Dave H Strikes Again!

I sound like a broken record at this point, but after 8+ years back in the hobby I continue to be amazed by the generosity of my fellow sports card collectors.  Lately it's all I can do to keep up with the influx of new cards arriving in my mailbox that folks have sent me just because.  Today's post is another example, as a week or two ago I was the recipient of an amazing package of cards sent by my friend Dave H at Wax Stain Rookie.

This was no small package, either.  Rather than a PWE, or even a bubble mailer, Dave actually sent me a box of cards!  There were so many that I won't get to them all today, as I've got a couple of separate posts going for some complete insert sets that Dave included.  Even the "bookend" cards that Dave threw in to protect the real goods were appreciated.  I mean look at that great octopus mask on Jimmy Howard.

Nik Antropov represented the other bookend card in the package.  New to me, I'll take it!

While I don't need a new set to collect, I have been casually plugging away at the 2013-14 Score release from Panini.  This Brad Marchand/Ford advertisement is one I needed for my set.

Awesome.  Love the sort of painted effect on this Titanium Ron Francis.  This is my first Titanium card of any sort, but even better it's my very first relic to depict Ronnie Franchise with the Carolina Hurricanes.  It also purports to be game worn, as opposed to "event worn" or something like that.

Dave knows I'm a Sergei Fedorov fan, and my eyes lit up when I came across this Take a Number insert that uses everyone's favorite '90s card technology, Dufex!  This is easily one of my shiniest Fedorov cards.

There were actually a few Fedorovs in the package, including my very first look at 1998-99 O-Pee-Chee.  Not a bad design, clean and simple.

I got a Jason Allison sporting a questionable Bruins alternate jersey from the set as well.

Solid card backs, too.  I really like this set.

Here's another first for me, my very first Sergei Fedorov game used/relic card!  If you had told me as a kid in the early '90s that someday someone would send me a game-used Sergei Fedorov card in the mail just because, I think my head would have exploded.

Alright, this is the card that actually made me stop and literally say "WHOA!" out loud while flipping through the cards.  I've been slowly plugging away at '82-83 OPC for years now, but given how much of my set has come via trades and card collecting friends it would be more accurate to say that others have been plugging away at '82-83 OPC for me for years now.  Messier was one of the big names I'd yet to tackle, and this fine example fits right in with the rest of my set, in fact it's probably in better shape than a good majority of my others.

I love that the card back mentions that Mark is a bachelor who enjoys water skiing.

As if Messier weren't enough, Dave included his Oilers teammate and fellow HOFer Paul Coffey!  While I did already have a copy of this card, the one Dave sent over is in terrific condition.  I am fairly certain this is a condition upgrade over my current copy.  Either way, I won't have any trouble finding a home for whichever copy loses out in that battle.

FYI Paul was also a bachelor in 1982, in case you cared.

How about two great scoring leaders cards from one of the best hockey sets ever, 1979-80 Topps?  I still count finishing off this set among my greatest accomplishments in this hobby.  One of these was a condition upgrade for my set (score!), and the other one is going to a good home where I know it will be appreciated.

Now that is a shiny insert.  A unique addition to my collection.  It may come from a time period that was pretty dark for the B's, however the card is anything but.

We got to see some pretty ugly All-Star sweaters this past weekend (at least in my humble opinion), but this one being sported by Al MacInnis isn't half bad.

In closing, my favorite Fedorov card from the package.  This is from the 1998-99 Topps Local Legends insert set.  I've always been a fan of newspaper-themed sets, but had never seen these before.  I am going to make it a point to search out some of the other cards from this set.

Dave, thank you again for the amazing package of cards.  I hope the PWE I sent makes it to your door, but I'm not 100% confident given that it's my first experiment with a PWE to Canada.  Regardless, I'm setting aside some more cardboard to send you in the very near future either way.  Thank you!!!