NHL moves past Non-Sports for 3rd

It happened sooner than I expected. I knew it was coming fairly soon...but I figured it would be in 2020. Since I began collecting the NHL in January 2017, I realized fairly quickly that it would move up the ranks of my collection. By the end of 2017, it was already in 4th, behind NBA, NASCAR, and Non-Sports. It stayed fairly steady in 4th place, gaining on Non-Sports but still a ways back. As 2019 was drawing to a close, I had actually begun my Year in Review for the year, and was going to include a section on things to watch for in 2020....but the main thing I was going to focus on went and happened on Christmas day!

I woke up Christmas morning with exactly 16,600 non-sports cards, and 16030 NHL cards...a fairly large cushion for Non-Sports. It wouldn't last the day! I ended up getting 729 new NHL/Hockey cards on Christmas, which now puts the NHL firmly into third place!

While this happened much sooner than I expected, the NHL still has a long way to go before it catches NASCAR, and, at my current rate of card intake, may never catch the NBA...but I don't plan to stop collecting, so you never know.

NASCAR is next, with 34026 cards in my collection. That's a difference of 17,267 cards...which is over a thousand more than in my current NHL collection. (16759). The NBA is likely untouchable with 93257 cards, a difference of 76498. But you never know...I've collected the NBA for 18 years, and the NHL for 3, so let's see where I stand in 15 years...

I know NASCAR will probably fall eventually, and sooner than the numbers may make it appear here...the NHL gets multiple sets a year which each have more cards than all NASCAR cards in a year combined, in fact, in just one box of this year's Topps NHL stickers, I got 235 new cards...which is only about 150 less than NASCAR gets in a year, provided I get all of them...which I have not done since 2015.

Of course, those numbers are what I'm working on, but I don't think they are entirely accurate. Even the NHL, which I in theory should have totally documented, I'm not sure on because I have a stack of 1991-92 Score Bilingual which I'm not sure is properly documented, and I have no idea which of the two versions of 1991-92 Upper Deck I have. For the NBA and NASCAR, I don't know if I counted some cards, or maybe I may have counted some more than once. I'm almost sure I didn't count any cards that were not standard card size, both larger and smaller, until I came back to the NBA in 2012.

I won't know for sure until I get everything scanned and that may happen this decade...maybe.

This was the card that pushed the NHL into third place, passing non-sports cards. Modern non-sports cards aren't really common so I don't think they will ever take the spot back. If I could afford and could find all the vintage cards I wanted, that might change...but isn't too realistic to think about.

2019-20 Topps Stickers #208.

The one-per-pack foil subset scans actually pretty well. Each player who has a foil card (sticker) also has a standard sticker. Each team also has a logo foil sticker as well. I really like the Topps sticker set...it's the first time Topps has produced NHL cards since the 2003-04 season. I'm glad they are back! At 630 cards, it's so far the largest set of the season, although when the rest of the O-Pee-Chee set is issued in Upper Deck Series 2, it'll probably surpass it.

I will show more cards I got for Christmas soon...stay tuned!

Added bonus: I mentioned that I would include a photo of my family Christmas tree in yesterday's post, and I just plain forgot. Here it is now!

The red plaid card is the one sent to me by Kari of the Trading Card Database that I specifically mentioned previously.

Merry Christmas 2019!

My family once again did not disappoint me. This has been one of the most card-filled Christmases in recent memory, and it's not over yet, as my brother's present to me is some COMC money.

I've opened all of them and got so many new people I don't even know how many. I know for sure on some of them, but I will show them in a few days once I get them all in my listings and scanned...I may not even be ready to post them until 2020! But I will...

I hope everyone had as great a Christmas as I did...

Christmas Eve means it's Secret Santa time!

It's Christmas Eve, and one of the traditions I've come to look forward to, is the opening of my Secret Santa package on that day...or this day, I should say. (Yes, you're actually getting a post written today, not written weeks or months ago and then scheduled!) I've done it on Christmas Eve all four times it's been held, with the first time in 2016, then 2017 and 2018 as well. (Funny weird thing I saw composing this post- I just finished scanning the cards I got last year within the last week! I had somehow missed scanning the Kyle Larson Elite Dominators card from last year!)

This year the Secret Santa was opened up to both bloggers and Database members, and I got Kmack, who, coincidentally, had just sent me a PIF within a couple of weeks of getting my name in the draw. Being a Database member, he knew exactly what I liked and wanted, and targeted the cards specifically to me- three of the non-sports cards from various Allen & Ginter sets, a new to me Elton, and a fatpack of this year's Hoops!

 This was the first card out of the package...

 The second. The PIF he sent me back at the end of October was 2 other cards from this same insert!

Next was this mini of Napoleon. I never think to look for the non-sports cards in Allen & Ginter, so these are very pleasing to me to add.

The last single card was my favorite though, as it just literally glows! Topps Gold Label only appeared in the NBA in 2 seasons, 1999-00 and 2000-01, this card is an insert from the second year. It shows the black alternate jersey, always a plus to get an alternate card, even if these jerseys aren't as nice as the black with red pinstripes worn just a few years before. By the Database's reckoning this is the 590th Elton in my collection, although in actuality it's less as they count league leaders, team cards, multi-subject cards etc. in those totals.

Now, moving onto the pack of Hoops...it's a 30 card pack, and I needed 27 of them (which is kind of crazy because I have only three 8 card packs worth of the set) but I did very, very well with this pack...

 It always is a good start when the first card out is your first card of a person...

And the second card out is one of the brightest young stars of the game, already playing his way into MVP conversation in only his second year in the league.

 The Miami Vice jerseys are always cool. They have worn them for three years now, originally neon pink, then black, this year's are neon blue.

 Drummond pulling down a rebound, his specialty.

Always thrilled to get a new Nets card! Allen is going to lead the league in blocks one of these years...soon! Mark my words.

 Both the Rockets and Thunder wearing alternate jerseys here.

 Don't see many players wear 99.

 Of all the cards in the set, this is the one I wanted the most! Craig is the first player who turned a two-way contract into not only a regular NBA role, but also a starting role, integral to his team! He started 2017-18 on a two-way contract, played so well he got converted to regular, and by the end of the year he was starting. He's not a big time scorer, but he's one of those heart-and-soul guys who make a team work; the Nuggets had the second best record in the West last year and he played a key role in that. It's his first card, I don't believe Panini included him in anything in his first two years...although I have not stayed up on that sort of thing like  I once did.

 Another heart-and-soul guy, Smart plays with a lot of passion.

 Ferguson is in his third year, but I don't know all that much about him, to be honest.

 He missed the entire 2018-19 season due to injury.

 Every year I tend to pull a lot of cards of one or two rookies, and last year Hamidou Diallo was that rookie...going so far to even pull two different cards of him out of the same pack at least once.

 What better than to pull a card of a man sometimes called Jingles as part of a Christmas exchange? He sports a throwback jersey here.

Jimmy Butler wearing one of the worst jerseys ever. It doesn't say it anywhere, but that's the 76ers' alternate from last year.

 Brogdon's career has been forever tainted in my eyes because he was awarded Rookie of the Year for political reasons. I shouldn't hold that against him, because he certainly did nothing wrong, but I'm just having a hard time accepting it.

 Nurkic broke both bones in his leg last year, and will likely end up missing more than an entire calendar year because of it. The injury occurred March 25th in a game against the Nets, which I was watching, and he's not expected back anytime soon.

I wasn't lucky enough to pull either of the Fatpack exclusive parallel colors but at least I got this cool Purple, my second Purple parallel from the set. It also shows their alternate jersey, which I really like. Of the 27 cards I needed in the pack, this is the only one that needed a scan on the Database.

 This insert shows the Kings' stupidly lettered but awesomely colored alternate. Sactown, really? That's the best you could do?

 My first card of the Class of 2019 insert is also my first card of the Knicks' RJ Barrett. This is my 2nd favorite card in the pack, after the Craig. Barrett, from Canada, actually grew up as a Knicks fan and was thrilled to come here...something most players wouldn't say. I like this card as well due to the group photo from the rookie photo shoot on each card.

 I've now opened 5 packs of the set and pulled three Arriving Now. inserts, and all three were my first card of each person. I just wish they hadn't made the player's skin color graytone. In case you are keeping track, that's 4 new players...

 Make that 5 new people for my collection...

 and six! I don't know anything about either of these guys yet, but that's changed now, or will, once I read the backs of the cards.

 Monk with the alternate jersey.

 7th new person

 I really dislike the Tribute subset. There are 525 players in the NBA, but Panini can't be bothered to make any sets larger than 300 cards. And now they are taking away 20 of those slots to make another card of somebody in the set, or of somebody who retired long ago. I wish we could either get rid of these subsets (in it's second year), or just make the sets larger and do it right. I don't know why they refuse to make a proper set.

8th new person added to my collection! This pack did a great job in helping my project of getting at least one card of everyone who's ever gotten one!

Kyle Anderson rounds out the pack. I don't even know which jersey is the alternate or the base for Memphis anymore, because they seem to rotate them every game. This might be the alternate or this might be the base...based on the floor color this photo was taken in Houston. You can't tell based on jersey color anymore, which is fine with me other than the fact it makes it a little harder to "place" a photo now. A truly minor concern.

Well, that's my Secret Santa haul! I think I did very, very well, adding 8 new people, a new Elton, and some cards I would never have gotten otherwise! I will have another post up sometime tomorrow, where I will show, if nothing else, my Christmas tree. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Time in Manhattan

On the 22nd my brother and I ventured into Manhattan, which, in retrospect, was not the best idea. It was WAY too crowded for me, which caused some problems, but otherwise was a lot of fun. The main draw for us to go was to see the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas Tree, and see the ball in Times Square since it was uncovered and lit up...but it was so much more than that. One of my favorite parts...possibly THE favorite part...was an unexpected trip to the NHL store!

I ended up taking over 600 photos, which I will not be posting all of here, but as usual, you can view them all on my website: Christmas in Manhattan.

Here are some highlights:

 giant balls across from Radio City Music Hall

 Christmas tree at the Fox building

 NHL Store! It was really awesome.

 the NHL shield rotates. Each of the three local teams have their own pylon. (photos of each in album)

 The world's largest stick sculpture

 As you can see from the reflection, I was dressed appropriately.

 The Hockey Fights Cancer jerseys mean a lot to me because cancer took my Dad.

 Trust the Gorton's Fisherman!

 They actually had stuff that would fit me (unlike the NBA store) but at $300, it's still hanging in the store and not in my house.

 And here's the tree!

 It is actually smaller in person than I expected.

 My first time seeing a Zamboni in action in person!

 My first time seeing someone skating in person. I think it's the same guy who was driving the Zamboni, actually.

 Love the Taxi shoes.

 The NBC building is quite large.

 Saks Fifth Avenue

 St. Patrick's Cathedral

 Nicely sculpted statue.

 I don't know if there is anything more iconic about NYC in this time of the year than this.

 Couldn't get into the Lego store this time, but we will in the future.

 A duplicate of the tree's star.

 I didn't expect to see classic vehicles in the middle of Manhattan, but...I did. Plural.

 Inside Grand Central Station

 They had a model train display, which is only set up at Christmas time.

 When we were there in January, I forgot to get a photo of the iconic sculpture on the top of Grand Central. I fixed that yesterday!

 Some sort of Russian Christmas parade.

 We ended up in the Hershey's Store, unfortunately my photo of the centerpiece came out blurry.

 That was a very cool place...but as a diabetic, very dangerous!

 Didn't see the actual Rockettes, but I've always thought they were cool.

 Times Square was the most crowded place I've ever been in my life. The walk back to the car was NOT fun but had to be done...and you can't even see the ball yet.

 Definitely did not expect to see a 30s car in Times Square! Actually, I think it is a taxi.

 I don't know what this ball is...

 but I sure recognize this one!

 And here's a shot that shows not only why I brought my camera with 42x optical zoom, which I usually don't use, and also a shot showing how crowded it was. And this was at an intersection which lessened it some.

 Lifesize snow globes were set up In Times square.

Although I don't watch DC's tv shows, DC Comics has always been a huge part of my life so I had to photograph the billboard.

Now, of course I made some purchases in the NHL store...one pack of cards, 4 post cards, a Rangers mini puck keychain (which will be hung on my wall, not actually used for keys) and a Golden Knights logo for our Adventure Magnet wall (well, 'fridge side) Since there were only three cards in the pack I bought, 2018-19 Synergy, I will show them all.

First card out is a parallel of Connor McDavid. This is actually the Bounty parallel, which has a scratch off code on the back. If you collect all 50 veteran player cards, you could get a special mail in bonus, but since that will never happen, mine will be unscratched forever.

 Next up was a blue parallel of Dominik Kahun, which is SN! (barely visible on his leg). On the base cards (which are SN to only 18 copies for veterans and 8 for Legends, 19 or 9 for rookies- so, very rare) and all the parallels, the bright parts are actually clear plastic. Red and Blue are both pretty common. Green is available but not as common. There are purples that are numbered to their jersey number, and the base cards are actually just clear.

I also pulled this Carey Price insert. Before this pack I had only one card from the entire 3-year history of Synergy, which was a red parallel of Price from the first year of it, which somebody sent me...I think Bevans of the Trading Card Database. So now I have 4 cards from Synergy and half are Price!
The stated odds are 1 Red per pack, while the blues are one in 8 packs (but I suspect actually more based on how easily available they are) and the Last Line of Defense 1 in 6 packs.

I realized this morning that they had team sets for Parkhurst, but I forgot to go back and buy either of them! My local stores have refused to carry it since the 2016-17 season.  For some reason, they had only the Islanders and the Blackhawks.  I wish I had remembered because I really like the Parkhurst set design, I liked last year's and the year before as well, but I have been unable to collect them. Frustrating.

The store also had special store branded post cards, which I think you know by now, I purchased one of each!

 This one is from last year's Stanley Cup. Although it's not specific to any year, it has a 2018 Stanley Cup Hologram.

 Just the logo on a black field.

 This one is my favorite, all 31 logos. I wonder if they will produce new ones when the Seattle team joins the league?

and finally one with the Statue of Liberty and the Big Apple logo.

Other than the crowds (I have problems with crowds) it was a very good trip. Then, on the ride home, my brother's car lost power and started shaking violently. (it actually started shaking right before we parked, while in Manhattan, so we decided we were already there and had the trip anyway) and it was quite an apprehensive ride home. It really got bad in Garrison NY which is almost 40 minutes from home. We were able to nurse it to within sight of our garage, where it sputtered and shook and shut itself off. Luckily, it turned out to be an easy fix (two spark plugs had failed) and is already back in working order. We may even go on another adventure next weekend....although not to midtown Manhattan. I can't handle that again for a while...