Hockey Card Heaven

New Year's Resolution

2011-12-31T22:10:00.002-04:00

First off, I don't make New Year's Resolutions.

But I'll make an exception this year.

It's collection related. Which is why I'm making this post.

I resolve to get my collection under control.

I have too many cards. And while some of them are sorted properly, too many are not. I plan to put vintage with vintage, jersey cards with jersey cards, autograph cards with autograph cards, and so on and so forth. I plan to focus my collection on the teams I collect, the players I collect, and the untouchables. I plan to reduce my collection with extensive eBaying, posting on hobby forums, and giving away more commons to local kids and during Hallowe'en.

It's time that I get it under control and 2012 is the year!

When December 31st, 2012 hits, I'll feel like a weight has been lifted. The weight of thousands of cards that I have but don't need in my collection.

It'll be a great day and it will make me enjoy the hobby so much more.

Awesome Card of the Week

2011-11-28T17:11:00.001-04:00

At the 2011 Fall Sports Card Expo in Toronto, Ontario, I had some good luck at the Panini booth with redemption products.

But no hits were better than this...

A massive 8X10 hard-signed photo/card of the hottest NFL rookie in a long time.

Cam Newton is my new best friend!

Topps Diamond Giveaway - Order #3

2011-11-07T20:12:00.000-04:00

Another day, another bubble envelope from Topps in the mail.

With only about 6 or 7 weeks left in the promotion, I'll be curious to see if I can score some more goodies.

This package contained more Hall of Fame players, more personal favourites, and a few more Toronto Blue Jays.

Not only did I add another 1952 card to my collection (Harry Simpson), I was able to acquire some big names like Al Kaline, Roy Face, Rickey Henderson, Jim Kaat, Sandy Alomar, and a League Leaders card containing Juan Marichal and Sandy Koufax!

Some other trades allowed me to get some 'late in the career' cards of Tom Seaver, Felipe Alou, and Pete Rose. In addition, Birdie Tebbetts, Walt Alston, and Gene Mauch will be added to my Manager collection.

Last but not least, some of my favourite Blue Jays from the ealry 1980's, Damaso Garcia and Willie Upshaw.

Time to place another order.

2010-11 UD Ultimate Hockey Break

2011-11-02T20:41:00.002-03:00

I'm one of the many collectors who are not fans of the new Upper Deck distribution policy. In my opinion, Upper Deck is taking on the internet... and that's a war that no company will win in the long run.

The policy has resulted in fewer Upper Deck purchases on my end. However, since I was already committed to a few packs of 2010-11 UD Ultimate Collection Hockey before the policy came into effect, I'm not the type of person to turn my back on some busting.

The first pack was uneventful until the final card. A Jason Spezza base card /399, a Jamie Arniel RC /399, a Chris Stewart Ultimate Signature, all fine but not worthy of a big smile... and then, my favourite goalie of them all. A Patrick Roy dual jersey/autograph /25!!!

There's no way I could match that with Pack #2, right?

Wrong.

Again, it was an uneventful beginning. A Ron Hextall base card /399, a Brandon Pirri RC /399, a redemption which I didn't look at closely, and a Debut Threads jersey of Ian Cole /200. When I took a closer look at the redemption card, the interest turned to a grin turned to a smile. An Ultimate Signatures Sidney Crosby autograph redemption card! My first SC87 auto!

Two great hits. Yes!
Will it make me buy more Upper Deck. No!

Awesome Card of the Week

2011-10-23T15:27:00.000-03:00

From 2007-08 In The Game Ultimate Memorabilia 8th Edition comes this Retro Teammates jersey card of legends Vladislav Tretiak and Valeri Kharlamov.

Both thorns in the side of many Canadian hockey fans during the 1970's and 1980's, these veterans of the Soviet Union hockey team are important additions to any collection. The bonus of this card is the inclusion of seams and stitching from the Kharlamov jersey.

Awesome Card of the Week

2011-10-12T20:53:00.000-03:00

In The Game has a great VIP Program.

It's pretty simple...
1. Open In The Game products.
2. Save the box-tops.
3. Send the box-tops to In The Game.
4. In The Game sends you a jersey card.

Today, I received my In The Game VIP Program memorabilia card in the mail. It was a Jeremy Roenick three-colour patch with thick seams and stitching from his days as a Chicago Blackhawk.

One cool feature is that my name is printed on the back of the card. Some collectors may not like being joined that closely to a card but I think it's a great idea.

It also means... I'll probably never try to move it!

Topps Diamond Giveaway - Order #2

2011-10-10T14:10:00.000-03:00

My second order from the Topps Diamond Giveaway focused more on memories than value.

Growing up in Canada, the Blue Jays were my team. A distant second were the Montreal Expos.

My favourite player was Dave Stieb and he ended up being one of the best pitchers of the 1980's

Although none of these cards are high value cards, they're great additions to my collection. Players who had some great years with the Blue Jays such as Buck Martinez, Lloyd Moseby, Rance Mulliniks, and Cliff Johnson. Some other great Expos like Warren Cromartie and Tim Wallach.

It's fun to see their stats. When you cheer for them so long ago, sometimes you can forget how good (or bad) they actually were until you check out the stats on the back of the cards.

A great trip down memory lane.

Topps Diamond Giveaway - Order #1

2011-09-27T16:43:00.000-03:00

I received my first order from the Topps Diamond Giveaway today.

The Topps Diamond Giveaway is a great Topps promotion which allows collectors to find codes within packs, enter the codes online, trade the virtual cards with other collectors, and then, when you're finished, get the actual cards shipped directly to you.

It's a great way for Topps to introduce collectors to sets from previous years, all the way back to 1952. It educates collectors, promotes interaction and trading, and creates awareness of sets and the Topps brand name.

In general, my cards came in very good shape. A few hard soft corners and/or a few creases... and a few were somewhat off-centre. But that's okay. After all, some of these cards are over 50 years old.

Lots of goodies added to my baseball collection, as you can see.

I picked up some of the 2011 die-cut cards of past and current Blue Jays, those being Roy Halladay and Colby Rasmus.

I traded to acquire various Leader Leader cards, Highlights, and combo/trio cards from the 50's, 60's, and 70's. While I learned that many Hall of Famers cards were difficult to acquire in trades, it seemed that people were a little more willing to trade cards which featured them with other players or cards which weren't their regular issue from the season.It allowed me to get cards featuring George Brett, Warren Spahn, Casey Stengel, Jim Lemon, Roy Sievers, Gil Hodges, Rocky Colavito, Bert Campaneris, Mike Schmidt, and Nolan Ryan.

I also picked up some rookie cards of players I grew up watching. Steve Rogers of the Montreal Expos, Doyle Alexander who became a great Toronto Blue Jay, Jeff Reardon who played with the Expos too, and Dave Righetti who pitched against my beloved Jays. In addition, I grabbed a Rick 'Big Daddy' Reuschel rookie card too.

And most impressively, my first order included a 1952 Topps Ken Raffensberger. While he might not be a big name, the 1952 set is... being mostly famous for the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. Raffensberger might not be famous but it's great to have a card from the set.

Now I'm looking forward to Order #2

Topps Diamond Card Giveaway

2011-08-11T09:12:00.001-03:00

Trading cards is a dying art.

These days, if you're not part of a web forum or if you don't live in a large city, it's hard to find a group to trade with. That was one of the main draws to me of the Topps Million Card Giveaway and the Topps Diamond Card Giveaway. A site where collectors can insert codes, add cards to their collection, and offer trades to a massive group of collectors online.

I'm currently knee-deep in the Topps Diamond Card Giveaway and have made over 300 trades so far. It's a little more difficult to manage my cards this year than last as this time I am dealing with about 190 cards and last year I rarely had more than 30 or 40 cards to trade with. But I love the trading aspect and attempting to make the 80's, 90's, and 00's cards disappear as I add more pre-80's and try to grab some older HOF'ers.

Although my codes resulted in nothing terribly memorable other than a few 2011 die-cuts, I've been able to make many trades and over time acquire two 1952 Topps cards as well as some HOF'ers, vintage, and lots of Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays.

With all of the annoyances in the hockey card hobby lately (Upper Deck trying to battle the internet and Panini using far too many redemptions), it's nice to get back to the simpler days and have some fun.

Awesome Card of the Week

2011-05-18T20:53:00.001-03:00

A marvelous Montreal Maroon!

Although Earle Robinson was not Hall of Fame worthy, he had a notable career in the NHL and in other leagues in the 1920's and 1930's. It culminated with a great season in 1934-35 and a Stanley Cup Championship.

Having died in 1986, this cut signature from In The Game Ultimate 8th Edition, is a piece of history worth keeping. It will also result in an additional player collection as I'll be attempting to acquire some other cards and Beehive photos, etc. from Robinson's playing days.

Awesome Card of the Week

2011-02-24T20:49:00.003-04:00

The early 1990's were all about these two players. To get both Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr on the same card, sporting their signatures and some memorabilia from the Pittsburgh Penguins, is just plain awesome.

With Lemieux in the Hall of Fame and Jagr headed there once his playing days are done, this card is definitely a keeper.

Addiction

2010-12-26T00:15:00.004-04:00

I must admit that I'm addicted to the Topps Million Card Giveaway. What a great idea and what a great response it has received. The opportunity to unlock and then receive baseball cards from years gone by has made me quite eager to purchase 2010 Topps baseball products.

Although, the odds are more likely that you'll unlock an Omar Vizquel or a Delino Deshields card, sometimes you can get a winner. Today, I was lucky enough to unlock this card.

According to Wikipedia, Bob Cain shut out the New York Yankees in his first major league start, and in 1952 matched one-hitters with Bob Feller and won, 1–0. He is, however, most remembered as the pitcher who faced Eddie Gaedel – the only midget to appear in a major league baseball game.

On August 19, 1951, St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck put the 3 foot, 7 inch Gaedel into the game with instructions to hold his bat on his shoulder and not swing. Cain later recalled: "I went out to the mound to start to pitch the bottom half of the first and as I was warming up, Eddie went over and got these little bats. We couldn't understand what was going on." In his crouch, Gaedel reportedly had a strike zone of 1½ inches. Detroit catcher, Bob Swift, advised Cain to "Keep it low."

According to observers, Cain was laughing so hard at the prospect of pitching to Gaedel that "he's practically falling off the mound with each pitch." Cain proceeded to walk Gaedel on four straight pitches, all high.

Another great piece on baseball history for my personal collection.

2010 Fall Sports Card Expo

2010-11-10T20:18:00.002-04:00

I'll be heading up to Toronto, Ontario for the 2010 Fall Sports Card Expo on Friday morning. As always, I'll be there for all three days. It's a great opportunity to meet other collectors, see other collections, and get those cards, boxes, and oddball items that are just about impossible to find elsewhere.

I think this will be my 6th Sports Card Expo in Toronto. I didn't make it there in May 2010 as it was a little too close to the expected birth date of my daughter. I figured it would be safest just to stay home. Hockey card collecting is important but my pregnant wife had top billing. Molly was born in June and all was good.

As always, I'll look into getting a few autographs as well. Jean Beliveau is returning so I might have to go see him again for an autograph. He's the classiest hockey player I've ever met and many people don't realize that he was almost the Governor General of Canada in the 1990's.

I normally have good luck pulling cards at the Expo and hope that this event will be no different. Having fun with the hobby is great but every now and then it's great to beat the odds and be the envy of everyone else.

Looking forward to three days in Hockey Card Heaven!

The Return of Hockey Cards

2010-10-08T19:46:00.003-03:00

With the release of 2009-10 Upper Deck The Cup last week, I can now focus on the 2010-11 hockey card season. Although 2010-11 UD Victory has been released, it just isn't a new season until the final release of the previous season has hit the shelves. Technically, I could be wrong though as In The Game's 10th Edition of Ultimate could very well be listed as a 2009-10 product as the 9th Edition was stamped 2008-09. It will be released on November 11, 2010.

The big news this season is the return of many forgotten brands thanks to Panini. Although many collectors will never forget Score and Donruss due to over-production issues in the early 1990's, the retro feel will be too good to pass up. I'm really looking forward to 2010-11 Score. In 1990-91, I remember buying boxes for $25 and hoping for an Eric Lindros Future Superstar card. How times have changed.

I've had a great 2009-10 collecting season but I'm looking forward to a new one. John Tavares followed me around this past season but in other years it's been Andrew Alberts (05-06) or Vladimir Mihalik (08-09). Some years you're lucky, others you're not. I've learned to enjoy it regardless. The new rookies, the new designs, and the new products.

As a Habs fan, I'm hoping that PK Subban will follow me around this season... but I won't be terribly disappointed if I see some Edmonton Oilers Young Guns are I flip through my 2010-11 UD Series One.

Now if only they'd stop delaying products... 2010-11 UD Artifacts has already been pushed back to October 26th, 2010. Ugh!

Topps Million Card Giveaway

2010-08-17T17:18:00.005-03:00

I'm a hardcore hockey card collector.

However, that doesn't mean that I don't dabble in other sports. I often grab a pack of basketball, football, baseball, UFC, non-sport, etc.

The other day at the local card store, I decided to purchase a few packs (7) of 2010 Topps Series 2 Baseball. Not only was there a chance for a Stephen Strasburg RC (need'em) or a Jason Heyward RC (got'em), but there was a chance for a Topps Million Card Giveaway redemption card.

In my seven packs, I was lucky enough to get two redemption cards. Intrigued by the program, I immediately went to the computer and learned that I was now the proud owner of a 1958 Topps Dick Gray card and a 1976 Cesar Geronimo card.

Two old cards. Two players I've never heard of.

Although he only played for a few seasons, Dick Gray is an interesting character. On April 18, 1958, the Dodgers played their first home game in Los Angeles against the San Francisco Giants. In this game, Dick became the first Dodger player to hit a home run in the city of Los Angeles. In the bottom of the 7th inning, the Dodgers were on top 5-3. With one out, Gray smacked the first home run off of Johnny Antonelli to put the Dodgers ahead 6-3. His home run in the 7th held off the Giants enough for the Dodgers to win their first game in Los Angeles, 6-5.

A winner of four consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1974-77, Cesar Geronimo was an outstanding defensive center fielder. In his fifteen seasons, Gerónimo batted .258, with 51 home runs, 392 RBI, 977 hits, and 82 stolen bases. He also held the dubious distinction of being the 3,000th strikeout victim of both Bob Gibson and Nolan Ryan. "I was just in the right place at the right time," he joked.

Nicknamed "The Rifle", Geronimo was known for his powerful throwing arm. Once after catching a fly out on the center field warning track, he threw the ball home to keep a runner at third base from scoring and the ball went so far on a fly that it went over catcher Johnny Bench’s head. In July 2008 he was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

A history lesson thanks to Topps and the Million Card Giveaway.

Negativity

2010-07-12T22:20:00.004-03:00

I've stopped reading various blogs lately. There is a lot of negativity these days with sports cards products in general.

Having collected for 30 years, I think I have an opinion which matters even though I may not be one of the big-wigs in the blogosphere. It's rare that I hear how great a product is. More often than not, it's people complaining of a lack of value or poor design or lack of imagination. I like most products, maybe I'm an easy sell.

If you're not enjoying yourself then I think it's time to re-evaluate why you're in the hobby.

I'm in the hobby for fun. It's a great way to pass the time. I read the stats and the backs of cards. I do have a personal collection of some value but cards are in my personal collection due to the card or the player and not the value. I have a Duane Sutter autograph card which means as much to me (and possibly more) than my Mario Lemieux autograph card.

To me, pulling a great card is a bonus... not an expectation. An expensive box is an adventure... not an investment.

I would like to get rid of patch forging and sticker autographs and event-used memorabilia... but I do think that people prospecting for big dollars are just as bad.

Card of the Week

2010-07-04T19:59:00.003-03:00

Every year there is one product I look forward to. And this year is no different as I bought 4 boxes of 2009-10 Upper Deck SP Authentic Hockey from Canada Card World.

I love the crisp, clean design. I love the hard-signed autos. I love the fact that you can get one of the hot rookies just as easily as you can get a poor one since the Future Watch Auto's are all numbered to /999.

Normally, the Matt Duchene Future Watch Auto /999 that I pulled would qualify as one heck of a hit... but in comparison to this, it just doesn't quite win the award.

This is the second year in a row that I've pulled a Bobby Orr autograph from SP Authentic Hockey. Last year, it was a 2008-09 Sign of the Times autograph. This year, it's the 2009-10 Sign of the Times Dual autograph of Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito.

Oddly enough, it was my favourite product before these recent pulls. I can't wait to see what next year holds!

Secret Collecting?

2010-05-26T22:17:00.002-03:00

As a player collector, you've got a choice.

Do you collect a player in secret? Do you collect a player and let the world know?

I have four player collections. For the most part, I like to keep two of them public and two of them relatively private.

Keeping a player collection private means that other collectors may have less knowledge about a young up-and-coming player. It also means that you don't have to worry as much about someone else holding a card for ransom as they know you really desire it.

On the other hand, keeping a collection private means that you have less help. The card collecting community helps to create a lot of friendships between collectors. When your player is pulled by another collector, the more who know, the more the chance is that you'll get an unsolicited note to help you add another card to your collection.

What do you do? I see the pros and cons... so I play both sides.

Awesome Card of the Week

2010-04-11T20:05:00.003-03:00

2008-09 ITG Between The Pipes was one of the best products released last season. In 2009-10, it's much the same. And that's a very good thing. From a box last week, I pulled this:

A Complete Package (jersey/glove/stick/pad) of Pelle Lindbergh is a dream card for anyone's collection. This is the silver version which is /19 and regardless of my loyalties, Lindbergh is a goaltender who should be in everyone's personal collection.

Even as a Habs fan, I felt great sadness when Lindbergh died in the mid-1980's in the prime of his career. The fact that we can still honour his career with spectacular cards like this is a great thing about our hobby.

National Hockey Card Day

2010-01-30T15:56:00.005-04:00

In Canada today, it is not only Hockey Day in Canada, it's also National Hockey Card Day.

As most Canadians know, Hockey Day in Canada means that all six NHL teams face each other in three games. In the afternoon, Ottawa hosts Montreal, in the early evening Toronto plays Vancouver, and later tonight, it's the Battle of Alberta as Calgary faces Edmonton.

A great event has been made better with Upper Deck's recent program called National Hockey Card Day which takes place today as well. Most hobby stores in Canada will hand out free five-card packs to each customer who comes through the door.

After my CrossFit workout today, I headed down to the local card store with my wife and picked up two packs of cards. One for each of us. The store was bustling with activity with lots of collectors, young and old. To go along with our two free packs, I grabbed some supplies and some packs of 2009-10 O-Pee-Chee hockey.

As I sat down at home to watch the Montreal/Ottawa game, we opened our packs. My pack contained Jamie Benn, Steve Yzerman, Vincent Lecavalier, Logan Couture, and Jarome Iginla. My wife's pack was much better. She read out the names of Mike RIchards, Roberto Luongo, Evander Kane, Sidney Crosby, and John Tavares!

Luckily for me, every card that she pulls out of a pack becomes my card and I'm more than happy to add another John Tavares card to my collection.

If you're in Canada, hopefully you made it out for your free pack as well.

Cheers.

The Unwanted

2010-01-12T19:45:00.008-04:00

If you're reading this, more than likely, you're a card collector. But what do you do when your collection contains cards which you don't collect?

We all enjoy collecting certain players, teams, and sets. Through trades and eBay it's easy to accumulate a very impressive collection of things we want. However, when we break open packs and boxes, quite often we end up with jersey cards and autographs of players which we don't collect. Sometimes, this is a good thing. You open a pack and you've got a keeper for your personal collection. It's a rare occurrence but it's an awesome feeling.

Unfortunately, more often than not, when we break open boxes, we end up with a lot of cards like these:

The question is... What do I do with these? There are few collectors who collect the no name of the NHL. The odd person needs one of these cards for a certain set and the rare person collects these players. But no one bids on these cards on eBay. No one wants these cards in trade. Do kids even want these players? They sit in a shoebox in your collectibles room and they take up space. So what do you do with these cards? As a collector it's impossible to throw them away. What do you do?

Thoughts?

Merry Xmas to Me!

2009-12-19T18:42:00.004-04:00

There is nothing better than posting a card on eBay for auction and lucking into two collectors who start a bidding war. Most collectors rarely experience this. I have to say that I've never been a recipient of this luck either. Until last week that is!

About three years ago, I purchased a few boxes of 2006-07 UD Parkhurst Hockey. It was a really fun product with 4 hard-signed autographs in each box. The product contained many Hall of Famers, hockey personalities, coaches, enforcers, and team captains. It's one of my favourite products of the decade. As with most autographed cards, I enjoyed them, put them in plastic holders and hid them away in a box.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that one of the autos from the 06-07 Parkhurst set went for almost $300US. It was an Al MacInnis autograph which only booked for about $40. I checked out my cards from the Parkhurst auto set and noticed that the Denis Savard 'Captains' autograph card booked for $100. I thought I'd take a chance, put it up for auction, and cross my fingers.

Early on, interest in the card was minimal and I figured that I wasn't going to luck into the same good fortune as the MacInnis card owner. Other autograph cards from the set were selling in the $15 to $40 range and I figured that would be my Denis Savard card's fate as well... that is, until the final day or so.

I assume two set collectors were trying to put together the complete autograph set and both of them needed this card. I haven't followed the set but I have to assume that the Savard card was relatively rare although even though it books for $100, it wasn't listed as a short-print. Regardless, a bidding war happened! And I was the lucky recipient of $338US! A great moment for me. And a great chance to brag to people who chuckle when they learn I collect hockey cards.

As they always say, a card is only worth what someone will pay for it... and you just never know what you have in your collection! Good luck to the rest of you. Here's hoping you have the same fate as I did.

2006-07 ITG Heroes and Prospects Box Break

2009-11-19T20:45:00.003-04:00

Well I'm back from the Fall Sports Card Expo in Toronto and I'll be posting some of my box breaks over the next few days. There were some great deals at the Expo and I bought a box of In The Game 2006-07 Heroes and Prospects for only $40. Normally, I might not have bothered but it was Sunday and I had $40 still in my pocket before I left. I'm very glad I stopped at one certain table and picked this certain box.

Not only did I pull a Top Prospects Jordan Staal Patch/Jersey but I pulled one of the best autograph cards available... a John Tavares autograph which books for $150. Currently the rookie scoring leader and the 2009 1st overall draft pick, this card is defintely a keeper for the personal collection.

Nothing beats the Expo... and nothing beats a hot box of hockey cards!

Check back soon for more breaks.

2009-10 UD McDonald's Hockey Cards

2009-11-11T12:23:00.006-04:00

The fall/winter season just isn't complete without a visit to McDonald's for some Upper Deck hockey cards. They appeared at restaurants last week and I've made it there twice in the past few days. One day it was a McFlurry (although I asked for a Blizzard) and three packs of cards... the next time it was another McFlurry (this time I was more careful with my order) and another three packs of cards. As usual, packs are 99 cents and you are limted to three packs per item, although this isn't a hard and fast rule depending on the restaurant which you go to.

As usual, the cards are eye-catching. The set is not large and is focused on stars and players on Canadian teams. The cards have a layered-feel and are sure to please the kids and the more grown-up collectors.

In my six packs, I crushed the odds. I received 2 checklist cards (1:4 packs) and was lucky enough to receive a Goaltending Greats card of Marc-Andre Fleury (1:10 packs) and a Martin Brodeur In The Spotlight card (1:60 packs)

No doubt I'll buy a few more McFlurry's over the next few weeks. How can I not when it's a cheap and easy way to have fun with the hobby.

Collections

2009-11-02T22:03:00.004-04:00

What starts a collection?
What ends a collection?

I've collected sports cards for 30 years. That's crazy when I think about it. Through those years I've always collected Montreal Canadiens. I've also collected sets and certain players. Some times the choice seems clear and obvious. Other times the reasons are random or unexpected.

As I mentioned, I've always collected Montreal cards. I have well over 10,000 cards featuring various Habs through the years. I never focused on a player until the mid-90's when I started putting more effort into a young Finnish player named Saku Koivu. I first saw him compete at the World Championships in 1993 and I was hooked. Over the years I collected as much of Koivu as I could but being the brightest star on a historic team meant numerous cards made each year. It became overwhelming. Last time I checked there were well over 2,000 Saku Koivu cards. It's probably higher now. The fact that I had about 450 seemed almost miniscule by comparison. I continued to collect his cards but in smaller numbers. Then the unimaginable happened... he did not re-sign with Montreal and became a Duck. Although I'll always be a fan and I'll continue to grab his older Montreal cards, I could never continue that collection on to another team.

In the effort to find another Montreal Canadien who was easier to collect than Koivu, I decided a few years ago to collect Andrei Markov. The best thing about Markov, in these days of numerous rookie cards from various sets, was that he only had one rookie card from 1996-97 UD Ice. He was also an unsung talent who had many fewer cards to collect. When I started my Markov collection, his rookie card was 10 years old but he still had barely more than 100 cards in the hobby. Talent rises and soon Markov became an all-star... then a two-time all-star... and gradually the face of the team. Now he is becoming a fixture in most sets. It's nice having more cards to collect but it's also more expensive and the chase is more difficult. But that's why I collect. For the adventure you find while searching for a treasure.

I have two other player collections... maybe I'll talk about them another time.

Patiently Waiting

2009-10-28T21:45:00.004-03:00

2009-10 UD NHL Artifacts is now live. I bought a box and received it today. Unfortunately, it will have to sit unopened for the next few weeks. I'll also accumulate a few boxes of UD 09-10 NHL Series 1 in a few weeks as well as one box of ITG Ultimate 9th Edition and one box of '1972 - The Year In Hockey'. These will all be packed into my suitcase and shipped up to the Sport Card Expo in Toronto on November 13th -15th.

For those who don't know, In The Game and Upper Deck both have booths at the Expo. They don't sell product there, but during the Expo, you can line-up at the booths and when you get to the table, you open your box of cards. When finished, the company representatives will take your wrappers and you will randomly receive a short-printed card made especially for the weekend. Some times it's an autograph, other times it's memorabilia. You can usually open one box per day at the booths.

I was especially lucky at the Upper Deck booth last year and received these cards on Friday and Saturday:

It's a great bonus for those who can make it to the Expo. It's great for the dealers too as it encourages more product to be sold and busted. I'm not 100% sure on the products which can be broken at the Expo as ITG has released their list but Upper Deck has not so I'm taking a guess on the Artifacts and the UD Series 1. Regardless, these boxes will be busted in a few weeks... free cards or not.

"Hey, I heard you collect hockey cards..."

2009-10-21T21:24:00.003-03:00

Recently, while a group of people that I work-out with were out for lunch, one of the guys leaned over and said "Hey, I heard you collect hockey cards." Now I used to get my hopes up when I heard this statement. In the past, I would imagine finding a new hobby friend and someone to discuss the new releases and our old treasures. Unfortunately, 9 times out of 10 this just isn't the case.

My response has become standard now. "Oh yeah, cool. When did you collect?" Almost without exception, the response is, "In the early '90's." Then my heart sinks. I know that they're going to say that they've got all the good players and that they were curious what kind of value they have and where they might be able to sell them. It's my unfortunate job to tell them the facts and the hard truths.

As many of the collectors know, it's almost impossible to move cards from the early 1990's. Over-production by most of the manufacturers created a lot of short-term collectors and far too many cards to make any of them worth very much now. It's unfortunate that if you collected before 1990 and after 2000, things were pretty good. It was that darn decade in the middle.

It really challenges the pride I have in my collection and my hobby. So many of the early 1990's collectors learn that their collection is almost worthless so they assume that everything that I collect is without value too. And it makes it very hard to get them interested again. Corporate greed corrupted a potential generation of collectors. The hobby will always survive but it makes you wonder if it will ever really thrive again.

Here's a tip - Toss those cards into a shoebox and sell them for a low price at a flea market or yard sale... or just give a few thousand cards to the neighbour's kids. It's a chance to create interest, rebuild the hobby, and show that the collectors are the real good guys. :)

Fall Sports Card Expo 2009 - Toronto (Update)

2009-10-20T16:41:00.004-03:00

The autograph guests have been released for the 2009 Sports Card Expo in Toronto, Ontario. We've known for a while that Mario Lemieux and Gordie Howe would be the main draws but now we've got an update with more names. No doubt there will be a few more guests too as there are always a few surprises at the show.

November 13th, 2009

Larry Jeffrey (Toronto, NYR, Detroit - Age 69)
Any Item - $15.00

Pete Stemkowski (Toronto, NYR, Detroit, LA - Age 66)
Any Item - $20.00

Bob Pulford (HOF coach and player - Age 73)
Flat Item - $25.00
Premium Item - $35.00

November 14th, 2009

Gordie Howe (Mr. Hockey - Age 81)
Flat Item -$99.00
Bulky Item - $149.00
Premium Item - $299.00

Parker MacDonald (Former coach and player - Age 76)
All Items - $20.00

Bill Gadsby (Former coach and player - Age 82)
All Items - $20.00

November 15th, 2009

Mario Lemieux (HOF Superstar - Age 44)
Regular Item - $179.00
Premium Item - $299.00
VIP Premier Pack - $999.00
($50.00 inscription or personalization)

Pierre LaRouche (Former 50 goal scorer - Age 53)
All Items - $20.00

Awesome Card of the Week

2009-10-19T13:38:00.002-03:00

From 1995-96 Upper Deck Be A Player comes this image of Luke Richardson biting through his hockey stick:

Not only an imaginative pose, this card features Richardson's autograph as well. A nice autograph from one of the game's toughest customers.

'Staches, 'Fros, and Bad Do's - Part II

2009-10-17T14:28:00.005-03:00

In The Game's "1972 - The Year In Hockey" has done more than bring the stars from almost 40 years ago back to the forefront of our minds. It has also brought us style which we just don't see any more from the players of today.

Darryl Sittler, sporting an afro, Rick MacLeish, workin' that hair style, and Rogie Vachon, smiling under that feather-duster were all skilled and often selected as all-stars of 1970's and 1980's. They're often added as autograph inserts in today's products as well. Unfortunately, we rarely see them looking like this.

Pictures like these are one of the reasons I continue to collect cards from pre-1980. Seriously, how could you not? :)

Real Sports Card of the Day

2009-10-13T21:22:00.003-03:00

"1972 - The Year In Hockey" is loaded with interesting players, stats, and facts.

It's also loaded with interesting hair styles and large moustaches.

But best of all, it's loaded. Period. Lots of hits, hard-signed autos, and large jersey pieces from older stars and from players who have long been hidden.

And it's got Orr. Bobby Orr.

I was lucky enough to pull this:

1971-72 1st Team All-Star Jersey (white but a nice texture) - Possibly /10.

Fall Sports Card Expo 2009 - Toronto

2009-10-10T11:56:00.002-03:00

This year the National Sportcard and Memorabilia Expo will take place in Toronto, Ontario on November 13, 14, and 15, 2009. The highlights this year will include autograph guests Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux. Their autograph prices are expensive but they are two of the greatest NHL players ever. I had the honour of meeting Gordie Howe and getting his autograph at a previous Expo and I still consider it one of my most memorable experiences.

With hundreds of tables of autographs, jersey cards, inserts, and hard-to find items, the Expo is a must-see. Every sport is represented and lots of non-sport items and odd-ball items that you rarely see are there as well.

For more information, please visit

Real Sports Card of the Day

2009-09-13T09:08:00.003-03:00

The release of In The Game "1972 - The Year In Hockey" has revived my interest in my older cards and of players from that generation. Looking through some of my recent cards, I figured I'd share this beauty which features two Hall of Famers, one at the beginning of his career and the other at the end.

A dual auto/jersey In The Game Ultimate card of Guy Lafleur and Jean Beliveau. A cornerstone of my Habs collection.

Real Sports Card of the Day

2009-09-11T07:05:00.003-03:00

My best pull ever. Probably never to be topped.
From a pack of 2007-08 SPA Authentic:

Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe.
Hard-signed dual autograph #/50.

I had already received the hits that I had expected. I was more than happy with the Marc-Andre Fleury Sign of the Times being my box hit. :)

1972 - The Year In Hockey Review

2009-09-10T18:18:00.004-03:00

"1972 - The Year In Hockey" from In The Game (Six packs)

ITG brings to the table "1972 – The Year In Hockey". This is the year that collectors selected in a poll carried out earlier this year by the company. The 200-base card set includes two retro checklist cards and features players from the NHL, the WHA and the Summit Series. Part of the base card set is a ten-card subset featuring the MVPs from each game of that legendary series and the tournament MVPs from each country. Also included in this set are cut signatures from celebrities and important people who thrived in 1972 such as Pierre Trudeau and Al Pacino.

The base cards bring a collector straight back to the 1970's. The haircuts, the moustaches, and even the font for the text. One of the best things about this set is the chance for new collectors to learn about hockey from a different era. The average collector will know many players on the base cards... but a lot of these players are unknowns to the average fan of today.

There are approximately 150 autographs (all hard-signed) in this set and numerous memorabilia cards as well. In The Game also brings back the popular Masked Men insert series as well as the He Shoots He Scores points redemption program which allow collectors to receive a special memorabilia card for every 200 points collected. I was fortunate enough to pull two hard-signed autographs and one Masked Men card in my six packs. Do I know anything about these players? No. Will I in a few minutes? Most definitely.

"1972 - The Year In Hockey" - A must buy! 18 packs per box with a solid chance at 3 autos and 1 jersey card per box... not to mention the hockey education that awaits.

Fleer Ultra 2009-10 Review

2009-09-10T18:05:00.004-03:00

Fleer Ultra 2009-10 Hockey from Upper Deck (Two packs)

Yes, Upper Deck seems to own everything these days... even the time honoured O-Pee-Chee. But they have on great eye for design, especially for this years Fleer Ultra.

The base cards have a very sharp design as do the rookie cards which are inserted one in every four packs. As with products which appear early in the year, the rookie card crop is rarely special, although there is an opportunity for rookie redemptions which will no doubt feature players such as John Tavares, Cody Hodgson, and Victor Hedman.

Inserted within each pack is a gold medallion card which is a coloured variation of the base card. I was also lucky enough to pull a Ultra Uniformity jersey card of Marek Svatos of the Colorado Avalanche. Although the odds are one in every twelve packs, I was lucky enough to pull one in my two packs.

Overall, Fleer Ultra is an inexpensive product with a solid design and good player selection. The price range is at the high-end of the low-end market but I definitely enjoy it more than UD Victory or UD MVP.

Destroy a Card!

2009-09-08T16:17:00.004-03:00

Seriously. Do it.

It doesn't matter if it's valuable or not (preferably one that is not valuable) :)

Just take that Mike Knuble OPC card from 2007-08 or that Benoit Brunet UD card from 1992-93 and crumple it up or tear it in half.

Too often, as collectors, we're consumed by carefully handling each card and placing it within plastic. We lose sight that it is a hobby, it's fun, and it's only cardboard. It's a weird feeling... but it's one that a lot of us really need to do.

Real Sports Card of the Day

2009-08-31T20:58:00.003-03:00

A few months ago I participated in the In The Game He Shoots He Saves Redemption Program which involved sending in 250 points from ITG's Between the Pipes. Every person who sent in 250 points received one of thirty dual jersey cards /20. The cards contained one jersey piece from two different goaltenders.... some great, some good, some with potential. Today, I received my prize. A dual jersey card of two of the greatest goaltenders ever! Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. Considering my recent ITG Made to Order Dual Autograph, it seems fitting that I was lucky enough to receive this matching piece for the collection.

Real Sports Card of the Day

2009-08-10T17:20:00.005-03:00

While at the Sports Card Expo in Toronto, I was lucky enough to pull a Made To Order Dual Autograph from In The Game Ultimate 8th Edition. The list of potential autograph signers was impressive and I debated over a combination of Mario Lemieux, Patrick Roy, Jean Beliveau, and Martin Brodeur before deciding on the goaltenders.

After a few weeks of deciding and about 6 weeks waiting for them to create the card, I received it last week. It's a 1/1 dual autograph of two of the best goaltenders ever... but I think they were low on Patrick Roy autographs so it appears to be a sticker auto and not the same as the normal autographs which are normally used on these cards. So while a phenomenal card, it isn't as aesthetically pleasing as I would have hoped. Still... a once-in-a-lifetime card that I shouldn't complain about. :)

Branching Off - Annoyances

2009-08-09T09:01:00.004-03:00

I've always been a collector of sports cards. Well, ever since I was six years old. So that makes thirty years of card collecting. It's always been 99.5% sports cards too. But lately I've been making a foray into non-sports cards. I've bought a little here and there over the years, a TV show I'm a fan of here and a cool movie there. But lately I've noticed some hard-signed autos of actors and actresses that I'm a fan of and thought, what the heck.

Now, I'm not a fan of the sticker autographs. I never use to care either way but over the past few years they just seem more and more impersonal. The companies could take those damn autographed stickers and put them on anything... and what happens in 10 years time... or 20 years time when the sticker becomes less sticky. So I've limited myself to hard-signed autos. But my other pet peeve so far seems a little more random. I find that dealers on eBay who sell non-sports cards send the cards they've sold in a very slow fashion. When I win a sports card on eBay, 9 times out of 10, the card is in the mail the next day and in my hands within about 5 days. With non-sports cards, 9 times out of 10, the card takes about 3 weeks to get in my hands.

An extreme example happened recently. I won two non-sports autographed cards on eBay on July 20th from the same seller. 12 working days passed and I still had not rec'd the cards. The next day I rec'd an email telling me that "Congratulations! Your cards have been shipped." Shipped!?!? It took him 12 working days, not including the weekend, to put two cards in plastic holders, toss them in an envelope, and send them off. Yikes! This is an extreme example but I must say my other dealings with non-sports eBayers aren't all that different.

In the end, I still want the cards. I'm a collector... it's what I do. And I'll always be a patient man if it gets me what I want. However, it doesn't mean I can't be a tad annoyed at the service. Luckily, they're not relying on tips.

Sports Card Expo - Next Weekend

2009-04-24T21:26:00.002-03:00

I will be attending my 4th consecutive Sports Card Expo in Toronto next weekend, May 1st-3rd. Today, I ordered an In The Game Ultimate 8 SuperBox from ITG Online which I will pick-up at their booth and break. Not only will it be an exciting break with the potential for personal collection-worthy cards, I will also get 3 redemption cards, one of which will be a 1/1.

I've been squirreling away money for the past six months so I'll have quite a few box breaks upcoming. It's always fun to be able to buy the boxes which you wouldn't normally buy. It's Hockey Card Heaven and you're surrounded by similar minded geeks. :) The hot pursuit of the 'whale' you need to spear for your collection. Chatting with experienced dealers and kids who are stunned by the sights. So many cards, so many boxes, so many cool things.

This year, the autograph guests include Jean Beliveau, Denis Savard, Pavel Bure, Al MacInnis, Paul Molitor, Justin Pogge, etc.

Six days away!

Hit of the Month

2009-04-16T17:43:00.004-03:00

I went to the local hobby store and bought 5 packs of the new 2008-09 SP Authentic hockey from Upper Deck. Since there were a few collectors in the shop who had been buying packs, I didn't expect too much luck as it was no longer a fresh box. I took my 5 packs and went home. On the couch, opening my final pack, I had one helluva hit. It kept me smiling for the rest of the night.

My first Bobby Orr autograph and definitely a keeper... even for a Habs fan.

One Final Hit

2009-04-02T18:21:00.004-03:00

It's nice when your favourite movie and your favourite hobby can cross paths. My two favourite movies are 'There Will Be Blood' and 'Trainspotting.' 'Trainspotting' is about a group of heroin addicts in Scotland. It's funny, it's tragic, and it's very quote-able. When breaking boxes, I've noticed that I've started to talk in a Scottish accent looking for one more big hit.

"All I need is one final hit to soothe the pain"

"One final hit to get us over this long, hard day."

"This was to be my final hit, but let's be clear about this. There's final hits and final hits. What kind was this to be?"

"I want a f$#%ing hit!"

"Better than sex. The ultimate hit."

Of course, in 'Trainspotting', the "hit" is in reference to drugs. But is card collecting anything less than a drug... and am I anything less than an addict?

Upcoming Hockey Card Release Dates

2009-03-14T09:44:00.002-03:00

UD Champs: March 17, 2009
ITG Between the Pipes: March 26, 2009
UD SP Authentic: April 1, 2009
OPC Update: April 14, 2009
UD Ultimate: April 29, 2009

Bar Refaeli

2009-02-28T23:16:00.002-04:00

Not hockey card related.... but my oh my...

2008-09 UD SPx Box Break

2009-01-21T18:16:00.002-04:00

The new Upper Deck 2008-09 SPx was released last week and I picked up a box today. I hear lots of rumblings about a poor rookie class but I think that's foolish. There are too many blue-chip prospects this year and 40 games don't make or break a career.

The SPx base cards aren't overly appealing. They have a busy design which take away from the sharp, striking photography. Too many lines, streaks and colours. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I do like the SPx Rookies design, much better than last year. The Winning Material cards fall somewhere in the middle. They're somewhat geometric and give the effect of depth.

Now on to the break:

The Hits:

SPxcitement - Patrick Roy & Martin Brodeur /999

Winning Materials Michael Ryder Dual Jersey (red/blue)

Winning Combos Rod Langway/Larry Robinson Dual Jersey (white/white)

SPx Rookies - Jonas Frogren /499

SPx Rookies Dual Jersey (blue/blue) Ryan Jones /1299

SPx Rookies Dual Jersey/Auto (blue/blue) Derrick Brassard /999

Winning Materials Radiance Dual Jersey/Auto (white/white) Rod Langway /25

Love the Habs. Love the Langways. Love the Brassard.

No complaints on this break.

Awesome Card of the Week

2009-01-14T12:10:00.005-04:00

This is a classic card from 95-96 Pinnacle of former Washington Capital Olaf Kolzig. How often do you see goaltenders without their masks on hockey cards... and how many of them spell their first name on their hotdog with mustard?

Expo Update

2009-01-14T11:56:00.003-04:00

Well, the time for a useful and timely Expo update has passed. Here are some random thoughts:

1. Always wear comfortable shoes, bring a back-pack with supplies and snacks, and don't dress too warmly... it's normally room temperature whether it's November or May.

2. Always look around for better deals. Never take the first dealer as the best price. I wandered the Expo on Saturday and saw 2008 SPx Baseball at three different tables. One for $240, one for $160, and one for $100. Guess which one I bought. And imagine how sick I would have felt if I purchased the $240 box and saw the $100 box later. I'm doubting that dealers allow for returns on unopened boxes.

3. Prices change through-out the day and the weekend. If something is too high on Friday, it might be lower on Sunday. And vice versa on the hot products. Some dealers want to move product on Sunday so it never hurts to make an offer, especially if you're buying more than one thing.

4. The Expo Redemption Programs are fun and you get a nice bonus... but the line-ups can be tedious unless you have a friend with you. However, it's a good way to meet fellow collectors if you are social. My Upper Deck redemptions were less than special but a friend of mine lucked into a Wayne Gretzky auto #/5. He was offered $600 on the spot. (He turned it down)

5. The autograph guests during the 3 days are numerous and span many sports. It can be cheap or expensive depending on the player. If you're from a place where you rarely see sports stars, it is a great opportunity. I've had the pleasure of meeting Gordie Howe, Gilbert Perreault, Claude Lemieux, Kelly Gruber, Gillian Apps, and Phil Goyette.

6. The more money you spend on food, the less money you can spend on cards! :)

In The Game Ultimate Memorabilia 8 - Pack Break

2008-12-03T17:11:00.006-04:00

These caught my eye at the Expo but with an approximate cost of $150CDN/pack and $750CDN/box, they were just out of my price range. On the weekend, I was lucky enough to win a pack on eBay for $78US. In The Game has rarely, if ever, let me down. So here we go. One pack. Three cards. Fingers crossed for something fun.

First card:

Joe Thornton - Ultimate Base Card - Silver /90

The base cards are quite dynamic. A nice change from recent years.

Second Card:

Alexei Cherepanov - New Millenium First Rounders - Silver /40 - Auto/Jersey(white)

A beautiful card, striking design, and an interesting signature. The recently deceased Cherepanov will always be remembered in hockey circles for his unfortunate death in Russia during a game a few months ago. His vast potential will never be known. I'm quite happy with this card.

Third Card:

Joe Sakic - Ultimate Stick Rack - Silver /24

Cool! My first Stick Rack card. To get one of a sure-thing HOF'er is even better. Unfortunately, the stick piece is non-descript. It looks like a long line of yellow-ish plastic/glue. Too bad he doesn't play with a wooden stick. Still, it's a nice addition to the collection.

Fall Sports Card Expo 2008 - Toronto (Update)

2008-12-03T16:56:00.002-04:00

My full recap will follow soon. I've been laying low due to a cold which has struck me down since the end of the Expo. I received a nice package in the mail today so I'll do a pack break in a few minutes. Then my next task, after posting the break, will be my Expo Update.

Fall Sports Card Expo 2008 - Toronto

2008-11-14T11:55:00.002-04:00

I'll soon be jumping on a plane headed for Toronto. This weekend is the bi-annual Sports Card Expo at the International Centre. This will be my third visit in a row, the previous ones being in November 2007 and May 2008. I'll have a run-down on my purchases and the fun upon my return. I see lots of box-busting in my future!

Transformers

2008-10-28T16:49:00.005-03:00

Hockey isn't all glamour and cash. When a newly-drafted, 18 year-old Mike Ricci came to the NHL, things looked bright. A sniper in junior hockey and rugged, good looks.

15 years later and a gradual career change from a sniper to a grinder, Mike Ricci barely looks like the same man. But who wouldn't want to go to war with a guy who looks like this...

Fake Sports Card of the Day

2008-10-11T23:43:00.002-03:00

The ever-cute Hayden Panettiere being frisky on her first date with the Stanley Cup.

'Staches, 'Fros, and Bad Do's

2008-10-11T23:14:00.005-03:00

Have you ever noticed that professional athletes today often look much different from professional athletes from decades ago? Case in point, these three cards from 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee:

Len Frig was a defenseman for the now defunct Cleveland Barons. His hockey card states that "Len is an excellent skater". However, Len is not excellent with his hairbrush.

Jerry Korab was a defenseman for the Buffalo Sabres and his nickname was King Kong. Love the 'stache, Jerry... and kudos on the necklace.

Ernie Hicke, a winger for the Minnesota North Stars "operates a hockey school in the off-season." Ernie also operates with little regard to style.... another rockin' necklace and an afro for the ages.

Overwhelmed!

2008-09-26T17:23:00.003-03:00

Ever get that feeling? That need to make the collection smaller?

eBay seems to be the best way. Trading. Selling on hobby sites. They're all good. Even giving some of the lesser-wanted junk to young kids. Turning them into future addicts.

The trouble is that it just takes so much time. Scanning photos, writing descriptions, dealing, mailing.

It almost makes you stop before you even start...

Card of the Week

2008-09-10T20:22:00.004-03:00

A beautiful card from 2008-09 Upper Deck Legends Masterpieces. The Sutter family in all their glory. Ron, Rich, Darryl, Duane, Brent, and Brian. There are a lot of portrait-style cards in the set and the artistry is quite good. They are much better than the base cards from In The Game Ultimate.

New Beckett Website

2008-08-27T09:01:00.003-03:00

Beckett has been behind the growth of the sports card industry since the early 1990's and their website has been a great asset for player collectors, organizing collections, their magazine and their online price guide. Recently, Beckett has over-hauled their website. The new format has been met with criticism on many forums due to its lack of user-friendly features, introduction of trading fees, and changes to many of its formats. Collectors are frustrated due to the amount of time it takes to familiarize oneself to the new site and the difficulty in doing tasks which used to be simple.

From my experience, the site has declined in usefulness. The new site is not user-friendly and is overly complicated. However, besides the handy player collector features which allow a person to create a list of most available cards of a certain player, I never used the site much to begin with. The reason... it never offered anything else that I needed.

If I want a list of player cards or a quick price check, I go to Beckett. If I want insightful discussion on new products, uncensored hobby talk, access to cards thru trading, or opportunities to buy/sell without using eBay, then I will visit one of the many message boards and web forums available online. Using the Beckett website is similar to only getting your news from CNN. You're only getting one story from one angle. The various web forums such as HobbyInsider give many viewpoints from many different collectors, and for the most part, these views are uncensored and do not serve the interests of a corporate entity.

If the new Beckett website wants to alienate collectors, fine. Other than the production of a price guide and the player collection database, its relevance to the hobby has been declining on an annual basis. Real collectors have much better assets available to them on the internet anyway. And for the most part, they were already using them.

Fake Sports Card of the Day

2008-08-20T17:27:00.005-03:00

This one would definitely end up in a few collections... and it would be the cornerstone of my Montreal Canadiens collection.

Sports Card Expo

2008-08-14T14:46:00.003-03:00

I've booked my flight for the Sports Card Expo in Toronto for November 14-16, 2008. It is the largest sportscard/memorabilia show in Canada. This will be my third consecutive appearance. It is a great experience and a great opportunity to meet and get autographs from former professional athletes and the selection of merchandise is unsurpassed in Canada.

http://www.sportcardexpo.com/

It is also a excellent chance to meet other collectors and to visit display booths from manufacturers such as In The Game and Upper Deck.

2007-08 The Cup Break - Card by Card

2008-08-01T15:19:00.011-03:00

Okay, well in my mailbox was a fresh tin of The Cup. The plastic packaging is off and the cover is about to be lifted. I'll break it card by card.

Here we go:

Card #1 is.... Bernie Parent base card /299. Not bad. A great goaltender in his day for the Flyers. I can also tell that there appears to be 5 cards in this pack. I believe you're guaranteed 4 cards so hopefully I get something a little special or a nice Montreal Canadien (not Michael Ryder though).

Sliding Bernie Parent out of the way....

Card #2 is... Curtis McElhinney RC Patch (black) Autograph /249. A Calgary Flames goaltending prospect. I can't say much about him as I don't know much about him other than he's got one of the best in front of him before he could be called a starter. He does have a nice autograph though. Hopefully, he turns out to be a player.

Sliding Curtis out of the way...

Card #3 is... this could be interesting, I see Mario Lemieux's face. I've never rec'd an autograph of his before... fingers crossed... BEAUTIFUL! A Mario Lemieux Limited Logos Auto Patch /50. The patch is gold/black/white with stitching/black. And his auto is very stylish. Now I know what one looks like in my own hands. Sweet. The final two cards are just a bonus after this.

Sliding Mario slowly out of the way...

Card #4 is... a Martin Brodeur Gold Jersey card /25 (white). Pretty boring. I've never been a Brodeur fan. In my opinion, his statistics are just a product of the defensive trap system played by New Jersey. He'll never match Patrick Roy in my eyes.

Moving Brodeur out of the way... final card...

Card #5 is... Rob Schremp Magenta Printing Plate 1/1. Very nice! A plate from UD MVP, I believe. A solid Edmonton Oilers prospect. The Oilers could have an exciting team this year.

All in all, a very solid pack. An auto/patch of one of the greatest to ever play. A 1/1 printing plate, and three goalies. Never a bad thing when you play nets yourself. :) No Habs though... another time.

Expensive Packs vs. Inexpensive Boxes

2008-07-31T09:15:00.003-03:00

There is a lot of debate these days about the price of high-end products such as The Cup, OPC Premier, ITG Superlative, and UD Ultimate. Many of these products are out of the price range of many hobby-ists. Some say it is gradually destroying the hobby. I look at it from a different view point.

Inexpensive boxes are for everyone. They're for the kids, the hobby-ists, the completionists, the set-builders, and even for the big spenders, as they often just want to buy some packs. The big hits aren't always available but you get lots of cards for your money.

Expensive boxes are for the investors and the thrill seekers. Everyone enjoys the excitement of the big hit and sometimes these packs provide them. These packs usually contain autographs and memorabilia cards, short prints and inserts.

For me, I want the hits. Especially autographed cards. With the number of cards in my collection, hundreds of commons just don't appeal to me. Breaking open boxes of lower-end products just leaves me with more and more of them. I just don't have the room.

As for justification, just think about it. I can buy three or four boxes of lower-end or mid-range product and get four or five hits total as well as hundreds of commons... or I can buy one high-end pack for the same total price and get four or five hits and virtually no commons. Plus, often the higher-end products contain more celebrated players.

For my player collections, which need the low end cards and commons, I can just trade for them or buy them off eBay.

2007-08 In The Game Superlative

2008-07-30T23:26:00.003-03:00

An expensive break... but very exciting. (not pictured is a Ted Lindsay autograph)

The Phil Esposito is a 1/1, the Lafontaine is /10 and the Luongo is /9.

Hard-signed autos, Hall of Famers, Prospects. No commons.

It's nice to have guaranteed hits... not every box can be a winner but it's fun to try.

Collector vs. Accumulator

2008-07-30T22:47:00.004-03:00

I read an interesting article a while ago which compared two types of people, collectors and accumulators. Anyone who knows me knows that I have many collections, hockey cards being number one on that list. But after reading the article, I realized that I am an accumulator and not necessarily a collector.

I don't think it's a bad thing. It is frustrating as space disappears in the house due to my gathering skills but many of my things have investment potential and some have paid off nicely. Other things have nostalgic value, although I take that to an extreme sometimes. Give me a call if you'd like to flip through my scribblers from Grade 3... I still have them.

Focus is the key. Finding the time to sell off or trade or even toss these things takes time. I wish I had enough time. Too often it's one thing at a time... one piece every week or so. But that won't cut it. I've decided to focus my efforts. It will take time. I've started by giving large boxes of older commons to some local kids. My decision is made. Now I just need to continue following through.