Spreading Hobby Positivity Through Generosity (A Charity Fundraiser and Giveaway)

[ThoseBackPages]

Hello and Thank You for taking the time to read our thread.

Mike and i have long believed that while collecting cards is great, it's the people you meet along the way that make collecting cards one of the best hobbies on earth. Because at the end of the day, cards are just that...cards.

The Friendships you make along your collecting journey though?
Those can be really difficult to put a "price" on.

Like many of you, i (Eric) have been collecting for a long time. Good, Bad, Ugly and everything in between has (and will always) pass through my collection. That's the nature of collecting. In that regard, i feel that it all evens out in the end.

We encourage you to attend LCS's, shows and interact as much as you can with others when it comes to this hobby. Share your knowledge, you never know who is reading/watching/listening. You never know what someone else is going through (good OR bad). In being yourself, you may just help others without even knowing it.

i say all that for a reason. if you have not read Mike's thread "The Acuna Sapphire Tribute Thread" (here is the link: https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1562561 ) i highly recommend you do so.

At the show last year in Atlantic City, Mike & i exchanged contact information with the intention of having an in person conversation at the show. Even though the show was crazy busy, Mike carved out some time for me and we stepped off of the busy showroom floor off to the side where we could talk.

While talking, he proposed a trade. If you've already read his thread above on the card, you know that without me knowing, i along with others on here had helped him get through some rough real life stuff. Anyway he pulled out of his shirt pocket an Acuna 2018 Topps Chrome Sapphire PSA 9 and offered it to me in trade for what could only be considered a poorly conceived trade on his end. i naturally refused the trade as it was too lopsided in my favor. He then defended his position and i graciously accepted. We spoke again after that on and off, as card friends do.

Then he posted his thread here on July 18th, 2023

it humbled me and made me really appreciate the trade even more.
But it also brought back emotions in me that i had not felt in a long time. You see, my fiance died of cancer back in 2003. i have talked about it some, but not a bunch and not in some time.

i DMd Mike about it because of what he had shared, as his story hit home for me. He obviously didnt know about my situation, and i think in some way he knew that i knew what he had gone through.

Cancer is weird like that i suppose. As time goes by, the people that we all know that have NOT been somehow affected by it gets smaller and smaller.

Seeing as that we were less than two weeks from this years show at the time, Mike suggested that we again meet up at the show. i absolutely wanted to because of our connection in what i just shared (besides Mike being an awesome human Being!). im not going to go into details about what we discussed (as thats between us). But i will say that we met up after the show Saturday for a fine meal, and better conversation.

During the course of the week at the show that it was decided that we would like to run a charity giveaway for a 2018 Sapphire Acuna Base PSA 9 right here on blowout. Yes, for THAT card!

Incase you are reading this and are unaware, the overall print run has never been released by Topps (shocking, i know) but is believed to be right in the 300 area. Yes, three hundred. There are /10 Reds and a Super, and ~283 Base. So there are not that many to go around. It's an amazing card overall imo. Looks, Desirability, Scarcity. All that good stuff.

We thought it was a good idea to offer up the card as a charity giveaway contest to help others who may need it a little more than we do.

We hope that the card will mean a lot to the winner and at the same time help children and their families who are fighting the brave fight against cancer.

We look forward to having another member join us in the Acuna 2018 Sapphire club!


Contest Details:

Contest Slots will be $5 per (with a 10 entry max per user).
We will be accepting entries until 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time on August 31st, 2023.
After that date, all donations are certainly encouraged and welcomed, but will not be eligible for the giveaway.

2 Simple steps to enter:

1. Make a $5 donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Link is here:

https://www.stjude.org/donate/prospe...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

2. Post a screenshot of your receipt (should be sent to your email) either here on this thread or through a DM to either dream34 or ThoseBackPages.

Limit 10 entries per person. Donations can be made in one lump sum and it will be divided by $5 for your total number of entries in the contest.
(Meaning one $50 donation will provide you with 10 entry slots)

The following week we will enter all entries into Random.org and randomize 7 times.

The Winner will receive the 2018 Topps Chrome Sapphire #698 Ronald Acuna PSA 9, seen below:



Thank You for Your Time and for Helping a Great cause in St. Jude,
Mike & Eric

[Phoneboy]

Can you check link? Didn't work for me.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by Phoneboy

Can you check link? Didn't work for me.

Thank You! it has been fixed

[SupermanBrandon]

E…your passion for cards, this hobby and people is inspiring. Proud to call you a friend.




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[fabiani12333]

[SaltyCracker]

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

This is awesome, guys. Thanks! Put me down for five tickets.

[ClevelandIC]

Thanks for sharing and thanks for the read (both reads!)

[ScooterD]

Thank you both for sharing your experiences and using this community for positivity!

[Phoneboy]

bump for a great cause and the generosity of two great BO members.

[BabaORiley]

I DM'd my receipt to TBP. Usually I would donate my spots to the house but in this case, I'd like to keep them. If one of my numbers is lucky enough to be drawn, I'll be putting the Starry Night of baseball cards up for a rerun, with a non-profit of a devastating disease that runs in my wife's family as the beneficiary.

[BC Hunt]

This is amazing, thank you Eric and Mike!

[here2havefun]

Thanks Eric and Mike for doing this, y'all rule

[hammertime]

Donated...thanks so much for setting this up.

[theshowandme]

I’m so happy I got to spend time with you two at the national. You two are good eggs.

Thank you for doing this

[bmann33]

Appreciate the kindness




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[dream34]

The character and compassion you guys show are amazing.

Here are the Slot #'s:
SupermanBrandon: #1-10
fabiani12333: #11-20
SaltyCracker: #21-30
MiamiMarlinsFan: #31-35
ClevelandIC: #36-45
ScooterD: #46-55
Phoneboy: #56-65
shawnkrebs: #66-75
BabaORiley: #76-85
BC Hunt: #86-95
here2havefun: #96-105
hammertime: #106-115
theshowandme: #116-125
bmann33: #126-135


Total raised so far: $1,348.10

Everyone is a winner. Thank you Eric for being the guy you are and creating even more winners.

(Please let me know if I missed anyone)

[jdung17]

Thank you for doing this. St. Jude's is an amazing organization. If one my numbers is picked, I would like the card to go back to one of you guys.


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[Mister2Bits]

Awesome idea. I made my donation in honor of my best friend and best man Matt who I lost in 2018 to cancer.

[NYRE2PECT]

Amazing goodness, gentlemen.

E, sorry for your loss and humbled by your transparency.

Happy to jump in for a worthwhile cause!




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[Cards and 401K]

Happy to donate a little girl down the street has been going to St Jude’s have donated many times in the past Thanks Guys !!


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[Asian62150]

Great idea. Thanks!



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[Phoneboy]

Bump to honor this thread and all that it represents.

[dream34]

Originally Posted by Phoneboy

Bump to honor this thread and all that it represents.

Couldn't agree more Thanks for being AMAZING Phoneboy

[smizu1]

Thanks Mike and Eric!! 2 of the many awesome guys in the hobby! Here's another BOH donation ....