Just got back from the flea market

lawnmowerman

The wagon Wheel flea market to be exact. It's a really large one down here in Saint Petersburg. Tonya's mom came over to our house to watch the kids so Tonya and I had the morning / early afternoon to ourselves.

Obviously we love our kids but it's sure nice to have a little break. We went out for breakfast to our favorite family restaurant, Kissin Cuzzins. It's the account I do the property maintenance at for food ...LOL

So, we make it to the flea market and start our wandering. Tonya picked up something for her grandmother and a few things for our girls. I of course was on the lookout for the card dudes. We found 3 guys selling cards.

The first guy had a huge setup. Everything was displayed nicely and as I approached I was very excited. However the excitement was short lived when I saw that every card, box, pack, 8x10 and every other piece of memorabilia he had was hockey :enter Bill:

The second guy had a moderate setup but had many common boxes to scour. He didn't have many gradeable Emmitt cards but I did notice alot of PSA graded cards. The guys subs to PSA all the time so I of course asked him if he was a message board member. I thought it would be cool to meet one of "us" but he was not.

He went on to tell me of his experiences with PSA and had nothing but bad things to say about the graders. He kept picking up cards that he had graded and was saying "I wouldn't have sub'd this if I thought it wasn't a 10. What do you see wrong with it??"

I was thinking to myself, "where do you want me to start buddy?" The cards were mostly PSA 8's that he swears were 10's but in fact the cards were crap. OC, multiple dinged corners... I right away thought of the guys that come on here with 1 or 2 posts stating the same type of things.

I really have no clue what half of the people see or don't see when they send their cards in to be graded.

Finally, the last guy had a bunch of stuff worthy of picking through. He had a nice large box of cards all penny sleeved and toploaded. I spent some time but again did not find any gradeable Emmitts. I did find some nice cards of other players. 15 cards to be exact that I will be sending in for grading. All modern of course but good stuff.

A few points to ponder about the flea market;

Why does it seem that every dealer/seller there looks like a first rate shyster? I know that's really not the case but it sure looked like that.

Why is the Mexican guy in the "foodcourt" tent in the corner singing Stevie wonder kareokee songs? And why were people sitting there listening to him? I'm sure they were deaf and didn't mind it but we got out of there fast..lol

Why is there a lady sitting in the women's bathroom, in a lawn chair holding a bucket with a sign saying"Tips,This Is The Only Money I make" ( Tonya told me this, I wasn't hanging out in the women's bathroom.....I'm not that bad)

Where else can you see such a large variety of different kinds characters? I don't think there is any other place

edit:sp

swartz1

Where else can you see such a large variety of different kinds caracters? I don't think there is any other place >>




I think I know....

WinPitcher

How were the fleas?


Steve

dan8402

<< <i>Where else can you see such a large variety of different kinds caracters? I don't think there is any other place >>




I think I know....





>>



You must be thinking of a carnival or a state fair

lawnmowerman

<< <i>How were the fleas?


Steve >>



Tonya and I both wore flea-collars on our necks, wrists and ankles just so we could avoid them.


Did I say the place was filled with weird people?

Mphilking

What cards did you pick up?

WinPitcher

Did I say the place was filled with weird people?



unlike what? this place?


Steve

lawnmowerman

<< <i>What cards did you pick up? >>



8 Tom Brady

1 Marion Barber

1 Felix Jones

2 Tony Romo

1 Eli Manning

2 Brett Favre

Nothing spectacular but all PSA 10 worthy.

stevek

<< <i>The wagon Wheel flea market to be exact. It's a really large one down here in Saint Petersburg. Tonya's mom came over to our house to watch the kids so Tonya and I had the morning / early afternoon to ourselves.

Obviously we love our kids but it's sure nice to have a little break. We went out for breakfast to our favorite family restaurant, Kissin Cuzzins. It's the account I do the property maintenance at for food ...LOL

So, we make it to the flea market and start our wandering. Tonya picked up something for her grandmother and a few things for our girls. I of course was on the lookout for the card dudes. We found 3 guys selling cards.

The first guy had a huge setup. Everything was displayed nicely and as I approached I was very excited. However the excitement was short lived when I saw that every card, box, pack, 8x10 and every other piece of memorabilia he had was hockey :enter Bill:

The second guy had a moderate setup but had many common boxes to scour. He didn't have many gradeable Emmitt cards but I did notice alot of PSA graded cards. The guys subs to PSA all the time so I of course asked him if he was a message board member. I thought it would be cool to meet one of "us" but he was not.

He went on to tell me of his experiences with PSA and had nothing but bad things to say about the graders. He kept picking up cards that he had graded and was saying "I wouldn't have sub'd this if I thought it wasn't a 10. What do you see wrong with it??"

I was thinking to myself, "where do you want me to start buddy?" The cards were mostly PSA 8's that he swears were 10's but in fact the cards were crap. OC, multiple dinged corners... I right away thought of the guys that come on here with 1 or 2 posts stating the same type of things.

I really have no clue what half of the people see or don't see when they send their cards in to be graded.

Finally, the last guy had a bunch of stuff worthy of picking through. He had a nice large box of cards all penny sleeved and toploaded. I spent some time but again did not find any gradeable Emmitts. I did find some nice cards of other players. 15 cards to be exact that I will be sending in for grading. All modern of course but good stuff.

A few points to ponder about the flea market;

Why does it seem that every dealer/seller there looks like a first rate shyster? I know that's really not the case but it sure looked like that.

Why is the Mexican guy in the "foodcourt" tent in the corner singing Stevie wonder kareokee songs? And why were people sitting there listening to him? I'm sure they were deaf and didn't mind it but we got out of there fast..lol

Why is there a lady sitting in the women's bathroom, in a lawn chair holding a bucket with a sign saying"Tips,This Is The Only Money I make" ( Tonya told me this, I wasn't hanging out in the women's bathroom.....I'm not that bad)

Where else can you see such a large variety of different kinds characters? I don't think there is any other place

edit:sp >>



No pics from the flea market? Come on now. I wanted to see a pic of that lady with the sign.

lawnmowerman

<< <i>No pics from the flea market? Come on now. I wanted to see a pic of that lady with the sign. >>



LOL

Same thing Tonya said. She said she should have brought her camera.

We had her cam/phone but never tried to upload pics off it yet so we didn't bother

stevek

<< <i>

<< <i>No pics from the flea market? Come on now. I wanted to see a pic of that lady with the sign. >>



LOL

Same thing Tonya said. She said she should have brought her camera.

We had her cam/phone but never tried to upload pics off it yet so we didn't bother >>



Posters of the year are supposed to do better than that - you're supposed to include pics from all your "adventure stories" - Don't screw up again or we'll rescind the award and all of the prize money.

lawnmowermanswife

If we go again, I am totally taking my camera!

I want to have photos of the karioke (sp?) guy before he's famous

IchiroDeported

will you also be taking photos of the chick in the toilet... i hope she is decent (as in decency, not her overall appearance)

lawnmowermanswife

<< <i>will you also be taking photos of the chick in the toilet... i hope she is decent (as in decency, not her overall appearance) >>



I avoided eye contact with her LOL. I didn't want to leave her a tip just because she had a tip jar in the public bathroom. Next time though, I'll give her a dollar to let me take her picture next to her sign!

Goot

Sounds like I'll have to make an appearance at this flea market once I move over to your neck of the woods next year.



You do know we're becoming BFFFFF, right Matt?

lawnmowerman

<< <i>Sounds like I'll have to make an appearance at this flea market once I move over to your neck of the woods next year.



You do know we're becoming BFFFFF, right Matt? >>






You don't still have my address do ya ??


Anyway, you can finally snag that football if you still want it.

Goot

<< <i>




You don't still have my address do ya ??


Anyway, you can finally snag that football if you still want it. >>



I forgot about the football! And no, I don't have your address.........I don't think.

nam812

Adopt Goot Matt, whats one more mouth to feed.

WinPitcher

Did ya get any tube socks?


Steve

lawnmowermanswife

<< <i>Adopt Goot Matt, whats one more mouth to feed. >>



LOL! Goot wouldn't wanna live here! I'd make him get a hair cut!

lawnmowerman

<< <i>Did ya get any tube socks?


Steve >>




No but we did see diabetic socks whatever the heck they are.

I didn't know socks could get diabetes

rube26105

<Did I say the place was filled with weird people?>

thats the truth,ours is the same way, i think they bus them in from the rest home of people who are deemed "more than happy"
they all walk around in a daze or something like the twilight zone

F1ferrari

I'm pretty sure that's the way ALL flea markets are. Ours has the 'infomercial corner' where the vendors selling all the crap you see on informercials get up on a little podium and do their 'as seen on tv' schitk.

There's the people there selling sugar gliders who will neglect to tell you the things are nocturnal, and will chatter away once you turn the lights out at night.

There are always abot a half dozen guys selling some type of 'guy' collectable: cards, comics, records, hot wheels, die cast racecars, etc., who want 700% of book because they swear everything they have is 'rare'.

We're fortunate to have one good card dealer who tries to have a variety of sports, with decent prices, good selection of modern unopened stuff and a selection of 'junk to get rid of', unopened boxes he's selling for $5-10 each. Mostly overproduced stuff, but I don't mind throwing $10 for a box of 1991 Upper Deck, just to have something to rip. However, he's the fellow I did buy 4 boxes of 1994 Topps 1954 Archives from for $40 total. He'll always be a good seller in my book. ;-)

bcwcardz

I always wonder what people think too when they send in some cards.I wonder that when i see cards like a 84 mattingly PSA 5 for sale.Why would you even bother sending that in?

WinPitcher

maybe they missed a small wrinkle?


and otherwise they were hoping for a 9 or 10?


Steve

lawnmowerman

<< <i>maybe they missed a small wrinkle?


and otherwise they were hoping for a 9 or 10?


Steve >>




Yup exactly.

To the eye, some 5's look like a 10