Sunday, July 24, 2016

Correcting a mistake I made...in 1995

I'm sure everyone who has been in the hobby has mistakes...regrets, things they wish they hadn't done. I know I do!

One of the things I did back in the day, in 1995 to be exact, I've finally addressed today.

As you may remember I've been a comic collector literally my entire life- my brother read me my first at 5 days old and I've never stopped. Naturally, I also collect comic based cards, and I have for more than 25 years now. I favor DC but I also have more than a few Marvel cards. Over the years Marvel has done a much better job with cards than DC has.

One thing you used to be able to get is promos, which seem to be a thing of the past. They used to issue an advance version of a set, sometimes with differences, sometimes looking exactly like the production card does. They were issued all throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, but the last ones I remember getting were around 2005. Maybe 2004.

For a time in the 1990s, they would issue panels, ranging in size from 2 to 9 cards, but most DC and Marvel sets were 4 card panels, with one side looking like 4 cards from the set and the back having info on the coming set.

(I bet you can figure out where this is going already...)

Anyway, in 1995, I got my hands on one of the 4 card panels for 1995 Marvel Metal. And I cut them down into 4 standard size cards. I don't have any memories of doing that...but I must have. I remember having them in my first time with non-sports cards (I didn't collect non-sport from roughly 1997-2009, which I now regret immensely) but I don't remember getting them, I don't remember cutting them apart for sure.
To be honest, it's possible I got them that way already. The cut is perfectly straight and I was 11 years old in 1995, so that leads me to believe somebody else may have done it. At this late date, there's no way to know. I remember wishing I had the full panel back in the 1990s but I don't remember if I was regretting cutting it myself or wishing I had gotten it that way.

Either way, it was something I've been very unhappy about since I got back into non-sports in a big way in 2009. Since then I have enjoyed the world of non-sports more than I have either of the two sports I collect.

Flash forward to today- it's the hottest weekend in years, and I have trouble with the heat. You'd think I'd stay in the AC but no...I braved the heat and visited a comic show on Saturday- when it was 97 degrees out- (no cards I needed at the show) and today, the temp was lower at only 94, but the humidity was higher, making it nearly unbearable. But I still went to one of my favorite places to shop, and visited my non-sport dealer for the first time in several months. I'm sure glad I did, because...I found a replacement panel of the Marvel Metal set!! I have been looking for a replacement for years, and now, finally, I have one. The corners may not be perfect but I don't care. One of the bigger regrets in my collection has now been solved! I may not be able to walk for the next week or so, but...it was worth it!

I have not scanned it yet, but here's a picture. These cards are really hard to photograph, don't be surprised if you see a scan at some point in the future as well.
Here's another photo, which is more angled, but you see Wolverine better on the bottom left.
I got a lot of other neat cards today- including some holograms, which I have always considered the best "hit" in trading card history. I got like six of them today, and you will see them at some point, I just wanted to get this post up about these...it means a lot to me to correct that regret!

10 comments:

  1. I don't think you cut them apart yourself. I think you got them that way; remember, we used to go to lots of card shows at that time and I'll bet they were already cut apart.

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    1. It's possible. I separated all the Sports Illustrated for Kids cards though...

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  2. What are the odd?. Good on you for finding that sheet.

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    1. I know, the odds of that being there were probably pretty slim. Once again I was in the right place at the right time, and it paid off once again. Thanks!

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  3. This promo is on I actually remember getting with a magazine when it came out, although I can't remember which magazine it came from. I want to say it was from an issue of Collect!, because they used to have some really great promos. Of course, Wizard used to put some really great ones out too.

    And how great was that Marvel Metal set? I mean, too me, it still looks just as great as it did back in 1995. Perhaps, even better!

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    1. The fourth word is supposed to be one, not "on".

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    2. I knew what you meant😃 I always liked the Metal brand. I only got one pack of the actual Marvel Metal set I think, but you are right, they are cool!

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  4. I believe that one came out of Wizard magazine... I still have mine, along with a lot of other ones.

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    1. I have more than a few Wizard promos myself. And there are a few I don't have but would like to someday as well

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    2. I have more than a few Wizard promos myself. And there are a few I don't have but would like to someday as well

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