2018 Trading Card Database Trade #11 - Abacks

It seems like the post office is doing everything that they can to screw over consumers and make a few extra bucks.  My trading partner sent this in a PWE with bubble wrap one time around the card.  He sent with one stamp and I received a "postage due" of $3.  It's getting a bit out of hand and soon trades like this will go the way of the dodo bird.  I'm not paying $3.50 to ship a few cards when I wouldn't spend that much on the card I'm receiving back. 

Anyway, the cards I received...

In hindsight, this was probably a foolish trade.  I've decided not to go forward attempting to complete either of these sets.  

I do wish I could make up my mind.  One day I make up my mind that I want to be 90% vintage.  Then a few weeks later, "a little more new stuff won't hurt."  A few weeks later I realize that I could have picked up some great vintage card with what I spent on the modern and I'm back to square one.  The struggle is most definitely real.  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Thanks, @dubmentality!

When I got home from work Monday, there was a bubble mailer waiting on me.  I'd received everything in transit to me at work that day (I have some things sent there) and knew the bubble mailer was unexpected.  

It was from Joey, who many of you know as @dubmentality on Twitter.  I hoped to meet up with him when he was in town for the Industry Summit, but things just didn't work out.  

Joey has opened a few blasters of Upper Deck Hockey and I mentioned to him that I'm working on the set, complete with inserts.  I think my mind has changed on that, but this is still a win for me.  I will still attempt to put the Canvas set together, and that's what was in the envelope. 

Thank you for the surprise mail, Joey!  You need to let me know what cards you need to finish off your Series 1 set so that I can send some cards your way.  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #8 - Detfan6897

Because I know everyone is waiting on this <sarcasm>, here is the third envelope that I received Tuesday from Trading Card Database trades.  It certainly hit a lot of sets and collections, likely because my trade partner collects multiple sports. 

One more checked off the list for the 2017 Topps 1987 insert set.  

Seven more cards for the 2017 Gypsy Queen set.  As I said yesterday, I feel like I'll never complete this set.  I keep plugging away, though.  I can't even imagine what it would be like to collect a massive set like the Upper Deck 40 Man or Topps Total sets.

It was nice to receive Parkhurst inserts in two envelopes from Tuesday.  There aren't many traders with these on TCDB.  

More inserts for the 2017-18 Series 1 master set build.  

For those that don't know, Jeremy Roenick was my favorite hockey player in the 1990s...until the Blackhawks and their miserly owner traded him away.  You could say that even as a teenager, I was a player supercollector.  At the time he was traded, I had about 90% of his cards that Beckett listed.  That collection had to include the Team 2001 and Career Highlights cards above.  I'm picking up his cards again as I come into them, but only if he's pictured as a Blackhawks.  I have no care for his time with the Flyers, Kings, Sharks, Coyotes and whatever other teams he played for. 

Oh, the O-Pee-Chee Marquee Legend is my second copy of the card but since it's a SP, I figured it wouldn't hurt to have another. 

Once the Blackhawks traded Roenick, there was a dark period where I was a fan and listened to games, but had no favorite player.  Enter Eric Daze.  The big man was a serious goal scorer but unfortunately back issues kept him from living up to what we expected. 

I'm confused by the MVP card above.  It's a Silver Script, but there's no facsimile signature.  It just has his name typed in silver.  I do remember this happening with some players (in other sports as well) back in the day.  Does anyone recall why this happened? 

These four Dazes are my favorites.  I love the Collector's Choice "Young Guns" card from before Young Guns were the thing.  The whatever year Topps Heritage with the wood-grain border was a must have.  Also, I miss Fleer Metal.  Those were always some fun cards. 

My love of wood grain continues with the Mario Lemieux.  I have a couple of Lemieux autographed cards in my collection so I don't collect much else of his.  I figure that nothing is going to compare to them.  I do love that Heritage design.  I wish Topps could do one NHL set a year and it was Heritage.  A man can dream. 

Please ignore the fact that I picked up a 2017-18 MVP Andrew Shaw.  The Black Ice Derian Hatcher was one that I threw in for my fiance's Stars binder.  He was her favorite player.  Other than Mike Modano.  She'd leave me for either of them.

Finally, a couple of set pickups.  The top two were the ones I traded for and he added in the bottom four.  I need to buy some more Conlon boxes and get working on the sets.  A lot of the players are also in the T206 set.  These Conlon cards have great backs (mostly text) and I am excited to learn more about the guys in the T206 set from these. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #7 - ntlwhlr

This trade was in the second of three envelopes I received on Tuesday.  My trade partner is a Brewers and Blackhawks fan, making him a great trade partner.  He received quite a few Brewers refractors, rookies and numbered cards.  I feel he's probably thrilled with the trade.  I'm not unhappy.

Two more cards toward my 1987 insert set from 2017 Topps.  I think I traded for the Marte in another trade as well.  Oops.  I can put it back into the traders.

One more card two the 2012 Topps mini insert set.

More cards toward my 2017 Gypsy Queen set.  I bought a couple of hanger packs last year and liked the look of them, so decided to work toward the set.  I'm convinced I will never complete it.  

After five blasters of 2017-18 Parkhurst, I was able to complete the base set (but I need another Alex DeBrincat). I decided to attempt the master set, other than the Canadian exclusives and Prominent Prospects numbered parallels.  These come one or two per box so I still need quite a few.  Hopefully I can find more trade partners and pick these up.

Like the Parkhurst set, I have completed the base set of Series 1 but still need plenty of Young Guns and inserts.  They say that patience is a virtue.  I'm not confident that I'm THAT virtuous.

If this card looks familiar, you probably saw another copy in yesterday's trade post.  Oops.

I don't know much about this set and need to learn more.  I have it on my want list because of the former Indianapolis 500 drivers in the set.  Three of the four cards above are Jimmy Murphy, winner of the 1922 race.

Most of my trades on TCDB so far have been one sport for another.  It was refreshing to find a trade partner that crosses multiple sports.  The ones I've found that can cross sports have been much easier so far.  If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of TCDB and their trade system.  The match function makes it easier to find trade partners and I approve of that!

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  They put $63 in my Paypal account last week!  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

It Arrived - MEOW!

I've been surprised that Alex DeBrincat Young Guns have sustained their value.  The last three years Young Guns prices have dropped on all but the top one or two players once the set made it to ePack.  They have still plummeted on the low-tier players, but this season there are a dozen or so that have remained higher.  I have my theory on why, but I'll save that for a Bean's Ballcard Blog post.

As luck would have it, I searched for this card with the most recently listed and found this one.  It cost less than the COMC asking price AND had free shipping.  I went ahead and snagged it.  I feel that eventually prices will drop and the $11 I paid will just seem stupid, but who knows?

2017-18 Upper Deck #221 Alex DeBrincat

This card doubles my Alex DeBrincat collection.  The fact that I have just two cards speaks volumes about how I feel about modern cards.  I'm cutting down on the amount of money I spend and the percentages have moved toward vintage and spending money for online trading shipping.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Birthday Blaster: 2017-18 Upper Deck Series 1

My birthday has meant more to me the last four years.  My lovely fiance and I share the same birthday.  Unfortunately she had to work that day, but it left me with a little time to myself.  I needed to return something to Walmart and since it was my birthday, I decided to treat myself to a blaster.

I was hoping that I'd finish off my base set.  Come to find out, my base set was already completed after a couple of trades on Trading Card Database.  Oops. 

There should be two Young Guns in each blaster and I still need plenty of them for the set.  My first was Pierre-Luc Dubois.  He's one of the better rookies, so I beat the odds on this one.  I knew that I wouldn't end up with two complete duds. 

My second Young Guns card was Calle Rosen.  His card is lower-end but I needed it for the set.  All things considered, I will count that as a win. 

I'm still trying to pick a copy of the Alex DeBrincat Oversized Young Guns card.  If anyone reads this and has one they want to trade for this Alexander Nylander, a Tyson Jost or a Tage Thompson, I'm your Huckleberry. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #2 - dcdeacon

Thanks to the match alerts, I found this user that had a few 2017-18 Upper Deck cards that I needed for my set and also needed some of my doubles.  I told him I would do it as a PWE trade if he was interested and he was good with that. 

I'm going to be smarter with my trades going forward.  It makes no sense to spend $3 to send out a trade when the cards that I'm getting back I wouldn't pay $3 for at a card show.  I see a lot of the PWE trades in 2018. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

2018 Trading Card Database Trade #1 - parsley24

This trade isn't random.  Even though it was set up through Trading Card Database, it was a trade with a co-worker.  I actually got him to sign up for TCDB and it's been good for him.  He's made a lot of trades and is making great progress on his 2017 Heritage and 1969 Topps sets.  He's been on the site since early October and as of this writing, has 46 feedback comments, all positive.

We'd already traded a couple of times and I just had one card that he needed.  I gave him that and cash, and the pic below is what I received back.

• A huge stack of 2016-17 Upper Deck Series 1.  I had both base sets completed and had probably 2/3 of the Young Guns before selling off the set.  I was trying to come up with the final amount of cash I needed to buy an engagement ring and sold it all off.  It's one of the biggest regrets I've had in my 30 years in the hobby.  I'm back to square one working on the set. 
• He had two of the Young Guns - Trevor Carrick and the checklist with Auston Matthews.  
• Also some 2016-17 UD Canvas cards.  I love these cards and plan to try and build some of the old sets.  I'll probably never complete them because of the Young Guns, but it's at least something to work on. 
• A handful of 2017-18 base and UD Canvas for my sets.  Also, he had the Andrew Shaw jersey card.  I'm not actively searching for Shaw cards anymore but when I can come into them, I snag them.  

If you're on Trading Card Database, take a look and see if there's a trade to be made with Steven.  I can vouch for him and he's one of the guys in the hobby truly for fun.  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Box Break & Review - 2017-18 Upper Deck Hockey Series 1 Hobby Box

I was able to wrap up my work tasks with a full day left before Christmas vacation.  On the last day I decided to call it a day at 11 and head up to the LCS to kick off the holiday.  I hadn't picked up a box of Series 1 yet, so it was time.  I need one to put together most of the base set and I can fill in the holes from there.  

I didn't hit the big Young Guns card of the season or any other high-dollar cards, but that's okay.  I didn't buy the box to hit the lottery.  I beat the odds on a couple of cards and got a couple of the better Young Guns cards, making it a definite success.  

BASE CARDS - 165 cards (no duplicates) - 82.5% set completion

YOUNG GUNS (1:4 Packs) - 6

If I'm going to get six in a box and two are Josh Ho-Sang and Tyson Jost, I won't complain.  They aren't the top Young Guns, but aren't commons either.  Ho-Sang books $20 and Jost $15 (per Beckett).  The other four are $5 commons.  

UD CANVAS (1:6 Packs) - 4

The UD Canvas cards are some of my favorite modern cards.  My dream Upper Deck set would be a stand-alone, 600 or 700 card set of canvas cards.  It would combine the canvas feel with a set builder's set.  Every man is entitled to a dream.  

UD GAME JERSEY (1:36 Packs) - 1

SIGNATURE SENSATIONS (1:288 Packs) - 1

I beat the odds on these two cards.  In my opinion, jersey cards are played out and "blah" anymore.  I'd prefer to see scarce insert sets added over another basic jersey card.  You'll be able to find most of these on COMC for less than a buck in six more weeks.  However, this particular jersey card can go into my Blackhawks binder if it fits into a sheet.

Signature Sensations cards are case hits.  The checklist is usually weak for these and this year was no exception.  Esa Lindell is Group E, the most common.  I win here as well because this one will go into my fiance's Stars binder.  

SHINING STARS (CENTERS 1:16; LEFT WINGERS 1:24; GOALIES 1:48) - 3

SHINING STARS RED (CENTERS 1:48; LEFT WINGERS 1:72; GOALIES 1:144) - 1

Shining Stars is a boring insert set that needs to go.  I don't know how many years running it's been a thing, but I'm over it.  I will say that the red parallel looks REALLY nice with Taylor Hall donning a red sweater.  

UD PORTRAITS (1:6 Packs)

Speaking of insert sets that need to go...we have UD Portraits.  I believe we would struggle to find anyone that gives a damn about this set.  

CENTENNIAL STANDOUTS (1:5 Packs)

I'm a big fan of this set because it has retired players and not just current.  Any time that I can pull a Mario Lemieux card from a pack, I find it a win!  

Between this box, two blasters and two fat packs, I still find myself seven cards short of the completed base set.  It's frustrating, but it's part of the hobby.  It wasn't any different when I started collecting in 1987.  These are the cards I need, if you have them and would like to make a swap for some you need.  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Series 1 Fatpacks From Santa

My fiance isn't keen on buying me cards.  She's concerned that she will buy the wrong thing and/or be taken advantage of.  When she does buy cards, it's unopened material that she knows I'm looking for.  Knowing that I am working on the Upper Deck Hockey set, she put a couple of retail fatpacks into my stocking. 

Each one contained one insert card and 31 base cards at a $5 price point.  If you want to put together the base set, the fatpacks are one of the best options for the price.  If you're looking to score the "nasty" hit, you should probably look elsewhere. 

The Young Guns cards are seeded 1:4 packs.  I wasn't fortunate enough to hit one, but a Connor McDavid UD Portraits is a quality consolation prize. 

I haven't seen which of the 61 base cards (one of the base cards was damaged), because I have a hobby box to break down as well.  It will be more efficient to collate all of them and work on it then. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Canvas Surprise

Earlier this week I went back to my desk after a meeting, only to find an envelope had been delivered.  I wasn't waiting on anything (that could possibly have been delivered already), so I thought that perhaps it was a Secret Santa delivery.  It wasn't, which is a good thing! 

I bought some cards off Jason a couple of weeks ago, including a lot of 2017-17 UD Canvas cards.  I was going to link to that post, but it seems I've failed as a blogger.  I did share it on Twitter, though.    We've been sending cards back and forth since 2014 that we knew would fit into the other's collection.  It had been awhile, but it appears that it's "game on" once again!  

By the way, if you have a Nolan Patrick Canvas Young Guns, Jason is looking for one.  Hit him up on Twitter. 

The five cards are all ones that I need for the set.  WAHOO! 

There were some doubles, but hopefully I can find a trading partner either on Trading Card Database or one of the other places that you can find me. 

Thanks so much, Jason.  I'll have to find something to hit you back with! 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

#UDRAK from That Sports Card Show and Upper Deck

Recently David Anton of Upper Deck was on the "That Sports Card Show" podcast talking about social media and a bit of ePack.  They gave away a few (ten, I believe) #UDRAK maildays and I was fortunate enough to be selected.  I saw tweets over the weekend that people had received them and I figured today was my day. 

Sure enough, when I returned to my desk from my Monday meeting, two envelopes (I will post the other tomorrow) were on it.  It doesn't matter if I'm at work, I always open bubble envelopes immediately. 

The winners were contacted on ePack (you had to have an ID to win) and asked what we collect.  I'm a Blackhawks guy and Upper Deck didn't disappoint.  I don't know all the details of the distribution, but a signed Tyler Motte oversized Young Guns is a very cool piece to add to my collection.  With the NHL Draft logo on it, I believe it was likely signed at the draft in Chicago this year. 

I'm not sure exactly what the Marvel piece is.  I will definitely give it to a friend for his son that's into the comic thing.  A highly underappreciated item that companies send sometimes are pens.  I work an office job and use them all the time.  I also keep track of mine and there's no doubt that I will use this one until it's out of ink. 

Finally, two packs of Series 1 were included.  So far I've only purchased two blasters but I do want to complete the set.  Hopefully inside is a handful of cards that I can use for my set. 

YOUNG GUNS!  They are 1:6 packs and I beat the odds here.  While I really wanted to pull an Alex DeBrincat, I need this one for my set, making it a win.  I also needed the Jakob Chychrun for my set.  I can't complain at 25% cards I needed in a pack that I paid nothing for!

Not only did I beat the odds in pack one with the Young Guns, there was a Paul Martin Clear Cut Parallel in my second pack.  Those are 1:72 packs and it's only the second one I've pulled from a pack.  I opened three boxes last season and got one, falling right at the odds.  In other good news, I needed the other seven cards for my set. 

Thank you for the contest and the cards, The Sports Card Show, David and Upper Deck.  While I may have some gripes time to time, I truly believe that none of the other card manufacturers comes anywhere close to taking care of their customers.  Upper Deck's social media presence has a lot to do with it.  You can disagree, it's just what I see.  The others could, and should, learn from Upper Deck.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!