LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - Panini Limited Retired Numbers

This most recent release from Panini brings with it some good, some bad and some ugly.

The good - more Linden cards to track down. The bad - there's a lot of them and some are pretty rare. The ugly - redemption cards.

Today was a day where all three components came into play. Here are the goods.

2010/11 Panini Limited
Retired Numbers /199

This is a nice looking insert set. Some great names are included as well. Patrick Roy, Marcel Dionne, Ray Bourque, Denis Savard, Mario Lemieux and Lanny McDonald just to name a few.

What a great idea for a set as well. Some of these players haven't (or might not ever) find their names in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but their accomplishments to their team can be celebrated in this set.

2010/11 Panini Limited
Retired Numbers /49

The parallel has a 'mirrored' look to it that really punches the card out nice. Low numbered, it pinched the pocketbook a little bit more.

And there is even a lower numbered parallel to complete the trifecta (/24 copies). That'll leave a mark I'm sure.

Regardless, they are a nice looking card.

2010/11 Panini Limited
Retired Numbers Signature Redemption /49

This on the other hand is not a nice looking card. How can Panini insert live autograph card into some releases and then pop some redemptions into others.

I'm pretty sure I remember some nice signature cards from the Certified release back in November. I even recall an autograph in this very release. Remember.....Monikers.

Did they just not anticipate the number of Linden autograph cards they would have....two months into their agreement with him? Whoops.....we ran out.

I've heard way too many horror stories when it has come to redemptions. People waiting years for their card. Their cards never being made. Crappy replacement cards. It's a bit of a risk to buy truly a chunk of cardboard.

My experiences (albeit limited) have been positive ones and hopefully the trend continues. While I will knock this off the wantlist, it won't officially count towards the collection until I receive the card.

Looking forward to it.