Now he has a few insert set additions like 'Game Pucks' and 'Select Signatures'. He also has a 'Back To The Future' dual autograph with Ryan Kesler (where each side features a full photo and autograph)...I'm really looking forward to that one.
It's more the base card.....or should I say cards that made me take a closer look at the overall list of Linden cards.
You've all seen the card of Trev I pulled from my pack of Limited. It's numbered /299 and features a nice photo of him in his Canucks uniform. It's a sharp looking card.
There are also 5 parallels of it. A 'Ruby' /49, a 'Gold' /25, a 'Platinum' /1, a 'Monikers Gold auto' /19 and a 'Monikers Platinum auto' /1.
Seems simple enough. Right?
You with me?
Now take a look at this.....
That's right. It a Trevor Linden base card /299. From the same product.
But he's wearing his Washington Capitals attire.
The addition wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many parallels. Now, instead of chasing 6 versions from the base set, I have to go after 12. 4 of them being 1/1's.
Overall, Trevor has 18 cards in Panini Limited this year (up from the 13 last year).
I guess it could be worse. I know of a Tim Thomas collector who cringed considerably when he realized that there were 55 different cards produced in the 2011/12 Panini Certified product.
That's right - 55!
Don't get me wrong, ultimately I'm happy that Trev's got more and more cards for me to chase. Keeping me busy for many years to come. I just can't help but feel that at times his popularity in the hockey card world has pushed companies to insert him - heavily at times - into numerous products.
Does he deserve a spot in a set? Absolutely. Does he deserve two spots in a set? Not really.
Another great example would be the quad autograph from Dominion.
Does he deserve to be in the high-end set? Sure. Does he deserve a spot on an autograph card with Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic? I don't know.
My heart says yes....my wallet says no.
I remember back in the late 90's when companies like Pacific, Pinnacle and Topps would introduce 'parallel hell' on player collectors. These days, it's seems like a simple splash of water compared to the tidal wave of cards a player can have in any given set.
How much is too much when it comes to a player being put into a product? Should there be limitations on the number of appearances a player can have within a certain product?
Honestly, I don't know how you do it. I have two PCs, one of Marty Barrett and one of PJ Axelsson. Since Barrett is retired and played during the late 80s/early 90s, that collection is easy to build because nothing new is being produced and there were very few crazy inserts.
ReplyDeleteAxelsson is a bit tougher, especially with all of those Pacific variations of the late 90s/early 00s. I can't imagine if he were still in the NHL today; I'd be trying to track down every crazy parallel/variation.
On the other hand, there is something SO very satisfying about adding another tougher Axelsson card to the collection which is what I assume drives you with Linden.
There are times when it feels a little overwhelming...but I must say that I love the fact that there is always something new on the horizon.
DeleteMy biggest challenge is to not let myself feel frustrated by the growing wantlist.
After 15+ years of collecting Linden, I feel like I've built something special. My other projects definitely don't get the same attention that my Linden pc does.
I just try to keep it fun.
I think it is borderline insane. Ridiculous. Having half a dozen variations from every card in a set would be somehow understandable, if there were only couple of sets (like pre 90's, OPC & topps, which were even basicly the same set), but now there are multiple sets from each company, having the same thing, multiple parallels from each card.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not even collecting any current (or older superstar) player.
Sort of similar issue is the number of insert sets (and parallels to those!) that some sets have. Like I currently am opening a box of OPC 10-11. I don't even know how many insert sets there are!