2023 trade package #3: Cardboard Collections

Things sure can change in a hurry! I had just a few things in-hand late last week before the weekend hit and I got a huge pile of stuff in just a couple days. All of a sudden I have lots I need to show off from TCDB, trades, this past weekend's show, and eBay.

Fortunately I've got a nice quick trade package to cover this evening thanks to Colbey of Cardboard Collections. He hit my mailbox with an unexpected PWE this weekend and I was very happy with the contents:

Here you see former UM #1 WR Derrick Anderson on two versions of his cards from 1994 Superior Rookies. On the left is the base version while the Gold parallel sits to its right. As always I love to see the college action photo up front. Captured here is gameplay from Michigan visiting Penn State in its Big Ten debut season, October 16, 1993. The Nittany Lions took a 10-0 lead but Alexander brought the Wolverines back within a score before halftime with a 48-yard punt return TD. The Maize and Blue would tack on two Todd Collins pass TDs in the second half while PSU managed just a 4th quarter field goal, leading to a 21-13 UM victory. Alexander would pace his squad with 48 receiving yards in the win.

Here are the backs, which show the relative scarcity of these cards back in the day. The base is "limited" to 26,730 copies while the Gold saw just 4,455 made. The other versions that exist are an Autograph (SN5000, and which I own), an insert called "Deep Threat" (1000 copies), and samples of both that insert and the base.

You can see by his stats here that Alexander was one of Michigan's best WRs in program history, though of course those numbers pale in comparison to today's much more pass-happy game (which I do enjoy myself). A 1991 ACL injury cut his junior season short but he returned the following year to put up career best numbers. Besides his 22 TD catches he rushed for one score and returned four punts for touchdowns over his career.

The Browns would draft him at #29 in 1994 and he'd compile 40 reception scores, one rushing TD, and one punt return touchdown over nine seasons with the Browns, Ravens, Chiefs, and Vikings.

Obviously I'm a fan of this pair and happy to add them to my collection of Alexander, which is 197 cards strong and growing. Many thanks to Colbey for thinking of me and sending them my way!