Beckett Associates Mystery Case Break

Found these plastic sealed cases in the Wal-Mart checkout aisle last night for $5.49, curiosity got the best of me and well - here it lands on my kitchen table.

Put together by MJ Holding Company and released by Beckett Associates, the package promises $50 catalog value and every 10th pack contains $100 in book value cards.  It took me a utility knife to open the case and the cards were sealed inside a white envelope.

Check under the cut for the goods.

1996-97 Upper Deck Collector's Choice 3 Star Selections

Inspired by a previous post over at Card Boarded and again as I was organizing my box of cards just earlier today, I wanted to post a feature on a favorite sub-set of mine from the 1996-97 Upper Deck Collector's Choice set that has been carried on over in the series through the years.

The '3 Star Selection' sub-set included 28 cards that featured 3 of the top players from each (26) team in the leauge; additionally 2 of the cards from the sub-set featured the top 3 players from the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star teams.

These were my favorite cards to pull from the Collector's Choice packs as a young collector.  After all my cards have been through, I feel lucky to sill have them in my collection.

St. Louis Blues - Brett Hull / Wayne Gretzky / Al Macinnis.  Pretty solid lineup here!  Gretzky would play briefly with St Louis, 31 games to be exact.  I don't have many cards with Gretzky in a Blues uniform.

New York Islanders - Eric Fichaud / Zigmund Palffy / Todd Bertuzzi.  I liked Fichaud as an Islander but he never lived up to the expectations his fantastic junior career had led to.  Palffy was another personal favorite of mine during these years, I was excited to see him represent Slovakia again during the 2010 Olympics.

1994-95 NHL Pog

Here are the few Pog that I have (left) from 1994.   I must have only gotten about three packs in my lifetime and was able to get Jagr.  I feel like I might have been luckier with pulling cool stuff back in 1994 than I am now.

184 - Jaromir Jagr.

298 - Don Beaupre.

Mail Day! 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Premier

Happy Saturday everyone!

This mail day is a day late.  But I finally received this complete set of 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Premier.  I picked it up for just a penny!  I thought it was a steal.

Here are a few of my favorite cards from the set.

Mario Lemieux. Mario in his prime.

Jaromir Jagr. Included the reverse of this card to show you guys an example of the '91 Canada Cup recognitions that O-Pee-Chee included on the cards of players who participated.  Thought it was neat.

Free Agency 2011 Day One

I'm disappointed that Jagr decided not to sign with the Penguins, but I've gotten over it.  What can ya do,  I guess it's just another reason to hate the Flyers.  And at least next season I get to see one of my favorites play again in the National League even if it isn't on the team that I was hoping for.

On the first day of free agency 2011 Michael Ryder also made a deal with Dallas and Ed Jovanovski decided to head back to where he began his career, in Florida with the Panthers.

Still On Jagr Watch

Jagr talks with Lemieux

Lot's of Jagr talk.  Hope things work out!

Jaromir Jagr Possible Return To The Igloo

According to the Internet, the rumor mill is still churning about the possible return of Jaromir Jagr to the NHL - or even better, to the Pittsburg Penguins.

I would love to see Jagr back in action wearing the yellow, black + white, playing alongside Crosby or Malkin.  I don't see it happening but it would be nice.  It's reported that Jagr has also shown interest in other teams such as Detroit and the New York Rangers.  Nothing has been confirmed as of yet.