I Don't Know What This Is

I picked this up recently.  It looks like a commemorative coin for the 1997 World Series, but I have never seen anything like it before.

Here is the back:

I like the item.  It is definitely not a card, but it will go well with my more unusual oddball items.

Card #380: 1992 U.S. Playing Card All Stars #JC

YEAR: 1992
BRAND: U.S. Playing Card Co.
SET: All Stars
NUMBER: JC
SUBSET: NA
INSERT: NA
TEAM: Cleveland Indians

This is kind of an interesting action shot.  Alomar appears to be in motion, I am not sure his feet are even touching the ground, and his helmet is in the air too.  Judging by the decorations, this picture might have actually been taken at the All Star game.

1998 Topps Chrome Refractor

The 1998 Topps Chrome Refractors have been fairly elusive for some reason.  I saw the base card one time on COMC but before I had a chance to buy it, someone else snatched it up.  But I was able to add the World Series highlight card over the weekend for a very reasonable price.  I like this one better anyway.  Alomar had a terrific World Series in 1997 and may have been the MVP had Cleveland not blown it in Game 7.

Card #379: 1990 Baseball's Finest Stars #NNO

YEAR: 1990
BRAND: Unknown
SET: Baseball's Finest Stars
NUMBER: NNO
SUBSET: NA
INSERT: NA
TEAM: Cleveland Indians

This is one of the many cards from the late 1980's/early 1990's known as Broder cards.  Print runs are unknown, manufacturers are unknown, and Beckett does not list them.  It is tough to find information on these sets.  They are cheap and pretty easy to find.  And there were a lot of variations.  There will be several more of these as we move along.

A Rare Two-Card Mailday Today

Maildays in general have been rare for this collection, but today was a pretty good day:

1.  Hooray for Tek progress!  This is Pattern 71 and a member of a trading forum sent it to me for free.  I am down to needing just nine more Tek cards.  Progress has been very slow of late, but it is moving.

2.  I love this card.  This is the 2004 Upper Deck R-Class First Class Autograph card.  I love the photo on the card and the fact that this is a rare White Sox autograph card.  In fact, it is the only one.  There is a 2005 Upper Deck First Pitch Signature Stars autograph that pictures Alomar with the White Sox, but it has a Texas Rangers logo.

So that's the terrific mailday I had today.  Still no new Alomar cards in 2016 so far.  I still have hope for Topps Archives.

Card #378: 1990 Donruss Learning Series #40

YEAR: 1990
BRAND: Donruss
SET: Learning Series
NUMBER: 40
SUBSET: NA
INSERT: NA
TEAM: Cleveland Indians

This set was offered as part of a promotional educational packet for students.  I don't remember being offered when I was in school, so of course I had to try to find the card much later.

A Venezuelan Oddball

This one snuck up on me.  I had never heard of this card before it showed up on Ebay one day.  This is a Venezuelan sticker card.  I was aware of some Venezuelan sticker cards, including one from 2000, but this one shows Alomar with the Rangers.  And of course Alomar has so few cards with the Rangers that I had to jump on this.

I recently missed out on an item from my Top 15.  The 1998 Fleer Tradition Vintage '63 Classic went for a surprising amount of money on Ebay.  I was very disappointed.  Very few Alomar cards have been popping up lately, and to miss on one I needed, not to mention on my Top 15 is extremely annoying.  Oh well.  Maybe it will reappear some time.

Alomar still does not have any new cards in 2016.  Roberto has shown up in a number of sets.  I still have hope for Topps Archives though.

Card #377: 1991 Baseball Card Magazine #57

YEAR: 1991
BRAND: Baseball Card Magazine
SET: Baseball Card Magazine
NUMBER: 57
SUBSET: NA
INSERT: NA
TEAM: Cleveland Indians

I don't really get it.  The 1990 Alomar card was a replica of the 1969 set.  This one came out a year later and is a replica of the 1966 set.  Huh.

Finally, a New Card

This is the 1997 Score Showcase Series Artist's Proof.  Initially the card appeared on Ebay with a Buy It Now price of about $25.00.  Luckily a second one appeared just a few days later with a much more reasonable price.  I was glad I waited on it.

So this is the first new card added in a long time.  Things have been really slow on this collection lately.  Hopefully some new cards get released soon, but I am not optimistic.

Card #376: 1990 Baseball Card Magazine #63

YEAR: 1990
BRAND: Baseball Card Magazine
SET: Baseball Card Magazine
NUMBER: 63
SUBSET: NA
INSERT: NA
TEAM: Cleveland Indians

These cards were inserted into one of the many baseball card price guides that existed in the early 1990's.  There were typically three cards together that had to be cut apart.  This card's design is based on the design of the 1969 Topps set.