A PSA On The Plight Of PSC

I have a testimonial, a confession if you will. I need to bring to light an issue that affects hundreds of card collectors every year. It is my hope that by sharing my story, I can break the stigma and let my fellow collectors know that you are not alone. You no longer need to be embarrassed.

 

My name is Matt, and I suffer from PSC.

 

Premature Set Completion (PSC) is no laughing matter. That high you get knowing you've completed a set is replaced by despair and panic at the discovery of a missing card. It's the nightmare of seeing the finishing line, touching it, but unable to break through.

My story began last month. I had made a trade that crossed off the last cards I needed to complete the 1989 Fleer set. I was excited to put this one to bed, cross it off my So Close page, and move on to something new. As I was putting those last few cards away in their proper chronological order, I noticed a gap in the numerical sequence. Card #25, Bob Welch, was not there. Images of the card filled my head. I knew I had it! I checked to see if it was stuck to another card. I searched the entire set making sure it was not just misfiled. The card wasn't there. I searched the box containing my doubles - not there either. I checked my collection on the TCDB, looking at the history and trying to get an idea of where it might be based on when I added it. No luck. Where did it go? I remembered seeing it, and recently too! It just disappeared...

 

Fortunately my story had a happy ending. I found the card. It was exactly where it was supposed to be - in my Time Travel Trading box! It turns out I never really had a copy for my set, just the one that was traded to me as part of this side project. I guess when I entered it into the TCDB, I mistakenly put it in my main collection instead of the separate collection I keep for the project. Easy enough to fix, and now I can safely say after multiple verifications that this set is well and truly done!

 

There are many stories like mine. That missing card mocks you, laughs at you, dares you to remember where it went. Did you trade it? Did it fall behind a desk? Did you ever really possess it? Now it is the time my brothers and sisters to come out of the shadows, to own your truth. Share your PSC stories, and know I feel your pain. We will get through this together!

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Washtucna, WA

One of the things I'm finding I'm enjoying a lot about trading on the TCDB is looking through someone's trade list and finding cards that I never thought about acquiring before. Case in point, this recent trade with a guy named James:

 

In addition to a couple 1981 Topps needs, I managed to find myself some wood-grained Canadian cards, plus some Red Sox legends!

 

Favorite Card: I'm digging that box bottom Jim Rice a lot, but the photograph on Dewey's card is just phenomenal!  I'd seriously like to see a higher quality Stadium Club card with that photo!

 

Thanks for the trade, James!

Repack Haiku #178 (B.J. Surhoff)

His dad played for Knicks

Uncle to Moran brothers

Brother Rich played too 

1987 Topps #216 B.J. Surhoff (FS, RC)

Talk about an athletic family! His brother Rich pitched in 9 games during the 1985 season, and was involved in the trade that sent Dave Stewart from the Rangers to the Phillies. His nephews Brian and Colin Moran played this year for the Marlins and Pirates respectively. His dad wasn't a baseball player, but did spend two seasons playing in the NBA!

Creative Cards That Always Should

When it comes to creativity, I consider myself to be average at best. I may have a few moments here or there, but the word "creative" probably isn't the word most people think of when my name is mentioned. 

Some of my fellow bloggers on the other hand are highly skilled at creating things, and it never ceases to impress me when they show off their latest masterpieces.

I was the lucky beneficiary of such creative genius when I saw the latest card creations over at Cards That Never Were. If you've never been to this blog, you should. It features an endless array of custom created cards that are just flat out amazing. You can even buy some of them if you so desire! The latest offering on the web site is a pack of 12 cards (plus an insert) featuring some true greats of the game and some lesser known favorites! You can even buy individual cards on eBay (His seller name is ctnwblog_8 - check it out!) Personally, I'm considering adding that amazing Ted Williams to my collection!

Due to a error, he ended up with a lot of extra copies of one of these cards, and decided to give some away. How could I not try to win a Wade Boggs/Ryne Sandberg?

This isn't a cheap production, either. It's on good card stock, and the photo quality is excellent. It really looks like it'd belong in a pack of 1982 Fleer cards (well, the card stock is better...)

Check out the back:

I love the QR code - it'll take you right to his blog. It's got a nice little write up for each Hall of Famer and you can tell he puts as much thought into the back as he does the fronts!

Thanks for the card, and keep up the incredible work!

The Golden Sox Project (Jackie Bradley Jr.)

Yesterday I highlighted a small TCDB trade with a guy name John. Even though the cards I previously showed off were great in their own way, the key card from the proposal was this latest addition to my Golden Sox Project:

 

Jackie is hands down the best defensive outfielder I've ever seen play for the Red Sox. Offensively, he has a reputation of being very hot or cold. When he's hot, he's the kind of player that can carry the team. A perfect example of this was the 2018 postseason. Bradley won the ALCS MVP award despite only having 3 hits that series. Each of those hits however were big hits that helped the Red Sox defeat the Astros in 3 different games:

• Game 2: Go-ahead bases clearing double
• Game 3: Grand slam that turned a small late game lead into a blow-out.
• Game 4: Go-ahead 2-run home run

I don't see the Red Sox spending much this off-season, but I hope they find a way to bring Jackie back. The incredible catches he makes are worth watching games for alone!

Jackie Bradley Jr. is the 7th card acquired for this project, leaving me with 24 cards remaining!

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Maryville, TN

This trade recap is going to be a two-part special! The main card in the trade will be shown tomorrow, but for now I'll show off the rest. This trade comes courtesy of  a TCDB member named John, who helped me cross a few modern Red Sox needs:

 

 

Favorite Card: The point of view on Mookie's 2016 Topps card is fantastic. It almost looks like he's going to knock you over!

Thanks for the trade, John!

Repack Haiku #177 (Brett Butler)

Amazing comeback:

Started year fighting cancer

Came back in August 

1995 Ultra #394 Bret Butler

In May of 1996, Butler had a tumor the size of a plum removed from his tonsils. Many wondered if he'd ever play again, but he returned to the field less than 4 months later and finished the season with the Dodgers. His story has encouraged many ballplayers to quit chewing tobacco.

 

It Still Counts!

A goal a lot of  collector's have, especially if they're team-specific, is to have a card from a legend that was produced during their playing days. Guys like Mantle, Mays, Clemente, and Robinson are a few of the popular names that any collector would be grateful to own. 

In September, Jon over at A Penny Sleeve For Your Thoughts celebrated his blog's anniversary by giving out some free cards. One card immediately caught my eye, and I was fortunate enough to lay claim to a playing era card of the greatest Red Sox player ever:

1959 Fleer Ted Williams #5 Ted's Fame Spreads

In 1959, Ted Williams was playing in his penultimate season at the age of 40. Even though he made both of that year's All-Star teams and even got some down-ballot MVP votes, it was easily the worst season of his career. It was the only year he ever had a bating average under .300, an on-base average under .400, and a slugging average under .500! But this card still counts!

The picture itself isn't the greatest when it comes to highlighting the subject. Williams' back is facing you, partially obscured by the ump, with the pitcher centered in the middle. It's a great piece of artwork, one any baseball fan would enjoy hanging in their home. However, if you didn't know beforehand that was supposed to be Ted Williams at bat, would you have been able to tell? Me neither. But this card still counts!

I am grateful to Jon for gifting me this great card of a Boston icon. Thanks again, Jon!

The Golden Sox Project (Drew Pomeranz)

It's been awhile since I last made any progress on my little side project to obtain the gold parallels of all the 2018 Topps and Topps Update Boston Red Sox. I had an opportunity to remedy that recently with another TCDB trade with a guy named Brian. Thanks to him, Drew Pomeranz can be checked off the list:

 

Pomeranz will forever have a place in Red Sox history as one of the strangest trades ever. Pomeranz was an All-Star for the Padres in 2016. It was during that All-Star break that he was traded to the Red Sox in a straight one-for-one trade involving Boston's top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza. Later that season, it came to light that the Padres were keeping two sets of health records - an internal one within the organization and a modified one they shared with other teams during trade discussions! The MLB eventually suspended Padres GM AJ Preller for 30 days, and the Red Sox declined an opportunity to have this trade rescinded. 

Pomeranz did not appear for the Red Sox during the 2018 postseason. He had a down year with injuries and ineffectiveness, and was left off the postseason roster during the ALDS and ALCS. He was a surprise addition to the World Series roster, but never made it into a game.

Pomeranz is the 6th addition to the Golden Sox Project, with #7 to be featured soon!

Thanks for the trade Brian!

TCDB Trade Recap: Cards From Oak Harbor, WA

Remember last month when I highlighted a trade and waxed poetic about 1989 Fleer - a set I wasn't excited about but had so many cards that I was close to completing it? Well, thanks to a TCDB member named Gerald - 1989 Fleer is now complete!

 

 

Even though it's not one of my favorite 80's sets, it's still great when you can complete a set card-by-card through packs and trades. It's not without it's charm either - I know a lot of people don't like the grey pinstripes, but I always liked the central element to this set - the player popping out of a slightly askew parallelogram. 

 

This is also my 5th complete Fleer set (1981, 1987-90) which includes a nice little 4 year run.  It's also my 5th complete base set from 1989, leaving only Upper Deck's debut offering as the only major release left. (Man, I opened a lot of packs in 1989!)

Favorite Card: The rookie card of a Hall of Fame member is a strong candidate, but I kind of prefer Benito Santiago's sideways glance near the batting cage.

Thanks for the trade Gerald!

Repack Haiku #176 (Orioles Franchise History)

Ripken's glowing face

Iron Man tops Iron Horse

Unbreakable streak

 

2010 Topps #428 Orioles Franchise History (FH)

 

**********

Congrats to the Los Angeles Dodgers for winning the World Series! I know a lot of people don't want to count this season as legitimate as a normal one, but having a team that has had this much recent success winning it makes it count equally among the rest as far as I'm concerned. For a year that gave us an upside down crazy season that many thought wouldn't or shouldn't be played, we ended things with some damn fine baseball games. I'm looking forward to reading the blogs of all the Dodger fans out there!

Extaordinary Blogger Kindness

 

Recently, I have been blessed with some random acts of kindness from other bloggers. Awhile back, Daniel from It's Like Having My Own Card Shop emailed me to verify my address. Shortly thereafter, I received this generous stack of cards:

All of these cards are from sets I'm So Close to completing. Daniel put a significant dent in my 1981 Topps set build, as well as including the edited version of 1989 Fleer's most famous card. The 1994 Post Griffey left me chasing one final card for that set too!

Even more recently, I received a PWE out of the blue from Chris from The Collector and The 1993. He too knocked a few cards of of the So Close page. 

 

I'm pretty sure those are the first 1988 Leaf cards I've added to my collection since I bought a box of the stuff 32 years ago!

 

Thanks again Daniel and Chris! I don't know how I deserved to be on the receiving end of  your kindness, but these cards made my day!

 

The extraordinary kindness I've witnessed lately doesn't just involve cards sent to me. All month long, Brian at Collecting Cutch has been raising awareness for breast cancer research. He's been doing this for years, every October, but this time he added another layer to his generosity: Other bloggers can post featuring pink cards, and for every comment made Brian will donate $1. So far he's raised over $300 towards his capped goal of $400! Now that is amazing! Way to go Brian! Hopefully I'll get a few comments here to up your donation!

Top 5 Tribute: Joe Morgan

No disrespect to Mr. Morgan, but I'm getting a little tired of doing these tributes. Morgan became the 5th Hall of Famer to pass away in the past 6 weeks, passing away October 11th at the age of 77. In tribute to the greatest 2nd baseman in my lifetime, I offer my top 5 favorite cards in my collection:

1971 Topps #264

The oldest card I own. I love this photo with all three people tightly bunched together. It could be a Norman Rockwell painting.

1978 Topps #300

 

Most know Morgan by his time with the Reds. By 1978 he was a household name and one of the key cogs of the "Big Red Machine" He's practically wearing his All-Star shield like a badge of honor.

 

1985 Topps #5

 

It's not often a Hall Of Famer gets two sunset cards in the same set, but Morgan got this 1985 Topps Record Breaker in addition to a base card. Jeff Kent currently holds this record now.

 

2016 Topps Archives #182

This Archives card gives us a great look at a young Joe Morgan. It makes me wonder though if Topps would ever resurrect a long gone team name and put Morgan on a Colt .45s card?

 

2019 Topps Opening Day - 150 Years Of Fun #YOF-12

I didn't get to see Morgan play, but from what I've read he was the type of player who genuinely had fun on the field. I mainly remember him from his broadcasting days, which ironically he seemed almost curmudgeonly at times. Both on the field and in the booth, he was a highly intelligent person who often shared keen insight into the game.

R.I.P. Joe Morgan - You will be missed!

TCDB Trade: Cards From Eaton, CO

Just a quick post to show off a small trade I made with a guy named Tyler:

 

 

I remember the Red Sox trading for Aguilera from the Twins at the trade deadline only for him to sign back with the Twins as a free agent. Suppan carved out a long career capped by winning t he 2006 NLCS MVP award for St. Louis. I couldn't tell you anything about Valdez.

 

Favorite Card: I may not know anything about Valdez, but I do like his Fleer card, even though I'm not quite sure what he's doing with his hands.

 

Thanks for the trade Tyler!

 

Repack Haiku #175 (Mo Vaughn)

Last Red Sox player

To wear number forty-two

To honor Jackie

 

1993 Topps #51 Mo Vaughn

 

Vaughn was one of 13 players grandfathered in when MLB retired Jackie Robinson's number in 1997. Ironically, he and another "Mo" were the last two to ever wear the number (other than Jackie Robinson Day of course!)

2020 World Series Tale Of The Tape

The World Series starts tomorrow, and I think it will be a good one. It's fairly uncommon for the best teams in both leagues to make it to the final series, and honestly with this expanded playoff format I wasn't expecting it to happen. Now, for most baseball fans like me, chances are your team isn't one of the two left standing. Who do you vote for when your team isn't playing? Personally, I base it on a few different factors. Let's see how the two teams stack up:

Former Red Sox Players

 

Rays: Jalen Beeks

Dodgers: Mookie Betts, Joe Kelly

2020 Topps #420 Mookie Betts

 

What can I say, if I can't root for my team, I can root for guys who used to be on my team. The Dodgers feature two Red Sox legends in Mookie Betts and Joe Kelly (three if you included their manager Dave "The Steal" Roberts). Ironically the Rays' manager, Kevin Cash, is also a former Red Sox player, but the only actual players with connections to the Tampa Bay team are injured pitcher Jalen Beeks and former prospect Manuel Margot.

Advantage: Dodgers
 

Shenandoah Valley Baseball League Alumni

 

Rays: Ryan Yarbrough, Mike Brosseau 

Dodgers: none

 

2020 Stadium Club
#80 Mike Brosseau (RC)

 

Having two players on one team that have played in my area's collegiate summer league is quite impressive. Yankee killer Mike Brosseau played for my hometown team, the Waynesboro Generals!

Advantage: Rays
 

University of Virginia Cavaliers Alumni

 

Dodgers: Chris Taylor, Josh Sborz

 

2019 Topps Heritage #304 Chris Taylor

Go Wa-hoos! Living a short drive from Charlottesville, I've gone to a few UVa baseball games. The Dodgers actually employed two former Cavaliers this year. 2017 NLCS hero Chris Taylor is on the World Series roster, but pitcher Josh Sborz isn't.

Advantage: Dodgers
 

Championship Drought

 

Dodgers - 31 years (1988)

Rays - 22 years (never)

The Rays have never won a World Series in their entire existence. Yet the Dodgers have gone even longer since their last title.

Advantage: Dodgers

 

Personal Connection

Does sympathy count as a personal connection? This will be the third time in the past 4 years the Dodgers have reached the World Series, and so far have no rings to show for it. Even the 90's Braves dynasty won at least one. The only connection I have to the Rays is that they're pesky divisional opponents for the Red Sox.

Advantage: Dodgers

 

Spring Training Adventures

 

2018 Topps #297 Kevin Kiermaier

 

I've seen the Rays play a lot in my annual trips down to Florida, due mainly because the ticket prices tend to be cheaper when they are the opponent. The only current player I know for sure I've seen is Kevin Kiermaier. The Dodgers play in Arizona, so no memories there.

Advantage: Rays

AL East Divisional Opponent Bias

Yes, I admit I have one. 

Advantage: Dodgers

Final Talley: Dodgers 5, Rays 2

I have a gut feeling the Rays are going to win, but I'll be rooting for the Los Angeles. As much as it'll hurt watching Mookie lead another team to victory, they're due.

 

Go Dodgers!

Top 5 Tribute: Whitey Ford

Baseball lost yet another Hall of Fame player when "The Chairman Of The Board" Whitey Ford passed away October 8th at the age of 91. Picking my Top 5 cards was easy in this case - I only have 5 Whitey Ford cards in my collection (not counting the latest addition to the Time Travel Trading  Project of course). Here are 5 cards I own, in chronological order:

1985 Topps Woolworth All-Time Record Holders #5

When people talk about baseball's unbreakable records, they usually talk about career achievements like Rose's hits or Henderson's steals. The all-time records listed on this card refer to Ford's World Series performances - 10 wins, 94 strikeouts, and an amazing 33 consecutive scoreless innings. With modern philosophies regarding bullpen usage, as well as expanded playoffs and a larger number of teams, Ford's records on the grandest stage are pretty safe from being challenged.

1989 Kahn's Cooperstown #NNO

The two things that stand out most about this card are the beautiful artwork and the signature depicting his real name Edward.

1992 St. Vincent HOF Heroes Stamps #4

The latest addition to my collection came over the summer when I won this set as a prize from Chavez Ravining. Now that look at it, it seems they tried to give Whitey an old-timey hat for some reason. It looks off, especially without the logo.

2015 Topps - Eclipsing History #EH-6

Coincidentally, like Gibson's 1971 card, I showed this card off a long time ago when this blog was in its infancy. The focus that day was on Rivera, but today we come full circle and honor Ford.

2016 Topps Archives #189

This is probably my favorite of all the Ford cards. The picture almost has a 3-D quality to it, like Whitey is just about to step out of the card's frame. 

I'll end things with a personal Whitey story. I may have missed an opportunity to get his autograph. Ages ago, I went to a card show in Niagara Falls. The headline attraction was Mickey Mantle. Right before I needed to get in line to get his autograph, my dad directed my attention to another older gentleman standing around talking with some people. My dad was 90% sure it was Ford, but because my mind was on Mantle, and I wasn't as familiar with Ford, I never sought to find out for sure. I'll never know...

RIP Whitey Ford, you will be missed!

TCDB Trade: Cards From Florence, AZ

With the playoffs in full swing, as well as numerous tributes to passed on legends, I've started to fall behind on my trade recaps. As it stands now, I've got posts planned into next month already, and the only way I'll catch up is if I start posting 4 times a week instead of my normal 3. Until content otherwise dictates, I'll be doing these little trade recaps on Thursdays. This weeks TCDB Trade comes from a collector named Aaron. I proposed a trade last month that netted me a few Red Sox needs.

 

OK, so Rickey isn't a Red Sox need, but he and Boggs gets me two cards closer to completing this K-Mart set. The 8 remaining cards can be found on my So Close page, if anyone is curious.

 

Favorite Card: Jim Rice's bat on shoulder glossy. I know a lot of people don't like these mail-in offerings for the eighties, but I always enjoyed them. This would be my first card from the 1985 set.

Thanks for the trade, Aaron!

 

Repack Haiku #174 (Dansby Swanson)

A pink ribbon card

Appropriate for this month

Help save second base!

2018 Topps - Salute
#TS-69 Dansby Swanson

Some things are just meant to be! I was looking to pick up a repack box to keep these haiku going, and Mr. Swanson here was the top card being displayed. I couldn't think of a better way to help promote Brian's Save Second Base fundraiser over at Collecting Cutch. Every comment on this post helps raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness!

Time Travel Trading Update #46

Marty: What about all that talk about screwing up future events? The spacetime continuum?

Doc: Well, I figured, what the hell?

- "Back To The Future"

On the TCDB, I have two collections - my main one and one for the Time Travel Trading Project cards. All of Time Travel cards are marked as "For Trade". For those unfamiliar with the Database, members can mark cards for their want list as well as for sale/trade. This make it easy for other members to search for cards you may have available, and offer cards you may want. 

The big problem  I run into (and I'm sure I've mentioned this before) is that the searches don't differentiate between collections. Therefore I get a lot of trade offers where someone wants a vintage card from my Time Travel collection, but offers something modern off of my want lists in return. This happened 4 times since my last update. When these trade offers come in, I have a few options:

Option #1

The first thing I'll do is check the other person's collection and see what else they have available for trade. If they have older cards that would satisfy my project's parameters, I'll offer a counter-proposal and explain what my project is about. This is the case with Timothy, who had his eye on a few 1960 Topps cards I had. Fortunately, he had a few 50's card on his trade list, and we were able to work out a deal: 

 

Option #2

If the other trader doesn't have older cards on his trade list, I'll look at my personal collection and see if I have any doubles that I could use in their place. I'll essentially make a trade with myself for the Time Travel cards, add them to my collection, then make the trade. Two of the trade offers I received were of this variety, and so now I pulled these cards from my collection and added them to the stack:

Option #3

Well, Option #3 has never come into play before now. It's not something I thought would ever happen, honestly. Here's the story: A TCDB member messaged me and stated he was very interested in the '55 Bowman cards I had. The problem was he didn't have anything older and wanted to know if there was any way I'd part with them for cards that were newer than 1955. The whole premise of the project is to trade for older cards, but I broke my own rule and made the trade anyway. I have a few reasons why:

• The trader who contacted me, Jason, has participated in my Time Travel Trading twice before. In fact, he's the generous collector who gave me the two oldest cards currently in the trade stack. This was an opportunity to repay some of that generosity.
• I've found with this project that it's hard to trade cards from the fifties. There really aren't many potential traders who have even older cards they are willing to give up. As a result, I have a bit of a bottleneck with cards from this decade. I've often wondered how I can encourage more trading involving these older cards.
• As I was looking through Jason's trade list, an idea came to me. Yes, the cards I'm getting back are newer, but I saw an opportunity to potentially get some legendary names from an oddball set that doesn't seem get a lot of "screen time" in the online community.

After some back and forth negotiating (which was incredibly fun because we kept injecting "Back To The Future" references in our correspondence), we finally pulled the trigger. This is what I ended up with: 

 

Yep, I actually sought out Yankees! These were released by Jay Publishing in 1963, and although the Database list them among the card sets, these are more like 5x7 photographs. Hey, if the TCDB counts them, then so do I! Still, it's not often you have a Yogi Berra from his playing days for trade (Ford and Howard are no slouches either - RIP Whitey!) and I'm very interested in seeing what kind of offers these three will generate.

There was one trade I made that was just a straight-up classic trade. Thanks to a collector named Sky, I turned a 1966 football card into a team card from a long since gone team: 

 

Thanks to all my trade partners! If you see something you're interested in, let me know!

The Time Travel Trade Stack:

2018 Topps
#502 Xander Bogaerts

2017-1018 Pocket Schedule
Carolina Hurricanes

2017 Bowman
#12 Trea Turner

2008-09 O-Pee-Chee (hockey)
#128 Tim Thomas

1998 Score
#68 Scott Rolen
#74 Mark McLemore

1994 Sportflics
#113 Pete Harnisch

1993 Classic Draft Picks (basketball)
#33 Will Flemons
#67 Bennie Seltzer

1992 Fleer Ultra
#594 Dave Righetti

1991 Upper Deck
#778 Dave Righetti

1990 Fleer
#629 Jose Canseco (POD)

1990 Upper Deck
#626 Frank Viola

1990 Pro Set - Theme Art (football)
#10 Super Bowl X Pittsburgh Steelers / Dallas Cowboys 

1989 Fleer
#29 Bob Welch

1989 Score
#495 Larry Parrish

 

1987 Donruss

#34 Terry Steinbach (RC, RR)

1986 Topps
#5 Rose Special '75-'78
#6 Rose Special '79-'82
#401 Fernando Valenzuela (Turn Back The Clock)
#510 Wade Boggs

1985 Donruss
#305 Steve Carlton
#421 Andre Dawson
#557 Mark Langston (RC)
#616 Joe Carter 

1985 Topps
#694 Joe Carter

1983 Topps
#70 Steve Carlton

1982 Donruss
#74 Carl Yastrzemski
#76 Alan Trammell
#214 Tim Raines
#252 Lee Smith (RC)
#NNO Checklist 545-653

1982 O-Pee-Chee E.T. The Extraterrestrial (non-sport)
#15 Among Elliott's Toys

1982 Topps
#3 Tim Raines (HL)
#34 Joe Sambito
#70 Tim Raines
#74 Bob Clark
#190 J.R. Richard
#303 Bill Caudill
#399 Pat Zachry
#401 Johnny Bench (IA)
#462 Dave Chalk
#480 Steve Carlton
#651 Carl Yastrzemski (IA)
#754 Joe Morgan 

1981 Fleer
#268 Rod Carew

1981 Topps

#82 Astros Future Stars (RC)
#98 Clint Hurdle
#121 Larry Harlow

#194 Rod Scurry
#250 Ron Guidry
#259 Mets Future Stars
#363 Geoff Zahn

#365 Graig Nettles

#374 Tom Hutton
#414 John Pacella

#415 Ben Oglivie

#465 Bill Russell

#477 Luis Gomez 
#494 Bob Walk
#530 Steve Garvey
#560 Joe Morgan

#569 Al Williams

#632 Alan Bannister

1980 Topps
#29 Mark Wagner
#88 Ken Landreaux

#90 Manny Trillo 
#143 Bruce Bochte

#145 Darrell Evans
#157 Willie Wilson
#325 Dan Driessen
#362 Danny Goodwin
#406 Paul Molitor
#572 Jerry Morales
#642 Ken Forsch
#655 Tug McGraw 
#671 A's Future Stars

1979 Topps
#25 Steve Carlton
#130 Bob Watson
#214 Boston Red Sox (TC) 
#465 Reggie Smith

1978 Topps
#148 Andre Thorton

#295 Bill Lee
#373 Jim Willoughby
#385 Tito Fuentes
#424 Boston Red Sox (TC)
#482 Rick Miller
#706 Rookie 1st Baseman (Cage/Cox/Putnam/Revering) 

1976 Funky Sales Corp Funky Facts Baseball
#2 In A Trance
#3 Fans Vs Players
#5 Baseballeese

1976 Topps
#70 Roy Smalley/Roy Smalley Jr. (FS)
#196 1975 AL RBI Leaders (Scott/Mayberry/Lynn)

1976 Wonder Bread (football)  
#17 Bill Bergey

1975 Topps
#310 '74 Victory Leaders
#378 Derrel Thomas
#402 Bob Tolan

1974 Topps
#38 Don Kessinger
#67 Tommy Helms
#107 Alex Johnson
#141 Pat Bourque
#158 Jack Billingham
#158 Jack Billingham
#227 Mike Lum 
#349 John Vukovich
#534 Eddie Watt
#572 Enzo Hernandez
#638 Ken Sanders
#660 Larry Dierker

1974 Topps - Team Checklists
#NNO Montreal Expos

1974 Topps - Traded
#270T Ron Santo

#458T Jim Ray
#496T Tom Murphy

1974 Wonder Bread (football)
#8 Bob Griese 

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee (hockey)
#53 Richard Lemieux

1973 Topps
#29 Tony Taylor 
#30 Tug McGraw
#68 1972 Leading Firemen (Carroll/Lyle)
#75 Vada Pinson
#79 Jim Willoughby (RC)
#80 Tony Oliva
#102 Rudy May
#116 Ralph Houk (MGR)
#145 Bobby Bonds
#215 Dusty Baker
#225 Albert Oliver
#230 Joe Morgan
#232 Ken Singleton
#240 Bobby Murcer
#258 Tommy John
#325 Boog Powell
#329 Ed Kranepool
#365 Rico Petrocelli
#368 Bill Buckner

1972 Topps
#33 Billy Martin (MGR)
#43 Rick Wise
#163 Tug McGraw
#197 Johnny Briggs
#225 World Series Game 3 - Manny Sanguillen
#231 Casey Cox
#239 Tom Timmermann
#266 Bobby Bolin
#363 Ron Klimkowski
#373 John Mayberry
#438 Maury Wills (IA)
#451 Tony LaRussa

1972 Topps (football)
#111 Jim Tyrer
#114 Bob James (RC)

1971 Topps
#16 Ken Singleton (RC)
#63 AL 1970 RBI Leaders (Howard/Conigliaro/Powell)

#63 AL 1970 RBI Leaders (Howard/Conigliaro/Powell)

#69 AL 1970 Pitching Leaders  (Cuellar/McNally/Perry)
#71 AL 1970 Strikeout Leaders (McDowell/Lolich/Johnson)
#90 Joe Pepitone
#95 Luis Tiant
#105 Tony Conigliaro
#146 Ralph Houk (MGR)
#195 AL Playoffs Game 1 - Powell Muscles Twins!
#208 Billy Martin (MGR)
#270 Rico Carty
#328 World Series Game 2 - Bufird Goes 2-4 (WS)
#374 Clete Boyer
#374 Clete Boyer
#388 Al Oliver

1971 Topps (football)
#22 Ken Avery (RC)
#110 Floyd Little (AS)
#176 Mac Percival

1971 Topps - Games Insert (football)
#38 Matt Snell
 
1970 Brooke Bond North American Wildlife In Danger (non-sport)
#32 Polar Bear

1970 Topps
#18 Carlos May

#37 Dick Drago 

#47 Bob Miller

#200 1969 AL Playoffs Game 2 
#390 Willie Davis
#457 Rico Petrocelli (AS)

1969 Topps
#66 Orioles Rookies
#80 Norm Cash
#131 Chris Cannizarro 
#139 Andy Kosco
#182 Bill Rigney (MGR)
#484 Joe Gordon (MGR) 

1969 Topps - Deckle Edge
#13 Mel Stottlemyer

1969 Topps (football)
#73 Bennie McRae
#115 Randy Johnson 
#154 Sam Baker
#175 Joe Morrison

1968 Topps
#4 1967 AL RBI Leaders (Yastrzemski/Killebrew/Robinson)
#7 1967 NL ERA Leaders (Niekro/Bunning/Short)
#44 Frank Kostro
#181 Jerry Zimmerman
#260 Jim Wynn 
#309 Ken Henderson
#348 Larry Colton/Dick Thoenen
#449 Gene Oliver
#519 Jerry Stephenson 

1967 Philadelphia (football)
#109 New York Giants (TC)

1967 Topps
#1 The Champs (F. Robinson/Bauer/B. Robinson)
#348 Tug McGraw
#366 Andy Kosco

1966 Topps
#46 Howie Koplitz

#154 Chuck Hiller

#575 Earl Wilson

1965 Topps
#17 Johnny Romano
#27 Dick Bertell
#86 Les Narum
#87 Nelson Mathews
#108 Don Mincher
#111 Lee Thomas
#178 Dalton Jones

#267 Washington Senators (TC)
#307 Barry Latman
#352 Alex Johnson (RC)

1965 Philadelphia (football)
#193 John Paluck

1964 Philadelphia (football)
#172 Ken Gray (RC)

1964 Topps
#18 Billy O'Dell
#45 Milt Pappas
#92 Steve Ridzik
#341 Jim Roland 

1964 Topps - Coins 
#7 Frank Malzone

 

1963 Jay Publishing New York Yankees

#NNO Yogi Berra

#NNO Whitey Ford

#NNO Elston Howard

1963 Topps
#155 Bill Stafford

1961 Topps
#32 Ray Sadecki
#38 Bob Lillis
#96 Billy O'Dell
#98 2nd Series Checklist 89-176 (CL, VAR)
#258 Jack Sanford
#267 Norm Siebern
#399 Cliff Cook (RC) 

1960 Topps
#289 Willie Jones

1959 Topps
#298 Tex Clevenger
#424 Ken Aspromonte
#424 Ken Aspromonte  

#521 Gary Geiger

1959 Topps (football)
#80 Joe Perry

 

1958 Topps

#289 Series Hurling Rivals (CPC)

1958 Topps Zorro (non-sport)
#83 Rude Awakening

1957 Topps
#212 Rocky Colavito (RC)
#249 Dave Pope
#406 Bob Hale

1956 Topps 
#103 Willie Miranda (white back)
#156 Johnny Antonelli

1956 Topps Flags of the World (non-sport)
#70 Jordan

1955 Topps
#45 Hank Sauer

1954 Bowman
#16 Jim Wilson
#73 Don Mueller

1954 Bowman Power For Peace (non-sport)
#91 USS Coral Sea (CVB43)

 

1953 Topps

#35 Irv Noren

1952 Bowman
#57 Clyde Vollmer

1938 Church & Dwight Useful Birds Of America Tenth Series (J9-6) (non-sport)
#2 Black-throated Green Warbler

1922 Church & Dwight Useful Birds Of America Third Series (J7) (non-sport) 
#7 Prothonotary Warbler

1915 Church & Dwight Useful Birds Of America First Series (J5)  (non-sport)
#1 Quail

The Time Travel Trading Project is simple in concept. I started out with a random pack of 2018 Topps Series 1 baseball cards. My aim was to trade every card in that pack for something older. Each card I receive in turn is then made available for trade, with the goal to get the oldest card I can get.

Number of trades completed: 64
Unique trading partners: 37

Number of cards mailed out: 207
Year of oldest card mailed out: 1955

Number of cards received: 429
Year of oldest card received: 1915