2002 Donruss Classics National Convention Promos # 125

 

     This card is difficult to find.  It is a 2002 Donruss Classics card of Herschel Walker, #125.

The thing that makes it special is the fact that these were only given out originally at the National Sports Collectors Convention that year, in Chicago, Illinois.

The cards were limited to a run of just 5, with this being the #1 example.  It's very tough to see on the image above, but on the left side of the card front, just to the left of Walker's knee, there is an embossed mark.  It shows: 2002, for the year, and under that, is a larger number, 23, which signifies that this was the 23rd annual National Convention.

Donruss did this a few years running.  There is also a limited edition card from the Atlantic City convention held the following year.

As always, I'm pleased and grateful to add this card to the collection at the Herschel Hoard.

2012 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Mini Green Blank Backs #3

      

As a rule, I don't include blank backs, in the Hoard, because they are usually classified as error cards, meaning that they are a manufacturing mistake.

However, in this instance, these cards with blank backs were deliberately issued by the manufacturer.

Over a year ago, Dan, a member at the TCDB, informed me of the legitimacy of this subset.  It took me until now to acquire one.

There are 171 different cards in the base set and all subsets. One to one printing plates are also out there. 

The base 2012 Goodwin Champions set and all subsets(most are smaller than standard issue, "mini" cards), feature male and female sports stars across all disciplines, from football to billiards.

Herschel Walker is shown here in a fighting pose.  He fought in two Mixed Martial Arts events for Strikeforce, long after he retired from football, winning both matches.

2019 Score Buybacks (1989-2019) #34

      

     I finally nabbed the third and final Herschel card in the 2019 Score Buybacks series.  I first discovered these cards in June of 2019.  To mark the 30th anniversary of the original issue in 1989, Score bought up some of the original set on the secondary market and reissued them, with the stamp on the card front.

     Walker has three cards in the set. #'s 317, 331S and #34, which is this one.  It took me a year and three months to locate the final card.

2005 Topps All-American Gold Chrome Refractor #51 BCS Graded

      

Today's card is a 2005 Topps All-American Gold Chrome Refractor #51 of Herschel Walker, with the Georgia Bulldogs.

You'll notice you don't see many 3rd party graded cards at the Hoard.  I don't really care for the idea, for multiple reasons.

First, I just don't like a process where a one number(or even less) difference in grading can account for multiples of 10 or more in the value of a card.

With several of these cards coming across a so called expert grader's desk every day, they can't possibly have more than a minute or two to assign a grade and move on.

PSA and Beckett are probably the two biggest third party graders.  I've read plenty of stories where some has received a grade of say, 8 on a card, then resubmitted it, to another grader, or sometimes even the same grader, and it magically becomes a 9.

Secondly, the grading process is not cheap.  I'd rather spend that money on the cards themselves.

Finally, graded cards take up way more storage space. I guess you could make an argument regarding protection, but if you're careful, you can keep your raw cards in good shape.

So why did I add this graded card to the Hoard?  Simple.  I didn't have this particular Walker parallel.  This Gold Chrome Refractor is serial numbered to 55, with this example being #20.  The serial number can be seen on the card back, to the right of the cartoon.

I've been known to pick up graded cards I need, and crack open the case, but here, I left it as is.

I'm not sure exactly why, maybe because it's in a fairly high grade.

Here are a couple vertical views of the card in the holder:

2011 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Veteran Signatures #SS-HW

      

Here is a nice looking Herschel Walker autographed card, which I'm pleased to add to the Herschel Hoard, after a lengthy search.

This is from the 2011 Upper Deck Sweet Spot set.  There was a set that contained NFL rookies of that year, and also a subset of college legends, called Veterans Signatures.  I believe there were 49 cards in that subset.

The cards are different in that there is a raised plastic helmet on the card surface, which each player has signed.

Each of the cards in this set is serial numbered to 50, with this example being #13.

The back of the card looks like this:

Herschel also made the cut in two other subsets.  The first is called Veteran Signature Variations. These cards are serial numbered to 30.   The second subset is called Rivalries Book Cards.  This set features two college stars from rival schools.  In Herschel Walker's case, he's matched up with Bo Jackson from Auburn.  The dual autographed cards are serial numbered to 25.

I hope to be able to add one or both of these card to the Herschel Hoard in the future.

TCDB Makes One Card Into Two. Sort Of. 1986 McDonald's Herschel Walker

     Recently, the guys at the Trading Card Database decided to split the 1986 McDonald's card set into two sections.

     Whereas before, each card, with the bottom tab attached, counted as one card.  Now, the card without the tab is counted as the regular issued card, while the card with the tab attached, is now regarded as a parallel issue.

     I'm not sure how I feel about this.  On the one hand, I can see why it was done, as the tab portion has no mention of the particular player, statistics or otherwise.

    On the other hand, I've always felt the cards with the tabs attached are more desirable. The cards themselves are not rare by any means, although some colored tabs are harder to find than others.

    From what I've heard, this McDonald's promotion kicked off in 1985, featuring the Chicago Bears.  The success of it caused the company to continue the promotion in 1986.  It was called Kickoff Payoff.  The National promotion featured 24 different cards for each of the 28 NFL teams at the time.

   In what was a four week promotion, the tabs on each card had scratch off ink, which revealed what food prize could be claimed, based on that week's game results for the two teams shown on a particular tab.

   Each week, the tabs were a different color.  Week 1 was blue, week 2 was black, week 3 was gold and week 4 was green.

  The '86 Dallas Cowboys set has 25 cards, rather than the standard issue 24.  Specifically, Herschel Walker was the reason for this.  He joined the team in 1986 and was not included in the regular set.

  Due to his popularity at the time, McDonald's decided to print a card of Walker for inclusion in the Cowboys set.   The Walker card only comes with a green tab.  There is also no scratch off ink on any of the Herschel cards issued.

     Here is the Herschel Walker card from the set, first with tab, then without:

   

The cards were 3 and 1/8 by  4 and 11/16th inches.  The non tabbed card above is just blown up a bit in the image.

2012 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Mini Cyan Printing Plate #3

   

Another printing plate finds its way into the Herschel Hoard.  This is the Cyan plate from the 2012 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Mini set.

As can be seen on the reverse, this is a one of one item.

The label on the back is off center, but as the first mini printing plate I've come across, I'm happy to have it in the Hoard.