This month’s baseball card show was a bit disappointing. January is usually the worst month for baseball cards, and last night’s snow/ice storm kept a few of the regulars away. On the other hand, I was able to keep my total spending under $5 and walk away with a few things for my collection.

I found these mini-cards in somebody’s 25-cent box. A-Rod was on top of the package and Bill Pulsipher was at the back. They are really terrible cards, but I think that Signature Rookies prouct has a certain degree of tacky charm… when the price is right. I also snagged a signed Glenn Dishman card from Signature Rookies out of the same box

I found a couple of vintage Mets in the quarter box as well. This 1967 Topps Jerry Grote card is badly off-centered and pretty worn, but it still displays ok. I also snagged an off-center 1973 Topps Cleon Jones that’s in a bit better shape.

I found a trio of Mets Ring of Honor cards that I needed. I spent a buck to get Keith Hernandez, Kevin Mitchell and a second Gary Carter card so I could include a copy in my player collection. I just need to find Darryl Strawberry to finish the set.

(Could somebody please explain why Ray Knight was included in both the Ring of Honor and Mets Ring of Honor sets? Aside from the card number, I couldn’t spot a difference between the two versions, though I didn’t take the time to read the text on the card backs.)

In addition to the Mets Ring of Honor card, I found two more oddball Gary Carter items for my collection. A “reprint” of his 1975 Topps rookie card set me back a quarter. I’d never heard of Carter’s rookie card being reprinted, so this was a neat little find.

I also grabbed an unopened General Mills Canada booklet featuring Carter, Ozzie Smith and who knows who else. It was produced by Mike Schechter Associates in 1987 and licensed only by the MLBPA, so no team logos. Another quarter find.

I picked up a trio of cards that I hope to get signed eventually. At a cost of 50 cents, Nick Evans was my most expensive purchase today. It’s from Bowman Draft Picks, or whatever they called the set in 2008.

I’m not sure when the photo could have been taken with Evans wearing a black jersey while other Mets have their BP jerseys on in the background. Evans wore number six in the majors last season; Carlos Muniz had number 32. I’m not sure what their respective spring training numbers were. 

My other pickups were a 1981 Donruss Tim Raines rookie card and a 2005 Bowman Heritage card of Atlanta prospect Jordan Schafer.

I didn’t bother to scan my favorite pickup up the day, a 1996 Upper Deck SPx Randy Johnson hologram, because it just wouldn’t show up properly. It once had a $6 asking price, but today it too had been relegated to the quarter box.

The first cards of 2009 should be out before next month’s card show, so hopefully it will be a bit more exciting.