The Italian-French Connection

Hello people and card collectors,

today I am posting about the huge box filled with cards that Kevin, The Card Papoy, sent my way.
This is the result of a partnership that started several years ago, but that was not resulting in trades since way too long.
So we started exchanging emails again some weeks ago and that led to the trade I received last week.

Kevin of course received his end of the deal as well, as you can read here.

First of all, some numbers related to this lot, since I spend my days working with numbers, and since it gives an interesting representation of what I received.
Inside the box, I counted 524 cards (which is already impressive), and after checking each one of them with my checklist (I really love this activity), I ended up adding 351 cards to my collection!

This is an exceptional rate of need/have cards, especially considering that this was a blind trade, so the cards I received were selected by Kevin based uniquely on his taste.

I have to admit that I am Always a bit scared, especially when buying big lots on ebay, because I think my collection is pretty big already (passed the 88,500 cards mark thanks to Kevin), and the chances of finding a lot of doubles is behind every corner.

I am very happy to say that with this trade, I am pleased and surprise of the results!

Among them, there were at least three cards that I consider absolutely iconic, and definitely turn the whole trade level up a notch, here they are.

A 1990 Bowman Rookie card of Frank Thomas ?!? Seriously?

I didn't have this card, and honestly never expected to receive it as part of a trade! Now I only miss the checklist cards from 1990 Bowman set to complete it! I knew that Big Hurt is one of the main focuses of Kevin's collecting, but he's been way too generous by trading such an iconic card!

Let's follow the RC theme a bit more, shall we?

Wow that's again something you don't receive very often in a trade…

A Greg Maddux Rookie card from 1987 Donruss!! Kevin, you're making the cards I sent your way look like garbage by comparison! Needless to say (but I'll say it), I was missing this card, so welcome to my collection Greg!

One last piece that I'd like to show, also to support the fact that trading with an European buddy like Kevin is amazing, and that I'll put much more effort in collating the future trades with him.

A Chipper Jones rookie card from 1991 Upper Deck!

Ok this time I am bit disappointed, honestly, after those first two picks that I showed, I was expecting at least a Topps Desert Shield…

Just kidding of course! I am very happy to own this card, and again, it's has been checked off my wantlists, so one card less away from completion!

To wrap up this (fairly) long post (at least for my standards), I'd like to thank Kevin for the amazing lot he sent, and the exceptional cards he added, going well beyond the average lots you can buy on ebay, or the usual contents of a blind trade.

Please check out his blog at thecardpapoy, and support our small but passionate European baseball card community!

Enjoy your weekend and keep collecting

CIAO!