Rookie Print Runs

 Though there have been a few 1994 Signature Rookie cards from the COVID lot - we get a bunch more today.

Back when the print run or serial number itself made the card cool - and it didn't really matter that it was out of 10,000, 20,000, or in this case 45,000. I mean, is it really "special" when there are that many out there, and with this type of card, the card itself is no different since it doesn't have a specific serial number?

The design isn't too bad, but the 1 of 45,000 sure takes up a lot of real estate on the front of the card!

Definitely a set that, if it were baseball or hockey, I wouldn't go out of my way to collect, but would keep copies of any cards that did come by my hands. The print run being on the card is good enough for me - but if it wasn't there, nope, then, just like every card, the print run doesn't matter. I mean, every card has a print run, so it's not "that" special. I am sure I'd make an exception at some point...like a print run under 100 or something, but I have yet to have to have that conversation with myself.

With my football knowledge, or lack thereof, I don't see any particular names that stick out with the cards, but even if there were, wouldn't save them from the trader boxes.

A few Classic football cards to end, and the hope that tomorrow brings something a bit more collectible for me.

Major Quality Minor League

Though I don't collect cards for the minors - whatever the sport - I can understand those who do. The COVID lot brings a bunch of cards today from 1998 Bowman CHL, so I'll show some, but the full 70 cards are in my traders at TCDB if any one is interested.

With hockey sets, I get why there may only be a single year in the release date, but I would much rather a spanning 1998-99. Having both does make it a bit more awkward sorting and finding such sets.

Small complaint, but as for the cards here themselves, a nice enough Bowman product with a good look. I mean, you get the specific league, the specific team, a good photo, the gold foiling. Not a bad front overall, even if the picture selection is similar throughout. Heck, can't complain about the Canadian red and white colours for the borders since it is a CHL set and the C is Canada.

The backs are done well with my usual only exception being stats, however, since we are talking minor league stats anyway, I have less issue with it here.

Through the cards, there are a few names of future NHLers, though I have a feeling some of the rest were pulled for that very reason, otherwise I would have seen more. Lecavalier and Morrow are a couple from the group that went on from there.

A good quality set, and collectible at 165 cards.

Variation Reminder

I can't believe the summer is close to half over already. Time seems to go faster in the summer, even if the days are longer. I also can't believe how much I have been able to trade this year through TCDB. I am not one to initiate trades as I don't have the time to do much of it, but after years of doing about 50 trades a year, last year I jumped up to about 100, and this year being half way through, I am on pace for over 120. Now, it might slow down the second half of the year, so we will have to wait and see, but still...impressive to me that so many trades are able to happen, just shows the continued growth of the site!

Today, a quick trade with andersonadams1 which was really for the first 4 cards, but they were kind enough to throw in the second four...

I still need a couple more 1985 Fleer base Jays for the team set, but if I ever focus enough, I am sure I could finish that one off.

Also, although the Sportgflics card is for 1987, there are variations on the copyright date for those not aware. Here, I got the 1986 dated version, but there are also 1987 and even some versions with no copyright date. If you like to collect and care about those variations, just another to be aware of if you weren't already.

Though I will collect such variations for my Jays, I am glad that more recent years have seen a lot less of these copyright type variations...though I guess replacing them with short printed base card variations makes up for it (and not in a good way...).

No Murk, Just Myrke

 Today's share is a TCDB trade with member myrke which brings some Blue Jays cards my way.

Just one card that goes back a while - the first being a 1986 Fleer team sticker, which actually is my first of the handful for the Jays logo. Then we pop right into 2013 with a few different sets.

The David Bowman Platinum is the second of two Jays cards in the Debuts insert set, so nice to cap of that small team set.

The normal looking 2013 flagship Topps cards are all the mini versions, my first 5 such cards.

Speaking of Topps and 2013, I am getting closer on the Jays base team set, still a couple more to go there, but the Pearson Mosaic Debut card from 2021, is a nice one and done for Jays content from that insert set.

Newer Joe Carter cards don't pop up too often, but nice to get the 2021 Archives offering of the man who hit the biggest home run in Jays history.

We finish with another Jays team set I am getting closer on with the 2021 Topps Holiday set which, I still am not a big fan of the dangling decoration design....just keep it to the edges and let me enjoy the photos guys!

Thank you for the trade myrke!

My Precious

No surprise, a new Magic set came out recently, and I picked up packs for my pack collection. Sometimes though, crossovers just make a lot of sense, and this is one of them.

I was hoping the Harry Potter cross would have happened but didn't, however Lord of the Rings is probably an even better fit when all considered. I mean, a lot of it from the fighting/war aspect, fits well into building armies and the game play.

The packs themselves look great, and the characters look as expected, with an MTG twist, but not to the point of making them unrecognizable which is good. I haven't had much chance to look through individual cards yet, but am sure I will pick up some artifact cards from the set sooner or later.

As for singles, I got an unexpected envelope with a few cards from a fellow TCDB member. I am not going to get into details, but a member I did not have good experiences with a few years ago, and will not trade with going forward because of it - just not worth the hassles for myself. These were done as a pay it forward, which is nice, and I share it as such. I may return the favour, but again, won't change my stance on trading with the member.

My first cards from the 2000 Wizards of the Coast WCW Nitro game. Given the timing, it was short lived, as was the remaining time of WCW, and even if it did last, not sure the card game would have made it more than a couple years.

Still - nice to have the cards from a collecting perspective!

Unknown Needs

 Today, a nice surprise from the COVID lot as, at first glance, I didn't think I would need any of these cards, but it was just me being confused on which set I was still working on!

We have some great cards from 1991-92 Upper Deck McDonald's All-Stars. Now, I thought it was this year I had completed, and I needed some for 1992-93, but I was wrong - it was the other way around. Actually worked out in my favour then, given I got to add these 6 cards then to my set.

Seeing what they do now for the All-Star games - I remember back when these were the uniforms, and what a big deal it was a few years later when they went to the purple and, I think it was teal, colours.

My preference when it comes to the all star games is to have a "real" team uniform for each side, but then either, by way of team logos on the arm's or something else small in that way, signify the team. When everyone just uses their team uniform, it gets a bit messy looking and not so "team" feeling.

Being an All-Star set, you don't really get a stat line, but you do get a write up in English AND French!

Anyone else in need of any cards from the set, here are some of the dupes...

Park It

When I consider Parkhurst sets, I think of two things really - Emerald Green parallels, thanks to the sets of the early 90s, and the newer cheaper looking sets (not that it is a bad thing being cheaper, but just, what it is for me).

2002-03 Parkhurst is not a look I think of at all. At the time, Parkhurst was very much looking like any set of current stars, a little flash on the cards to try and have some appeal, and this can be related to the "In The Game".

Like some others, the branding story of Parkhurst is quite interesting. As far as hockey cards are concerned, you likely know it, as I do from the early 90s, when the brand name was property of Pro Set.

That was short lived and it essentially became property of Upper Deck around 1993, until a break of contract by Upper Deck saw it lose that relationship with the brand name in 1995.

After some self-released sets, In The Game took over ownership of the brand until it ran into it's own financial difficulties, and was purchased by Upper Deck around 2004-05, leading to the sets we have today under the name.

As is typical, the In The Game set doesn't wow me or do anything that draws my desire to work in this set, and again, we have a real lack of stats on the back, a big non-no for me.

With no Leafs, no errors, no anything for me in these cards, it's one Parkhurst set that won't find a place here...unlike the early 90s that I either have complete, or quietly working to....man, does surprise me at times how much I miss Pro Set and those early 90s sets.

Is there a Parkhurst set or timeframe that you really enjoyed the products that were being put out under the name?

There's A Point

 Redemption Points were a big deal back in the early 200s. I never bothered with them, but know some who did. The thought was, you collect the points, and when you get enough, follow the instructions to redeem them.

Now, I consider these inserts and will collect them when they are "card" enough, meaning pictures of players, or even team logos, so the Parkhurst ones here from 2002-03, definitely fit. The design is pretty basic, but understandably so.

We even get some In The Game ones from 2003-04, with slightly more colour, but same purpose. If anyone cares, I scanned the backs so you can see all the glorious rules for the points. Redemption wasn't necessarily easy though, as you usually needed in the hundreds of points to do the redemption, and getting that one or two points at a time, did mean needing a lot.

Did anyone out there ever collect and redeem with these types of point cards...I never did, but maybe I am in the minority, though  I doubt it.

eXcitingly New To Me

 Okay, never seen this set in hand, so had to take a look up when I got to this small bunch of about 11 cards...

The holograms never scan great, but these actually aren't too bad and show a bit what the 1997-98 SPx set (a measly 50 card base set), look like.

I can get behind any card which tries to be a little different and have a slightly different shape card....as long as it's not bigger than regular size, and here of course you get the X incorporated. Actually, the wrestling fan in me sees it as a DX card for what it's worth.

The backs are a bit tough to read in hand, and don't scan well as you can see. From what I can see, the cards can sell decently as singles, and the boxes appear a bit overpriced (like everything these days). At being such a small base set, I am almost tempted to start with the handful of different cards here, but nah - rather trade these for Leafs/Jays I need instead.

Chalk this up to another set I didn't really know much about, or had seen much of, until now!

My Team

 Happily, the COVID lot brings a small run of a team card "bunch", and it's all Jays!

All keepers here, though none are new. It does give me a chance to show off another copy of the Devon White running out of his helmot photo on 1993 Donruss.

The minor league Jays cards are welcome too, as I know just the home to send them off to. Won't be in my collection, but will be happily loved.

While Devon may be running out of his helmet, Roberto destroys his bats hitting the baseball...another nice little photo choice!

The Topps Gold Dave Stewart is a great little parallel to pick up. Still, definitely on the "odd to remember was a Jay" list, akin to fellow Oakland star Jose Canseco.

Never personally get tired of seeing the cards of the era and the stars that brought Toronto the back to back championships. Even if it is the 3rd, 4th, 5th copy, or more, of the same card, still brings a smile to my face!

The Aurora Of It All

 Late 90s Pacific was always good for being a bit different for the times...

The Aurora set is a good example as you get graphic work that was different and flashy, what the late 90s was going for, though you do get two different photos on the front which is sweet, even if one is just the headshot.

The somewhat harder to read white on purple and black background on the backs, with minimal stats, decent write up, and a third picture to boot. Only thing that would make it more 90s would be trying to get all three pictures into a single collage on one side of the card. 

One thing that does bug me....why did we have to write the bottom part upside down? I mean, I can turn the card 180 degrees, but I don't really want to. Goes along the same line as horizontal cards...but worse.

Interesting to get a few teams in numbers here, but nothing to keep and not a set I am drawn to start collecting so...up for grabs if anyone is up for a trade!

Select Certified

Today, the COVID lot has been nice enough to bring some 1995-96 Select Certified cards. Definitely a set I never saw in the wild, and was at the ending cusp of my childhood collecting days. The set still doesn't have much of a draw for me with the black and white background effect. I get it, the player stands out, but I like getting the whole picture thank you.

As you can see a bit with the scanning, some of the cards move a bit as they have a bit of a curve - nothing damaging, just age. I mean, any card that has a slightly different front versus back material can well bend over time.

Definitely a unique approach to the backs and breaking down the stats by opponent. I'd rather still have the career history, but definitely getting points for creativity on that one!

At first, I thought there was a problem with the last cards, but then realized that the rookie subset has some gold/bronze foil looking part to them. Clear in hand and in the scan.

A couple decent rookies to show in the cards, but that's about it with no Leaf cards unfortunately. Good to browse but nothing to buy as it were...

Seeing Red

 Well, I guess there must have been some level of team collecting maybe with whereever the COVID lot came from, because we get a whole bunch of Red Wings today!

From the mid 90s to mid-00s, Detroit had a strong team, and part of that was because of a number of strong players who had very strong or even Hall of Fame careers during this time such as Yzerman, Fedorov and Datsyuk, just to name a few.

There were a number of European stars, namely Russians, who were part of the team over the years and really helped to drive the success, and really drive the influx of Russians into the league. 

Now, specific to the cards here, there are just a few keepers for set builds, almost all are up for trade. I was hoping the 2003-04 McDonalds was one I was missing, but I had Henrik already. Same with the In The Game Toronto Star card, so I have three dupes for trade.

Those summit parallels do scan nicely with the netting sticking out. The base design is too flat given the metallic/silver look in hand.

Well, any Detroit collector out there wanting to just do a 50 card random team trade to throw some Leafs my way -- I would totally be up for it!