Junk Wax from Stale Gum

Chris at Stale Gum recently busted some wax boxes that he bought at the flea market, which he affectionately called the Jersey Shore Junkwaxapalooza. He was pulling so many Indians that I emailed him about how much I liked the Tribe cards he was pulling from the four boxes of wax. Totally Certified, Select and Aficionado. No E-X, though, unfortunately.

Not only did he send over the Indians cards from those boxes, but a horde of other cards, including Bowman, Bowman's Best and Attax. A couple of Omar's, a few Thome's, a Grady, some Albert and Sandy and Kenny, and even a Winfield. Thanks so much for the "junk," Chris!

My favorite of the cards Chris sent are easily the Pinnacle Totally Certified. These are the Platinum Red versions, and are numbered to 3999! A numbered card used to be something special in the mid-90's, but if a card with that number showed up in your pack today, you probably would throw it in with the commons.

Easily my least favorite are the Aficionado by Pinnacle. Who's bright idea was this? Speckled refractor profile image of the player's face?!?! It is awful. Wood nameplate over a sepia-toned image? I bet this is the guy who came up with Sterling!

The Bowman is pretty nice, but the colors just don't work for me. The checkerboard background is not the best, although it does hide imperfections very well, and the red "Bowman" was a mistake. I am pleasantly surprised by the Select, though. These are very nice cards, good colors, nice photography. My only beef is the one year of statistics on the back, though the cool B&W photos are a nice substitute.

You can see what I mean about the photography on these cards. Very nice. And, as promised, the Dave Winfield while on the Indians. Ah, those were the days, when the Indians were buyers instead of sellers come mid-summer and pennant race time.

Lastly, a few Bowman's Best of Bartolo Colon and Carlos Baerga. Two great players from the 90's who ate their way out of town. But it was quite a decade for the Indians.

Thanks, Chris.