Slide In Some Basketball

We get to focus mostly on some Optic basketball from the 2026 lot today. May not be anything I can collect, but a good show and share as it does help find so.e trades by showing on the blog.

Yes - sometimes the Chrome like cards seem to just want to slide around on the scanner. Nice to get some Raptor representation.

I usually go to a Raptor game each year - just one - as our office has season tickets and I try to make one. Same is trus with baseball and the Jays. Both are fun experiences, as long as you are fine with the price of food - that one always bugs me. I get the reasoning for it, but hate spending $20 for two slices of pizza.

It's not a bad set, but I would take the regular Donruss version over the Chrome Optics set. The finish just takes away from the photography too much in my opinion. At least the backs are Chrome-less.

Unexpected Addition

 Hockey from the 2026 Lot with, not a lot of cards, but a few different things which is very cool.

1992-93 O Pee Chee Premier insert with Oates, but happily, a set that I have completed so I will be passing that one along.

With my slow work on the 1989-90 O Pee Chee set, wasn't sure there would be a need for Alain or Mike, but both were cards I needed. As were both Kellogg's Limited Edition Collector's Set cards as well. Definitely don't need more 7th Inning Sketch cards for trading, so just the couple is fine enough to me.

Nicely heavily O Pee Chee today, and there are some cards here from the 1992-93 O Pee Chee set - another slow build, and also one of the 25th Anniversary Insert cards (Cheevers) which I actually needed as well.

The best surprise of the bunch though is the last scan. card three from the 1991-92 O Pee Chee set, is the back of a sealed three card promotional pack that is simply sealed in clear wrap. Took some digging to find out that this is how the promotional packs were sent out, so not sure how this ended up in this lot, but happy to keep it. The cards in are a bit warped from the tight packaging, but for what it is, still cool to have....even if it might be worth a buck or less. Still, a neat enough find, definitely a highlight for me from this lot.

Very cool pulls from the lot! 

A couple althib trades

 What started as a single trade for about 10 cards I needed, ended up a 75 card or so trade where I got a bunch of duplicate Leaf cards in exchange for moving a bunch of trades. A trade I would take all day any day. I'll share all the cards in the trade, but focus on the new ones as a bunch have been here before as far as the duplicate Leaf cards go.

Not a complaint by any means, but a bunch of the cards are early 90s - go figure.

The Pinnacle Zezel was a new add as I still need a couple more for the team base set.

Konowalchuk is the lone non-Leaf as I still slowly work on the complete 2001-02 Upper Deck Victory set - down to about 30 cards to go.

The Center of Excellence is a one and done Leaf insert set for me (nice!), and I thought the Parkhurst Family card was as well, but it was actually my second copy of the card (still yay!).

The Premium Prospect is new as well, though not a one and done, still a second Leaf card needed for the "team set" as it were.

I honestly do appreciate these trades and building up my Leaf and Jays doubles/collection. If I am able to move cards I don't need to a home where they are wanted, I am all for making these trades, so don't hesitate to reach out!

Cool Beans!

 Another good trade share today as I had a good trade a while back I hadn't scanned to share, until now. Trade is with TCDB member beano56 which covers baseball and hockey, and lots of neat stuff!

The 1985 I Oee Chee posters focuses on the two Canadian teams, with 12 posted for each team.

I had a few of them before this trade, but happily ended up with all of the rest of the posted here - nice. A set I wouldn't have even considered collecting the Jays from, and we now have the happy dozen!

Jesse Barfiled, definitely one of my top 5 Jays of the 80s.

Another unique to me Stieb as well. Made me take a look and it's my 171th unique Dave Stieb card.

Not the only items to arrive in the trade, but a great starting point. Actually, not even the only completion of a Jays team set....yay!

Three more 1983 O Pee Chee cards, which happen to be the last three of the Jays team set I needed and bam - another team set done. Twenty one cards deep for a n early Jays team. Actually, I have 22 cards as Alvin Woods is pictured in his Jays uniform, but was traded to the A's and listed as such.

Next complete item to come out of this set, the 1985 Donruss Lou Gehrig puzzle. It was one I wasn't collecting back in the day since I started a couple years later, but loved these Donruss puzzles so nice to complete another one.

Next up is the last 5 cards for the 25 card base team Blue Jays set from 1985 O Pee Chee.

It wasn't just left to baseball, the hockey cards provide some completion too.

The Creased Lightning is a one and done Leaf insert "team set" from 2000-01 O Pee Chee called Combos.

Lastly, a great completion, the 1981-82 O Pee Chee base card team Leaf set of 25 cards. Though I had it done, but had been missing the Sittler.

A  great trade and much appreciated with the team set completions!

Birthday Trade Share

What better way to celebrate a birthday than a gift of sorts as I was able to exchange cards I didn't want for these great cards - all thank s to TCDB member hender25, a fellow Canadian!

We start with a couple Medallions which I have more from wrestling but nice to get the unusual card like items for the collection, but the first cardboard card is the winner today. Derlago is the last of the 24 Leaf cards I needed to complete the 1981-82 O Pee Chee team set - yay!

This becomes my oldest "standard" card team set for my Leafs which is very cool.

Not to be outdone, the Sunkist Sundin is a one and done Leaf card/set too.

Not to be outdone, the Stajan is from the same set the following year and is also a one and done.

We then get into a whole bunch of stickers!

I have said before, I won't go out of my way to pick up stickers, but will happily take them in a trade, and we have a bunch today! We hit many years in the 2010s, though no completed sets. I don't mind the designs, or foiling, they are stickers and are all good enough, but I do like the sets that have team logo cards - very nice!

A very hockey centric birthday, and that's perfectly awesome to me.

Appreciate the trade and makes for a nice 46th birthday.

FlyingWhales Are The Best

Sure, in this case I mean TCDB member FlyingWhales and a great trade I am finally getting around to sharing with you. Why so great? Well, finishes a number of small team sets for me, so that's always a great thing.

Hextall was a need because I was going to forget to get the card in my set build as I had a Frnech version incorrectly in his place, so not done the set yet, but got Ron covered off now.

As for what team sets I get finished off...let's count....

1) 2020-21 Upper Deck - 2020-21 O Pee Chee Update (Robertson top middle)

2) 2020-21 Upper Deck - O Pee Chee Glossy Rookies Bronze (Robertson top right)

3) 2022-23 Upper Deck Ice (Auston mid-right)

That's not all though....

4) 2024-25 Upper Deck - Aimbots (both needed cards in the top row)

5) 2024-25 Upper Deck - City Satellites (one and done with Auston mid-left

6) 2024-25 Upper Deck - Gaming FOV Speckled (Auston mid-right)

We then finish off with a handful of wrestling cards, continuing to grow the large Chronicles set which I bought none of and dabble a few in a trade here and there.

I wish WWE did more with Isla Dawn, but that can be said of many of the talents they bring in and don't quite gel with the audience.

A great trade though with lots to add to various aspects of my collection.

A Don Don Day

 Football from the 2026 Lot today and we do get a few interesting cards from it...

Image variations from base cards. I can understand why these would not necessarily be picked out from a lot when someone is going through quickly because, if you don't know, they don't look like anything overly special. They don't go for crazy money but may be a buck or two cards which is nice, but cool to find them. Now, I like a good variation, but you should be able to tell because it should stand out for being THAT different, but maybe that's just my opinion.

The DOnruss football designs aren't too shabby. Better than much of the Panini names products in my opinon.

The slashing designs of the early 20s will be a thing remember between this and some of the flagship Topps baseball designs.

I don't mind the newer football as it does seem to have some draw on TCDB and I'lll be all up for trading away much of it for cards I do want once I get through the lot. Anyone who can't wait though, just reach out. 2026 has been a bit slower on trades but that's mostly my fault for not searching them out.