Auld Lang Syne...Top Ten Goals for 2016

The song "Auld Lang Syne" is sung a lot on this night.  Most people having no clue what the words are.  Which for a lot of people singing it, they honestly don't care.  The song to many virtually has no meaning.  "Auld Lang Syne" is a Scottish term that basically meanings "Old Long Ago".  The song starts "Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind?" meaning should we forget about those who were in the past that were important to us, just because it might of happened a long time ago...in a galaxy far, far away?(Sorry I had too)  The answer is simply no.  We should remember them and hold them in high esteem.  The line "We'll take a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne." means that we'll raise a cup to toast to them, because they were a important part of our lives and they shape how we'll journey on our future. It makes me think why do I have a passion for collecting cards.  It was an important part of my past, a part that I want to remember.  The hunt for the next cool card that I had to have when I was 10. still thrills me today.  My son, who is also 10, has that thrill when he opens not baseball, but Pokemon cards.  I love watching him when he gets excited about getting a certain card.

That was a very long intro for my year end review, but without further ado:

I started the persona GBCardGuy and created the "Unofficial George Brett Card Database" in January.  Up to then I had been, and still do, contribute to "The Trading Card Database".  At one time I was in the top 100 contributors.  I officially unveiled it on March 4th on "The Trading Card Database" with over 850 different cards scanned and had gotten some really good feedback right away.  I also started at that time my Twitter handle @GBCardGuy on Twitter. I posted daily random cards and started getting followers faster than I thought possible,  I had over 100 with in the first month and 200 wasn't to much behind that.

That started a my blog.  I started doing 2 blogs a week.  One being a top ten and the other being a rehash of the random cards that I posted on twitter with a few of my thoughts.  But it took a lot of time and thought to keep up.  More than I anticipated and I just stopped...everything.

A month went by, then 2, then 3.  Finally I ordered some new George Brett cards and put them on the website.  I even post on twitter in July that my database was of over 900 and that I was back, fully intending on picking up where I had left off.  But another 2 months went by, I did another update to the website and then another 2 months went by with little to no updating.  In November finally that's when things started picking back up and I started doing more regular updates to the website and Twitter and finally in December I started blogging again.

So a couple of years end stats.

On "Unofficial George Brett Card Database" I have 962 different George Brett cards scanned and uploaded.  Traffic to the site has been steady, 50 to 100 views a week.  If a would upgrade my Weebly I could probably get better stats on this.

On Twitter I have 350 Followers.  Again, that is crazy to me.  It seems every day I get someone following me, even when I wasn't posting stuff, and I usually follow them back.  I have had to unfollow some of them that choose to post in-poor-taste tweets.

I do have a Facebook page, but that never really took off.

Last but not least this blog, which I done 10 previous blogs with 221 views.

So it is goal time and I thought it would be fitting to do them as a top ten list.

TOP TEN GOALS FOR 2016!

10. I will not take a 8 month hiatus or any for that matter.

      I thought I should make this one simple.  

9.  Over 1000 cards in 2016

      I might as well make 2015's goal, 2016's.  My actually goal is over 100 cards added in 2016.

8.  To tweet atleast 3 times a week that has nothing to do with baseball cards and 3 time about baseball cards. 

      I do have a life other than George Brett and I should share that.

7.  To blog atleast 3 times a month.

      My plan is to do one as some sort of top ten. one as a "whats new" on the website, and a third about what going on in my life.

6.  To spend more time with my family playing games.

      I tweeted this week that Wil Wheaton had a huge impact on my family's Christmas,  That because my wife and I started watching Table Top on Youtube.  A lot of really cool games on there that you will not find on the selves at Wal-mart.

5.  Sell more.

     I have several cards and sets that I have duplicates of that are taking up space that I don't need.  It's time to part with some of them.

4.  Get an autograph card of George Brett.

     This might be one of the priciest goals of 2016, because they don't come cheap.

3.  Expand into other George Brett items.  

     A couple things that I haven't gotten yet are team issued posted cards and pocket calendars that he is pictured in. 

2.  Love and spoil my wife more.

     Even though she doesn't fully understand why I enjoy this hobby, she doesn't make me feel silly or belittling. She is worth spoiling.

1.  Be more of myself and not a fake persona that I think is cooler than me.

Ever since my last post I have been trying to think on how to wrap up the year on this blog.  In March I had such lofty goals with the website, Twitter, Facebook, and this blog.  I was green in all areas and not sure what I was doing.  From different people that I talked too, when I started doing social media, I was surprisingly doing it correctly.  Posting on twitter every day, starting a blog, and doing regular updates to my site.  It didn't take long for me to make that my main focus when I got up in the morning, when I got home from work and before I went to bed.  I wanted to make GBCardGuy cooler than me.  God has a way of steering you back in the correct direction.  I think that is the biggest reason that I took a break.  Look back on 2015 I have had many highs.  My family has gotten a whole year older, my work duties have increased along with a decent increase of wages, and I have been given more responsibilities where I go to church in different leadership roles.  I will say that God has blessed me and my families life in many way this year and I praise him for that.  For that is truly who I am; A husband, a father, an employee, a hard worker, and when there is time and money left a card collector, but above all of that I am a child of the one true king, Jesus Christ.  I will go into deeper details about that in later blogs.  But for now it is after midnight, "Auld Lang Syne" has been sung and this guy, my name is Josh by the way, is ready for bed.  Good night!

It's Here!!!! and, oh yeah, Merry Christmas

It's finally here.  I tweeted it out yesterday, but wasn't able to blog about it.  Without further ado the card that I am most likely ending 2015 on is...

Drum roll please....

1990 Topps #60

Just Kidding!!

1990 Score McDonald's #19

This is one of the rarer George Brett cards produced during his playing career.  This is what www.baseballcardpedia.com/ says about this set:

"1990 Score McDonald's is a 25-card set distributed at only eleven McDonald's restaurants in rural Idaho and Oregon during a three-week period in the Spring of 1990. In addition to the 25 player cards, fifteen "Magic Motion" World Series Trivia cards were also produced. Collectors who purchased an order of french fries and a soft drink would receive a free pack of four cards. The back of the packs mention a contest to the 1990 World Series which suggests that the set might have been intended for distribution on a larger scale.

The front has color action player photos, with white and yellow borders on a royal blue card face that fades as one moves toward the middle of the card. The upper left corner of the picture is cut off to allow space for the McDonald's logo; the player's name and team logo at the bottom round out the card face. The backs have color mugshots, biography, statistics, and career summary.

Because of the extremely very limited distribution, this is one of the toughest food issues of the era. The rarity combined with the blue borders make high grade cards extremely valuable."

It is one that I have had my eyes on since I started collecting and it is finally in my collection.  You can go to "The Unofficial George Brett Card Catalog" and check it out with another rare card to end the year off.  So as the first year of this blog and the tale of the first year as GBCardGuy comes to a close, I would be remiss if I didn't share a couple highlighted cards that I picked up this year.  

1977 Burger Chef Discs #71

I love these 70's food disc cards.

1983 All-Star Game Program Inserts #30

 

With this small card, I now have the complete set George Brett All-Star Game Program Inserts. ('81-'86)

1981 Royals Police #2

 

Same as before, but with this oversized card, I now have the complete set George Brett Royals Police Cards. ('81, '83, '91-'94) 

1983 Perma-Graphic All-Stars Gold #1

Only one card left in this set to complete.  (*Spoiler*) This will be one of my goals for 2016.

1986 O-Pee-Chee Box Bottoms Full Panel

If I would have been smarter a couple of years ago, I wouldn't of had to rebuy this panel.  But collecting is a learning process.

1987 Sportflics #5 George Brett  (1987 Copyright)

This was a hard variation card to track down.

2002 Topps American Pie Sluggers Gold #19

I believe I have the complete color set of this card Gold, Red, Blue, & Silver.

2015 Topps Gypsy Queen #326

I think the Gypsy Queen set is pretty cool, I have collect quite a bit of this actual set.

This is just a small sample of the over 100 cards that I collected 2016 and an even smaller sample of the nearly 1000 cards posted on "The Unofficial George Brett Card Catalog".  Who knows what 2016 will hold. 

On a final note, I want to wish everyone that reads this a belated "Merry Christmas".  I know for many people that phrase has lost its meaning and it might not be the "PC" thing to say, but that is what this guy says.  

I am planning on one last blog in 2015 to say a few thank yous and to set some goals for 2016. But until then, it's late and this guy is ready for bed.  Good Night! 

Race to 1000

Back in January I decided to create a website to show case my George Brett cards and when I launched "The Unofficial George Brett Card Database" in March I had a little over 850 different cards uploaded.  There was really only one goal that I had stated on the website, over a 1000 different Brett cards scanned by the end of 2016.

Will it happen?

If you have recently looked at my website you will see that the answer is not yet, and it probably won't happen.  I'm not disappointed.  Since March I added over 100 cards.  That's really more than I thought I would add.  I have at least 2 more cards that I currently know of that will need to be scanned and uploaded.  Unless I order a card and get it here before the new year i should end with 962.  I am excited about a very rare card that I am ending the year on.  I am (im)patiently waiting for it to get here.  I had to email the seller and remind him that he needed to ship the card that I paid for almost a week after I paid for it.  That has happen way too many times this year.  :-(  But, I have a tracking number and it hopefully should be here soon.  I will do a special blog when it gets here.  

I am anticipating two more blogs to end the year out,  First one highlighting the previously undisclosed card and a few other special cards that I picked up this year and spreading some Christmas cheer.  Then I think I'll also do a year end wrap up with a few thank yous and goals for 2016. But until then, it's late and the guy is ready for bed.  Good Night!

8 Month Hiatus

It has been over 8 months since this guy's last blog.  For the month of March to mid April I was active daily on twitter, 2 blogs a week and updating my website almost weekly.  Then it all stopped.  What happened?  I can make a lot of excuses, some are even good.   But instead of making excuses, I am choosing to do an update of what has been happening to GBCardGuy.  In a simple word, Life!  As I said in my first blog "I am a husband, father, employee & when there is time and money left, finally a card collector."  Well those first 4 things I decided were more important than card collecting.  I still collect George Brett cards and I still have been updating "The Unofficial George Brett Card Database", which currently has 960 uploaded cards and counting; but the fire to go all out on the "social media" has died way down.  Don't get me wrong I loved it.  Doing the daily random card posts on twitter, giving my thoughts on them and doing a couple of Top Tens in this blog for however short a time I did them was fun.  But it started to be an obsession to me and I allow it to take, for a short time, my time away from what was really important to me.  Now 8 months later, I have thought a lot about getting back into it, but on a much lower level and making it fun again.  Not sure what it would exactly look like, but I plan on having fun with it.  I know that this post is fairly short, hopefully I will have a longer one soon with my thoughts on some new (and old) cards.  I just bought a very rare George Brett card on ebay and I'm very excited to get it here.  I will probably do a special blog for it.  But for now, it's late and this guy is ready for bed.  Good Night!

Week Recap 4/5/15-4/11/15

First full week back from vacation.  It's been a busy week, but it started off by me getting sick.  I'm much better now.  Let get on with the recap.

Recap 1: Random(or Un-random) cards of the day. 
If you are a follower of mine on twitter you see these every morning.  Sometimes I am able to give a small thought on the cards, but most of the time I do not have enough characters.  Here I can give my thoughts on each of these cards, without character limitations. If you want to see future cards on twitter follow me @gbcardguy on twitter and you can see all of these cards at georgebrettcards.weebly.com.

Sunday, April 5th Unrandom Non-George Brett Card of the Day
1974 O-Pee-Chee #604

What's not to love about vintage OPC cards.  Also its a Frank White rookie card.  Royals lovers will tell you that if defense was a the major factor of the Hall of Fame, he would probably be in it.







Monday, April 6th Random George Brett Card of the Day
1986 Sportflics #64

One of my favorite brand of cards.  3 cards in 1.  If you saw my last blog "The Top Ten Variation Cards" you would have saw that I listed the 1987 Sportflics variation as my number 1.

Tuesday, April 7th Random George Brett Card of the Day
2002 Fleer Fall Classics #93

2 of the best 3rd baseman's ever.  I'm sure others will disagree.  As stated in previous blogs, the early to mid-2000s Brett cards, are not well represented in my collection.  It is an era that I taking a hard look to expanding.

Wednesday, April 8th Random George Brett Card of the Day
1992 Pinnacle Rookie Idols #3

I am not sure why this card is listed for so much money.  Gary Cooper, although he had a good minor league career, his major league career was less than a month.

Thursday, April 9th Random George Brett Card of the Day
1981 Donruss #100

It's the first year of Donruss.  To what some call the beginning to the downfall of the baseball cards.  I know in the early 80s times were different, but it still amazes me that no one had any problems putting out cards with players having a big piece of chaw in his cheek.

Friday, April 10th Random George Brett Card of the Day
2005 Leaf Certified Materials #193
What's up with the "5", it looks weird.  I actual have a good selections of 2005 cards.  With several serial numbered cards and a bat card.

Saturday, April 11th Unrandom George Brett Card of the Day
1981 Ted Watts Postcards

Some might not consider this a card, but I will.  There is actual 2 variations of this card.  This one has black ink on the back.  I am on the hunt for one with brown ink on the back.  Their on eBay, but I'm waiting for one in a price that I'm willing to pay.

Recap 2: New cards added to the collection
Only 3 new Brett cards added this week.  But I am excited for the 3 I got, 2 variations and 1 panel.  You can see them on my front front page of my website georgebrettcards.weebly.com. I do have a 1987 Topps hardback sticker on the way.  I'll get it posted when it arrives.  But I have started collecting 2015 Topps Series 1 cards.  I haven't bought a pack of cards since I was in middle school.  It is fun opening up packs and being surprised what's inside.  I have over 80% of the base cards and several of the related set cards.  I will probably be putting them up for sale sometime.  Not sure which site to put them on.  EBay is the most popular, but since I have been on Twitter I have seen several other areas to sell.  If anyone reading this has any suggestions, let me know.

Recap 3: Life in general 
This week I am a bachelor.  My wife is helping her mother to recover from a knee surgery and our kids are at my moms.  I should get to the honey-do list, but motivation right now is pretty low.  I think it will get done eventually, but for now, this guy is ready for bed...Good night!

Wednesday Top Ten - Variation Cards

It is that time again.  It's Wednesday and it's time for another top ten list.  My top ten lists will mainly be based on George Brett cards, but they might be different players cards or if something else catches my fancy I might do that.  My top ten lists, unless otherwise stated, are limited to cards that I currently own, and front and back scans can be seen at georgebrettcards.weebly.com. The lists are strictly base on my opinion.  Cards might be listed because they have some memorable back story, cool design, or something that simply sticks out about them.  Feel free to comment, I love talking to other collectors.

Today's subject is variation cards.  These are something that I came upon about a year ago.  First I need to define what I determine as a variation card.  My definition is - Any card that has a minor visual difference that was intended or unintended by the singular manufacturer, excluding error/correction, inserts or related sets. I am not a professional collector, not even close, so I am sure that other collectors will have a difference of opinion.  All cards pictured below can be seen at georgebrettcards.weebly.com

Let me give an example of a couple, in my opinion, non-variation cards.

1.     Topps & O-Pee-Chee Cards - Not a variation, because (even though the same picture) technically 2 different companies

2.      Product Brand Cards - Not a variation, because they are usually have its own related set & numbering system.

3.      Different Border/Color Cards/Additional Print - Not a variation, because it has its own related sets

Now on to the Top Ten

GBCardGuy's Top Ten Variation George Brett Baseball Cards

10. What happened to the old printer? - 1991 Fleer #552

According to Baseballcardpedia.com, Some believe these were caused by Fleer's use of two different printers. These cards contain minor cropping, locations of the stat lines, missing dots, amount of white on back.

9. Wax Pack Vs. Complete Set - 1987 Donruss #54 & 1988 Donruss #102

In 1987 & 1988 Donruss did a separate design for the wax packs and the complete sets to distinguish them.  In 1987 they did a reverse back and in 1988 they did a reverse border.

8. Umm...We ran out if paper! - 1981 O-Pee-Chee #113 & 1980 Topps Super #14

Sometimes different color cardstock are used during different printings.  The story I found about the 1981 OPC is that they ran out of white cardstock and used gray on the last printing.

7. Who doesn't love stickers? - 1988 & 1989 Topps/O-Pee-Chee Stickers 

In 1988 & 1989 Topps and OPC turn the sticker cards 2 cards in 1.  But not all of the sticker backs and stickers were the same.  There are over 40 known variations of the George Brett stickers.  Check out georgebrettcards.weebly.com to see several variations of these.

6. Dot the Border! - 1990 Donruss #144

Lets face the facts.  Many of the variation cards are Donruss cards.  Which is probably one of the only reason why I spend a lot of time researching them.  The 1990 base set has up to 2 or 3 known dotted borders.

5. Let make a consensus.  Is it inc or inc.? - Donruss 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992

I can understand that someone had a hard time making a decision, but for 4 years straight.  Both inc and inc. were used each year.  Talk about your indecision, but Donruss is not done yet.

Bonus!!! How do we Denote...*Denotes* - 1989 Donruss #204 & Bonus MVP #BC7

In 1989 not only could they not decide whether they wanted to use inc. or inc, but also how to denote...denotes.  So for both the base card and the MVP there are 4 different variations.

4. Umm...We ran out of black ink - 1976 Hostess #114, 1981 Ted Watts Postcards, 1987 Action Allstars #11

Sometimes you start a project and half way through you realize that you don't have enough supplies. Ink is one of those particular items.  I am not totally sure why some have black ink and some have brown, but it makes the hunt that much more fun.  The Ted Watts also has a black & brown variation.  The Action allstars has a black & blue variation.  The blue is super rare.

3. Are the Stars Out Tonight - 1977 Topps Cloth Stickers #7, 1992 Topps Kids #105, 1992 Topps McDonald's #6

These cards are denoted with one or two stars on the back.  

Bonus!! Now I know my CDEFs - 1992 Stadium Club #150 & #609

Just like the cards before, these cards are noted with different letters.

2. Just because I'm the only card in a set, doesn't mean there is not 2 of me! - 1982 Brett Spotbilt #5

This card is the only one made in this set.  The difference is that the back on the left ends in a 1980 stat line and the card on the right ends on a 1981 stat line.

1. Copyright, we don't need no stinkin' copyright! - 1987 Sportflics #5, #114, #197

In the 1987 Sportflics they did different copyright numbers and some card variations didn't didn't even put a copyright on it at all.  The card on the far right is listed on one website for $100.  I didn't pay anywhere close to that.    

This top ten list ended spilling over into Thursday, but it was fun to do. Do you agree with my top ten? Let me know your favorite cards are and it doesn’t have to be limited to George Brett.  Please comment below and I will respond. 

I have two choices for my next Top Ten list, which will probably be out next Wednesday.

Choice 1: Top Ten Topps George Brett Cards

Choice 2: Top Ten Bo Jackson Cards

or...Something else

Thanks for checking out my blog. This Guy is ready for bed!

2 Week Recap - 04/05/15

Been on vacation for a week and did not get a recap in before I left.  So lets begin.

Recap 1: Random(or Un-random) cards of the day.
While on vaca I did not put up any random (or Un-random) cards on Twitter, but the week of 03/22/15-03/27/15 I did, but have not gotten a chance to recap those.  I will have new starting tomorrow.  To see those follow me on Twitter @gbcardguy.

Sunday March 22nd Unrandom Non-George Brett Card of the Day
1984 Nestle #138 1983 Leading Firemen

All I can say is "Sweet Facial Hair!"

Monday March 23rd Random George Brett Card of the Day
2013 Panini Golden Age #113

Not a huge fan of the border, seems like Topps and Panini like, the vintage vibe.  There is a way to make it cool, unfortunately this isn't one of them.  Even though, when I started recollecting cards back in about 4 years ago I really enjoy picking up the current calender year Brett cards.

Tuesday March 24th Random George Brett Card of the Day
1994 Fleer #149

Beginning of the post retirement cards.  I like the middle 1990s Fleer cards better the 1980s.  Nice action shot.

Wednesday March 25th Random George Brett Card of the Day
1978 O-Pee-Chee #215

I love OPC cards.  Whats not to love.  White card stock, French wording, & usually in horrible condition; what's not to love.  Especially with the huge piece of chaw in his cheek.

Thursday March 26th Random George Brett Card of the Day
2005 Zenith #231

I struggle collecting the early to mid 2000s Brett cards.  There are a ton of them, 90% are priced more than I want to spend on a single card and there is not very many base cards like this one.  Also this era is before I started recollecting.  If you have been to my web page, http://georgebrettcards.weebly.com/, you will see that I have a goal of over 1000 different Brett cards by the end of the year, to reach this goal I realize that I am going to have to start focusing on this era of cards.

Friday March 27th Random George Brett Card of the Day

1984 Star Brett #1 Checklist

I know it doesn't seem random when I had another 1984 Star card the week before, but it is.  I have all my cards listed out in an excel spreadsheet and have an online number randomizer pick out the cards

Saturday March 28th UNRandom George Brett Card of the Day

1988 Donruss #102

This is a un-Tweeted card of the day.  It would have been what I would have tweeted on that Saturday if I wasn't in a car for 10 hours (I'll discuss that later).  So this is a GBCardGuy blog exclusive.  You might be wondering why I would have used a very common card for a unrandom card, but if you look closely it is not like most 1988 Donruss cards.  The border is slightly different.  This is a variation card. I think on the Wednesday Top Ten list I will discuss these more.  Check my website at http://georgebrettcards.weebly.com/ to see both variations and see exactly how they are different. 

Recap 2: New cards added to the collection

Nothing new on the George Brett front.  I supposedly have a package of 3 variation cards on the way, but it is taking forever to get here.  I did add the Bo Jackson M.V.P. 10 card set to my collection last week.  I will maybe some day do a Bo Jackson site too. I have a large collection of oddball and unlicensed of his.  Also, I haven't bought packs of cards since I was in junior high school, but I have recently started collecting the 2015 Topps Series I cards and will probably start listing the specialty cards on eBay or maybe some other platforms.  Check back to my blog or twitter for updates.

Recap 3: Life in general 

As stated before, my family and I just got back from a week long vacation seeing friend out in SW Kansas.  10 hours trip out and back.  Love the trip, got some good rest, and now I am sick.  At least it waited until I got back.  Hopefully I am back to work tomorrow.  A little worried about what is waiting for me.

As a final thought, being that today is Resurrection Sunday, or known to many as Easter, I want to make a small statement, with a huge meaning. I am just a guy, who is in possession of a George Brett collection and likes to talk about that collection, but that is only a small part of me.  I am a follower of Christ.  Not a perfect follower, in fact sometimes I stumble more than I walk, but that is only because I try to follow Him on my own terms.  Hebrew 12:1-2 state "Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne." I probably won't mention too much about my faith on this blog, but I want to let readers know a little about me.  I am happy to talk about George Brett  or cards in general to all readers, but I am equally and even more happy to talk about the "source and perfecter of my faith," to all readers.   But for now, this guy is ready for bed...Good night!