LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Cup Completion

A big Linden card hit the mailbox this past Friday.  Big for a number of reasons.

First, it was a bigger ticket Linden addition price-wise....the biggest of the year so far.  It was from the highest-end product he's ever been in - The Cup.  It was a low-numbered beast to boot.  But most of all, it put to rest one of the most challenging product chases in my 15+ years of Linden card collecting.

That's a lot of buildup.

2011/12 Upper Deck The Cup

#CF-TL Foundations Patch Auto  /5

For the past two years, the challenge that The Cup has posed to not just my Linden collection but the ideals I have about collecting in general have been huge.  I've been up and down the scale - when is enough... enough?  How much is too much?  This is not a race.  When do I pounce and when do I sit back?  Patience will prevail.

In the end though I think having 11 Cup cards (not including 1/1's), many numbered to 25 or less has given me a new perspective on what being a player collector is all about.

I have no control over what cards go into what product.  How many Linden cards get added to my wantlist list with every release.  But what I do know is that I can choose to chase.

If there's a Linden card out there that does not jive with me be it because of the price, the design, the rarity, or the product it's in, I have the choice to say "No thanks".  I've know for years now that the possibility of owning one of each Linden card there is is an impossibility.  But now I have decided that my card pursuits are determined by each individual item that comes available.

If there's a card /5, /10, /100 that shows up online....I can do one of two things, chase it or let it pass.  And there's nothing wrong with either choice.

Now back to this Cup card.  With this pickup, I have landed all 11 non 1/1 cards from the inaugural Linden Cup appearance.  There are also 7 1/1's and I own one of them.  And to be honest, I'm thrilled with that accomplishment.

Many of the cards were not picked up right off the bat.  Some took a while to obtain (mostly in the hopes of getting them for a cheaper price than the initial wave).  I even had the luck of tracking down a couple of them locally - something I definitely was not expecting.  This final Cup card /5 is a perfect example of all of that.

I really didn't know if I would ever have a chance at snagging this piece.  I knew of a couple other copies that have been tucked into collections so there were only 2-3 copies left out there.  When I saw this card go up for auction, the price was a little higher than I wanted to spend.  But some good communication with the seller and firm but honest approach on my part led to the sale.  When the card arrived Friday, I couldn't wait to rip open the bubble envelope.

I love the multi-colored patches in every window, the hard signed autograph and the low serial number.  Too bad Upper Deck couldn't match the patches in the card with the picture to the right.  But such is life.

Crossing it off the list really made me smile at the fact that I tackled The Cup the way I wanted to.  And there should always be satisfaction in that.

HHOF AUTOS - Card Show Pickups

A gorgeous weekend (finally) in the city was an added bonus to a very successful card show.  The second last show of the season and I was very happy to see a couple new tables set up.

It's always fun to see new stuff strewn out on tables.  Even if I'm not buying, I can do some serious window shopping.  In this case....it was a bit of trading that landed me three new cards for my HHOF Auto project.

Bill Gadsby

(Inducted in 1970)

This was a nice add to the collection.  One of the new tables set up had a few of these Panini Classics Signature cards.  Gadsby was the first card I saw that had me sifting through the list.

He was building the set and saw that I had an extra Linden in with my traders.  A simple and solid trade.

Once I got home I noticed that the card seems to be a bit off in the printing.  The white gradient where the signature sits seems to not blend properly at the bottom leaving what looks like an unfinished stripe.

I took a look at other Gadsby cards on ebay and it seems my copy is a bit of an anomaly.  Too bad....it's all I see now when looking at it.  Maybe down the road I'll trade for an upgrade.  Until then, it's another hard signed Hall of Famer.

Serge Savard

(Inducted in 1986)

I love the photo on this card.  And the autograph looks just as sharp.  This card didn't have as much weight to it in terms of what I had to give up.  An additional bonus.

Cards from this era of the HHOF list are the most fun for me.  They feature guys that I would have seen play as I was introduced to the game of hockey and the stars of the NHL.  And while it was the Islanders and Oilers of the 80's that really stood out for me, the Canadiens teams of the 70's are without a doubt the most impressive of them all.

Ted Lindsay

(Inducted in 1966)

This card came from a different table where I wasn't sure if a trade would even be possible.  He had a Johnny Bower as well but wasn't really looking to trade it.  Fair enough.  I'm glad we were able to work out a deal on the Lindsay.

Ted Lindsay is a player who's name is memorable not just for what he did on the ice, but for the sacrifices and efforts he made off it.  One of the leaders in the movement to bring a players union into the game - and in effect, the NHLPA, Lindsay saw that the owners were getting just a little too much of the money pie for his liking.

How much of his career was compromised or sacrificed as a result of his efforts?  Who knows.  But he earned the respect of a lot of his fellow peers.....and many in the generations who followed.

With these three cards, I'm already a third of the way to my goal.  And quite honestly....I haven't even really tried hard.  I can't wait for the next trade night coming up this week.  I'm hoping to add a few more cards to the mix.

Current Collection - 33 HOF Autos

OUTSIDE THE BOX - Was 1974 Really A Highlight Year?

Geez........I really hope he's feeling better.

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Fleer....Let's Just Call It Yellow

Mailday!  Albeit a "one bubble envelope" haul.  But with a few new cards trickling in, it makes for a fun wrapper rip nonetheless.

I've been slowly knocking off some 1-2 year old mid-range Linden cards as the prices finally hit (what I consider to be) a reasonable amount.  My newest pc add is one that I'm really happy to knock off the list and snagged it for a fairly decent price.

2012/13 Fleer Retro

#24 1997/98 EX 2001 Essential Credentials Now  /24

DO NOT ask me where the heck that naming convention comes from.  I have absolutely no clue.  To me.....it's the yellow parallel and it's numbered to 24.

Not to be mistaken with it's pink counterpart.

This one is /19 and is called "Future" instead of "Now".  Again..... no clue.

But who am I to complain.  I actually like what Upper Deck did with this Fleer Retro product (from a player collector standpoint).  A base card (with one of the best photos I've seen on a Linden base), an autograph parallel (sadly.....a sticker auto), three EX inserts/parallels and a handful of other inserts (all on the lower-end/less expensive variety).

Nine cards in total (with one of them being a 1/1).  A reasonable wallet hit with some good chases.  What more can I ask for.

I'm down to just a couple cards to complete this product run.  I've seen many copies of each fly around but I'm playing the patience card.  Soon enough I'll do the final show & tell.

Really, if there's any beef to this product it's the off-the-wall names they give some of these cards.  I swear they just pull random names out of a hat and do a quick swip-swap and voila.

I prefer "yellow" and "pink".

RATE MY MASK - Roberto Luongo 2.0

Do you think Roberto is happy to be out of the disaster zone known as Vancouver right now?  Judging by the shutout he pitched in his first game as a Panther....I'd say so.

It's rare these days to see a goalie return to a team for a second stint in net.  Even more rare is when said goalie pulls out a goalie mask from the past.  But that's just what Roberto did when he hit the ice against the Sabres last week.

So I thought I'd take a moment to bask in the glory of the ol' Pink Panther mask and a time when the Canucks were a bit better team.

Lots of color, lots of images, lots of Florida and panthers going on here.  Roberto's mask parallels his own character of fun and "easy-going.....ness".

Roberto's mask designer of choice for the past decade or so has been Canadian Marlene Ross.  She was responsible not just for this Florida "Pink Panther" mask, but his Panther-inspired Olympic mask from 2006.  She also designed numerous Vancouver masks as well as his 2010 gold-medal winning lid.

She has been featured on Hockey Night In Canada a few times and has a solid pro clientele......or should I say "had".  Many of the goalies listed on her website have retired....so I'm not sure how much recent work she has going on.

The focus of the mask is most definitely the iconic image of the Pink Panther donning a vintage pretzel mask.  The cartoon is a little more aggressive than the cuddly Saturday morning / comic book offering but I like it.  I don't think a cuddly plush toy would work nearly as well on an NHL goalie mask.

Silhouette palm trees and crashing waves drape down each side of the mask which uses a gradient base of warm colors as a perfect background palette.  The contrasting blues down low and around the chin really pop out.

I'm still trying to figure out what those yellow and black triangles are on each side.  Is it beachfront property?  An homage to a mask from the past?  Or just simply a geometric pattern to fill space?  I have no clue...so I will go with beachfront property.

The backplate of his mask (at least back in 2006) had some initials on it.  When asked years ago about it, Roberto simply responded with "It's personal".  I can respect that.

Overall, Luongo's lid blends character and team about as well as you can.  I would have liked to have seen a little more personalization (as opposed to just a fun figurehead) or maybe even an update of some sort.  Who knows, maybe that'll come later this season or early next.

I gotta say, seeing Luongo in the new-old Florida getup is great.  Hearing him at the press conference to announce his return, he seems very happy about returning to a place he calls home (and I'm sure getting out of the situation in Vancouver).

I think he's been very professional about the whole situation over the past three years.  Sure, there have been times where he's shown his disappointment and has thrown out a humorous jab or two, but the flip-flopping of what Roberto's expectation was to be for Vancouver made a lot of coaches and head office folks looks bad - REALLY BAD.

But that chapter is now over.  Luongo is starting fresh (say for a stinky 8-year-old mask) and I'm looking forward to see what both teams do moving forward.

3.5 out of 5

Now it's your turn to RATE MY MASK!

OPINION - SNIPING

Maybe it was the third period of the Canucks game last night?  Maybe it was the long day at work?  Maybe it was the alarm clock on my phone (in the voice of Louie CK......"Stupid phone!")?  Maybe it was the fact that I don't use sniping programs to do my ebay bidding?

At the end of the day though.....it's my dropping of the ball that cost me a chance to add another Linden card to the collection last night.

And it's still ticking me off.

It's a nice card......right?  Maybe not the best designed nameplate I've ever seen, but still.

So I had my eye on this card for the past few days leading up to the auction ending last night.  My habit these days has been to set the alarm on my phone for 5 minutes before the auction ends.  I then pop over to ebay and bid at the last moment (I don't bid early....I find I lose more than I win.....and on those that I do win, I pay more).

A solid system in my eyes.  That is until the alarm doesn't go off.

I knew this auction ended close to 10:00 last night.  I was watching the tail end of the Flames game and all of the sudden a jolt hit me.  I looked at my phone and had a bad feeling.  I zipped to the auction and noticed it had just ended.  It ended for the minimum bid (less than what I was willing to spend).

AAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

I even went so far as to e-mail the seller to apologize.  I had told him I was interested in the card and planned on bidding.

So the rest of the night I spent thinking about my auction bidding process.

Like I said, I don't use sniping programs.  I think it's just habit.  I also like to be in control of things.  I just don't trust a computer program to do my bidding for me.

But after last night's miss, I'm reconsidering.

I feel like there are a lot more bidders (especially in the card collecting hobby) using online sniping programs to do their last second bidding for them.  It eliminates having to keep a hawk's eye on each and every auction they want to bid on.

I don't bid on too many items (a few a week) and have never found the need for an assist.  That said, I can definitely recall a good 3-4 instances where "user error" has cost me a card for my collection.

Sniping programs just take an element of the chase out of the whole collecting process.  It would be as if somebody else is gathering cards for me.  What fun is that?  I like finding the items.  I like bidding on the items.  I like when I win the items.  And I like receiving the items.

I don't want this hobby to become any more automated than it is.

That said, it's going to sting a bit today knowing that I and I alone am responsible for letting a card slip by my grasp.

I blame John Tortorella and Mike Gillis.  Yeah.....that's it.


Do you use sniping programs?  What are your auction bidding methods?  Do they work for you?

HHOF AUTOS - One Big Haul

Tonight was the first trade night I have attended since my new HHOF auto project was started.  To say that I was anxious to see what I could find would be an understatement.  After all....it's called trade night for a reason.

And tonight did not disappoint.

Simply put, it was the single biggest haul for a project I have ever had in one night.  And the best part is that the dollars out of pocket equaled ZERO.

What a great idea for a project if I do say so myself.

So would you like to see all the goodies I picked up?  I thought you would. Sit back and grab some popcorn.


First, I would like to announce a trade.  Last month I showed off a nice Marcel Pronovost card from the 06/07 Parkhurst set.  While it fits nicely into the collection, I knew of another Pronovost that I wanted to replace it with.

Marcel Pronovost

(Inducted in 1978)

I like this card for two reasons.  First, the signature is more centered on the card.  Once again Fung Shui.  Second, this card is unique to the collection so far.  I know I will have a number of 06/07 Parkhurst cards in this set so mixing it up a bit just makes the collection feel a bit more diverse.

Thanks Brian for making the trade a teeth-puller.

Jean Beliveau

(Inducted in 1972)

Wow!  I did not expect to come home with a card of this calibre tonight.  But in fact, this was the first card I traded for.  I like when word gets around that I'm looking for stuff.

I had my fingers crossed that there was a card in my trade box that would fit the bill.  Thankfully there was.

Jean frickin' Beliveau!  He epitomizes what a Hall of Fame autograph is all about.  Even in his older age, the signature is strong and written with care.  I love the photo and card design in general.  Another unique item.

Thanks Craig for helping me snag a huge name.

Milt Schmidt

(Inducted in 1961)

I was doing a mental fist pump when I found this card sitting in a trade binder.  Milt takes on the title of earliest inducted signature in my collection.  Beating out Red Kelly by almost a decade.

I love the flow of Schmidt's name.  He also took care to sign the card low allowing for the photo to really pop.  A tremendous pickup.

Marcel Dionne

(Inducted in 1992)

I'll say it again....Marcel Dionne gets no hobby love.  It's a shame too.  His statistics are incredible but lacks the Stanley Cup ring.  His signature is one of those that reeks of unique.

And this Legendary Signatures set is a stunner.  No doubt there will be others from this set to join in the fun down the road.

Borje Salming

(Inducted in 1996)

Talk about a gorgeous card.  This horizontal layout allows for a large signing space.  And Salming does a great job with a crisp auto.  I love the 70's vibe in the photo and the overall design is hard to beat.

There was an Andy Bathgate card from the same set in amongst the binders as well.  I nearly traded for it too as an upgrade.  I still might down the road.

Bernie Federko

(Inducted in 2002)

This was a name that I knew I would have in the collection before I even started searching.  Much like Bill Barber, Federko is about as 'common' a HOFer as you can get.  At least from a hobby standpoint.

There were a few different card designs I was hoping to land for the Federko (as I find them more interesting than this 06/07 Parkhurst) but again....I can upgrade down the road if I want to.  I call the shots here.

Ed Giacomin

(Inducted in 1987)

I love Eddie Giacomin's goalie mask.  For as simple a white fibreglass lid as he's got....it's so cool.  The shape of it, the air holes....I love that it's on the card in this set.

Once again, the good ol' 06/07 Parkhurst rears its head.  No complaints here though.  It's the single best set to pull great Hall of Fame autos from and the design is spectacular.

Frank Mahovlich

(Inducted in 1981)

Any time I can add a Cup card to this project, I feel like I am adding some significant weight and reputation.  What a killer signature!

This card has it all....photo, design, autograph, rarity and most of all - ownership.  Next to the Beliveau, this might be the biggest snag of the evening.

Stan Mikita

(Inducted in 1983)

Another mental fist pump when this card showed up.  Love his auto and to get a new card design like Century Legends Epic Signatures just puts the icing on the cake.

seeing this card makes me want to do a bit of research for what some of the best sets to find HoF autos would be.  No doubt this release has some epic....signatures.

Gilbert Perreault

(Inducted in 1990)

Another tremendous autograph.  I love the penmanship on this card.  Add to that a great photo from the 70's and this card has high desirability.

Just a ton of vintage in this photo.  I'm going to sit for a second and simply look at it.

Luc Robitaille

(Inducted in 2009)

Lucky Luc is a card that when I first saw it I thought "Do I???"  I'll admit, this card (plus the Larry Murphy I picked up last month) have a bit of a different feel than all the others.  Being ITG products, team logos are not allowed.

But after a bit of weighing, I decided that these cards do work.  I know what team Luc is playing for in this card.  It's a hard signed autograph.  And the fact that I'm trading for it - well it just meets all of the criteria.

Why wouldn't I then........right?

Paul Coffey

(Inducted in 2004)

So when I saw this Coffey it was a no-brainer.  A great add to the project. Heck, any Oilers in this project will be a welcome one (yes......even Messier).

note to self: If I do get a Messier auto....he MUST be in an Oilers jersey.

Rod Langway

(Inducted in 2002)

It was a toss-up between this card and a Langway Masterpieces Brushstrokes card (the one that looks like it's painted on canvas and has the brown border).  I liked the uniqueness of this one.  You can see through it.

I am plesantly surprised at the quality of signature on this card.  Often, these Glacial Graphs (or any card on a clear surface) are a little suspect when it comes to the pen quality.  Streaking or bubbling, fading or shifting, these are not always the most quality of penstrokes.

But this card has it......and now so do I.

Scott Niedermayer

(Inducted in 2013)

Last card in the show and tell (you still with me?) is one that had/has me thinking.

When you think of Scott Niedermayer, what team do you associate?

Yeah, that's what I thought.  But a hard signed Scotty for a very reasonable trade price is tough to beat.  If I want to swap it out for a Devils card down the road - I can.  But for right now, I'm more than content with this copy.

After all, he did win a Cup with the team.  It's not like he had a cup of coffee with the club and then bolted.

The addition of Niedermayer also means that I now have a "most recently inducted" winner.


Now, all of the cards you have seen (minus the Pronovost and Beliveau at the start) came from one person.  To say that it was an epic trade would be an understatement.  At least on my end......I don't know if the other party can say they got a bunch of killer cards in return.  But it was what I would consider a fair trade and we both agreed on it.

And for that - I thank you very much Mikey.  What an incredible trade night.

That's right.  Let me say it again - TRADE night.  Every card I picked up in this post came via trade.  I was a busy boy and I'm looking forward to seeking out more Hall of Famers at the next trader night.


Current Collection - 30 HOF Autos

(are you kidding me???  I'm at 30 already???  Awesome!  But by no means do I expect the next 70 to come so easily)