A Message; Collectors of Baseball Cards, Pokémon Cards, Coins & Comics

Hi Folks,
   The Holiday season is right upon us, and I hope you've been enjoying yourselves, or at the very minimum, coping well with the crowds on the roads and in the malls.

   This is a special message for each collector of Baseball Cards/Sports Cards, Pokémon Cards, Coins, and Comic Books.

   To our friends who collect Baseball Cards and Sports Cards, hello my people! May your 2017 be bright, may the paint on your cards be glossy and shiny. May your Chrome cards be void of finger-prints. May all 4 of your corners be sharp, May 2017 be centered, with solid borders all around. May all of your grades contain the word "Mint". Just "Mint", with perhaps a Gem included, as well. May you stock up on the right prospect rookie card, but most of all, may your year be full of Joy!

   To the Pokémon Card collecting segment of our customers, who adore those glistening Ex Cards. I hope 2017 brings you nothing but Rare and Uncommon success, possibly even Ultra Rare. May your booster packs bring you many a Charizard, and may your decks be full of Secret Rares! Most importantly, I wish you a 2017 filled with Happiness!

  Are you one of our Coin collecting customers? Then I hope 2017 brings you pockets full of wonders, with shiny new undiscovered errors, and silver Washington Quarters. May the joy of Doubled-die errors fill your collection, and may you come across a 1914-d Lincoln Wheat Cent and a 1922 with truly no "d"! May you continue your numismatic ventures in 2017, and may it always bring a smile to your face.

   For those of you who are Comic Book collecting customers of ours, then I wish 2017 brings you only 1st Print issues in Mint condition, loads of vintage Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Avengers, Superman, and other such great titles you so desire. May you have a close encounter with Action Comics #1, one that allows you to display it as your own! I hope that 2017 brings you crisp white pages, a glossy cover, and a wealthy story Stan Lee would be proud of!

   We love all of our customers and we thank you for making 2016 special. I am glad to hear from many of you regarding the quality of the items you received, and we aim to top that (somehow!) in 2017. I've said it before and I'll say it again; when you are visiting CardboardandCoins.com, we welcome you to relax and just be yourself. You're family, and you're always at home with Cardboard and Coins.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year 2017 to all of you!
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

CardboardandCoins.com - From Baseball Cards
to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.

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The Worst Advice About Baseball Cards I've Ever Received

Hi Friends and Fellow Collectors,

   They say it's good to dwell on the positive things in life, but sometimes, it's healthy to hop over to the dark-side for a bit and reflect on some of the wacky (but with good intentions) advice I've received over the years regarding baseball cards, from buying, collecting, investing, and selling. I'll share some of these events chronologically so you can appreciate the time and setting in which I was the recipient of these tidbits of advice.

   Well, about 30 years ago, my aunt and uncle used to come over to my house a couple of times per week, and they brought up the idea that I was spending too much time organizing my cards, building sets and preparing for and selling at card shows. They started hinting about how it might be best for me to start tapering down my collecting habit, since it might be hindering my schoolwork, and really, where was I going in life by collecting and selling baseball cards? Why was that bad advice? What a 15-year old should not do is talk back, so I decided to keep on with the cards, since I was carrying a 90 average and I always finished my schoolwork before working on my cards. Yakkity Yak, don't talk back! So, the breaking news on that advice they gave me is that the college degree looks great on the wall and I am proud of it, but that baseball card "habit" of mine has been working out pretty darn good. It's slightly evident to them and I make sure to slip a baseball card in their birthday cards and their anniversary card every single year. You see that? Baseball cards do bring smiles!

   During the years of 1986-1991, an era that some folks in the business refer to as the over-production or "junk" years, I had conflicting advice from some fellow collectors. I was warned by some as if I was to avoid the bubonic plague to not throw a single penny into cards until the printing press slowed down. Of course, I did not heed that advice. Good thing, because if you do a quick eBay search for 1987 Topps Baseball cards and select only "sold items" and eliminate Tiffany cards from the search, you will see some pretty high selling prices for cards that folks wanted to wallpaper their homes with. That is selling prices as both graded and ungraded. I'm stocked to teeth and now the waiting and patience is starting to have a value attached to it. Listen to your little voice inside.

   During that same time, I did take bad advice two times, and paid the price for it. The first time, I was advised by two collectors who followed the Minor Leagues very closely via publications that they ordered in those pre-Internet Stone Age times. They told me to put everything behind the 1988 Topps Mike Campbell cards. There was one bulk vendor, and I bought $100 worth, a lot of money for a 16 year old in 1988 dollars. Needless to say, Campbell flopped and I phased out those two woodpeckers from my circle!

   The second time, I had my eyes on a promising rookie coming up through the Yankees organization, by the name of Derek Jeter. I had as much info as I could find by making calls, but I needed to get in touch with actual die-hard followers of the Yankees, since I am a die-hard follower of the Met's only! I made contact with a friend of a friend, and this fella was like a book of everything Yankees. I quizzed him on the most obscure stuff I could find at the Library (do those still exist?). He knew his stuff cold, and knew all of the upcoming prospects. Bingo! I was now 21 and had a little bit more money to play with, and I was going to plunk down $750 as an investment. He was so dead-set against Jeter, saying he was injury prone, and was going to choke when he hit the Majors, and he set out some really reasonable arguments against Jeter. He seemed valid and I took his advice. Fast forward all of these years, and I am still quite upset with myself for that bad advice, because I was going to be spreading my purchases across the Rookie Cards of Jeter from all of the main card companies, and I had a guy who had 25 of the SP Jeter cards. Yes, 25, and they were going at $8 per card (slightly jacked up New York City pricing). Oddly, I lost Mr. Yankee Advice's phone number. It's still a mystery today as to how I could have lost it .

   So, as you can see, I dodged some bullets, but got caught between the eyes with some others. I remember a friend in the business warning me not long ago about mixing in (selling) Pokemon Cards and Coins, in addition to the cards. He failed to realize that many folks collect a couple or all of these items simultaneously, and if you can be the person helping them get everything they need in one shot, they'll come back again and send their friends, as well.

   Overall, as I said in the beginning, all of this advice was done with good intentions, but still, that was just some of the worst advice I've ever received about baseball cards.

   Ummm....anybody want to buy some 1988 Topps Mike Campbell Rookies?
Many thanks and Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

CardboardandCoins.com - From Baseball Cards
to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.

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FREE U.S. Shipping Always
  NO Minimum Order Size
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9 Striking Similarities Between Baseball Cards and the Stock Market

Hi Friends,

  For those of us who not only collect baseball cards but invest in them as well, it's daunting when you look at the similarities between the Stock Market and the Baseball Card Market. Being a former registered stockbroker for a few years back in the early 90's (yes, during the "JUNK WAX" overproduction era of baseball cards; it's not a coincidence!), I'm able to draw some real parallels, and I'll break them down for you.

  1) Players, very simply, are the "Stocks". They are pieces of a whole, but sold individually. If you feel strongly about a player, you invest in him by buying his cards. Simple enough, right?

  2) Teams are a collection of players, just like a company is made up of a collection of stocks, or shares in its profit. The better the Team does, the better the stocks fair in the eyes of the public. Some players do outshine the others. We can call them "Preferred Stock" vs. "Common Stock", as they pay dividends (larger shares of the profit). Make sense so far?

  3) With stocks, we analyze the market value. How much profit is expected? How do we expect the common vs. preferred shares to perform? In Baseball Cards, we question whether the player will lead the league in average, home runs, etc. Will the team reach the playoffs and maybe the World Series? Speculation. The Data that is analyzed for stocks turns out to be the statistics we monitor closely in baseball, for example, the shootout among the National League to see who will win the batting title (In the AL, Altuve has that one locked up!). Stats=Data, and these are looked at in charts and graphs to see trends.

  4) Ever head of an IPO, or an "Initial Public Offering"? It's when a new company launches and its shares hit the market. IPO's are hot since they often skyrocket in price early on. That is what Prospects are. Bregman, Turner, Urias...they are all the IPO's of the Baseball Card Market. Catch them while they are hot, because if they cannot make it big in the sport/the market, their card prices will tank.

  5) Where is the corporate headquarters? For the Mets, I know it's Citi Field. The home team operates out of its "Store" or Corporate Headquarters, or Stadium. It's where they intake revenue. It's where the fan (potential investors) gets to see their favorite players, and if the player performs well, guess what? More purchases of their cards and increasing values!

  6) The Baseball Season is equivalent to a trading session in the Stock Market. After the season ends, Baseball Card trading quiets down some. But during the heat of the season/session, it's literally 24/7, just like our Global Stock Market.

  7) Post-Season play is equivalent to after hours trading that occurs in the market. The advantage goes to the players on the teams that made the post-season, as you can imagine, which points to the value-added of a team making the Post-Season!

  8) All-Star Games are basically a road show of the best of the best. Stock Market Road Shows are organized to make local investors aware of some upcoming offerings so they can prepare their financials to be able to invest. The All-Star Game prepares us for a hot 2nd half, and we get a look at both leagues to see where and with who do we place our investments most wisely.

  9) NASD is an association of Stock Brokers and dealers, and they do not have one specific location and are spread out all over the country. That is the Stock marketplace. What about the Baseball Card marketplace? What about baseball card shows happening all across the country and some dealers either attend some shows or none of them and some strictly sell online or from their shop. It's just as fragmented and decentralized as the stock market.

   As I mentioned, there are striking similarities between the two marketplaces.
   Incidentally, some new additions to our corner of the Baseball card Marketplace...

For your review:

1974 Topps #300 Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds, All-Time Hits Leader "Hit King"

1976 Topps Dennis Eckersley ROOKIE CARD, Pitcher, Cleveland Indians, Card #98

1993 Finest #199 Mike Piazza Rookie Card, Sparkling Topps RC, HOF, HOT!

2008 Topps Update UH280 Max Scherzer ROOKIE CARD, Graded 9.7 MINT+

2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP101 Anthony Rizzo, ROOKIE CARD, Red Sox


Many thanks and Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

CardboardandCoins.com - From Baseball Cards
to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.

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FREE U.S. Shipping ALWAYS
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Steve Carlton Photo-Bombed by Gary Matthews; The Top 5 Oddest Baseball Card Errors

Hi Friends,
   Well, as you probably know, there are a lot of errors woven into the fabric of each hobby. In Stamp Collecting, there is a coveted upside down airplane stamp worth thousands, if not millions. In coin collecting, there are certain doubled-die error coins that can run into the multiple thousands of dollars. In the baseball card hobby, we have some pretty cool errors, but maybe not as expensive as some of the errors in the previously-mentioned hobbies. We do happen to own the claim to one of the most expensive and rarest items, the T206 Honus Wagner card. However, for the sake of staying on topic, let's take a look at the top 5 oddest baseball card error cards.


1984 Topps Steve Carlton/Gary Matthews:



This one is straight comical, as the 1984 Topps theme was to have the player image with a headshot of the player at the bottom. This card appears to be a production room faux paux. Either that or Gary Matthews was trying to get "Silent Steve" Carlton to actually speak by surprise photo-bombing him!


1988 Fleer Jerry Browne:

        



Similar to the Carlton/Matthews error above, this is also quite a blatant error. The image on the Jerry Browne card produced by Fleer in 1988 was certainly not Jerry Browne. The card has the actual image of Bob Brower, and if you know who he is, you'd realize this card was blatantly incorrect.


1986 Topps Blank Backs:





This is one that everyone really has fun with, and it's the blank-back 1986 Topps Cards. There is always such a jolt of electricity when you flip a card over and there is nothing there! You go from expecting the bright red background of the reverse to hit you and you see nothing but plain cardboard. You just never forget the first time that happens to you. After that first one, I spent a whole week straight looking at every one of my cards backwards!


1982 Topps Pascual Perez "No Position" Error:




When you collect cards, you most probably like to go through them and compare stats. As an 11-year old collecting baseball cards, I often perused my cards to size up the competition for my New York Mets (that's how Nerds like I did such things in the "Land Before Computers"!). Well, I get to Pascual Perez, and I felt like something was missing, and then it hit me...the word "Pitcher" was not there! It took me some time, since there was no Internet, but the next show I went to, they confirmed this as part of a larger pool of errors in the 1982 Topps Set. What a treasured find, of which I still have it to this day!


1990 Frank Thomas No Name on Front (NNOF):


This has become a wildly popular card, already being Thomas' Rookie Card, pushing up it's price as it goes.

The error parade continues to this day, as I have gotten my hands on a few 2015 Bowman cards with no names on the front (I have Stephen Matz and Greg Bird). If interested, drop me a note here.


As for normal, non-error cards, we have just posted a substantial # of cards, including some high-grade vintage cards, such as:

1970 Topps #75 Jim Kaat, graded by C&C as an 8.6 NM-MT+


1971 Topps #164 Reds Rookies (Milt Wilcox, Duffy), GRADE 7.5 NM+


1975 Topps #194 1956 MVPs Mickey Mantle and Don Newcombe, Graded 7 NM


1976 Topps #95 Brooks Robinson, 3rd Base, Orioles, Multiple Gold Gloves, Graded 8 NM-MT



Please check out our website to view more high-grade vintage cards and all of our other products.

Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

CardboardandCoins.com - From Baseball Cards
to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.

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#ERROR #BASEBALLCARDS #STEVECARLTON #FRANKTHOMAS #MLB #MANTLE #TOPPS #ROOKIECARD

10 Things You Must Have When Visiting Your Next Baseball Card Show

Hello Friends,
   Last month, we took a real hard look at what it takes to sell at a card show, and we made a nice, portable list of everything you need (http://blog.cardboardandcoins.com/2016/05/the-top-10-critical-things-you-need.html).

   I will make this assumption that not only do you sell, but you buy as well either to re-sell, or just for the sheer fun of the hobby. In that case, you can't just walk into a card show and yell, "I'm here". It won't work, I've been there, and have been asked to leave the premises. Just kidding (or am I?). Seriously, you have to go in there prepared and equipped to get exactly what you need and what you want. Let's break down some more reality together, shall we?

   Let's start with the basics here; what do you need to buy? Money, yes, that's a given. But what cards do you need to buy? That's right...you need your lists of cards required to fill sets you are working on.
So,

#1 Lists of cards required to complete your sets. Make a COPY of them. Do not bring the originals. If you leave your original at some table, forget it and walk away, it get's trashed, and you wasted hours of time making those lists.

#2 A pen. This is non-negotiable. You'll need a pen to cross off cards you found and to jot notes and contact info. A Pen is critical!

#3 A Small Magnifying glass. You have to check your corners and edges, so a small and compact one, preferably with a built in light (some shows are dimly lit, especially if in huge gymnasiums with sky-high ceiling fixtures). Yes, a magnifying glass. Own your inner geek. It's your friend, trust me!

#4 Top Loaders, Gel Cases, and Penny Sleeves, so you can secure your cards as you go. Never assume a vendor will provide these to you (although, in part 1, I mentioned that feel it is imperative as a seller to have plenty of these on-hand at the show).

#5 Player of the day cards; Will a player be signing autographs? Make sure you have a few copies of his card with you. Tip: If you notice a vendor who does not have any cards of the player signing that day, you might be able to flip your extra cards of that player to the vendor for a few bucks. He knows he will re-flip those cards pretty fast that day, anyway.

#6 A Small Messenger Bag with a Zipper, or some other over-the shoulder bag. Not a fanny pack...just because...it's just not an impressive site for anyone who uses one. Sorry! And...Not a duffel bag. This isn't Basic Training here, champ. Just something basic to hold your items, with a zipper, so when you put it on the floor when checking out other cards, nothing will come out. A little New York City Street-wise safety tip; when you put your bag on the floor, wrap the handle around your ankle, so nobody can grab it and walk away. Never say never. It happens 24/7/365...bags grow legs and walk away. Avoid the aggravation.

#7 Hydration & Nutrition; In this mighty bag of yours, you need a few small waters and some snacks, and a napkin. Protein snacks are key. These shows are hot and can deplete your energy fast, and then the fun fades away. You will lose the rhythm and vibe that brought you there, and that side-tracks your entire day.

#8 Price Guides, i.e. physical ones, if you use them, they should also come along with you, but this really leads me to...

#9 Internet access. Do you have your passwords with you for access to any online price guide sites? Is your phone at 100% charge before you leave your home. Yes and Yes need to be your answers here. Once you walk into the show, it's game on. It's in your hands to seek out and find what you need.

#10 Someone for moral support, preferably someone into the hobby. I go with my son. He's 9, but can talk hobby-hardened veterans into circles with what he knows about the biz already. I started him young. Way back in the Diaper Bowl of '06! Anyway, bring someone to share in the day with you and you can feed off each other's finds and hotspots as you go.

   Look, I sell and I buy. I love jotting down the names of new vendors, and I build mutually-beneficial relationships with these folks. People are there to Buy or Sell, plus one additional reason; to have fun. Meet people, interact, and realize we are all there for the same underlying reasons. Know some friends who love going to card shows. Spread the love and share this list with them! Enjoy!!

Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

CardboardandCoins.com - From Baseball Cards
to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.

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FREE U.S. Shipping Always
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Collectibles Markets Stronger Than Ever, as cited in our Press Release

Hi Folks,
    I hope you're having a great week.

   We just wanted to share the 1st Press Release that has been written about us, which was titled;
   "New website proves interest in baseball cards, coins, collectibles markets stronger than ever",

   The Release is being featured in Google News nationally and globally right now, and the full Release can be seen at: http://www.mizonews.net/economy/new-website-proves-interest-baseball-cards-coins-collectibles-markets-stronger-ever/233294/

   For the sake of making things easier, the news organization that created and published this Press Release suggested that we paste a copy of it here for our large blog readership. So, here it is:


For Immediate Release: New website proves interest in baseball cards, coins, collectibles markets stronger than ever


May 23: While kids today are collecting the latest trend in gimmicky Japanese trinkets, kids of another generation are circulating a huge volume of sports cards of all major sports, coins, wheat cents, error coins, Pokémon cards, and more in a collector’s market that is stronger than ever. Taking the lead in this renewed interest in collecting is CardboardandCoins.com , an online store with a huge selection of graded and non-graded collectible items.

The site was launched by Robert Eisenstein, a 30-year veteran of the sports card and coin industry with a passion for commemorating the past through rare collectibles. “This business really feels like home to me,” Eisenstein says. “It’s what I know, it’s where I draw my strength from.”
Eisenstein, who has been collecting since the age of 15, has launched and sold numerous successful collectibles businesses, but he says CardboardandCoins.com is for keeps.
Anything purchased at CardboardandCoins.com ships free within the U.S. for any sized order.
Those interested in browsing CardboardandCoins.com’s selection should visit their website at https://www.cardboardandcoins.com/. The company also maintains a blog perfect for anyone looking for news and tips on the latest trends in collecting here https://www.cardboardandcoins.com/blogs/news or https://blog.cardboardandcoins.com
Contact:
Robert Eisenstein, owner, CardboardandCoins.com – rob@cardboardandcoins.com

Have a Great Day !
Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

CardboardandCoins.com - From Baseball Cards
to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.

* * * * * * * * * * *
FREE U.S. Shipping Always
NO Minimum Order Size
www.CardboardandCoins.com



The Top 10 Critical Things You Need When Selling at a Baseball Card Show; The Essential Guide


Hi Folks,

   I hope everyone is having a fantastic week, and for baseball fans, I hope that your favorite team is where you want them to be, EXCEPT if they are in the same division as my New York Mets! Is there any more hair to pull out of this head of mine? Let's not go down that ugly road. It's so ugly, we'll call it fugly (umm, RTFM, lol!)

   I don't know about you, but I still get those first date jitters the night before selling at a card show. The thought of all of the people, and seeing some great friends and talking sports and cashing out a little, all shares the same headspace with the thought of all of those hours and being cut off from anything outside of my little table-zone. And then the stomach rumbling starts just from the thought of hunger!

   So, in order to combat this psychosis of mine, I made a list of the top 10 things you need to have in place and with you when selling at a Baseball Card show (or Sports card show of any kind, Coin shows, or even Comic Book Shows). These items are not listed in any particular order, with each one being quite an important part of a successful day at the show, but they fall into 4 categories: Technology, Human Beings, Goods, and Last Minute.

Technology:
1.   Internet Access; The worst thing you can do is find yourself at a card show and you have no pants on. The next worst thing is to find yourself at a card show with no access to your online price guides, eBay, your website, your home network, etc. Bad move. Make sure and verify that the venue has Internet access or WiFi. If not, I'll present an idea shortly in another item in this list. If they do have access, make sure you have all of your passwords, as well as your tablet, smart phone, laptop, and ALL power cables and chargers. Again; ALL power cables and chargers. Hint: Bring an extension cord in case the outlet locations are not convenient.

2.   Security; Look, for the most part, people are honest. But the few bad apples out there really screw things up for everyone else. Of course, you should cover the front of your table with an overlapping thick tablecloth, with your boxes weighting the edges of it down to avoid anyone from sticking their hands in for freebies. Your table should be set up with the high risk of theft items in the middle. I learned my lesson years ago when I had a 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie stolen right off my table. It was so busy at the show that I never even realized until re-inventorying that evening. That was pre-tech age, and now I suggest, if you have a little bit of tech savvy in you, to pick up a mini PC USB Camera that you can have record to your laptop or tablet, with ample hard drive space. At least you'll have footage to show to the venue and the police. Hint: Stay alert and stay present in the moment! Watch out for "distracters".....they usually come in pairs and one asks you nonsense question after question, while his accomplice swipes things from your table or underneath when your attention is being overloaded.

Human Beings:
3.   Never underestimate the power of having good table neighbor's when it comes time for that bathroom run. I suggest if you have friends who are vendors, make sure you have your tables all together in one spot so you can all repay the favor. I don't want to hear you had no friends, so you just brought an empty whiskey jug. Weirdo! If you don't have friends, make some with your new table neighbors and gauge your level of trust with them. Chances are, they'll approach you first for the favor!! The power of friends can also help with the WiFi issue, as you can invest in a WiFi Signal booster, have a chat with the Venue Security, and plug it in closer to the WiFi location, ideally half-way between you and the WiFi Source. Then, you guys will be online in no time. Hint: If you do this, please don't put up a sign that says, "Vendor Web Access, $39.95 one-time fee". It's enterprising and straight-up honest hustling, but just not cool to do! I'm such a tech-geek!

4.  You need a "Runner"; Check the availability of a "runner", such as your teenage kid, wife, husband, uncle's brother’s nephew's roommate, anyone who can run over that 1971 Seaver you have someone ready to give you 5x book value for. Anyone at all. Do you have a pet seal? Pay him with fresh fish after the show. Seriously, I've been stranded before. Plan ahead.

Goods:
5.   One Binder full of cards of the player or players signing autographs that day. Their popularity spikes on those days, and even mediocre players rise to superstars the day they sign autographs. You will sell a lot of these; Every one either needs one for signing, or wants to have one to be a part of the action.

6.   A notebook to track everything you sell. Just as I described earlier, it gets crazy, and sometimes you have 5-7 people looking at your cards, while 3 others are trying to hand you money. Remember I mentioned to stay alert? This will help you truly weigh out your Gross Sales, and also, it will help you document where each card went vs. wondering where it went.

7.   Top Loaders/Penny Sleeves/Bags/Business cards; Customer Service is key. I always say their 1st purchase is not the most important, but their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on. Build a relationship in a field we all love. Rules of thumb; Every card they buy under $10 gets a sleeve. Every card over $10 gets a Sleeve and a Top Loader. Sleeves are a penny each, Top Loaders are 30c a piece. It's a worthy investment. On multiple card purchases, offer them a bag. And every single person that buys from you or stops to look at your cards gets one of your business cards!

Last Minute Essentials:
8.   Change or Cash for Parking, etc; Scout out the venue and see if the parking is free, if there are meters, a garage, etc. Can you pay via Credit card or Cash? Do you pay for your table on show day? Make sure you have your credit cards you use for Shows and Cash +10, which I call Cash + 10% extra (If you need $100, bring $110).

9.   Snacks and Water; Trying to talk to someone while your stomach is grumbling is tough and even embarrassing, but even more importantly, it leaves you talking without any nutrition in you, and that can lead to "dumb-mouth". It sounds funny, but it can compromise your virtue; You might give an incorrect price or forget something. If I don't eat, my blood sugar tanks, and I kind of wander around until I realize, "Oh yeah, I skipped breakfast and now it's 3PM". Not a good image to set around your peers or potential customers. So I suggest that you bring with you enough snacks and water with you to hold you over during the show. Proteins like nuts and sugars like chocolate will suffice, or even better, pack some nice mini sandwiches you can chomp fast. This isn't a culinary dining experience. Also, it will get hot when the room is loaded with people, so hydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water. Of course, you will have your group of table buddies we discussed earlier, but bringing snacks and water with you keeps you behind the table, and the less you have to leave the fort, the more sales you can make.

10. Hygiene: Nobody else will stand up and say this, but I've been at shows with sweaty vendors that needed to refresh. Folks, these places get crowded and very hot. for the sake of all things holy, use underarm deodorant, and it's fine to wear a hat, but there is nothing wrong with using some hair gel and styling it up. Remember, brush those fangs nice and white, because you want to flash those pearly whites a lot.

   One bonus piece of advice is confidence. Bring it. Nobody put a gun to your head to sell at the show. You chose this! It's your hobby, your business, and you know it backwards and forward. Be an authority, and make some friends and remember that the folks across the table from you are there for some of the same reasons. We have our own lingo and swagger, and think of it as a huge club meeting of like-minded folks.

   Please look for my Essential Guide with the top items needed when you're attending a card show, which is planned for in a future post.


Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

CardboardandCoins.com - From Baseball Cards
to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.

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www.CardboardandCoins.com




The 'Conforto Factor' Jumpstarts Investment in Baseball Cards



Hi friends,
    I hope you're all having a great week so far. Lots of exciting things happening in so many sports that I have whiplash from all of the channels and TVs I've got going!

   In terms of MLB, Trevor Story, is of course, the captivating story of the moment, but ever the die -hard Mets fan, I recall former 80's Met Danny Heep, a virtual blip on the radar unless you are from New York (or Houston), when he took a .400 batting average into late April, early May, before fading back into the shadows.

   Now, the 'Conforto Factor', which I named after Michael Conforto, is what I really want to tell you about. Conforto, a very young rookie with the Mets, joins a cast of young players, including fire-baller Noah Syndergaard, who we'll refer to as "NS" for sake of making too many typos. NS is on fire, and my prediction is that a no-hitter is imminent for him....this season.

   However, there is one factor that simply awes me, and it is not the power and consistency that we want in our hitters, both of which Conforto has. It is the "no fear" mentality with eyes always open watching and observing. Mike Trout has this. Bryce Harper has it. Going further back, Tony Gwynn certainly had it as well. It's almost as if an older, wiser soul resides within him. Pull up some of his at-bats online. How can he take pitches like that and know they are not strikes? He's a tough out, and he makes each pitcher earn their pay. Let me be clear. He's 23. What 23 year old has an eye like that?

   Last Fall, with the Mets down to their final out in the World Series, the pinnacle of pressure in Sports, Conforto was up at bat. The first thought is hostile crowd, huge pressure, rookie.....equals strikeout. Nope! Conforto hits a single, and extends the game one more batter before the ugly ending. But the point here is, folks, this kid has got it. When you can have that kind of cool, calm, collected mentality, along with hitting home runs with exit velocity readings of 115-118 mph off of his bat, you've got a winner.

                                               A Shout Out to MLB.com for this image!

   Taking all of this into account with the Media spotlight in NY, the World Series run the Mets will be making again this year, I have started investing a lot in Conforto rookies, whether they are Chrome or Base Set cards. So, for the many folks that have been E-mailing me on our site, www.CardboardandCoins.com to ask me, I just cannot part with any Conforto cards just yet! It's that darn 'Conforto Factor'! Funny thing, I am not alone in this, as I spoke to 2 friends that are industry "heavies" and they are doing the same exact thing. The "factor" is real!

   I have been putting plenty of Mike Trout cards up on the site, and you might want to check back as we are constantly adding more inventory with over 200,000 cards in stock.

   Who are you investing in? Which young players show you the most potential. I'd love to hear!

Regards,
Rob Eisenstein, President CardboardandCoins.com
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com
From Baseball Cards to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.
That includes all Major Sports, as well as Comics and Pokemon Cards

FREE US Shipping  ...ALWAYS!
NO Minimum Order ...EVER!

www.CardboardandCoins.com


#Conforto @mconforto8 #mets #Syndergaard #baseballcards #cardboardandcoins #mlb



OK, I Admit it; I Really, Really Love Baseball Cards


Hi Folks,
 
   OK, I have to admit it; I love baseball cards. I have placed myself in just such a way that I am over my head with stacks of cards that I've been buying nonstop. I'm not talking junk either. I am talking 84 Topps Traded Set, and 12 pounds (yes, 12 pounds) of card assortments.




   If I only spent more of that time listing cards on the site, you'd have even more variety and I'd have more room. Somebody stop me, please !!!




A few of our latest additions:


1972 Topps Pete Rose In Action, Graded an 8

2015 Topps Heritage Mike Trout Short Print (SP)

1966 Topps Joe Morgan

Remember:, that's just a small taste of things to come. Check the site daily!

   The list goes on and on, including a slew of new Kris Bryant cards.
Check it out and help me clear some space by visiting CardboardandCoins.com

Also, note that the Long Island National @ Hofstra is coming up on 4/16 & 4/17. The show is run by JP's Sports & Rock Solid Promotions. Every show get's better than the one before, and that is due to a group of guys that dedicate their hearts and souls to this. I've seen time and again how they remind us that it's all about the kids. Great example of good folks in our industry, and the name "Rock Solid" fit's them just right ! Check out more info on them and their shows at www.nyshows.org

Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com
From Baseball Cards to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.
That includes all Major Sports, as well as Comics and Pokemon Cards

All US Shipping is FREE, Always
....and there is NO Minimum Order Size!!

www.CardboardandCoins.com

Everything seems to be Mike Trout lately; Don't forget Bryce Harper!

Hi folks,
   Mike Trout here. Just kidding!
   Or am I?

   Every generation in baseball has that one player who stands out leaps and bounds above the rest. When I say this, I mean not only because of their ferocious swing, lightning fast speed, or their ability to wrap it all together with a friendly smile and confidently happy laugh. I don't have to tell you about a personal favorite during the last phase of this evolution, but I should mention his name; Ken Griffey Jr. Always smiling, happy to be alive, present in the moment realizing that he is in the midst of living "The Dream", and knowing his age and not taking one single moment of it for granted. Close seconds for this honor were both Mike Piazza, and being the Anti-Yankee, I still need to be impartial here and say Derek Jeter. Strong, Silent leaders, both team captains with a warm-hearted smile and both mentally present in living their dreams. Not to mention, some pretty fast-moving Rookie Cards!

   Now, back then, Griffey was spread all over the place, aside from multiple types of cards, from mainstream to the rare type, he was just the smiling face of baseball. A big kid. Now, granted that the Internet was growing during Griffey's reign on the diamond, it cannot even compare to the internet saturation of today.

   Enter Mike Trout.

   With the country very pleased seeing Piazza and Griffey voted into the Hall, and with an eye towards Jeter's turn at the Hall in a few years, American media and fans have scoured the playing fields, and they've found their man....the new smiling face of baseball.

   So now, with the way the world is interwoven like a huge quilt, Mike Trout is everywhere. Being in a good mood one morning, I think I heard someone say, "Hey, check out the Mike Trout smile on that dude over there". I went to the doctor with a cold and the doctor asked me, "I guess you don't feel so Mike Trout today, I'm guessing". Really? Or how about the new puzzle for the ages; who would win in a fight, Mike Trout or Paul Bunyan. Here is my answer....Babe's Blue Ox.

   Now, don't get me wrong. I respect what Trout has done. It is immense. When you can hit close to .300 and 41 Hr's and it's considered a close to average year for you, that's abnormally good. And being young at heart, I think he is taking in every moment of this and living it now!! That takes good upbringing and a sharp head on your shoulders. The fact that he's a New Jersey fist-pumper instead of a New York guido, well, ok, he's got one strike against him! Seriously, a cool guy from what I can see in terms of mutual respect he shows reporters and the fans and folks around him. Trout is the real deal, he's here to stay, and he is destined for the Hall of Fame, absolutely!!

   Now, not running too far behind him is one of the coolest guys to hit the diamond, Bryce Harper. Ok, now let me be straight up and honest here; I was not the biggest fan of Bryce Harper just because he was just another guy hitting 30 home runs and batting in the middish 200's...basically, a batter that you can pull out of anywhere in the world. Not such a big deal when you need him to come up with a key hit, and he's a 1-for-4 kinda guy.

   However, after seeing Harper's consistent performance in 2015, from the beginning all the way through to the end, I have to make a few observations here, but let me stand up and say this; Bryce Harper you really are impressive! When you can walk off that field at the end of 2014 and you come back the following season hitting almost 60 points higher, all season long, you are truly a remarkable hitter. Now here is my observation which is that from the end of 2014 up until the 2015 season, Harper must have devoted 5 - 6 hours every single day in the cage hitting, hitting, hitting, and honing his eye for Balls and Strikes, so now when he's at the plate he sees a huge red beach-ball coming down the pipe instead of a tiny baseball. Now, without stating his name here (Umm, Papelbon, CEO of TEACH-ME-TO-MIND-MY-OWN-BUSINESS Inc), I and many others can see clearly how sitting out that one game gave Gordon and Arenado the opportunity to lift their average and season HR totals, respectively. Nonetheless, you rock, bro, and the word "Triple Crown" looms ahead for you.! One last note on Harper; he stated during the Post-Season that he's glad the Met's won (the Division, Pennant) because we faced the Nationals fair and square each time, and that is the mark of a true gentleman, for being mature enough to see past the friendly rivalry, and to see the bigger picture at then end of the season.

   So, miles of smiles from Trout and Harper, but Trout smiles more, thus the spread of Trout-mania. Let's just stop for a moment and think about the lives that Bryce Harper and Mike Trout lead, and let's stand back and realize just how amazing this is at their age.

    By the way, when folks start using Mike Trout in place of saying "Top Dog" or"King of the Hill", please remember this post!

   As a shout out to Mike Trout and the previous smiling icon of baseball, Ken Griffey Jr., here are some of our newest offerings of these players:


2012 Topps #446 Mike Trout "Rookie Card", NM-MT


2015 Topps Update # US227 Mike Trout, PACK FRESH, NM-MT+


2013 Topps Heritage Mike Trout 430a SP SHORT VARIATION LOW POP HIGH # ANGELS


1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr ROOKIE CARD RC #1 HOF MVP Grade 8.5 NM-MT+


1989 Fleer Ken Griffey Jr ROOKIE CARD Grade 10 GEM MINT RC # 548 HOF MVP


1990 Bowman #481 Ken Griffey Jr., Grade 8.5 NM-Mt


1999 Finest #200 Ken Griffey Jr., Grade 10 "GEM MINT"


Remember:, that's just a small taste of things to come. Check back here daily!

Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

TAGS: #Cardboardncoins #MikeTrout #BryceHarper #baseballcard #rookie #griffey #jeter

CardboardandCoins, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Baseball card, Rookie, Griffey, Jeter





Where Are the CARDS on CardboardandCoins.com?



Hi Folks,
   It's been some time since I touched base, and I just received a question from one of my direct buyers who filled out the contact form and said, "Hey, Rob....something is missing from your site. Like Cards?". Oh yeah, that.

   Well, I can blame this one and that one and the dog and everyone else, but the latency falls on my shoulders with that. Now, don't get me wrong, we have 80+ products posted, covering baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, coins, Pokemon Cards, and Comic Books, but this batch was only the tip of the tip of the iceberg.

  Now here follows my excuse, which again, falls on me; Getting items listed on the website is one of the most massive undertakings I've had to work through. Between preparing the scans, getting the grading done by the entire grading team and then creating the Ads...this all takes time. When you add in someone who is a "petty perfectionist" (me), you are looking at an hour per Ad. Yes, I know, not normal. I am now working with templates and csv files to expedite things and I'm putting a lot of faith in finding the right solution or combination, So, please bear with us as it may take some time but you will see more and more quality products that you look for and expect to find in your favorite shops.

What are some of the hottest items that just got listed?:

1) 2012 Topps Update US144 Mike Trout RARE Gold Border Parallel, Grade 9.8 MINT+

2) 2010 Topps #148 Rob Gronkowski Rookie Card, Patriots Legendary TE, Grade 9.8 MINT+

3) MEGA VENUSAUR EX 2/146 ~ HOT! ULTRA RARE HOLO EX Pokemon XY Base Set


Again, that's just a small batch and a taste of things to come.

Stick around, really, you're gonna like it here!

Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com
From Wheat Cents to Baseball Cards, and Beyond!
http://www.cardboardandcoins.com


TAGS: #Cardboardncoins #MikeTrout #Gronkowski #baseballcard #topps #pokemon #venusaur #holo #rare


Baseball Card Scams And Fraud During The Holiday Season

Hi Folks,    Hello Everyone,    I hope your Holiday season has been great, thus far!     If you've been buying baseball cards and coins ...