IT'S ALSO A MASSIVE 750 CARD SET OVER THREE SERIES AND I'M NOT EVEN CLOSE. THESE PACKS WERE EXPENSIVE BACK IN THE DAY! I KNOCKED OFF A FEW STARS OFF THE VERY LARGE WANTLIST STARTING WITH CLEMENS BETWEEN SOME PILLARS. A DESCRIPTION OF WHERE THE HECK THIS IS WOULD BE USEFUL BUT THE GAME DATED DESCRIPTION ON THE BACK DOESN'T MENTION IT. I ALMOST ACCIDENTALLY BOUGHT THE SPECIAL F/X VERSION OF THIS CARD BUT LUCKILY REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS THE 1997 VERSION OF THE GRIFFEY'S HOT LIST CARDS THAT HAD THE FUNKYFOIL BACKGROUNDS

1998 UPPER DECK BARRY LARKIN

HIGH FIVE BARRY LARKIN WITH THE ALL STAR STAMP . ONCE AGAIN THE GAME DATED MOMENT ON THE BACK DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PICTURE ON THE FRONT, WHICH LESSENS THE USEFULNESS OF SUCH A THING

1998 UPPER DECK FRANK THOMAS

MOAR FOIL STAMPING! THIS IS FROM THE UPPER ECHELON SUBSET. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY IT EXISTS. MAYBE IT'S SERIES TWO'S VERSION OF THE GRIFFEY HOT LIST. THIS CARD DOES HAVE ONE OF THE GAME DATED MOMENTS ON THE FRONT AND WE GET A SNAPSHOT OF THE BIG HURT WRECKING THE TIGERS

1998 UPPER DECK BARRY BONDS

THE LAST 98 UPPER DECK CARD HAS A MIKE PIAZZA CAMEO BUT I DON'T THINK DODGER COLLECTORS WOULD WANT ANY CARD THAT COMMEMORATES A FILTHY GIANT MASHING DINGERS AGAINST THEIR TEAM. I WANT ALL THE CHEAP BONDS CARD THOIUGH. GIMME GIMME GIMME

1998 METAL UNIVERSE TINO MARTINEZ

FINISHING UP WITH ANOTHER SET I WILL NEVER COMPLETE (ALTHOUGH THAT MIGHT BE EVERY SET AT THIS POINT) BUT I WILL ALWAYS PICK UP WHEN I SEE IT. I'VE GOTTEN A FEW CARDS FROM THE 98 EDITION OF METAL RECENTLY AND IT'S REALLY FUNNY TO SEE PLAYERS FROM MIDWEST CITIES GETTING TRAIN TRACKS AND TRAFFIC JAMS FOR A BACKGROUND WHILE NEW YORK CITY IS BLESSED WITH A BEAUTIFUL CATHEDRAL. IF I WERE A REAL BLOGGER AND NOT JUST A SHITPOSTER RIPPING OFF BOYD AND HARRIS' SCHTICK I COULD WRITE A NICE PIECE ON THE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS IN THESE SETS. I'M HAVING TOO MUCH FUN TO DO ACTUAL WORK, ONE OF YOU GOOD WRITERS GET ON THAT PROJECT

UP NEXT: CHAOS! IN BOTH CONTENT AND POSTING ORDER

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 11: BELATED BORIS

 HERE'S THE FIRST OF MANY MONSTER MOVIE CARDS ACQUIRED IN THE BINGE. IN '22'S BINGE I TRIED TO PICK UP AT LEAST ONE CARD EACH OF ALL THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE ACTORS: PETER CUSHING, CHRISTOPHER LEE, BELA LUGOSI, LON CHENEY SR. AND JR. I WASN'T ABLE TO PICK UP BORIS KARLOFF THOUGH AS HIS CARDS WERE PRICED AT A PREMIUM. I HAD TODAY'S CARD BOOKMARKED AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS ALMOST 75% OFF LAST YEAR'S PRICE. HELL YEAH! PATIENCE PAID OFF

1973 TOPPS YOU'LL DIE LAUGHING #53 I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY GIRLS DON'T LIKE ME!

GOOD OL FRANKENSTEIN*. ALL THE GIRLIES LOVE FRANKENSTEIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS CAPTION IS ON ABOUT. JUST LOOK AT THAT HANDSOME FACE. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT FACE IS FROM THE ORIGINAL FRANKENSTEIN, THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN OR SON OF FRANKENSTEIN BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY BORIS KARLOFF'S BEAUTIFUL MUG. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING CARDS IN THE SET AND I HOOTED AND HOLLERED WHEN I FOUND IT PRICED AT A MEASLY FIFTY- FIVE CENTS. THIS CARD GOT THE CENTER POCKET WHEN I PLACED IT INTO MY MONSTER BINDER

THE CARD BACK HAS A WONDERFUL JACK DAVIS ILLUSTRATION AND A TERRIBLE AWFUL JOKE. THIS ONE IS A LITTLE EXTRA REVOLTING TO BE HONEST. UNLIKE LATER SETS THERE IS NO INDICATION OF THE MOVIE TITLE FOR THE FRONT PHOTO ON THE BACK, JUST WHICH STUDIO HOLDS THE COPYRIGHT. THIS MAKES IDENTIFYING THE FILM A LITTLE TRICKY FOR FILMS WITH MANY SEQUELS OR SOME OF THE MORE OBSCURE TITLES

WITH THIS CARD I HAVE A FULL PAGE OF LEGOSI, KARLOFF AND CHENEY JR. CARDS FROM THE SET. TOP ROW FEATURES LEGOSI AND CHENEY JR. IN FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, CHENEY JR. IN THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN AND LON AGAIN IN THE MUMMY'S CURSE. I ACTUALLY FOUND THE ORIGINAL PHOTO IN THIS BLOG POST WHERE YOU CAN SEE VIRGINIA CHRISTINE NOT COVERED UP BY THE FACE AND HAIR OF UNNAMED TOPPS EMPLOYEE #46. THE MIDDLE ROW IS ALL KARLOFF WITH A COOL BEHIND THE SCENES PIC OF BORIS TAKING A COFFEE BREAK WITH COLIN CLIVE. I THINK THESE ARE ALL FROM THE ORIGINAL 1931 FILM, BUT FINDING ORIGINAL PICTURES FOR SOME OF THESE CARDS HAS BECOME DIFFICULT. BOTTOM ROW IS ALL LON CHENEY JR. IN ASSORTED WOLFMAN FILMS. I'M A LITTLE BIT BUMMED THAT I ONLY HAVE ONE CARD OF BELA AND IT'S NOT EVEN FROM A DRACULA FILM. LOOKS LIKE I HAVE MORE WORK TO DO WITH PICKING UP CARDS FROM THIS SET

*YEAH YEAH I KNOW "HE'S NOT CALLED FRANKENSTEIN THAT'S THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR" WHATEVER. THE COOL KIDS CALL HIM FRANKENSTEIN. HE'S NOT A MONSTER! HE'S JUST A LITTLE (VERY BIG) GUY. HE'S NOT A CREATURE! HE'S A RIGHTEOUS DUDE WHO JUST WANTS TO HANG OUT AND BE CHILL. WHEN A BILLIONAIRE EVENTUALLY STICKS A RASPBERRY PI WITH SOME AI SOFTWARE INTO SOME LAB GROWN MEAT AND IT STARTS SHAMBLING AROUND AND TRIPPING OVER THINGS EVERYONE WILL CALL IT A FRANKENSTEIN AND WE WILL ALL BE ITS FRIEND AND GET MAD AT THE BILLIONAIRE FOR CUTTING CORNERS TO INCREASE PROFITS ON HIS INSTANT ARMY INVENTION. SORRY LITERARY PEDANTS, THAT'S JUST HOW LANGUAGE WORKS. ASK ANY LINGUIST