Unfortunate crunch

So quick story, and a pack pickup. My son wanted to get a Venusaur Tin of Pokemon cards with some of his Christmas money. So, rather than pay $30 at Walmart, I went to 401games on Yonge Street and picked up a tin for $20 including tax. While I was there, I picked up this:

Honestly, unopened Magic booster packs are generally the "high end" of my collection. I dropped $30 on this pack from 2010. The price is high for a pack only 5-6 years old, but is because there were a few really really good cards in the set, so that is what you are paying for (Jace, The Mind Sculptor for one). I don't spend that kind of money on sports card packs - ever. I'd spend that money on a lot of a couple thousand cards, but that's different.

Anyway, so I picked up the Tin for my son and brought it home. He wanted the tin because of the "EX" cards. I am not big into Pokemon at all, but I know these are rare or ultra rare cards. The tin came with one and 4 packs.

It was nice to see the excitement in opening the packs, and in getting the one card he wanted. Then in not one, but two of the packs, he ended up pulling EX cards and had a priceless expression the whole time. I was glad he got his money worth having 3 EX cards out of the tin, but more importantly, I enjoyed as a dad, seeing the excitement of opening cards, collecting cards, and getting things he wanted. Great reminder of why we like this collecting thing we do. Since he is 6, I know he will "get it" more in a few more years, but until then, I try and ensure he enjoys his cards - and he is already getting into the habit of using card sleeves to protect them which is good.

ANyway, back to the usual....

Highlights:

Best for last I guess...with all the 2008-09 O Pee Chee retro parallels. This is the best of the bunch to me for obvious reasons and will go right to the Leaf collection.

Lowlights:

As much as you expect to lose a card here and there when getting a large lot of cards, it is still sad. I would have liked to keep the Andreychuk card for the parallel collection, but it is bent right down the middle in a heavy form, so I don't want to bother keeping it and forgetting to upgrade. As for Giguere - he was a casualty in the 1991 Upper Deck football stickiness we have seen some of...

The rest
Keepers:

1992 Pro Set - the "worst" of the bunch to me. I have a soft spot for the train wreck that was 1990-91, and collected 1991-92 just from a timing and cost aspect, so appreciate it, then moved away from Pro Set before the next year's edition.

Traders:


A Red Wings hot pack here..too bad I already had them! Also, thought I might have another Leaf with the Heatley card, but not so lucky...maybe tomorrow!

Through 6200 cards:

Specific Accomplishments:

- Complete 2003-04 SP Authentic Basketball (90 card pure base)

- 3 Complete 2007-08 UD McDonald's Hockey Checklist Subsets (6 cards)

- 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee Hockey #30 Bobby Orr (All-Star)

- 2004-05 Upper Deck Legends Classics Platinum Hockey #64 Marcel Dionne 06/10

- 2007-08 Topps 1957-58 Variations Basketball  #112 Kevin Durant (Rookie)

	Hockey	Baseball	Basketball	Football	Austin Powers	Other
Toronto	100	9
Inserts / Var Kept	205	27
Error	13	2
Keep	1359	189
Doubles/Sell	782	61	1113	1834	250	26
Doubles Inserts / Var	74	1	68	87