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 A single card share from the 2026 Lot today, so you know it's a good one...

The card is a little beat up with a couple indents, but that doesn't bother me - it's staying in my collection and the condition is fine enough. I have some base cards from the set, but this is the first autograph. On card autos are so much better than sticker ones, and that shows here. It also matters because it's cool to know, the card itself was what was held and signed by the athlete.

Stu was a tough guy back when such a role really existed - or the end of the time when it really existed as he played from the late 80s into the early 2000s.He played for close to 10 different teams and had over 2,000 career penalty minutes. Can say he wasn't on the ice for his scoring abilities as he had all of 39 points in 729 games.

Very cool pick up in the lot, and does pique my interest on seeing whether we may see another autograph or two, or if this happened to be a one-off.

Dickerson-ing Around

Before we get to the title subject matter from the 2026 Lot, a trade share with TCDB member Tdorsay who I have done a number of trades with. I sent some cards his way, he sent me a couple cards and a couple other non-card items which he had and wanted to send...

An excellent 8 by 10 signed photo of Alex Gonzalez. A Jay for a goo stretch of the 90s and early 2000s, a solid player for the team, and a decent signature by the looks of it too. Wasn't expecting to have a signed photo of Alex on the wall in my basement, but it's there now!

No idea where Trevor got these advertisements. They look like little stands for a bar or table - not sure what establishments, is any specific, but a neat pick up that I will keep as is - no need to use them, will keep them in the condition they are in!

Oh, and there were a couple cards too....

The 1987 Topps Major League Leaders Mini brings my missing list down to just 4 cards in the 77 card set, and I should have those all in the next month or two as I have trades on the go to maybe get them. A cool little set to complete.

As for Cote, a copy needed for the error binder as his birth place is misspelt. I know, not an exciting error, but I'll take it!

Always a big thank you to Trevor for the trade and thinking of me with the amazing extras.

As for the 2026 Lot...well, the Topps flagship baseball continues though 2022 if not a year I am working on, however I do get a couple keepers from the Lot still today...

Corey's time in Toronto was brief, being only part of the 2021 season. Actually, a lot of his stays have been pretty brief. In playing on 8 teams through the end of last year, half the stays were for less than a full year.

The other, and error card with a wrong name listed on the back - the rest below are up for trade...

It is at least another solid set of team cards thrown in around the set.

Under The Helmet

The learning continues - and that's a good thing!

Here we have a bunch of 2021 Donruss football cards and I learned that there are base cards with variation photos with helmets off. I learned this with the few cards above, and don't mind that we have them for Brett or Barry who were both massive stars. It's not a bad idea for variations since all on field action would be helmeted, and it does add to the uniqueness of the photo to be without.

The Score set also provides some learning - that green and yellow do not a good design make. I kid - a bit - as the design actually gives me 1989 Dobruss baseball flashbacks, especially the backs   

Those side colours just scream 1989 Dontuss baseball borders - or is it just me?

More 2024

The 2026 Lot continues to add to my 2024 Topps flagship baseball set with a bunch of additions today.

Still too many Dodgers for my liking....still not over last year...but I guess I need them for the complete set, but I don't have to like it.

Allies and Machado are nice pick ups.

I do like that flagship has great back designs in recent years and the tweaks are small enough to not take away from the good in the design.

Happy to trade base dupes for needs if anyone else out there is working on the set!

Tagli Trade

 TCDB member jamestagli reached out with a great offer I couldn't refuse...

Gold parallels and serial numbers are fantastic and always welcome! 

The Hentgen is SN to 3999, a fairly low number for serial numbers in the 90s.

The Gypsy Queen cards from 2018 add to the team set, but still a couple to go, though the three names were big ones for who the Jays were for that year.

My first couple Bob Ross related Jays from the cool and different 2023 release. I am more accustomed to the more distant paintings by Ross, but adding a blue dot for a Jay wouldn't really work, so we get these shots of players playing in the forest.

Orlando was an popsicle addition on my end as a want, but it is still a keepers as it fits the inserts/parallels - so we can call it a happy little mistake.

Another 5-9

 Not showing quite all of them, but another 59 cards from 2023 Donruss football on tap from the 2026 Lot today.

Of the 300 pure base cards (it's a 400 card base set, but the last 100 are your rookies, etc), this brings me up to 1/3 done on the set. Sure, not going to keep any, but still need to keep up with whether I get the whole set or not to see what the lot provides. It provides a couple Bills, so I at least know where I can send those off to, though I should really find some football team collectors where I can send more football off to just to move it from my house!

No luck in getting any of the base set variation cards in this bunch. Not that it's a big win since they are just name variations which, to me, isn't a big draw. I much prefer when the photo is a more unusual one as the variation. At least Upper Deck hockey tries to do that with some of the recent years having suit/formal wear, alternative photos for some base cards.

We end with a Commanders card. I still find it interesting on the impacts for name changes to teams - not saying there isn't good reason for some of the changes that have happened, but interesting we don't see more of it. I mean, even for monetary reasons, for example, if a team name isn't working, change it to sell more merchandise. Not saying I'd like to see it, but we see a lot of design changes which are in part to do this, so why not change the name as well. Might be more of a legal hurdle to do I guess, but if more people are going to buy merchandise - surprised we haven't seen it happen...though maybe it's been looked at by some teams and the numbers don't quite support it....would be interesting to know what name changes that haven't happened, have been contemplated for monetary reasons alone.

Inserts Be Inserting

Today, Bowman be Bowman from the 2026 Lot with a big stack of 2024 Bowman prospect inserts.

With the name Bonilla, Emmanuel has some work to do to live up to the name in the majors, but I'd just be happy if he makes it higher than rookie ball where he has been the last couple years, but the stats seem to be against it taking a recrnt look online.

With 150 cards to the insert set, and having nothing outside a couple Jays before today, it means a bunch of additions to the collection today.

I like the design, and the fact the prospects team logo is in the top right on the front while the base cards have it top left, so it's easy to differentiate the two.

I like the Max Clark card - the dust up uniform shows the effort!

Skenes is a nice pickup given his rocketing career.

The were some dupes which I haven't scanned but are listed on my TCDB. I do have one interesting card...

I am guessing this may not be a printing error because of the shape and some of the card writing can be seen, but at the same time, there is no damage or difference to the card surface at all - any thoughts out there? Looks like something was stuck and removed but didn't damage the card, just the ink....weird....but cool.