Day Nine - Russ Nagelson - 1971 Topps

For the ninth consecutive day with a return, I received a 1971 Topps signed by Russ Nagelson.  The card is in rough shape.  It's a high number card from the set, so I buy lower grade cards to keep them affordable.  I think this one got a little bat up in the mail too.  I can't remember exactly what it looked like when I sent it, but I think it suffered some surface wear along the way.

I ordered about a dozen other high number cards from the set that I received earlier this week.  I'll start sending those out soon.

The Streak Continues - Sparky Lyle

It's not really much of a streak, but it's something to talk about anyway.  This was my eighth day in a row receiving an autograph back ttm, not including Sundays.

Today brought a 1971 and 1972 Topps signed by Sparky Lyle.  I enclosed $10 cash with my request.

This 1972 Topps return completes my goal for the year of adding 15 more signed cards from that year to my collection.  I need to get going on a few more 1978 Topps, and some balls and magazines.

Ron Guidry and Julian Javier Returns and My 1983 Set Purchase

My daily streak continues, hitting seven days in a row receiving a return on a day that mail is delivered.  Now that I'm making a big deal about it, I'm sure the returns will dry up quickly.

Ron Guidry signed his 1987 Topps for me.  Mr. Guidry signs for free, but signs just one per request.  I was thinking the 87 Topps would be the last card I'd send to him, but now that I've decided to work on the 1983 Topps set, I'll probably bother him again.

Julian Javier signed his 1970 and 1971 Topps from his home in Puerto Rico.  Mr. Javier used to line in the D.R., and I had previously included $5 with my requests to help cover return postage.  Puerto Rico uses U.S. postage, but I included the $5 anyway.  He signed my cards, and returned my $5, telling me to give it to some Foundation.

Finally, I received the 1983 Topps set I bought on Ebay.  The cards look like they are in really nice shape, and the few cards I've randomly pulled for the box also appear nicely centered.  I've decided this will be the set I focus on from the 1980's.  I really like the design, better than even the 85 and 87 sets I have casually worked on.  The seller had pulled a few of the star cards in a separate team bag, as shown in this photo:

I really don't think I'll work on a set from the 90's, but I guess I could change my mind.  I think I'll skip that decade, and move on to some of the Topps Heritage sets.  I like the 2003 and 2007 sets, and have about 100 cards signed from the 2003 set and about 30 signed from the 2007 set.

I really prefer to work on the vintage sets from before 1970, but I've gotten so many cards signed during the 18 years I've been doing ttm requests, that there aren't that many cards I need from players that sign these days.

Bobby Floyd and Mike Tyson - Another 1977 Pepsi Disc

I received at least one return every day this week!  That doesn't happen very often.

I received two returns to close out the week:

Bobby Floyd signed his 1971 Topps.

And Mike Tyson signed his 1977 and 1978 Topps, as well as his 1977 Pepsi disc.  

I have a bunch of the Pepsi discs, but when I looked closer, they aren't all of good signers, or free signers.  I need to take another look and maybe order some more to send out.

Clancy, McBride and Rollins - Two More 1964 Topps Stand Ups

I've received returns five days in a row.  I'm not sure when the last time that has happened, but it's been a while.

Jim Clancy signed his 1978, 1979, 1985 and 1987 Topps.

Ken McBride signed his 1964 Topps Stand Up.  It looks like the ballpoint pen he used didn't roll too smoothly on the front, but he also signed the back with his name and "3X AL ALL STAR", which was nice.

Finally, Rich Rollins signed his 1964 Topps Stand Up nicely in blue sharpie.  I sent this card out to him on May 22nd, and it was postmarked May 26th.  He must have signed it and returned it almost immediately when he got it.  I'm not sure why it took 23 days to get from Ohio to Minnesota, but I'm glad it made it.

Gary Thomasson Return In Just Under a Year

One more return today to keep my streak going for the week.  When I saw the envelope, I knew it was an old request because the stamp on my SASE was not the typical flag forever stamp I almost always use. 

It turned out to be a return from Gary Thomasson, who signed his 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1980 Topps that I mailed to him on June 25th of 2020.

I bought a nearly complete 1983 Topps set on Ebay last night.  It looks like I will have to start sending out more cards from the 70's and 80's since I already have lots of cards from the 50's and 60's and unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer of those players around these days.  I don't intend to try to complete the set and probably won't pay for many players to sign their card from it, but I like to have more than one or two cards to send to a player and I'll throw in a card from this set when I can.

I'm not really sure which set(s) from the 80's I really want to go after.  I have a near-complete unsigned set from 1980, and have unsigned, complete sets from 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989.  I like the 85 and 87 sets and have been working on those casually over the years.

I have about 130 cards signed from the 1985 set, and about 100 cards from 87.  I only have a dozen or two from 86 and 89, so I really haven't made much progress on any of these.  Somehow, I have four cards signed from the 83 set.

The 1983 set I bought is supposed to be fairly high grade, although grade isn't too important to me. They get a little beat up in the mail anyway.  It's missing the Gwynn rookie, which is fine because I won't get that signed obviously.  It's also missing Fisk, one of the Johnny Bench cards, Gossage, Nolan Ryan, Bogg's rookie (which I already have) and Kent Hrbek, along with a few commons.  Other than Hrbek and possibly a few of the commons based on their signing habits, I probably won't buy any of the missing cards.

I like the design, with the full-sized photo, along with the smaller portrait of the player towards the bottom.  They also don't have a facsimile autograph, which I think makes it nicer to get real signatures on.

Here's the Boggs card I have, and which I will probably get signed.  I'm not sure what I'm waiting for.  Maybe someone to give me $20 for his fee.  I should probably get it to him before he raises his prices.

Davey Johnson Return

I received one more return today.  Davey (Dave) Johnson signed his 1965 and 1972 Topps for me for his $5 per card fee.  I'm not sure why I haven't gotten him to sign his 1965 sooner than this, because I've been working on that set for a long time.  I think I have a bunch of the dual-player cards from that year I need to get signed yet.

This gets me within three cards of reaching my goals for the year on the 1965 set and within one card of my goal for the 1972 set.