Welcome to the section of this website where I share my other interest: baseball cards. On this page, you’ll find a collection of thoughts about my baseball card collection, and old baseball cards in general. [If you have found this page on a search engine, and want to go back to my road trips, just click on the top banner above].
I will post new content for this section of the website intermittently, and they are first shared on my social media platforms; they aren’t available via this website’s email newsletter (I keep that specifically for the road trips).
Sometimes I’ll go on dedicated baseball card road trips, and they’ll be found both here and on the homepage.
Featured posts
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Peoria Card Buys: March 26, 2022 – My trip to Peoria, as initially planned, would have been an absolute bust if it weren’t for a decision to also visit a pair of card shops in the city. While I came away from a card show at the mall empty-handed, I came away from the two shops with 14% of my Want List finds found. Blog entry also includes Peoria road trip observations, and an opinion of “gold stamp” vintage cards from Topps.
Shop Visit: Freeport’s Jennings Cards and Coins: March 9, 2022 – If you’re looking for that missing card for a vintage set, it’s very likely within the realm of this longtime business in downtown Freeport. It’s been open since the 1960s, in the card market since the 1980s, and is one of the rare survivors of the sports card business. Found one card on my Want List that pays informal homage to what’s going on in baseball today.
Top 25 Find: 1987 Topps Traded Ron Cey – The card that costs only $0.10 but is high up on my Want List now is in the personal collection. You might eye that set wanting the Greg Maddux rookie, but I’m in search of another former Cub. Speaking of former Cubs, one is from Ottawa, threw a lot of strikeouts in high school, and the feat is mentioned in this player’s card in this set.
Madison Card Show Haul, Jan. 29, 2022 – The vintage PC continues to add up after some good finds at my friend Beau’s monthly show in Wisconsin. Several PC “firsts,” a chicken, a couple of multi-sport athletes, and memories of 1960s cereal, candy and marbles. This was a very well-attended show! Also popped off my favorite Red Sox trivia question.
Cody’s Top 12 Vintage-ish “Rookie Stars” Cards Topps Got Right – You’re the card editor of sorts at Topps in the 1960s or 1970s. Who gets their own rookie card? Who gets to be lumped in a multi-player card? How did those multi-player card choices work out? I determine the 12 best “rookie star” player combos of the time.
The Lazarus Ticket – Dig through your old cards. Do you come across any that make you stop sifting through for a moment and think about that player in that season? If so, you may have come across a card worth keeping or trading as a conversation piece, and maybe up its value a little?
Peru card show haul, Dec. 18, 2021 – Returned to Peru after more than a year to come away with a mix of current and vintage cards, from as late as a 2013 Bartolo Colon to a 1952 Del Crandall.
Rockford card show haul, Dec. 11, 2021 – My first visit to the Northern Illinois Sports Card Show saw lots of Want List cards found. Got a couple of neat 1971 Topps cameo cards. Plus, learn more about Australian baseball legend Graeme Lloyd.
Orland Park card show haul, Nov. 27, 2021 – In my 3rd trip to Orland Park, I came away with a smaller stack than in my 2nd trip, but this stack had more quality to it. I now have original cards of every hall of fame player and manager with service time in the 1970s and later. Plus, I can add “head coach” to my oddball position collection to go along with “pinch runner.”
Orland Park card show haul, Oct. 17, 2021 – The monthly shows at the Orland Park Civic Center in the southwest suburbs of Chicago has become a favorite of mine due to the large number of vintage cards I’ve come across. Many cards I’ve found filled my Want List, or were cards that I thought were good enough to grace my collection, such as minor star rookie cards and “conversation piece” cards such as Frank Thomas in a Cubs uniform (actually, that’s the “old” Frank Thomas of the 50s and 60s, an original Met who was a pretty good hitter in his era).
Put these cards aside: Notes for your next junk wax memory lane trip – A childhood obsession with collecting baseball cards left behind a massive “junk wax” era collection that seemed worthless – until a closer look revealed hidden stories and possibilities. The post explores how cards from the late 1980s and early 1990s might gain new appeal through connections to Hall of Fame players, brief stints with uncommon teams, and former players who became successful managers or coaches. It also examines overlooked collecting angles, such as cameo appearances by stars, unique career moments, and cards that carry historical significance beyond their monetary value. Rather than chasing riches, forgotten cards can find new life by connecting generations of baseball fans with the stories behind the cardboard.
Cody’s Road Trips 