A couple of gifts and trades

I will still have one more post coming on my last COMC order, showing some baseball cards that I bought. Before that, however, I thought that I would show some cards that I received in Christmas cards, but picked up in the new year, and some cards that I've obtained by trade.

The first two cards were received by Trading Card Database user 'budler'.

Left: 2011 Upper Deck University of Texas #48

Right: 2011 Upper Deck University of Texas - All-Time Alumni Trios #ATAT-YSM

It was nice to get these cards as a Christmas gift. When I thanked him for the cards, he thought I was collecting them as a Texas fan. I had to tell him that I was collecting them because Eric Metcalf and Colt McCoy were Browns draft picks. He might have been happier with that news because he is a Cornhusker fan that is still displeased about the 2009 Big 12 Championship game.

You know what? I can respect holding a grudge like that!


There was also a Christmas card waiting for me, that held two cards. This one was from another TCDB user, and fellow blogger, Billy Kingsley at the Cardboard History blog.

L-R: 2012 Topps Magic #128; 2014 Topps Chrome - 1989 Chrome #89TC-DW

I figured that I would get to this post before now, and thought that I would thank him in that post, so I haven't thanked Billy yet for these two cards. So, many thanks, Billy. The cards are very appreciated.

I love the Topps Magic cards, and this rookie card of Josh Gordon is nice with the grass stains on the knees. It was too bad that he left the Patriots a few weeks ago, needing to look after himself, and being suspended again for violating the substance-abuse policy. This suspension might end his career, but I hope that he sorts his life out.

The Topps Chrome card of David Wright is awesome, and has bumped out the other 2014 Wright card that I had in my Mets Opening Day Starting Lineup project.

I like the 1989 design, but how he is carrying the glove on the card sure looks awkward. I can see how he is carrying it, but if you just glance at it, it is strange.


Finally, I made two trades with another user at the Trading Card Database. These were from '49ants', and he, by far, has the most transactions on the site.

Shortly after adding some cards into a trade list on the site, I heard from him with a trade request. After our first exchange, and after I added some more cards to my trade list, I heard from him again.

Here are the cards that I got from those two trades.

L-R: 1995 Collector's Choice - Crash the Game #C25; 1995 Score - Red Siege Artist's Proof #128

The Crash the Game inserts has multiple variants, stamped by dates. I already owned the other two variants - Sept. 3, and Oct. 22. It is nice to have completed the Rison cards that I need from this set. I can't say that I really like looking for his cards, and now these ones are done.

This is the second of the seven Red Siege Artist's Proof Browns cards. It is a nice Testaverde card. This is my 165th different Testaverde card, which ranks him eighth in my collection.

L-R: 1995 Collector's Edge Excalibur - Draft Day Silver #DD-22; - Die Cuts #17

I've always liked these plastic Collector's Edge cards.

Craig Powell was the last first round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns before the team's move to Baltimore.  He really didn't make the impact that the franchise would have wanted. He played three games for the Browns in 1995, and nine for the Ravens in 1996. The Ravens, however, found a pretty good linebacker in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft in Ray Lewis. I'm sure that helped ease the pain of the previous year's poor first round pick.

The die cut cards are pretty fitting for a set called Excalibur. This is the last of this parallel for the team set that I needed.

1990 Topps #173

During my COMC posts, I showed another 1990 Topps card, and mentioned that I had hopefully traded for the last of the variations that I need for the base 1990 Topps cards. Here it is, the version with no disclaimer on the back.

Since many of you are probably not football collectors, and have no idea what I'm referring to, I decided to post both back variations.

As you can see, the big difference between the cards is the lack of a disclaimer on the bottom of the card on the left, and the disclaimer that "Topps football player cards are not manufactured, sponsored or authorized by any team or league." on the card on the right.

Isn't that something to have on the card? If you're curious as to why it is there, here is an article explaining the circumstances behind the two versions.

L-R: 1999 Bowman Chrome #13 and #202

These were the last of the five cards that I needed for the base team set for 1999 Bowman Chrome. It is nice to see the Browns players in their expansion uniforms, with the expansion patch on the front of their jerseys.

L-R: 1999 Collector's Edge Fury - Gold Ingot #130; 1999 Score - Showcase #160 (#/1989)

Here are a couple of Browns parallels from other 1999 sets, where you can see the players still wearing their old uniforms, but being listed with the expansion Browns. I still need other cards from both parallel sets.

L-R: 1999 SkyBox Metal Universe #7 and #54

These two cards, and the card below, leave me only needing one more card to complete this set's Browns team set. The missing card is Jerris McPhail, a running back in a Detroit Lions uniform.

The next card from this set has a great photo on it!

1999 SkyBox Metal Universe #53

It would have been better if Antonio Langham was in a Browns uniform tackling Keyshawn Johnson, but it is still a good shot. I say that, but it is somewhat corrected on the back of the card.

Unlike all the other Browns cards in the set, which has the back photo showing the player in the uniform shown on the fronts of the cards.

I assume, though, that since Langham had played for the Browns before their move to Baltimore, that SkyBox found an old photo of Langham wearing a Browns uniform to use on this back.

Notice that he wore different uniform numbers in San Francisco and Cleveland.

L-R: 1999 Skybox Metal Universe - Quasars #2Q; 1999 SP Authentic - Rookie Blitz #RB2

To finish this post, here are a couple more Tim Couch cards that were added to my collection with the trades. Two more down, and so many more to find.

I have one other TCDB trade in transit right now, but I have no idea when I'll get the cards. They were shipped to my US PO Box, and I probably won't get down there for a week or so.

Thank you to 'budler', Billy and '49ants' for the gifts and trades.