Retail Hit of the Year!

Finally it is time to post my big retail hit from Walmart.  It comes from 2009 topps Heritage High Numbers, and falls 1:650 packs.  Ladies and gentlemen, behold!:

Gordon Beckham Real One Autograph!

And the back...

I opened the four packs I picked up (this, a topps Chrome, and a couple 206s) in the car on the way back to my place, and I nearly missed this at first.  The only light was from the passing streetlights, so it was hard to see.  I did notice there was something different about the card, but it didn’t click till I got to the next to last card in the pack (a Neftali Feliz rookie).  I went back and looked at it again, my eyes getting big as stared at it.  I managed to stammer in a high than normal, flustered voice, “I think I just pulled a Gordon Beckham autograph…”

It took at least a good minute before I noticed where it says TOPPS CERTIFIED AUTOGRAPH (I had been up around 27 hours straight at that point, so that explains my flakiness during the whole thing), unable to stammer anything but the above, and “Oh jeez” and “Oh my god” for most of the rest of the trip.  You will be happy to know the word mojo never once crossed my lips.  Surprisingly, considering how foul-mouthed I can be, no joyful “holy sh*t!”-type cuss words did either.

Anyway, even now, a week or so later I still geek out whenever I look at it.  It’s one thing to pull an autograph, and another entirely for it to be on-card.  But the fact that it is on-card auto in the style of one of the best looking sets topps has ever produced, that puts it on a whole other level entirely.  This card really is amazing, and I’d think even pulling the lowest-tier guys in the set would make anyone who can appreciate a quality card smile, let alone probably the best guy in the set.

I have been fortunate enough to pull some nice hits out of retail in my lifetime, and this year has been no exception.  Heck, I pulled Joe Mauer & David Beckham jerseys just this fall.  I don’t know what I’ve done to be blessed with good luck of late, but I am always thankful whenever fortune decides to smile upon me.  And so it has…

But now I have a dilemma.  What do I do with this card?  It’s always great to get an unbelievably cool card like this, and I most definitely appreciate this pull, but he isn’t on my team, and I don’t really have any desire to collect him.  I could sell it, to my knowledge, only my ’05 topps Pack Wars A-Rod box topper chip (#’ed /10 red parallel version) has ever sold for more on eBay.  I am way poor, so an influx of cash is always welcome.  I could also try trading it, perhaps I’d even prefer to, but it’s going to take a pretty insane package to pry it away from me.  I dunno, I dunno.  A card like this doesn’t come my way very often.

Until I decide what to do with Mr. Beckham though, I think I will leave it with the cheap White Sox hits I used to occasionally pick up for my dad on eBay.  He’d never accept the card itself, but I think he’d enjoy it being on display with his cards until I finally get around to doing something with it (though he will probably want me to sell it eventually).

As I head out, soliciting more commentary for the eventually upcoming “Collecting for Beginners” post as I go, I will also ask you all what I should do with this Gordon Beckham autograph card.

Wow, what is it with me and hits of dudes named Beckham?  lol…