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.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Card of the Week
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!
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!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Secret Collecting?
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.
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.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Awesome Card of the Week
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.
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.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
National Hockey Card Day
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.
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.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Unwanted
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?
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?
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Merry Xmas to Me!
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.
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.
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