Mike Garman and Don Lee TTM Returns and a Joe Mauer Consignment

I've been really busy lately with no time to send out requests, so things are going to slow down.  I might take the opportunity to highlight some of my collection rather than focus on new additions, of which there will be very few.

I did have a couple ttm returns lately though.  Mike Garman signed a couple 1972 Topps Red Sox rookies cards, one signed by Cooper and the other signed by Fisk. I have three of these cards in various stages of being signed.  I was experimenting with a method to continually route cards and only include one or two to any single player at a time, but it's kind of a mess.  So, I'll just finish them up as efficiently as possible, which involves sending two cards to Cooper, which will finish one of them and add the second signature to the other, and then once those are returned, sending two cards off to Fisk to end up with three more finished cards.  This will result in a total of six completed cards for my collection.

Don Lee was kind enough to add his signature to four team cards, including a 1962 Topps Twins card that I bought with five signatures on it.  I also received a completely unsigned copy of this card from an Ebay purchase over the weekend that I intend to get a couple bigger names on.

Finally, I received four Joe Mauer cards back from a Celebrity Golf Tournament consignment.  I sent two cards from two different Topps Heritage Twins sets that resulted in having all but one card signed from the 2011 set (still need Kevin Slowey) and the 2013 set (still need Oswaldo Arcia).

I have four Joe Mauer bobbleheads out to FanHQ for their upcoming Joe Mauer signing.  I believe I'll be up to 11 different Joe Mauer signed bobbleheads once this signing is complete.  I only know of one more that I need to get signed.  I'm sure there are more, but I've been focusing on Stadium Give Aways (SGA) and season ticket holder versions.  When I get these four back, I'll do a detailed post about all of them.

Masanori Murakami TTM Return

Yesterday I received four cards back from Masanori Murakami in Tokyo.  He signed a couple of his 1965 Topps rookie cards, a 1966 Giants team card, and a 2024 Topps Strike Zone Heroes card.  I'm not focusing on the Strike Zone heroes cards, but am happy to add another of Mr. Murakami's cards to my collection as they become available.

I included $20 with my request and sent it in my usual envelope and sase.  However, I don't put a stamp on the sase, which is why I included the $20.  In the past, I've received his returns with Japanese postage, but this time it was postmarked from New York, NY, with U.S. postage.

Also, rather than using a regular forever stamp on the outgoing envelope, I use a Global forever stamp, which I believe is good for any regular envelope to countries other than the U.S.

George Thomas TTM Return and Vintage Bobbleheads

My collecting is going to make an abrupt slowdown/halt since we are in the process of closing on a cabin this week.  We've been seriously looking for a lake property for over six years and finally found one we're really happy with, and which we didn't get outbid on.  Covid threw a serious wrench in the process, with people paying well over listing, sight unseen with no contingencies or inspections, which we just weren't willing to do.

Anyway, after about a decade of being debt free, I am no longer and will have to seriously budget my collecting habits going forward.  I have a lot of stamps, and a lot of cards, so I may still send out some ttm requests, and participate in the occasional signing, but nowhere near what I have been.  I may start focusing on the 1982 set, and sending off to players with no fees to see how that goes.

Yesterday, I received a return from George Thomas, who signed two team cards and two individual cards in about three weeks.  There are only a couple more players I can add to the Tigers team cards as most of the players have passed away.

I also received some auction winnings from some vintage bobbleheads, mostly the mini versions from 1961-1963.

I also added a White Sox doll from the 1963-1966 Green base set.

And, I bought an inexpensive one with a small crack on the head.  I have plans to try to repair some of the bobbleheads and thought this one would be on the easier side since the crack is limited to an area with the same color paint.  I think color matching the paint will be the hardest part, and I'm hoping to find some technology to make it easier rather than rely on my unartistic eye.

It looks fine at first glance on the shelf, but up close it's pretty bad:

Phil Regan TTM Return After 368 Days

The sase from Miami that I assumed was from Andre Dawson and that was in my Informed Delivery email from June 23rd but wasn't in my mailbox, turned out to be a return from Phil Regan.  It was delivered to my next door neighbor, who was kind enough to return it to me today.  I sent two from the 1962 Post set; one for me and one for my son.

I sent this request on June 30th of last year, so it was just over a year getting to me (but probably a little under a year getting to my neighbor).

So, where is my Andre Dawson request that I sent back in March?  Others on SCN have been getting returns consistently, but there are a few stragglers, like mine that are still waiting.  I don't see many returns that are older than two weeks though, so my hopes are low of getting that one back.  It was just a '25 Allen & Ginter and $10, but it would be nice to get it.

Bennie Daniels TTM Return

Yesterday I received a 1959 Pirates team card back from Bennie Daniels, who joined Vern Law and the late Bob Skinner on it.

The late 50's early 60's Pirates teams were such great ttm signers, but unfortunately, their numbers have dwindled.