Colonial Heights Card Show: Value?

    Value can mean many different things to different people. I am, through and through, a bargain hunter.  Some may call me cheap, but I know what hard work is and the value of a dollar.  When I go to card shows, I like to take my time and go through all of the dime and quarter boxes that time allows and I've been rewarded by finding some either undervalued or simply misplaced great cards.  It can be mind-numbing for some with a short attention span and the "pelican case mafia" has given me a lot of sideways looks over the last few years.  To each his own... I personally don't put value in what opinions that people may have on my cards.

I went to a smaller card show 2 weeks ago that is about a 20ish minute drive from my house.  I hadn't originally planned on going but at the last minute I decided to go.  In the past, its been a smaller show because of space constraints and this time it was only about 12 or so tables set up in half of the Moose Lodge.  Initially disappointed, I was able to find a couple boxes to dig through.

The first table right inside the door was where I spent most of  my time.  There was a 5000 count box of penny sleeved cards that the dealer said was 50 cents a piece.  I got down to business.  I don't keep a close eye on Topps' website or subscribe to their Brooklyn Club (or whatever its called) so I miss out on all of the online exclusive sets.  No worries, I can buy their tears for a fraction of what they paid.  I was able to grab a handful of Topps Chrome Cosmic from the past 2 years for myself (O's above) and a couple of non-Orioles for other people I know.

My assault on the box continued and I was able to pick out some neat-o inserts of the bigger names of the hobby today.  Its funny to look at the Corbin Carroll card and see that he was ranked as low as he was by the "Bowman Scouts".  I found out that guy is awesome at baseball during the playoffs this past year!

I don't do as much prospecting as a I used to but picking up rookie cards of promising young guns of the game is something I have done more of the last few years.  It makes it better that each of these is a parallel so that adds a little value IMO.  Royce Lewis is also great at baseball in case you hadn't heard and this silver foil parallel now resides in my "good rookie card" box.  I picked up the Logan Gilbert and George Kirby parallels because they are good young pitchers and I think they would look great as Orioles.  There were rumors earlier in the offseason that the Orioles and Mariners talked about them. The Mariners need infield help and the Orioles have (had?) an excess even after trading for Corbin Burnes.  I'm a sucker for the Mojo Refractors and it doesn't hurt that Pasquantino is a local kid.  He played high school ball about 20 minutes in the opposite direction from where this show was held.  Hopefully he turns in a fully healthy season this year.

When I picked up this Cal Ripken, I didn't think I had it already.  I got home and looked in my album and I already did.  Topps has done some confusing SH!T with Stadium Club the last few years so I had screwed up my want and have lists because of it. .  I love Chrome, I really do.  I love getting Stadium Club Chrome INSERTS from regular Stadium Club packs.  I do not love a whole Stadium Club Chrome base set especially when the numbering is all FUDGED up.  There is no consistency between the releases the last few years.  I haven't seen anything about a 2023 Stadium Club Chrome set so maybe Topps came to their senses and stopped with the confusion (wishful thinking?)

Any ways, I finished up with this particular dealer for 8 bucks for 20 cards.  I didn't show all of the cards but they were all epic, trust me!

I moved onto another table with a bunch of boxes sorted by sport and team.  I love it when they do that!  For another buck, I was able to get a green parallel of underrated Dean Kremer from Gypsy Queen and a Topps <shudders> Holiday card of Oriole short-timer Shintaro Fujinami.  I mostly love Gypsy Queen even after they ditched the minis but I could really care less about Topps Holiday.  Its just not a product I can get behind.  In 2023 Topps gave the ax to Gypsy Queen, Opening Day, Fire, and Gallery, bastardized Big League, did not introduce anything new but kept the Holiday collection. Let... that... sink.... in.

So on the whole, I spent less than 10 bucks and was home around noon.  Both huge wins in my book!