2005 In Review - Your Best (Favorite) Acquisition/Deal of the Year

jskirwin

So here we are at the end of '05 and getting ready to start the downside of the first decade of the 21st Century, and I still don't know what this decade should be called. "Ots", "Millennial", the "Zeroes".

That said, what was your best or favorite acquisition, deal or trade of the year?

Mine was hands down this one, where I snagged a Yount RC.

Southerncards

My best acquisition has to be the 1955 Dairy Queen statues that I picked up for about $5

yawie99

Buying this raw for $37.01 on 3/28/05 turned out to be one of my best deals, financially speaking, since it's now a PSA 5:



As for my favorite, though, that would be going in on a V145-1 set with a friend in the spring MHCC auction. It was a hasty, last-minute decision, but well worth it. Divvying up the loot over breakfast before the National in Chicago was about the most fun I've ever had in the hobby, especially since our system, which probably wasn't all that systematic, wasn't based on just summing values. Plus, my buddy was gracious enough to let me have the first selection, which I used on this card:

schr1st

I'd probably go with this:



I paid $30 over what a non-autographed PSA 10 lists for in SMR. I still want a refractor, but I'm going to take a wild guess, and say that there aren't may autographed PSA 10s floating around out there. Sorry for the poor scan, but chrome cards are always hard to get just right. The autograph is much nicer in person.

ArchStanton

It is certainly not a high-end 8, but it is probably my favorite pick up this year.



Merry Christmas

lawnmowerman

Here's mine



Matt

Lothar52

clemens.....

Stingray

My first PSA 10s for any year:




Yes they are only 84s, but it is what I like.

Merry Christmas


Stingray

Brian48

I only returned to card collecting in 2004 after over a decade of being away from the hobby. My favorite acquisition for '05 would have to be my '91 Desert Shield Clemens (all of them).




I always wanted one of these ever since I was a corporal in the Marines during Desert Shield (later Storm). I was part of the amphibious forces (4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade) and we never saw any of the Desert Shield packs that was supposedly distributed to the troops. I had heard that the Clemens existed, but never saw one until this year. Anyway, I now have five in hand with a couple more on the way. Although I've got 3 of the '84 Fleer Clemens rookies, these to me are far more valuable and much scarcer to obtain.

Also, I like this card because the great and very unique photo. A young, confident Clemens in his ABSOLUTE prime, posing humorously with the green monster near the "Strike Out" sign. A striking and memorable photo.

In fact, I've collected pretty much every iteration of this card using the same photo. These include:

2 Topps Tiffanys (both PSA 10)
1 Topps Micro
1 Topps Micro (uncut promo w/B.Santiago, Molitor, and Viola)
2 Topps Pre-Production Sample

....and at least 10 of the common '91 Topps, although it's hard as hell to find a PSA 10 specimen. The last one sold for about $118 the last time I checked. Not bad for a card that normally books for .50 cents.

Golfcollector

This past year I picked up an amazing collection of early golf cards. 6 complete sets including 3 - of the toughest vintage golf card sets to find period. for near 5 figures.
The collection consisted of the following:

1900 Copes Golfers Complete set of 50
1923 Copes Golf Strokes set of 32
1927 Churchman Famous Golfers Small set of 50
1927 Churchman Famous Golfers Large Series 1 Set of 12
1928 Churchman Famous Golfers Large Series 2 Set of 12
1931 CHurchman Prominent Golfers Small series of 50

First I sent in just the 4 biggies from the 1927 Churchman Small set. 2 Bobby Jones cards and 2 Walter Hagens. I received a 6 and an 8 on the 2 Jones cards, and a 7 and 8 on the two Hagens. I have the #2 set on the registry currently (check out Peter Parkers #1 rated set if you have a chance) I still have 46 "other cards to grade and anticipate many 7 and hopefully a few 8's based on their condition.

I also sent in the 1927 Churchman Large Series 1. This set is very tough and has the Jones and Hagen (both were graded PSA 7's and many others "commons" graded 6 and even 1 psa 8. The set graded out at a GPA of 6.50

On that same invoice I sent in The Old Tom Morris and Tom Morris Jr. from the 1900 Copes set. Old tom garnered a grand ol grade of 7 and young tom a nice psa 6. (these are by FAR the highest of these cards ever graded.)

Last week, I dropped the big money (for me at least) and sent in the remaining 48 cards from the 1900 Copes set and the complete 1932 set. I also sent in the 1928 Churchmans Large series of 12 and The Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen from the 1931 Churchman small set. Here are the invoices:

PSA Order Status for Submission # 581330



1 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 1 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 7
2 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 2 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 7
3 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 3 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 8
4 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 4 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 7
5 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 5 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 7
6 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 6 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 7
7 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 7 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 6
8 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 8 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 8
9 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 9 HARRY VARDON GOLF STROKES 7
10 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 10 ABE MITCHELL GOLF STROKES 7
11 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 11 ABE MITCHELL GOLF STROKES 8
12 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 12 ABE MITCHELL GOLF STROKES 7
13 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 13 ABE MITCHELL GOLF STROKES 8
14 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 14 ABE MITCHELL GOLF STROKES 7
15 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 15 ABE MITCHELL GOLF STROKES 8
16 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 16 ABE MITCHELL GOLF STROKES 7
17 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 17 GEORGE DUNCAN GOLF STROKES 8
18 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 18 GEORGE DUNCAN GOLF STROKES 8
19 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 19 GEORGE DUNCAN GOLF STROKES 8
20 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 20 GEORGE DUNCAN GOLF STROKES 7
21 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 21 GEORGE DUNCAN GOLF STROKES 8
22 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 22 J.H. TAYLOR GOLF STROKES 8
23 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 23 J.H. TAYLOR GOLF STROKES 8
24 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 24 J.H. TAYLOR GOLF STROKES 8
25 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 25 J.H. TAYLOR GOLF STROKES 8
26 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 26 J.H. TAYLOR GOLF STROKES 7
27 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 27 J.H. TAYLOR GOLF STROKES 7
28 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 28 J.H. TAYLOR GOLF STROKES 6
29 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 29 EDWARD RAY GOLF STROKES 8
30 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 30 EDWARD RAY GOLF STROKES 7
31 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 31 EDWARD RAY GOLF STROKES 5
32 1923 COPE BROS. & CO. 32 EDWARD RAY GOLF STROKES 5
33 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 1 A SHORT PUTT COPE'S GOLFERS 5
34 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 3 KEEP YOUR EYE ON... COPE'S GOLFERS 6
35 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 4 SANDY SMITH COPE'S GOLFERS 5
36 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 5 AN ENTHUSIAST COPE'S GOLFERS 7
37 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 6 A DRIVE COPE'S GOLFERS 7
38 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 7 MISSED THE GLOBE COPE'S GOLFERS 7
39 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 8 A.J. BALFOUR COPE'S GOLFERS 8
40 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 9 ANDREW LANG COPE'S GOLFERS 2
41 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 10 A BAD LIE COPE'S GOLFERS 8
42 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 11 OLD SCHOOL COPE'S GOLFERS 8
43 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 13 MR. CRAWFORD COPE'S GOLFERS 6
44 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 14 FIERY MUSSELBURGH COPE'S GOLFERS 8
45 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 15 A STYMIE COPE'S GOLFERS 5
46 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 16 AN ANXIOUS MOMENT COPE'S GOLFERS 8
47 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 17 THE TEE SHOT COPE'S GOLFERS 6
48 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 18 DELIGHTS OF A... COPE'S GOLFERS 7
49 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 19 CHARLES I. COPE'S GOLFERS 8
50 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 23 A DUFFER'S STROKE COPE'S GOLFERS 6
51 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 28 PROFESSOR TAIT COPE'S GOLFERS 7
52 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 29 THE "MASHIE" COPE'S GOLFERS 6
53 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 30 NEW WOMAN COPE'S GOLFERS 5
54 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 31 THE DUFFER COPE'S GOLFERS 8
55 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 32 LADY MARGARET SCOTT COPE'S GOLFERS 7
56 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 33 MacFOOZLE COPE'S GOLFERS 7
57 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 34 DORMY COPE'S GOLFERS 7
58 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 35 A NOVICE COPE'S GOLFERS 7
59 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 36 THE MYSTERY OF... COPE'S GOLFERS 7
60 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 37 A LONG PUTT COPE'S GOLFERS 6
61 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 39 AGRICULTURE COPE'S GOLFERS 6
62 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 40 THE GRACES OF GOLF COPE'S GOLFERS 8
63 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 41 THE BRASSEY COPE'S GOLFERS 8
64 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 42 THE PARISH MINISTER COPE'S GOLFERS 7
65 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 43 FORE-WAR CRY... COPE'S GOLFERS 7
66 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 44 THE PARSON COPE'S GOLFERS 7
67 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 45 ELEGANCIES OF GOLF COPE'S GOLFERS 7
68 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 47 DUFFERS YET COPE'S GOLFERS 8
69 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 48 A LONG SPOON COPE'S GOLFERS 7
70 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 49 LORD S. DARLING COPE'S GOLFERS 6
71 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 50 LOST BALL COPE'S GOLFERS 5
72 1931 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 35 E. SARAZEN PROMINENT GOLFERS-SMAL

And submission #2

1 1935 MITCHELL & SON 30 W. LAWSON LITTLE GALLERY OF 1934 7
2 1931 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 16 WALTER HAGEN PROMINENT GOLFERS-SMALL 8
4 1931 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 25 BOBBY JONES PROMINENT GOLFERS-SMALL 8
5 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 1 JAMES BARNES FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 5
6 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 2 AUBREY BOOMER FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 6
7 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 3 ARCHIE COMPSTON FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 7
8 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 4 GEORGE GADD FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 8
9 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 5 A.G. HAVERS FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 7
10 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 6 H.C. JOLLY FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 7
11 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 7 ARNAUD MASSY FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 5
12 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 8 TOM MORRIS FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 7
13 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 9 ALEXANDER SIMPSON FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 6
14 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 10 JESS SWEETSER FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 6
15 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 11 CYRIL TOLLEY FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 6
16 1928 WA&AC CHURCHMAN 12 ERNEST WHITCOMBE FAMOUS GOLFERS SER.OF 12 7
16 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 12 ALLAN ROBERTSON COPE'S GOLFERS 7
17 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 20 F.G. TAIT COPE'S GOLFERS 6
18 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 21 H.G. HUTCHINSON COPE'S GOLFERS 8
19 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 22 J.H. TAYLOR COPE'S GOLFERS 8
20 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 24 HAROLD HILTON COPE'S GOLFERS 5
21 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 25 J. BALL COPE'S GOLFERS 5
22 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 27 J.E. LAIDLAY COPE'S GOLFERS 6
23 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 38 JOHN TAYLOR COPE'S GOLFERS 7
24 1900 COPE BROS. & CO. 46 ALEX HERD COPE'S GOLFERS 8


The 1900 Copes set is by far the most valuable and rare golf card set ever produced. I have not inputed the grades yet but if my math is correct my GPA will be at or above 6.25 range. Pretty remarkable for almost non-exsistent 105 year old cards.

The 1923 Copes 2nd will be the 2nd all time finest registerd by a whopping 1 grade (1st 7.28 - mine 7.25) As we all occasionaly feel a card or two in this set may be a bit undergraded as I was a little suprised I did not receive one psa 9 and I thought I has 4 or 5 with a legitimate shot at that grade.

I still have 93 cards from two set to submit, and already I could not be happier!

This is definately my FIND of a lifetime.

Hope to have the sets entered on the registry and scans added soon

churchiscool

i have always been fascinated by the tragic tale of shoeless joe jackson ever since i read about the blacksox scandal in jr. high school. this year i was fortunate enough to pick up a few of his cards, including my favorite the cracker jack:

MajorDanby

i got a nice frank chance t206 card that was graded low because of paper loss...but the front is beautiful. ditto with a t206 homerun baker.

mudflap02

I've really shied away from the graded Ryans this year, in favor of Topps Heritage stuff. I'm still a vintage guy at heart though (ONE OF US! ONE OF US!) I couldn't really narrow it down to one card that's my favorite that I've picked up, but the 01 Spahn and Hank Bauer autos and the 02 Clemens, A-Rod, and Berra autos are just great cards to own and enjoy.

GoYankeesGo

Johnny Damon

kennylow

I picked up 70 1933 Goudey PSA 7 cards (all already graded, no qualifiers) for under SMR. That was the impetus to start me moving up from a goal of PSA 6 set to a goal of PSA 7 set. Since then, I have moved up to a goal of half PSA 7 / half PSA 8...with just a couple more cards that I'm waiting for, and a handful I need to upgrade.

iamthegreatcornholio

Looks like an 8 to me... got it well below the SMR of a 7!

jskirwin

Nice pick-ups all.
As a 60s-70s "vintage" collector I'm drawn to some of Roberto Clemente's cards. There's something about the '71 and '72 that I'm drawn to, so I was happy to see the '71.
Both pics show an intensity that I don't see in most of the other cards. I know that some view the '72 Clemente as a photographic "slip", but I find it quite contemplative and as a result it's my favorite single card from the era I collect (the airborne Peewee Reese from the early 50's is my favorite card shot of all time- not to digress).

Stone193

I think the most rewarding pickup of the year was a T3 Doyle raw from sg gaynor that came back a 6!



Merry Christmas
mike

brianwintersfan

gregm13

It's hard to narrow down my favorite to one card, but this Benny Friedman auto'd card is at the top of the list.

Regards,

Greg M.

mafoliq

I just acquired these about a month ago on EBAY and they have been received by PSA ( but not posted ). I am too embarassed to say what I paid for them (not that much). But it does go to show that there is a santa and there are deals on EBAY! And , yes that is a no stats Hoblitzell (hoping for a vg/x) and a Wallace one line (hoping for a ex/mt)

mafoliq

Sorry, I am going to have to get my son to show me how to downsize my scans, or wait til they come back from PSA.

Lothar52

My first mantle in 4 years....I like the centering...who cares if its only a psa 5!!!

to anyone reading this who dabbles in the 58 set....i need one more card to have all the Multi-Player Cards from the set

Mound Aces- bob friend, billy pierce

looking for CENTERED copies in psa 5-7

thanks!

Loth

jad22

I paid $20.00 dollars for a topps trio with Maravich and Havlicek, sgc graded it as an 8.0. Two of my favorites on one card.

Jdurg

This year I was able to "complete" the bulk of my main collection. I've been putting together a Complete Set of Topps Baseball cards from my year of birth (1980) through the present for a good long while now. This year, I finally got ahold of the one or two years that I was missing. I then went further and put together complete parallel sets such as the 1992-1994 Topps Gold sets, the 1981-1995 Topps Traded Sets, and a few other sets as well. I'm still short a few Topps Traded sets, but I figure that's what 2006 will be for. That and completing the Barry Bonds Race To 70 set from the 2002 Topps Base Set. (Need 36 more of the Bonds cards).

helionaut

I didn't really have a singular major standout pickup this year, even though I've made more money this year than any year past. Something about having a couple extra thousand dollars in the bank makes me very frugal, but $10 here, $50 there and it's gone on a bunch of little things rather than 1 big thing. Sort of like Eliza Doolittle's father in My Fair Lady, where he wanted 5 pounds for Liza, but wouldn't take 10 because he wouldn't have the heart to spend it. I was going to buy a $1000 comic, but someone unexpectedly bought it before I saved up that much (I knew I should've bought first and saved later). But a bunch of little purchases have been significant, like a PSA 8 1975 Topps #6, my last "common" card, leaving me only 5 HOFers to get that I can pick up practically any time to complete the set. Or a Stan Musial Sweet Spot autograph. I love Sweet Spots, and Musial, so it instantly became one of my favorite cards in my collection.

Anyway, my favorite acquisition this year is probably the Grady Sizemore red refractor from 2004 Bowman Draft.

It was heinously expensive, as I was going up against the other major Sizemore collector on ebay. After I outbid him, he wrote me a sour grapes note,"That's more than I've paid for my 5 other Sizemore 1/1s put together." Probably true, but who cares, I really wanted it.

I also bought my first 1/1s. I love the Old Judge brown and black parallels from Origins, and have been going hard after the set. Here are the 4 black 1/1s I've picked up so far:


I've got more than 60% of the brown #/20 set so far, including most of the big names. The UD Update set looms heavy on the horizon, though. Another 100 cards, almost all RCs, including some of the year's hottest like Zimmerman, Fielder, Morales, Drew, Weaver. Ugh. Only 20 copies to go around, so I face the choice of going after them whenever they appear no matter the price or try to wait them out. Hopefully this product will be heavily broken and there won't be a huge number of cases for them to hide in.