A few months back I made a flurry of buys on eBay and COMC to try and close out this 1962 Civil War News set. I scoured the sites until I had dug up every needed card available in decent shape and at a good price. Then the well went dry but that's to be expected. When you run the same searches day after day for a set like this it doesn't take long to reach a point of diminishing returns.
I jumped back in a couple of weeks ago and in the course of a half hour or so I was able to knock out my wantlist with some pretty sweet cards. I paid a bit more than I had for most of the rest of the set but I tend to do that as I get close to finishing off a goal.
The General Lee card above looks a bit washed out in the scan for some reason. It's better looking in hand. The original art isn't as vibrant as some of the others for sure.
'Death' and 'Dying' sure pop up on a bunch of these.
I remember being fascinated by the idea of a Civil War era submarine. I think I went and found a book about sub and marine warfare of the time in St. Mary's School's meager library.
I was also interested in Stonewall Jackson. I think I still have an old bio of him on my shelves somewhere. I poked around to check on the accuracy of this card. The date on the front is May 10, 1863.
Jackson was shot (yes, by his own men accidentally) on May 2. He died on May 10 and that fact was generally reported on May 13 or thereabouts. So if I was grading this as a history teacher might grade a report I'd give the Topps writer a "C".
So this ends my quest for this really cool (and nostalgia filled) set. I have two upgrades en-route and there may be another card or two that I'll look at eventually but now it's time for a different challenge.
As soon as I post this I'm headed over tot he TriStar show in Houston. It'll be good to get to a show for the first time in months. I won't even mind paying $10 to park and another nine to get in.*
My goal: a 1958 Mantle in 'f/g' shape for the price of a 'poor' one.
*= #alternativefacts. It's gonna piss me off royally to drop most all of a twenty before I even see one table.
"'Death' and 'Dying' sure pop up on a bunch of these."
ReplyDeletePopped up on a lot of battlefields in the 1860s as well.
very true
DeleteAs a history buff I want to add this set to my collection...but I'm also torn on it's less than accurate history. Maybe one of the confederate currency reprint inserts would be something better for me...after all, I'm the kind of guy who yells at Rick Steves (on TV) for mistakes. I actually have a piece of confederate currency in my collection and I suspect the Topps reprint will cost me more, in all actuality!
ReplyDeleteBilly I know what you're coming from. But I would compare this set to a movie that is 'based on true events'. Take Hoosiers for example. Wonderful movie, if not the best sports movie ever it's in the conversation at least. The story is rather loosely based on Milan high school's title run. But rather than quibble with the differences between Milan and the movie's Hickory high story I appreciate the acting and authentic feel of the film. With this Civil War set I'm not gonna worry about the vague dates and the 'details' train wrecks that actually occurred in a different state. I'm gonna appreciate the artwork that had the nuns at St. Mary's shaking their heads and the nostalgia of having chased this set as a 5th grader.
DeleteA. Love this set.
ReplyDeleteB. I was surprised when I first heard about submarines during the Civil War too.
C. Hope you find that Mantle you're looking for @ the show.