CCC Rider...

awhile back, Paul from Carl Crawford Cards offered up some relic cards for trade. I saw one I wanted, and left a comment, offering up a 2008 Bowman Orange Carl Crawford #/250. Paul immediately sent me an email demanding the Crawford, as well as a case of maple syrup, 20 Francs, and the head of Diego Garcia.
I negotiated him down to the Crawford, and a 1982 Kellogs Vida Blue. After all, where the hell would I get 20 Francs???

No, I was not trading for smiling Dave here... we'll get to him in a moment...
Here's the beauty I was after. An N.L. Artifacts of Phil Niekro. Simply sweet.

True to Upper Deck though, It's an National League card featuring a Braves pitcher, with a Yankees swatch. Genius. A future Nobel Prize winner designed that baby. No matter. Phil wore it during his 83 year pitching career and now it's mine.

Paul also included 4 different 2007 Fleer Ultra Chippers.

an Adam LaRoche just for me....

and most of a 1992 Pinnacle Braves team set. Well, the scrubs mostly... but now I have to track down the rest of them. This is the life of a set collector...

Paul actually sent 2 Sid Breams. But that's okay. There's always a seat at my table for Sid. If you don't know why, you aren't a Braves fan....

and that brings us to these....

if a card could sum up the '90's... it would be smiling Dave there....

Thanks for the trade Paul!

catching up.... and a warning....

with my scanner on a work stoppage, I've fallen behind on a few mail days. My apologies. I'll try to catch up on the first few here.

first up, my good pal John in the UK sent over some more wonderful stickers. He sent some random Braves as well, but it's the stickers that I'm truly after. As soon as I'm done typing, I'll be ripping and putting these in my album.
if anyone has doubles of these, hook a brother up. There's nothing worse than a half empty sticker book.
next we have a selection from Paul from Crawford Cards. It started out simple enough. He had a few '03 Heritage cards I needed. Then it grew to an exchange of '76 Topps as well. Paul also enclosed a surprise Pete Smith auto.
I'm a lot closer to completing these two sets. Thanks Paul. I know you already received the first part, the second part should be there soon...

now we're onto my Canadian friend David. Or tunguska as some may know him from a Long Fly Ball to Because. David first sent over this Brian McCann auto, which apperntly arrived sooner than it should have, followed by this box of much needed '09 OPC hockey. Trying to complete a 600 card set plus shiny inserts is a very daunting task. It's great to have friends who can help.

It all started back in mid April. I bought a blaster of these and busted them here for all to see. I decided to not collect them, and offered them up to anyone who needed them. David spoke up, and I ended up sending him 15 or 20 cards. Like an idiot, I decided to collect the set about a week later. Well, he returned the favour, and then some.

Lastly we have two packages from Greg at Lake Effect Baseball Cards. Greg hit my wantlists with a passion. He finished off my '91 Score set, my '08 Opening Day set, along with some needed '09 Heritage, '76 Topps, and a random assortment of rather interesting Braves.

Please cast your eyes to the back row.

need a closer look?

Those are Braves baseball card Xmas ornaments. You know damn well they're going on my tree. Greg, you need to know my wife is not amused. Things were said. Promises were made. But you shouldn't worry too much Greg... I mean, she does know your address, but you're fairly far away. And you do have a head start.

Greg has decided to take "an indefinite hiatus" from blogging. Coincidence? I think not. He knows. He knows.

Good luck Greg.