Someone Collected Rookies...

 Sometimes it is quite obvious what these card lots consist of. Here, at least this chunk, is someone dumping the rookie keeps they had from 1999-2000 Pacific Omega. These were not like Young Guns with their own section in the base set, and I don't think they were short printed in this set, so they were "just" base cards, but they did capitalize on getting two rookies for the price on each base card.

Adam only played about 20 games over two seasons for Toronto, then a move to LA where he faired similar followed by a full time stay for about 6 years in Buffalo is where he played his best and most regular for his career.

Dmitri played 2 games for Toronto in the NHL, and that was the extent to his NHL career. otherwise, a minor league and other league player for about a decade.

This does provide one card to keep, but here are the rest...

It wasn't the strongest of rookie classes and the cards reflect that, but at least they do so in a nice style as I like this design for showcasing two players.

They have done many different All Star Game formats over the last couple decades, and honestly, I prefer when it was just a game with the best from each league against each other - that's it. Have the uniforms the same, and maybe their team logo on the arms or something, then let them play.

I get that it's hard to draw fans and attendance the way they want, and trying to make a show of it that draws intrigue, but I just always wanted to see the best play the best, and the NHL skills competition as it was, was great. Same events each year, give or take, and the best trying to showcase it. I don't think it's as big as the MLB Home Run Derby, but I can't think of a better way to showcase hockey than league versus league and the skills competition.

More On Topps

 The 2026 Lot continues to help me with some base set builds today, these out of 2019 Topps...

Only Perez to help with the flagship set, but tons of help for Opening Day with 7 more here. I'm up to 139 of 200 for the base set and expect there's more help floating around in the lot.

I still keep Encarnacion as a Jay when I think about him even though it was only about half his career.

A few dupes including Cabrera who showed up twice, though I did need a copy.

I really like the Votto pose. Wish his Jays try went a bit better than it did, but happy there did end up being a couple cards with Joey as a Jay so I have an excuse to have a few cards of his in my collection.

We end with Gausman in his pre-Jays days. No Jays today actually - but not going to complain, set help is still a great way to go.

Been A While Wayne

For the 1999-2000 year in cards, Upper Deck put out a set with Wayne Gretzky's name all over it. It's a set I have picked up enough of in past lots, I am trying to complete the base set for, and having Wayne's thoughts on the players is an interesting twist. With this being the end of Wayne's career on the ice, the timing to get a set out in his name made sense too. So, kudos with Upper Deck doing so without it just being 100 Wayne Gretzky cards and more like a real set at least.

On the down side, I just got two pick ups for the set build. In case you needed to know, some of the cards are rookies, some prospects, and apparently such labels are more important that the name / position info as I find the rookie and propsect type labels stand out a lot more.

The design for the front is fine - I mean, mostly picture so works well.

The backs remind me of - I think it's 2006-2008 Upper Deck flagship sets that have a similar design - small picture, side bar, stats and a write up in the main box. I'm okay with that though, decent back design.

May not be a great one for the keepers, but the great one getting a set with his name - cool. I wonder how involved (if at all), he really was with it though....

Posh Platinum Cards

 Well  if the 2026 Lot is going to send some more football cards my way, at least we have something a bit different come up today.

We have some 2013 Topps Platinum Sapphire parallels. A set, I don't think I have anything from before, and we get hobby pack inserts (one per pack). I am guessing there must have been a box opened by someone at some point and these weren't good enough to keep - I don't know, but they look pretty sweet. They are thick cardstock, and the design has the track of blue dots in the background versus an empty strip - at least that's what I could tell from seeing the different sets and parallels.

Very cool cards, and a reminder that RG3 was a thing. Following right after we then have a card from a Panini Phoenix set. I have seen a card or two from that set, but not much else really.

Chronicles with a design I now think of from wrestling because those are the cards I would actually collect with the design - not these football ones.

Keeping the cool shiny in the post, we then get some 2021 Panini Illusions football. Just a few cards, but they are pretty nice designs as well.

Not too bad a day of pulls from football considering, it's football. :)

Some Wave Love

Before the big wave, a little wave of a thank you for a trade. I did a trade with TCDB member Aaron_miller which brought some Toronto cards home...

The PWE trade saw me get the lone Jay card for the 2019 Topps Update Perennial All-Stars insert set with Roy, and the last of two cards for the 2022 Topps Update insert set 1987 Topps 35th Anniversary insert set with the so designed Vladdy Jr. card.

Happy to be getting closer to all of the Stadium Club variations due to the copyright line as Dave adds one more here for that mini project - jew a few left now.

As always, a fun and great trade with a TCDB member!

In 2018, the main Topps design incorporated a wave type spot for the team logo on the front, and I have grown to love the look, and slowly build this set. The 2026 Lot was kind enough to show some love for the set and bestow some cards on me that help get that set moving a bit further, as well as a few 2019 Topps cards as well...

I definitely have more missing cards from the first series than the second, so it helped getting all Series 1 cards. These first ones are all keepers, so I did do very well today.

I can live with no Jays when more than half the cards I get to keep, so awesome.

As I mentioned, there were a few 2019 Topps flagship cards too, though just the one keeper with an awesome slide picture of Harrison - great action shot.

Anyone else working on the sets, here's your chance to reach out if any of the below are on your need list...

A couple Gypsy Queen cards from 2021 snuck into the bunch today. Personally, one of the better GQ designs, though I still much prefer A&G.

Let's Say Inserts

 Some more hockey from the 2026 Lot today, and keepers....I guess?

I am still slow building the 1990-91 Score Canadian set, so one card from it today, and it's a keeper - sweet. THe bulk of the cards are these...

Another bunch of cards which were made into the 2000-01 Upper Deck Rookie Update release which was bringing together the updates for a number of sets. I think I'm calling these inserts, though they are more like outserts - cards meant to be part of an original release set which are inserts into a different product, so outside the original release. I don't know, just made it up (I think), but I'm going with it.

Keepers until I think otherwise, but the rest of the hockey are up for trade...

That is a nice Trottier card. He's actually someone my daughter knows by name because a year or two ago, he was a guest speaker for her class and talked about playing in the NHL and she really liked hearing about his story and what he does now.

As for the 2000-01 Topps Chrome - just not a set I am looking to collect, so some traders here for people interested, along with dupes of the SPx update cards from 2000-01 as well.

Is It Worth It

I was going to get right to a purchase I made and whether it was worth it, but I'll start with an easy one - is it worth being part of the online community with our hobby? Absolutely! There are a number of great people I have met online and part of what comes out of that is great sources for cards and trades, and I was gracious enough to get a package from https://buckstorecards.blogspot.com/ which was amazing to get. Especially when it was late into April and I was exhausted from work as it was a great pick me up.

Some great baseball cards to start and we hit some greats for the Jays with Donaldson, Bichette, Vladdy....or and Nate and Tellez are there too....

Hockey well represented too as I really love the look and feel of the Synergy cards from this year - the 2019-20 with the red die cast style.

I don't mind the playing card style for an insert set, and the throwback Calle is really cool -does the early 90s Ultra design justice.

A number of Willies in the bunch, and the Canvas is an interesting look with the unfocused picture....must be that he was moving too fast....right?

We also get two one-and-done Leaf insert sets completed which is cool...

2022-23 Upper Deck Rookie Retrospective and 2024-25 Upper Deck Ooh La La - a nice pair, but Woll wins. As for the nicest pair in the package...

I am not one to collect minor league cards at all, but I will make an exception in keeping this one. I am in NO WAY looking to start with minor league cards, but if I am going to make an exception, Vladdy would be it.

Speaking of things I don't really collect but will happily keep...

My first graded Toronto collection card. I have a couple graded cards that came in mystery boxes which are inserts, so sit with that area of my collection, but this is the first Leaf/Jay card. A great end to a fantastic package which I appreciate very much. I wasn't planning on it, but given the content of Sportscards from the Dollar Store, the opening today is quite appropriate!

Took a while to open this but I originally picked it up around November last year at Dollarama...

I shared a couple of the Pokémon ones not long ago, and I am guessing this is just as likely to bomb, but let's see what we get.

At least the 20 sleeves are blue, so I now have 40 which is getting closer to enough for a full desk.

6 uncommon is a decent pack, though they are likely, like all these cards, to be quarter or less in value.

A foil - sure, but a common foil is still a penny card.

10 cards, okay, but guessing they will all be common too.

Nice. About as good as I am going to do here - two artifact cards, including the foil. Neither new to me, but copies I keep for play set purposes.

Wow - another pair of artifact cards. Again, not first copies, but both keepers.

Of course nothing in the largest pack for keeping - go figure.

Now, if I was going to buy each of these cards individually from a store - sure, might be a better deal doing this, but of course, you have no idea what you are getting. So, today's package turned out alright but doubt they would all be as "good" for me as this one and this one was just passable.

I do have a few more...maybe we might even find a rare or mythic cards along the way - even if only a bulk one.