LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Almost 30 Years And I've Never Seen This Card

My latest Linden card that came in the mail today represents everything I love about this hobby and where I'm at with it in my journey.

I've been a player collector for around 30 years - same guy throughout - and I'm holding on to a card right now that I've never seen, nor did I know even existed. This card is likely an afterthought for most of the modern day hobbyists, but for me is a true reminder that patience and the continuous search for any new possibilities is something to keep at the forefront. I cannot believe I have it and I have a huge smile on my face at the excitement of it. Lastly, for a measly dollar...that's right, a buck, I found what is probably going to be my favourite Linden card of the year. 

To pay the ridiculous eBay shipping cost to Canada...on this card, gladly.

So let's get straight to the reveal and then we can break it down. Because I have questions. :)

1997/98 Donruss Canadian Ice

#32 Provincial Series Player's Club

Doesn't look like much, eh? It's a nice, foily card from the mid-90's. What's the big deal?

I'll get to the 'Player's Club' aspect of it soon. But first, let's just talk about the Provincial Series set.

So on my master checklist (which I have been crafting and building and revising and adding to for decades) this card has had the designation **MIGHT NOT EXIST** by it. I can't even remember why I initially added that note (it's been so long). But I can say that for a card that should have 750 copies...I've never seen a single one. Ever.

This is part of the 1997/98 Donruss Canadian Ice set. It's got the regular, dare I say "junk wax" era base card, a Dominion Series parallel that is red and then a Provincial Series parallel /750. There is also a Dominion Series Gold...but I don't know if Linden has one of those either (I doubt it).

In a quick online search this afternoon, I was easily able to find a picture of all other cards in the Provincial Series set (150 cards)...except Linden. So why was he not included?

It is what it is...I'm fine not having a copy if it doesn't exist, but it just makes me wonder.

So you can imagine my double take when I saw the above copy surface. I knew I needed it. But was completely baffled at what I was seeing.

Especially when I saw the back. That 'Player's Club' stamp at the bottom of the card had me scratching my head even more.

This is definitely not part of the 150-card Provincial Series set. It's a promo card of sorts...and how many copies exist? I've no clue.

But this was the easiest, and luckiest, purchase I've made in years. I still can't believe it popped up on eBay for just a dollar.

So let's take a closer look at the 'Player's Club' stamp...because it is not unique to my Linden collection.

I've seen this particular stamp before...and even have another card with it.

That said, the origins of this 'Player's Club' and where it has been used is something I've got no information on.

And there doesn't seem to be much online on the topic either.

Here's the other card I have. It's from the same year, but it's the Pinnacle Totally Certified Platinum Blue offering.

Did Donruss and Pinnacle have a connection in the mid-90's? I honestly don't know.

But as you can see, the stamp is identical. Same font and everything. 

On this card, it's stamped directly on the back of the card. With the Provincial Series card...it's got a surface that the lettering was applied to (you can see the top and bottom of it in the photo if you go back and look). Kind of like a super-thin piece of tape.

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter if I solve these unknowns. I just love the fact that I've found a new card for my master list - and was able to obtain it for a super-cheap price.

A goosebump moment for sure. Something that will never grow old...made me feel like a kid today.

Have you ever unearthed a unknown for your player collection (or any collection for that matter)? How old was that discovery? How did you feel when you learned of the card?

LINDEN PROGRAM OF THE WEEK - It's Quite The Debut

Quick show & tell post to wrap up my card show finds from last April. Ha ha...I gotta laugh at myself for that sentence.

So, same table as the Hamilton Canucks pamphlet I shared a few days ago. Digging away, and once again I caught a fleeting image of a Cooper helmet and the number 16. Stop.....Rewind.

Again, I managed to unearth something that my eyes have never seen before...

This is the Canucks program from the opening game of the 1991/92 season. I have a few other gameday magazines in my collection...but it's not something I go all-in to chase (when I find one, I consider it). This particular edition...I considered.

So, does anyone know the significance of October 4th, 1991?

It was the very first regular season game in San Jose Sharks history. They just happened to play the Canucks in Vancouver. I had no idea that they put Linden on the cover. In all my years I've never even seen a copy of this program (not that I was actively looking). But this find had me interested.

Unlike the pamphlet, it was priced with the "importance of the event" in mind (translated...it wasn't $4). It was a heck of a lot more...$30. Did I need this program? Not a chance. It's not on my master list and I don't consider it a "must have" in terms of my collection. Would I like to have it? You bet. But it's got to be for the right price.

I knew I wouldn't be able to talk the price down too much. "It's a significant event." Sure...but it's also been sitting in a box for who knows how long without being sold. I decided to bundle it with the pamphlet and was pretty sure I'd get the seller to bite. In fact, I dug around to find an additional item to pull the favor my way just a little bit more. It was another pamphlet...a WHA offering...with a slick looking goalie mask on the cover. I'll share that one down the road.

The vendor tried to counter, but I was firm on my offer. I told him that the Linden pamphlet was guaranteed to come home with me...but the program was one I'd be happy to put back and walk away. I think he realized that it was a take it or leave it situation. He took it.

So it's another cool item for the Linden collection. One that I've never come across until this year. It seems to be a trend. Fingers crossed, but I've got a couple cards on their way that has me extremely excited. Cardboard that is 25...30 years old and has completely eluded me all these years (in both instances...I just found out they existed).

Stay tuned.

Oh, Vancouver won 4-3. First goal in San Jose Sharks history?....Craig Coxe (never would've guessed that one).

Do you have any significant, dated items in your player collection? Something that commemorates an event or special date? Was it a "must have" for your collection?

LINDEN.... PAMPHLET?? OF THE WEEK - Truly One Of The Most Unique Items I've Come Across

Chatting with a hobby friend the other day, he jokingly (but with a small bit of true curiosity) blurted out "You've probably seen it all by now, haven't you?" It made me smile...one of those slow, reflective, Cheshire cat-type grins. I've learned that no matter how long you stroll through a garden, if you keep your eyes open, pay attention and allow unlikely possibilities to appear...they sometimes will.

Believe it or not, it's happened a few times this year...and I'm a decades-long player collector.

I'll take you back to the spring card show here in town...so, April. It's a semi-annual bonanza that I really look forward to and enjoy. A lot of local guys are there to sell but it's also a chance to get some out-of-towners setting up a few tables. I quite like it when my window shopping has some new and exciting displays.

I met up with a longtime friend who dug out some of his collection from the 80's and 90's and decided to do some research on them. Why am I telling you this? He's responsible for leading me to the table where I found this item - literally as I was wrapping up my day and ready to leave.

I had found nothing Linden-related on any of the tables at that show. It's a hit-or-miss situation with me and local shows these days. Not many Lindens to chase the last couple seasons. So I wasn't too shocked to be shut out. But this final table not only saved the day, but provided an item I had never seen...and it likely goes down as one of the most unique in my collection.

The vendor had a lot of non-card items...programs, photos, ticket stubs, knick knacks, that sort of thing. I had passed by his table a couple times during the day but nothing really drew me in. My buddy was checking a couple things out so I decided to dig through some of the side boxes - mostly to kill time.

I flipped through a box of programs, magazines and other flat items and caught a glimpse of a player I knew all too well. Linden's look in the early 90's...the posture, the Cooper helmet and the captain's C had me stop and confirm. Yup, it was Trev.

And what I pulled out had me wide-eyed.

Yeah...it's a Hamilton Canucks info pamphlet. I shook my head and started my detective work. Why Hamilton? Why Trev? This makes no sense.

So this item is a season ticket and information pamphlet for the (at the time) newly formed Hamilton Canucks. They were the AHL (American Hockey League) farm team for the Vancouver squad from 1992 to 1994 (a very small window). The challenge at the time...they had no players, so they had no photos to entice and inspire their potential fanbase in Hamilton as they were entering the market.

Enter, Trevor Linden. The team decided to put the captain of the parent squad on the front of the foldout. He had never played in the AHL, he went straight to the big leagues, but it made sense for him to be the poster boy. If you're going to promote a new team, why not start with a player like Trev. 

It's just extremely odd to see him associated with a Hamilton Canucks banner. It still looks weird when I look at it all these months later. A very cool weird though. I mean come on...that is one killer looking photo of Linden. I love that intense stare. And that time period is my absolute fave for Linden pics.

The price was even nicer. I'm sure most people would shake their head at a $4 tag for a 30-year-old pamphlet of a now defunct AHL team, but that was an outstanding price in my eyes. I knew it would be coming home with me. Another fantastic day at the card show.

But stay tuned...this wasn't the only fun Linden item I found at that table. :)

Lesson learned. Always take the time to stop and look. You never know what you might come across.

LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - Nothing Like A Little Synergy

While I might not be chasing as many Linden cards as I once did, I still find myself popping into the nearby local card store to see how things are, talk a little shop and hope that maybe someone has tracked something down for me.

Today, I was fortunate to have a couple cards waiting when I arrived. It's one of the many things I love about being a longtime Trevor Linden collector - people know...and keep an eye out.

This time, it was the shop owner who had a couple of new cards for me. He had opened some of the recently released Upper Deck Synergy - a product that has a couple of new Lindens to add (plus their "all too common these days" parallels). It's a modest 6 cards added to the list as a result of this release and only one low-numbered chase (numbered to just 25 copies). This is the kind of layout that is exactly what I enjoy. A bit of a chase without breaking the bank.

2023/24 Upper Deck Synergy

#SD-13 Synergistic Duos Star-Legend Green  /399

I'll admit, this was a weird looking card when I first laid my eyes on it. Not because of the design (which I quite like) and not because it's shiny (I'm really taken by the foil effect this card has...looks great in person). No, what threw me was the pairing of Linden and current Canucks star Elias Pettersson. Makes me feel old. Ha ha. 

I didn't feel this way with Naslund, the Sedins or even Horvat, but pairing him up with Pettersson just makes me think about how long it's really been since Trev's last game (over 16 years now). It feels like just a few seasons ago. Time flies.

As mentioned, I really like the looks of this particular card. The green parallel color definitely adds some punch. I don't know if I'll say the same about the base, gold or red copies. And with it numbered out of 399, it's the second rarest of the lot (only the gold /149 is the tougher chase). Very nice.

Love adding this one to the master collection. This next card...not my fave.

2023/24 Upper Deck Synergy

#LD-23 Fearless Leaders

I like the idea of this card, I don't mind the layout...but I hate the font choice and the quote. It just doesn't grab me the way the other card does. It feels a little dated in the look and the words just don't really inspire (sounds generic). I think that's where I'm have a tough time. The layout, modern look of the image, logos and player name all work. It's just those hokey letters used for the insert set name and quote...I can't get past it.

Oh well...I'm not going to complain too much. After all, these cards were gifted to me and I'm very grateful to add them. It'll be fun to look back at these years down the road. Maybe I won't feel quite the same as I do now.

Something else that I took note of as I was crossing these off my master list. We are near the end of the 2023/24 season for product releases (Upper Deck is still a little behind) and Trev only has 20 cards in total to chase (and 6 of them are digital cards from Topps Skate!). That's down from 29 the year before. 

Well less than 50 unique Trevor Linden cards over the past two years have been pushed out into the hobby. That's not a lot. It takes me back to the 2009/10 season when he had just a single card (a sticker actually, from Panini, before they dove into the deep end of hockey card production and provided a rebirth of sorts to my Linden pc).

I wonder if a time will come where Trev is completely ignored in products. I have to think so. He was never a superstar...more of an all-timer for the team. Is that enough to have him show up in products? How many? How often? Something I thought of today...something I haven't thought of for a very long time.

As a player collector, it is one of the only times where I am at the mercy of the hobby...it will dictate what happens. I have no control over it.

Any player collectors out there that have seen a sharp decline (or complete removal) of their player from current product releases? Was it sudden?...or eventual? Have you come to grips with it?

MY COLLECTION - The Sports Card Live Podcast - Episode #233...It's Me!

It was a hobby first for me last night. I was a guest on the Sports Card Live podcast...and had an absolute blast sharing my hobby story and showing off some of my collection. 

For those who know my blog...you know I love telling stories - it's a major part of what I love about my collection and pieces within it. But I rarely hop in front of a camera to chat cards. For many years, I've been an introvert with card collecting - something I didn't really share with non-hobby people I knew. This blog has really helped and allowed me to bring an enjoyment that maybe has connected more with some of those friends, family and co-workers. I'm much more comfy with it. :)

I've known the show's host, Jeremy, for decades and have always enjoyed his enthusiasm, knowledge and just overall passion for a positive hobby landscape. He knows a lot of industry people in this sportscard world and his genuine curiosity is something I am drawn to. He's a person I have a ton of respect for and was excited when he asked me to be on his show.

And yes, this episode is 2 hours in length...but no joke, I could've talked for another couple hours. It was so extremely fun. You can actually see the times when Jeremy has to reel me in because I just get so into it. Ha! 

If you have the time, check it out.

I share a few early items from my collecting story, "Wallet Card" Oscar Gamble makes an appearance, some inexpensive side projects are discussed and (of course) plenty of Linden talk. 

Near the end of the episode, I got a chance to share my thoughts about a number of other Linden collectors who have been so very instrumental to my hobby world and I just want to give them a shout out on this blog as well. I can't overstate how lucky I am to have had (and with some, still have) such a positive rapport with them. My collection and my collecting mindset wouldn't be what it is without them.

Kevin, Victor, Elliot...huge thank you. Your positive presence, selflessness and example is something I try to bring forward constantly when I hobby. I'm grateful for the longstanding relationship we have built. Brad, James, Gary...cheers guys...you've made such a positive impact on my collection...and more importantly, my enjoyment and experiences that are a part of it. To all others who I have crossed paths with over the years...I valued our connection of Trevor Linden collecting.

Lastly, to Ian (who I unfortunately forgot to shout out by name in the episode), a guy who I'm connected with in this Linden collecting world probably more so than any other - just a genuine Thank You! Ian is the person who had a major part of his Linden collection stolen years ago and I am so grateful that the stars aligned and I was able to help recover some major pieces of said collection. I enjoy talking cards with you and look forward to the next time we do so.

I say it in the episode...I'm very lucky to have such an awesome Linden collecting ecosystem.

And to all the other hobby bloggers I've crossed paths with over the years - cheers to you all. My hobby is more complete because of this outlet and the people I've met from it. From player collectors like Paul to the guy who brought the birth of my Wallet Card (and my Oscar Gamble collection), Casey, big thanks.

This podcast episode has given me a jolt to tell more of my hobby stories. Geez...if only I had a blog to share it on. :)

Have a great day!