Starting early

I mentioned getting a bunch of cards from a local collector - Jeff Scott - and that, as much as there is some stuff for me, that there would be a bunch I would look to trade and get some stuff to pass back to Jeff. He is a Bruins collector, so will be just looking for anything Bruins related in that regard.

So how am I going to go through the stuff? Well, I figure I will show everything here - maybe pulling separate what I am keeping, then for the rest, it will generally be up for grabs, but I will have some idea of some cards that will go to other collectors.

If you see anything you want, let me know and I'll let you know if it's already spoken for or not.

I am going to try and go through cards by set, give or take, but since there isn't much for basketball or football, will probably run through those as a sport.

Anyway, lets start with a small beginning which would be the basketball cards. It is still April, so baby steps here.




I am not a big basketball fan as I have said here before. Of these, the only name that rings a bell is Rod Strickland. Best shot would be Mark West going in for the bucket.



Clyde The Glide...and some newer cards. Heck, these are probably the newest basketball cards I have ever had in hand.



I haven't put these in yet, but I assume the yellow border will be a parallel.

Well, it's a start and what I am going to do is see if there are any trading partners I can send these off to, and if they happen to want to send anything back - it can be Boston cards for Jeff. He wasn't specifically looking for anything back, it was more to get cards to a home where they would be more enjoyed - but if I can get him some Bruins instead - great!

The end of the best

So we reach the last three packs...



At every 6 packs, I did a bit better than average with the Highly Decorated inserts as I have 6 and ended up with a couple dupes as well.




Speaking of those dupes, here is the only entire dupe pack I got out of the 33 which isn't too shabby I believe.



We end with one more new base and another card fro the special event insert, this one showing Crosby at the All-Star game. These being every 12 packs, I only ended up with two.

Of all the inserts, the one I am surprised to not see at all are the gold etchings which are every 8 packs. Those are usually pretty nice, but that is a really small complaint all things considered.

33 Packs, 108 Cards, 36,349 Points.

So, where does it stand...yeah no shock here...

1)	2019-20 Upper Deck Tim Hortons Packs	336.5648
2)	2018 Diamond Kings Baseball	6.0400
3)	2019 Topps WWE Women's Division Blaster	5.6825
4)	2013 Triple Play Baseball Box	3.2588
5)	2017 Topps Series 1 Baseball Jumbo Packs	3.2222
6)	2017 Panini Chronicles Baseball Blaster	3.0000
7)	NHL Championship Collection	2.8818
8)	2009-10 UD National Hockey Card Day Packs	2.5789
9)	Dollarama 80 Card Assorted Baseball Pack 2	2.5432
10)	Dollarama Hockey Surprise Bag 1	2.5000
11)	Dollarama 80 Card Assorted Baseball Pack 1	2.4578
12)	2017 WWE Then Now Forever Hanger Box 1	2.1190
13)	2017 WWE Then Now Forever Hanger Box 2	1.7857
14)	2018 Donruss Baseball Hanger Box	1.4667

Simply put, not even close - and it shouldn't be for something that brought one of my best hits ever.

In Cometh McDavid and a package

Just today and tomorrow left when it comes to the Timmies packs, and it feels a little anticlimactic as I think the best has passed so far. Not to fear, as we still can have some pretty nice cards show up like this McDavid Highly Decorated insert. Looks a bit surprised to be on the card, but already has a couple Art Ross trophies, a Ted Lindsay award, and Hart Trophy. There's still some room on the back, but I think he will fill that our over the next 5-10 years.



A card so nice, we get it twice I guess. No problem there, and getting the Stamkos base card knocked off the list of outstanding cards.



We end today with a couple more new base additions bringing me closer to 50 of the 120 base card set which isn't too shabby based on 30 packs since you only get about 2 base cards per pack.

We finish this all up tomorrow.

30 Packs, 99 Cards, 36,322 Points.

This past week I also received another package from baseballcardstoreca which had some great cards and completed a few Toronto team sets too which is also awesome!



1996-97 Upper Deck flagship set for the year, and here we have the last of the Leafs for it. I don't mind the cracked foil look of the cards, and the subsets play with the design a bit, but overall, just a middling design to me. What bothers me is the light grey on slightly less light grey naming that goes up the card right beside the cracked effect that you can hardly read even in hand. Some at least you can recognize off hand like Jamie McCoun and the 'stache.

Flying Domi wins for best pic of the bunch though.



We get the remainder of the 1987 Fleer Blue Jays, and the second of two French's Blue Jays cards.

Love the team related checklists and include those when they are done, but the fact I get to put Ryne into my Jays collection is really cool.



1988 Donruss Baseball's Best. I had a lonely Jay and here are the other 12 for the full team set. I am a bit torn - I like the regular Donruss blue borders for the Jays as they go well, but these orange ones are so snazzy and vibrant.



We have a few random Leafs as well. These are the first Topps Pristine cards (and honestly, the foil colour on Belfour looks a bit blue, while Nolan looks a bit purple...I assume a little lack of colour control.



We end with a last bunch of Jays including some first Gypsy 2019 cards, and a poetic looking Bowman Alomar.

As always, much thanks, and I have so much to mail out once this whole COVID thing is over.

Coming back down to normal

Yeah - after yesterday's pull, not going to be nearly as exciting today I am sure.



A couple more new base cards including a good pose on Brock.



Yeah - about 10 of these later, and I really do think those red die cuts are darn beautiful, no matter who the player is. I may just be tempted to collect the set if I get enough here.



Ah, here we go, another new to me insert. The inset set is called Key Season Events and obviously highlights exactly that - what they consider to be the important events of the season. Here we highlight the 2018 NHL games played in China which was a good expansion of the game. I think we are a way off of having an NHL division in China, but hey, you never know what will happen in the future, right?

27 Packs, 81 Cards, 36,300 Points.

Pull of the Year (so far)

We will wait until the last pack to see it, but, yeah, these is gonna be a great bunch of cards.



Love the yellow uniform Sid The Kid, it pops really nicely, and appropriately card 87 from the base set.



The Leafs have been few and far between in these packs, but here we finally get a soid insert with a Leaf given the Game Day card. This one refers to Tavares getting a hat trick in only his third game in Toronto.

Then we have this...



Just awesome. Not only is it a signature card, but it is a Toronto signature card. As for the odds, these are one in every 7,200 packs so BOOM! I will say, getting a redemption card versus pulling the actual thing lessens it a little, but still an amazing pull. Not to worry, as soon as I pulled it, went online to redeem so should be a couple weeks and the card will be in hand. Happy I didn't wait too long to open these packs since they expire in September this year.

Yeah, only going to be downhill from here, but I think these packs will end up winning the best break and top pull this year.

24 Packs, 72 Cards, 36,271 Points.

Exploring The Franchise

There we go! Here is the first longer odd insert cards. These fall every 24 packs, so probably the only one I am going to see in the 33 packs, but they are pretty nice as I don't mind the duo here, a good pair for the Sharks. Besides - you have to love the Burns beard.



P.K., thank you for leaving Montreal. This gave me reason to go ahead and like you. I'd say he was always a great person and talented, but as a Leaf fan, it was still hard to allow myself to like him until he became a Predator.

We end with another new Highly Decorated insert card.

A step up I'd say, even if there were a couple dupes.

21 Packs, 63 Cards, 232 Points.

Some Game Day Action

A simple theme for the three packs today which, as per my comment yesterday, I still don't have any of the more rare inserts...



Okay, I'll never complain about getting a Crosby, and as you will see, the cards at least have a different number on the front for the faux ticket as the seat is changed to match the card number of the insert set.



Toews game day action card discusses his hat trick (and assist) which he had on Feb 21, 2017 against Minnesota.



Brock's game day action is for his second career hat trick in which he was also a +5 for the game.

A perfect day as far as new cards go, so a great trio for the day. For the base set, if you are keeping track, I am at 32 of 120, so may end up around half the set when these packs are done...but we will see.

18 Packs, 54 Cards, 184 Points.