OPINION: MURPHY'S LAW

I have encountered numerous instances of Murphy's Law at the workplace, at home and when it comes to my hockey card hobby.

Have you ever called somebody in, complaining that your computer doesn't work....only to have it run like a fine engine when they arrive?

Have you ever noticed that the people who are late to a movie tend to want to sit it the back of the theatre?

Have you ever "called in sick" to work and then legitimately get the flu the next week?

Well, today at the local card show, I got smacked with one of Murphy's little laws.

And I should have seen it coming.

Friday around suppertime, I was doing a little ebay surfing and came across an auction for a Trevor Linden card. A parallel from the new Panini Limited release.

I've been pretty lazy with pursuing cards from this set as most of them are going to pop up down the road (and probably for a lot less than they're going for now). But I noticed a Buy It Now auction for a card numbered /49 with what I felt was a pretty good price.

Why was it a good price? Well, another auction for the same parallel was just ending and the final price finished higher than the new BIN auction.

So a couple of clicks later and I purchased it. A nice looking Capitals card, paralleled to just 49 copies. For $7, I thought it was a great buy.

Fast forward to today. I made my way over to the local card show, and was on the hunt for new Linden cards.

Can you see where I'm going with this one?

Now, a lot of the dealers know that I collect Linden, so they often pull cards out to show me before I even ask.

I made it to one table and the seller reaches for his new stack of Limited Ruby cards.....numbered to 49.

Sure enough....

2011/12 Panini Limited
Legends (Capitals)
#28 Ruby Spotlight /49

He pulls out the exact card I just bought the night before. I shook my head and laughed. Of course, I asked what his asking price was on the card.

"Three bucks".

Of course it was. He couldn't have said $15 to make me feel good about my ebay purchase.

So I forked over some change and walked out with what will soon be a double for my Linden collection.

If there's any consolation....I know I'll be able to recoup most (if not all) of my money in selling/trading this copy.

So...lesson learned. If it's not a supremely rare card, don't go buying it the night before you go to a card show.

How I hate Murphy sometimes. :)