GPK
TRASH TALKING
Let’s talk trash here!
And by trash I mean vintage Garbage Pail Kids cards, not “your mama dresses you funny,” trash.
Am I an expert here… positively not!
Am I an avid collector… not yet!
Am I intrigued by these classic and crazy cards… 1000% yes!
Now, I’m not new to the GPK game, I should begin by stating that right off the bat.
Back in the day, when I was setting up at regional shows all over the midwest, I used to carry them, mainly as packs and wax, but occasionally we’d delve into an Adam Bomb card or two.
This was back in the late 80s, early 90s, however.
And yes, it’s true, my wife once sold a complete set of 1st Series Garbage Pail Kids, that had been sitting in a binder since 1986 or so, at a garage sale she had back in 2002 for $5. And yes, I remind her of that whenever I need a good reason to pay a good amount of money for a sports card.
Knowing all that, I’ve been reintroduced to them by my 8-year old nephew, who, like most 8-year-old kids, finds these cards to be hilarious and cool.
I couldn’t agree more with him.
We’ve been buying up some more recent releases of GPK and ripping them right at the kitchen table, laughing our way through each pack. He’s learned which ones are rare and which ones are not. He’s learned about caring for the cards after they are opened, so every card gets a soft-sleeve, and the rare ones get top loaded.
Now, he’s asking about the vintage stuff, and we’re starting to look online for some of the older cards, both graded and not.
It’s a win-win for him and I.
Although he’s a huge sports fan, the newer release boxes of GPK aren’t hundreds and hundreds of dollars, the singles of his favorite player don’t require a second mortgage to buy, and they’re a ton of fun to open.
There isn’t much to dislike about this whole deal, if you ask me.
After the hoopla and glitz and outright arrogance of the National last weekend, it’s nice to get back to what the hobby is all about — something that is affordable, interesting and fun, aand something the entire family can enjoy..