The iconic 1979 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card

One of the toughest card series to collect in mint condition of almost any sport, in any year, and it isn’t tough to see why. Known as “Rough Cuts”, a nickname symptomatic of an antiquated cutter with a dull blade cutting stacks of 100 to 200 cards at a time. Remove the notion of quality control, and you have a collector’s delight. Or frustration. Read more about O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky Rookie #18 and the ’79 OPC Hockey series.

A mid-high grade 1956 Topps Basic Set “The Hard Way”

A passive, zen-like approach to cherry-picking quality, clean, and centered examples of the toughest variations from auction houses, shows and other marketplaces.

Sourcing high-grade 1966 Topps Football cards to build a centered and clean set

The ’66 Topps Football series offers a nice balance of high-grade affordability with only a small number of expensive cards in high grade. The set is mired with paper and printing issues.

The more interesting of the latest raw and graded acquisitions

Newly acquired cards, some yet to be graded. My first graded T206, an uncommon Series 350 Factory 25 1909 T206 Frank Arellanes. Only six graded, with just two cards graded better.

Collecting ’59s purely for their visual appeal

I caught the collecting bug with the 1959 Topps series, but started with low expectations. Things have changed.

Collecting ’86 Fleer 9’s while hunting for 10’s

The 1986 Fleer Basketball series is a very satisfying set of cards to source centered and clean.

Mint ultra-rare 1977 Star Wars Vinyl-Caped Jawa

I remember hating this thing because of that stupid vinyl cape, but tastes change, now I can’t let it go.

Mint early examples of the BMX magazines

BMX Magazines full of my idols and their awesome rides with exciting, rich, vibrant, energetic colours and design.

Rare examples of pristine, early, short print-run magazines by Sports Compact Car and MiniTruckin’

The idea of customizing my car (even though I really wanted a truck) was so tantalizing and these early car magazines really made it exciting

Gorgeous illustration and cerebral gameplay compels me to use half but store half

These solid, beautiful AD&D books and manuals brought much gravitas to the artwork, and simply reading them for their illustrations and gameplay details was just as much fun as using them as game guides.

Rare One-Day $7 Mail-Order Friday Woodstock Ticket

A rare variation of Woodstock tickets, good for entry on opening day, Friday August 15th, and available only to those who responded to ads for the concert found in various magazines in the spring of 1969.

Frank Westlake 1967 Hells Angels Janis Joplin Party Poster

Essentially a Janis Joplin, hippie, prison-release benefit concert sponsored by the Hell’s Angels. Posters don’t get much cooler than this.

The Thankfull Adams petition to the Probate Court of Massachusetts Bay for dissolution of the estate of Elihu Adams

Elihu Adams, brother of founding father and second President John Adams, dies in 1775. Historic anecdotes discovered in newspapers and books paint a picture of how his widow’s petition came to be, and how the death of her husband was resolved during the birth of the nation.

Vintage and modern metal and tin model cars

Some hard to find models made from the 50’s to the 70’s.