the missing link

buybacks are a divisive topic, and stamped buybacks may be even more of a polarizing idea.  i have pulled two non-stamped buybacks from packs during my near 40 years as a collector, and i was disappointed both times due to the fact that there was nothing distinguishable about the cards.  i was fairly oblivious to the stamped buybacks topps put in packs in 2014, but i went all-in on dodger buybacks in 2015.  i liked the "topps original 2015" stamp design (better than the variable sized topps logo used in 2014, i thought), and i liked the fact that the buybacks spanned from 1957 through 1980.

i began seeking out dodger buybacks with the goal to have at least one from each year and a complete team set of the 1978 club, but i quickly found that 1964 and 1965 were not included - most likely due to the heritage buyback inserts the previous couple of years.  i also found that the 1980 buybacks were limited to the first dozen or so cards in the set (but thankfully included the manny mota record breaker).  i fairly quickly had dodger buybacks from 1957-1962 and from 1966-1980.

you will notice that i did not have a 1963 dodger buyback. for about 18 months, i would check ebay and comc for these buybacks, and at one time found an auction for a lot that included johnny podres' 1963 card. i lost that auction, but shortly thereafter, the podres appeared on ebay as a single.  i lost that auction, too, with the single podres going for more than the lot had.  so, my search went on until about a month ago when a kind seller listed this card for sale on comc:

the wally moon buyback was only the second dodger card i had seen from 1963 in all that time spent looking.  i quickly scooped it up, and now my run of dodger buybacks is fully representative.  i'm still keeping an eye out for a few 1978 dodgers, but they may not have been included in the buyback program so i'm not too stressed about it.

that is not the only wally moon card that i have added to my collection recently, however.  nick at dime boxes sent me the unibrowed one's autographed card from 2017 topps archives

in a blind trade. topps did a good job with this card as it is pretty similar to moon's actual 1960 card, aside from the dodger logo.

nick also sent along a 2015 topps original 1970 topps alan foster

and some modern dodgers such as kenley jansen

 and justin turner

 from this year's archives, and another turner from 2017 topps bunt

turner, as you may know, won the final vote for an all-star spot.  he might be my favorite current dodger behind clayton kershaw these days.  i appreciate his play the same way i appreciated the play of the last dodger third baseman to make the all-star team.  that was mike sharperson back in 1992.

nick is a fellow double play collector, and he sent me some cards that were new to me, but i assume were duplicates to him.  they were all from 1993 upper deck sp, which has some great photography - double play or not.

rich amaral

is turning two on the front and back

as is benji gil

jeff blauser's card features an inaugural season marlin

while mickey morandini's card hits three of my mini-collections

double play, dodger stadium, and dodger lurker - brett butler is sliding in.

thank you nick, and thank you random comc seller, for some great additions to my collection!