Big Deal for Me

I have never considered myself a high dollar collector.  I have never spent over $100 on a single card, nor have I ever spent over $150 on a box.  I believe the most I have ever spent on cards was at one of the first Cardinals Winter Warm Up conventions I went to .  I paid $125 for 10 different Ray Lankford printing plates.  

This is a hobby for me.  I wish I had the disposable income to spend thousands of dollars on cards, but with a house payment and 2 kids headed to college in a few years, my money is better spent elsewhere.  So what does all this rambling have to do with today's post?  

In early June, I was lucky enough to buy a couple of 2021 Bowman Mega boxes.  I ended up pulling an autograph of Cubs prospect Ed Howard.  I did not have any luck trying to sell in it, so it just sat in my trade box.  Over the weekend I worked out a trade with The Bench member biggun61 that included the Howard auto and an extra 2004 Yadier Molina Bowman Heritage rookie card I had.  Total book value on those 2 cards is $130.  The 3 cards I traded for arrived yesterday.

Neither of these 2 2019 Chrome refractors fit into my collection.  Of course the pink Altuve is for my son, while the blue Bell #ed to 150 is headed to long time trading friend Ron B.  Book value for these 2 are a little less than $10.  The third and final card made up most of the difference.

This awesome 2021 Tier One Carlson auto books for $120.  I am not a big fan of book values.  I could not tell you the last time I bought a Beckett price guide, or even if they still make them monthly.  The other trader has the online version.  Even if the values are a little off, I am still happy.  I was able to trade a Cub auto for a Cardinals auto.