A Big Trade with Mini Collector Bill – Part 1

I’ve been holding off on posting some of my more recent trades here, but it’s really time I changed that.  The main reason I did is that was the National.  I put together some trade bait posts that attracted minimal attention, but at some point I had to lock down my want lists before the big show.  Then I had to organize and update my want lists after that show  That’s a long process.  And I didn’t want to put trade posts up to act as solicitation of more trades when I wasn’t ready.

Now I think I’m just about there.  My ability to trade is more based on the amount of time my work gives me versus how up to date my lists are.

Anyway, before my spending spree, I posted a few Gypsy Queen posts and heard from reader Bill.  He doesn’t have a blog, but some of you may have experience trading with him already.  He’s known as minibbcards on the Trading Card Database and his want lists are fantastic (and found here).

If you couldn’t guess from the username, the man loves his mini cards.  That’s a perfect fit, because I don’t understand the things and find them to be an annoyance if they don’t fit into my player collections.  So, after some back and forth, we worked out a big trade where I sent a bunch of mini stuff his way and he sent mostly normal sized stuff back, including a great start to many of my new 2016 Cubs players collections.  I can’t fit everything into one post, but here’s a few to start us off.

Could be one of his few home runs, but probably just a foul ball.

Starting with the old before we get to the new.  I really enjoy getting these junk wax era cards in the mail.  I am never going to buy packs or boxes and I really don’t see much point in getting them through Sportlots or other sites, so my best bet is through trades like this.

Also probably not a home run or foul ball since it’s not a real game

I don’t know about you, but I’m already having trouble telling the new Stadium Club years apart.  The designs are different enough, but maybe I just need more cards.  It’s 2015, by the way.

Is this actually from that home run?

Speaking of homers (as I have in the captions), Gwynn is a weird choice for this insert set.  I think they just wanted to add highly collected legends. Tony was not a power hitter by any measure.  But he could rock the brown and yellow.

Definitely not a home run

Grab your partner, do si do. Round the bases, go go go.

They’re not even trying for a home run swing

It seems appropriate to get a couple minis back in the exchange.  Even though I really don’t care for minis, I am quite happy to accept them in trades, because it’s one less I need to chase otherwise.

Man that glove looks huge.  And Maddux looks sick

Make that two less!  Look at that seamless transition.  Both of these are your regular back versions (which aren’t as common as the name leads you to believe).

Not gemstone-like enough

The inserts in Topps over the past couple years have not been all that great in my opinion.  They remind me of mid-2000s Upper Deck in form and function.

Not anymore, cartoon man!

Look at this!  A Dempster sighting. That’s always a good thing.  Here’s the Cubs team set version, which I would have bought if I collected in 2006.  Since I didn’t, Bill has me covered.

Most likely not a home run pitch

And we end this first part with a transition to the new players I collect using a vintage design.  How appropriate as we venture into a slew of current players to pad out my budding collections.

We’ll enjoy more of that in future editions.  Or I will.  Not sure about you, but I’ll enjoy it.  Maybe you’ll come back and read it, because Bill did good and deserves his due.