TRADER'S NIGHT PICKUPS - Autofacts

It was a trip to the LCS tonight for the monthly trader's night. And while the store is pretty much all the way across town, I have managed to make the last 3 or 4 of them. They're fun.

A bunch of guys, a little pizza, a box of traders and the hockey game on the tube is something I'm up for once in a while.

Oh, and did I mention 'Pack Wars'?

Yes, it can get a little tight on the wallet, but when you win 3 rounds during the evening it makes the sting a lot more tolerable.

I ended up winning a round of 10/11 Upper Deck I, 09/10 SP Authentic and 10/11 Donruss. Not any huge hits (although I did see someone win a hard signed Patrick Roy auto from SP Authentic /10.....a real nice card), I ended up with a Jeff Skinner Young Guns card and a Mike Santoralli hard signed Future Watch card. That's about it.

Still, a lot of fun.

I made one trade tonight with someone I met for the first time there. He collected Mike Modano stuff and I happened to have a few jersey cards of his in my traders box. I noticed he had a bunch of Autofacts cards from various years and so we struck a deal.

I was really happy with the trade. Here's what I brought home...

2008/09 Artifacts
Autofacts

A real nice looking set. And I was drawn to the doodle-esque signature of Josh Harding. Sadly, I already had the Casey Borer card (which I realized when I got home). Still, not a bad start.

2009/10 Artifacts
Autofacts

Equally as nice, this set is framed a little better as a card in general IMO. The Mason Raymond is a sharp looking card.

2007/08 Artifacts
Autofacts Dave 'Tiger' Williams

This one was the first to catch my eye. The vintage uniform, the instantly recognizable name and a solid signature to top it off.

A great card to cap off a great trade.

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - 1998/99 Aurora Championship Fever Copper

With the continuous onslaught of new Linden cards coming in at a rapid pace (alright, I may be a embellishing things a tad) I've decided to go with an older card for this installment of the Linden Card Of The Week.

One of the more enjoyable aspects of this hobby is the ability to trade with others. Sharing the goals of finding that which has eluded us.....sometimes for months - sometimes for years.

Hobby boards and the internet in general has been an invaluable resource for tracking down numerous cards for my collection. But there's something to be said for tracking down a card in person and making an old fashioned trade.

Such was the case with this card...

1998/99 Pacific Aurora
#28 Championship Fever Copper /20

It was probably 6 or 7 years ago when I went to a card show in Red Deer. I had been buying a table or two at the local card show for some time and there was a bigger show in Red Deer. A few of us from Calgary went and a few from Edmonton made it out as well.

I remember being really disappointed at the turnout (I'm thinking the advertising was pretty much nil for the show). Frustrated at what seemed to be a wasted weekend, I decided to take a closer look around at the other dealers to see if there was anything I could take back home.

Hiding in the back piles on one table was this little gem. Now, the card was about 4 or 5 years old at this point and I never really thought I'd find a copy of it (as they're only numbered to 20). I immediately asked what the asking price was and if the owner would be willing to trade.

He popped over to my table and noticed a Luc Robitaille rookie card. He also scoped out a Patrick Roy 2nd year card. Combined, I think the price tag would have been $50-60 bucks. After some pondering, I decided to agree to the trade.

On the ride home, I was talking with one of the other dealers I drove up with and he mentioned that I paid a steep price for the card. My first thought was 'you're right', but that quickly waned and I said "Maybe so, but I'm coming home with a Linden card that I never thought I'd find. How can I be disappointed".

Years later, I consider it the best trade I have ever made for a Linden card. The two cards I traded could probably be had for $20 now. The Linden....well let's just say I have never seen another copy of it surface - ever.

STASHED IN THE CLOSET - The Man Behind The Mask Comic

Years ago, I had the idea for a documentary. I thought it would be cool to see a 4 or 5-part series on the history of the goalie mask.

From its inception in 1959 all the way up to today, the mask has intrigued me. The evolution, the designs, the personal significance and the uniqueness. It's something that has always stuck with me.

At the time I thought of this idea (which would have been about 10 years ago) I thought it would be cool to have it completed so it could air Nov. 1, 2009 - the 50th anniversary of Jacques Plante donning the mask for the first time.

Well, the doc didn't get off the ground, but I can appreciate that there have been both books and docs released to focus on this great subject.

In my research and collecting of all things goalie mask, I came across this neat comic book released back in 1996.


It was illustrated by Michael Dixon and was released through McDonald's chains as part of a 4-comic series. The series was an adaptation of the famous 'Heritage Minutes' (if you live here in Canada, you'll know what I mean).


This comic tells the story of Jacques Plante, goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens, and how he came to wear the goalie mask in a game for the first time in 1959.

For those who don't know the story, Plante had been practicing with the mask but would be told not to wear it in games by coach Toe Blake. In a game against the New York Rangers, center Andy Bathgate came down and fired a shot that nailed Plante square in the face. Just three minutes into the game, play was halted while Plante went off for stitches.


You have to remember, back in those days, there were no backup goalies....so the teams and fans waited. After getting repairs done to close up the gash on his face, Plante lets coach Blake know that he would not be going back into the game unless he wore his mask.

Eventually succumbing to Jacques' demand, Blake allows him to wear it. And when Plante returned to the ice with his mask, fans in the crowd were confused and even frightened by the crude homemade contraption being worn by the Habs netminder.


That all changed quickly when Plante went on to win the game 3-1.

After the game, Plante refused to get rid of the mask. While coach Blake tried to convince Plante he didn't need it, Plante's play in net eventually ended the discussion. 18 straight wins with the mask.

The mask would become a permanent part of professional hockey.


It took a while for other goalies to follow suit. Many of his peers and opponents called Plante a coward for wearing the mask. But Jacques wouldn't quiver and within a decade, most goalies were wearing the mask on a regular basis.

Today, goalies wouldn't even think of going into the crease without a mask and many of the tenders credit the mask for extending their careers.

It's a great part of hockey history, and this comic book captures it really well. The illustrations are slick and the story is simple in its delivery.

For those who have never seen the 'Heritage Minutes' segment, here it is...

RAISE THE CUP - Getting Caught Up

Another month, another trip to the local card show. I was really looking forward to this one as there have been some product releases with Trevor Linden included in them. It has been a while since I have snagged a Linden card for the PC at a card show.

While I did find a Panini Limited 'Legends' base (which was given to me by the vendor....thank you!), there were some greater successes with some of my other projects. Most notably, my Raise The Cup one.

2007/08 Upper Deck
Lord Stanley's Heroes
#LSH4 Scott Niedermayer

All I have to say is - Scott Niedermayer looks like an old man Muppet with that beard and those possessed eyes. Scary and funny all at the same time.

2007/08 Upper Deck
Lord Stanley's Heroes
#LSH7 Travis Moen

Cool to see a key grinder get some face time in this cool looking insert set. I remember him (and his whole line) really stepping up in the finals. Remember Sammy Pahlsson? And who could forget.......wait.....what? Rob Niedermayer? The consummate floater? Ugh! Well, two outta three ain't bad.

2008/09 Upper Deck
Montreal Canadiens Centennial Set
Coupe Stanley Cup #199 Larry Robinson

A couple of cards from the Habs' Centennial set as well. A great looking bunch of cards coming from this product. Fantastic photos that for the most part I have never seen before.

That said, this card (which celebrates the 1986 Cup victory) has a cool looking photo, but would definitely not be the pic I would use to represent this victory. Remember some guy named Patrick Roy? He definitely deserves some credit and this would have been a fantastic opportunity to include him here.

2008/09 Upper Deck
Montreal Canadiens Centennial Set
Coupe Stanley Cup #194 Henri Richard

On the other hand, this is a great looking photo to have represent this victory (the 1973 championship). It epitomizes the hard work and domination that the Habs had that year. Check out some of the players in the lineup...

Ken Dryden, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, Larry Robinson, Henri Richard, Frank Mahovlich, Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, Jacques Lemaire and Yvon Cournoyer. It's almost not fair. That's just insane.

Oh, and to top things off, let's just have Scotty Bowman coach the guys.

Why even play the games.


Current Collection - 29 cards

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!! - Craig Johnson

Tonight was Rogie Vachon night in Los Angeles. A tribute to one of the most popular L.A. Kings players of all time. Announced as being "the first superstar in Kings' history", his jersey hangs in the rafters along side the likes of Gretzky, Robitaille, Dionne and Taylor.

One interesting note from the pregame ceremony, they were really pushing - and I mean REALLY PUSHING to get him into the Hall Of Fame. Throwing stats out there, pleading to the powers that be and even having Luc Robitaille come out and vouch for him. It was a little much and I could almost see Rogie starting to become a little uncomfortable with the whole situation.

One of the cool things associated with tonight's theme - retro jerseys for the Kings. Quite possible the single best jersey ever seen in NHL history.

To top off the gorgeous purple and gold look, backup goalie Jonathan Quick was donning his retro crown mask and the decked out brown pads and gloves for the occasion.


Fantastic! If only they would keep this look through the entire season. Think of the cards, the memorabilia cuts and so on that could come of it. And still could I guess.

Anyways, tonight's game got me thinking about some other jerseys the Kings have worn in years past. As it happens, I have a card that depicts the complete opposite of what was seen tonight.

1996/97 Upper Deck
#80 Craig Johnson

Man alive! Those are some ugly looking jerseys.

Now, I understand that in the mid-90's, there was a real push for these third jerseys throughout the league. Every team seemed to have some sort of crazy looking alternate look. I saw it as more of a cash grab as it probably upped jersey sales considerably.

Looking into the history of this atrocious looking jersey (which only appeared in the 1995/96 season), I came across this info on the Kings' website...

After the 1994-95 season, Philip F. Anschutz and Edward P. Roski, Jr. purchased the Kings and began a rebuilding phase. One of their initiatives included the Kings first-ever third jersey, part of an NHL-wide initiative. Five teams introduced alternate jerseys on Jan. 27, 1996, the Kings wearing theirs in a 5-4 win against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at the Great Western Forum.

The sweater design included arcing gradient stripes transitioning from black on the upper right front to light gray on the bottom left. Shoulder patches of the Kings primary logo made their first appearance, while on the upper left front there was the only human image ever featured on a Kings jersey. The angular features of the new King logo and sharply defined colors contrasted the blended color scheme of the stripes.

Very few of these jerseys still exist as they were only worn one season, and they are considered a collectors item by fans of the Los Angeles Kings.

Collector's item.......uh-huh. Right!

I still can't believe that the NHL, in their infinite wisdom, had the audacity to put their face of the league - Wayne Gretzky - into one of these embarrassments.

I can't say I miss them in the least. It's not your fault Craig Johnson, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Burger King jersey card...

PPPPFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!

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


As a little bonus, here's some cool Rogie Vachon footage. Enjoy.

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2009/10 SPGU Authentic Materials

Well, I finally am getting around to showing off some of my $1 jersey cards from last month's card show. The thought of $1 jersey cards is still a mind boggler for me. Just a few years ago, you'd never see a memorabilia card go for less than $5 bucks. Before that, one would hardly dip below $10. The saturation of the market has made these cards virtually undesirable for most collectors. Sad, because I see a lot of value in them.

This selection was easily my favorite in the lot I picked up and I was really happy to snag a full eight cards to complete the most recent 'One Sheet, One Set' contribution.

2009/10 SPGU Authentic Materials

Right off the bat, these jersey cards are an eye catcher. To me, they are a solid step up from the jerseys in Upper Deck's signature release. There are 84 cards in the set which makes for a fun adventure to snag all of them.

What makes a solid jersey card to me is a good sized jersey swatch (with a non-white jersey piece), bold colors and a solid design concept. I'll let the cat out of the bag....this one has all three.


A closer look at the front of the card reveals a very detailed design. The various patterns and lines really give the card a unique (and as mentioned earlier - eye catching) look. The team colors are really bold and give the card a solid punch.

The framing around the jersey piece highlights the fabric nicely. The simple inclusion of the player name, card title and product logo on the left are very well balanced. The player photo cutout is solid although I would have preferred a little better photo selection. I never understood why some sets have superior photos to others. If it's the same company, wouldn't they have the same access to the photos? Do the more exciting photos cost more? Just curious.

The other fine details to the card like the gradient shading, the complex borders and the team name (which is nicely blended into the right side of the card) all add up to a very appealing card front.

Did I mention that it's very eye catching?


The back of the card showcases themes from the front of the card and utilizes a lot of the same elements. While it works very nicely, it is almost too simple in its delivery.

The textured jersey look is something that I'm a sucker for. I've always liked it and this card utilizes it just right. The font style used for the name, team, card number etc. is something that should be a no brainer...so not too many bonus points there. It should be expected.

The headshot isn't the most fantastic but I can forgive the color overlay on it, and using a different photo from the front shows an attention to detail. And I'll even say that the logos and such at the bottom of the card aren't too bad. That's because I think there's other junk on the card back that should go first.

The big beef I have with jersey cards (and have had for a while) is the 'disclaimer' on the back. While it may say congratulations, what it really says is "Look, we're not trying to rip you off, so we are putting in detail the type of card you have in your hands." Thank you Captain Obvious.

Yes, it's a piece of jersey used in an nhl game. Yes, it's not bogus. Yes, it's not a photoshoot. Yes, it's not from a legends game. Yes, it's not from whatever. I really don't think that there needs to be a huge explanation on the back of the card for this. I'd much rather be given some different information. Anything!

Is the 'Congratulations' supposed to make me feel special? I guess it must not be working if the card can be had for a paltry $1. Not a fan of this at all.

Last beef on the card back is the hideous 'AF' abbreviation behind the team logo at the top of the card. Where did that come from? Why? A great design concept on the front and this is how it is detailed on to the back. It seems like this element was a last minute decision and it just does not work.

A couple hiccups in what overall is a very.........eye catching card.

At the end of the day this jersey set is a great looking build, and with the game used/auto ratio being 1 per pack, it would be a very feasible project to go after. not too many long odds there.

As mentioned, it's an 84 card set and while some of the names aren't the big guns, there are still the strong list of solids. The most expensive cards are Crosby, Ovechkin, Partick Roy and Gordie Howe all sitting at $12low/$40hi for bv (which I am not a believer in at all) and Gretzky sitting at the top ($20/$50).

I think for the most part though, a lot of singles could be had for less than $5 a piece (and a lot less if you can find a good lot of them all at once). A patient person would easily be able to snag cards for a buck a piece on ebay.

A really nice looking set with some well thought out design elements.

4 out of 5

LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - Panini Limited Retired Numbers

This most recent release from Panini brings with it some good, some bad and some ugly.

The good - more Linden cards to track down. The bad - there's a lot of them and some are pretty rare. The ugly - redemption cards.

Today was a day where all three components came into play. Here are the goods.

2010/11 Panini Limited
Retired Numbers /199

This is a nice looking insert set. Some great names are included as well. Patrick Roy, Marcel Dionne, Ray Bourque, Denis Savard, Mario Lemieux and Lanny McDonald just to name a few.

What a great idea for a set as well. Some of these players haven't (or might not ever) find their names in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but their accomplishments to their team can be celebrated in this set.

2010/11 Panini Limited
Retired Numbers /49

The parallel has a 'mirrored' look to it that really punches the card out nice. Low numbered, it pinched the pocketbook a little bit more.

And there is even a lower numbered parallel to complete the trifecta (/24 copies). That'll leave a mark I'm sure.

Regardless, they are a nice looking card.

2010/11 Panini Limited
Retired Numbers Signature Redemption /49

This on the other hand is not a nice looking card. How can Panini insert live autograph card into some releases and then pop some redemptions into others.

I'm pretty sure I remember some nice signature cards from the Certified release back in November. I even recall an autograph in this very release. Remember.....Monikers.

Did they just not anticipate the number of Linden autograph cards they would have....two months into their agreement with him? Whoops.....we ran out.

I've heard way too many horror stories when it has come to redemptions. People waiting years for their card. Their cards never being made. Crappy replacement cards. It's a bit of a risk to buy truly a chunk of cardboard.

My experiences (albeit limited) have been positive ones and hopefully the trend continues. While I will knock this off the wantlist, it won't officially count towards the collection until I receive the card.

Looking forward to it.