HHOF AUTOS - Well Hello Old Friend

Ha ha ha.  I absolutely can't believe we have turned the calendar and are now firmly into the 2019 campaign.  Boy how time flies.

I hope everyone who still has hung on to this blog is doing well.  I've been busy with a bunch of projects on the go.  Suffice to say that my hobby activities have been more passive in 2018 - but that doesn't mean I've abandoned the hobby.

I still do my daily (hourly) eBay searches - but I just haven't picked up nearly the volume of cards I have in the past.  I love to pop into the hobby chat world for a bit and still find Hobby Insider a great place to visit.  The other sites have fallen a bit by the wayside, but that doesn't mean I don't like 'em.

I try to go to as many of the local monthly shows as I can and head out to the trade nights when my schedule allows.  I am a very lucky person that I have not only shows, but trade nights that I can attend in person - being able to physically go somewhere to get my hobby fix is a real blessing.

My wallet didn't get the workout it has in previous years (my bank account thanks me for that) but it doesn't mean I didn't pick up some great items.

And lastly, I can say with 100% certainty that I love this hobby as much as ever, I feel really comfortable with where things sit in my collecting world and I can't wait to see what the new year will bring.

And with that.....let me share what 2019 has already brought.

FIVE STUNNING NEW CARDS FOR THE HHOF AUTO PROJECT!!!

Brett Hull

(Inducted in 2009)

Boy do I ever like these ol' Sign Of The Times sets.  Really pumped to get a player like Hull who just identifies perfectly with this era of card collecting.

Guy Lafleur

(Inducted in 1988)

That hair!!  Great memories.  These Epic Signatures cards are beautiful to boot.  Great real estate for a solid sig.

Vladislav Tretiak

(Inducted in 1989)

Another fantastic auto set from back in the day.  The Inkredible cards from UD Retro again leave a great open space for a beefy signature.  And if you haven't seen the checklist for this set, do some homework - stunning.

To get a player like Tretiak in a set like this is a perfect fit for my project.

Mario Lemieux

(Inducted in 1997)

This was a really exciting one to add.  I absolutely love this card design....and it's shiny.  Yes, if you look closely you'll notice that the autograph isn't as strong as maybe it could be.  But I don't blame Mario for that....it's the guy in charge of the pen he used.  It's not a faded sig, it's just not the right pen type for that card surface.

Regardless, I think it's a beauty.

Gordie Howe

(Inducted in 1972)

This is probably the biggest card in the collection to date - and it is amazing to see in person.  A really solid autograph (with the Mr. Hockey designation) that was an earlier offering in the signature world.

Now I must confess - I cheated a bit to add this card to the collection.  See.....for those that know about the project, I have to trade for the cards that get added to the collection but I have to say that I did purchase this one.  However.....I did sell a number of cards earlier in the evening that pretty much covered the cost of this Howe.  So - it counts.

They're my rules anyways.  So there.  :)

When I started this project, I had the goal of hitting 100 cards via trade.  With these five new adds, I'm up to 78 - and I can definitely see the end goal in sight.  There are still a number of "easier" autos to be had.  I have a feeling that this goal will be revised at some point.


Anyways, I hope that this is just the start of what will be another fun and exciting hobby year.  I do hope to blog a little more (EIGHT POSTS IN 2018??!!!) and I hope you'll check out my new pickups on occassion.

All the best to you and yours in 2019!


Current Collection - 78 HOF Autos