2015 Year in Review

It's always amazing to look back at the end of the year and see the strides I've made in my collection. While it doesn't seem like I've acquired a lot, in all actuality I never expected to make as much progress as I did. So, what did I accomplish in 2015?

1. I added over 150 new unique Pete Rose cards
2. I obtained an autographed Joey Votto jersey
3. I completed the 2015 Topps Reds Team Set
4. I completed my Album of Amazing project
5. I acquired the last of the Reds stadium giveaway team sets (completed the 1986-2015 run)
6. I started my Rookie Book project (added 12 of the 40 cards for this project)
7. I added two T206 tobacco cards (Lobert, Hoblitzell)
8. I started my Reds Desert Shield project (added 24 of the 30 cards for this project)
9. I started my Bowman Billy Binder project (added 175 of 800 cards for this project)
10. I picked up a felt banner for the man cave
11. I added 8 cards to my 2013 Topps Votto Rainbow project (Gold Refractor, Pink, NL All-Star, Black, Pink mini, Factory Team Set, Cyan Printing Plate, Atomic Refractor)
12. I added a Joe Morgan McFarlane to the collection
13.  I purchased a 1993 Pinnacle Home Run Club set
14. I purchased a Cincinnati Reds street sign for the man cave
15. I completed the 2011 Topps Opening Day Mascot set
16. I added 3 bobbleheads to the collection (Mat Latos, Billy Hamilton, Nasty Boys)
17. I completed a Joey Votto trifecta
18. I picked up some pins to make a nice display for the man cave
19. I added 3 commemorative coins to the collection
20. I added 8 pocket schedules (1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 2009, 2012)
21. I started my 2002 Topps set (still need the Barry Bonds Home Run chase cards)

While I didn't pick up a single card from my 10 most wanted list this past year, I think I didn' pretty well in other areas. I do plan on purchasing at least 6 of those cards on my most wanted list next year as I hope to complete my 1948-51 Bowman Reds Team sets in 2016. I hope everyone had a great 2015. Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a great collecting year to come!

Shield Your Eyes!

For the past few months I've been quietly working on another project I've always wanted to complete. Only now have I been able to scan the cards I have for this project to share with you. Back in 1991 I was enamored with the Desert Shield cards Topps sent to our troops stationed in the Persian Gulf and I had always wanted to pick up a set for myself. There were an estimated 6,500 to 7,000 of each card produced by Topps. Unfortunately, many star player cards such as Griffey, Clemens, McGwire, Ryan, and Chipper made this an Everest task that I just couldn't undertake because I wanted to use my funds for vintage Reds cards. I didn't completely abandon the project because if I couldn't afford the entire 792 card set I could chase the 30 Cincinnati Reds cards in the set. So far I've been able to purchase 24 of the 30 cards and I hope that I can complete this project in early 2016.

Another MVP Jersy for the Man Cave!

With Christmas quickly approaching I decided to treat myself to an early Christmas gift, an autographed Joey Votto jersey! This stitched and signed jersey is the second Reds MVP jersey to grace my collection. I've spent the past year trying to balance my baseball card purchases with buying frames for pictures so that I can wrap up my Cincinnati Reds Man/Fan Cave. Unfortunately, I won't have the room completed by the end of the year but with the progress I've made I should have it wrapped up sometime next year. Stay tuned for pictures! Also, I've been mulling around the idea for awhile and I've decided that 2016 will be the final year of the blog. I started blogging in June of 2011 and I've just about covered everything regarding my collection. Hopefully I can wrap up my 1948-51 Bowman sets so that I can showcase those before the curtain closes. So, officially, 2016 will be the farewell tour of Reds Card Collector. I hope everyone sticks around while I wrap things up here and share the final pieces of my collection with you!

Some Light Reading

Yesterday I made the journey to a local project read store to browse their selection of used books. They were having a buy one get one free sale so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. As luck would have it I stumbled upon a copy of Mr. Redlegs and his Great Adventure: A Journey Through Cincinnati Baseball History. I found it odd that I found this book deep in the heart of Cleveland Indian territory. Since I was purchasing another baseball book to read how could I pass up the opportunity to have this.....for FREE?!  Anyway, it's a nice oddball item to add to my collection.

Three More Rookies for the Book

This past weekend I was able to once again sell some of my "digital" star wars cards for a decent price. In turn, I was able to add the three cards below to my collection for free! I now have twelve of the forty cards for my rookie book project.

1972 Topps Carlton Fisk

1983 Topps Ryne Sandberg

1985 Topps Kirby Puckett

Turning the Imaginary into Reality!

That's UNPOSSIBLE right? Well, thanks to the Topps Star Wars card trader app I was able to sell my white Hoth cards I acquired for free over time for the below cards that are the latest entries into my Rookie Book project. I can't spend money on digital cards, but if someone is willing to pay for my imaginary cards I'll be more than happy to take the cash and purchase actual cards for my collection.

1974 Topps Dave Winfield

1978 Topps Eddie Murray

1985 Topps Roger Clemens

1988 Fleer Tom Glavine

1988 Topps Traded Roberto Alomar

2015 Topps Cincinnati Reds Team Set

35 cards total in the base set and update

15 Joey Votto
42 Todd Frazier
61 Johnny Cueto
85 Johnny Cueto
182 Devin Mesoraco
209 Daniel Corcino
264 Tony Cingrani
266 Brandon Phillips
268 Aroldis Chapman
277 Cincinnati Reds Team Card
301 Zack Cozart
333 Billy Hamilton
344 Manny Parra

353 Mike Leake
362 Jason Bourgeois
375 Johnny Cueto
375SP Johnny Cueto
427 Raisel Iglesias
498 Anthony Desclafani
512 Jay Bruce
520 Bryan Pena
541 Homer Bailey
547 Kristopher Negron
567 Brennan Boesch
633 Skip Schumaker
641 Yorman Rodriguez
US38 Micheal Lorenzen
US65 Todd Frazier
US101 Jumbo Diaz
US122 Marlon Byrd
US269 Burke Badenhop
US274 Tucker Barnhart
US342 Todd Frazier
US354 Brandon Finnegan
US368 Aroldis Chapman

Just What I Always Wanted!

Call me crazy, but I'm starting a new project. This one leans more towards the side of nostalgia more than anything. I remember when I first got into the hobby back in the mid 80s the lure of the rookie card. Granted you still have prospectors out there today that snatch up bowman in hopes of turning a profit somewhere down the road. That idea never crossed my mind. For me, it was about owning an iconic rookie card from a hall of famer or a star that you knew would make it to Cooperstown one day. While I've made a sizable dent in my wantlist over the past few years, it's always bothered me that I never chose to pursue that. Last week while browsing sportlots I came across a group of rookie cards that I had always wanted at a price that was too good to refuse. So I bought them and hence the start of a new project...a rookie book. Now before this project gets out of control, I've decided to set some parameters for this: no card older than 1960 (the cards from the 50s and prior are just too expensive...sorry 1952 Topps Mantle), no card made after 1993 (I left the hobby in 1994 so I want to keep this as a strictly nostalgic project), only one rookie card of a particular player, and 40 cards total for this project. With that, here's the first four entries into my rookie book project:

1980 Topps Rickey Henderson

1983 Topps Wade Boggs

1985 Topps Mark McGwire

1986 Topps Traded Barry Bonds

My Second Tobacco Card of the Year!

I was able to purchase this t206 Dick Hoblitzell on eBay a few weeks back for just over $30 shipped. Not a bad price for a piece of cardboard that's over 100 years old. Last night marked the end of baseball for 2015. While many of us our glad to put that miserable season behind us, I think we're all a bit sad knowing that we have to wait until spring to see our teams take the field once more. Anyway, I'm not waiting until spring to collect baseball cards. In fact, it's the one thing that helps me sooth the pain and pass the winter months without baseball. It's especially helpful when you can stare at cards such as these and know that in the grand scheme of things Opening Day is not that far away.

1978 Cincinnati Reds Pocket Schedule

Distributor: Stroh's Beer

Venue: Riverfront Stadium

Attendance for the year: 2,532,497

Where Did They Finish: 92-69, 2nd in the National League West

Anything Memorable: The last season for Pete Rose as a Red before he leaves for Philadelphia.

1983 Cincinnati Reds Pocket Schedule

Distributor: Hudepohl Brewing Company

Venue: Riverfront Stadium

Attendance for the year: 1,190,419

Where Did They Finish: 74-88, 6th in the National League West

Anything Memorable: Johnny Bench retires from major league baseball.

1984 Cincinnati Reds Pocket Schedule

Distributor: Frischs'

Venue: Riverfront Stadium

Attendance for the year: 1,275,887

Where Did They Finish: 70-92, 5th in the National League West

Anything Memorable: Mario Soto was selected to the All-Star team.

1986 Cincinnati Reds Pocket Schedule

Distributor: Marathon

Venue: Riverfront Stadium

Attendance for the year: 1,692,432

Where Did They Finish: 86-76, 2nd in the National League West

Anything Memorable: Barry Larking made his major league debut on August 13th against the San Francisco Giants.