Trade Winds

Dedicated blog reader and long-time collector Mark recently sent me a couple piles of goodies. Quite generously, I might add. I've seen a few of you other blog types have been graced with a package of his as well. I think we all could use about 500 more readers like him, eh? Or 500 readers at all, I guess. Let's check out the nicely eclectic haul.

First, a couple RC Cola cans from 1977. Ken Griffey and George Foster. Nice additions to the shelf. These are definitely growing on me. These were pre-pop top, for all you young folks (myself included). My, how incredibly difficult life must have been.

2013 Panini Coopestwon Colgan's Chips Buck Ewing. My first one of these. Ewing was a Hall of Famer who finished his career in Cincinnati in 1897 as a player/manager. But I'm sure you all knew that.

1971 Topps Frank Duffy/Milt Wilcox, 1966 Topps John Edwards, 1971 Topps Wayne Simpson. Replacements for previously acquired TTM's. These are of the well-loved variety.

Here's something I'd never seen. 1989 Topps Double Headers John Franco (front and back). Forever encased in a little display, these cards are about the size of the '75 Topps minis and feature two Topps releases of the player, sandwiched back-to-back. Something makes we wanna break that case open, but I just can't do it.

Topps Coins Eric Davis and Chris Sabo and a Topps Chipz Aroldis Chapman. My first of these as well.

A slew of oddities I didn't have. I can't believe that easy Larkin was missing from my collection. I can believe the Rosario Rodriguez and Todd Etler were.

Score and Sportflics trivia cards. I didn't scan the fronts, for it would have been futile. But the backs feature Reds, so these will find a nice home in a binder.

Some oddball stickers. I have the Reds/Indians in a different color. Maybe that means it's from a different year. Who knows. Still going in the stickers section of my Fleer binders.

And a bunch of other doubled goodies that I will need to pay forward soon. Most excellent.

Thanks for the goods, Mark. And Go Reds.