Huge Ebay Steal

I should have known a little better.  When I first started this collection back up again, I thought to myself that I would not have much problem finding cards and getting them for cheap.  After all, Alomar is now retired and he declined dramatically for years after his 1997 season.  But, he is still a fan favorite and fan favorites can demand high prices on rare cards.  I have even run across other serious Sandy Alomar Jr. collectors.  So some of the cards I have found have been pricier than I expected.  Others, I have yet to see. 

Still though, once in awhile something happens that surprises me.  One of those things happened just this week when I managed to win an auction for less than $15.00 for these two cards:

Both of these cards are very rare.  It was the first time I had seen either one.

1.  2005 Topps Rookie Cup Rookie Reprint Chrome Refractor.  The Rookie Cup set was an interesting and underrated set celebrating Topps's All Star Rookie teams.  I love the Alomar additions to this set, in particular the Original Reprint Relic which is my favorite Alomar card.  This one is nice too and only serial-numbered to 15.

2.  2004 Donruss Timelines Recollection Autograph 1990 Blue Ink.  This card also came in black ink which is actually rarer.  These cards were bought off of the secondary market, stamped and serial-numbered and autographed.  There are a number of these out there.  This 1990 issue is numbered to 13.  It is one of the few autographed cards of Alomar with the Padres.  As much as I love to add the Indians cards, I like to get the other teams even more, particularly when they are this unique.  Nothing against the Indians, but I already have a ton of great Indians cards and there are very few of Alomar's other teams.

This was an incredible couple of cards to add to my collection.  Well worth the little amount of money I paid for them.