New Addition: 2019 Panini Select Signatures Tie-Dye Prizm

The tie-dye version of this card is numbered out of 3 and is paired up with the maroon #/15 that I have. Other versions are Prizm #/35, blue #/25, light blue #/10, white #/5, tie-dye die-cut #/3, gold #/2, gold die-cut #/2, black #/1, black die-cut #/1, green #/1 and green die-cut #/1. That is a ton of different versions to chase after.

New Addition: 1983 Topps Update Baseball

With the price of new products at historic highs, a few months ago I decided to go back and start adding sets that I don’t have. For baseball, I am starting with 1990 Topps Baseball (because that was the last set to have the baseball card cardboard feel) and working backwards, including the traded sets. I don’t have a specific stopping point. For the older sets, I am willing to obtain lower condition sets so they can be affordable. For Football, I am looking to complete Topps Chrome 2008 and prior (I already have 2009 to 2015). Not sure about some of the older years as those will be a challenge to the wallet. And like most collectors, I collect on a budget.

My local card shop emailed me to let me know that they got a few sets in that I might be interested in (they keep a list of what I am looking for). I will post the other two (70’s sets) at a later point after I go through them. The 1st one is the 1983 Topps Baseball Traded. The main cards in this one is the Darryl Strawberry XRC and Julio Jones XRC. The box has some wear, but the cards inside were sharp. See the gallery below. The last Traded set from the 80’s that I need in the 1982 Traded Set with Cal Ripken and Ozzie Smith. Neither are the XRC, but the set can be pricey.

In Person: Giants Training Camp 1987

One of my first memories of getting in person autographs was the summer of 1987. My dad would take me and a few friends to Giants training camp at Pace University. Unlike today’s training camp in the MetLife parking lot, it was in a great setting, the University’s football field. The only thing between the fans and the player was the rail fence (see the pictures below). For the players that didn’t stay in the dorms, they would drive in and park in the same lot as the fans. There would only maybe 100 fans there so The players would be able to walk through the fans to get to the facility or the field. It was great. And most would sign autographs – Parcells, Morris, LT and most of the team. If I remember correctly, Bavaro was the only one that didn’t sign. It was a great day overall and the start of my autograph collection. This is no where near what today’s public train camp session are like. The practice field is fenced off, they have stands for the fan to sit but the fans usually out number the seats 3-to-1, so you end up watching through the chain linked fence and they have designated positions signing autographs each day but there is way to many fans trying to get autographs so you have to make sure your kid doesn’t get squished against the barrier. We did see Victor Cruz toss his cleats over the fence to the fans which was cool.

Times were so different. A quick story – during the lunch break, my friends and I were hanging out in the parking lot while the rest of the crowd went to hang out near the cafeteria (my dad would never want to interrupt a player during lunch and would not allow us to go over there). We see a black Porsche in the lot getting ready to leave. My dad goes to us, that’s LT – see if you can get him to sign. We were about 14 years old at the time and we were way too shy to go over by ourselves. LT sees this, rolls down his window and calls us over so he can sign the banner we had. His Porsche then proceeded to get mobbed once the other fans saw this, but he did stay and sign autographs through the sunroof for them. How many players would do that today? See the banner below. Most of the names has faded over time (LT being one of them), but the memory never will.

Forward 30 years – during one of the Giants Draft Day Parties, we got to meet Joe Morris again. We brought one of those pictures we took back in 1986 to show Morris. Morris had the 80’s mustache and was wearing the classic 80’s short shorts (I have to find that picture). As you can see in the picture, Morris had a good laugh looking back at those times.

When was the first time you got an in person autograph? Was it a positive experience like I had? Have you ever been to training camp in the 80’s or today and have a good story to tell?

Bill Parcells, LT and Harry Carson
Joe Morris Draft Day Signing
Team Signed Banner

New Addition: Tiki Barber Mosaic Rainbow

Down to 4 cards for the rainbow (excluding the 1 of 1’s). Need the No-Huddle Pink #/20, Gold Wave #/17, Black/Gold #/8 and Peacock.

No Huddle Blue

QB’s of Wild Card Weekend

Every collector does this during the playoff: rummage through the collection to see what QB cards they have of the players that are still playing. As part of my collection, I have been collecting the Topps Chrome Football set since 2009. And then when Topps lost it exclusive license after the 2015 set, I switched over to Panini Optic. I always preferred Optic over Prizm, despite the value difference. Prizm always felt cheaply made when holding them compared to Optic which to me was more Topps Chrome like. And by collecting the set over specific players from the draft, you will never miss out on that rookie that was never expected to make it big. 2020 may be the 1st year that I will not be able to collect the set as prices are crazy right now. Current years sets that used to always cost around the $100 mark are now going for $600-$700. Way out of my price range.

The gallery below are the Rookie Cards of the QBs that are still playing this weekend. Enjoy….

Not Just Cards: Upper Deck All-Star Vinyl

Like most card collectors, I have a tendency to collect other items related to my favorite sport teams; New York Giants, Yankees and Knicks. These can range from yearbooks, Super Bowl programs, game tickets, game programs, autographed photos, in-person meeting photos along with autograph signings and statues – McFarlane, Starting Line-Line, Little Big Head, and Danbury Mint. Every so often I will post about one of these items from my collection.

The Upper Deck All-Star Vinyl figures is one of my favorite. It is done in a caricature fashion and came in either the blue or white uniform. You are able to put him on the stand (he started to tilt after a while, like some McFarlane’s have a tendency to do), can put his helmet on or hold it in his hand, and it came with a card (not sure what happened to the card). Some other NFL players offered in the series were Brady, McNabb, Romo, Peyton Manning and Tomlinson. A quick eBay search will show you the other series and sports they had to offer. This is one of my favorite and has a permanent home in the collection.

What are some of your favorite non-card collectibles?

Cali’s Cards

Welcome to Cali’s Card Coner. 

I have been collection steady since 2004 after taking 10 years off, like most collectors, so I have been around for a while. I try to keep the collection centered around:

    Tiki Barber Autographs
    Tiki Barber Mosaic, Prizm, Finest and Topps Chrome
    Mitchell Robinson Rookie Cards
    In-person signings
    Optic Football Sets
    Optic Baseball Sets
    Prizm Basketball Sets
    Topps Chrome Football Sets
    Topps Chrome Baseball Sets
    Topps Baseball Sets 1990 and Prior
    New York Giants