This has been superseded 1/3/2021
INTRODUCING the STARTING NINE series!
(Last updated 5/21/2020)
What the heck is a STARTING NINE?
Glad you asked. In eight words: ME, offering YOU, NINE cards, from ONE set.* It's meant to help get you started on a new project, provide a boost to a fledgling set or just whatever. You can prioritize favorite teams, favorite players, send a wantlist, or however you wish to choose your nine cards. Typically if I offer a STARTING NINE that means I have several dozen or even hundreds to choose from - but I cannot guarantee I'll have the perfect nine hits to your wantlist. Of course you can ask before you bid, but with the flood of interest these are sure to have, you might want to allow 4-6 weeks for a response!
Where can I get these amazing STARTING NINE cards?
Excellent question. STARTING NINE lots will be offered EXCLUSIVELY through the ongoing Cardboard Currency Auction at this time. The link for the CCA is below. You can also contact David Toback: owner, creator and operator of the CCA, at toback@tamu.edu
Oh boy! I won a STARTING NINE! Now what?
Thanks for asking. Please contact me (or the person who offered it) at your earliest convenience to give some suggestions about which cards in the set you'd like to prioritize. I'll do my best to accommodate your input, and let you know what I've come up with (or you can keep it a surprise if you wish). Then your package will be prepared in a PWE and you can wait patiently by your mailbox to receive your STARTING NINE.
The STARTING NINE has been brought to you by yours truly, and it's an idea I've had for years but finally found the ideal "platform" to offer it up; the pace and structure of the CCA is perfect. It's my own thing, but it would be a real joy to see others give it a whirl as well. Jump on board and offer your own STARTING NINE. Or if you're on the consumer end of the deal, request a specific STARTING NINE you'd like to see, and see who would like offer it up!
Get creative, friends. Let's see if this works to make the cardboard fly!
Aaron Shirley
Editors note (Dr. Chaos, with approval from A. Shirley - 5/21/2020): This is designed to have the flavor of getting someone the first 9 cards to a new set they are starting. It can be use to help set builders, but one shouldn't expect to hand-pick 9 stars or short prints/high numbers, just commons. If, by mutual agreement, the submitter and winner choose to change the deal that is fine. Some examples: 1) Feel free to add extra cards and just make it worth more chips. This is easy as you can just tell the Admin about the final Chip total and he will adjust it accordingly. More specific example,"if the final bid price was 0.5 Chips, if the winner wants 18 cards and the lot submitter can do it, then the final Bid amount will be changed to 1.0 Chips.". 2) Let's say the Submitter can't FIND 9 cards the bidder wants? Put in a Star card and do fewer than 9... or a nicer grade one... or pick other years... or whatever. Or the Bidder only wants SP's/HN's, then take that into account SOMEHOW. The goal is to get the cards to fly, empty dupes boxes and get cards find their new happy home.