LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Brought To You By The Letter "D"

I mentioned a couple days ago that there was a package waiting for me at the post office.  There was one card that was still in transit from my recent ebay binge and I was pretty sure that the card was waiting for me.

I was right.

There are times when I get pretty excited to see a new Linden card hit the desk.  New concepts like the Captain C top and bottom half, tough finds like a quad patch /5 from a decade ago and even simple cards with a cool photo.  There's a lot out there that gets me pumped for the quest (and the conquer).

Recently, the frequency of exciting purchases has diminished.  I think part of that is the sheer number game when it comes to Linden cards.  The past four years have seen a virtual explosion of Linden cards come onto the market.  It's tough enough just keeping my list up to date.

Trevor Linden Cards Produced
2008/09 - 14 cards
2009/10 - 1 card
2010/11 - 85 cards (first year of Panini & ITG inclusion of Trevor as a retired player)
2011/12 - 103 cards
2012/13 - 167 cards
2013/14 - 58 cards (so far)

While the 10/11 season changed my collecting habits considerably, it was in a new and exciting way.  There had been a few years of little to none.  It was the 12/13 season that changed my attitude towards my player collection forever.  When there's too much stuff out there, the 'wow factor' goes down.  Even when you have low numbered cards.  Heck, even 1/1's aren't what they used to be.

I'm now a lot more patient when new products come out.  I'm a lot less pumped for the new waves of cards being thrust into the secondary market.  And I'm not going to pay high-end prices on cards that don't give me that 'wow factor' - even if it's a 1/1.

But today I can say is a day that I was excited for.

A few months back I landed my first Trevor Linden Nameplate.  Again, when it's the first of something in my collection - I get a big grin going.  Would I like to land all six letters?  Sure.  But realistically that's not going to happen.  I'm content with just the one letter from the set.

Today, I landed a second letter.

2013/14 In The Game Used

#NP-426 Nameplate "D"  1/1

This letter just happens to be from a different jersey.

I realize his days as a Hab were limited (about as much as most of his cards out there these days), but fact is - Trevor Linden wore one of the most iconic jersey in the history of pro sports.  And nothing will take that away from him.

To obtain a nameplate letter from a game used Montreal jersey....yeah, I'm excited.

Again, am I looking to get all the letters?  Sure.  Will that happen?  Not likely.

But I do think I'd like to build a "career" nameplate.  And so far I've got a "D" and an "N".  I'm a third of the way there.