LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - 1999/00 Topps Gold Label Black Class 2

Finally! A mailday! It feels like forever since I last received some Linden cards in the mail. I guess that's what happens when you've been spoiled for months with new Linden cards. A couple weeks and one goes into 'craving' mode.

This is a one card mailday, but it knocks a card off the list that has been there for over 10 years.

1999/00 Topps Gold Label
#63 Class 2 Black

Topps Gold Label was the release that single-handedly destroyed my dream of obtaining one of every Trevor Linden card in existence. The variations, parallels and most importantly - the introduction of multiple 1/1's made this the impossible 'rainbow' to chase as a player collector.

That said, it made me re-assess my collecting goals and I am thankful for that. I feel I now have more realistic goals and have become more of a 'work with you' player than a 'battle against you' guy.

For those who do not know the breakdown, Topps Gold Label has three parallels (Regular, Black and Red - which can be noticed by the product label on the front of the card...it's tough to see in the scan). Within each parallel are three classes (Class 1, Class 2 and you guessed it, Class 3). So, that makes NINE Linden cards to chase in just the one product release. The Red parallels are serial numbered to as low as /25.


I landed the Black Class 2 (noted on the left side of the back of the card). Each Class has a different card photo used on the front as well.

But now we get to the nasty stuff.

For each of the 9 cards Trevor Linden has in the product, there is a 1/1 parallel card.

I'll say that again. A 1/1 for each of the 9 cards. All together, that's 18 Trevor Linden cards released in this Topps Gold Label year.

There were two years of Trevor Linden releases in Topps Gold Label (I have one of the 1/1's from the year before).

Just one last kick in the butt....the first year has Trev in an Islanders uniform, year two - the Habs. No Canucks cards to chase.

To date, I have 16 of the possible 36 cards released by Topps Gold Label. No easy task. To hit 20 will be a tough task, but that's my goal.

So you can see why a simple looking card (which didn't cost me too much to buy) can play such a large roll in my Trevor Linden collection.