1994-95 Topps Embossed Basketball

Today I wanted to show a couple cards from the 94-95 Topps Embossed Basketball set.  A few blogs ago I talked about card designs and how many of them (In my opinion) I didn't like because they were too busy with the artwork on the fronts.  This however is another set that I like.  I really like how the border is basically like a basketball and then the rest of the card is only dedicated to the player.  The first photo is of the Foil cards from this set.

Here is a regular card from the set with the border that I was talking about.  When I saw this card I decided to show it and tell a little story.  Obviously it's Dennis Rodman.  I met his father a few months ago when I was on vacation in the Philippines.  Turns out that Dennis and his father haven't talked to each other for many years.  Now I wish I could say his father was a great meet however I can't.  He owns a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant basically across the street from where my wife and I had a house.  Now don't get me wrong he was nice enough to talk with but when we would be sitting out front of our house enjoying the evenings he would be inside his restaurant partying with his friends.  Almost every night.  It got real old but hey, it's still neat to have met him and now I have another story to add to my collection! 

1989 TOPPS BASEBALL COINS

I knew that I had some Hockey coins and decided that I would find them and get them logged in but I had forgotten all about my baseball coins.  I have always like things like the coins.  It's just neat to me to look at things other than regular cards.  Here are a couple pictures of what I have of the 1989 Topps Coins collection.  I'm sorry if the backs aren't that clear but hope you enjoy them.

A BEAUTIFUL CARD

As I go through my cards data-basing them I like to pause and enjoy a beautiful card.  There have been many many very bad designs in my opinion!  To much going on with the card that distracts you from the player himself.  I've noticed this with all of the different sports, however from time to time I feel they do it right!  I have felt that way about the Baseball 2011 Topps.  The pictures are very clear, the colors really pop, and I feel the name and team logo placement were done just right.

I had been thinking that this was the best set that I had seen until I was going through my cards and came across the 2001 Topps set.  The cards are beautifully made with a dark rich border inlaid with the typical goldish foil.  The pictures are just as crisp and clear as the 2011 set.  Sadly my set is damaged due to water and I don't think the whole set can be saved but after looking at the cards that weren't damaged I am starting to feel that I might try to build this set again.  Only time will tell.

JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS

Well my household goods shipment just arrived and that means all of my sports cards are here.  Boy did I forget how much I had however it sure feels like Christmas!!!  As I opened the boxes I started remembering the cards from the past.  I'm like a kid with my cards.  I look forward to showing cards from the collection and hopefully you all will find them as interesting as I do.  I have just finished data-basing the the 2011 Topps series 1 so now I'll be working on some of my older sets and can't wait to show a few of the cards.  I'm excited.  Christmas is my most favorite holiday of the year and this year it's coming twice!!! lol

DIAMOND DIE CUTS

Today I received from Topps my package which had a few cards in it that I have received in the Diamond Giveaway.  I decided to show my five Diamond Die Cuts that I've received so far.  Their really nice cards and Topps did a very good job of wrapping them. (Sorry if you see the wrinkles in the wrapping)  I kept them wrapped when I received them and will keep them that way until I decided how I will either store them or display them.  I sure wish I could pull a Black Diamond Die Cut though! haha

MY SECOND SPARKLE

About 4 packs after opening my Alex Rodriguez SPARKLE I opened a Roy Oswalt SPARKLE card #174.  I almost didn't notice it!  The SPARKLE doesn't pop like the Rodriguez card does but it's still pretty cool to me!  Here are the scans of my card.  I have only 1 box of 2011 Topps Diamond Anniversary Series 1 left unopened and I'm not going to open it now.  I'm just going to put that box away because it's a special box to me so I'm done!  I made a good run on this set, completed a few of the insert sets and got a couple SPARKLE's so all in all it was great, however we all know it's not over with Series 2 coming out now! haha

MY FIRST SPARKLE

Well today I pulled my first SPARKLE out of the 2011 Topps Baseball set.  The Alex Rodriguez card #50.  It's a beautiful card and the burst really does pop when you look at it.  The funny thing is about two packs prior I had said "Man how come I can't find a SPARKLE"! haha Well I'm just glad I got one.  It's nice to look at.  Here are the pics of mine even though it's the same as any other online.

TRADING CARDS

So...where do you trade your sports cards at?  This has been a tough question for me lately.  I want to start getting rid of my duplicate cards to decrease the size of my collection.  For now I'm going to create either word documents or PDF files and just post them on here but there has got to be a website dedicated to just trading doesn't there? Hmmm well until I find out or until someone tells me, I'll just prepare to post what I have for trade and go from there.  More to follow on this subject!!

THE FIND

I'm sure we have all dreamed of finding that secret stash of cards somewhere and from time to time we read about someone else who did experience finding something that had been forgotten.  Well in a way I have gotten the opportunity to experience the find!  My father had stopped by a self-storage property that was auctioning off their units that had been neglected.  My father found a unit that had a couple of large plastic totes in it and decided that he would bid $20.00.  Of course nobody else bid on the unit and my dad won.  He opened the first tote and found a few pots and pans but nothing more.  Then he opened the other and there was roughly around 50 thousand sports cards.  I am currently organizing them and data-basing them.  I wish I could say there was a rookie Mickey Mantle in there but we weren't that lucky.  The oldest cards are only dating to the early 70's however there are many complete sets as well as other sets that are close to being complete.  I'm starting to think that there are cards from all sports in this find as well.  I wasn't with my father that day he found this and it's probably a good thing.  I'm sure I would have passed out but it reminds me that there are finds out there if we are lucky enough.  I hope I get to experience the find one day myself and if you have had this happen to you then post it, I would love to read your story!

NEED HELP IDENTIFYING

Ok all I have these 8 cards and I need help identifying them.  I'm trying to find out information about the set they came from i.e. how many cards in the set? Is there a Checklist? Anything.  They are reprints dated 1988 The Sporting News Publishing Co.  Any help would be appreciated.  I made the second photo as large as I could so maybe you can use the information to help.  Thanks again.