Confessions of a cardboard junkie...not a trade post

Out of sight, in the corner of my office, sits a three drawer rolling cart. It contains most of what's left of my cardboard "misadventure" back in 1998-2003.  Many of you know the story, but here's a link if you don't.

I was looking through that cart for some cards for another post when I ran across more evidence of the insanity I found myself in during those crazy, dark days.  Back then, I dabbled in just about every new product that came out.   I didn't mess around with single packs either, I bought by the box.

There was basketball.

1999 Bowman's Best Jason Kidd.  Man, my scanner needs a good cleaning.

1999 Topps Gold Label Jerry Stackhouse.

2001 Fleer Tradition Grant Hill Hardwood Leaders.

There was football.  I liked football a lot back at the turn of the millenium.

1999 Donruss Gridiron Kings Barry Sanders #2633/5000.  I think all the cards in this set were serial numbered.  I have a decent number of these left over.  

1999 Donruss Football Derrick Thomas auto redemption.  Unused.  I have a stack of about 15 or 20 unused redemption cards from this period.  No, they weren't expired when I pulled them either.  I can't explain why I didn't redeem them or at least try to sell them.  I was sick...really sick, at the time.

2000 Fleer Greats of the Game Johnny Unitas.  I loved these sets with old players.

2000 Sage Brian Urlacher.  I told you I'd buy anything.  This thing is 1 of  only 4500.  It says so right on the front!!  Yay me!

2000 Topps Gallery Eddie George Gallery of Heroes.  Come on, even the most cynical baseball card collector must think this card is pretty cool.

I even bought hockey cards.

2001 SP Authentic Brad Richards.  I didn't go cheap either.  I bought the good stuff.  I won't torture you with more than one hockey card, even if Waxaholic wants me too.

I even bought Golf cards.

2002 Tiger Woods.  By the time 2002 rolled around, I was getting desperate for some big hits to start paying off the mounting debt.  Tiger stuff was selling for big money and I tried to get in the game, but I never pulled anything worth selling.

Much like going to Vegas and throwing good money after bad trying to recoup your losses, my collecting purchases in those days were about recouping my lost money.  It never worked and it took getting out of collecting for 4 years to learn that lesson.  Finding the blogosphere took me back to my childhood collecting days when card value had nothing to with "book" value and everything to do with how much you wanted a card.

Check back later today for why I think the Toppsopoly might be a good thing.