Fixing a small mistake and learning from it too

In my first few TTM requests, I was feeling like a risk taker and I sent away some cards that I thought would come back and I would certainly miss if they didn't come back (I know you warned me Sal). Well, it turns out not many of those came back...Is it because the players are thinking, "Hey these are nice I want them" or do they think someone willing to send me my rookie is likely just trying to turn around and sell it?

The one I missed the most was my Paul Coffey Rookie. Of course many of you are now questioning my intelligence etc. for mailing away a Paul Coffey rookie card, but even though it was a Coffey rookie, it was VG at best and I felt it was maybe a 10 dollar card. However, I still liked it.

Well it has been over a year and a half since I mailed that card out and nothing has come back yet and I have given it up for dead. So, with my collection missing a Coffey rookie in it, I decided to watch countless auctions on eBay to see what ones are selling for. After I determined what I think they are worth in various grades I landed the one below for under 10 bucks with shipping. The condition is every bit as good as the one I mailed away, possibly even better.

So what did I learn? The obvious of course, but I still can't help but think what that Coffey rookie would have looked like with his signature on it, in my house, in my collection, in my hands. 

81/82 OPC Paul Coffey Rookie

This isn't my first as you know, but it currently is my only. The seller listed it as near Ex, but there are some damage on the corners as well as a tiny crease just about his head. I am going to be hanging on to this one for a while, and maybe some day work on upgrading to a near-mt to mint one. In the meantime, there is one less hole in my collection and I am a tiny bit more cautious too.