Sumo on Ice

A while back, Ryan of SumoMenkoMan fame sent me a box of sealed hockey packs...which I didn't get a chance to write about due to various things. Then, a few weeks ago now, he sent me a box of various hockey cards! The loose cards apparently came from his visit with Fuji, so I'll just thank them both here. Since I'm finally getting scanning again, I've been able to get some of them scanned, so I can finally post about them...since I'm so backlogged, and since I've only opened a couple of packs from the bounty he sent, I'm combining them into one post.

First, the box of packs:

At least a couple of these are sets not present in my collection...every single one of them is a set I've never opened a single pack from! Wow! I've only opened two of the packs so far...the rest are still sitting next to me, waiting for their turn. (and waiting for me to scan them- I need to do that before I open them).
Every one of them had a price tag, which I carefully removed...and stuck to the box. (for lack of any place better to stick them)

As if that wasn't cool enough, a few weeks later- I'm a little scatterbrained on exactly when he sent the box of packs, since I didn't count them until I opened them, not when I got the box- another surprise box shows up, this time containing loose cards in a plastic case and more packs, this time 2017-18 BBM B.League Japanese basketball cards! I showed the back of them already, so I'll post a front here since I forgot to before.

Of the cards he sent, I got a bunch of new ones, and even a couple sets I didn't have previously...including one that he sent me a pack of but I hadn't opened yet!

Here are just a couple of the many highlights:

 My first card from 1999-00 Topps Chrome, the hockey version!

 My first card from this year's McDonald's set

 My first base card from 2011-12 SP Authentic

 I don't have much from 2004-05 season, the lockout year.

 This Throwbacks set is awesome. He sent me two, bringing my grand total from the set to three cards.

 My records show I have another card from this set, but I don't remember the design at all. I still have a lot left to scan though.

I just like the design of the 2000-02 Stadium Club set for NHL. I like this more than the NBA design of the same year, which I also like.

Yes, I started thinking the Grease theme song after getting this one...

Here's the promised B.League front. I think I might like the 2017-18 set more than 2016-17, as it is team color coded, something I always like. The only cards I have in my collection from the set came from the packs he sent me, which I didn't count, but was at least 5 from each series. (or half, as BBM calls them)

Thanks again Ryan, and sorry it took me so long to get a thank-you post written! It's been well over a month now, I need to work on being better at thanking people in a timely manner. I know I thanked you in a direct message, but that's poor blogger etiquette on my part. There's so much more I could post, but don't want to hold up the post any longer.

A Shoebox full of hockey cards

Recently I sent Shane from Shoebox Legends some Buybacks for his baseball Frankenset that I found in my local dealer's stock. He sent me a thank you gift that he described as "a few cards" but turned out to be a few hundred! Or close to it anyway- he sent me 178 new cards, which included another lucky 13 new sets and a whopping 51 new people for my collection! The cards ranged in age from 1979-80 up all the way to 2015-16. There were so many great cards it's hard to pick a favorite, I can't do it. But here are some highlights!

I think I need to lead off with what is only my third NHL relic, and to make it even more interesting- it's dual sided! It's rare for me to show a front and back of a card but here, it's a must.

This is also my first relic card from the Pacific company. The card is surprisingly not super thick- only about half a card thicker than standard. It's great though!

This, I believe, is my first serially numbered rookie card for the NHL! I love SN cards. I am drawn to them like moth to a streetlight. It's my 8th or 9th for the NHL, but it is my first of both this person and set. Overall in my collection I've got more than 3000 SN cards. I'm addicted to them, and I never plan to seek treatment for that, LOL!

I really like the Black Diamond cards. I enjoy the etched look, even if they don't really scan well. They never have, but in hand...they look good. This is Tyler Bozak, by the way.

This Parkhurst card is actually an insert in 2000-01 Be A Player Memorabilia. Why it was not issued as a standalone is beyond me, but I was not collecting hockey at that time, of course, so I have no idea. It's a 250 card set so it certainly could have stood alone.

I scanned this 2000-01 UD Heroes card because it was not yet posted to the Trading Card Database. It is now!

I think this Quest for the Cup card came from Shane, but it may have come from Julie or one of the other two people who sent me hockey cards during the past couple of weeks. I can't keep them all straight anymore, so just enjoy the scan, LOL

Now, since hockey is actually pretty popular among card collectors, most of what he sent me is already posted to the Trading Card Database, which means I set it aside for later, when I finish scanning what has not been posted yet, I will go back and scan my copies of the cards anyway for my own website and possible blog posting. But it might be a while. So here is a photo I took showing some of them...every card on my scanner came from Shane. I highlighted the 1979-80 cards because they are vintage, but there are other 80s cards in the stacks.

I made sure to get a different card from the Black Diamond set in the picture as well but the camera flash kind of obscures it. I realize now looking at the photo it's actually from the 2014-15 set, while the one I scanned is 2013-14. Close enough, they use the same technology.

Thanks for all the great cards Shane, it's very much appreciated! If you ever decide to start collecting the NBA or NASCAR I would be glad to send you a similar mailing!