OUTSIDE THE BOX - A Couple Of Legends

Let's go over the list one more time....

Like sifting through boxes looking for gems - CHECK

Sucker for a deal - CHECK

Enjoys a good laugh - CHECK

So when I came across a box full of non-sport priced at three bucks a piece or 2 for $5....I decided to take a few moments.

I came to a quick halt when I saw this gem....

Ha ha ha......who loves ya' baby!

I have no idea what possessed...............oh yeah right.  I'm a sucker.

Get it!!!  I'm starting to show my age.

The back of the card has some great info on Mr. Savalas (I just can't call him Telly)....

"Telly Savalas ranks among the most recognizable actors of the 20th century.  A veteran of World War II, Savages was nominated for an Academy Award in 1963 for Birdman of Alcatraz.  Of course, his most famous role came as Lt. Theo Kojak on Kojak.  Who loves ya' baby!"

Very cool.

Anyways, I confirmed with the seller 2 for $5 and began digging for card #2.

It was a non-sport box but found this equally impressive legend....

The King.......Richard Petty.  Race Used Firesuit.  Look at that photo!!

That was good enough for me.

These two cards for a measly five bucks.  All.....day.....long.

RAISE THE CUP - 2007 Ducks Authentic Moment

Another benefit to hunting and digging through numerous boxes looking for cards....you tend to find stuff you weren't even looking for.

In fact, I can't even claim to have found this card in particular.

Leave it to fellow collector, digger and frugal-minded collector Captain Canuck for finding this little offering for me.

Great eye!  This is a super shot of the "Big Three"??? posing for Polaroids after their big win in 2007.  Getzlaf, Perry and........some other guy.  Oh yeah - Dustin Penner.  Whatever happened to him?

Anyways, it was a solid pickup and I guess I have Captain Canuck to thank (although I'm sure I would've seen this one when I eventually went through that same box....it was just inevitable).

Adding another card to the ever growing binder tonight and I had a chance to flip through the pages.  I like when a project such as this starts showing some teeth.  A fun, inexpensive collection.

And that's what the hobby is all about.

(oh......and helping people)

For the record, Dustin Penner - a TWO TIME Stanley Cup Champion....ugh - last played in the NHL in 2014 and was last seen being unceremoniously booted from TSN's Trade Deadline team after tweeting some "insensitive stuff".  I think we will leave things at that.  Yikes.

Current Collection - 156 cards

VOICES OF THE GAME - Charlie Simmer

I like digging.  Digging through huge monster boxes of cards.  Not base cards but inserts.  Jersey cards and autos that have been sitting for far too long in a closet.....with blowout prices on them.

I like that.

The recent card show had me sifting through a couple tables worth of boxes and I managed to find a few diamonds in the rough.

I made the decision to not go overboard and buy stuff for my trade box.....but that didn't last long.  Some Masked Men I and II card for .50 cents each killed that goal.  I'm a sucker for a good deal.

Looking back I wonder if that was a good deal??  Ha ha.

Anyways, on to one of the cards I found through my hours of digging.

2010/11 Panini Crown Royale

Voices Of The Game

#1 Charlie Simmer

This is a very small collection I have passively been building.  Working in the world of television and media I thought it would be fun to go after these cards.  Especially when you start the collection off with a legend like Dick Irvin.  As my nephew would say....noice.

Charlie used to do color commentary for the local Flames games for a few seasons back before the huge Sportsnet NHL bid.  He wasn't too bad to listen to......but I'll admit I like his signature better.

Simmer has a real nice auto and it fills the card out well.  He seems to be sporting a Kings jersey in the photo...likely from a night honouring him - or a teammate.

For just a few bucks I'm happy to add it to the meek collection.

Oh.......and in case you were wondering......Bob Cole does have a signature card (or two).  It's officially on the radar.


Current Collection - 8 cards

SIGNATURE CHAMPIONS - Chris Chelios

Let's keep the show & tell posts from my card show haul going.

I may not have picked much up, but what I did get I'm happy to add to the various pc's in my hobby world.

I've said it a few times.....the 2014/15 Upper Deck Premier Signature Champions set might be one of the nicest auto sets I've seen.  As you all know I'm a sucker for the Stanley Cup shots and the hard signed autos make this a great build.

Some tough cards to chase, but I'm in no rush.  I added an easier one from the show.

This Chris Chelios comes from his days as a Detroit Red Wing (would've preferred him in a Habs jersey) but boy does this photo ever look good.  Look at all the action behind him....everyone clamouring for the best shot.  Looks like the photog who took this pic got "the one".

It's numbered to 99 copies (one of the easier to chase in the set) but the asking price was a little more than I wanted to spend.  I think I caved because I had just sold a card a few minutes beforehand and had some extra cash in my pocket.  A dangerous mix.

And of course a quick check on completed eBay sales confirm that I paid too much.  Hate to say it....but this is just not a $20 card.

Except to me.  But I guess it could be worse.

Not huge buyer's remorse.....but a little.

In the end I'm glad to cross another one off the list from this set.  It's coming along nicely.


Current Collection - 8 of 42  (19%)

LINDEN uh.....MINI FIGURE OF THE WEEK - Card Show Gold!!!

So the big card show in town happened this past weekend and I was rarin' to go.  I was excited to see some of the guys that I've come to know over my many years of collecting and check out some of the dealers who have come in from out of town....it's always nice to see some new stuff on tables.

The show was great.  A good number of tables, decent variety, some good deals to be had and just a really positive vibe.  A great way to kill and afternoon.

I'll spend some time sharing some of my finds over the next few posts but there were two things that were the main takeaways from the show.

First.....I seem to have much better luck finding stuff for other people.  A diehard Sedin collector (who has a pretty tiny wantlist) has been a great friend to me in this hobby.  Enthusiastic about collecting, selfless and genuine.  I've made a point to keep an eye out for him at the local shows here and couldn't believe when I found not one...but two cards on his wantlist.  An Artifacts dual stick /8 and an UD Contours gold /10.  Unbelievable.  I can't wait to send them his way.

Second.....the price of an item is absolutely not related in any way, shape or form to the enjoyment one can get from it.

Case in point.....

I am THRILLED to have found this sitting in a big Rubbermaid container on the ground to the side of a guy's table.

I was just minding my own business and noticed one of these mini McFarlane dual cases.  Ryan Smyth and Mark....ugh Messier.  I decided to take a closer look as they are not that easy to find.

I noticed the small 16 on the sleeve of another figure down at the bottom of the bin.  I crossed my fingers as I pulled the package out.

I couldn't believe it.

Now, I already have one in my collection (and I remember paying a stupid amount - the shipping from the States was gross) but had to ask what the asking price was on this one.

"Four bucks".

I couldn't get the money out of my pocket fast enough.

Why did I want this mini figure so badly?

So I could do this.

All of my other Linden McFarlanes are still nicely in their cases (except the one exclusive to the Canucks store....I bought two when I went to Linden's jersey retirement ceremony and opened one).  I was like a little kid as I tore into this one.

I must say, I'm really impressed with the way these look.  Pretty good detail.

Ok.....maybe the face needs a little bit of work, but the logos, numbers, stick and "wrinkles" all really make this little dude come to life.

The back of his jersey looks equally impressive.  The name and number just feel right.

I can't wait to take this one to work.....be bugged again about my hobby enjoyment, and add this to my little shrine on my shelf.  It'll sit proud....free from it's plastic case.

Four bucks well spent in my opinion.

MY COLLECTION - More Medicine Hat Tigers Pucks

I've been sitting here tonight watching Hometown Hockey on Sportsnet...the Canucks vs. the Ducks.  They are set up in Medicine Hat, Alberta - home of the Tigers (and Trevor Linden) and so my interest in the show was definitely a little higher than normal.

I had to PVR the pregame as I was at the Flames afternoon tilt against the Islanders but have watched both intermissions where Trev's parents came out (and maybe embarrassed their son a bit) and featured play-by-play legend Bob Ridley.  I haven't seen so much 80's Tigers Cooperalls in a long, long time.  Great stuff.

Made me want to share the rest of my antique show find from a couple weeks ago.


Back in December I hit gold at an antique show.  In addition to a vintage hockey colouring book and scrapbook I found a couple nice Medicine Hat Tigers pucks from the Linden/Memorial Cup era.  I was on cloud nine.

So you could only imagine my reaction when I went to the most recent antique sale and found these...

Holy cow.........what the heck???!!!!!

My go to when I get to this show is the back corner and the sports guy.  He tends to have some goodies.  And this time it was hockey pucks - lots of them.  He had 70's era game pucks with logos from the Leafs, Blues, Penguins, Bruins, Barons (oh yeah) just to name a few.

He must have had about 40 or so pucks just overflowing a box on the table and as I was digging the smile on my face just got bigger.

Five Medicine Hat Tigers pucks.  Sure, I have one of them already...but the condition pales in comparison to these.  It was a no brainer for me to ask prices.  He fired off a fair number and I guess my hesitation  made him balk.  He dropped his offer by ten bucks and we had ourselves a deal.

Now......what the heck era is that gem in the upper left?  That one has me super curious.

I'm definitely going to have to get one of these signed in the future.

I feel like I'm slowly building a bit of a Medicine Hat Tigers collection.  I like that.

Now....if I could just find a late 80's era jersey.  :)

OUTSIDE THE BOX - 1975 Topps Minis

There's an antique show that runs in my city every six months that has slowly become a staple for me, my mom and my niece (and sometimes nephew) to check out.  I love the fact that there's an event out there where three generations of people can go and enjoy a day out and maybe find some treasures.

I am always keeping an eye out for one seller in particular who always seems to have some neat sports stuff.  He used to work for the local media here in town and has things like photo sheets, slides, yearbooks, media guides and posters.  This past show he had a box full of gorgeous hockey pucks - game issued from the late 1970's.  Oh....if I only had the money, I would have bought them all.

But he did have something that I couldn't stop thinking about and finally decided to take a chance on.

1975 Topps Minis........about 300 of them.

Man is this set ever beautiful.  The colours, fonts and crisp looking backs make this one of the all-time great sets.

I was ho-humming about snagging them because....well, simply put I just don't know a lot about them. What's a good price?

So I tried my best to do a little research.  Sometimes not knowing is best.....you can make a little lower offer and just say "Hey......I'm taking a flyer on this".

I think this will pay off though.

BAM!!  What a great card.  Sure it's no George Brett rookie card.....but a Gary Carter is no slouch.

Man does he ever look young in that pic.  I guess that's why they called him "The Kid".

It's in decent shape and I'm just thrilled to have found this in the lot.

How about a Nolan Ryan?  Dude is just legendary.

This one again is in really nice shape.  Great colours and the backs are just spot on.

Ryan's highlight card is a little more rough.  Way miscut and a little softer on the edges.

But still......it's Nolan.

Reggie!  Reggie!  Reggie!

I love this card.  The batting helmet, the green and gold, the colours on the card - awesome.

Another one that is in really nice shape.

Johnny Bench is a player I wish I got to see play in his prime.  I don't think I fully have come to appreciate just how good he was.  He's like the Bobby Orr of baseball for me.  Just a few years before I was aware of him.

Look at that background.  Man they don't make cards like this anymore.

I really like the shot of this Steve Carlton too.  Empty seats galore.  Makes me laugh because where I work, using any sort of footage with empty seats is such a no-no.

I just realized the facsimile autos on these (yeah....I'm slow).  These look even better now.

Checklists might be boring....but not unmarked ones from the 70's.

This one is a little diamond cut but is still in solid shape.

Second verse same as the first.  I like this one even more to be honest.

So.......what's a good price on the lot?

I paid $40cdn for all of them.  Did I do good?  I feel as though I'll be able to make a little on them down the road.  For now, I'm happy to just have them part of my collection.


Oh....I almost forgot.

The best find of the day at the antique show....

You might have to be my age or older to be impressed by this.

An Archie Bunker Grandson doll.

Who's buying this?  I don't know how many 5-year-old girls would be watching All In The Family back in the day.

"Physically Correct Male"????  Ok.

Classic!!!!  An no.....I did not buy it.  (although I wonder if I should have)