Expos Extra Episode 3: A Die-Cut Rock and an Unexpected Buyback

EXPOS EXTRA EPISODE 3:
A DIE-CUT ROCK AND AN UNEXPECTED BUYBACK

Been a while since I've done a dedicated Expos Extra post. I really should have been doing several per month since this is the 50th Anniversary of the franchise. It looks like at one time I was trying to keep the Expos posts as a special series so I will try to continue with the theme and try to catch up with the appropriate numbering of episodes.

Here's a story of a lovely lady couple of cards that came in a package of Expos cards that I had purchased from a fellow collector. Actually I'm not sure exactly which package of Expos cards it came from whether it was from a blogger or a collector from one of the forums, or from a blog reader. They were in a package I had gotten sometime late last year (2018). As I said I'm not sure exactly which one. I just recall that when I was doing my mail-day catch up posts at the end of last year or beginning of this year (OH Jeez I need to do one for this Year mid Jan through now UGH) I later noticed these two cards by themselves out of an envelope or box.

Normally I'm not too fond of the type of cards these are; a die-cut, and a stamped Topps Buyback. I make a big exception with these since they are Expos, although not players who ever played in DC, they retired before the move from Canada to Washington DC. When I first started this blog I wouldn't have mentioned them here. One of them is a Hall of Famer and PC player even if he never had been a part of the Expos/Nationals Franchise.

The Players Tim "Rock" Raines and Andres Galarraga both cards are of the 1989 Topps design, the Raines is a 2014 Topps mini '89 and the Galarraga is an original '89 but STAMPED "buyback".

In 2014 Topps inserted special mini 1989 design cards to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of those cards. I'm not to thrilled about minis anymore and even worse they decided to make the minis die-cut cards. The cuts follow the border of the design so they aren't too bad, but I am just tired of these specialty cards. So here is Tim Raines 2014 mini die-cut using the 1989 design card number TM-5 (TM=Topps Mini)

2014 Topps: 1989 mini die-cut: TM-5 Tim Raines Expos

Another specialty aka gimmick that Topps has been doing lately is stamped buyback cards. These are real vintage cards that made their way back to the Topps factory and years later Topps decides to include them as inserts for newer sets but they make a special value/condition damaging stamp to let you know your buyback "vintage" card is now worthless. Except to collectors who are chasing all buybacks. Some buybacks are given special logo stamps this one is one of those trickier "Rediscover Topps" buyback stamp.

 1989 Topps: 590 Andres Galarraga Expos: Stamped "Rediscover Topps" Buyback

OK so I had to make the Raines mini image medium sized to sort of keep the size difference perspective. After making this post I am a little softer on die-cuts like this one that make sense and aren't too outrageous. I am also a little kinder to buybacks as well. However I'm still not 100% sold on either "gimmick"

New Skipper: Dave Martinez

Well here we go again. As of the World Series Dusty Baker is out as the Nats Skipper. In his place is Dave Martinez Fresh from the Cubs as their bench coach from 2015 to 2017. He was part of that goat curse breaking 2016 Championship team. As far as NatsPos connections he played for Montreal from 1988 to 1991. Martinez started his playing career with the Cubs before being traded to the Expos then played for the Reds, Giants, White Sox, Devil Rays. Then back to Cubs to Rangers to Blue Jays all in 2000 then finished in 2001 with the Braves. His coaching career began in 2008 with the now Rays (they dropped the Devil) til 2014 then went to the Cubs December of 2014.

Dave Martinez suiting up as Nats new skipper w/ GM Mike Rizzo

Photo from WTOP.com article Nationals introduce new manager Dave Martinez

I didn't think I had any of Dave's cards, but in checking The Trading Card DataBase I noticed his RC was this card (good old 1987 Topps Traded) which I have since I have all the 1980s Topps Traded Sets in/with their boxes. I might have some more of his cards from his playing days but I'm not sure. At this time I'm not going to check. I'm going to be lazy and use an online image of the card since it is a very common card. Not using a scan of "my" card may turn off some readers, but hey I like being honest. Oh interesting what looks like a huge sweat stain on his jersey is the shadow of his gloved arm.

1987 Topps Traded 73T - Dave Martinez RC
Images from Trading Card DataBase

A Slightly Oversized Big Train

Back in September for my Sportlots Spending Splurge I got this nice card, with another card from the set Eddie Murray Orioles which I am mentioning on my regular card blog. This one was 50¢ (Eddie was 70¢) I also got a Hockey card for my name niche PC. Shipping was only 68¢ for the three cards. Buying from Sportlots stores is better on shipping than for the auctions. For some reason auctions there don't combine shipping.

I had forgotten that the cards from this set were slightly larger than standard size at 3.5" x 5" about postcard size. Still nice looking cards. Only 60 cards in the set and not too expensive. I don't think there are any super hard to get cards from this. That is good since it looks like I should get more of these oversized beasts.

 1984 Donruss Champions 37 Walter Johnson Senators

EDITED: To cross-link to regular blog for Eddie Murray card from this set.

Welcome to CoopersTown Pudge (and Rock)

With the announcement of the 2017 Hall of Fame Class The Natxpos Franchise has two count them TWO players accepted to Cooperstown. Expos Tim "Rock" Raines (Non-DC Years) and Nats Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez (going as a Ranger aka: Senators 2.0). Raines got in on his 10th and final ballot and Ivan got in on his first ballot. Oh and there was also some guy named Bagwell but since he has no DC connection I won't mention him or show a card of his, sorry fans he doesn't fit the scope of this blog. There was another Expo who was under consideration but didn't make it this year Vladimir Guerrero missed out on the first timer train. Maybe Vlad will get in next year.

IVAN "Pudge" RODRIGUEZ:

2000 Upper Deck Baseball: Most Wanted: MW3 Ivan Rodriguez Rangers

For this next card I played with the adjustments on the scan for the front of the card to try to make Pudge's name easier to read. I wasn't satisfied with the result it looks too grainy. This is actually the second scan of the card as the first one had a hair or thread across the lower left of the card and I couldn't have that.

 2002 Fleer Ultra Baseball: 7 Ivan Rodriguez Rangers

TIM "Rock" RAINES:

1983 O-Pee-Chee Baseball:  227 Tim Raines Expos

 1988 Topps Baseball: 403 Tim Raines All-Star Expos

Mickey Vernon 1952 Bowman Original vs Reprint

This is a story about an original card and its reprint, or its reprint and then the original. I suppose I should start with the reprint which was the version I first got from Ebay or maybe Sportlots a few years back. I'm not sure exactly how much I paid for it, as I often get it confused with another reprint I had purchased around the same time (Actually that other "reprint" I am afraid is actually a counterfeit that was artificially "aged" to appear to be an original. I have blogged about on my regular blog "Love/Hate Reprints")

Anyway I'm not sure exactly when I got it or how much I paid. I seem to think I got it for under $10, maybe a little more with shipping. Like the other "reprint" I might have gotten it from Sportlots maybe even from the same seller. I don't recall it was that long ago, and I don't think I blogged about it at TCC (where I have kept track of my maildays for a long time now and more recently duplicating it at TCZ)

Reprint of 1952 Bowman 87 Mickey Vernon Senators

(Front and Back)

The two pictures above are of my reprint you can tell it is a reprint because the cardboard stock used is much thinner than the stock used for the actual '52 cards and the fact that it is bleached bone white rather than unbleached cardboard gray. Notice also the perforation marks on the bottom and right-hand side indicating that it came from some booklet or sheet.

Yes this card came from a book of reprints. It is from a 1982 Dover Books book of 82 "Collector's Cards" reprints by Bert Randolph Sugar titled "American League Baseball Card Classics" there was a sister book for the National League, and I think an "All-Stars" book as well. The individual card I got was from the AL book. I recall seeing these books back in the day at bookstores like Waldenbooks.

1982 Dover Books American League Baseball Card Classics

(Front and Back Covers)

Here is what the page the Mickey Vernon card came from looks like: Notice it is the upper corner card.

When I first got the card I wasn't sure exactly where it came from, I had to do some research. I did that research a few years back, and fortunately had put a little piece of paper in the penny sleeve I have kept this card in giving me the tip that it was a Dover Reprint. I originally had thought it was 1983, but upon finding some recent auctions for the complete book it appears to be from 1982.

Images of the "American League Baseball Card Classics" book (and the page with the Mickey Vernon card) are from an Ebay Auction that is/was going for $10 I forget what the shipping is. I don't actually have this book yet. I'm toying with the idea of getting it, and the NL sister book.

A few years later I finally got around to buying the Original of the card to satisfy my desire to have the Original and not just the dang reprint. In a bit of ironic fate I am fairly certain that for this original I paid about half or even less than half of what I paid for the reprint. I figures and is typical in today's world of card collecting. Of course after I got the original I had forgotten where I had the reprint. That is part of my delay in actually posting about this card and the two versions I have of it besides just being dang lazy and a PFC (Procrastinator First Class). As it turns out I had it in a box of some of my first couple hundred Washington Nationals cards I had gotten in 2005 - 2007 much to my relief as there were some other cards in that box I was wondering where they had gone to.

1952 Bowman 87 Mickey Vernon Senators ORIGINAL

(Front and Back)

Ah the joy of owning the original of a 62 year old piece of cardboard instead of just a 32 year old copy. Notice the back of the Original is the darker aged gray plain cardboard and on the front of my original Mickey's left hand and his right forearm up to around his right elbow shows a lot of ware. It is hard to tell from the scans, but the original artwork has better detail and quality than the reprint.

Curly W Team Sets: The 1980s (Non-DC Years)

Curly W Team Sets:

The 1980s - Non-DC Years

1985 Topps Baseball 141 Father and Son:

Dave Stenhouse Senators and Mike Stenhouse Expos

Updated: 09 Mar 2017

The 1980s were the first full decade of Non-DC years for Curly W team sets. The 1990s would be the second full Non-DC decade. Since the Expos moved to DC and became the Nationals in 2005 the 2000s like the 1970s before them were not a full Non-DC decade. Thank goodness.

As with some other decades I might have some of these cards but haven't marked them on this or any other online checklist because I haven't gotten to those cards yet. Or keep forgetting to catalog them.

1980 Laughlin 300/400/500: 0/1
3 Walter Johnson

1981 The Sporting News: Conlon Collection: 0/1
67 Dave Harris

1981 TCMA 60's II: 0/6
309 Dave Baldwin
338 Ken McMullen
360 Barry Moore
390 Phil Ortega
446 Frank Bertaina
463 Larry "Bobo" Osborne

1982 Davco Hall of Fame Baseball Stars:  0/1
13 Walter Johnson

1982 TCMA Greatest Hitters: 0/2
12 Mickey Vernon
33 Sam Rice

1982 TCMA Greatest Pitchers: 0/1
17 Walter Johnson

1982-83 Diamond Classics: 0/5
011 Sam Rice
037 Walter Johnson
075 George Case
095 Joe Kuhel
101 Cecil Travis

1983 Big League Collectibles Original All-Stars: 0/2
03 Alvin Crowder
14 Joe Cronin

1983 Card Collectors Company 1953 Bowman B&W Reprint: 0/3
09 Walt Masterson
46 Bucky Harris
55 Don Johnson

1983 Card Collectors Company 1953 Bowman Color Reprint: 0/12
015 Jim Busby
022 Bob Porterfield
024 Jackie Jensen
034 Gil Coan
077 Micky Grasso
089 Sandy Consuegra
109 Ken Wood
116 Eddie Yost
139 Pete Runnels
141 Frank "Spec" Shea
152 Clyde Vollmer
159 Mickey Vernon

1983 Donruss HOF Heroes: 0/1
2 Walter Johnson

1983 Dover Hall of Fame Baseball Cards: Reprint: 1/1?
(From Book?)
87 Mickey Vernon - 1952 Bowman Reprint

1983 Galasso 1933 Goudey Reprint: 0/2
009 Dave Harris
163 Luke Sewell

1983 O-Pee-Chee: 0/1
383 Jim Kaat SV

1983 Topps: 1/1
673 Jim Kaat SV

1983 Topps 1952 Reprint: 23/23
002 Pete Runnels
040 Irv Noren
060 Sid Hudson
071 Tom Upton
090 Mickey Grasso
093 Al Sima
094 Sam Mele
106 Mickey Vernon
123 Eddie Yost
132 Clyde Kluttz
145 Joe Haynes
178 Cass Michaels
190 Don Johnson
245 Sherry Robertson
248 Frank "Spec" Shea
291 Gil Coan
292 Floyd Baker
298 Bob Ross
301 Bob Porterfield
306 Lou Sleater
307 Frank Campos
309 Jim Busby
317 Conni Marrero

1984 Donruss Champions: 0/1
37 Walter Johnson

1984 Galasso Baseball Collector Series: 0/1
14 Walter Johnson

1984 TCMA Play Ball 1946: 0/3
10 Cecil Travis
11 Al Evans
12 Buddy Lewis

1985 Galasso 1934 Goudey Reprint: 0/5
15 Alvin Crowder
16 Joe Kuhel
18 Heinie Manush
40 John Stone
65 Cliff Bolton

1985 Galasso 1938 Goudey Heads Up Reprint: 0/2
252 Zeke Bonura
276 Zeke Bonura

1985 Perez-Steele Great Moments Series 1: 0/1
8 Walter Johnson

1985 Topps Baseball: 1/2
141 Dave Stenhouse / Mike Stenhouse
272 Jeff Burroughs

1985 Woolworth's Topps: 0/2 (will probably try to find complete set not just Senators)
19 Frank Howard
21 Walter Johnson

1986 Card Collectors Company 1950 Bowman Reprint: 0/14
015 Al Kozar
017 Sid Hudson
018 Eddie Robinson
052 Same Mele
053 Clyde Vollmer
054 Gil Coan
107 Sam Dente
108 Ray Scarborough
143 Bud Stewart
144 Al Evans
160 Mickey Harris
161 Sherry Robertson
162 Eddie Yost
247 Irv Noren

1986 Card Collectors Company 1951 Bowman Reprint: 0/18
018 Gil Coan
041 Eddie Yost
065 Mickey Vernon
095 Sherry Robertson
096 Sandy Consuegra
097 Bob Kuzava
132 Cass Michaels
133 Sam Dente
168 Sam Mele
169 Sid Hudson
192 Hank Wyse
205 Mickey Grasso
206 Connie Marrero
240 Joe Haynes
241 Irv Noren
275 Bucky Harris MGR
276 Frank Quinn
311 Mickey Harris

1986 Conlon Series 1: 0/2
04 Walter Johnson
25 Bucky Harris

1987 Card Collectors Company 1952 Bowman Reprint: 0/17
015 Sam Mele
031 Eddie Yost
036 Cass Michaels
051 Gil Coan
063 Irv Noren
087 Mickey Vernon
103 Joe Haynes
123 Sid Hudson
135 Mickey Harris
143 Sandy Consuegra
158 Bucky Harris
161 Jackie Jensen
174 Mickey Grasso
194 Bob Porterfield
210 Archie Wilson
230 Frank "Spec" Shea
246 Jerry Snyder

1987 Hygrade All Time Greats: 0/1
28 (27?) Walter Johnson

1988 Card Collectors Company 1949 Bowman Reprint: 0/14
016 Al Kozar
032 Eddie Yost
074 Tom McBride
090 Gil Coan
094 James Vernon
106 Jake Early
110 Early Winn
121 Mark Christman
132 Al Evans
140 Ray Scarborough
144 Mickey Haefner
157 Walt Masterson
179 Bud Stewart
189 Earl Wooten

1988 Galasso 1936 Goudey Reprint: 0/2
16 Bucky Harris
22 Bobo Newsom

1988 Home Run Derby Reprint: 0/2
02 Bob Allison
10 Harmon Killebrew

1988 Pacific Legends I: 2/2
26 Roy Sievers
87 Gil Hodges

1989 Pacific Legends II: 3/3
119 Buddy Lewis
167 Joe Cronin
192 Walter Johnson

1989 Swell Baseball Greats: 0/4
003 Walter Johnson
047 Roy Sievers
054 Mickey Vernon
124 Dick Bosman

Senators Singles: Cardinal Whitey Herzog

Whitey Herzog: Cardinals Manager

OK so here is a single that is not specifically a DC card, but a player turned manager Whitey Herzog. Whitey played for the Senators 1.0 from 1956 - 1958 and is a Hall of Famer. I got this card from a 30 card repack purchased from a dollar store. This is a duplicate as I have many of the 1988 set (but my set is still incomplete).

1988 Topps Baseball 744 Whitey Herzog MGR Cardinals

(Front and Back)