A Thank You Post

Over the years that I have been collecting Hank Greenberg I have run across many people who have gifted me cards, asking nothing in return.

This thread is a thank you thread to those people!

Steve Rittenberg: 
Steve, member of OBC gifted me this card in 2010 after the Baltimore National. He asked if I needed the card, and simply gave it to me.

Thanks Steve!

Jonathan Roth via Gerry Rittenberg:
This was originally given to my brother for this Bar Mitzvah in 2007 by my Dad's first cousin Gerry, but then was traded to me by my brother for a 1960 Topps Mickey Mantle/Ken Boyer. Thanks to both of them for helping me acquire this card!

gwynn545314u:
A member of FCB, he sent me this while I was at school, and I hadn't checked my mail for over 2 months! Needless to say, a cool note, and a cool card

ecerulo:
Bought a bat card from him, and included was this! A 2010 National Chicle Cowhide 1/1! Couldn't believe it, still one of the most selfless acts I've ever been a part of.

Chris Gilmore and the FCB 2010 National crew:
At the 2010 National, stopping by the FCB booth for the second time, soon after breaking a box of 2010 Tristar Obak, the crew gave me these two cool cards! On the house!

flightposite:
Also a member of FCB, flight had this card that I wanted, and we could not agree on a price, so he decided to send me the card for free! A nice gesture, no doubt.

Greg Plotkin (Bigfan5):
Greg is one of the nicest guys, with the best reputation on FCB. He sent this to me after we had an agreement that I followed through with, as did he. He told me that he saw this and immediately thought of me. It feels nice to think that my collection is so notable that people think of me when they see Greenberg pieces that I could use.

Forgot :( cannot find username on FCB:
I'm sorry to say that I forgot who was generous enough to give this to me, but it was my first Greenberg autograph on a postcard. I remember being floored by the generosity. and I feel bad about forgetting who sent this to me all those years ago.

Chris Gilmore and the FCB crew:
My first cut autograph is courtesy of Gilmore and the FCB crew came when I was a broke college student and I posted this card that was listed poorly on eBay. Chris was generous to buy the card for me, and simply said to, "Pay it forward". 

A once-in-a-lifetime Card: Now Mine

It's not often that a collector has a truly pleasant experience with a seller, but I can now say that I have.

In the post I wrote recently about 2012 Panini National Treasure I spoke briefly about an almost unobtainable card that I saw in the checklist. The card is a booklet of a cut signature paired with a jumbo piece of lumber. A card, no doubt, that could be the centerpiece of any collection.

After that post was published there were two more of those cards, numbered to only 5 that appeared on eBay. Aside from those two, there was one that surfaced that was a slight variation in that there was no nickname stencil in the other half of the booklet.

I then watched carefully as the high BIN prices were set, and never met. The National was approaching, and I knew my plans to go, do I figured I'd try to find one there. With no such luck of course.

A day after coming home from Chicago I had the itch for more. I looked up the completed, unsold card listing from one in Florida (the other being in Taiwan and I was not about to pay $30 to ship a card) and contacted the seller about the card since I hadn't seen it relisted.

Luckily he still had the card, and we came to an agreement (easily I will add). He gave me time to get paid from work to fund the card.

I paid for the card today, 8/19, it's in the mail and I am happy as a clam. And should get the card by end of week :)

2013 National Recap

So, it being my third ever national (2010 bmore, 2012 bmore and 2013 chi), and having a job allowed me the opportunity to travel to the national, as well as spend, what I want, on the cards that I want.

Going into the show I think everyone has the list of cards in their head (or paper) that they'd pay nearly anything for to acquire. For me, those were the 1937 O Pee Chee and the 1936 World Wide Gum.

I flew in Thursday morning from New Jersey and get to the show at about noon. Much like Eric, I wasn't blown away by the size and energy by the show this year, maybe the correct term was overwhelmed.

It took me a bit of time to get started on Thursday with my purchases, but I eventually stumbled upon a clean 1934 Goudey that seemed suitable for the upgrade I desired.

I bought it raw, bargained the seller down considerably, and made the purchase. After which I ran right to SGC to have graded :) the attached image is from my phone before the card was graded, it got a fair. A bit disappointed with the grading, but understood it. I didn't care though, the card has such incredible color and eye appeal and for the price I really couldn't complain.

I then ran into a seller I am familiar with that I know constantly stocks Greenberg. Along with that comes the same story he always tells me, about how 15 years ago he would sell all the Hank Greenberg stuff he had to his daughter, blah blah blah. I did find this interesting piece that I knew existed, but knew very little about. The attached pennant is what I bought. The designation is BF3, produced in 1937 and distribute alongside gum packs. When I got back to the hotel room I researched the pennant and found some great information about it. There are a ton of different colors that these come in, and Greenberg is in three more variations of this issue. A unique buy, for sure!

My last purchase for Sunday came as I would like to say, at the buzzer. I found this with less than 15 minutes to go in the day before the floor closed, and managed to again negotiate the price. The attached pin is from 1938, and I had been wanting one for a very long time. Needless to say, I ended Thursday on cloud nine, easily the best day I ever had at a single show.

Friday came with more expectations, and they were met. I knew the sellers stuff, at the prices I didn't want to pay. I did however, make a really cool purchase this day.

I will be playing in a wooden bat league starting after Labor Day, so knowing I needed a bat, I thought to myself that it'd be awesome to buy a game used bat and use it in the league. So Friday I started this thought with a vendor, and he informed me that they sell bats for people to use them all the time. So I became tickled. I spent the next hour holding and swinging three bats, and chose to buy a black Louisville slugger Jerry Hairston Jr. bat for $50 shipped. Pics to be added upon arrival. I picked up some T206 commons for my brother, then headed, once again, into the final half hour of the day.

I had previously seen the last attached item and remembered it was there, so I simply went and bought it! It's a 1936
Sporting Life record book, accounting for many stories about records and past World Series' played. I began to read the book last night, but decided against it because the book is a bit brittle.

So there it is! My recap. Written in 22 minutes while commuting home on the bus from New York. A great national to be had!

Thanks for reading peeps.

Brian