Not all card shops are created equal.

Last Saturday I went to a card show and sent some time digging through a couple of 10 for a $1 boxes full of 2018 Topps Series I looking for a J.D. Martinez card; the last card I need to complete my D-Backs team set from that set. Looked through several thousand cards, but I had no luck.

This past Friday, I had a little extra time to kill during my lunch break so I went to a card shop close to my work that I've only been to a couple of times.

I started looking through some 5000 count boxes and found some 2018 Topps, so I began looking for the J.D. Martinez card I needed and found it fairly quickly.

I also came across a box full of 2018 Heritage and remembered that I still needed the A.J. Pollock card for the team set, so I started looking. Found it!

In addition to the Pollock, I saw a couple of the World Series cards that I wanted, so I set them aside. I also started to come across a few of the All-Star cards so I added them to my pile.

None of the boxes were labeled so when the guy asked how I was doing I asked him how much the cards were that I was looking through. His answer was that they would be anywhere between 50 cents to $2 each. I was a little shocked and asked him if they had any dime boxes. He answered, "Dime boxes don't exist anymore." He went on to explain that because most boxes cost $100 or more these days, there is no such thing as dime boxes.

Well that's weird because the two card shops that I usually frequent not only have dime boxes, but the one has boxes upon boxes of cards priced at 15/$1 and I spent an hour or so less than a week before rummaging through dime boxes at a card show. I told him just that and his response was that these are all newer cards and they just haven't had time to go through and sort everything.

I put everything back with the exception of the J.D. Martinez and the A.J. Pollock and handed them to him. He looked at them and said, "Well these are going to be about 20 cents each." I pulled out a dollar bill and handed it to him. He gave me back 75 cents. I walked out and most likely won't be back.

They can charge whatever they want. I don't have to buy, if I don't agree with the price, but don't tell me that dime boxes don't exist. This tells me that they really aren't in touch with the hobby.

I know a lot of you either don't have card shops close by or your card shop doesn't have any dime boxes, but what are your thoughts on my interaction? Are there other things that you've noticed at card shops that tell you that they aren't really connected to the hobby?

Signature Saturday: Dime Box Edition

It doesn't happen often, but occasionally I have found autographed cards in dime boxes.

Such was the case a week ago, when at a card show I found 15 autographed cards from 2000 and 2001 Royal Rookies. It's an unlicensed product, but they are they are certified autographs and at only 10 cents each I put them in my pile.

These first five are from 2000 and are up for trade if anyone wants them.

Billy Traber spent 5 years in the big leagues with the Indians, Nationals, Yankees, and Red Sox and compiled a 12-14 record with a 5.65 ERA.

The rest of the cards are from 2001 and are all part of the Futures autograph insert set. It's only 40 cards and the biggest names in the set ate Hank Blalock and J.J. Putz, so I'm going to put these cards aside and see if I ever come across any others from the set. The extra Brian Schmack is up for trade.

1995 Fleer Pro-Visions

I went to a card show last weekend and spent the first 30 minutes digging through a few dime boxes. I ended up with 58 cards, which I got for $5, so just under 10 cents each.

I was able to get the complete 1995 Fleer Pro-Visions insert set for about 50 cents.

I've mentioned before that I love the Pro-Visions insert and sub-set cards that Fleer put out between 1991 and 1995. I have the 1991 and 1991 Factory Set, 1993, and now 1995 complete insert sets and I have most of the 1992 sub-set. I just need the 1994 insert set.

Check out the 1995 set.

Now check out the set in all it's glory! When you put the six cards together it forms a mosaic. Bet you didn't know that. Even if you did know that already, it's still pretty cool. You can see that the cards don't always match up perfectly, but you get the idea. The 1994 set does the same thing, but it's nine cards.

Shouldn't this card have been #420?

I've known about this infamous card for many years, but it wasn't until just a few months ago that I realized I had it in my collection.

2003 Topps Future Stars #331

The spoils of someone else's card show!

Last weekend Collecting Cutch went to a card show and I was the recipient of some of his card show spoils. Than you Brian!

First up are some 2018 Topps cards. I just picked a couple.

Brian knows that I collect Hank Aaron and included this sweet Heritage insert.

 Brian also remembered my Hall of Fame binder and sent me a pack of 2012 Panini Cooperstown.

Next up are a slew of Paul Goldschmidt cards that Brian sent including this 2014 Topps Triple Threads relic.

I needed the Topps Triple Threads relic and 5 of the other Goldschmidt cards Brian sent!

Thanks Brian!

2018 Topps Opening Day

Once a Cub bought a case of 2018 Topps Opening Day and started a blog with the same name. He's taking an extremely detailed look at the entire set; card by card. You've got to check it out! I wish there was a blog like this for every set out there.

When I saw that he had announced the blog I quickly followed it and because I was the first follower he rewarded me with a complete set and a bunch of other sweet D-Backs cards! Thank you very much Matt!

I put the Opening Day set in sheets this morning, but I scanned the last card in the base set. It's of some rookie for the Angels. 

I work across the street from Tempe Diablo Stadium and it was crazy to see the amount of media and autograph seekers outside each day.

Check out a small sampling of the rest of what he sent.

This was one of my favorites. It's from 2018 Opening Day, but the photo and the write-up on the back are all about 2017 Opening Day, which my family and I attended.

This next card is blue Wal-Mart parallel from 2013 Topps. I wish I had been at this game. Pollock appears to be scoring the winning run against the Dodgers.

This is one of those thick and heavy medallions for Justin Upton. 

There was lots more, but I'm going to show off the Goldschmidt cards he sent.