More Pacific

2001-02 Pacific in spades today. Jeff must have either been collecting the set at some point, or broke a box and kept the cards. Either way, a bunch here to look at 

Solid enough front design...

I am torn on the backs. I love the full stats, but so much wasted room on many of them. I like the team colour use, but feels like something more could have been done.

Woo hoo - will take that one Leaf addition at least...

Okay, definitely like this subset better than the normal base cards. Highlight stars, team colours, looks very 90s Pacific. Too bad no Toronto card though...

A Small Score

 More cards from Jeff today, and a few 90s / 2000s sets representing.

1995-96 Score is a set I am slowly collecting, and though I only have about 1/4 of it, somehow just managed one new base addition (Mellanby) and the one Leaf addition in Ridley.

I do like the backs. A little scrunch but full stats are always a big plus, and nice colour use with the team accents.

Better than the following year offering in my opinion.

So how long do we wait until this Vintage set with the vintage design will itself be considered vintage? I give the lack of background action with the player poses on the front a bit of a pass given the design does well to be vintage.

I haven't gotten behind a Topps Total set yet either, so plenty for trade here today, if anyone is interested.

Random Hockey From Jeff

 Back with some additional hockey cards that were provided by local collector Jeff. I have a few days more after this for sharing, most of which is trade fodder, but a few gems to keep, so let's take a look.

The C55 set is interesting, but not one I am collecting - nice reprint job from the early 2000s. The ProCards are classic 1989-90 cards which stand out for their ability to be as quality then as doing cards at home now would be.

Checklists hold a special place with me -I love them and think they should be part of any base set or their own insert set.

My first Crease Patrol insert set card from Leaf which is nice, and I actually needed the Yzerman Parkhurst card as well.

The Hockeykings card bottom right is an interesting one. It's an advertising card which was likely sent with a package bought from them, possibly through ebay. An interesting made card which takes design heavily from 1990-91 Score with some adjustments. A neat card.

We finish with some 1996-97 Donruss cards, with my only Leaf pull from the day, but I do also need the 1990-91 Score Canadian Walz card for that set build, so a solid few cards today and hopefully some trade fodder for some Bruins!

Jeff With Some Newer Cards Too

 These aren' the only newer cards from local collector Jeff, but these are the Upper Deck flagship ones...or most of them I think.

Happy to get a Leaf card, a few insert/parallels and an uncorrected error card. Have to talk about that Stutzle design. the PC's "Sparkle" design, the cards are every 17 packs, but that scan does show the - interesting design. It looks better in hand, but definitely a busy design.

I haven't bothered adding these newer flagship sets to me "to do" list and not sure I will, so a nice bunch here to trade away below...

I will say that the photography is great and design small to not take away from the photos, keeping it a pretty set.

Though not a big fan of the "extended" sets and how the Update Series seems to be done as a tack on to the series one and two releases. Rather it just be a completely different set, but that's just my two cents.

Jeff Travels Through The Pacific

 Another bunch of hockey cards from local collector Jeff, and we have a number of Pacific brand sets represented, with a few nice keepers in as well, so let's start with those.

1998-99 Pacific Dynagon Ice is a set I've slowly been building, so a couple keepers there and a card that is close enough with the foil stamp misalignment, that I'll keep it. It may just be a shift, but it's enough given the excuse for a Joe Sakic card to the collection.

We get to see some red with red parallels and an insert too...

Much prefer a border that is different colours for a parallel than a foil colour change, but it is what it is. The Jarome would be a fantastic insert if they did something MEM like with the net space.

If you are interested in Pacific and have any needs, see if anything below tickles your fancy...

It is almost getting to the point that I am feeling a bit forced to collect the flagship 2002-03 Pacific set given the amount I have had come across my plate....not there quite yet though.

We end with Crown Royale which was very much about the die cut base cards, here Cup related. Not a bad design, but not one I see a lot of and don't have desire to collect, so up for grabs courtesy of Jeff.

Decked By Jeff

 No - may not be decked by some amazing hit, but decked out with some solid Upper Deck set helpers....and traders too.

All of the above are 1993-94 Upper Deck base set card helpers - a fantastic bunch that knock a good 30 or so cards off the needs list. Wasn't just early 90s Upper Deck base cards though, a few keeper inserts too...

Instead of calling it Platinum Players Club, they should have just called it Chrome...or maybe Metal. Personal preference there, but I get it, I guess Platinum works. I will say the Scoring Predictor inserts look more like something I'd expect to see out of a Parkhurst set at the time given the green border work.

Plenty to trade from Jeff today as well...

Some 1994-95 Upper Deck if anyone is interested.

Some Collector's Choice stars too. I swear, Jeff had about 10 of those Greztky cards and now, I'm just trying to turn them into Bruins.

Newest of New Cards

 I've said here before - I don't get to buying new cards. The closest I usually get is within a year or two in repacks or something of the like. Maybe on occasion, a box or blaster along those lines. It is far more likely I get current year cards in a trade, but even then it's usually a few months or more after. I got the following cards from Doug at Sportscards From The Dollar Store just a few weeks after the set released. A nice surprise envelope and one I have finally returned the favour on as I had been meaning to and did so once busy season of April was through. 

These cards look fantastic (as did the original set). Bright, crisp, colourful, paying the right amount of homage to the original design with tweaks which are small enough not to be offputting.

I have never been a fan of the faux signature design - as early when I first really started seeing it as a kid collecting, not getting why people would want a fake signature.

Really like the Bichette insert design - very 70s - far out and groovy man.

A couple error cards, the most glaring of which is the Basabe Jays card since...well....he isn't a Jay. I guess quality control saw a blue shirt, a Blue Jays and said okays! Really do appreciate the newer cards, and many thank yous to Doug!

Metal and Shine

 More cards from local collector Jeff and the nice lot of cards he gifted so I can keep what I collect and look to flip what I can and bring in some Bruins for him, and today, a bunch of shiny / metallic cards, and here are my keepers...

The Rink Collection parallel cards from Pinnacle are - different. They definitely stand out compared to the regular base cards, so no way to really miss them, which I can appreciate.

The card I chuckled at though is Claude. Not my favourite Studio set, but it is my first Press Proof parallel from the set, and of course the guy I always think of taking a certain cheap shot in a game against the Red Wings and then, if I recall, not standing up for the retribution that came after (and was well deserved).

It also makes me think of the game now and how those types of incidents just aren't even really fathomable in the game, for better or worse.

The traders for those interested...

Still not a fan of the late 90s Topps Gold sets. They are shiny and have a high end front look (not so much the back in my opinion), but hard to tell the parallels from the base for me by looking at them.

As I say, happy to trade for any Bruins cards for Jeff - I don't bother having them on my wants list on TCDB, but not picky and happy for anything I can send Jeff's way.

Club Joining

 Back with some more cards from what Jeff Scott happily provided, and we have a whole bunch of Player's Club parallels from Collector's Choice.

Douggie is the big win for be in the bunch, just the one Leaf card, but a whole bunch of cards for keeps, and those are here, but there is a bunch of trade fodder on TCDB too.

Almost all of the 1995-96 Player's Club cards I have, are from Jeff, and I am at 184 in the 396 card set. Never thought on a large parallel set, I'd have many getting that "complete", but there's a few now between a couple from lot pick ups, and this one from Jeff.

Now, to be fair, back in the 90s, the whole parallel things was still being worked on before the explosion in parallels we have come to know and love. I don't know if there would have been 100 parallels much earlier if they realized a change in border colour alone and not plastering words over the card, was necessary.

In most cases, the stamping isn't in the way, might take away a bit from the card, but in some, it just doesn't look great. Electric Ice I find was generally a bit better on keeping a good looking card compared to these.

Overall - a definitely awesome bunch of cards I wasn't expecting to get, and getting me close to adding the rest of the set to the want list!

WildwoodSam Trade

 A first time trade partner at TCDB, not a one, but a 2 PWE trade with WildwoodSam, and we get some baseball and some hockey.

Always nice to get some of the slightly more odd pick ups from the early Jays days, like 1981 Topps Stickers, though they are as basic as you can get with just a picture.

Getting close on the team set for 1985 Donruss with these additions as well.

One thing about 1989 Donruss - you get the chance to collect four different variations if there is an error card, and that may possibly be what I am doing here.....

We then skip a bit and get into the 2000s quickly and a nice Sanchez in that it's serial numbered to 149, along with 2015 Topps Heritage cards which are nice, but not a vintage design I really love. I get the uniqueness of the playing card design, but just not a personal "like" on it.

Much prefer these takes on the vintage designs thank you very much. A bit surprised I wasn't able to finish any team sets with these, but at the same time, I don't yet actively sort through on trades and look for last missing cards to put in. One of these days I will have enough time to do that.

As for the hockey...

A couple random Leaf cards to go with a few 2001-02 Upper Deck Victory base set helpers, and then we do get some finishing of base team sets - well pure base cards since SP Authentic and Panini Certified like the "base cards which are actually serial numbered" thing.

I was able to finish my Leaf base sets for 2009-10 SP Authentic, 2010-11 SP Authentic and 2011-12 Panini Certified so not too shabby at all here for a great 2 envelope PWE!