Collectorsfest 61 in Syracuse = Goodies

Well, I won't go all in an review this as a card show as a whole. There was virtually no one there. Sixty-seven vendors with 179 tables - dominantly modern baseball and football cards, some hockey. There was also a fair amount of vintage, but I hardly know my way around them. I was surprised at the amount of 70's-era Topps going for about $.75 in reasonable condition.

But I have an issue with rummaging through the cheapo bins. There's just so many. The show went from 10-4 or something, but I had a 4-month old pup to get home to. So I set myself a $40 budget ($4 for admission) with eyes on 2012 A&G completion, JP Arencibia, cheapo relics and autographs, some trade bait, and a box of 1987 Topps.

I found a box of '87 almost immediately, $10. I didn't want to lug it around for three hours, so I moved on. Of course, by 12:45, it was gone. So it goes.

So here's what I did manage to get, all well under my $40 budget:

Personal collection adds:

A nice little Pudge bat (as a Nat!) from '11 Allen & Ginter's

A silky Aaron Hill. I didn't want to too much, 

but the guy was excited about selling it. Whatevs - it was in a 4/$10.

An early Strasmus present. $1 - couldn't resist the old-Bowman's Best design.

Jose Theodore auto from Pinnacle Zenith. 

It was a Wild auto in a 2/$5. Why not?

Also from the 2/$5, Robby Alomar Diamonbacks-style

bat card. Relics of Robby hardly exist in Blue Jay's uniforms,

so I have to settle on cards of him in New York/Baltimore/Cleveland and Arizona. 

Some White Sox exist, too.

Prospects and Trade Bait!:

2012 Bowman Chrome Joe Benson auto-refractor. #/500

This was an awesome score. I grabbed this and 2 other trade bait autos for $2.

Jurickson Profar for $1. Won me over pretty easy (purchased with the Strasburg).

Carlos Santana Heritage jersey! If you couldn't tell from the background image,

this blog is a Carlos Santana supporter. (And really,

catchers in general.)

Major score:

Bowman Platinum

Mike Olt GU-Bat/Autograph (Sticker)

This felt like stealing. Mike Olt is a mega-prospect and a front-runner for

2013 AL Rookie of the Year (I am officially calling it.) It was part

of a 4/$10 that also including Pudge and the Silky Hill. 

Most of these are up for trade, save he Strasburg and Pudge. The Olt will take some prying if you're interested...it's a hell of a beautiful card.

I saw one JP Arencibia card at the entire show. One. Brett Lawrie? Two. Other Jays? Yes, one - a 2011 Allen & Ginter's Auto of Jose Bautista. For $60. 

Overall, mixed results. Pretty disorganized. NO signer. Mediocre show, I guess, but we do not get many of them up here...so what do I know.