Anybody here collect hockey cards??

[shermanator]

I've re-acquainted myself with my childhood hobby and decided to pick up collecting hockey cards again. Where is the best place in town to go?

So far, I've been to The Right Stuff on 16th (great selection but overpriced), and Maple Leaf Sports (very friendly, not a huge selection). What's everyone's experiences like at the other places?

Of course there's always Ebay, but this takes away the fun of nerding out in a hockey card store for hours...

[1stLand]

Theres lots of hockey cards at Walmart.

[blankall]

E-Bay.

[saskflames69]

Hockey cards printed after 1990 are pretty much worth their weight in paper. Unless you can get your paws on some from pre-1990, I wouldn't waste my money collecting cards.

That being said, I have a crapload of cards from the 70's-present. They're not worth very much, but I have found a few gems.

eBay is your best option.

[Dion]

Anything from the 90's and up is basicly worthless as there is too many of these cards around. Cards from the 70's and older are the ones you want.

I would keep an eye out for any ads advertising card shows in Calgary. That was how I gathered my collection.

[Dion]

A sample of some of my collection:

[Matty81]

Stuff from the 90s is worthless, but some of the newer stuff is actually way more valuable ebay wise than the pre-90s stuff. The high end of the hobby has really shifted gears and moved towards high end low run cards that can be autographed and/or contain a piece of a game worn jersey. Many sets even contain autograph and jersey cards of retired hall of fame players. There are also mainstream sets like we collected as kids that are quite cheap, made up of a set of "common" cards.

It's ridiculously expensive to buy the nicest stuff - with Crosby for instance the nicest rookie cards were serial numbered to 300 or less.

Two main manufacturers - Upper Deck and Panini, probably put out 4 or 5 sets each a year these days. There will be a low end set similar to what we collected as kids... a couple medium range ones with 2-5 autographs, jerseys, low run rookies a box.... and one or two really high end ones with a handful of auto or memorabilia cards a pack that are just outrageously expensive.

Stay clear of most of the more high end old stuff other than for your own enjoyment... because of the materials and the ease of printing the higher end cards like Gretzky rookies have been counterfeited extensively.

I go into a card store and buy a few packs or a box of cards once every couple years and get in tune with what's going on a little. Starting out I'd say either focus on one of the sets that you really like and buy a box and then enjoy going after all the inserts and stuff to make a set, or focus on a player or team you like and collect them via ebay.

My 2 cents.

Here's a high end Jarome Iginla card on ebay for example of what I'm talking about with the higher end cards.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jarome-Iginl...item4d036c9d6f
(not my card or anything)

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by shermanator

I've re-acquainted myself with my childhood hobby and decided to pick up collecting hockey cards again. Where is the best place in town to go?

So far, I've been to The Right Stuff on 16th (great selection but overpriced), and Maple Leaf Sports (very friendly, not a huge selection). What's everyone's experiences like at the other places?

Of course there's always Ebay, but this takes away the fun of nerding out in a hockey card store for hours...

What are you planning to collect?

[saskflames69]

Yeah, the cards with the game worn jerseys and autographs are the ones you're looking for. Rookie cards (like Sven's, which is gonna be worth 10x Gretzky's) are good too, but only if they're with the higher end labels. Otherwise, they print them to make you believe that you've struck gold, while thousands of the exact same card exist.

The hobby is definitely not as fun as it used to be, and it's all because of Upper Deck.

[Circa89]

East ridge hobbies in Riverbend has quite a selection. . Dick's colectibles in Deer Run is smaller but still has a good selection.

[T@T]

I scream when it comes to hockey cards. growing up in nova scotia I collected cards from about 1965 - 1976. (mostly for the gum) as kids we would trade them,pin them on the bedroom wall and even stick them in our bicycle spokes. my favorete team was boston in those days and of course Bobby Orr was my fav and I wouldn't think about putting an orr or esposito card in my spokes and I had at least 3 full rosters from the 1970 and 1972 cup teams, plus the "big" ones...three Topps Bobby Orr rookie cards.

You see in 1981 when I came to Calgary I thought it would be for about 6 months to work with an uncle but I ended up staying...a few years later my dad sold the house and threw 3 boxes of cards in the dump.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

What are you planning to collect?

Pre 90s for sure, but I would probably buy some post 90s Flames cards. Currently starting with all Flames cards from 1980-81 to 1988-89 and then probably working on a few sets from the 70s. Here was my first "big" purchase:

[miraisoup]

I collect mainly Kipper and I've started branching off into jersey and autograph cards. Check out Clouts and chara they aren't bad. But if you just want stuff from the 70's, I don't think they have those.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by shermanator

I've re-acquainted myself with my childhood hobby and decided to pick up collecting hockey cards again. Where is the best place in town to go?

So far, I've been to The Right Stuff on 16th (great selection but overpriced), and Maple Leaf Sports (very friendly, not a huge selection). What's everyone's experiences like at the other places?

Of course there's always Ebay, but this takes away the fun of nerding out in a hockey card store for hours...

talk to Darren at Maple Leaf and ask him about trader night (I think it's on Wedensdays). Get to know the regulars and you shoould have tons of people to trade with.

[return to the red]

not hockey cards but just stubmled upon this article after checking out this thread...

http://news.ca.msn.com/world/rare-ba...l-at-auction-1

[Yasa]

Originally Posted by saskflames96

Hockey cards printed after 1990 are pretty much worth their weight in paper. Unless you can get your paws on some from pre-1990, I wouldn't waste my money collecting cards.

That being said, I have a crapload of cards from the 70's-present. They're not worth very much, but I have found a few gems.

eBay is your best option.

Definitely not true. Modern cards are worth a ton. Anecdotal, but take it for what it's worth; a friend of mine had a RNH jersey card. The jersey was a chunk of the crest, including all the colours. It also had "Go Rebels" printed on it, and it was autographed. It was valued at $350, and he sold it on Ebay for $800 to some sucker.

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by fotze

I vivdly remember having many of this card as a kid. What are those worth?

kindling at the time

[bc-chris]

Originally Posted by fotze

I vivdly remember having many of this card as a kid. What are those worth?

priceless.... nothing sounded better in my bike spokes than gretzky's melon!!!

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Yasa

Definitely not true. Modern cards are worth a ton. Anecdotal, but take it for what it's worth; a friend of mine had a RNH jersey card. The jersey was a chunk of the crest, including all the colours. It also had "Go Rebels" printed on it, and it was autographed. It was valued at $350, and he sold it on Ebay for $800 to some sucker.

I pulled a Maurice Richard game used crest card several years ago out of a Parkhurst set. One of 5 made in the set, and it was gorgeous. Sold it for $2500.

I'll see if I can find a picture of one.

[saskflames69]

Originally Posted by Yasa

Definitely not true. Modern cards are worth a ton. Anecdotal, but take it for what it's worth; a friend of mine had a RNH jersey card. The jersey was a chunk of the crest, including all the colours. It also had "Go Rebels" printed on it, and it was autographed. It was valued at $350, and he sold it on Ebay for $800 to some sucker.

True, it is possible to find some gems. I'm just saying that many of these cards have been printed thousands of times already and aren't likely to appreciate in value unless they all magically disappear. The numbered cards will carry some value over time, but don't expect to get $100 for that 2008-09 Jay Bouwmeester card #74/99.

Upper Deck Kids was fun before they shut it down. You could enter those little 4-5 letter codes on the back of the cards on their website in exchange for points. You could then redeem your points for prizes. I remember my cousins and I opening all of our hockey cards on Boxing Day then redeeming every single code, before we ran out and switched to looking them up online. One of my cousins had enough points to receive a retail box of Series 1 cards and an authentic MLB game used baseball. He took that stuff pretty seriously though. I remember having enough to get an autographed picture of Jarome Iginla before finding out you had to be 13 to redeem points for prizes. How devastated I was..