Mistakes and Regrets In This Hobby

In life we've all made mistakes, some can be fixed, while others will stay with you your entire life. Luckily in this hobby, thanks to the Internet almost any card can be tracked down no matter how short printed it is (Yes even 1/1 cards can re-surface and change hands fairly often). I have a few regrets in this hobby and a lot of them boil down to being desperate for money, selling off some cards, then wishing I hadn't later on.

About five years ago I made a massive mistake of selling my second favourite pack pull of all time:

The card picture above is a 1997-98 Donruss Press Proof Gold of Patrick Roy numbered to /500. In 1998 when I pulled this card it booked in the $150 range and I got a few substantial offers for the card. I turned them all down in a heart beat.

Growing up my weekend's were spent on the road traveling to my hockey games or my sisters ringette games. We went to all sorts of small towns and the best part of the trips (other then the games) was going to local flea markets. Growing up it seemed I was at, at least one to two markets on a weekend. Cards were really big back then and ever flea market had a large assortment of cards. I was rushed at one of the larger markets and my Dad told me he was going to the car and that I had two minutes to get there. I wanted a pack and I had about twenty open boxes to choose from. I settled on a pack of 1997-98 Donruss that I'm pretty sure was $3 and raced back to the family station wagon. I recall cracking the pack open right away and I couldn't believe that I hit the Roy.

I treasured this card for a long time. In my early twenties I did not really collect much hockey and in desperate attempt at some money, I sold my prized childhood possession. I have regretted it ever since. My collection has not been the same without it.

Finally, the card is coming home. I won the card auction style tonight for about the same as I sold it for in 2007.

When I get this card in hand, things will be different this time. I made the mistake of once selling this card and I can assure you that I won't make the same mistake twice. It's in my PC to stay!