What's to become of the leftovers?

When you collect track and field cards,  it's often easier (and cheaper) to buy the entire set rather than try to seek out individual cards piecemeal. That way you ensure you're getting exactly what you're looking for in one fell swoop at a fairly reasonable cost.

Such was the case, as I've bought a few sets to get the track and field cards I needed over the past few months. Among those sets were the 1979 Brooke Bond Olympic Greats, 1992 Brooke Bond Olympic Challenge, the 1984 M&M's Olympic Heroes, and 1996 Imperial Olympic Champions.

To get those particular track and field athletes in order to complete their set collection, I only needed 16 of the 44 M&M cards, 15 of the 40-card Olympic Greats set, and 21 of the 40 Olympic Challenge cards. I think I got the biggest bang for my buck when I purchased the Imperial set. Of the 48 cards, I needed a total of 31.

So now, the question is what do you do with the rest of these cards? While the M&M set boasts only American athletes, the other three sets feature some of the world's best in their sports, to include Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay), Mark Spitz, Olga Korbut, Nadia Comanichi, Vasily Alexeyev, and Teofilo Stevenson.

Unfortunately, if they're not track and field, I really have no real use for them right now. So like your average Thanksgiving dinner at the 'Toad household, there's plenty of leftovers.

If someone would be interested in taking these cards of my hands, I'd be more than happy to share the wealth. Of course, if you'd like to pass something along in return, a few cards that I can use for my collections, I certainly wouldn't say no.

1979 Brooke Bond Olympic Greats - 16. Vera Caslavaska (Gymnastics); 17. Larissa Latynina (Gymnastics); 18. Olga Korbut (Gymnastics); 19. Nadia Comaneci (Gymnastics); 20. Nikolay Andrianov (Gymnastics); 21. Muhammad Ali (Boxing); 22. Teofilo Stevenson (Boxing); 23. Vasily Alexeyev (Weightlifting); 24. Bob Braithwaite (Shooting); 25. Johnny Weissmueller (Swimming); 26. Mark Spitz (Swimming); 27. Pat McCormick (Diving); 28. Dawn Fraser (Swimming); 29. Shane Gould (Swimming); 30. Kornelia Ender (Swimming); 31 David Wilkie (Swimming); 32. Richard Meade (Equestrian); 33. Harry Llewellyn (Equestrian); 34. John B. Kelly (Rowing); 35. Rodney Pattisson (Yachting); 36. Robi Mittermaier (Skiing); 37. Jean-Claude Killy; 38. Sonja Henie (Figure Skating); 39. Irina Rodnina (Figure Skating); 40. John Curry (Figure Skating).

1992 Brooke Bond Olympic Challenge - 6. Franz Klammer (Skiing); 7. Eric Heiden (Speed Skaing); 8. John Curry (Figure Skating); 9. Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean (Figure Skating); 10. Matti Nykanen (Ski Jumping); 11. Muhammad Ali (Boxing); 22. Olga Korbut (Gymnastics); 23. Nadia Comaneci (Gymnastics); 24. Vasily Alexeyev (Weightlifting); 25; Alexander Dityatin (Gymnastics); 26. Mark Spitz (Swimming); 27. Shane Gould (Swimming); 28. David Wilkie (Swimming); 29. Greg Louganis (Diving); 30. Matt Biondi (Swimming); 31. Tracy Ruiz & Candy Costee (Synchronized Swimming); 32. Steffi Graf (Tennis); 33. Olympic Flame; 34. Barcelona Stadium.

1984  M&M's - 1. Shirley Babashoff (Swimming); 2. Phil Boggs (Diving); 3. Bill Bradley (Basketball); 4. Mike Bruner (Swimming); 5. Dick Button (Figure Skating);  6. Jennifer Chandler (Diving); 7. Cassius Clay (Boxing); 8. Barbara Cochran (Slalom); 9. Buster Crabbe (Swimming); 11. Donna de Varona (Swimming); 13. Mike Eruzione (Ice Hockey); 14. George Foreman (Boxing); 15. Joe Frazier (Boxing); 17. Bruce Furniss (Swimming); 18. Brian Goodell (Swimming); 19. Dorothy Hamil (Figure Skating); 20. Sonja Henie (Figure Skating); 22. Duke Kanamoku (Swimming); 23. Micki King (Diving); 26. Debbie Meyer (Swimming); 28. Jim Montgomery (Swimming); 29. Jim Naber (Swimming); 32 Lloyd Patterson (Boxing); 33. Oscar Robertson (Basketball); 35. Don Schollander (Swimming); 37. Billy Steinkraus (Equestrian); 42. Jerry West (Basketball); 44. Sheila Young (Speed Skating).

1996 Imperial Olympic Champions - 6. Dawn Fraser (Swimming); 7. Judy Grinham (Swimming); 9. Terry Spinks (Boxing); 10. Muhammad Ali (Boxing); 12. Gillian Green (Fencing); 15. Joe Frazier (Boxing); 18. Leonid Zhabotinsky (Weightlifting); 20. Chris Finnegan (Boxing); 24. Olga Korbut (Gymnastics); 27. Mark Spitz (Swimming); 32. Duncan Goodhew (Swimming); 36. Malcolm M. Cooper (Shooting); 38. Greg Louganis (Diving); 41. Steffi Graf (Tennis); 43. Andrew Holmessteven Redgrave (Rowing); 44. Adrian Moorhouse (Swimming); 45. Chris Boardman (Cycling).

Stay healthy and safe out there.