SWEET GOALIE SIGS - Could It Be Yet Another Project??!!!

Do I have too much on my collecting plate?

I guess not according to the most recent trade night.

I was happily trading for some new additions to the HHOF Auto collection and came across a card that made me stop and appreciate.  Simple as that.

The card was so stunning that I have decided to start a new (albeit minor) project.

This hard-signed Rogie Vachon auto is awesome in person.  The artistic work done in capturing Rogie in his purple best, the vintage leather, the fibreglass crown mask and one heck of a sweet sig had me instantly drooling.

I was able to bundle it in with some HOF cards and was glad to tuck it in with them.

I got home and immediately started searching for the one other card that I instantly thought of when I saw the Vachon.

One of the nicest autos, one of the nicest photos and one of the nicest sets of all-time.

I was always trying to figure out what to do with this Maniago card.  Now I know.

These two cards are the start of what I am calling "The most awesome goalie autos of all-time" or Sweet Goalie Sigs.  The project is simple.  If I find an autographed goalie card that I think is the best one of them all, I'll try to snag it.

Full body shots (head on) are ideal.  And I'm not breaking the bank for this project.  It's gonna have about as much weight to my overall collection as my 1 vs. 100 set or my Raise The Cup project.....which is "Meh...whatever".

All I know is that these two cards are in a class of their own - and I just needed to give that class a name.

I'm not even going to keep tabs of who I have at this moment.  That's how little I've got pushed into this quest.  That's not to say I won't be looking.  Seeing that Vachon and hitting the brakes hard was an awesome feeling.

BEHIND THE MASKS - Many, Many, Many Masked Men 5

I love toonie bins.  Especially when there are cards that I need in them.

At last weekend's card show I tracked down a bunch of them.  And once again - patience paid off.

For the better past of a year I have been slowly (very slowly) tracking down mask cards from the Masked Men 5 set put out in the Between The Pipes product.  I don't really chase this set as aggressively as I could, but with so many Linden cards out there I have had to slow my pickups on other projects.

But when a two dollar bin comes callin'........

....I just can't resist.

These cards have slowly dropped in price month after month - a result of declining desire.  The shiny cards don't have the same "wow factor" when new shiny cards come out every few weeks.

To me though, they are still shiny.

I really like this version of the Masked Men product.  No blurry photos, no junior players.  Just some good ol' NHL goalie masks - current and vintage.

And I'm a sucker for vintage.

C'mon....who doesn't like that Cobra mask from Gary Simmons?

Or this sweet lid from Bernie Parent's WHA days?  It's not the mask many remember him wearing during his career, but the iconic photo of Parent in this mask just trumps all of his Flyer offerings.

So much so that the photo is my computer wallpaper at work.  It's just that good.

Like I said, old and new.  Both have their distinct qualities - both good and bad.

The simplicity and bold colors of the vintage.  The intricacies and detail of the current.

It's a solid checklist put out in this In The Game offering.  And I've heard that there are some new faces in this year's product....so I can only hope that it means new goalies and new masks added to the 2014 checklist.

This old school Belfour looks fantastic.  It's one of his early Chicago masks since his later offerings (with all teams) had the hidden "Eagle" name written in the feathers.

This mask looks a lot more menacing - as did Eddie's style of play when he first came into the league.  Can you believe that was about 25 years ago?

I like detail....but this is just a bit too much.  Can you even make out what this mask is all about?  I can't.

That's the struggle with current goalie lids.  The airbrush techniques used can be so intricate that it takes away from the whole picture when you step back to observe.

I like masks that have a bold statement from afar but can be appreciated for its detail up close.

Garth Snow in his "I'm so mad at Thomas Vanek" mask.  Or is that the "I'm so mad at myself" mask?

I kind of liked the abominable snowman look.  It kind of suited him.  Too bad he was better knwon for his mask than his play on the ice.

Here's more of the gang.

Now everyone on the count of three.....look to the left.

Some great 90's masks and some memorable helmets from todays goaltenders once again.

Actually....I take that back.  THIS is a helmet.

And really.....shouldn't be included in a set like this.  After all, it's a goalie mask set - not a goalie helmet set.

Just for fun, let's create a list of goalies that could create that checklist.

Chris Osgood (who would get some sort of lifetime achievement award)
Dan Cloutier
Arturs Irbe (of course)
Dominik Hasek

I'm loving the looks of this already.

Glenn Healy
Steve Penny
Rollie Melanson
Pat Riggin

Oh the list could go on forever.  But let's not do that.

All totalled.....SIXTEEN Masked Men 5 cards were added to the collection.  And the wantlist was hugely reduced.  I still have a few left to "chase".  Heck, I have cards from each of the five years of Masked Men cards still on the list.

Is it patience or laziness?  Same thing to me with this project.

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!! - Nighty Night

It's not that I haven't come across ugly cards over the past year....I just was too lazy to scan them.

So says the guy who has taken the better part of a year to add to the 'Spokes' collection.

I have no excuse - nor do I have any apologies.  It's my blog.  Ha ha!

But when I saw this card at the local card show this past weekend, I thought it was worthy of the .50 cents, the time to scan and the chance to catch up with all of you who love looking at terrible cards.

And this card is terrible.

First of all, let me just state that this is not a hockey offering.  It's football. Canadian football at that.  Don't judge (at least based on our card making skills).

In addition to the brutal photo slapped on the front of this "Pro Action" card (and by the way....this card is neither 'Pro' nor 'Action'), the card has zero information on it.  Nothing on the front to indicate what I'm looking at (or supposed to see), nothing on the back but a big cartoon telling me to "Test Your Football IQ".

Hey, my IQ is being tested by trying to figure out what year this card is from, what players I'm looking at, and what teams are playing.

It's card #130.....that's all I know (that and a guy by the name of Joe Zuger has the best career punting average ever in the CFL.....thanks Mr. Cartoon Guy).

Is this a night game?  That would explain a lot.  I know somebody numbered 65 is doing something.  I'm also betting there's a football in the picture.

Man.....this must've been an awesome set to build.  I'd love to see what the rest of the offerings look like.  Can you imagine?

So I decided with my super-advanced photo-editing skills that messing with improving this photo was in order.

Hey....I can kind of make out something.  There are legs.....running.  .....there's a goal line.  ......maybe a scoring play (after all it is a "Pro Action" card).

I dunno.....I've given up hope.  If any of you have magic powers or a Canadian football price guide maybe you can fire off some information.

Until then, I'm putting this card to bed.  Nighty night!

PPPPPFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HHOF AUTOS - Another Trade Night Success

Building this Hockey Hall of Fame hard-signed auto set has been one of the best projects I've introduced to my collecting in a long time.  Rediscovering the essence of trading has really excited not just me but I think others whom I meet locally at trade nights and shows.

I've got people coming up to me saying "Hey....have you got this guy?"  I like that.

Last night was the monthly trader night.  I missed last month's as I had plans with my nephew so March's offering was something I was really looking forward to.

And I walked away thrilled with the results.  A few guys I had never traded with before and some solid names added to the HHOF list.

Bobby Clarke

(Inducted in 1987)

How about this beauty to start with.  I absolutely love this photo.  Bold and of the time period I wanted.  The signature is crisp and clean.

The corners are ridiculously rock solid on this one.  And with the darker edging that just sort of trails off from the player, it just looks ominously awesome.

Not sure if this auto is a shortprint or what, but I can say that I've never seen a copy of this one before.  Once I saw it - I knew I'd be trading for it.

Mark Howe

(Inducted in 2011)

This was also in with the trade for the Clarke.  A Mark Howe auto really doesn't hold much hobby weight so it almost felt like a throw-in in the deal.  Works for me though as he's a bonafide HOFer....and the son of one of the greatest players of all time.

How could I have possibly passed on this?

Alex Delvecchio

(Inducted in 1977)

The trifecta of Parkhurst Champions cards I traded for and this has a great shot of Alex in action.

And check out that beauty of a goalie mask in the background.  Anyone care to guess as to who that tender might be?

After making the trade for these three cards, I came across another trade box that made me cringe......just a bit.

Alex Delvecchio

(Inducted in 1977)

That's right......we have a trade - and then an upgrade.

When I saw this Delveccho, I really wanted it.  Not because it was a better photo or superior card design (which it isn't), but because it's a unique card in the collection so far.

I felt that having this card over the Parkhurst Champions version would just give the collection a little more diversity.  I'm torn though as I do like the photo on the one prior.

I think I'll just keep both for now and let the whole thing percolate.

Al MacInnis

(Inducted in 2007)

I saw this in the same trade box as the Jake Gardiner /17.  I recognized the MacInnis auto as I had one jsut like it a while back.

Sure enough.....it's the same card.

So, for the first time ever, I traded for a card that I once owned.

I really like this card because it shows Al as a Flame (how I remember him best).  It even looks like it could be from his Conn Smythe Trophy winning season in the NHL.  He was so dominant the year the Calgary won the Cup.

So with that, I have added four more cards to the HHOF collection.  I could have added more, but with all of this trading I am noticing something.

I'm running out of traders!!

I've got to replenish my trade box somehow.  Something to work on over the summer I think.


One last hard-signed auto card from a Hall of Famer to share.  Again, it's not a player, but I just had to have it.

If there's a legend in hockey broadcasting from my era, it's Dick Irvin.  His voice, his knowledge and his stories are second to none.  I can listen to the guy talk all day.

Heck, he could read from the phonebook and make it sound interesting.

What a great signature.  This card is most definitely a keeper.


Current Collection - 37 HOF Autos

1 vs. 100 - What A Week!!!

Tonight was one of the monthly trader nights that I regularly attend.  And while I go in always optimistic that I can come away with something new, that's not always the end game.

But tonight was not that.  In fact, it was the opposite.  I was able to walk away having made many trades.....possibly even the most I've made in a single trade night.

And that means some show & tell posts.

Tonight will be short and sweet though as I am tired and ready for sleep.

2011/12 Panini Titanium

# 133 Jake Gardiner  /17

Yeah......it happened again.  Twice in one week.

After months of a stagnant project, I have added two cards to a set that only has a handful of cards left on the wantlist.

I was sifting through one of the numerous trade boxes at the store and came across this beauty.  I was pretty sure I needed that number but a quick check of the list confirmed it.

I couldn't believe that I tracked down a /17 locally after all this time.

What made things even better is that I was able to trade for it with supreme ease.  I couldn't have asked for a better transaction.

What made me laugh is that when I told some people that I needed this card for my project, some of the guys forgot all about it.  It had been so long since I really had been making dents in it.  Some thought I finished it, some thought I gave up on it.

Not so fast.....it's still on the radar.  Always will be until I hit that last card.

So with this number crossed off, I am now down to FIVE cards.  I know the end will come one day (and I could probably speed things up if I were a little more aggressive in searching) but the fun of just letting this project breathe on its own is really rewarding.

And it makes a find like this even more fun.

95 out of 100  (95%)

LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - A Three Card Mailday

An overflowing mailbox greeted me as I walked up to my condo this evening.  A rare site these days.  I had to do some quick thinking as to what might be inside each of the three envelopes.  I soon remembered.

With the newest In The Game release - Stickwork - now a couple weeks old, the prices have dropped enough where I decided to dip my toe into the pool.  I was quite happy with my first find.

2013/14 In The Game Stickwork

#GUS-93 Game-Used Stick Silver

The "least rare" of the Linden cards inserted into Stickwork will probably end up being the easiest (and cheapest) of the eight possible cards to chase.  Limited to just 19 copies, this was common enough to let a few copies pass, but rare enough to strike when the time was right.

A nice beefy piece of game-used stick covers half the card.  I like it!  I also like the fact that it's a different stick used than his UM10 stick card.  Love the contrast.

I also like the way the cards were inserted into the boxes.  At 3 cards per box, each were housed in a sturdy one-touch (unlike the Superlative toploaders....see below).  I could (and did) crack open the card and run my finger along the stick.  It's a real thin piece but is really cool.  There's something about game-used items in a card....it never gets old to me.

If I did have one criticism, it would be the text on the card.  It has the look of a faded photocopy as opposed to a punchy, brilliant design.  The scan looks nice, but in the light the card loses its lustre a bit (no pun intended).

Some players included in the set do not have their faces pictured on the cards (for various contractual reasons I'm assuming).  I'm thankful that my guy does have a head shot as it completes the card design for me.

2012/13 In The Game Decades 90s

#M-44 Franchises Black (w/ Bure, Messier & Odjick)

Patience paid off again with these Decades 90s cards.  I've been painstakingly slow at obtaining the 27.....yes, TWENTY-SEVEN different cards available in this release.  Sure, many of them are 1/1's and will never hit my doorstep, but there are a lot of low-numbered parallels too.

This black parallel is the most common of the Franchises cards available so I knew they would bottom out in price sooner than later.  While I would have loved to have traded for a card like this, picking it up for the price I did worked just as well.

Nothing much to the design or the jersey pieces (but what can you do...I'm sure there are a ton of solid white or solid black pieces in their arsenal), but a card is a card and it was on the list.  Finding it for the right price was the biggest challenge.

Again....patience paid off.

2012/13 In The Game Superlative III

#SCJ-08 Complete Jersey Silver

This card is a big one for me - for many reasons.  Limited to just 4 copies, this card is the final piece of the non-1/1 Superlative III puzzle.  Right now I own 16 of the 20 total cards available with two of the remaining four already spoken for.

This piece happened to catch my eye on the hobby boards as part of a show & tell.  The person who owned it wasn't looking to sell but would consider a trade.  Awesome!  I love trading.

Unfortunately, he was looking for something very specific - something that I did not have.

He wanted a similar Complete Jersey card, but of Steve Yzerman.  Hmmmm.  Where could I get one of those?  To ebay I went.  Day in and day out looking for an Yzerman Complete.  Eventually I did find one.

Before bidding on it, I decided to double check with the owner of the Linden that the card I'd be bidding on would be a worthy trade.  He agreed and I bid.  When I bid my maximum amount, it ended up being the final amount - I guessed basically exactly what I needed to win the card.

Great in the sense that I knew it would lead me to the Linden.  Crappy in that it was the top dollar amount I was willing to pay (it would've been fantastic to hit the Yzerman for a steal of a deal).  Regardless, the trade was made.

The card arrived in the mail and I'm thrilled.

I'm thrilled also because it finally softens the blow from one of the worst ebay transactions I've ever encountered.  The gold 1/1 version of this card is one that I do own, but under circumstances I would love to change.  But that's in the past.

I quickly and anxiously cracked open the seal on the toploader and freed the card from its plastic.  I'm on the record as one who will never keep his Linden cards sealed in those housings.  Too many bad memories.

Right.....that's in the past.

Today, it's three more great cards to add to the collection.  Gotta love that!

1 vs. 100 - One More Step Closer

It's been a long time since my last '1 vs. 100' post.  With just seven cards left on the wantlist (and me not really pursuing any of them), the opportunities of snagging a card for this project have been near zero.

But last month I came across a post on the hobby board I am a member of and saw a card that was the right number - both serial and price.

A smooth transaction and a bit of a wait as it came from the US and I've got another card to cross off.

2011/12 Panini Titanium

#108 Brayden McNabb rookie  /66

This isn't the first card from the Titanium release to make it into my pc.  The serial numbered concept for its rookies makes my project just a little easier to obtain.  In fact, I'm pleasantly surprised with the numerous product releases that utilize weird serial numbering.

For this McNabb rookie, it's his draft position that justifies the /66.  Picked by Buffalo in 2009, Brayden has had just a sniff of NHL time (8 points in 37 games).  This made his Titanium rookie card available at a very reasonable price.

I mentioned that the card came from the States.  And just a quick story on that.

In discussing how much shipping would cost, I quickly realized that a bubble mailer with just this single card would be too much in contrast with the price of the card.  I had considered having the card shipped to someone I know who has a US postal address, but the ping-ponging wouldn't make up much of the difference.

So what did I do?  I had the card sent via PWE - plain white envelope.

Yes, it's true.  A method so shunned that the mere mention of it sends shivers down spines.

The seller mentioned that for just a couple bucks, he would send PWE and we could both cross our fingers.  With the price of the card what it was....I decided to go for it.

It took about 6 weeks for the card to arrive, but when it showed up, there was no doubt the risk paid off.  The card was in perfect condition.

I appreciated that the seller was open with his communication and we were very upfront with the risks.  Quite simply, I'd be taking the risk of a crumpled card, he would be mindful of the toploader he used (there are flimsy ones and sturdier ones).

So it's success many ways for this post and it puts me one more step closer to completion.  Can you believe I've been working on this project for over 4 years now?

94 out of 100  (94%)