2008-09 Champ’s Hockey box break #2

About two weeks ago, I purchased a second box of 2008-09 Champ’s Hockey. I got it for $90 even…how could I refuse? Of course, I must ask why I’m paying $90 for a box of cards in the first place! Despite the high price, I guess I really love the design of the cards. Three hits per box doesn’t hurt either. But this may be the worst–or best–box I’ve opened. Here’s what I got:

58 base cards – unfortunately, I only needed 10 of them for my set

12 Champ’s rookies – but only 2 were ones I needed

33 mini cards – I bought a whole set of minis for cheap, so of course I didn’t need any of them

3 mini rookies – fortunately, I needed all 3 of them

8 Natural History cards – Would you believe that these are the exact same eight Natural History cards that I got in my first box? Like, WTF? There are almost 200 different Natural History card…why is Upper Deck’s collation so bad?

And now, the “hits”…

Mike Iggulden Mini Signature

Mike Iggulden? Seriously? I try not to swear too much on this site, but this card SUCKS BALLS. Allow me to explain why. First, this dude played 12 games in the NHL–not the kind of player whose auto I’d want to pull from a $100 $90 box of cards. Secondly, the photo shows him as a Shark, but the bottom reads “New York Islanders,” which is his present team. It frustrates me to no end when the photo and team name (or logo) are mismatched, but on an autographed card in a high-end product that is unforgivable.

Walt Tkaczuk Mini Signature

Tkaczuk played 13 seasons for the Rangers (1969-1981), and as much as I enjoy having his autograph, I wouldn’t exactly break down a door to get this card. I can think of so many other 1970s-era players whose ‘graph I would have rather scored.

Glenn Anderson Mini Threads

The guy is a Hall of Fame player, but this card would have looked so much better with a blue or orange swatch, instead of the stark white square that was used here. Had the swatch been colored, I’d have been pretty ecstatic to have pulled this.

Fortunately, there was a surprise fourth “hit” in this box…

Yes, a redemption card. A one-per-case fossils and artifacts redemption card. I swear, my heart skipped a beat when I got this. In 8 to 12 weeks, I will be the proud (?) owner of a Neolithic Stone Tools card. (Would I sound like I was complaining if I said that I’d prefer a Tyrannosaurus Rex tooth instead?) I will be anxious to see what this card looks like when I get it.

So, was this a good box? Or a crummy box? It’s hard for me to say, but I’d love to know what you think.

mm

Author: Sal Barry

Sal Barry is the editor and webmaster of Puck Junk. He is a freelance hockey writer, college professor and terrible hockey player. Follow him on Twitter @puckjunk

3 thoughts on “2008-09 Champ’s Hockey box break #2”

  1. great box. you could sell the relic and get two more boxes. That's success right there.

    and I'll leave the debate over Anderson being a Hall of Famer for another day.

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