Card Show-off: Awkward Dime Boxes and Questionable Kaline Ink

I went to a card show earlier this summer, and I suppose I better post about it, since I just went to another show this weekend. Once things start doubling up, that's when I know I better get to it.

This show was in St. Johns, Michigan, and was small, a part of a fair the city had going on. The guy putting it on is one of my favorite regular dealers at other shows, so I had to check out his go of it. It was interesting, if for nothing else than for its intimacy, a dozen dealers crammed into a barn where you might expect to see a 4H exhibit. It was rainy, and the roof leaked, and the dealers had to keep moving their boxes. A few drops hit me while I was sorting through dime boxes. It sounds a little scary, I know, but also the perfect scenario to find some hidden treasures.

Like some sweet vintage out of the discount boxes. The Jerry Coleman card on the left marks my first 1951 Topps card, and I only paid 50 cents for it. Not too shabby.

And of course some obligatory dime box Pudges.

And dime box Ripkens.

And maybe my best dime box finds: two cards I actually needed for my 2007 Bowman Heritage set which I seem to be getting nowhere on lately. Anyone got some help to offer out there?

I'm always on the lookout for key rookies. I'd needed the Oswalt for a while. And in the middle we have the super star Juan LeBron, otherwise knows as the error card featuring Carlos Beltran. And then a very Zack Morris-looking Derek Lowe rookie. Is there a more embarrassing set out there than 1992 Bowman?

Dime box awesomness. Bowman often has terrible first-year photos, as seen above, but these are three of the coolest ones I've seen. Happ's posed shot is straight outta 1952 Bowman. Love it.

My first Aaron Hill rookie, and a Chrome-tacular Jason Bay rookie for a dime. Remember how awesome he used to be? As awesome as this airbrush job Topps did?

Finally, my dollar box finds. The framed Ripken is such a great looking card. The Diamond Kings Kaline I may have overpaid for, but it was pretty much a throw-in with the others. But what about that Goudey Sport Royalty Kaline?

Well, that seems to be an auto. But is it real? The dealer said nothing about it, and it's not certified. For a buck, it's worth owning, but I just can't tell. It looks close to the certified Kaline autos I have.

Close, but I don't know. The "K" looks off, as does the "e," but maybe that's because of the terrible fat pen used on the Goudey card. I also feel like Kaline's auto would be so easy to fake since it's such legible cursive. What do you guys think? Real auto or was this dealer's third grade daughter just practicing her handwriting?