Cardboard Story #18: 9/9/09
Today's NEW addition brings us - 1998 Collectors Edge Odyssey Quarter 3 of 3 #213 (#1/150)! What makes it special is this?
In 1998 Collector's Edge accidently stamped all Hologold parallels out of #/150 that were released in packs. That was fine with Quarter 1 cards, but Quarter 2 was supposed to be #/50, Quarter 3 was supposed to be #/30 and Quarter 4 was supposed to be #/20! Although the mis-serial numbered card were out of #/150, the correct number of cards were issued for each Quarter.
Collector's Edge said they would issue replacements with the correct serial # provided customers turned in the mis-numbered one which would then be destoryed. In the summer of 2007, I completed a QUAD - that is premium serial # cards: #1, 8, 11 and last number as seen below.
Unfortunately, the addition of 1998 Collectors Edge Odyssey Quarter 3 of 3 #213 (#1/150)
shows that this card was:
A. Never turned in for redemption which means that CE created a complete run of replacements vs replacing individual error cards as they were turned in
OR
B. Not destroyed after it was redeemed.
In either case, although serial numbered differently, I now own two of the "same" hologold card (#1/150) and (#1/30)! Kinda cool if you ask me!
Cardboard Story #17:
Cardboard Story #17: 8/28/09
From time to time, I get random people that contact me about Mark Brunell cards they have. Most times I have what they are offering. In the rare occasions that I actually need/want the card, it's usually offered to me at "out of their minds" requests such as "need an Adrian Peterson SPA Gold Auto/Patch," "PSA or BGS Gem Mint Graded Joe Montana RC" or "looking for a HDTV"! Once all those disappointing and greedy inquiries are done with, I do get a legit sane person every blue moon. This story is one of them!
A guy from Minnesota emailed me about a "1998 Collector's Edge Odyssey Single Edge #1/1 card." He said it was from a wax box that he bought from the now defunct Shinders chain back in 1999-2000. I was ecstatic because I already own two of the three Mark Brunell #1/1s from this set. As always, I ask for front and back scans/pictures of the offered card.
Here's the scan: 1998 Collector's Edge Single Edge Quarter 1 of 3 #64 (#1/1)
 
I noted to myself, "That's not the Single Edge Quarter 3 of 3 I need!?! Don't I have that already?!?" Immediately, I made a special trip to the offsite bunker and searched thru the boxes and boxes of cards I had. Voila...I DO have that card!?!
Regardless, after informing him that the card wasn't a true #1/1, we still discussed a trade and came to an agreement. But like most who contact me, he hadn't collected for years and had never sent any cards in the mail before. With my history of bad luck with poor packaging by sellers and traders, I sent him his cards (Main card was an Adrian Peterson, LaDainian Tomlinson and Terrell Owens Triple Threads Jersey #/9) and a care package that included a prepaid return bubble mailer to me along all the supplies with step by step packing instructions. Within a week, the trade was completed...wow a smooth problem free transaction!!! A rarity!!!
Here are the two IDENTICAL #1/1 cards side by side!
It is the 1st Collector's Edge double #1/1 I've encountered (not counting printing plate many of which I have multiples plates of the same color). Over the past years, I've seen various Single Edge "proofs", that is cards in various stages of completeness, but none that are 100% complete.
Although you are seeing double #1/1s of the same card, it's not the 1st of it's kind in my collection. Previously, in 2006 I completed these double/triple #1/1 sets: See Cardboard Story #8 Multiple 1998 Score #1/1 Masterpieces
Cardboard Story #16: 2/26/2009
My good friend and fellow Brunell collector Shayne W. got this card several years ago. It was impossible to pry from him, but just recently due to unexpected circumstances, Shayne decided to pass this card along with all of his Brunell cards to me in a cash transaction. I am greatful that he gave me this opprotunity as his collection has found a permanent home. Below is 2001 Leaf Certified Materials Fabric of the Game Home Jersey Numbers #FG95 (#7/8).
It's "special" because it goes great with the other five I have. I now am in search of #3/8 and #6/8 to complete the run! ***A previous "Cardboard Story" noted that I also own 7 of the 8 2001 Leaf Certified Materials Fabric of the Game Away Jersey Numbers #FG94 (#/8), so if anyone knows who has the final 3 pieces to complete this story, by all means contact me!!!***
Cardboard Stories #15: 5/25/2008
On May 15, 2007, I lost an auction that I thought I had NO reasonable competition: a 2006 Donruss Elite Die Cut Status #8/8 - a DUAL "ebay 1/1" since it's serial number is both "8" - his jersey #! :LOL: That said, finding a DUAL jersey numbered card is fairly TOUGH as most sets don't end in a players jersey #. I placed a snipe bid of $63.10, but someone out sniped me by a $1. I was shocked that I lost, but also a bit surprised that it went for so "high" (for a non auto/jersey).
I immediately got in contact with the buyer. I soon realized that the winner's main focus in the hobby was Elite Status jersey #/jersey # , which he had 250+ at the time!!! Holy smokes!! There was little to no chance of me getting that card from him, right?!?
Eventually he said, "Sure I'll trade it, but I have to get something back in return (ie dual jersey # cards). Just make sure you don't get it from ebay...I have that covered!" Darn again I thought! "Where else can I find stuff like that WITHOUT ebay?" Regardless, my search began and I quickly found FOUR Status! Three baseball -- Raul Mondesi #43/43, Kevin Olsen #56/56, Carlos Beltran #15/15 and one football Clinton Portis #26/26.
I emailed him, but got no reply...so I continued to search. Many times over the course of summer/fall/winter of 2007, I gave him updates and my latest pickups for him, but most times I didn't get a reply. I was concerned and a bit frustrated. At this point, I had picked up another three Status - Michael Young #10/10, Seneca Wallace (RC) #15/15 and another Clinton Portis #26/26.
I was lucky enough to get two additional Status via the trade boards on Beckett and TCC. On Beckett, I knew of 4 Status and got 1, an Adam Gaines (RC) #93/93 from the1mccjensen. On TCC, I got an Anthony Gonzalez (RC) #11/11 for road_runner 1964 for a really sweet price. That got my total up to nine Status. In Dec2007/Jan 2008, I emailed and called him several times, when I finally got a reply, he said "Sounds good...Contact me in 3 month!" So I waited.
In April, I contacted him again to see if everything was alright and to get this trade/sale done. April was also when I picked up my 10th and final Status, a 2006 Aaron Rodgers #12/12! When we finally spoke again in May, I learnt he had gone through a lot in a very short period and that cards were often the least of his worries, although they brought him joy/happiness. We had a TOUGH time hammering out the logistics of the trade as I wanted him to send 1st and vise versa. Anyway, it was hard for me to send 1st as I didn't want this to end up as a sale ONLY as opposed to a sale AND trade.
In the end the deal was: he got 10 Donruss Elite Status (all jersey #/jersey #) and I got a Mark Brunell Donruss Elite Status #8/8 + paypal. The paypal part was offered by me as: "whatever YOU believe is FAIR in paypal. I will not set a range or a price. If you send me .01 or $1000, I would be just as happy." Eventually, I went with his proposal, where he paid 1st, I sent the 10 Status next and lastly he would send the Brunell.
Here's what he got:
AND Lastly, here's what I got...after a little more than a year!!!
It goes extremely well with these THREE: 2000 Donruss Elite Status #8/8, 2001 Donruss Elite Status #8/8, and 2002 Donruss Elite Aspirations #8/8.
The only #8/8 that I am missing are from 1999 & 2003 Donruss Elite Status -- which has yet to surface to the best of my knowledge!
Cardboard Story #14:
3/23/2008 - Recently I went thru a box of inserts and found this 1997 UD3 Marquee Attraction Mark Brunell #MA6 and noticed that it was an odd error/variant (on left) compared to the "normal" version (on right)! Pretty cool...I think!
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This card has a CLEAR Football Impression on the Front (bottom Left corner) via the Hologram logo on back |
The Normal insert |
Cardboard Story #13:
1/18/2008 - I paid for the most expensive card in my collection to date: A 2004 Ultimate Collection "Ultimate Signatures Quad Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Byron Leftwich and Mark Brunell #MMLB (#3/5)!!!! The story begins in May 2006 when this card finally appeared on ebay via a seller's ebay store where the card was listed for $899. I immediately inquried about a possible trade/sale combination, but in the end I didn't have any "cut signatures" to trade (which is what he collected). Throughout the remainder of 2006 and well into 2007, I would periodically asked about getting it for a reduced price. Unfortunately for me, the seller always maintained, "This card was in my personal collection. I always put a little stiffer price on that kind of stuff, figuring if I sell it okay, and if it doesn't sell, I still have it in my collection" which I understood.
In early 2007, this #1/5 became available, but I lost out on it at $600 to the "brick man" on ebay (who happened to help me with a #1/1 card I once needed). Knowing that the "brick man" would not be moving that card anytime soon...I had to wait for another opprotunity.
I have never lost faith in obtaining this card, but rather it was just a matter of how it was going to happen. This past week that question was answered! I got an email from a fellow ebayer of mine and they told me they got the #3/5 card from the ebay seller. I was estatic! I paid my friend a 10% commision on top of what they paid for it and the card is now mine. Apparently the seller finally added a best offer option to the listing that I was unaware of! Unfortunately for me, this particular Manning didn't make it to the Superbowl unlike his little brother!!
Ok...enough rambling...here's the card!
Cardboard Story #12: 1/12/2008***
1993 SP RC #91 BGS 9.5 Gem Mint! This is Brunell's "best" Rookie Card and currently there are NO BGS 10 Pristines, but 26 BGS 9.5's of which I now have 13 (50% of the population)! Closing in on #14 hopefully...my ultimate goal is, of course, to own all 100% of these!!! *** As of 2/26/2009, since this story was published, I now have 16 of the 26 9.5 Gem Mints!
 
Cardboard Story #11 - 11/6/2007:
Waited EIGHT YEARS for this piece - I had only saw this one time before and missed out on it! I'm so happy that I finally have one in my collection! It's 1999 Fleer "Fleer the Game" Jersey Plaque (Limited to 85 - mine is #49/85 - each card is serial numbered). The cards include Emmitt Smith, Mark Brunell, Joe Germaine, Vinny Testaverde, Jeff Blake, Fred Taylor, Charles Woodson and Kurt Warner!!!! Apparently these were a TV shopping network show exclusive that cost a pretty penny when it was originally released!
Cardboard Story #10: 9/11/2007
A NEVER BEFORE SEEN/RELEASED CARD from Upper Deck that is now making it's way into the hobby as a redemption replacement!!! It's been NINE years since this card was MADE, but never saw daylight till NOW. And of course it's NOT listed in Beckett since it has never been acknowledged! When 1998 Upper Deck Encore was released, Mark Brunell's auto was listed as #MB2...I never once asked "where's MB1"...now I know!!!
1998 Upper Deck UD Authentics Autograph #MB1
***Note: Apparently this Brunell Auto is sent along with a 2004 Upper Deck Legends Roman Gabriel Auto as a replacement set! I've seen this dual replacement twice now!***
Cardboard Story #9: July 2007
 
Completed my 1st two Cycle/Quad set in July 2007!!! Quads (aka The Cycle) is defined as owning the following serial numbers (#1, #8 - pro jersey #, #11 - college jersey number and last #) of the SAME card. A trifecta is hard enough, but a Cycle is awesome!
Click here: Trifectas and Quads page!
Card Story #8: Seeing doubles and triples!
Back in 1998, Score came out with a nice #1/1 parallel set (the holographic star background is COOL) that was inserted into packs. One of my goals was to get both Mark Brunell #1/1s (#PP46 and PP#144) which I accomplished in 2001. Pinnacle/Score unfortunately went bankrupt in 1999 and it was rumored that "duplicate" #1/1s had surfaced. I doubted the "story" since I had never seen a duplicate Brunell ever pop up. Well finally in a span of two weeks some eight years later, 1st on Halloween 2006 and then on November 13th, I pick up both. Below is a scan of both sets of identical #1/1 cards together! Very interesting and cool!
It is rumored that each #1/1 card from that set actually has anywhere from 2-7 copies of each. The year before, 1997 Pro Line DCIII had a "Xtra Effort" insert that included a parallel "1 of 1," but again this turned out to be false #1/1 Masterpiece as numerous Brett Favre and Warrick Dunn's have surfaced. Unfortunately, I have yet to find even one Xtra Effort #1/1s of Mark Brunell -- that card is currently on my white whale watch list!
Card Story #7: Completing a Master Set - 2004 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia!!!
CARD B: I've known about this Mark Brunell 2004 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Tools of the Trade Jumbo Prime Patch #1/1 since it was listed on ebay back in August 2005. It was heart breaking that I couldn't go to war with the eventual winner (those that do a little homework will know who had it and what that means). However, I kept open communciation with him in hopes that I could some day buy or trade for it.
Part 1 (A):
Well about a month ago, I finally found a suitable replacement that he would accept in a trade. The replacement was a Torry Holt 2006 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Tools of the Trade Jumbo Prime Patch #1/1 that belonged to Mario who did a box break on 9/13 right here on TCC!!! Here's the replacement.
 
Being that the card was being shipped from Malaysia...I was very worried about delivery since the international carrier wasn't Fed Ex or UPS, customs and et al! But it actually went very smooth but I was anxious the entire week. As it turned out, it only took a week for it to arrive. TNT (who they?) delivered it at 4:30 today! When I opened the package, there was a 1 1/2" CRACK on the SUPER THICK Screwdown (never seen one of these - it's 1/2" thick!!) My heart was racing, remembering the time when I once had a AJ Feeley #1/1 Patch card ruined (creased badly) when the screwdown was obliterated in shipping! What was worse was this card didn't actually belong to me! I took a deep breathe and unscrewed it, took out the card and inspected it! Voila - it arrived unharmed! Yoohoo! I barely had enough time to scan it before I had to race off to the Post Office to mail it! Total time the card was in my possession...10 minutes...it was nice to look at, but this was better...
Part 2 (B ): At 3:00pm today Fed Ex delivered one of my white whales:
Mark Brunell 2004 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Tools of the Trade Jumbo Prime Patch #1/1. Joe S (from ebay) had agreed to trade Card A for Card B. I was worried a bit because I had never done business with Joe, but Joe sent 1st...trusting me that I would not scam him. I wouldn't but off site trades can go bad oftentimes. Anyway, this completes the Mark Brunell Master set from 2004 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia:
And now the COMPLETE 2004 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Master Set of Mark Brunell. What makes this set harder was that there were 3 #1/1s! There are several #1s and #8s in the set as well as a Trifecta (#1/10, #8/10 and #10/10 on the TOTT Dual patch Spectrum!)
 
The retail base, hobby base (#/1150), Spectrum (#/100) and Platinum Spectrum (#1/1)
 
Boss Hoggs insert (#/1000), Boss Hoggs Game Used (#/125), Boss Hoggs Game Used Spectrum (#1/1), TOTT insert (#/250) and TOTT Spectrum (#/10)
 
Ok…I’m not 100% sure on the correct lingo for the names, but they include:
TOTT Jersey (#/100), Jersey Prime (#/25), Dual Jersey Prime (#/10), Jersey Jumbo (#/10) and Jersey Jumbo Spectrum Prime (#1/1)
Card Story #6: Made it in Beckett!
I was crowned the "Super Player Collector Champion" in the August 2006 issue of Football Beckett Monthly. Here's the article AND my prize : 2006 Donruss Elite Autograph Jumbo (8"x10") Rookie Card Photo of Reggie Bush!
Card Story #5: Made it in Tuff Stuff!
I've always wanted my Brunell collection to be "mentioned" in a magazine. That finally happened in the June Issue of Tuff Stuff. Below is the article:
Card Story #4: Slides Galore!
Unfortunately, many card companys have gone out of business in past - Pro Set, Pinnacle, Collector's Edge, Pacific, and Fleer come to mind. Personally I'm sad when a card company bites the dust, but "oddballs and rare stuff" always hit the market afterwards. When Pacific Trading Company went belly up in 2003 - they ended up selling everything left in the company. Recenty I aquired a lot of original slides used in creating Pacific cards and other products - the total number of slides I have in my collection is 400+. I have slides from 1996 through 2002 - the 2002 slides never made it on to Pacific products. Many of the slides were taken by Machael Cramer, the President and CEO of Pacific. Here's two funny slides of Brunell sitting on the brnch looking like Forrest Gump!
 
Card Story #3: Trifectas!!!!
Extreme collecting - trying to accomplish a collecting feat that is rare and sincerely hard even when you devote/invest ample time in it! Well it happened not once but twice in one day - that day being 8/27/2005. I completed two trifecta sets (1st, last, and jersey # of the print run) in the same day. They are 2003 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Pro Bowl Sounvenirs Gold #/25 and 2004 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia Tools of the Trade Combo Prime #/10. It's safe to say that just getting one #1/xx, #xx/xx or #8/xx of any card is hard enough, but to have all three of one card is simply an amazing feat. I haven't hit a trifecta in about a year now, so this was a nice surprise.
  
I just finished hitting the trifecta jackpot again on 10/11/05 - this time it's the 2004 SP Game Used Significamce Gold #SIGMA (#/10)! The red background on which the serial numbers are printed on makes it hard to see, but believe it or not it's a trifecta! The story behind this particular trifecta included both luck and aggrevation. The 1st part of the story #10/10 was simple enough - I bought this at a time when Brunell was benched in the latter half of the 2004 Redskins season. The 2nd part was #8/10 which was advertised on ebay as "#6/10" with a digital camera shot that made the serial # unclear. To make matters worse, after 3 weeks of not recieving this card and seeing the seller get hit with several new negative feedbacks in a span of one week, I was afraid I was never going to get the card. It turned out the seller had surgery and was hospitalized for 10 days and was still recovering. The good part was he was 200% healthier after the surgery and I got my "#6/10" soon there after. As luck would have it, the serial number was actually "#8/10" - amazingly lucky! The last part of the trifecta puzzle was #1/10 - I informed the seller I wouldn't be able to bid on it because it ended at a time when I wasn't near my computer (I don't use auction sniper programs either) and tried, but couldn't work out a deal. Luckily a friend of mine won it and I got it from him. However, he strongly believes that there was a shill bid placed on behalf of the seller and upon further review - it looks like it. In the end, the trifecta was complete and I'm happy though it was touch and go at times trying to complete this one.
My most recent trifecta from 2009!
Card Story #2: Looking for the elusive #3/8!!
AS REPORTED BY HEADLINE NEWS SERVICES: Excerpts from article - Believe it or not?
I lost my Baby - $$$CASH REWARD$$$ - Where is she? Please help me locate her!
"...I have not seen her before - EVER! When she was manufactured in Texas back in 2001, she and her other seven siblings were all separated into different packs, sealed in cello wrapped boxes, and encased in 12 box cases that were shipped worldwide! I have searched long and hard to find them, searching every news media outlet such as eBay, Beckett and other trading forums. So far all seven of her siblings have made it home safely to THE ULTIMATE MARK BRUNELL CARD COLLECTION HOME, but we are really worried about her well being. Is she in a smoke-free safe environment? Is she being tortured with an x-acto knife to change her appearance? Is she being cared for in a proper sized toploader/magnetic holder? Is she still sealed in some box in "parts unknown?" She's now 4 years old, still stands 3 1/2" tall and is 2 1/2" wide. Her name is "2001 Leaf Certified Materials Fabric of the Game Jersey Numbers MARK BRUNELL #FG94 (#3/8)." Me and her sisters(see family portrait below) all miss her very much - oh where oh where has my baby gone? If you have seen her wondering around in some stranger's display case, shoebox or closet, please DO NOT call the authorities, BUT INSTEAD direct her back home to me. Please help me in reuniting my family and then we can all celebrate together!
Card Story #1: The original King of Multi Player swatch cards!
Back in 2002, with jersey cards being the "in" thing, Fleer grabbed the "upper" hand and "topped" all their competitors with the 1st 10 swatch jersey card in their 2002 Fleer Maximum product. The card was appropiately called "First and 10" and limited to 25. When these where 1st introduced, they were selling for $700+ . They had one for the AFC (shown above) - the players on the AFC card were Edgerrin James, Terrell Davis, Jamal Lewis, Jerry Rice, Ricky Williams, MARK BRUNELL, Brian Griese, Rich Gannon, Tim Couch, and Kordell Stewart. The NFC one had Emmit Smith, Brett Favre, Daunte Culpepper, Kurt Warner, Brian Urlacher, Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, Jake Plummer, Randy Moss, and Marshall Faulk. With it's scarcity and hardcore player collections out there, this card is seldom ever offered.
 
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