Puck Junk

2021-22 Artifacts Hockey Hobby Box Break

Upper Deck’s Artifacts hockey set is known for cards with jersey swatches and jersey patch pieces. Artifacts is not really for autograph collectors or set-builders, as you get only one autograph per box, while building a set — especially with short prints — will take a good deal of money and effort.

Instead, Artifacts is intended for those who love jersey cards. Fifteen years ago, I was not a fan of such cards, but over time I have gradually learned to appreciate some of the great-looking game-used cards in sets like Artifacts.

A hobby box of 2021-22 Artifacts costs about $100, and contains eight four-card packs. I recently got a box of 2021-22 Artifacts. Here is what I got.

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2022-23 Upper Deck Series One Hockey Hobby Box Break

Each year, hockey card collecting really doesn’t heat up until the release of Upper Deck Series One. Sure, there are other sets released before Series One launches, usually in November. But it is Series One that gets everyone excited about hockey card collecting — from the casual collectors, to the die-hard hockey peeps, to the breakers, speculators and “hobby bros..” It’s the new crop of Young Guns rookie cards that gets everyone involved.

Like it has been for over a decade, a box of Upper Deck Series One has 24 packs per box, with each pack containing eight cards. I recently got my hands on a hobby box of 2022-23 Upper Deck Series One Hockey. Let’s take a look at what I got.

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Puck Junk Podcast: Recap of the Fall 2022 Sport Card Expo Toronto

Episode #135 – November 17, 2022

In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry talks about going to the Fall 2022 Sport Card Expo in Toronto, including the cool hockey cards that he bought, the autographs he got, the interesting panel discussions he saw, and trade night. Meanwhile, Tim shares his experience of watching the Expo from afar via the Sport Card Expo mobile app. It’s 90 minutes of hockey goodness!

Show Notes, Links, and Images:
Sport Card Expo Toronto website
Mintink – the sponsors of the Expo Trade Night – website
Some photos from the 2022 Fall Sport Card Expo Toronto

The Marquee sign at the International Center.

The cast of Slap Shot held a short panel discussion.

Sal and Jerry Houser, who played Dave “Killer” Carlson in Slap Shot. He also did voice work on The Transformers and G.I. Joe.

Former Canucks goaltender Kirk McLean (left) was interviewed by Eric Norton of Beckett.

Saturday’s Trade Night was well-attended and a lot of fun.

Sal took part in a panel discussion about collecting with several other hockey card podcasters.

The awful Toronto Maple Leafs “Dream Donut” from Tim Horton’s.

The 1972 Summit Series panel. From left: Yvon Cournoyer, Phil Esposito, Ken Reid from SportsNet, and Paul Henderson.

Sal and Laudio from NHLHockeyStickers.com

Sal picked up some 1963-64 Parkhurst Hockey cards, including these beauties. Top Row (L-R): Terry Sawchuk, Frank Mahovlich, Eddie Shack. Bottom Row (L-R): Toe Blake, John Fergusson, Cesare Maniago.

Sal bought the four series of “Legends of Hockey” postcards that he needed to finish his set. (It was only five series, so this is 80% of the set right here.) These were sold at the Hockey Hall of Fame in the 1990s. The HHOF had a table at the show and had these postcard series for sale. They’re not cheap!

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Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

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Puck Junk Podcast: Hall of Fame Hockey Card Sets

Episode #134 – November 9, 2022

Sal Barry and Tim Parish take a look at Hockey Hall of Fame trading card and postcard sets — specifically sets that use illustrations to depict its honored members: the 1983 Cartophilium Hockey Hall of Fame set (plus two subsequent trading card sets), the Legends of Hockey postcard set (issued from 1992 to 1996), and the 2010-11 In The Game Enshrined set. Plus, the guys give a quick recap of the new hockey card sets scheduled to come out soon. It’s 70 minutes of hockey goodness!

Show Notes, Links, and Images:
1983 Cartophilium Hockey Hall of Fame Postcard checklist (TradingCardDB)
1985 Cartophilium Hockey Hall of Fame Card checklist (TradingCardDB)
1987 Cartophilium Hockey Hall of Fame Card checklist (TradingCardDB)
Sal’s Beckett Hockey article about the three Cartophilium Sets (PDF)
1992-1996 Legends of Hockey Postcard checklist (TradingCardDB)
2010-11 In The Game Enshrined checklist (TradingCardDB)
Tim’s box break of 2010-11 Enshrined (The Real DFG)

Some images from these sets

1983 Hall of Fame Postcard E-13 – Bobby Orr

1983 Hall of Fame Postcard E-13 – Bobby Orr (back)

Transparencies used to produce the Hall of Fame Postcards. Harry “Apple Cheeks” Lumley (left) and Cecil “Tiny” Thompson.

1985 Hall of Fame card #1 – Maurice Richard. The same design was used for the card fronts of the 1987 set.

1985 Hall of Fame card #1 – Maurice Richard (back). Despite the 1983 copyright date, these cards were issued in 1985.

1987 Hall of Fame card #1 – Maurice Richard. Unlike the 1983 postcards and 1985 cards, the 1987 cards had players’ statistics on the back.

Promo card for the 1985 Hall of Fame set.

1996 Legends of Hockey #73 – Terry Sawchuk

1996 Legends of Hockey #73 – Terry Sawchuk (back)

2010-11 In The Game Enshrined – Marcel Dionne

2010-11 In The Game Enshrined – Marcel Dionne (back)

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The Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2022

I’ve collected hockey cards for over 30 years, and in that time I’ve seen a lot of bad cards. Really bad cards. So, in 2017, I started the Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame to spotlight the worst hockey cards ever made.

Just as the Hockey Hall of Fame is enshrining new members this weekend, so too is the Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame. This year, 10 pieces of cardboard get honored for being horrible — be it for bad photography, bad paintjobs, or just being awful all around.

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2021-22 Upper Deck AHL Hockey Box Break

Upper Deck’s 2021-22 American Hockey League card set was released in the late summer of 2022 and features the top 150 players in “The A.”

That’s right– only 150 players. After last year’s 200-card set, Upper Deck cut back its 2021-22 AHL set to a more manageable size. Instead of 150 base cards and 50 “Star Rookies,” this year’s set has 100 base cards and 50 Star Rookies.

You got your mix of prospects — many who have already made an appearance in the NHL — as well as bubble players and “lifers” who spent the majority of their career in the league.

A box of 2021-22 Upper Deck AHL hockey cards costs about $50. Each box has 12 packs with 10 cards each. Boxes contain at least one autographed card, plus 12 Star Rookies cards, and one parallel card.

Let’s see what I got in my box of 2021-22 Upper Deck AHL Hockey.

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2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Box Break

Upper Deck MVP is usually the first new hockey card set to hit the shelves, and this year was no exception. The 2022-23 MVP Hockey set was released in early September, roughly one month before the season started. MVP is relatively-affordable and easy enough to put together, usually weighing in at 200 base cards and 50 short prints.

A hobby box of 2022-23 MVP costs around $60. Each box has 20 eight-card packs for a total of 160 cards. Although I reviewed this set in an episode of the Puck Junk Podcast last month, I thought you might like to see what is inside a hobby box of MVP.

So, as Mr. Owl once said, “Let’s find out!”

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Clemente’s Corner: Collecting Hockey Autographs Through-the-Mail

How the Pandemic Turned Me Into a TTM Nut

It was two years ago that the pandemic forced all of us to stay home. Like many of you, I used much of my downtime to do things around the house. It also forced me to organize my card collection.

I can’t say it’s quite as organized as I would like it to be. It was during that process, however, that I refocused some of my hobby energy. I didn’t know what to do with the many junk wax base cards that I had amassed over the decades. Some I gave to charity. Others were given away to trick-or-treaters. Even with that, I had tons left over.

That’s when I discovered TTM – short for Through-the-Mail – autograph collecting. My kids and I decided why not mail cards to former NHL players to see if we could get them back signed. In doing some research online, I realized that there was an entire community out there who have been doing the same thing for years – and with much success. I watched YouTube videos and read blogs where collectors bragged about their returns. I was hooked.

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Puck Junk Podcast: The Upcoming Fall 2022 Sport Card Expo Toronto

Special Guest: Expo Promoter Mikey Singer
Episode #133 – October 31, 2022

In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry is joined by Mikey Singer, promoter of the Sports Card Expo — which is THE ultimate hockey card show in North America. Mikey talks about all the cool activities planned for the upcoming Fall 2022 Sport Card Expo in Toronto, including autographs from former NHL stars, panel discussions with hobby experts, a hockey card trade night, and more. It’s 35 minutes of hockey goodness!

Show Notes and Links:
Sport Card Expo website
Sport Card Expo Tickets page
Sport Card Expo Autograph Guests page
Sport Card Expo Events page
Mikey Singer’s event promotions company MKEM website
The Strongville (OH) Vintage Sports Card Show website

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Puck Junk Podcast: 1990-91 Upper Deck Hockey

Part 5 of the ’90-91 Retrospective Series
Episode #132 – October 18, 2022

Sal Barry and Tim Parish continue their ’90-91 Retrospective Series with an in-depth look at the 1990-91 Upper Deck Hockey card set. What made the set so significant back then, the best cards from that set, the controversy over the French-language versions — and why every serious hockey card collector needs to own the 1990-91 Upper Deck Hockey set. It’s 70 minutes of hockey goodness.

Images, Show Notes and Links
We refer to the book “Card Sharks” a lot in this episode. If you want to read it — and every card collector should — then you can get he Kindle version for just $10 at Amazon.