Centering is rough but for some reason my OCD doesn’t mind. Was so excited to pick up this long time dream card.

1955 Bowman A.J. Donatelli

There’s just no way anyone today would want to pull an umpire card… but in the 1955 Bowman set, they really did it. Full-on umpires, posed up like they were stars of the show.

Some collectors hate them, some love the quirk — but you have to admit, nothing captures vintage hobby weirdness quite like these.

Would you put an umpire in your PC?

My vintage card of the week: 1954 Topps Ernie Banks RC. This card is a tough hunt! These cards are often cut horribly off center, and print snow often besmirches Mr. Cub’s joyful portrait. It is really difficult to find a low-grade copy with decent eye appeal. It took me a LONG time to find an example I was happy with that fit within my budgetary constraints. But I eventually landed this copy about a year ago, and I love having it in my collection.

My vintage card of the week: The iconic 1975 Topps George Brett rookie card. I spent about a year building this set after acquiring an unbelievably nice starter set from Matt of Cardhound Vintage. I purchased 10 of the big cards graded in the NM range while building the set to match the condition of all the other cards. I'm not a set builder, really, but I'd always loved the design and colors of the '75 set, and it's stacked with HOFers. And it's my birth year, which is what really sold me on the idea of building the set. I completed this set about a year ago, but I still flip through the album about once a week just to admire the cards.

Brooks is one of my main PC guys. I started with the full Topps run. Then branched out to a bunch of other cards like this '71 OPC. Love the backs on these!!! Anyone know the vintage of this old SGC slab? I'm guessing early 00s?