The last - and best - of the $3 street boxes

Al says this is the last box, at least for now, unless he buys some more collections. That doesn't mean it's completely the end - he said he might put together some stacks of common refractors/numbered cards he'd sell for $3. We'll see I guess. Meanwhile the street boxes in their current format went out with a bang.

Highlights: modern
Lots of modern stuff as usual, including as always some interesting cards I'd never seen before. These foil cards from the 1995 Bowman set look really good in person, with an illusion of depth to the star field.

 Donruss Preferred is a fun high-end throw-in, especially with Luis Castillo's hooded sweatshirt.

 Topps Turkey Red always seems like such a bland set (as do all the "throwback" sets in my opinion). That's why seeing a pitcher pose as a catcher is such a surprise here.

Highlights: Unlicensed/counterfeit:
These poorly drawn cards are from an unlicensed set called "Franklin Caramels". It's kind of like a Broder set that is trying to look vintage. The set is from 1989 and is notable for containing a very early Ken Griffey Jr. card.

 This was really, really cool however. It's a counterfeit card of a card that was never actually produced, purporting to be a test card for a 1984 Nestle Don Mattingly rookie card with an alternate photo. Somebody named sshah55 is selling one on eBay right now for $45, not mentioning that it is counterfeit.

Highlights: Vintage oddballs
I don't actively collect vintage, because I would try to collect everything and could never afford it. Therefore I have a self-imposed limit of 1978 to my collection. However I like the vintage cards I come across very much. There was some really cool stuff in this box. Remember this box is about 1,000 cards for $3 so each card was less than a penny each.

1977 Hostess Don Baylor

 Five cards from 1976 Hostess.

 From 1970, a baseball-card-sized comic book from Topps called "The Al Ferrara story".

 Here's an example of a page on the inside. I think I'll have to take Wallet Card to Carnegie Hall.

 Here were the oldest cards in the box, three Topps game cards from 1968! This one-two-three inning features Gary Peters, Tim McCarver and Tony Gonzalez.