I've found over the years that if one doesn't strike when a certain product is released, cards from said product (especially the parallels) can be tough to come by.
There have been a few cards that I have patiently waited a decade to see surface (and in some instances and still waiting). But if you don't have patience in this game,the hobby will just eat you up and spit you out.
Plus, it's way more fun when you finally do find the card. And then to top it off...get it at a price you didn't expect (in a good way). It's pretty exhilarating to see the finals seconds tick away on an auction you are winning....for a card you weren't sure if you'd ever see....and snag it for a beauty of a price.
Alright, enough talk. Let's look at some cards.
2012/13 Upper Deck Artifacts
#93 Emerald /99
And after all of that build up, this card came in a 7 card Emerald lot. Nothing too exciting.
I sometimes gamble on card lots that include a Linden I need. Sometimes the end price is good enough where I get the pc item and push the rest off to somehow get my money back.
Not sure if that'll happen in this instance, but I've got a few more traders nonetheless.
2004/05 Upper Deck
#172 Canadian Exclusives /50
Here's a perfect example of a card that has eluded me for almost a decade. And it's numbered out of 50 (that's a lot these days).
But when the product doesn't get opened much anymore, I'm left to relying on people who find these gems in somebody's trade box, and then put it up on ebay.
Or in this case deciding to move some of his collection (as he had a few of these Canadian Exclusives up for bids).
At 50 copies, it's the second most common parallel on my "long term" wantlist (older than 3 years). To cross it off the list puts this card high on the list of faves this year.
2011/12 Panini Limited
#28 Legends Spotlight Gold (Capitals) /25
From 50 to 25. This card was a huge relief to me when I hit the Buy It Now a couple weeks ago.
I hadn't seen many copies of this card pop up for sale since the product release and was another one of those "Where are they all?" items. Then a few months back I saw one pop up. Middle of the day, on a weekday to boot. Staring me in the face with a Buy It Now of $25 and a Best Offer option.
I was stunned to see the card there for the taking. So what did I do? I figured I would get it for a cheaper price by offering $20. I was smacking myself when someone else scooped up the card for the full price (a price I was more than happy to pay). Greed cost me that card on that day. A lesson I haven't forgotten.
I was even more stunned to see a carbon copy of the situation come about a couple weeks ago. Middle of the day, on a weekday.....and by the same seller even. Same price. I was grinning from ear to ear as I happily hit the BIN.
Best $25 I spent. And a big exhale.
Lesson learned. If there's an item out there that you've been searching for and it shows its face.....it's sometimes best not to poke it with a stick.
Words to live by.
2010/11 Panini Dominion
#150 Legends Sapphire /10
Lastly, from 25 to 10. This card caps off the Dominion parallels I have been slowly tracking down. With a high-end product like this (and one of the most volatile products at that), it was another big success to land this.
By volatile I mean "all over the place" when it comes to pricing. I got this card /10 for less than some of the cards /50 go for. The Emerald copy /5 even went for less than some of the /50's. There was no consistency in price from copy to copy and the abundance of cards up for bids came in waves it seemed.
I had seen a couple Sapphire copies come and go (can't be the first to get them all) and then these dried up big time. When this copy hit ebay, I think I held my breath all week. Once again I was pleasantly surprised at the ending price.
And with that, I am all caught up when it comes to Linden cards coming in to the collection. With Upper Deck and Panini both limiting their product releases for the rest of the year, it's a welcomed break from the insanity of "what to go after and what to wait for".
A nice little lull. I'm sure it's only temporary though.
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