The Case of the Missing Smile

A few weeks ago, I posted that I happened to have some retail luck in pulling this:

In the comments, P-Town Tom asked something that was on my mind, also: do all of Randle's Fan Favorites autographs have the smiley face?

A couple weeks went by and I was able to pick up this blue parallel:

This card also had the smiley face!

I decided to create a saved eBay search to let me know when a new Randle card was posted so I could see if there were any without the smiley face.

I waited and found nothing. Nothing, that is, until last week:

Smiley-face-less Randle is now mine!

An eBay Mailday

A few weeks ago, I posted about my luck in purchasing some 2017 Archives retail. I was fortunate enough to pull the one auto I wanted of Lenny Randle.

Naturally, I decided I wanted to try to get all of the parallels of this card. First up, the sky blue parallel numbered to 75:

You'll notice that this auto has a smiley face, as well! P-Town Tom wondered in my first post if all of his signatures have the smiley face - it appears that the overwhelming majority do. I searched and found that all listed autos except for one had it. I tried to grab the one without, but it sold for more than I wanted to pay. 

Stoked to have this in my hands! Now I just have the light pink (salmon) and red parallels to go!

I hope everyone is well!

Retail Treats Me Right

I have zero interest in Topps Archives. I think it is ridiculous that Topps has two "vintage inspired" products in Heritage and Archives, and for me, Heritage is enough. However, Archives frequently has Fan Favorite autographs of some lesser-known former players, and that I do like. 

When the checklist for 2017 Archives was released, I saw that Lenny Randle was representing the Rangers in this year's Fan Favorites autograph insert. I decided that I would grab some retail, as I did not and do not care to purchase a box for approximately $100 at my LCS.

I went to my local Wally World and grabbed three rack packs and a blaster. Nothing fun in the blaster, but in the second of the rack packs, I pulled this:

What are the odds that I would actually pull the card I was looking for? I'm not sure that has ever happened to me. I love the card, especially the smiley face Randle included over his last name!

So, I was fortunate. Retail treated me right and I have no need - or desire - to buy any more Archives this year.