1 vs. 100 - We Have One Final Trade

I mentioned that I was doing my best to clean up the card bomb that went off in my office.  It was a slow exploding bomb - months to fully detonate actually, but the effects are slowly starting to fade away.

One of the cards I had set aside came from a package with some Oscar Gamble items and a couple nice gifts.

I recently completed my '1 vs. 100' project and obtaining that last card was in quick order after getting the wantlist down to just a single item.  In fact, I might have picked up the card a little too quickly for some.

This Tomas Hertl /98 just couldn't get into my hands fast enough before I grabbed the Craig Smith to finish off the project.

But that doesn't mean it's not very much appreciated - and a part of the set.

I'm jumping one final hurdle in order to include the Hertl.  (oh, see what I did there)

Thanks Kevin for the memorable final card in my project.  But if you think I'm going to re-do my master 100-card mosaic.....forget it.  Ha.

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!! - Greg Maddux

It's been a long time since I've shared a lovely card moments before putting them in the bike spokes.  Not that there's been nothing out there to share (ITG Used and their Esposito episode...I'm looking at you and your friends), but I just haven't taken the time to scan anything up.

But when I participated in some pack ripping at the monthly trade night, I found a gem that not only needed to be in the spotlight, it reminded me of one of the all-time great crappy cards in my collection.

Years ago, I shared a gem of a card from a terribly ugly set concept - Be A Player Signature Series Golf.  This Paul Kariya offering might go down as one of the worst hockey cards ever.

What I found even funnier is that not too long ago I decided to part with it. Seems someone is legitimately doing the set.  Hey....to each their own.

But now I can say that I have replaced it with something equally as offensive.  Yes, it's baseball....but it's still golf.

2015 Topps Stadium Club

Greg Maddux #259

Holy crap, I don't know what's worse...the fact that this guy is one of the all-time greatest pitchers in Major League history, or that Topps decided to use THIS photo in their product release.

There are a ton of great photos used in this set.  Paul Molitor, George Brett (fave pic) and Derek Jeter are perfect examples of what a card photo should be.  Greg chipping from the bunker is not.

Maybe I'm a little more sensitive because it's Maddux - my all-time favorite pitcher.  He was dominant as a Cub and I hated to love him as a Brave, but the numbers don't lie.

And it's a shame he wasn't the first player to ever be inducted to the Hall Of Fame unanimously (some people and their silly shenanigans...sheesh).

But to honor his accomplishments with a golf pic straight out of the 90's does him no justice.....and makes the decision easy.

For the disservice in honoring one of the greatest pitchers - ever......


PPPPPPPPFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!

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

HHOF AUTOS - Mike Gartner

It was a day off for me from work and I did nothing but look at the explosion of cards on my desk.  You'd think I would have made some progress....but no.  OK, maybe a little.  I just got caught up in looking at some cards I had forgotten about and even did some scanning.

That's progress right??

One card that I'm happy to show off came from a trade night earlier in the month.  I knew I'd be able to pick up a hard-signed Mike Gartner card for my Hall Of Fame project fairly easily, so I was picky on the type of signature I'd chase.

Mike Gartner

(Inducted in 2001)

Needless to say, I'm pretty happy with this one.

Now, the scan makes it look like there's some gum stain type of stuff, but no - that's just the card design.  It looks really solid in person.  Thick card stock, silver foil (again, doesn't scan well), great photo from an era that reeks of Caps Gartner and a silver signature to finish it off.

The moment I saw this card pulled from the pack - and the resulting unimpressed look at what many would say is not an enticing hit - I knew I'd be walking out with it.

An easy trade (as always) with the card shop and this newest addition was mine.

This Gartner has made me take a look at my other cards in the project.  It's one thing to acquire a card - any card - for my set, but to get one that has the aesthetics, photo and solid signature that really appeals to me...now that's something.

There are a couple cards that I'd be happy to upgrade down the road (and have even done so in the past).  This is turning out to be a much more fluid project as a result.  Good stuff.

My goal of 100 hard-signed Hall Of Fame autograph cards is coming along nicely.  Slow, but nice.  I'm looking to up the pursuit this season and hopefully knock at least another 20 off the list before the playoffs hit.

Current Collection - 65 HOF Autos

LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - Warm Fuzzy Thank Yous

It was the busiest stretch of work all year, but last week also brought with it one of the most significant and historic events to ever grace the facility I work at.  It was a thrill to not just witness it.....but to realize just how rare and special the moment was as it was happening.  It was pretty cool.

And now, it feels like we've shifted into fifth and are settling in the for the final push.  In the meantime, hockey season will hit full swing - and I can't wait.

I managed to hit up the local trade night tonight and walked away with a few great gifts.  It was exciting to say the least.  The generosity in others never goes unappreciated - and I never take those gestures for granted.

And to add to the great night....I got home to an awaiting bubble mailer that I was not expecting.  Inside was card and a letter.

The card speaks for itself.  A beautiful high grade Linden rc.  I have a PSA 10 OPC and Topps sitting in my collection and am always on the lookout for a pristine Beckett 10 (which I don't even know if one exists).  A 9.5 has been on the radar for years....but I just never pulled the trigger on one.

Recently I saw a copy show up on one of the hobby boards and I inquired about it.  I don't know if his response (which was a little on the odd side) was to smokescreen me into being patient while he shipped it off....but needless to say I was stunned to see it in my mailbox - just because.

I mentioned a letter was in the package too.  It really made my day for the sender to share a bit of his story regarding the card.  I also really appreciated the kind words towards me and also towards others who have been equally selfless in the past.

So a hearty THANK YOU to you Matt for the great gift.  It will sit proudly in my collection and have a fitting story to anyone who looks at it.

It was this Linden that really kicked off the night.  A pack-pulled beauty from the most recent OPC offering.  Four packs....and this found its way into one of them.

I must say, I got a little excited when I saw the black border....and even more thrilled when I saw the name "Linden".  But I must have had a silly strawberry ice cream grin on my face when it was simply slid my way.

Another hearty THANK YOU to Captain Canuck for the great card - and for opening up some OPC tonight.  Good stuff.

The base even found its way home with me too.  It might just be a worthless base card to some, but to me it is more.

THANK YOU Rob for the gesture.  Always a pleasure.

Uh......what's up with this?

Yes, it too was gifted to me tonight.  And massive bonus points to anyone who can name both players without checking.

I'm going to go with Derek King and Reed Larson.

So what makes this item so special to me?  Why did someone keep it aside in their trade box with me in mind?

Well, it's the flip side of the card.  Yes, this is the "sticker-back" card from the 1989/90 sticker set.  I had the books back in the early-to-mid 80's and loved buying packs, sticking in the stickers and trading with friends - hoping to fill the book before the end of the season.

This flipside Linden though is a little bonus fun.  You could stick the stickers and still have a card.  Genius.

And look at that jersey.  Love the shoulder "V" flares which also show up on the pants (those would be a cool game used pair to own).

While I already have this card in my collection, I will be swapping it out with this new copy - and have yet another great story to tell.

One more THANK YOU to "The Baron" for thinking of me.  I really enjoy this card.


Thank you to everyone who has been selfless or generous or helpful to me, my collection or to anyone out else out there.  While this can seem like a cutthroat hobby at times (and geared towards those with deep pockets), there are many instances where a simple act can flip things around completely.

Cheers!!!


NOTE:  I just checked.  I was 0 for 2 on my guesses.  Anyone that gets them without cheating will be on another level....they are tough.

LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - Much More Mail

With the final days of summer upon us, I can't help but be slightly bummed that I didn't get out golfing more this year.  Hopefully I have one or two rounds left in me but I'm not holding my breath.  But with the clubs nearly put away for another year, I have jumped back into the card collecting realm with both feet.

There are a great number of Linden cards to be had these days.  A quick ebay search showcases a bunch of In The Game Used offerings....many at very low prices.  I guess oversaturation of the market does have its benefits.

But in addition there are some sweet UD Premier Mega Patches, Artifacts always rearing its ugly head, OPC with its (yawn) same ol' and the odd toughie from years past still hangin' around on my wantlist.

I've been able to knock off four over the past week and I'm really happy to do so.  Some great cards and some equally good prices.

2014/15 Upper Deck Artifacts

#31 Patch/Tag  /5

This would go down as the favourite in the bunch.  I love the solid 4 color patch that is evenly distributed in the window.  The tag....I've seen that old CCM logo somewhere before me thinks.  Patch one day....tag the next.

But what I really like about this card is the way I obtained it.

I first saw this card during the Chicago National a few weeks back.  It had been tweeted out by Sports Card Direct.  I had seen their logo before but never really gave it the time of day.

Until now.

I was mentioned to them by a mutual hobby board follower and we quickly started a dialogue regarding the card.  It had a price tag associated with the card....which wasn't overinflated by any means, it was just not in my wheelhouse at the time - especially with the horrible Canadian dollar.

Darren at SCD quickly came back with a "give mean offer you feel is fair".  I must say, I gotta love when I deal with people who have that attitude.

So I sent off my offer, along with a note saying that he would likely get more than that on the open market...it would be doubtful that I would be able to compete with the high bids (can't win 'em all).

Almost immediately, Darren responded....happily accepting my offer.  He felt it was fair and he knew that the card was going to a good home.

It was a really smooth transaction and I was thrilled when the card arrived.  It looks even better in person.  Thanks very much Darren.  I hope it's not the last time we do a deal for a sweet Linden card.

2014/15 Upper Deck Black Diamond

#129 Emerald Autograph  /10

The final piece of the 14/15 Black Diamond Puzzle (minus the 1/1) is this nice looking Emerald parallel.  I had seen a couple copies of this card come and go on ebay and I just couldn't go as high on the final prices as the winning bidders.  But that's ok.....patience pays off.

This one popped up one evening with a Buy It Now - at a very good price...less than the final prices of the other two auctions.  So I didn't hesitate.  I can only imagine what the seller must have thought when a card he uploaded literally seconds earlier was snatched up.

The sticker autograph doesn't really do much for me, but I can appreciate the parallel offerings that Black Diamond had in their product.  A regular base card, an Orange 'bonus pack' parallel, a Ruby /50 and this Emerald auto /10.  A good smattering that's not overwhelming.

2014/15 Leaf In The Game Used

#GU3J-16 Triple Jersey Gold  /20

Talk about overwhelming....Leaf's ITGU is one of the most robust products ever for Linden cards.  I think the count is over 35 now (as I've recently seen printing plates in the mix).  Way....WAY too many cards.

And a big beef with me is the triple memorabilia pieces.  Fine, put him on a line with Lindros and Sakic and fire off the parallels....but to then do the same set-up of cards with Modano and Hull just reeks of a company looking to dilute the market.  That, or they have way too much Linden material and they're looking to get rid of it.

If there is a benefit from this bombardment, it's that the prices are incredibly low.  And I've passed on a few of the great deals myself.  I guess low sometimes isn't low enough.

Cards /10 or /5 for well less than any other /10's or /5's ever - EVER in the Linden market.

I'll peg these off slowly and won't miss a beat if I never do finish off the thirty-whatever cards.  They don't do much for me.

2014/15 Leaf In The Game Used

#RM-TL2 Rare Materials  /5

This is one of the few cards from this product that did get me a little excited.  It's a nice looking card at first glance, but then I just realized it's just six windows with stuff in 'em.  No 'complete jersey' feel to it, no fight straps or distinguishing windows.  Just six small patch pieces.

Don't get me wrong, they're nice patches....but they lose their lustre pretty quick when there's really nothing to the concept of the card.

I mean....what's 'rare' about this material?

And I don't know about you, but the fact the photo used doesn't match the pieces in the windows does bug me a bit.  I thought we were past a time when it was THAT difficult to acquire a photo.

Speaking of the photo....what's that little bit of missed photoshopping on his chest?  Did they just say "aw, that's enough removal of the crest".  If you're going to paint out the logos....then do it right.

Geez.....makes it seem that I'm not too thrilled with these last couple cards.  And that's not the case....I'm just hyper-aware of the shortcomings that many cards have these days.  It really shouldn't take much to get these looking razor sharp.

But it's four off the list....and I'm ready for hockey season.

OUTSIDE THE BOX - One Hall Of A Cool Gift

Just got back from my week-long golf trip to British Columbia.  Six rounds in four days......and while it was a ton of fun (and I played some of my best BC golf ever - I'm done with whacking the little white ball around for a while.

I've got a couple new Linden adds that I'll show off later in the week.  Instead, I thought I'd share a very cool gift that came in a recent package.

Five years ago (yes....5), I posted about a great pack ripping evening with my niece.  She had the magic touch when it came to landing the big Upper Deck Young Gun in my $1 packs.  I still remember that moment quite well.  It's one of the few times my niece has dipped her toe into my card collecting hobby, and for just a little while she got to experience the thrill of pulling a solid hit.

That card was eventually parlayed into a tough '1 vs. 100' serial number (I think it was the /8 if I remember correctly).  But every time I see a Taylor Hall YG, I am reminded of that pack rip.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago.  I received a package from a fellow Linden collector (and part-time US auction bidder for me....keeps the cost of shipping way down).  He shipped over some great Oscar Gamble cards for my growing collection, some items for other local collectors, and a very cool gift.....for my niece.

When I first saw the card, I thought of her, but I didn't realize that I had received the card for that reason.  I thought it was going to someone else.  Until I asked.

Turns out this was a card he picked up on the cheap and thought my niece would get a kick out of it.  I know she will.  We'll both have a good laugh over the memory.

I've even got an extra card stand that'll go along with it.  I can only imagine what her friends might say when they see it out on her shelf - proudly displayed for all to see (She'll display it right???  Hockey cards are cool if you're a high school girl???).

I'll be seeing her tomorrow and am anxious to see her face when she sees the Hall.

Thanks Kevin for the great gift.  You've got a pretty darn good memory.

And I do too.

WALLET CARD - Mailday Showoff

One of the packages I received last week included a sweet batch of Oscar Gamble cards.

I've been passively....VERY passively building an Oscar Gamble pc.  After choosing my 76 Topps card as my #WalletCard for the year, it seemed like a logical choice.  But this is all about fun - FUN!!

I've seen dozens of Gamble cards on ebay over the past few months but have been rarely active in buying any.  Most of his cards (about 150 or so) are on the low end of the $$$ scale...which is absolutely fine by me.  What it does do though is make me less interested in buying them online.

Instead, I'd rather pick them up locally or through trade.

But a few months back I was contacted by someone who was making a couple online purchases from sites that focus on lower-end cards.  So....when in Rome...

I also did grab a couple cards that I thought would fit in the "tougher to find" category.  When all the cards arrived, they were packaged up and sent my way.

Now I'm not going to scan each and every one of the penny base cards, but I will share my favorite.

This 1984 Topps card has a lot going for it in my eyes.

First off, I love the classic, horrible centering job.  It's so bad....it's good.  The card has great surface sheen and strong corners, Topps just couldn't get that darn photo in the middle of the off-white rectangle.

I like this card for the flashback memory it gave me since I collected baseball cards in the early 80's - and I remember buying packs of 1984 (it was OPC though since I live in Canada).

Lastly, is it me or is that a dead ringer for Richard Pryor circa Brewster's Millions?

You be the judge.

As for the rarest card to cross my deck, it was one that I absolutely hate the concept of and upon closer look think it's a complete laugh.

This cut signature card put out by Tristar reeks of horrible.

It's a cut auto of a guy who's living.  It's a cut auto from some existing photo (I hate those....especially when said signer is still alive).  And the signature doesn't fit in the window.

Upon closer look, the auto isn't even placed in the background of the top die-cut layer.  It's like a puzzle piece cut and then placed into the window.

But hey....it's /5 so that makes it a super-rare and desirable piece right?  WRONG.  It was a cheapie on COMC that I made an offer on as opposed to flat out buying.  In the end, it cost me a little over $10.  And I'm pretty sure that the product it comes from is more than a $10 product.

Overall, I'm happy to add these (and all the other cards into my collection.  It feels nice to make some progress.

This card is in serious consideration for the bike spokes.