Roberto Alomar Collector's Thread

[banjar]

Here's the one 1989 Padres Mag uncut panel I have:

And why not, here's the 1989 Padres Postcard too:

 

[banjar]

I'm steadily working on the "scan your entire PC" project. Now up to 1250 front/back scans. Currently working on 2004 Leaf, which includes the Exhibits set, which will take a while to get through. In the meantime here are a couple lesser known cards from tonight's scannings:

2003 Leaf Green /25 - a stealth parallel. No differences between this card and the base except the top left green leaf "throwback" logo, and serial number. I still haven't found this parallel for the "passing through time" subset though.

2003 Leaf #264 Press Proof Blue /50. Part of the passing through time subset, which I thought was pretty neat. The front was from the 2003 set but they used the back from the Leaf set 10 years prior. The 1993 back photo is unique in that it captured a broken bat...nice shot, whoever took that pic.

 

[thelesquad]

Not sure if you're on Facebook, but someone is selling a sealed 1994 Superstar Samplers pack for $30.

 

[banjar]

Thanks for the message! I have those cards as singles though, so not looking to pick up a sealed pack at the moment.

Not sure if you're on Facebook, but someone is selling a sealed 1994 Superstar Samplers pack for $30.

 

[banjar]

It arrived today! And by "it" I mean possibly my favorite pickup of the year. The 1989 Star Alomar Brothers Glossy Set.

Here it is, in blue, with the regular set in orange and brown above. The set itself is 11 cards - one with both Roberto and Sandy Jr (card #1, the checklist), and the remainder split evenly. I didn't show Sandy's cards here, but you get the idea. There were also two promos - a Roberto one in brown and white, and and Sandy Jr one in orange and white (top left).

For 30 years I had no idea the glossy set existed. I've had the standard Alomar Brothers set from way back, when I started collecting as a kid. But it was only this year that I stumbled on the existence of the blue glossy version.

First I found the promo. One evening I was idly browsing Trading Card Database when I saw someone had uploaded photos of the glossy promo (bottom left). I couldn't believe it. So I immediately messaged the fellow who uploaded it (user vrooomed) and we were able to strike a deal. His recollection was that Star produced 1000 glossy sets, with 1 promo for every 5 sets (making 200 promo cards). Since there is absolutely zero information about the glossy set on the entire internet, that is the best information I have. So I'm going with it.

So that made me wonder - did they ever produce the actual glossy set? And was it blue or orange? For a while I kept examining ebay orange set listings, trying to discern if any were glossy coated. But I didn't see anything conclusive, so I put it on the back burner. Then lo and behold this ebay seller from Toronto (1bluejaysman) listed the glossy set. And yep, it's blue.

This is a long post about one pickup, but you know, things like this are why I keep collecting. I like finding white whales as much as the next guy, but when your persistence and energy pay off and you not only discover, but manage to land a hitherto unknown 30-year old set, well it just doesn't get any better than that.

Now the only thing is to find a Sandy Jr glossy promo card. I have to assume they made one, since there was one for the standard set. Also I've seen a reference to it on a Sandy Jr PC website. But for a card made in 1989 with an alleged print run of 200, patience will be a virtue.

 

[K34PuckettAddict]

That’s awesome! Great find and write up.


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[banjar]

Thanks! There's another totally unique one coming in the mail right now, that I'd never heard of before. Another long winded writeup to follow when that one arrives.

 

[mrmopar]

It is impressive when you look back at how many good players the Padres had during those years. And so little to show for it. Reminds me of the "Trader Jack" set that Sony put out a few years ago, with a checklist of players McKeon shuffled in and out of the organization.

I like the 1990 Padres Magazine set as well. Robbie also had two cards in the 1989 set, one on his own (which I have the uncut sheet of) and one with Sandy Jr and Sandy Sr (which I still can't find the uncut sheet of). Back in the day when I started collecting, I could never find these. Probably nobody else that lived outside San Diego could either. But when I got back into it I ended up calling San Diego Sports Collectibles, who helped produce them, and they still had some left!

I was stationed in San Diego in 1989/90 and went to San Diego Sports Collectibles, I believe. I did not fully take advantage of the card market down there then though, because I was just easing into my hiatus. Full time Navy school and the allure of underage drinking and Mexico so close. I would not really dive back into cards until right before I was coming home from the Navy in 1993. I missed a really good time to be actively collecting, but also in a way, it was the best time to miss. So much overproduced crap that everyone bought and thought they'd get rich off of. I was able to come in a few years later and pick up the scraps for pennies on the dollar and really didn't miss much.

 

[banjar]

That's pretty cool. Underage drinking and Tijuana...good times were had by all!

I remember opening packs of 1989 Donruss looking for that elusive Griffey, thinking I would hit a gold mine. How dumb was that? But in my defense I was a teenager, and people much older than me were thinking the same thing

I visited San Diego a few times in 1987-88 when I was a kid, plus many times as an adult to visit family and friends there. I'm not sure San Diego SC is still around. I looked them up recently but didn't find anything that looked current.

 

[banjar]

So this arrived in the mail yesterday - containing a previously hitherto unknown and unbewhenceforth unidentified card from Robbie's playing days.

It's a program from the 2000 MLB Tour of Japan. A really well done magazine, with articles about the MLB all stars and the NPB all stars, plus two 9-card pages in the middle. One page is the MLB players - including 2000 ROY Kaz Sasaki - and the other page is the NPB players.

Here's how I found it. I went down an online baseball rabbit hole one night, and ended up watching youtube videos of home movies made by Jimmie Foxx and Lefty Grove during an MLB tour of Japan in the 1930's. Just for fun I decided to search ebay for "alomar japan". In 2002 and 2003 Topps put out the Kanebo sets, and there are silver and black parallels from one year that are never, ever seen. So that was on my mind as I searched. Obviously a long shot, but what the hell. But to my surprise up came this program with cards inside. I was dumbfounded, and of course put in a bid. Finds like this remind me why I keep spending so much time on money on this admittedly silly pursuit.

There's absolutely zero info about this on the web, which is surprising considering Bonds, Vizquel, and Sandy Jr, Delgado, and Sheffield are also featured on the cards. I think international cards are awesome. So far I've ended up with cards from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, France, Canada, and Japan.

Now the hard part - whether or not to cut the sheet up into cards? I prefer the 2.5" x 3.5" format, and maybe I could sell the Bonds for a few bucks, but the intact magazine is pretty cool. Dare to tear?

 

[K34PuckettAddict]

That’s a great find. They have a FIeer look to them, which I like. You’re on a good roll, I hope your hot streak continues!

I would be tempted to cut that too, but would probably search for another one before I did and keep one in tact or the panel at least and cut the extra out...


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[mrmopar]

Those are awesome and may be very sought after in the future (if not now) and probably nearly impossible to find another. That is another thing right up my alley.

Maybe this got listed, as it might have taken you a more direct route. Not sure what you paid, but is $35 worth cutting one up and saving one? You might be able to make back your investment with other players...

$35 is high for my taste, mainly because there is not a key player I collect included. If it were from 1981 and had Garvey, it would be an ended listing by now!

2000 MLB Tour of Japan Program w/ 18 baseball cards Alomar Matsui | eBay

MLB: Sasaki, Alomar, Delgado, Vizquel, Nevin, Alomar, Gtreen, Sheffield, Bonds. NPB: Ishii Furuta Kuroki Kinjoh Nakamura Nishi Takahashi Shinjyo Hideki Matsui. Program Contains 2 Uncut Sheets of 9 Cards of MLB and NPB Stars.

www.ebay.com

Going to keep my eye open for a cheaper one and may add it if the price is right.

 

[banjar]

Thanks guys. I haven't filed this magazine away in its box yet - I'm still deriving too much happiness from looking at it!

@mrmopar I thought about buying that second copy you mentioned, but right now it just seems excessive to drop $40+ on it. But I'm definitely going to keep looking for a cheaper second copy.

 

[MrMet]

This dude just said...

a previously hitherto unknown and unbewhenceforth unidentified card from Robbie's playing days.

I just thought that needed to be quoted, I feel like I’ve never heard a sentence like that and probably never will again...sadly



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[banjar]

Everyone has their talents. Gibberish is one of mine!

This dude just said...



I just thought that needed to be quoted, I feel like I’ve never heard a sentence like that and probably never will again...sadly



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[MrMet]

Everyone has their talents. Gibberish is one of mine!

It was beautiful


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[banjar]

So I just found this auction...

Roberto Alomar card | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Roberto Alomar card at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

In case it's expired by the time you see it, this auction is from a guy selling a MASHED 1990 Bowman Robbie Alomar. BIN price is $1.30 plus $8.05 shipping (economy shipping!). Shipping from where? Greenland? Nope, from San Jose CA. Eight Dollars and Five Cents. This is an all-timer!

Here's the photo and the caption...

"I have a Roberto Alomar baseball card for anyone that needs it to complete whatever collection they have.

I will have to apologize for the current condition that it's in, but you know how to fix it properly than buy right now"

Maybe Gary Moser knows how to "fix it properly", but I sure don't

 

[JVHaste]

So I just found this auction...

Roberto Alomar card | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Roberto Alomar card at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

In case it's expired by the time you see it, this auction is from a guy selling a MASHED 1990 Bowman Robbie Alomar. BIN price is $1.30 plus $8.05 shipping (economy shipping!). Shipping from where? Greenland? Nope, from San Jose CA. Eight Dollars and Five Cents. This is an all-timer!

Here's the photo and the caption...

View attachment 119594

"I have a Roberto Alomar baseball card for anyone that needs it to complete whatever collection they have.

I will have to apologize for the current condition that it's in, but you know how to fix it properly than buy right now"

Maybe Gary Moser knows how to "fix it properly", but I sure don't

Its as if the guy lost his crackpipe so he rolled a doobie out of a baseball card instead. . . but then he found his pipe but realized he had no lighter, so he unrolled the card to sell so he could buy a lighter . . . but then realized he would soon be out of crack too so he added more $$ to the price.

 

[banjar]

That, my friend, is actually a plausible theory.

Its as if the guy lost his crackpipe so he rolled a doobie out of a baseball card instead. . . but then he found his pipe but realized he had no lighter, so he unrolled the card to sell so he could buy a lighter . . . but then realized he would soon be out of crack too so he added more $$ to the price.

 

[Nowhereman317]

Anyone looking for 1991 UD Alomar Variation (1990 Baseballs)? I’ve also got the signed Legends magazine on its way. I’m planning to cut the cards out. I need the Ozzie. Anyone interested in the signed mag without cards I’ll give ya a good deal.

Alomar Trade List

~Jeremy