It's Over - Or Continuing

 Another crazy year down. I know the years usually fly by, but for obvious reasons, the last couple have seemed to even more so. I guess because of all the days that seem to blend together, one after the other, in lockdown or worrying about COVID, etc.

One thing that hasn't flown by is the fun of going through this lot of cards I picked up back in August 2020. I think there's still a solid few months of cards to go through, and with sprinkling in some other things in the interim, might be into the second half of the year.

Not to worry, I have another lot of cards already lined up - maybe about 15k, so not as big as this one, but should be good. It's sitting and waiting to be attended to...has been for a few months already, but no rush.

As for today - we see triplets, though I only scanned once. 15 of the 20 card team set...

1997-98 Score Boston Bruins team release. Not something I am going to collect, but have the perfect home for all of these (and they have already been delivered too)! Too bad it wasn't the Toronto team release, that would have been a great way to end the year.

As for the rest...

Minor league hockey Bowman Chrome cards - unique in here thus far, but again, not something I collect, same with the stray O Pee Chee hockey cards. Just one keeper today...

From a stats perspective, not as strong as Roberto, but as a catcher, a solid team player for most of his career.

Let's end with a TCDB trade with member 860502. TCDB tells me this is our 7th completed trade, and it's a PWE with a few items for me.

A couple sets being slowly helped with 1986 Topps and 1993 Donruss. Kelly Gruber is an uncorrected error, copy needed for that collection. The rest are Jays adds. I was surprised to see David Wells is my first 1999 Upper Deck Victory set Blue Jay card, so nice to get a first. Same actually with the 1990 Topps Traded Olerud. Wouldn't think there would be new sets represented in my collection of Jays from 1990, but there you go!

Staying Reserved

 A good place to start, is a continuation of yesterday - more 1999-2000 Gold Reserve cards from Upper Deck. A bunch more keepers for this set. The set, as I said, was two releases, a total of 350 cards over the two series, and with these, I am at almost 100 now.

One thing about the foiling, it's a shame in some ways as it takes away the context of the action shots, so the cards lose a little something that way.

I also shouldn't be surprised that all the Wayne Gretzky cards are so far MIA. There are about 10 at the front of series 1 - given the retirement of the great one - but not a one so far here.

Unlike yesterday, I do get a couple Leaf cards and, a single uncorrected error card here with Nieuwendyk as well.

As for the rest...

A shame the Iginla was a dupe, I need a number of cards from the 2001-02 McDonald's release, just not that one.

Maybe more tomorrow...

Gold Reserves

First up, I ended up with a bit more in the Christmas card area this year. With the whole COVID thing getting revved up again, instead of waiting to get together with my mom and siblings, we just did gift delivery and shared over Skype. I got a couple Magic challenger decks - not sure if I will keep the decks as is, or take them apart, but very neat.

Also got my 2021-22 Timmies card packs (about 30), which my mom is always good about picking up each year so I have some. I am not a coffee drinker so never really go myself when they are out, and don't go the route of buying boxes online because I don't really want to drop $100-$200 on them, so much appreciated and will share those at some point too.

Anyway - on to the lot cards - 1999-2000 Upper Deck was an interesting year. At least to me, and that is a retrospective look. I wasn't collecting at the time, so no idea how it came to be, but in looking back and getting cards these many years later from the year, I wonder what they were doing.

There was the flagship Upper Deck set that year which, looks like these cards except with "normal" blue instead of gold foil, and with no full card effect, just normal photography.

It is unusual in that it really was a base set parallel that ended up getting it's own dull release. It had a couple different hits than the regular flagship, but that's about it.

I'd find the set coolee if it was done as an inserted parallel to the regular set

Oops - doubled up on a scan there, only need one copy for my set build. Like the flagship, this was released in two series, again, weird set overall, though the backs were alright.

I will always give big points to cards with full year by year stats. Doing write ups where there is space, definitely a thumbs up on that too.

The "gold reserve" marking across the bottom is about the only difference from the normal base set backs set up, so at least they kept that good part with this odd set.

These are all first series release cards. They couldn't even keep the cards the same between the series as the second has "Gold Reserve" on the front, and gold backs. Why not - I mean, the release was weird to begin with I guess.

Scoring A Redemption Card

 Today we get to talk more 1994-95 Score hockey with another bunch of set additions.

These close us over 85% set complete - about 236 or 275.

I could talk about the rookie cards or Young Stars as they label them here.

I could also talk about the checklists which are extremely bland with a team listed on each front, or back, and a logo and crease background - meh. I do love checklist cards, but the effort is weak on these ones.

I could happily talk of getting the Leaf checklist card, but instead was to talk about...

Redemption! Now, I expect this wouldn't be honoured at this point since according to the small print, I would have had to send it in by January 31, 1995. Add to the fact, you pay your own postage, and I don't know who I would have received, so may not have really been worth it, even back then, but still - never seen the redemption card before.

We will count it as an insert, or hit, or something and keep it as such, so very cool. I get why the players are named on these, just doesn't work with timing of course, but well after the fact like this, would be cool to be able to piece it together.

There were some dupes as shown here (and a couple baseball cards too...pesky Flair set still taunting me bit by bit...

Almost Perfect

 After a nice 50 for 50 keeper day yesterday in the cards I pulled from the lot, wasn't expecting another solid day today, but here we are!

The good news is, I am over 40% done this 2006-07 O Pee Chee set - the bad news is I have a suspicion the rookies will be sparse, if any, as that does seem to be an area lacking throughout the lot so far.

Sure, the rookie cards spattered through base sets are there, but when they are differently designed, or subsets, or easily noted, there seem to be missing in part. Now, to be fair, I don't know if that was because of the original collector and what they sold off, or someone along the chain who has pulled them at as what they collect, but either way, I suspect I miss out.

I can live with that though. I mean, depending on the year, they can still be relatively cheap, or if not, I may have to keep it at the base set less the rookies.

At least we get team checklists! Well, at least some of them. Will have to see if more show up.

Not too many dupes today, but here are the backs for another look...

And a single ad card, so nothing like adding a little packaging material too I guess!

Just wanted to end with some quick blog thoughts and share. I continue to enjoy documenting, and sharing daily, my card finds and musings, and will continue to do so. Big picture, what does that mean - well, I probably have a couple months of card posts on this 20 in 20 lot I have been working through the second behind the Santa Lot), I have a couple weeks of small bundles of cards which I received from local reader Jeff, which I will probably tack on after we finish with the lot as well. Beyond that - I have unopened materials to get to still and share - ranging from 2021 Topps NXT, 2018 Topps Opening Day Baseball, a half dozen sports card repacks from Dollarama, and a dozen Magic card repacks, a box of 2015-16 Upper Deck Champs which is from my trip to Dave and Adam's in 2019 when I bought it for about $30 USD (a little more expensive these days). Oh, and I also have another lot - let's call it to COVID lot, which I picked up, well, about 6 months ago now, which is probably 20k cards to go through - though I have a different plan on how to go through that one.

Also - did I mention, I still try to keep up on trades, so there are those to share too.

So, plenty of good stuff to share and I will be keeping at it. Heck, I should really stop buying and hoarding and catch up a bit! At this rate, even if I don't buy anything else, I should have cards to share through 2023! Probably a good thing since I don't want to buy anything "new" at the crazy prices out there on new stuff.

Un-Boxing Day

Well, it would make absolute sense to have a box about some kind of unboxing or opening of a box, or some other new packaged card something-or-other. I however, do not bow to such pressures, instead I will look at some cards from the lot again today....

* Notices the cards are packed in cardboard boxes *

Okay, well, I guess I am still doing a partial unboxing. 

Before those cards though, a quick run through of the card related items I did get yesterday, though again, no unboxing to be performed as of yet.

Santa brought me this - one of the Secret Lair drops, and the only one I have, from Magic The Gathering. Secret Lair are like the Topps Now cards in that there is a limited time to order them, but are also expensive and can run $30 - $70 for each such drop. You know what you are getting generally - like this one is three specific artifact cards, and there are lands, etc but each of this specific drop is the same.

I won't be opening it as I know what is in it, and like having it pristine (or "as is" - who knows, the cards may be misprinted in there or something). Very cool to have and add to the collection.

Some unopened packs which may fit in my unopened pack collection - will have to double check. I think the 2003-04 O Pee Chee I have, but that may be it.

From the family, I got one of the Costco MTG start kids which include a handful of draft booster packs and an Arena started box.

There is an Arena online code for this if anyone plays, they can have it - xay-D1zd-LKu - I expect it can only be redeemed once, so congrats whoever uses it.

I did unsleeve the packs, and will need to check if the artwork is ones I will keep the pack for, or if any of these can be opened at a later date.

The Costco pack also included an artifact promo card, so that's a keeper too...

A nice little haul for Christmas. Now to the lot cards for today...

1992 Stadium Club still amazes me. I mean - three series, 900 cards in total. A beast at a time when they were all trying to be big sets and pump out as much as they could.

The difference being, Stadium Club looked so good, you were happy there was so much of it.I should have scanned it horizontally, but the Felix Jose card for one is magnificent.

Other horizontal cards done right with the framing here with Layana and Benes. Glenallen and his floating bat are nice too.

I get the "don't look at the camera shots like Reed here, though they are not my faves, rather it just be a look into the camera if you are posing.

I should see if I could look up the play, but 99% chance given the photo - Mike Greenwell did NOT make that catch. I mean, a great effort and shot for the card, but dude is offline.

A wonderful bunch of additions, I mean, a perfect day as far as that goes with keeping all 50 cards today, including the couple Jays...

Rob was one of those players that was a hometown boy born in Toronto, but never really took off, just good enough to stick around a bit. Ed fared a bit better. Still two more Jays adds for me!