85-86 OPC Kirk Muller Rookie

So when I was a kid just getting started into collecting, I always had an eye for "vintage". Of course the concept of time was still relative so for me anything that was older than 90-91 was considered vintage by my little developing mind. One card I remember distinctly on my want list was the 85-86 OPC Kirk Muller Rookie. It didn't book for much at the time 4-5 dollars and even today it still doesn't book for much $4.00 in the most recent Beckett Hockey Monthly. So when I was at a card shop back in like 1991, the same one where I shelled out 8 dollars for an Upper Deck Ed Belfour Star Rookie, I saw a Kirk Muller rookie for $5.00.

I still remember it like it was yesterday, it sat there in the display case in a 10 count card holder and the card had a bit of curl to it. Later in life I'd learn it's called the OPC curl and basically all the OPC card if left for a long extended period of time outside a toploader or other case it would start to curl on you a bit. So I brought my purchase home with me and was perplexed by why it had curled and figured that I could just flatten it out and shove it into a toploader and that's just what I did. However, in the process of flattening it I created a new problem and that was I damaged the card in a new way...wrinkles/ripples in the center of the card. I was pretty bummed out but still enjoyed owning the rookie card of the best Devils player ever (at that point) and over the years somehow that card managed to disappear.

Several years ago, I was able to build an 85-86 Topps set which got me another Muller rookie this time in Topps form. However, a hole was still there from my childhood and about 2 years ago I was at the LCS and the owner had a bunch of new stock which included a bunch of vintage cards and in there I found myself an 85-86 OPC Kirk Muller rookie in fantastic non-curled shape in the 3 for 5 bin. You better believe I left with it.

85-86 OPC Kirk Muller Rookie

While I always believed that we should have been the ones to get Mario Lemieux and it should be him in this jersey, things still worked out ok and in the end it would be a trade that sent Kirk Muller to Montreal that helped them win a Cup and eventually us win a Cup too. Glad to have you back in the fold Kirk and I promise to just leave you as is.

Contest thanks to The Cardboard and Me

Another contest thanks I have been meaning to publicly thank is Jason over at The Cardboard and Me. Jason had a contest where commenters over a period of time were entered into a draw for some autographs. I love reading his blog and seeing  both his customs and TTM successes so it was a contest I knew I would be in automatically. Turns out that he was giving away 5 prizes and I was lucky enough to be a winner!

Here is the custom I won: 

 Loved Craig Janney as a Bruin and a Blue. I don't remember him much after that, but he did some traveling around before hanging up his skates. This card is actually a large one similar to the Oversize cards UD puts out in tins and stuff.

What I wasn't expecting was this gem:

A while ago, Jason was taking creation suggestions for his blog and I asked about a Marty in the 81-82 set. Well sure enough he made it and I thought it was cool, but even better he printed me a copy and included it. How awesome is that? What is best about it all is Marty is decked out in his retro uniform which could at this time be from one of three games. I saw one of those three games live so there is a chance, it was from MY game. If I did some research on the equipment I am sure I can figure it out, but at this time I would rather just pretend it actually is....Thanks JBlargh!

Here is the back of the card. He chose to use the design from the 84-85 OPC set which is another 80's classic. Stats on the back are current up to last year. I must say I loved the loot and I want to thank Jason and all bloggers who put contests up. I certainly appreciate everyone's kindness and generosity.