Friday, August 12, 2011

RAISE THE CUP - Digging Through The Collection

I've made a point of going through some of my cards during my time off from work. Better organization of my traders, updating the wantlists and properly packing away more of the collection that I plan on one day trading or selling.

Sifting through some of my cards, I came across these three gems to be added to the Raise The Cup project (including one of my favorite cards as a kid).


1983/84 O-Pee-Chee
#2 New York Islanders Highlight
Denis Potvin

I think this card defines what a 'highlight' or 'in action' card should be. It captures a specific and important moment in the team's season and this photo is the biggest moment of the campaign.

Potvin hoisting the Cup in 1983 (his fourth in a row) is a great photo. I wish I could see a little more of the Cup in the shot, but that's a minor beef. Denis looks to have a bunch of different emotions on his face. Relief, exhaustion, satisfaction, just to name a few.

It's a shame more cards aren't like this nowadays.


1999/00 Upper Deck McDonald's
The Great Career
#GR81-2 1984 Cup Victory

While 1983 might have been New York's year, it was Edmonton who gave notice that they were the team of the future. And in 1984, they realized their dream.

Wayne Gretzky and crew won their first Stanley Cup in convincing fashion and began their own dynasty. This card from 1999 pays tribute to that moment.

A five-card insert set to the McDonald's release that year celebrates the great career of The Great One.

Only five cards 'eh? Scrub.


2006/07 Power Play
Cup Celebrations
#CC2 Cam Ward

The final card in this showing is from an insert set that I'm slowly knocking off the wantlist.

The Cup Celebrations cards are a great concept....guys winning the Stanley Cup.

In fact, the more I think about it, I'd like to see a full set called 'Raise The Cup'. It'd be cool to see a uniformly designed set celebrating these great moments where players finally find that mountain peak by raising the cherished Cup over their head.

Current collection - 43 cards

5 comments:

  1. Nice finds! I think I like the Ward the most, probably because it's horizontal and frames the picture better, plus it's the only one where the Cup is almost entirely visible.

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  2. I have a few suggestions for your "Raise the Cup" collection (I took a quick peek at your older posts, and I don't think I saw any of them). They are all base cards from earlier Upper Deck sets, so you might just have them lying around:
    - 1990-91 #167 (Tikkanen)
    - 1991-92 #299 (Francis)
    - 1992-93 #436 (Lemieux)
    - 1995-96 #211 (Brodeur)

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  3. Hey Chris,

    Thanks for the info. I will check to see which ones I have. I'll toss any that I don't onto a wantlist.

    I appreciate the help.

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  4. The Gretzky card is my favorite from the three, then Potvin and then the Ward card. I found a Valerie Kamensky (Colorado) card from Topps rising the Cup that I think you might like, it's a nice looking card! Send me your address and I'll send it your way. cardsfromthecrease(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. Hi Brad,

    That's very kind of you.

    Thanks.

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