A puzzling search for my Cardinals collection is finally over!

frankhardy · January 28, 2017 12:41PM

Well....a very frustrating search is finally over! After over 6 years of searching, I have finally located a $3 card that has been giving me fits!

In December 2010, I started a project to add to my Cardinals team set collection. I wanted to add 1996 to present Topps Chrome and Refractors to my Cardinals collection. Six years after starting that project, I have finally found the most puzzling of them all. I finally found a 2001 Topps Chrome Refractors (Retrofractors) #146 Fernando Tatis. I have searched virtually every day for this card. Ironically, I missed one on COMC a couple of years ago and it made me sick. It really puzzles me as to why this card is so hard to find. I have even bought 3 or 4 boxes of 2001 Topps Chrome Series 1 over the past couple of years just to take a chance on finding one (2 refractors out of every box) with no luck. I even tried offering a finders fee with no luck.

Finally, this morning in my Ebay search emails, I found a listing for a lot of 150 2001 Topps Refractors. When I saw that the listing included the Tatis, I got tunnel vision and my heart skipped a beat! It had a best offer on it. I almost always make an offer. However, I could not take a chance on someone buying the lot out from under me, so I pulled the trigger. So.....I paid $199.99 for a $3 card plus 149 others. However, I can just relist the lot of 149 and try to sell them and get some or all of my money back. I'm not worried, though! I would have probably paid $200 for just the Tatis!

If you simply do a Google search on 2001 Topps Chrome Retrofractors Fernando Tatis, you will see multiple postings on different message boards from me trying to find this card.

FINALLY!

jmmiller777 · January 28, 2017 2:48PM

Congratulations! What year did he hit his two grand slams in one inning?

divecchia · January 28, 2017 3:15PM

Shane,

Congrats on your pickup. You must be super-excited, I would be.

Sometimes our white whale is not always expensive, just hard to find.

Good for you for having such perseverance.

Donato

Dboneesq · January 28, 2017 4:20PM

Shane ... I remember when you offered that finders fee ... $100.00 IIRC. So happy for you! Post the card when you receive it. ENJOY.

frankhardy · January 28, 2017 4:35PM

2 grand slams in 1 inning....I believe it was 1999.

Yes, I did offer a finders fee. Not sure how much. Anyway....I found it myself!

alifaxwa2 · January 28, 2017 6:14PM

I applaud your patience and congrats.

bobsbbcards · January 28, 2017 6:53PM

If my math is right, you bought the lot for $199, you would have paid $200 for Tatis, therefore the value of the other cards is negative $1. Go right ahead and send me the other cards and don't forget to include the dollar.

Congrats!

yankeesman · January 28, 2017 7:35PM

Congratulations Shane! I know that card has been an elusive one for you. That must have felt amazing when you saw the Tatis was part of that lot. Way to go!!!!

frankhardy · January 28, 2017 8:22PM

@bobsbbcards said:
If my math is right, you bought the lot for $199, you would have paid $200 for Tatis, therefore the value of the other cards is negative $1. Go right ahead and send me the other cards and don't forget to include the dollar.

Congrats!

(in my Donald Trump voice) WRONG! I didn't pay $199... I paid $199.99. So, that means the value is negative $0.01.....That, I can tell you.....Believe me!

morton35 · January 28, 2017 8:33PM

Congrats on your pick-up. Always feels good when you can track down a card that has been challenging.

Robby · January 29, 2017 12:41PM

Way to go on picking up the Tatis ...............I remember your previous posts how you were constantly on the lookout for
this elusive card !
Robbie

DavidPuddy · January 29, 2017 1:07PM

I saw him in that lot and thought of you. Glad you finally got it.

mrmopar · January 29, 2017 1:08PM

Nice. Now watch, you'll start seeing them everywhere.

frankhardy · January 29, 2017 2:10PM

@mrmopar said:
Nice. Now watch, you'll start seeing them everywhere.

Either that.....or....the guy won't deliver the lot.....or....it will get lost in the mail.

divecchia · January 29, 2017 4:20PM

@frankhardy said:

@mrmopar said:
Nice. Now watch, you'll start seeing them everywhere.

Either that.....or....the guy won't deliver the lot.....or....it will get lost in the mail.

That would really suck!!!

Donato

1954 · January 30, 2017 9:41AM

I have been looking for one refractor too for six years. It makes zero sense on why it has not been for sale. Congratulations on finding the Tatis

Kid4hof03 · January 30, 2017 10:11AM

Congratulations Shane! When I saw this thread I immediately knew it was the Tatis from all your years of looking.

saucywombat · January 30, 2017 11:56AM

Congrats man.

I remember you discussing this card for the last several years.

FirstBeard · January 30, 2017 1:40PM

@Kid4hof03 said:
Congratulations Shane! When I saw this thread I immediately knew it was the Tatis from all your years of looking.

Same here - congrats!

frankhardy · January 31, 2017 4:59AM

Wow...I didn't realize that many people would remember my search. I must have really bugged all of y'all!

Picture coming Thursday of Friday after I get it!

baseballfan · January 31, 2017 7:23AM

I remembered card well

I just never found any of those refractors at my small local show

congrats!!!

gopherfan · February 1, 2017 8:02PM

Congrats on finding your card, Shane. I have been looking for almost the entire time for you. I saw that lot, and was going to make an offer, but it got snapped up right away. I was wondering who overpaid so much for it.

gopherfan · February 1, 2017 8:05PM

@1954 said:
I have been looking for one refractor too for six years. It makes zero sense on why it has not been for sale. Congratulations on finding the Tatis

What card are you looking for? I have been trying to put together all of the Topps Chrome Refractor sets from 1996-2015 including colors. I have tons of extras, I may have what you need.

Rob A.
gopherfan13@yahoo.com

frankhardy · February 2, 2017 8:14PM

Rob,

That is exactly why I overpaid and pulled the trigger so soon. I could not take a chance of someone buying it. Typically, I always make an offer....I just couldn't risk it. Thanks for looking for me. I really appreciate it.

If I recall correctly, aren't you trying to finish that set? If so, let me know what numbers you need and I'll help you out on it.

By the way....I do have it now. Picture coming soon when I'm not so busy.

lawyer05 · February 2, 2017 8:39PM

I'll buy the Mariano rivera

lahmejoon · February 2, 2017 11:20PM

Congratulations on finally finding the Tatis! I give you credit for your persistence.

frankhardy · February 3, 2017 5:20PM

Here it is.

DavidPuddy · February 3, 2017 5:45PM

Great job Shane! Glad you finally found it.
That set is tough. I finished the traded set and am now sitting at 75% on the base retrofractor set. PM me if you want to get rid of your extras.

bishop · February 3, 2017 6:02PM

Congrats Shane. If I was back home I would be tempted to buy the remaining cards in the lot and have you send them to Bob with the one cent just so he would have to figure out what to do with them

Tatis set a standing record with the two slams in one inning. The pitcher set a standing record by giving up two in one inning. Was his card included in the lot ? (CHP)

frankhardy · February 3, 2017 9:09PM

No Chan Ho Park. I remember that inning very well!

mrmopar · February 4, 2017 6:06PM

I think most people want to help find stuff like this for others and it just sticks sometimes.

@frankhardy said:
Wow...I didn't realize that many people would remember my search. I must have really bugged all of y'all!

Picture coming Thursday of Friday after I get it!

frankhardy · March 1, 2017 5:39PM

Well.....I KNEW it would happen. I just didn't think it would happen this soon. When did I get my Tatis?.......One month ago.

Lookey at what I just found! I had to buy it just for kicks. It is another Tatis....except it is in an uncut 3 card panel.

ebay.com/itm/112318308511?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

lawyer05 · March 2, 2017 10:33AM

tatis mania

divecchia · March 2, 2017 11:22AM

Shane,

When it rains it pours. That's okay, now you have 2 versions of the card.

Donato

frankhardy · September 16, 2019 5:36PM

For some reason I decided to revisit this thread.

So within a couple of weeks I found a single Tatis and a 3 card panel with the Tatis.

Just so everyone knows.... I still have that card in my searches and not one time has one been for sale since.

Also, I shortly after getting the Tatis, I sold the rest of the lot for $5 less than I paid for it.

1951WheatiesPremium · September 16, 2019 5:53PM

@frankhardy said:
For some reason I decided to revisit this thread.

So within a couple of weeks I found a single Tatis and a 3 card panel with the Tatis.

Just so everyone knows.... I still have that card in my searches and not one time has one been for sale since.

Also, I shortly after getting the Tatis, I sold the rest of the lot for $5 less than I paid for it.

Ha! Did t notice the dates until this last post.

Belated congrats!!!

Stone193 · September 16, 2019 6:26PM

That's pretty cool Shane.

Is Tatis on the DL?

bishop · September 17, 2019 11:43AM

You reneged on the deal with Bob ?

frankhardy · September 18, 2019 7:38AM

@bishop said:
You reneged on the deal with Bob ?

I would have traded the lot for a 1967 Topps Stand-up McCarver or Cepeda..... For some reason I just could bring myself to initiate the negotiation!

frankhardy · September 18, 2019 7:40AM

@Stone193 said:
That's pretty cool Shane.

Is Tatis on the DL?

Thanks.

Tatis Sr is long retired.... Tatis Jr is on the 60 day IL.

We are getting old!

frankhardy · August 25, 2023 2:54PM

Notice the date in this thread.... 2017. I had looked for a 2001 Topps Chrome Retrofractor (Refractor) Fernando Tatis for over 6 years for my Cardinals team sets. Finally found one in a lot of $200 and sold off the rest. A few weeks later I found one in a 3 card uncut strip and bought it (and kept it uncut).

Juat for kicks, I kept it in my saved Ebay searches. A few weeks ago.... 6 years later than the last purchase, another one came up for sale. I just had to bid on it. I got it for a little over $40, so apparently there were others looking for it as well..

That card is so strange that I have only seen 3 in 12 years of Ebay searches. Crazy.

A puzzling search for my Cardinals collection is finally over!

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