91-92 Parkhurst Bill Guerin Rookie (XRC)

There are some cards you covet and track down right away and there are other cards that take time to land. Both taste just as sweet in my books but this one card has a story. Back in the early 90's when every kid on my street collected cards, I was slightly different than most. Many were dumping loads of cash into Upper Deck and Pro Set (which I did my fair share too), I was also very interested in the older cards. Being the early 90's prices on older cards had skyrocketed too so many were beyond my price point but I bought up rookies like Bill Barber, Eric Vial and Dennis Hextall because they were reasonably priced and old. When Parkhurst came out, it was like a perfect product. Old time name, current players and a design that was very attractive. In my personal opinion, the best looking set in 91-92 and 92-93 were the Parkhurst cards. It was like Pro Set finally did something right. The inserts were even cool.

Here is what the cards looked like:

 Front side features a Parkhurst logo and a marbleized left margin. The cards are a nice thickness with a cool gloss that at the time made them seem very premium.

Here is the back, loaded with stats and information. I really like the backs of these cards and unlike most Pro Set products, these were well done and time and care went into them.

The set was well balanced with Vets and Rookies and the price wasn't too crazy (50 bucks a box is a number that rings a bell back then). My step-dad and I went so nuts that between the two of us we built like 8 base sets (yeah I still have them all). Pro Set even came out with a series two which featured more base and rookies and I bought a bunch of those too. I recently finished the whole PHC set (I have loads of the first 5 but because I didn't go as hardcore with series 2 I didn't have many from 6-10), and I will share soon as a sets of yesteryear. But what I didn't have was the Parkhurst Update set.

You see, there was a special promotion on the back of packs of Parkhurst which allowed you to mail in a cheque or money order to get a special Update Set. I remember being a 12 year old who didn't have a chequing account or access to money orders and debating on if I should do whatever I can to order one of these sets. In the end I decided to keep my paper route money and spend it on something else and I never did get one of those sets.

A little while later, the set started appearing in the Beckett Hockey Monthly and it was listing for a pretty high price which had me a little bummed out over a missed opportunity. But, actually what would sting even more about a year after my missed chance was the inclusion of card #453. Bill Guerin quickly became my favourite player in the NHL around 1993 and I found out that Bill was included in the Parkhurst Update set. It would be the only card issued for Guerin in the 1991-92 season and since it was a mail order set it was labelled an XRC. 92-93 would see 10 Bill Guerin rookies but 91-92 held the only one I wanted.

I even got Bill to sign a 92-93 Parkhurst rookie back in 1995 as my first TTM but still I wanted that 91-92 Parkhurst Update Rookie.

While I still don't have the Update Set (if you do and want to trade it please message me, I will make it worth your while!) I do have the Bill Guerin card at last.


I had never seen this card in person before until it arrived at my door.

91-92 Parkhurst Bill Guerin Rookie (XRC) #453

 In 1991-92, Bill Guerin played 5 regular season games and 6 playoff games. Since this set features updates from the 1992 playoffs, I think there is a good chance that is where this photo came from. Bill played very well for us in spite of the Devils bowing out in the first round. Bill had 3 goals in those 6 playoff games he played in. I wonder if he knew that in three short years he would be lifting Lord Stanley's Mug?

Here is the back, lots of cool background info. The photo on the back was taken from the regular season because the Devils met up with the Rangers in round 1 and clearly Bill is lining up against a Nordique player here.

It is worth pointing out that I almost won this card two years ago when someone had a graded version up for auction. It was only graded 8.5 but I didn't care too much about condition I just wanted the card. Sure enough I was winning the auction with about 16 hours to go and the seller pulls the auction. My bid at the time was like 4 bucks. I contact the seller and he didn't like the price it was at so he pulled it but informed me he was relisting it with a BIN. So I wait and sure enough it is posted. BIN $39.99USD

So for fun I kept watching him and sure enough it wouldn't sell time after time after time....I even saw it for 5 bucks one time and then he pulled the listing and relisted for 14.99. Needless to say I wouldn't have bought the card off him for a toonie with shipping. But, I did get enjoyment out of watching the fool not sell a card that I would have gladly took off his hands for a fair price.

Card of the Week - Sidney Crosby

Love him or hate him, damn he is good! Not just because I have him on one fantasy team (2nd round pick), but 4 points in his first game back and hopefully a chance to show fans what he is really capable of when he hits his prime! I am a fan of him, and I wish him all the best this season and future seasons.

05-06 Parkhurst #657

Front side

I am a big fan of the rookies in this set. I don't think it is just because it is a Parkhurst release, but I think it is due because it is an attractive set of cards. The rookies are simple yet eye catching and I think this card is a good example of the Parkhurst Rookies.

Back side
Like the front, the backside is attractive and simple looking. I think each passing year has these cards looking better and better to me. At some point I will grab a few boxes and try and build the set. I did buy a retail box once hoping to pull this card. No such luck, but I did pull a few other gem rookies but no Crosby. Ovechkin of course has a rookie in this set which I did pull from a repack box.

How I received the card: Purchased on eBay for $18.00

Beckett Value: 20 - 50 dollars

Kelly Kisio - TTM Gold

Well the last 4 days have been really exciting in my household with 3 TTM successes. This one is my favourite of the three. I sent Kelly Kisio two cards about 3 weeks ago and when I received them back he included a small note. The note said " Dave: Thank you very much for your kind words." and then he signed the note.

This is the first time I have received a note back, and for those of you reading, I am pretty new to the TTM world and I was absolutely shocked. What shocked me was it seems like he really enjoyed my letter. I always felt like the players who read these letters and do use the favour of signing the cards. But, I get a small sense that some (many?) of the players actually enjoy reading what their fans have to say. I guess I never took the time to think about that aspect of things, but I think it gives me more desire to continue this hobby with my current approach.

In many respects I do treasure the note more than I do the other autographs, and I hope that I have the chance to receive more in the future:

Here are the two cards I sent away

I chose this one because it talks about Kelly's strong leadership on the back and I have always liked Parkhurst cards.

I picked this card because it was the first Kisio card I got as a kid and consider 90-91 UD to be one of my top 10 favourite card designs of all-time.

Kelly Kisio was one of those players who seem to fly under the radar of most fans but, if you had paid attention to him he was a jack-of-all-trades. Best season was in 87-88 (my first season watching hockey) where he put up 23 goals and 78 points in 77 games. He would finish with 8- 20 goal seasons and 658 career points.

Currently Kelly is the GM of the Calgary Hitmen and I believe this is the role he was born to play. They have been a phenomenal franchise and one of the main reasons has been Kelly. Currently the Hitmen are rebuilding and I have no doubt that they will return to form in no time.

Gordie and Me

Upper Deck via Facebook has asked people to share some of their greatest hockey moments and that reminded me the day I met Gordie Howe. First of all, it really isn't going to be anything that someone will make a story about in fact it might be considered by some to be rather insignificant. But almost 20 years later I still remember it.

He came to town to skate in the warm up of the Thunder Bay Senators. They were a pro team that was two steps below the NHL but had some pretty decent talent in their line up.

For example:

So after the warm up was over, I ran down to the lobby so that I could get an autograph. Unfortunately it seemed like the entire town was that already in line. So I went to the end of the line and waited. I swear it seemed like it was an eternity that I was in that line up, but by the midpoint of the second period I had in my possession an autographed hockey card.

My interaction with Mr. Hockey was someone limited likely due to the fact I was scared shitless. I said Hello and Thank you and his response was only a couple of smiles and a Hello. But it was that tiny exchange that I still remember to this day, it may have lasted a couple of seconds but I was given something that really had a lasting impression. Since then I have met other professional athletes many of them hockey players, but without a doubt, that was my favourite.



The card I brought with me was from the 91-92 Parkhurst Set. This card really isn't terribly valuable on its own, but I loved the set at the time and to this day still feel it was the nicest set produced that year.