Card of the Day: 2015 Reading Fightins Phils Holiday Set – Crazy Hot Dog Vendor

Card of the Day: J.D. Hammer 2018 Choice Reading Fightins Top 30 Prospects #14

Card of the Day: Stephen Sharts 1989 Reading Phillies Best #5

Pocket-Sized Mailday

Collectibles are collectible today because at one time they weren’t thought to be collectible.  I’ll give you a few seconds for all that to sink in.

I just wanted to show off some gifts I recently received from a very dedicated reader of Sports Card Info.  This reader was going through their inventory and came across some interesting items they thought would fit well into my collection.  Boy were they right!

What they found were six pocket schedules from the Philadelphia Phillies AA minor league team the Reading Phillies.  The schedules range from 1967 to 1974.  Early pocket schedules like this aren’t the easiest things to find.  Upon further research, I found out that 1967 was the first year the Reading Phillies were even around.  Reading has had a baseball team since 1858, but 1967 was the first year they were associated with the Phillies.

Schedules like this were most likely thrown out back then.  They surely weren’t held on to like the schedules are today.  Not only did these schedules survive, but they’re in excellent condition too.  What a cool find!  Thanks!

 

Card of the Day: Ryne Sandberg 1980 TCMA Reading Phillies #22

“Pin-Up” of the Week: Reading Fightin Phils Ostrich Logo Pin

Ok… ok… this may not be a collectible lapel pin yet, but something like it is probably on the way.  The Philadelphia Phillies Double-A affiliate recently went under a re-branding process.  Their new logo now consists of a feisty ostrich.  You can read all about the change here.  I think it looks cool!  Slap that bird on anything and fans will buy it.  Last year I attended my first game in Reading, and one thing was clear.  They have more logos and mascots than god!  Nothing strikes fear into the heart of your enemy more than an ostrich.  Its a bird that cannot fly.  Birds that can’t fly are always pissed, just ask the Penguin 🙂

MiLB team logos are so much more entertaining the MLB ones.  I wish more MiLB logo patches found their way into cards.

Reading Phillies vs. Akron Aeros – 6/17/12

If you recall, last March I was able to score some free tickets to a Reading Phillies game after meeting a gentleman while waiting in line to get into the Ephrata Rec Center Show I attend each year.  Well, Father’s Day was the time to cash in those tickets.  The seats were great!  Three rows behind home-plate.  If I was any closer, they could have asked me to play 🙂  I had never gone to see the Reading Phillies before.  The stadium has a lot of history, but comes with a modern feel.  Reading’s pitcher Julio Rodriguez had a no-hitter through 5 innings.  In the end, Reading won 4-2.  I picked up a team set and three new pins for my collection.  They were giving away Richie Ashburn style hats.

Chun Chen (left) and Sebastian Valle (right)

Chun Chen (left) and Sebastian Valle (right)

The Crazy Hot Dog Vendor is one of many mascots used by the Reading Phillies.

Ran into Screwball on the way out.

Miami Dolphins Perfect Season Ticket

When I was at the Reading, PA show a few weeks ago I saw a dealer selling Super Bowl tickets from long ago.  After going through the line to get my bat signed by Tom Herr, I stopped by to see if he had any Super Bowl tickets certified by PSA from the Miami Dolphins perfect season.  I saw he had one and I asked what he was looking for it?  He said it would cost $2,500.00.  Now, I will admit I’m not the world’s best expert on collectible tickets, but I thought that sounded really high.  Well, I think I was right.  Today I found a completed auction for the same full ticket on eBay for only $306.00.  They both look to be in the same great condition and certified by PSA.  At least now I know there are tickets from that game which are affordable.

 

Philadelphia Sports Card and Memorabilia Show Results

Pickups:

3 – boxes of 2008 Leaf Certified Materials

1 – pack of 2008 Bowman Sterling football

2 – packs of 2008 Razor Cut Signature Edition

Jim Langer 1973 Topps RC

Jim Thorpe 2005 Playoff Absolute Jersey #’ed/250

Doak Walker / Walter Payton 2007 LCM Fabric of the Game Dual Jersey #’ed/100

I arrived at the Greater Reading Expo Center at exactly 9:00 a.m.  The big news that all the dealers were talking about was that the show was sold to Hunt Auctions.  Many of the dealers I talked to were not happy at all.  Not only are the dealers angry because they are moving the show to a new location, but they also hear rumors that it will cost them $500.00 per table to setup and they will no longer be able to reserve their usual spot on the show floor.  Now its going to be on a first come first serve basis.  A lot of the dealers I talked to said they may not even setup at the next show in March.  

Other than the fact many dealers were bummed about the new show’s owner, I thought it was a great day.  When I first got there I headed over the the supply table because I needed top loaders and penny sleeves really bad.  About five minutes later I visited one of my local card shop owners and picked up a 2007 Leaf Certified Materials Fabric of the Game Dual Jersey of Walter Payton and Doak Walker #’ed/100.  I eventually traveled over to a dealer from New York and picked up a Jim Thorpe 2005 Playoff Absolute BASEBALL jersey #’ed/250.  Around lunch time while eating one of Reading’s finest cheeseburgers I ripped open a box of 2008 Leaf Certified Materials which contained a bunch of inserts and memorabilia cards such as a Matt Ryan Fabric of the Game jersey, Fred Biletnikoff jersey and a Jeremy Shockey Mirror Emerald insert #’ed 5/5.  Throughout the day I opened a few more boxes of 2008 LCM and pulled a bunch of nice looking cards.  I knew it was going to be a good day when the first card I pulled was Brett Favre wearing a Jets shirt.

If there is one player that I hope does well this year in the NFL it would be Matt Forte.  I pulled three really nice cards of him: (1) 2008 LCM Jumbo jersey #’ed/599, (1) 2008 LCM Fabric of the Game 2 color patch #’ed/25, and (1) 2008 Bowman Sterling RC Auto #’ed/1050.  I purchased most of my boxes from the dealer near the back from Tennessee.  I got some really good deals from him.  It was his stand where I purchased two packs of 2008 Razor Cut Signature Edition.  That was the first time I saw any of these cards in person.  In the first pack I received a Yogi Berra Cut Signature numbered to 10 or less made and in the second pack I received a Faith Hill Cut Signature numbered to 10 or less made.  I really like these Razor Cut Signature cards.  Most of them are numbered to 10 or less which I think it pretty cool.  

Strolling past a small dealer I found a bunch of vintage cards in which I picked up a Jim Langer 1973 Topps RC for my Dolphins collection.  All day I was looking for an affordable 1886-87 Old Judge card.  I have been wanting to pick one up for awhile because they are some of the first mass produced baseball cards.  I came across one dealer that had a bunch of vintage cards that included some Old Judge.  I saw one for $110.00 and the dealer said he would sell it to me for $90.00.  It was in an SGC Authentic holder and I was about to buy it when he told me that it could possibly be trimmed.  As soon as I heard that, I knew I wasn’t going to purchase it.  So, the search continues for an Old Judge card for my collection.  

I got Tom Herr to sign my bat around 1:00 p.m. and after about another hour of browsing I decided I was finished for the day.  These shows really remind you of what the hobby is all about.  People swapping stories, showing off their collections, and being able to find cards for your personal collection.  Attending a show like this really takes you into the “belly of the beast” and can help you understand whats going on in the hobby.  I thought it was a great show, and I hope to see most of the dealers at the next show in March.

P.S.

I did see Chris Harris from Stale Gum, but he was walking up the steps to go in as I was leaving the parking lot 🙂

Big Show This Weekend

Tomorrow I will be leaving bright and early heading towards the Greater Reading Expo Center for the 100th Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show.  I will be taking my camera, baseball bat, and wallet.  At 1:00 p.m. Tom Herr will be signing autographs for all the collectors.  I desperately need to pick up some supplies such as top loaders, penny sleeves, and stands.  While going around the show I will be looking for and Phillies, Dolphins, memorabilia cards of old players and whatever stands out to me.  Of coarse I will be opening some wax like 2008 Leaf Certified Materials, 2008 Bowman Sterling, and 2008 Absolute Memorabilia.  Maybe I’ll pull some MOJO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Here is a picture of Stan Bahnsen and I from the last show in March: