Wednesday, September 19, 2012

"Greatest" Hockey Box Break of My Year?

Thanks to a steady paycheck, a large base set to collect and some eBay sales I decided to go in on a second  box of O-Pee-Chee hockey this week.  That's right, I got myself a birthday present! Yea, me.

Quick reader question....... Did I get a Vincent Lecavalier card?

Wait for it....

I know you're wondering.....

Did I break my box curse......

Nope.......

No Vinny base cards, no Vinny retro parallel, no Vinny sticker (is there even a Vinny sticker?) and no Vinny Rainbow parallel.  I broke down last week and bought a Vinny Rainbow Black parallel on eBay last week because I knew there was no way in hell I was ever going to pull that.

In fact it was a pretty how-hum break.  Lots of base that I believe I need (I'm sure it will end up as a bunch of dupes instead) and some basic inserts, including a Corey Crawford sticker that is totally getting stuck somewhere in the Chicago downtown area.

With about six packs left I started to think that I wasn't going to get anything special, and I was ok with that. One doesn't break O-Pee-Chee for excitement.  Then, in an unassuming regular sized pack out popped this gem:

2010 World Juniors goal scorer Matt Donovan


That's right - a MATT DONOVAN rookie card!  Perhaps the greatest hockey player from Edmond, Oklahoma EVER.  Maybe the only NHL'er ever from Edmond?  I don't know, that would require research and I don't do research here.  Flipping over the card to see where he was from was exhausting.

After unearthing that gem (and quickly ensconcing it in a plastic hard case) I reluctantly went back to see what else was in the pack (as if it mattered). There wasn't anything else of note....just some card that someone scribbled on.  I mean c'mon don't you know what writing on a card does to it value?  Look at this!

No hits in O-Pee-Chee? I beg to differ!



Felicitations, indeed my bilingual trading card company!

I beat the odds (stated at 1:6,212) and finally added a signature of the greatest hockey player of all time.  It's a sticker, but done in a way that you can barely tell looking at it. A young Gretzky looks like he's building up a head of steam on his way to scoring his 34th goal of some random season.

Will I keep it? Will I sell it? will I trade it?  I'm not sure, gonna enjoy it for awhile and see what comes along.