[ Outline ] · Standard · Linear+ Things Overheard at the Shop.....2011 !!!, The Saga Continues.......

[dodgerblue38501]

About a month and a half have passed in 2011 and I have been bombarded with messages from fellow TCCers wondering..... where are the stories?

2011 may finally answer the burning questions that we have all been discussing the past couple of years......Is the customer always right? Are there more massive collections of 1991 Donruss baseball cards that I will have the opportunity to purchase? Do I even buy cards or do I only sell them? Are my autographs in fact........real?

For the past 6 weeks since the calendar turned to a new year, I have heard and saw more of the same madness that has been well documented in my 2010 and 2011 threads. As I approach my 9th year in business at my current location, sales are off to a red hot start. 2011 is looking very good thus far. Just when I thought I had heard it all.........well, you know the rest. This thread will be devoted to those close encounters of the "special" kind that happens at my shop during 2011. I hope that everyone can read and laugh and enjoy these true tales of the odd, strange, weird, and just plain dumb things that people say when it comes to sports and our great hobby.

I want to especially say thank you to everyone that enjoys reading my threads. You have given me an outlet to express my frustrations that develop from dealing with the public. For those that are new to these stories, I have linked the previous 2 years threads below for your reading enjoyment.

2011 is in full swing........LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!

Things Overheard at the Shop.....2009

Things Overheard at the Shop.....2010

[dodgerblue38501]

This past weekend saw an influx of people trying to sell me their valuable collections.

Collection #1:

A guy in his ealy 20s came in with a large dusty cardboard box. My heart raced as I hoped he had decided to sell his grandfathers collection of mint T206 cards that had been stored away in the attic for the last 90 years. However, reality set in, the guy carefully removed the items from the box. "These have been in my garage for 20 years", the guy explained. "I've been holding on to them until the right time", he continued. "I know there are some good cards here", he affirmed. I looked through the Trapper Keeper of yellowed 9 pocked pages containing 1988 Topps baseball and 1991 Hoops Basketball cards with a heavy heart. I explained to him that these cards were from the era of mass production and were virtually worthless. "What about my Mark McGwire Rookie Card?", he asked pointing to a 1987 Topps McGwire card. I then explained that the 1987 card wasn't even McGwire's true Rookie Card and that his 1985 Topps Team USA card was his only true rookie. "I thought his stuff would be hot since he broke Hank Robinson's record", the guy said. It was at that exact moment that my soul left my body for a happier place. A place where people actually knew a little bit about what they were talking about. "My brother told me that my Jose Canseco Rookie was my best card", the guy concluded. "Your brother was probably right", I agreed. A sadder statement has never been made. I then just closed the box and pushed it back across the counter to him. I thanked him for coming in. I will also be eternally grateful to him for not only making the Trapper Keeper useful again but also for teaching me about the great baseball slugger, Hank Robinson.

Collection #2:

Another younger guy came in with yet another dusty cardboard box. I prepared myself mentally and tried to compose my emotions before openeing his box to reveal a complete 1952 Topps baseball set. However, all I found was more early 90s mass produced stuff. I again went into my routine explaining how cards from that era were printed by the millions and how they are virtually worthless in today's market. "Well, I have some older cards too", the guy said. I told him that I would be interested in seeing them if they were in fact, "old". "They are in this album", he continued. He then handed me a 3 ring binder and my heart started to flutter. What would I find inside? Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio, Ted Williams, Mantle, maybe even a Hank Robinson Rookie Card! Nope. Sorry. Just another 9 pocket page filled with those dreaded black bordered early 90s, Conlon Collection cards. I then launched into routine #2 about how newer cards are still made of older players from the past. He then followed that up with, "I have a plaque at home of Jackie Robinson's 50th Anniversary. It has the official coin and everything on it. It has a gold card of him too. I'm not sure if it is his Rookie Card though." Luckily for the both of us, I am sure.

Collection #3:

Another 20 something young man came in with a large shoebox. I just knew that he had to have something of value. I mean, I couldn't possibly strike out on all 3 collections that walked through the door....could I? As I opened the shoebox, I went down looking. He just painted that outside corner and I was frozen. My knees buckled as I got a big 'ol eye full of 1989 Pro Set Football. "I'm not sure if this is the whole collection or not", he said. "I wasn't sure if they were in order by color or the number on the back", he continued. I then explained that the number on the back of the card did in fact serve a purpose. After my third and hopefully, final speech of the morning about the overproduced 90s, I was exhausted. I didn't care if he had Sanders or Aikman RCs. I didn't care if he had any of the "error" cards from the set. I only cared that it was over and I was left hoping for a real collection of value to walk into my shop one day.

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait very long. A man in his 40s-50s came in with a box. In that box I could see baseballs in ball holders. Could they be autographed? Could this be the big one? Tune in next time to find out............