Unexpected Cuts

 Love when a lot of cards produces some surprises...and some really nice cards too.

We have 20 more additions to the 1994 Flair set build. The cards get more and more beautiful every time I see them. The overlay of pictures on the front make a pretty collage.

Sure, we don't get big write ups on the back, but we do get stats which are placed to work around fabulous background picture. Speaking of fabulous - getting a few more Jays is always okay.

Every time I see Pat now, I am reminded of a local baseball card ad on Kijiji (Canadian Craig's List) who is still - and has been for over a year - selling 1,000 Bowman rookie cards of the man. I am tempted at time to buy it, but $75 for 1,000 of the same card just seems steep. Not sure how long it will sit around, but if I find something else to buy from the seller - might ask for a price drop to pick it up as well.

There were about 30 cards which came up that I don't need, and not going to get into those today, because the special cards that came, I mostly needed for the set build, but will need better copies as these are going straight to the error binder...

Look at those wonderful miscuts! More than just a sliver of a card, and not a half and half deal, it's plenty off to keep which still enjoying the main card. I know some people are put off by these cards and would just trash them, but I love their uniqueness. It's like loving an ugly breed of dog - sure, they may look different, but it's part of what makes them special!

I'd take a bunch of error miscuts like this any day!

Something To Marvel At

 Sometimes it doesn't take many cards to have something interesting in the COVID lot. Today, we have a few hologram inserts from the 1992 Impel Marvel Universe set. I've come across most of the base set in lots, but I think these are the first hologram inserts I've had in hand.

Sure there are just three cards, and two of them are the same "Thing", but there are only 5 different ones in the insert set. In hand, the cards are very much in one foil tone/colour. On an angle, you can make out the underlying photos, but the scan actually does a much better job picking it up.

I wasn't a die hard Marvel fan. I did watch a number of the cartoons in the 90s on and off, but none religiously. It was hard to avoid them, they were everywhere. I may never have gotten into the comics, but the cartoons at least gave me enough knowledge of Marvel to make the movies which have come since, worth watching. I may not be a die hard, but they are enjoyable.

If you are a Marvel fan - did it start with the comics? The magazines? Just the movies?

A Bog Boost

 Today's pull from the COVID lot is some great baseball set help - 1994 Studio. Not only do we have 133 base card helpers in the 220 card base set...which gets me to within about 30 cards of being done, but also...

The entire Jays base set!

I know that the backgrounds are a bit photoshopped, but the locker look is unique and I really like it, not to mention the nice foil cursive names. I always found the fronts different in a good way, and that's why I started to collect the set when I only had a hand full of base cards to begin with.

A couple uncorrected error cards as well, but let's take a look at some other base keepers...

The teams look good together with the somewhat similar but slightly different locket scheme background.

The backs aren't nearly as good. Different, but not really up my alley for a back design. Now, I like the fronts more than enough to make up for it, but I need to have my stats on the back.

Taking It From thejaw

 As I continue to knock off cards in my quest to complete the Tim Hortons set from this past year, I did a nice PWE trade with kdinthejaw, a fellow Canadian I have done a number of trades with before.

The trade was really for the inserts, but kd was nice enough to send a few base cards as well. I just happened to receive them in other trades, but it is absolutely the thought that counts.

As for the Hockey Triumphs inserts, getting them for Sid, Ovi, McDavid and as you see below...Marner....

Can't ask for much more in a helpful PWE!

Now, I just need to start getting some of the Gold Etching inserts as I still have yet to get one, let alone more for the binder!

We have another PWE trade - not Timmies related, from jeffwestlake...

Sasha's the star of the bunch, though the Leafs stickers are a nice addition as well! I think that's 3 trades with Jeff in the past couple months!

The Last of the Packs

 We end the Indigo packs with a few newer National Hockey Card Day packs...

I only have a couple cards from each set, so should get some nice pick ups here...

Pack 1 - 

I don't find this year's set as star studded as the 2017 set...I mean who are these guys..."McDavid"...."Lemieux"...."Sittler"....but kidding aside, thrilled to get the Sittler card - didn't have that one before, so would be great to get two so I can have one for the set as well.

Pack 2 - 

Wow - lo and behold, we get a second Sittler! Too bad there's a Karlsson dupe, but Yzerman's a good add, so it all works out. With these packs, I'm up to 9 out of 16 cards for this year's base set.

Last up....let's see about the 2022 pack...

A solid enough set. I don't have any of the cards yet, so all good there, plus Morgan, and honestly - really like the design with the Leaf background. Haven't put the rest of the cards on my want list, but might consider that if I happen across a few more.

Overall - I'd spend the $1.49 for two of the packs of cards I went through the last few days, any time.

Cards For Canada

 The National Hockey Card Days are a nice way to get everyone involved with supporting local card stores. I know there are some that take advantage and just try to collect and invest, even with these "free" packs. Myself, I just like collecting them, and happily try to get the sets where I can.

With the 2017 set, I have 5 of the 17 cards (including the checklist), and hope I might get close to done with these four packs, if the collation works in my favour.

Knock off a few needs, which is about the only reason I'd be happy getting a Roy card.

Wow - I mean, in a 5 card pack, when Mitch Marner is your weakest player, that's a great pack. Nice to get Sid as I needed him, and Bossy, and Marner.

A bit of duplication, but Orr will get to a new home, no problem there.

Darn - too much duplication in the last pack, and I end up short my Auston cards at least.

So on review, I am missing Auston card 1, Tavares card 8, and Auston card 16, so I stand at 14 of 17. Happy to trade with anyone who has those, just let me know. I'd actually love two of each Auston card since I'd like dupes for my Toronto team set as well!

Moving Up

 Well, we get some more MVP hockey cards today, but we bump up a year and have a couple 2019-20 packs today.

Pack 1 - 

Well, that's a pretty flat pack full of base cards. I do have a soft spot for Bobby Ryan and his story, but otherwise, not a whole lot going on for me with this one.

A better go with the second pack as I get a Bruins card to put away for Jeff Scott, an a short print rookie card as well. Joel spent a little time over each of three seasons with the Stars and is trying to get back to the big dance, otherwise spending his time in the AHL.

The MVP packs have been a bit underwhelming, whereas the upcoming National Hockey Card Day packs should brings lot of keepers as I will try to finish those little sets any time!

Last of the 2018-19

 Here we go, the final two packs of 2018-19 Upper Deck hockey to come from the 11 blister packs I got an Indigo....how will these packs end....before we keep going with more from the blister packs, I mean, there's still a couple more newer MVP packs, then the Hockey Day card packs too. Anyway, enough talk, more cards...

That's a nice insert. I don't mind the 1998-99 MVP design. I think it's a bit dated as it screams late 90s to me, but getting Eichel is a solid one to boot.

Well then. Not sure if I am supposed to be happy to pic up a nice Nylander, or if I am being mocked by the hockey pack gods in getting not one, not two, but three Canadiens cards in a 5 card pack. Not sure I am happy to be Shea'd twice in a day.

Well, Holtby makes for a nice card - really digging the goalie poses with the design - nice mix.

Looking For Leafs...

Another couple packs to open today...and since I am still not collecting 2018-19 Upper Deck MVP...fingers crossed for inserts and Leafs!

Blue Jackets hot pack. Alright, not a spectacular pack, but we do get a rookie base card of Matthew Highmore. After Chicago, he has most recently played with the Canucks.

Okay, this second pack is better. Sure a similar rookie card. Well, Bear has most recently been with Vancouver as well. This wins though with the nice goalie cards, especially because Rask can go to another home very quickly.

I know the rookie subset usually gets a slightly different colour than the base cards, but I don't like the colours here as much as other sets. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer the more vibrant colours of the last couple years.

Moving Ahead

 Moving up a year, we get a pack of 2017-18 and one 2018-19 Upper Deck MVP. As I said yesterday, not collecting 2017-18, and for 2018-19, as it turns out, I am just collecting the factory set, so we are back to inserts and Leafs for keepers.

Well, it may not be an insert, but I'll take a short print base card, meaning a rookie card of Jack Roslovic. Jack's done well, though after a few seasons, moved on to the Blue Jackets.

Going on to the 2018-19 pack...

Interestingly, about the same as the last pack - four solid base cards and one short printed rookie card.

Similarly also, after a couple years with one team (Calgary), he moved on to a new team (Florida).

Like yesterday, we get a pair of keepers and 8 cards for trade. For the fun of opening packs, I can go with that trend continuing...or maybe better....maybe?

Looking For An MVP

 I talked about the packs yesterday, so let's open a couple today. First up, a couple packs of 2017-18 Upper Deck MVP. I have the 8 card Toronto base set already, and I am not collecting the base set, so mostly just seeing if there's anything otherwise interesting to keep, or Leaf dupes - so let's see...

Pack 1 - 

Well, given there are just 5 cards, a winner with a Leaf pull, even if I already have them. Adding that it's Frederik and all goalies look pretty good in this design - see Rinne for further proof.

Pack 2 - 

The second pack includes a Rask parallel as it's part of the puzzle back parallels - a give away for the numbering on the front, and the obvious puzzle piece back. That may be the star to me, but it's a Florida hot pack with both Barkov and Luongo.

Given the paid cost a buck fifty - not too shabby to get a couple keepers and decent cards otherwise. Let's see what we end up with tomorrow in the next couple.

Speaking of MVP cards...I received a recent package from GCA, who was an MVP in adding to a couple things...

He sent along a bunch of help on the 2011-02 Upper Deck Victory set I have been slowly working on.

I had about 100 cards left to collect in the 440 card base set, but he was able to knock off close to half of that.

He was also kind enough to send almost all the remaining 1994 Pacific set Blue Jays cards I needed.

The team colour border choice for the bottom of the front cards does really well to make the team set look extra awesome.

Amazing package, and really appreciate it a lot, thank you!

A Reason To Indigo

Not sure if you've looked, but I have had a bit of luck over the last couple years in getting some unopened packs of hockey cards. Indigo has on their small card selection in the kids section, on hangers, blister packs which contain one or two packs of cards for $1.49. Over the last couple years I ended up finding 11 of these packs, and I only pick them up if there are two packs of cards - one I see, and one that's hidden behind.

In picking them up, these are the front packs I saw... 

The sides of the second pack hiding, showed red, and I thought may be another different year MVP pack, but instead was a variety of the following...

Well, since I never had any of these in hand when they came out, let's me add one of each to the unopened pack collection, so that's a great pick up. All in, 22 packs, and even with some going to the unopened pack collection, that leaves me with some packs to open over the next number of days. Given busy season with work, packs do make for an easier time opening, scanning and posting/sharing, so let's do that for a bit!

On The Nose

 Well, I wasn't specifically trying to hit 10,000 cards from the COVID lot on the nose, but as luck would have it, grabbing a bunch of baseball cards got me right there.

We get five keepers which include a couple base set needs, another Bell All Star card and a couple inserts. If I am going to get some baseball cards, not too bad to pick up some Bo Jackson cards. Man may not have had the longest of careers in baseball, but definitely was a star.

Along with more Bo, other big stars of the day to with Cal, Don, Justice, Brett....and I guess Klesko too...kind of.

Most of the cards are from the overproduced era, but a couple stragglers from later 90s sets we have seen before from the lot. A nice little bunch with a bit to keep, and some cards that should move. Still not a fan of the Bowman's Best designs, or the 1991 Fleer yellow, but still like seeing the cards of stars, even if not new to me anymore.