Mial From Topps Via Tristar

I finally got my Topps Tribute Nick Markakis Auto redemption in the mail.  But the funny thing is that the return address was Tristar Fulfillment.  I am looking at the envelope thinking, "What the hell did Tristar send me?"  Turns out it wasn't from Tristar at all.  I was supposed to get this card in November....Topps continues to suck!  At least I got my card.  The only company I have ever had pleasant redemption experiences with is Donruss/Panini.   Well, here it is

  This tasty little morsel cam in today's mail too, only $5.00 shipped!

Chantilly Show = A Giant Pile Of Great Cards!!!!

So yesterday was the big show in Chantilly Virginia, and I went for the first time.  My buddy Don went a few months back and got John Elway to sign a football for him, and since he was going this time for Walt Frazier, I decided it was time for me to go too.  Our buddy Brandon joined us as well.  Second only to last years National, this was the biggest show I have ever been too.  I am not a autograph hound, so I didn't spend my money on that...even though the list  of signers was great Hector Macho Camacho, Reggie Jackson, Jim Brown, Walt Frazier, Alexander Ovechkin, Peyton manning, Brooks Robinson, and son on ans so on...

I really don't want to keep up wit the suspense, so here are the highlights of what I got at the show:

Love me some Brooksy.  I did not have any of the Biography Ripken cards.  Believe it or not, I have never seen this Hargrove card, the back says "You have just received a 'Coaches Collection' game used bat card of Mike Hargrove from 2002 Topps baseball,"...I wonder who used it, Managers usually don't get too many at bats?

The Adam Jones was $3.00, that is cheaper than a pack!  I am not a Pirates fan, but who could walk by that Kiner cards?  That Donruss signatures Baseball HOF set is a really soothing design, I do hope to get more in the future.  The Hoyt Wilhelm card is officially one of my all time favorite cards.  The scan does this card no justice at all!  This sexy cards is 5/25.  I got it for under $10, but I would have paid a lot more for it!

I am a Flyers fan, but I have rooted for the Caps for may years also.  My hockey hero has always been Ron Hextall.  Rod Langway was a very close second, probably the bet fundamental defenseman that I have seen in my hockey days.  Al MacInnis played for the Calgary flames for most of his career, inducted to the NHL HOF in 2007, and there was no way I wsn't buying this card at $4.00!  It is 43/50.

As always, since I keep a look out for stuff for my rather, and he did well.  The Schmidt would be a bit nicer if he were looking at us, but that is ok, the relic arrangement makes up for it.

It was a slow show for football cards.  Everything that I found that I liked was way out of my price range.  I did manage to squeak these out though.  The Mason is my 25th or 26th patch card of him, and the dual patch Ed Reed was $15.  I love ravens patch cards that have the Maryland patch in them!

The Brian Roberts is the first 1/1 that I have ever bought.  It was only $25 for this autographed printing plate, and I probably would have paid more!  The Ripken card is a beast I have never seen before.  "The enclosed piece of On-Deck Circle was cut from an Authentic On-Deck Circle used in an official Major League baseball game on April 2, 2001 featuring the Orioles and Red Sox.  The Authentic Game Used Piece was obtained and is guaranteed by the Donruss Trading Company."  That is sweet!  It is officially the first on-deck circle relic of my collection.  That game was opening day at Camden Yards, and the O's won 2-1 in 11 innings. 

And finally, the crown jewel of the show!!!  Those who know me, are well aware that I have been looking for and Eddie Murray Auto for a long long time.  Until yesterday, all that I have found were either way too expensive, or just weren't the right card.  This Topps Sterling auto is a quad g/u to boot!  it is numbered 6/10, but to be honest it could be 6/1000000, and that wouldn't matter to me.  I love the card, and the price was right.

An awesome show from top to bottom!

*Collecting goals 24 Derrick Mason Patches-check, Eddie Murray Auto-check....what's next?

Also I have a very very long overdue shout I need throw out to Chris over at Nacho Grand.  We traded a few weeks back, I sent him and A&G auto and some other Reds cards, and he sent me Two Topps HD cards (Albert [don't call me Joey] Belle, and Cal Ripken) as well as a bunch of other O's and Phillies.  Thanks Chris, for yet another great trade!

The Countdown To Chantilly Begins

On Saturday March 19th, I will be attending my next cards show (and possibly my last for quite a while) IN Chantilly Virginia at the Dulles Expo Center http://www.csashows.com/

This a CSA show, and although I have not actually been to a CSA show, I see the ads for them all of the time, and I have only heard good things about them.  Although I do not expect it to compare to the National convention (returning to Baltimore in 2012 http://www.nsccshow.com/), it is a 250 table event!

This will be a different experience for me, I am going with two buddies to this one, whereas I usually go alone.  What makes things even more interesting is that we all three have different collecting styles.  Don is going for the autographs (there will be at least 24 signers there), Brandon is a big ticket prospector, and I am...well, I, uh...just try to buy everything that I like!

Anyhow that is now just 13 days away!  I invite anyone out there in the blogasphere to come to the show, and if you do, let me know because I would love to meet some of you!