Two weeks ago we spent the morning going to local rummage sales and I scored two boxes of Garbage Pail Kids — for $2.

I was too old for the cards back in 1985 when the cards were originally released, but for $2 I figured I’d have some fun with them. (Seems I am more cheaply entertained & less mature as a 40-something than I was as a 20-something.)

The first box had cards grouped together, held by rubber bands, all of which seem to be, as the boxes state, from the 3rd series of Garbage Pail Kids. From the check list (one of the 7 cards is marked), it seems the original owner was able to get all the cards in the series too. I looked at one stack and then moved to the next box.

This box had cards in the wrappers. Being a jaded collector, I figured the cards were just stored in wrappers neatly refolded around them — but the package didn’t flip open so easily… I picked up a few more packs, and they looked sealed too. But still, I figured heat from storage, or even just the warmth of the sun at the sale, had effectively resealed the wax packs.

I gently, but firmly, opened a package and inside with the cards, a piece of the retro bubblegum, broken in two pieces. I quickly felt the other packages and felt the presence of gum — far more delightful the the old gum I’ve discovered under tables and other pieces of furniture, because not only is this gum un-chewed, but perhaps an indication that the packages keep their virgin integrity.

This made me question the likelihood of the age of the cards. While the cards and packaging state a copyright date of 1986, I’m not sure these aren’t reproductions or older cards bearing the original date the art was created. Turning to the collector’s number one research tool, Google, I look-up Garbage Pail Kids.

The 3rd series does hail from 1986 (making the cards 22 years old), and all signs indicate these are original cards.

Also, they appear to be the first printing of the 3rd series. In the 3rd series, copyrights changed from print to print, making these cards a bit more difficult to identify & therefore collect.

There were three printings of the 3rd GPK cards. Here’s how Wayne’s Garbage Pail Kids References explains their identification:

The packs with 25¢ on the front of the wrapper and “MADE & PRINTED IN USA” near the bar code or have that the wrapper code 0-490-21-01-6 can contain cards with or without (only one or the other for the entire box (not both)) the copyright information on the puzzle pieces.

The packs without 25¢ on the front of the wrapper or that have the wrapper code 0-490-21-02-6 contain cards with the copyright information on the puzzle pieces.

The packs with 25¢ on the front of the wrapper and “GUM MADE IN CANADA” near the bar code or that have the wrapper code 0-490-21-03-6 contain cards without the copyright information on the puzzle pieces.

It should also be noted that the wrapper code is not the bar code. For example, the bar code on my wrappers (for both the t-shirt and sweatshirt wrappers) is 4111600490, but the wrapper code is 0-490-21-01-6. The wrapper code is only visible when the wrapper is opened (found in the bottom right corner, beneath the shirt size chart), and therefore the collector has a decision to make.

Of course, if you want to see the cards, you’ll have to open them anyway; but if you’re looking to save cards in the original packaging, you’ll never really know what you’ve got for certain. Even though I’ve an opened pack from the first printing, I cannot verify for certain that all of the 28 remaining wrappers contain cards from the first printing. Or, in fact, that these wrappers were never opened and resealed.

Wayne also makes the following recommendation to collectors:

It probably is best to buy a 3rd Series set without the copyrights and then buy another set with copyrights because most dealers do not sell (or even know about) the copyright variations as part of their sets.

The 3rd (and the 4th) series of the backs of US Garbage Pail Kids cards have near exact copies of a 1960’s poster set by Topps called “Wanted Posters”, which may bring additional delight to collectors.

Topps began making Garbage Pail Kids as a parody of Cabbage Patch Kid dolls in 1985. They began as a way for little brothers to annoy their little doll-toting sisters, and they eventually moved past just the dolls to a general gross mockery of many things — except for President Lincoln, as noted at Barron Aaron’s Garbage Pail Kids World:

This John Pound Unpublished GPK was completed late in 1985 and was intended for the 3rd series. Topps decided the piece was too gruesome and ended up rejecting the artwork for this release. The piece was originally intended for the 3rd series set with only one bullet through the hat and the character holding a “PlayBill” which was changed to “SlayBill” for the 5th series card with Abe’s hat with two bullets and one bullet through his forhead, but the piece was removed late in production.

Even more than a century later, it’s too soon for a gruesome Lincoln joke. (Additional proof that everyone loves Lincoln — more on that another time; remind me to tell you about that…)

Topps created a cash cow with GPK; even little girls fancied the gross cards & Topps began making more, betting that the more names the icky kids had, the greater the chance they could seduce kids to the dark side of dolls if they found cards had their name on them. But in 1988 Coleco, maker of the Cabbage Patch Kids, sued Topps for trademark infringement. They settled out-of-court, with Topps agreeing to modify, beginning with the 10th series, the appearance of the Garbage Pail Kids so they wouldn’t so closely resemble the Cabbage Patch Kids, but even with card production continuing, the fad was on the outs.

In 2003, Topps, fueled by the possibility of a nostalgic cash cow (real money for them; warm fuzzy memories for you), resurrected GPK, complete with virtual Garbage Pail Kids “alive” online.

As for me, I’ll share the cards with the kids, finish scanning them and upload them to the community, maybe sell a few… I’m really more apt to get the warm-n-fuzzy laughter over Wacky Packages. I know they are out there; just haven’t found boxes of them for $2. Yet.

Collecting trading cards has come a long, long way since I’ve been wandering in and out of the hobby over the past 20 years. Over those two decades, I’ve collected baseball cards (without having any real affinity for baseball), scratch-off Nintendo cards, Magic : The Gathering and Vampire game cards, an extensive set of poorly-illustrated Dungeons and Dragons cards, Pokemon Cards, and an unholy mess of Marvel and DC Comics cards. Oh, and then there was that pink-bordered set of hair-metal bands…. what was I thinking? Does anyone need 15 trading cards featuring the members of Salty Dog? And by ‘anyone’, I mean ‘people with more than 5 teeth’ or ‘people who don’t have homemade liquor for breakfast’.

Every so often, a pack of trading cards would include a surprise insert that had a shiny foil background, or if you were really lucky, a moving holographic image of Venom tearing into Spider-Man or a cute chick winking at you. Some of them had razor-sharp bubble gum shards or stickers or temporary tattoos. Tearing into pack after pack to discover these hidden treasures would take over the better part of an afternoon, and it was always strangely exhilarating. So, as I tore into pack after pack of Topps ‘Heroes : Season One’ trading cards, that feeling of hopeful excitement came back. I’ve limited my own card collecting in recent years, but Heroes was enough to draw me right back into the fray.

The basic set is composed of 90 different cards, which are available in packs of 7. A full box of packs consists of 24 packs, or roughly 168 random cards. I say roughly for a reason, so read on.

23 initial cards in the basic set feature clear portrait photography and descriptions of the main characters, detailing their relationships and powers. 47 more cards sequentially discuss the events of the first season, each with plenty of still shots from the show itself. While some of these are crystal clear, some have an interesting ‘TV screen’ blur on them, for seemingly artistic reasons

My favorite subset of basic cards features Tim Sale’s original paintings that were used throughout the show, often as clues or talismans - but none of which were ever shown for any length of time on-screen. It’s good to finally be able to see them in detail here, because Sale’s work comes to life in its subtleties. A few more cards talk about the special effects used in Heroes (with an especially alarming ‘radiation burnt cheerleader’ card), and there’s your set. While Topps does not guarantee the ability to form a complete set with any one box of cards, I was able to complete my basic set of 90.

So, I’ve seen the show, I’ve recapped the whole season on the backs of trading cards. What comes next? Well, ‘Heroes’ packs in a wide array of amazing bonus cards.

Foil Cards come in a ratio that’s approximately 1:3, and these are just what they sound like - portraits of characters, except on shiny backgrounds. In my box of cards, I found 8 out of a possible 10. Foil cards are a tried-and-true ‘chase card’ style that’s been used since I’ve been collecting, so it’s fun to see the tradition continued. It’s the other rare cards that really keep me hunting, though.

One in every 44 packs will include a triple-thick card which takes the place of 3 regular cards - making it undetectable in a sealed pack. These are ‘Memorabilia Cards’, and include 1” x 1” swatches of actual screen-worn costumes from the show. I’m a nut for screen-used props, and that includes the slightest fragment of anything that might have been used in any of my favorite movies or shows - so I was amazingly pleased when I pulled a ‘Hiro Nakamura’s Shirt’ cart, which included a green patch of fabric that Masi Oka wore on the show. No, it’s not a ridiculously rare item, as eBay currently values it at $6 to $10, but being close to an artifact of something I admire so significantly has a certain importance. Other possibilities include Hiro’s jacket, Claire’s cheerleader outfit, Isaac Mendez’s shirt, and Matt Parkman’s uniform, among others.

I’m sure that baseball card collectors who get slivers of baseball bats and jerseys used by their favorite players feel something akin to this. Hiro’s shirt-fragment has been proudly added to my drawer of unique Hellboy and Arrested Development props.

One in every 86 packs will have a card with an original sketch or small painting from a talented artist who has either contributed to or been inspired by Heroes. Some of the nicest ones came from Joe Corroney, who contributed 56 original drawings and paintings to the set.

Finally, one in every 135 packs will have an autograph from one of the main Heroes actors, and these cards are consistently valued around $50 each, with Hayden Panettiere’s contributions being exceptionally valued, because nerds really like blondes.

What needs to be said is that Topps is consistently keeping trading cards interesting and exciting to return to. By including actual fragments of the show, trading cards are given a continued relevance and connection to the thing that they represent. And in the spirit of trading, I’m giving my extra Sylar cards to my friend, because she REALLY wants Zachary Quinto to eat her brain. Seriously.

Keep an eye out for Series 2, coming soon!

We recently had the opportunity to sit down for an interesting evening with friends Bob and Bonnie who are true baseball fans, with Bob pushing past enthusiast and reaching toward fanatic.

What really helps to add the “atic” to “fan” is an encyclopedic mind and a focused desire. Bob knows names, dates and places for all his sports collectibles. Who did what and when and where, with the teams and positions they played.

Traveling together, they visit major league baseball stadiums around the country, their total is now at thirty, with some cities visited twice because of rebuilds such as Miller Park replacing the old County Stadium. They currently have seven more stadiums asking for their presence.

We conducted our interview in their living room, partly decorated with Bonnie’s Depression Cobalt Blue glassware and other antiques and some of Bob’s collectibles.

As the interview progressed, we were invited into their office where the “holy grail” items are displayed

and lastly to the storage area were most of his signed bats, gloves and paper goods are displayed or stored.

I asked Bob: “What was your first collection?”

“When I was a kid, I collected TOPPS Baseball cards. From my years of 3^rd thru 7^th grade, I collected them, then as a new season started, I’d discard the last year’s cards.”

Of course, he regrets it today! (I remind him, that many people did throw out or wreck the cards, and that makes the surviving ones more valuable.)

He also collected Elvis Presley cards, old automobile cards, some showing construction equipment, Civil War cards and also All American football players. “All were ‘packets’ you’d buy.”

After 7^th or 8^th grade, he stopped and it was not until about 1975 that he had renewed interest.

“That came about when my mother gave me a scrap book she’d been saving. In it were birthday cards, clippings from newspapers, Life Magazine articles, etc.”

“In that scrapbook I found two old baseball cards. One was from Jim Rivera – White Sox, and Bud Prodbelia from the Redlegs.”

He remembers you could not call them the Reds because of the Communism scares back then, but only the REDLEGS.

“Bob, What helped to restart the collecting again?”

“I got back into the collecting mode, mostly with baseball cards. I had a long time ‘love affair’ with the Milwaukee Braves before they left for Atlanta in 1965. Trying to relive that past, restarted my interest. I have a number of their items in my collection.

“Overall, I have about 450 pieces I’d guess, some are other sports, but the majority is baseball and football.”

Today his main focus is collecting items and signatures of National Baseball Hall of Famers.

He has numerous autographed balls, bats, gloves and cards of Hall of Fame Players.

“What are some of your most-prized items?” -“An autographed ball signed by Sandy Koufax of the L.A. Dodgers. He was my all-time favorite pitcher.” “My absolute favorite and likely the most valuable is my Hall of Fame bat, signed by numerous inductees including Don Sutton, Phil Niekro, George Brett, Robin Yount, Rollie Fingers and several others.”

He also showed us an Eddie Matthews baseball cap that has been worn by Eddie. He has several Hartland figures of baseball players and one that is a Gartland porcelain statue.

“Bob any items you regret passing up.” - “About 25 years ago I had a chance to buy a Babe Ruth and a Lou Gehrig card, two for $100. I just did not have the extra cash – they’d be worth between $3,000-4,000 today!”

He also had a chance to get an autograph signed by Burleigh Grimes, Old Stubblebeard, back in the 1980s. But he did not pursue it, sorry to this day.

“Regret selling or losing any items” – “All of my old cards now in a landfill.”

“What was the furthest you ever traveled for an item or autograph?” - “I went to Washington, D.C., to an organized signing with George Brett. I wanted to add a signature of George Brett to a poster showing George, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and Jim Gantner It was the only one I was missing.”

“Bob, where do you find items today?” -”In Land Fills,” He kidded.

“Mostly at shows – but they are getting pricey and it’s hard to find things.”

He has belonged to the Milwaukee Braves Historic Association and has made some valuable contacts and found some special items.

“I also have a friend who is very active in sports collecting in the Milwaukee area.”

Bob has a subscription to the Sports Collectors Digest, and gets papers from Mounted Memories which lists upcoming shows and signings. He brings along a collected item, picture, bat, glove, ball or collector card for the prized signature.

“Do you have a tale of a favorite sale?” – “I sold a Spud Chandler Cap, a former Yankee pitcher, and a Yankee vs. Dodgers 1955 Pennant.”

“A good return on my investment”

“Bob, can you share your greatest moment or memory in conjunction with your collection?”

A professional acquaintance and her husband are good friends, with a childhood friend of Henry Aaron. She knows Bob’s love of baseball.

“For my ??? birthday, Bonnie and I were invited to a dinner that turned out to include Hank and his lovely wife. It was an incredible surprise. We spent the evening together and Hank’s wife even sang “happy birthday” to me.

“Henry Aaron is a ‘class act’ and it was an experience of a life time, we will never forget.”

Bob also had a surprise birthday party held for him at Friday’s Front Row Restaurant at Miller Park

He and his wife Bonnie recently went on a bus trip with Jay Buckley Tours of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Incredible experience and great fun. They met and traveled with some super fans.

In addition to his love of the baseball team, the Milwaukee Braves, he is a true Green Bay Packer fan too. One picture shows the famous quarterback sneak by Bart Starr, he got this signed at the Vince Lombardi Classic, golf outing, when Bart was participating.

He has a binder filled with post card sized Hall of Famers, picture cards, about 50 were signed.

These stadium chairs are also signed, one by Paul Molitor.#4 and another by Warren Spahn #21. Purchased when the old Milwaukee County Stadium was torn down and the Miller Park Stadium replaced it.

(Would you cart these around to a signing?, i.e. Fanatic)

Another photo is of Yount’s 3000^th hit – autographed. Some of his treasures were presents from his wife or daughters.

“Is your collection complete?” - “No, I definitely have done more specialization but I’m always looking for the next treasure.”

Good Luck with your Quest, Bob and Bonnie

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As it turns out, January 8th was probably one of the High Holy Music Holidays, if you’re the sacrilegious type. Such a day would likely be celebrated by mildly obscene gyrations and a liberal application of glittery eye makeup. Why? Because it’s the shared birth date of two of music’s greatest revolutionaries - Elvis Presley and David Bowie. Sure, Stephen Hawking shares the same birth date, but I’ve never seen HIM strum a quantum singularity and make the ladies weep. Elvis would be 72.

Elvis, as Deanna has mentioned once before, is probably one of the most collected human beings in history (or else why would they make this Elvis Collecting Software?), with many rooms across the US (often owned by eclectic older ladies wearing airbrushed Elvis sweatshirts, making sporadic appearances on morning shows on slow days) festooned with photographs, rare signatures, framed LPs and sheets of stamps displayed on walls, and perhaps a shred of precious Elvis-DNA dusted fabric in a glass case. He’s one of the closest things that us mortals has to a deity - a horde of people utterly in his sway, and apparently living long beyond his natural life. You know, if you’re to believe the off-kilter propaganda and the grassy-knoll-style hunt for clues to contradict that Elvis Presley was, in fact, made of skin and bones and methamphetamines.

Genuine artifacts from within his lifetime, which are rare or in well-guarded private collections, can fetch ridiculous amounts of money and publicity. In March 2005, eBay saw a copy of Elvis’ ‘Milk Cow Blues Boogie’ 78 sell for about $2400, and a single 1956 trading card from Topps sold for about $1500. Items that were actually in contact with Elvis can apparently deflect bullets and give the possessor the ability to conjure obedient dinosaurs from beneath the Earth’s crust. I mean, they’re not usually obedient, but as soon as they see that you’ve got a swatch of Elvis’ outfit from Jailhouse Rock, they’re gonna listen. Such is the power of Elvis.

A worn belt? $66,000. A chest x-ray? $2500. It’s the divide between appreciating a celebrity for their talent and wanting to posses an actual piece of the being that was the holder of that talent.

Those things which were produced after his death still seem to be quite collectible, with every scrap of Elvis-related memorabilia adding to the collected energy of that not-so-secret shrine you’ve been building in the upstairs guest bedroom. McFarlane Toys produced a whole series of Elvis mini-statues, detailing his appearances in various stages of his life and in films. Also, of course, was the senses-shattering fat Elvis vs. skinny Elvis stamp debate of 1992.

It’s kind of difficult to determine where to begin and where to end when collecting celebrity paraphernalia. Does it theoretically start with magazine clippings and end with toenail clippings? CQ bloggers have mentioned this before, but man, does it get creepier than that.

Does one need a genuine artifact from Cynthia Plaster Caster? You can look that up yourself. I’m not touching it. Literally. It was Piero Manzoni who actually canned his own… leavings…. and sold them to art buyers at the same cost as the value of gold. He’s quoted as saying, “If collectors really want something intimate, really personal to the artist, there’s the artist’s own s***”, and he’s not entirely incorrect. And yes, people have installed devices in celebrity hotel bathrooms to capture such artifacts.

Nevertheless, Elvis festoons everything, everywhere, for all time. I’m barely aware of Elvis in my daily life, and yet, in a casual perusal of my hideously overcluttered and potentially dangerous room, I’ve come across two Elvis items that I don’t even remember collecting… like some unseen force in the Elvis Conspiracy is slipping these things into everyday situations to preserve the presence and mystery of The Sacred Elvis. Of course, I have the Jailhouse Rock action statue (5th in an ongoing series that has 6, so far), and the Gail Brewer-Giorgio book, ‘Is Elvis Alive?’, which presents an Elvis-is-alive theory based on a certain audiotape confession made in 1981. This theory seems far more rational than the alternative ones that involve time travel, alien interventions and subterranean kingdoms, but still - very difficult to take seriously. I think if you looked hard enough, you might find very palpable proof that I’m the Indefatigable Queen of Venus (the least of which is my old screen name, VenusQueen4EVA).

If I came across Elvis inspecting a pineapple at the grocery store? If he said hello to me while I stared curiously at him? Yeah, I’d probably go weak-kneed and rush off to the cereal aisle to gather myself, stumbling over the Count Chocula display on the way - and I’m not even an Elvis fan. I tried to be, but probably not hard enough. Secretly, you’d think it was awesome too.