Trade Catchup - Darth Panzer

 Another PWE, and more Toronto cards my way, here covering both baseball and hockey, coming from Darth Panzer.

I like the base Donaldson card from 2016 Topps Chrome so getting the sepia refractor version - my second sepia refractor for this set, is really cool. I enjoyed Josh as a Jay, glad to have the cards to remember his time with the team fondly.

Doesn't hurt getting the couple other Josh cards given that sentiment, right?

I can't put my finger on it, but I'm not sold on Berrios. I guess that kind of goes with his place on things - not going to be a one or two guy in the rotation for Toronto these days.

One more base set assist with the OTHER Jose, and then we get a couple new to me O Pee Chee glossy cards from 2024-05 leaving one more for the team set. I know it's a long time passed, but O Pee Chee and glossy cards just don't go together in my mind. O Pee Chee means cardboard and means lighter coloured cardboard compared to Topps versions.

Still - all in, makes for a fantastic PWE trade!

Trade Catchup - nkandy11

I have a few trades that I scanned, but have been sitting to share and I really should catch up on those, so expect a few days of trade recaps as I like to let each trade shine on it's own. I mean, it was good enough to do a trade over, so it's good enough to have a spotlight for sharing with you all.

This PWE trade came from TCDB member nkandy11, which you knew already because my blog titles are not always the most cryptic.

Charlie O'Brien is the last Jay base card I needed to complete my team base set of 17 Jays from 1997 Collector's Choice - yay!

 Tom Evans gets to highlight that 1998 Collector's Choice had variations for holograms - so yeah - a couple versions of most cards out there to collect.

Vernon Wells from 2003 Donruss Elite - still work to go on that team set.

Shannon Stewart from 2003 Playoff Prestige is actually my first base Jay in that set...nice!

Last up is the Vernon from 2004 Playoff Honors - I have a few but not all.

Definitely years I have lots to collect from - late 90s, early 2000s, and trades like this definitely help!

Upper Hand

Today from the 2026 Lot, we stick to some Upper Deck hockey, highlighted by some Leaf additions...

The green of the St. Pats looks so different and stands out compared to the usual blue. A second copy of the card for me, and I do have a copy of the oversized version too, but nice pick up.

A mid-air Kerfoot and Reilly makes for a nice hat trick.

Actually, some solid set help too with a bunch of keepers for base builds...

Not a lot of mid-2010 set help, but good 2020s help.

In 2027, when I go through my unopened boxes and packs that I have purchased but not had time for, I should be able to finish, or close to finish, a couple MVP sets, but the help here is good too.

For those looking for help themselves, here are the cards up for trade...

Still not working on 2022-23 flagship Upper Deck...if anyone wants a decent start.

The Lots Odds

Today, not a lot of cards but what may be the nibbles of cards a bit outside the big four, but we start with a couple great keepers.

I wasn't expecting to see any wrestling cards, but to get a Big Poppa Pump and a mid-80s great condition card are great pick ups. I remember Danny Davis and the ref to wrestler move he made starting at Wrestlemani III.

Not thr most looney cards today though...

Definitely not my thing as far as card collecting goes, I did watch a LOT of Bugs and friends as a kid. I don't need the cards though, and the front and back picture may work to tell cartoons when in order, but I don't love the front and back card "front" design.

We end with a few nice looking soccer cards, a single Goodwin and a Pokémon code card. 

Antonio went 27-0 before losing a title match which was his fiest loss before ending his career a couple matches later with a 28-2 record.

Lots can bring up anything which is they can be so fun!

The Second Half

Before the trade share, a quick note on the Jays moves at the trade deadline. First, Hoffman had to go given he lost his closer spot here and needed the move to get his career back on track, possibly. Gausman was sad to see go, but was the right business decision and right result given what the Jays got back. I expect they may have felt his price tag or desire to be in Torobto after his contract was up would be hard to overcome and bring him back. I don't think the moves will provide much help for this year, but hopefully bring improvement for 2027.

A week or so ago, I shared half a trade, thinking the other half was lost in transit. Well, the trade with TCDB member yrrcwc was....redirected. Apparently it arrived back at the starting point with a note it was undeliverable. This made NO sense because it was mailed the same day, same addressing, everything. It happens though at times, and happily not too often, but let's share what was in that delayed half of the trade...

A few baseball error cards for the error collection, along with a couple Jays in Batista and Ryan. We get one more base card set helper circa 2021 Topps, and then some wrestling!

Kurt Angle, obviously from early in his career as he still has hair, and then a bunch of Chrome/Finest to finish the trade envelope.

Between the two designs, I prefer Chrome, but they are both alright. ALways like seeing Mr. Ripley as Buddy didn't get as good a go in WWE as I think he deserved. I have similar feelings about Johnny Gargano, though his NXT time was amazing.

In this bunch of cards, Samoa Joe looks a bit beefy in the picture. It's beefy with muscle, but still beefy. A shame Big E didn't get a longer career given the unfortunate career ending injury as I would have liked to see him hang around the main event and upper-middle card picture for a while longer.

At least this puts the whole trade to rest!

Another trade which at least showed up as a single PWE....well, because it was a single PWE, was my second trade with mzentko. First trade was three years ago, but I remembered the name, and had a second great experience.

The three 1989 Panini Stickers were a generous add on in the trade and were unexpected. Awesome as they bring my Jays needs to a single remaining sticker to complete the team set, very cool.

This trade was really about me knocking off some 2020 and 2021 Topps flagship needs. I still have about 75 cards to go on the 2020 set, but 2021 is down to less than a dozen. If I can get that set done it will be the largest "new" set I have completed in a while.

For those who have followed along, I got most of the 2020 and 2021 sets from a base lot purchases a while ago, but the rookie cards in large part, had been pulled before the lot got to me. Not a big surprise as those are the gambling man's investment, but I've been working on filling the holes, and it's why many of the cards here are rookie cards.

Always up for a nice Jays pick up of course, which is where Vladdy gets tacked on from as well.

These trades also, finally, put me more on track with prior years and my trade numbers. It's been a bit slower this year, purposely, because of wanting to get through the 2026 Lot, but all good as it's nice to vary up how we collect.

Same But Different

 A shorter post today as we hit some more Donruss cards in the 2026 Lot, except it's of the Optic variety so we get the shinier cards.

I will say, it's nice getting some stars scattered in the set - John Elway being a perfect example. It's funny how the quality of the pictures becomes so obvious though.

It's funny, as a kid watching sports in the 90s, you'd see footage of the 70s and it would look horrible....now it's about the same looking back at the 90s now. Just a reminder I'm getting old!

Speaking of past sars - Dan Marino definitely goes into that group.

Not too many cards in the set for sharing today, but I do like this design better with football than with basketball. Maybe the green backs being akin to the colour of the football field is what does it....

Hoop It Up!

 I keep trying to sprinkle in trades as I have been on a bit of a tear, so before the lot today, a trade with TCDB member MapleLumberCards.

The fellow Canadian sent Jays and set helpers, and from the Jays above, the Joe Carter is the second of two Jays for the 2022 Upper Deck Pieces of History pure base set, so that's a nice paid to knock out another team set.

Also some other early 2000s Jays, and more recent with the Fisher RC card which is a nice pick up as well.

I got some help with the missing rookie cards from the 2020 Topps flagship set - think I am at about 80 cards to go on the 700 card beast of a base set, A very solid trade though, as they almost always are with the TCDB community.

Well, still getting new sets represented from the 2026 Lot, this one being a couple of the newer Hoops sets...

I may not be a huge Chrome style fan, but these look really good. As usual, the scan isn't as nice as in hand, but they are a pretty solid design and look.

Even the backs are a great change of pace with there not being a same photo as the front, and instead, up to 5 years of stats, and a decent write up for each player. Maybe shrink the logo down a bit to give a bit bigger font on the write up, but that's a small complaint. Heck, even lucked out with there being a couple rookie cards in the bunch.

Sticking with new for me to see Hoops sets...

No Chrome treatment like the 2019-20 Premium Stock Hoops, but these 2020-21 Hoops offering do have a nice second year Zion as a fantastic little pick up. Part of why I like sharing on the blog and going through these is, I do try and make it just as fun for everyone out there as I'd love to trade these away and I am happy to give a little to get something I actually collect, so feel free to reach out. Even if there isn't something that directly fits my collection, we can probably get something together that will work!