Losing Interest A Little Bit

Lately I have been losing interest in collecting a little. As the end of February was approaching I was even losing a little interest in blogging a bit. Of course some of this was my renewed efforts to get back into selling on Ebay. This month I have concentrated on my Ebay. As a result of making an effort to list new items and actually get them up on Ebay I went from having 6 stale listings and a last sale about 3 or 4 months ago for a 3 inch button that sold for $1.50 with Free Shipping to 30 listings. Over the last few weeks I have sold 5 items from 4 listings. I sold 2 books, and 16 packs of Football Cards (11 packs of 2016 Leaf Draft Football and 5 packs of 2018 Leaf Draft Football) I didn't know those things were so popular. Personally I don't like the Draft cards since they are undrafted players in college uniforms. Eventually some of those guys go on to have professional careers but many don't.

To reflect my Ebay sales I have tried to update my trading posts on this blog. I think they are current now. Anyway it is almost midnight on 29 February and I need to get this posted to make the deadline. For the full details (or at least what I could recall) check out my post over at my regular Blog "Kirk's Knook": Back To The Swing of Ebay Selling

Niche PC 001: Some Tennis Lovin

Niche PC 001:

Some Tennis Lovin'

[No Niche Logo Yet]

When I was a kid I used to pronounce the word niche as "Nitch" since I had never seen the word written and had only heard a mispronunciation of the word.  I associated it with a similar word "Nook" as in a book nook. Personally I think the nitch mispronunciation sounds better for the physical divots when referring to the word's noun usage as a "shallow recess" like a nook. When referring to the adjective use of the word's "small specialized appeal" the real pronunciation of "neeesh" is preferred especially with trading card PCs. OH maybe it was being pronounced as "niissh" and I heard a T.

When it comes to collecting cards there are many collectors who have niche sub-collections in their PC, or they may concentrate only on their niche. There are as many niche categories as there are collectors. Just as there are team collectors and player collectors there are odd ball collectors, perhaps that is the biggest type of "niche" collection? There are collectors who niche collect their local college, or their college Alma mater, players from their hometown or state, players from a specific country, players with the same first name, last name, birthday, birth month, birth year. Cards that show their sport's championship trophy, players chewing bubble gum (or chewing tobacco), players not wearing a cap or uniform, players in a different sport uniform, Baseball players with a gigantic glove, Baseball players with two or more bats, players holding a ball, Well you get the idea.

For many years I didn't have what I would call any niche PCs. Sure I PC'd my homie DC and Baltimore teams and many many too many players I liked. For the most part I still collect those same players and a bunch more. I have always been into some of the "odd ball" cards of various kinds. It wasn't until recent years after seeing several bloggers talk about their niche PCs that got me into the more obscure or finer detailed niche collections. I forget who the first blogger was that coined the "niche" category but at first I thought some of the categories were very silly even some of the categories I now collect myself. At one time I tried to niche PC players from the general DC area (including Maryland and Virginia Suburbs) but that is too large a scope for a niche PC, I now limit the local "homie" players (from my home area) mostly to those who attended The University of Maryland or are originally from Silver Spring Specifically.

Other than My Homie Teams (DC and Baltimore teams) and Players I PC my niche collections include: My birthday 04 April, Players from the University of Maryland (preferably in a Terps Uniform), mascots, players with similar names to myself both first and last name. Sometimes it opens the scope of the niche up a bit too much. It also opens up my collection to other sports and more odd ball things.

So this post is labeled as the first episode of a series of "Niche PC" cards.

The FIRST card for this post I got from Sportlots from an auction in their "other cards" section since it is of a sport that is not in the Big Four of Baseball, Football, Hockey and Basketball. As it is a Tennis card, yes Tennis I'm not into that sport (even though I love the women's short short short skirts) but this is a niche card so specific sport be damned.

This tennis star has my first name incorporated into her last name. Jessica Kirkland.. So it falls into the Kirk Name Niche Collection.

2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Grand Slam Tennis: Autograph: BA-JK1 Jessica Kirkland

I got the card for the opening bid of 25¢ + $3.39 shipping. It was one of three packages or PWEs that arrived on my Birthday (04 April). This particular PWE or rather PYE (Yellow/Mustard/Gold instead of plain white) came from Ontario, Canada with a cute little stamp.

On a side note I do find Miss Kirkland attractive. Now now maybe its just the little white short skirt. Since starting the draft for this post I have added another Jessica Kirkland card to my Name Niche PC

2007 Ace Authentic On The Line: Autograph: OT-8 Jessica Kirkland RC

This one came from Ebay for $5.99 Free Shipping on the First of May. Not from Canada but from the Other Washington, Washington State. From Shoreline to be more specific (Approx 9 miles North of Downtown Seattle according to Wikipedia). Believe it or not the sticker is silver/chrome not lime green as it appears due to the reflective scanning. I'm not sure if my scanner has the ability to adjust light refraction, it might, I haven't really bothered changing many of the settings for fear of putting my ancient Epson Flatbed Scanner permanently out of alignment.

Man those Tennis card makers sure do love those silver/chrome stickers for the autographs. Of course I prefer real ON-CARD Autographs, but for the card makers the sticker-autos are more efficient. Topps and the other big boys mostly use clear stickers now, the silver ones are more often for higher end products. The On-Sticker Autographs or Stickergraphs as one blogger calls them. I forget who coined that one, or was it Labelgraphs?

As I said this is the first of a new post series that may or may not have any additional posts. I like the idea of a series of niche PC cards. My first draft of this post I had titled it "Name Niche PC 001: Some Tennis Lovin'" but that would mean I would have to start some other Niche PC series: Birthday Niche, U o MD Niche and maybe a few others. 

CK42 Trade Post: Previously Trading Thursday

 CK42 TRADE POST:
31 May 2017 (Updated 31 Jan 2021)

Trade Info | Master Want List | What I Collect

Previously Trading Thursday

This series of posts was previously titled "Trading Thursday" from now on I'll post on whatever day I choose and call it "CK42 Trade Post", or maybe no special title. It doesn't have the silly alliteration I like to use for series post titles but what the heck. My Blog My Rules!

As with the previous Trading Thursday posts, these posts make up my "to trade" list without the hassle of a huge list that takes a long time to load, read etc. My main goal is to get them out of my card hoard by any means possible by trade, sale or just give-away. I'd prefer one of the first two options, but whatever.

I might just end up making updates to the trade list page I am in the process of creating (initially to track these posts) and do away with regular trading posts.

On the other hand I need to get better organized before I can get serious about trading specific cards. 

New Offerings:

Yeah that says what it means.

6 1 unopened packs of 2016 Leaf Draft Football. 5 cards per pack. These cards show the players in their college uniforms. Unfortunately they don't indicate if the team the players were drafted by. A quick Internet search of the player can determine that, but it can get tedious. One of the reasons I'm not thrilled with Prospect and Draft cards of any sport. Sometimes the players never make the pros.

I've sold ALL 6 of these packs on Ebay @ $1.00/pack.

More unopened packs. This is a slightly larger lot of 9 packs of 2016 Leaf Babe Ruth Collection Baseball - 5 cards per pack. These are some nice vintage looking type cards. Unfortunately these cool cards suffer from the modern unlicensed product disease of missing team logos and team names. But most people know The Babe was mostly a Yankee, OK he started as a Red Sox but spent most of his career in those recognizable Nu Yawk pin-stripes.

Sold All 9 packs Up On Ebay at $1.50/pack

Previous Offerings: 

Previous posts/offers are listed here.

Trading Thursday Posts:
A Set And Singles: 1993-94 Classic Draft Basketball

The Return?: 2015-16 Donruss Basketball from pack pulls

This One Is On Eleven: Basketball, Football and Non-Sport tall boy sized
A Fifth Of February: Mixed bag of Baseball, Basketball and Football
Experiment Number One: 3 cards total 2 hockey relics, 1 baseball auto

CFL Trading: 2015 CFL Football cards from a single box break

Trading Thursday: A Fifth Of February

 TRADING THURSDAY:
04 Feb 2016
UPDATED: 26 Sep 2018

Trade Info | Master Want List | What I Collect

Oops I goofed on the title for this week. I was thinking Thursday was the fifth for some reason. It is only the fourth.

OK so my followers count is now back up to 100. Yay and all that. Regarding trading I do admit I still owe a few people some packages from either an outstanding trade agreement from way back or contest winnings lot or what-have-you. It nags at me from time to time and the nagging is getting more intense. For the most part I know who I owe but there are a few I need to double check what it is I need to send. If you think I owe you some cards contact me and remind me what I am supposed to be sending your way.

This Week's Offerings:

Yeah that says what it means.

I am just going to list a whole bunch of cards right now. I won't post individual scans as my original concept of this series of posts was to be. Over time it would be too much of a chore and I would be limited to how many cards I could mention in a post. I can scan on request if needed.

BASEBALL:
1988 Donruss/Leaf All-Star Pop-Ups all "Unpopped" No Numbers:
Dwight Gooden Mets
Mark McGwire As
Ryne Sandberg Cubs
Dave Winfield Yankees (2)
1991 Topps Cracker Jack Micro 17 Mark Langston Angels - has two light creases one can be seen front and back the other just the front
1999 Upper Deck Choice Starquest Blue:
SQ10 Chipper Jones Braves
SQ19 Scott Rolen Phillies
2009 Goodwin Champions Memorabilia Series: GCM-BH Bill Hall Brewers all gray mesh swatch in "M"
2011 Topps Baseball: Diamond Anniversary "crushed ice" variant 466 Johnny Damon Rays
2012 Topps Bowman Chrome Baseball: 1st Card: BDPP23 Barrett Barnes Pirates
2013 Topps Baseball: Emerald Parallel: 164 Lucas Harrell Astros
2013 Topps Heritage Baseball:
317 Lance Berkman Rangers
358 Casey Kotchman Indians
2013 Topps Tier One: Relic: TOR-EH Eric Hosmer Royals all white mesh #d 334/399

BASKETBALL:
1994-95 Classic Rookies Basketball (College Unis): Rookies: 5 Kevin Garnett USA uniform (Timberwolves) (2)
2003-2004 Upper Deck Basketball: LeBron's Diary LJ8 LeBron James Cavaliers
2008-09 Topps Chrome Basketball: 201 Courtney Lee Magic
2013-14 Panini Elite Basketball:
53 Deron Williams Nets
91 Andre Miller Nuggets
172 Andray Blatche Nets
198 Ty Lawson Nuggets

FOOTBALL: 
2004 Topps Bazooka Football: Bazooka All-Stars: BAS-RW Roy Williams Cowboys all blue mesh Jersey Relic
2008 Bowman Chrome Football: BC159 Justin Fargas Raiders

Previous Offerings: 

Previous posts/offers are listed here.

Experiment Number One: 

CFL Trading:

If you would like to see a scan of any card I've mentioned please contact me and I can either Email the image or post in one my Picasa Web Albums (or my ancient Photobucket)