My Grail Card - The Final Update, for real this time.

Welp, I thought the last update was going to be the final update and then I went ahead and sent my card off to PSA to get it graded.  I can now say definitively I have finally completed my grail card from the 1988 NWA Wonderama set, card #339 Four Horsemen.

Please read the past blogs to get the full story on this card, especially Update Part 2.

May 17, 2022: New Grail Card

February 11, 2023: New Grail Card Update

June 7, 2023: New Grail Card Update 2!

December 21, 2024: New Grail Card Update 3! IT'S COMPLETE!

This was my first time submitting to PSA.  It was simple enough to do, but they do have strict instructions to follow.  I paid for the 20 day turnaround and I got my card a week early!  I was happy with my grade as well, 8 on the card and 9 on the auto.  The only other card that I'm aware of that is signed by everyone as mine is that is graded by PSA got an 8 on the card and 8 on the auto.

Purchased card on eBay May 9, 2022 cost $42.20

Arn Anderson signed June 10, 2022 cost $25

David Crockett signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Lex Luger signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Ric Flair signed January 15, 2023 cost $87.89

Tully Blanchard signed May 4, 2024 cost $40

JJ Dillon signed November 30, 2024 cost $25

Various Shipping Charges for mailing card: $23.40

Shipping to PSA: $14.35

PSA Fee and return shipping: $74.98

Total cost: $412.82

I don't know know if I'll ever submit a card to PSA again, I know many that do it because they treat their cards like investments.  Perhaps I should has well, but the cost of submitting can get expensive.  For me it would have to be a special card like this one.  I am tempted to find another once of these cards and get it signed again and possibly get a higher grade.  That is VERY tempting! 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

New Grail Card Update 3! ITS COMPLETE!

As you can read from the title of this blog post, after over two and a half years I have finally completed my grail card from the 1988 NWA Wonderama set, card #339 Four Horsemen.

Please read the past blogs to get the full story on this card, especially Update Part 2.

May 17, 2022: New Grail Card

February 11, 2023: New Grail Card Update

June 7, 2023: New Grail Card Update 2!

JJ Dillon was announced to be at WrestleCade back in the Spring, after I missed out in May I put my sights on November.  I knew I wouldn't be able to go myself, it's the day after Thanksgiving, my wife's favorite holiday, and I went to WrestleCon this year. 

Thankfully good buddy Brandon lives in North Carolina and was willing to go to WrestleCade this year to get JJ Dillon to finish the card.  Brandon had already gotten Lex and David Crockett to sign it for me at last years WrestleCade.  

I've heard from so many people that JJ wasn't doing well, physically, and this just be one of if not his final conventions appearance so I sent 5 NWA Wonderama Cards for JJ to sign.  My buddy Brandon said JJ seems great, but was moving a little slow, he wouldn't be surprised if his conventions days were coming to an end.  

Brandon's wife took the great pictures of JJ signing the cards, JJ liked how I had them set on the paper with the corner holders, made it easier for him to sign them, he also talked about the images in each of the cards. 

These are the five cards that I got him to sign this go round, I would have preferred if he signed the logo card a bit smaller as I plan to get several other signatures on it.

  

These are the previous cards I already had signed by JJ so I have completed the NWA Wonderama cards featuring him, and I have that WCW card signed as well.  

Here the tally sheet on what I spend completing this card:

Purchased card on eBay May 9, 2022 cost $42.20

Arn Anderson signed June 10, 2022 cost $25

David Crockett signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Lex Luger signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Ric Flair signed January 15, 2023 cost $87.89

Tully Blanchard signed May 4, 2024 cost $40

JJ Dillon signed November 30, 2024 cost $25

Various Shipping Charges for mailing card: $23.40

Total cost: $323.49

I'm on the fence about getting this graded and authenticated.  I guess it depends on the cost.  I only know of 1 other card that is signed by all 6 men.

My buddy Jay & I attended the 2009 NWA Legends Fanfest in Charlotte, NC that featured a 4 Horsemen reunion.  I posted a blog about it back in 2015 and you can read that here: NWA Legends Fanfest 2009

At that convention we could get two items signed, Jay got this free program and he had Ole Anderson, Barry Windham, & Lex Luger sign it then, he found it recently and at my encouragement recommended that he finish it off.  I mean with that Ole Anderson signature if he didn't to, I would have done it.  Brandon was able to get JJ and Arn Anderson to sign it for him, he just needs to Ric Flair to finish the piece.

  

I'm very excited to have completed this card.  It feels great to have such an amazing piece in my collection.  I can't help but feel, what is next!?

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

New Grail Card Update 2!

If you've been following this blog you may recall back on May 17, 2022 I posted about my new grail trading card, from the 1988 NWA Wonderama set, card #339 Four Horsemen.

The Second update was posted on February 11, 2023, here is the time line of events

May 9, 2022 I ordered the card on Ebay, total with tax and free shipping was $42.20 it was delivered on May 12, 2022. 

The first signature I was able to get Arn Anderson at Big Time Wrestling in Webster, Massachusetts he was managing Brock Anderson and Brian Pillman Jr. in tag team action who were wrestling FTR managed by Bret "Hitman" Hart.  Amazing right!

I got Arn to sign several cards that night, as well as FTR and got my picture with them and Brock Anderson.  It was a great night!

Next, I mailed the card to my buddy Brandon who attended WrestleCade 2022 held November 25 - 27 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  David Crockett was scheduled to attend and he doesn't do many signings.  I got 3 cards total signed by David, the other two NWA Wonderama cards already signed by Tony Schiavone.  He was also able to get Luger to sign it for me.  

Fiterman Sports Group out of Texas is the signing agent for "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.  I wasn't sure if I'd ever see Flair again, turns out I saw him in 2024 in Philadelphia, so I mailed the card off to a signing they were doing in Houston on January 15, 2023.  I mailed two cards, the second being another NWA Wonderama.  

That just left Tully Blanchard and JJ Dillon. Sadly neither appeared at WrestleCon this year.  Reaching out to others about JJ Dillon it was relayed to me that he is not in the best of health so was hoping to see him in Philly and was sad he didn't appear.

However, he and Tully as well as Barry Windham and Arn Anderson appeared at 80's Wrestling Con in Morristown, New Jersey on May 4th.  There was no way I was going to be able to go, but a friend of mine Erik had a friend name Antonio going to the show.  He connected us together and Antonio was going to be a huge solid and get it signed. 

I mailed the grail card to Antonio along with two other JJ Dillon Cards and two Tully Blanchard cards, all NWA Wonderama.  I figured might as well get some others signed.  Unfortunately during the event there was some confusion and he was only able to get Tully to sign the card.  He got JJ to sign the other cards, he just didn't give JJ the grail card.  

I can't be mad about it, he did a complete stranger a favor and he feels bad about it.  It is what it is, hopefully I can get JJ to sign this year.  Part of me wants to get that last signature myself in person, but at this point I just want to finish it off. 

 

Arn Anderson signed June 10, 2022 cost $25

David Crockett signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Lex Luger signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Ric Flair signed January 15, 2023 cost $87.89

Tully Blanchard signed May 4, 2024 cost $40

Total investment so far: $275.09

I think it would make sense that once complete send it to PSA for grading and authentication.  

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book Limitless Wrestling: The First Five Years, or any of my other books as well.  

Until next time!