Fleas and Thank You

As I've stated throughout the week, I went on vacation last week and have been posting about it.  None are really connected so you aren't missing key elements if you missed any, but they are still worth checking out.  One of the things my mom and I like to do is check out Flea Markets.  When trying to decide on a trip, we aren't much on caves (which are prevalent in these parts), not too big on historic sites (despite my mom loving history), and other things we just couldn't agree on.  So I knew I had to find activities we would both like at least enough of the so it wouldn't look like I only wanted to go to buy cards at a card show (which was kind of the reason).

So I planned the trip according to thrift shops and flea markets.  We don't have much luck with Goodwill stores and most thrift shops, but I had a couple mapped out and found a few flea markets as well.  The problem though is around here there have been a lot of road work on major roads lately and since we like to steer clear of major roads, we take back roads.  Add to the chaos is the fact that some of them are also being worked on and the compounded problem that the Missouri State Fair would draw a crowd on Opening Day, and I knew my work was cut out for me.  In the end, most of the flea markets and thrift shops would have to be axed in favor of hitting less traffic.  I think I balanced it out fine, but one stop I wasn't willing to sacrifice after finding photos of the place.

Right off I-70, I've gone by The Brass Armadillo a few times to and from Kansas City, but I never visited it.  When I checked it out online, I was surprised at what it looked like inside, as it looked a lot nicer than the Midway Antique Mall I go to often.  When we stopped, I didn't really expect to buy anything, I just wanted to look and to get my feet moving a bit.  If I bought something great, but I had my camera handy in case I didn't so I could fill a post.  Those pictures I'll post at a later date, maybe tomorrow, I'm not sure.  Anyways, I did buy a few things and I thought I'd show them off today.  Like my other items I bought on the trip, everything was pretty cheap, and I spent just under 5 bucks, and that works for me.  So let's dig in.

I mentioned my fondness for Coca Cola yesterday, and while that helps with this item, I got it because it celebrated the 1985 World Series.  At only a buck, it was the cheapest cup I saw there, but I saw plenty more and considered others. I am starting to build a semi-decent collection of 1985 World Series items, and this will make it even better.  Now if I had a place to display it all.  Maybe I should just rent a storage unit to display everything.  That might work.  They did have some Stadium Cups from the 2015 season and maybe even this year, but I passed them up.  Maybe next time.  As we were both impressed with the place, I think another trip is in order, and its not too much more of a drive, so its something we can do to waste the day away.  I think I can find a faster route next time too, so that will help.

Before I discuss these, I will say that I didn't scan the cards yet, so I will do that soon and do another post on them.  However I wanted to show that I got these here and talk about them a bit.  About halfway through looking I found a bin that was kind of like a poor man's Walmart DVD bin (you know the $5 movie bins that the movies are scattered).  I picked up a pack and saw it said a quarter.  Hmm, it has a Royals guy, so why not?  I figured I'd find three more and get a bucks worth.  I found three packs showing Royals and one of a Sonic/Coca-Cola set from Upper Deck in the mid 90's (I think 95), which I would like to put together one day.  I figure nothing else these are junk wax cards and the top cards will give me enough value to pick them up.

The back cards weren't too shabby either.  I spy another Royal, a Cecil Fielder, and a Greg Maddux I'm certain I already have.  Anyways, I figured since this was the first stop, I better save a bit.  I also figured I could always stop back on the way home.  I almost did before taking a easier way home.  I have opened the packs and as I said, I will show them at another date, but one pack I just looked at had 25 cards in it.  So if all of them did, I paid a penny a card, which I could do all day.  Next time I'll spend more time looking through them.

The same guy who had that cup earlier also had some Police sets for a buck (some were slightly more).  I knew I had a couple years, so I grabbed a couple I knew I didn't have.  Since I took one scan of the bottom set, I'll show that first.

The 2000 set for a buck is a steal!  I don't know the book value but I don't care.  It had Dye, Beltran, and Damon which I'd pay a buck just for those three.  Throw in the rest of the set, and I'll never regret this purchase.  I also like the Sluggerrr card where he is attempting to throw an oversized baseball.  I forgot who else was in the set, but again, these alone was worth the buck.

The 1996 set was a bit more of a blind chance, but I like the sets that have the paper bag, and I didn't have 96, so that worked.  I had a guess that Damon was in this set as well, but I wasn't sure.

Damon is in the set, so another Damon card I can add to my collection, as well as the rest of the set.  Gubicza, Appier, Howard, and Hamelin are nice names to see, so I couldn't be mad about this pack either.

I've got more Bip Roberts Royals cards in the last week than I've ever seen before, but that's okay.  More good names like Michael Tucker, Joe Vitiello, Jeff Montgomery, Jose Offerman, and Joe Randa make this a really nice set.

Running a bit out of steam, but still good names like Mike and Mike (Magnante and Macfarlane), and Chris Haney.  The only slight complaint about the set is the blue uniforms on a lot of the cards.  I don't think too much of that color blue on the jerseys but if that's my only complaint, then its not really a complaint.

Ketih Lockhart was a name I forgot about.  Speaking of forgetting, Bob Boone was the skipper in 96.  That was not long after the Hal McRae meltdown (I'm tired of these reporters), and to be fair, maybe it was the meltdown that made me like Hal more than I ever did Boone.

The backs of the cards are pretty nice.  I mean you can't expect too much from the police sets, so using most of the space is nice.  I think it would be nice to see a variety of messages from year to year, but at least they have a message on them.  I hear they stopped handing them out last year do to budget issues, but due to special funding they just brought it back.  I don't know if they look the same or what, but it would be nice to find them.

So in total I spent under 5 bucks, and found a lot more that I will show later.  I will scan those quarter packs as well soon and post those as well.  I have a couple more posts from vacation and then I'll ease back into other recent cards I got.  I'm a bit backlogged, but that's not a bad thing.  The good thing is that I'm back on a great pace and have a shot of surpassing last years mark and with more ideas for posts, I think I should beat it.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the post.  I might take tomorrow off, and if I do, enjoy the weekend.  If not I still have plenty to show.   I still need to work on my redesign of the site, so I'll be busy the next couple weeks.  Thanks again to everyone who reads my blogs.  As I just passed the two year mark, I didn't know if it would be worth the time or trouble doing a blog, but I can say without a doubt it's been well worth it, for no other reason than to interact with everyone on here.  Have a great night!