Ripken Cards from eBay

It seems that a shift in my collecting habits has sent me to eBay even more than before. I mean I try to find Ripken cards from the local card shops, but the cards are either in really bad shape, severely picked over, or too expensive. So off I go to eBay…

Year: 2006

Set: Topps Sterling

Card #: 86

Year: 2006

Set: Topps Sterling

Card #: 89

Year: 2006

Set: Topps Sterling

Card #: 95

Year: 2007

Set: Spectrum

Card #: CR87

Year: 2008

Set: SP Legendary

Card #: CR

Year: 2007

Set: Ultimate

Card #: CR

Year: 1994

Set: Fleer Update

Card #: 10

Year: 1997

Set: Ultra

Card #: 1

Year: 1999

Set: Upper Deck PowerDeck

Card #: AUX3

Year: 1998

Set: Pinnacle Plus

Card #: 5

Year: 1997

Set: Collector’s Choice

Card #: 5

Year: 2001

Set: Upper Deck

Card #: BB8

Cross another 4 SPx Iron Man cards off the list…

As I have stated in the previous Iron Man post, I am still working on the 2007 SPx Iron Man set. So with these four beautiful cards I only need 94 more… Seems like so many, at least I have a goal to work towards.

117/699

Card: IM3

Back of Card: “In a move that would revolutionize the position and set a burgeoning superstar on a stellar career path, Baltimore manager Earl Weaver moved Ripken from third base to shortstop on 7/1/82. The tallest regular shortstop (6- foot-4) in the history of the game at the time. Ripken went on to set the all-time record for homers at the position as the single- season fielding mark.”

243/699

Card: IM53

Back of Card: “The Orioles were down a run entering the fifth inning against the Blue Jays on 9/15/90, but the Ripken brothers quickly reversed that and put Baltimore up a tally after they both connected for a solo HR in the frame. Even though Toronto rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a win, the game marked the first of two times that Cal and Billy homered in the same inning.”

340/699

Card: IM57

Back of Card: “Starting with six hits in a doubleheader on 6/23/91, Ripken pounded out 12 base knocks in 5 games to bring his season average to a sparkling .355 on 6/27. The eventual American League Most Valuable Player Award winner finished the year first on the circuit with 368 total bases, second with 210 hits and sixth with a .323 average.”

247/699

Card: IM76

Back of Card: “The shortstop’s season-high six RBI on 5/24/94 were in part made possible by his three-run roundtripper in the third inning. The blast was Ripken’s third of the year and the 300th of his career. It also brought the Orioles to within one run of the Brewers, 5-4, and Baltimore went on to score nine unanswered runs to take the road contest 13-5.”

New Shiny Ripken Cards

I could never justify paying full price for a box of Sterling, it’s just a little too much for me to take the gamble. With that being said, I love the base cards. Something about them just jumps out to me. So I have been stuck with picking up singles on eBay for now. Here are the two new Ripken Sterling base cards.

Year: 2008

Manufacture: Topps

Series: Sterling

Card: 229

Back of Card: “After winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 1982, Cal followed up by capturing AL MVP honors in 1983 by batting .318 with 27 homers and 102 RBI – and helping the Orioles to a World Series championship. Ripken was named MVP again in ’91.”

Year: 2008

Manufacture: Topps

Series: Sterling

Card: 230

Back of Card: “Ripken’s career will be remembered for hard work, consistency, and of course “The Streak.” A model of determination, Cal shattered Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak by playing in an astounding 2,632 straight from May 30, 1982, until Sept. 20, 1998.”

1995 Emotion Ripken Series Cards #1, 2, 3

I recently had the opportunity to pick up a complete set of the 1995 Emotion Cal Ripken Jr. cards for a great price.

The set features some of the best cards I have seen it quite awhile. The card stock is much thicker and stronger then most cards. The design of the cards, in my eyes, is done perfectly! Both the front and back of the cards are visually appealing. And each card highlight a different point in Cal Ripken Jr.’s career. Overall, this is just a great series.

Card #1

Title: High School Pitcher

Back of Card: “Cal’s career has spanned several eras and various monumental events, but it all started with pitching at Aberdeen High School, posting a 7-2 mark with an 0.70 ERA and 100 K’s in 60 innings, leading his team to the 1978 Maryland Class A title and striking out 17 in the championship game. (By the way, he also hit .493.)”

Card #2

Title: Role Model

Back of Card: “Cal’s role model growing up was the Orioles’ Brooks Robinson, probably the2 best defensive third baseman ever and, like Cal, one of the game’s classiest players. Brooks is now President, Major League Baseball Players Alumi,  which was founded as a means for former Major Leaguers to work together to promote the game of baseball and conduct programs with positive role models to inspire today’s youth.”

Card #3

Title: Rookie of the Year

Back of Card: “When Cal reached the Majors, he looked and played like a polished veteran almost from the outset. Ripken enjoyed a fabulous start to his career, leading Major League rookies in doubles (32), home runs (28), RBI (93), total bases (284), games (160), and at-bats (663) en route to winning AL Rookie of the Year honors in 1982.”

2001 Fleer Platinum – National Patch Time (Week 4)

Year: 2001

Manufacture: Fleer Platinum

Insert Series: National Patch Time

Card Number: 45

How I got the card: eBay purchase

Great card. Nice black jersey piece and great background pattern.

That said I have a few issues with this card. First is the stupid Fleer logo image in the upper right covering part of the player image. Secondly and more important, no card number from what I can see. How and why would you create a card and not put a number on it! It took me a while but after checking Beckett online card catalog and then Zistle, I finally found the number. Cal Ripken Black S1 #45.

2007 SPX Ironman

I picked up a few of these cards on eBay, and I would love to finish the numbered set. Every card is numbered numbered out of 699. In addition, each card has a highlight from Cal Ripken Jr.’s career.

So here are the first three SPx Ironman cards in my collection. Only 97 more to go…

238/699

Card #: IM38

“Both Ripken and Stan Musial played the entirety of their exceptional Major League tenures with a single team. Ripken spent 21 seasons with Baltimore, while Musial played 22 years in St. Louis. The Cardinals legend suited up for 895 straight games between 1952 and 1957, and Ripken passed him for sixth on the all-time chart during a tilt against the Matiners on 8/31/87.”

408/699

Card #: IM48

“In a closely contested matchup with Oakland on 5/12/90, Ripken delivered the big blows that enabled Baltimore to escape with a road victory. Down 2-1 in the sixth inning, the shortshop blasted a two-out solo shot to knot the score, and then in dramatic fashion in the ninth inning, he led off the frame with another solo shot to provide the game’s winning margin of 3-2.”

311/699

Card #: IM73

“Ripken finished the 1993 campaign with 24 home runs, 90 runs batted in and 87 runs scored, earning his seventh Silver Slugger Award for the shortstop position. At the time, it tied the Orioles superstar with Ryne Sandberg (second base, Cubs) and Wade Boggs (third base, Red Sox) for most seasons receiving the Silver Slugger honors.”

PSA cards in the mail

Ever since I started collecting again, the pricing of graded cards has really confused me…

For example, I picked up a total of 13 PSA graded Cal Ripken Jr. cards for roughly $1 per card shipped. However, PSA charges around $7 per card to have them graded (not including the cost of the card) and a 45 day wait. Which raises the question, why would you ever pay the $7 for getting a card graded if you can pick them up cheaper on eBay?

Here are the 10 cards I am adding to the collection, the other 3 are being sent off to Beardy.