creasecollector's Top 10 cards of 2020

**creasecollector** · 12-07-2020, 09:02 PM

Wow, what a year 2020 has been.

I'll keep the "real life" portion brief, but due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, I'm sure the vast majority of us have seen some monumental changes in many different aspects of our personal and professional lives. I know I sure have. While glimmering hope is on the horizon, I hope that 2020 has treated you as well as it could have and that you are treating yourself with as much sympathy and forgiveness and you'd give to others in this challlenging time. Whichever side of the fence you're on during this pandemic, I really do wish the best for you and your loved ones during the upcoming holiday season and beyond.

As for our hobby, it's been an exciting time for all. From record-breaking sales, increased exposure, to welcoming the many newcomers into this hobby that we all know and love, I truly think that 2021 will be a year to remember as the sports card tidal-wave-like momuntum from 2020 will carry on into the new year. I can't wait to see what happens.

On my end of things, it's been a whirlwind from a hobby perspective. From awesome new card pickups, extraordinary generosity, partnering up to start a very successful Hockey Card Podcast, this year has been a great one for me and my collection.

While impossible to truly summarize in one Show & Tell post, here's a quick Top 10 of my best pickups in 2020 in no particular order. Please sit back, grab a coffee & enjoy.

2018 President's Choice One Of A Kind 1/1 Jhonas Enroth

Ever since Dr. Price came out of retirement to start President's Choice Trading Cards, I've picked up many fantastic cards for my Jhonas Enroth collection. This was my very first addition of 2020 and still remains one of my favourites. The glove piece is part of the backhand cuff of one of Enroth's CCM Premier gloves that I've photo-matches below.

2009-10 SPGU Rookies Gold Spectrum 1/1 Jhonas Enroth

In another epic deal with former hardcore Jhonas Enroth collector, Craig2, I gladly added this rookie-year 1/1 to my collection. SPGU Rookie cards are still vastly underrated in my opinion, and the parallels look beautiful, so to add this specific 1/1 to my collection was a great feeling. What a card...

2018-2019 SeReal KHL Exclusive Collection - Part 2 (17-18 Stick and Jersey #/3)

Now for some cool cards from across the pond.

While the original Stick & Jersey /3 cards were released in the first installment of this KHL Exclusive (Part 1) product in 17-18, this Enroth card was held back and purposefully included during Part 2 of the product as an added chase card to help boost interest. With KHL/Dinamo Minsk collectors being some of the most passionate collectors I've ever come across in my time in this hobby, this card seemed like the closest thing to a 1/1 without actually being a 1/1. It took awhile, but I'm glad I have it locked away.Who wants to see a sweet KHL Memorabilia Rainbow? You got it!

2009-10 The Cup RPA /249 Jhonas Enroth

While this might look like a seemingly "plain" addition to a Top 10 thread, I assure that it is not. In all my years of collecting Enroth cards, I would have to guess that only about 20 or less of the 249 cards in the RPA set have a patch utlizing the modern Buffalo Sabres "BuffaSlug" jersey's at the time. I've always wanted to add one - All I had to do was wait until 2020!

My Very First Pre-War Hockey Card - A Legend From The C55 Set

Swedish goalies aside, I've always wanted a card from the Iconic 1911-1912 Imperial Tobacco C55 Set, and now I finally do. This card checked off all the boxes for me and it's here to stay in my personal collection.

2017-18 SeReal KHL Exclusive Collection Game-Used Stick - 'Promo Card' Version

Promo Cards are cool.

Promo cards are even cooler when they belonged to the guy you collect. Wait, what? Yeah, that's right, Jhonas Enroth used to own this card himself. SeReal (the card manufacterer) produced these Game-Used Stick 'Promo Cards' to give directly to the players themselves. Through a contact overseas who is well-connected with Dinamo Minsk, he received this card directly from Jhonas Enroth himself. Apparently there were just 10 of these Promos given to him, but who knows how many will be released on the secondary market? Maybe this will be the the only one?

Here's the pack inserted version alongside the Promo Card that was never supposed to be publically released:

2009-10 OPC Premier Signings Triple Lundqvist/Enroth/Gustavsson 1/5 - A.K.A My 'Three Headed Swedish Monster' Card (Tre Huvud Svenska Monster)

It's not everyday that you get to cross off a 10-year-old card off the wantlist. The reason I was able to land this card was due to a Lundqvist collector being generous enough to move this from his collection. It's people like him who make the worst go around. Although this card didn't age well, I still remember seeing this awesome Swedish goalie trio on the checklist back in 2010. It is finally mine... I love this card!

2019-2020 SeReal KHL Leaders Holographic Parallel 1/1

While one of my newest additions to my card collection, this card marks my first and only "True" KHL 1/1 card in my PC and it's just marvelous in everyway. I just love the Holo Foil used on this card.

The 'Holographic' portion of this parallel card title isn't in there for nothing.

While the scanned image totally flattens it out, here's the Autographed Parallel /5 with the same Holo Foil technology to see what I'm getting on about:

Yeah, I know. Beyond sweet, right? Right.

2010-2011 ITG Between The Pipes Masked Men lll Gold /10 - THE WHITE WHALE

For those that listen to our Podcast, this card needs no introduction. The story being this card is a fun one that isn't for the faint of heart.

After many failed attempts at this White Whale, Golden Boy Is Finally Home (it's another blog post, but since you're already reading...).

The Best Mail Day Ever

Yeah, it was that insane. For those who haven't read THE story about these two additions Here or Here On My Blog, I suggest you do. That is all I will say about these two insane Game-Used Memorabilia pieces.

If you've made it this far, I want to thank you. No, not a (it's cliche so let's put it at the end 'thank you'), an actual thank you. Thank you for pointing me in the direction of cards, thank you for listening to our new podcast even when I shamelessly post about it at the end of a thread like so, thank you for sharing your pickups for giving myself the constant and needed reminder (especially in today's hobby landscape) that these cards aren't about money first and foremost, but about the fun we having adding the cards that we truly enjoy to our respective PC's, thank you for viewing and commenting on my threads which probably (very likely) gets super old very fast, I know.Thank you for this community and the escapeism that card collecting brings myself and I'm sure many others over the rocky course of 2020. In the world we're living in right now, I think we owe it to ourself to 'get away' once in a while, and this hobby can definitely help with that.

- Aaron / creasecollector