Collectors Corner: Local Ties Help Inspire Trevor Linden Collector

As a fellow card blogger, Brett’s attention to detail about how he chooses to express himself in this hobby has always interested me. I’ve really enjoyed not only seeing, but reading about his new pickups for his collection over the years.

I just knew Brett was going to be all hands on deck when I approached him about featuring his personal collection on my blog and he did not disappoint. Brett not only has a way with words, but a way of player collecting, too. I’ll let his passionate card collection pave the way from here on out with his impressive collections featuring Trevor Linden, goalie masks, and more!

I hope you enjoy my newest edition of Collectors Corner!

The Trevor Linden Collection

One of many 1/1’s from Brett’s Linden Collection: 2012-12 ITG UM 12th Edition Journey Autographed Dual Patch Gold 1/1.

Introduction:

My name is Brett Miles. I’ve been a die-hard hockey card collector for most of my life. I’m born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and work in Media and Production for the new pro soccer franchise in this city, Cavalry FC as well as the world-class equestrian facility Spruce Meadows.

I got into collecting like most kids in the 80’s…it was the thing to do with your allowance. Buying packs of cards at the 7-11 and Turbo gas station was an adventure. I couldn’t wait to hit the store and rip into a couple packs. I was a year late on the Gretzky rookie card…not that I knew anything about that back when I was 8-years-old. It was all about crossing players off the checklist and the addictive bubble gum.

I drifted away from collecting in the late 80’s and early 90’s, but found the hobby again in the mid-90’s. I discovered player collecting and my world changed forever. I’ve been hooked ever since.

What/Who Do You Collect?

I am a long-time (call me die-hard) Trevor Linden player collector. It is the main pillar of my hobby world. I also PC baseball’s Oscar Gamble, am slowly (like it might take me the rest of my life) building an ungraded Parkhurst 51/52 set and chase hard-signed autographs of HHOF players.

I’m also a sucker for goalie masks. I’ve had an affinity for the old-school fibreglass masks since I was a kid. Seeing the first mask sets put out by Pinnacle in the 90’s just married my love of masks and the sports card hobby perfectly. I’ve been chasing mask cards ever since. No matter if they’re part of a set or just a simple base card…if it’s a close-up of a goaltender’s lid

– I want it.

My dream has always been to do a longform documentary on the history of the goalie mask. I even tried to pitch the idea to a couple places….but I think I was a little too inexperienced in the industry at the time. Years ago…we were approaching the 50th anniversary of Jacques Plante donning the mask for the first time and I was surprised that nobody pulled the trigger on that topic. I’ve seen the 60th anniversary fly by too and very little has been done to document the rich history of this truly unique piece of sporting equipment. Maybe one day….I still think about it often.

My tastes have changed over the years and it took a long time for me to settle into the pocket of what I have found I truly enjoy. From vintage sets to junk wax, patch cards to oddball…I’ve dabbled – and have seen the pros and cons of not having that real connection to my collection. I’m fortunate that I’m right back in the wheelhouse these days.

Why Did You Start Collecting The Player/Set/Team?

Trevor Linden has always been my favourite player…from the moment he was drafted into the NHL – and even earlier than that. I spent a couple years growing up in Medicine Hat and my family knew his family. It was so cool to see someone I knew (barely knew him…but still) make it into the NHL. He was an exciting player on a team I loved to watch growing up. As time went on, I started to appreciate Linden more for what he was doing off the ice. He is a selfless person who is always doing more than his part to help those in need. These days, I am proud to say I enjoy the work he’s done off the ice more than the resume he built on it.

Oscar Gamble is an interesting story. Years ago, I was gifted a few cards by a fellow collector. Included in the mix was Gamble’s iconic ’76 Topps Traded card (the one with the giant afro). That image and card just stuck with me. It always brought a smile to my face when I looked at it…for the great card it is – and for the generosity from another collector it represented. I had never considered starting another player collection until I got that card, but after some quick research, I found that he only had a couple hundred cards and most of them were quite inexpensive. I’ve said it many times….it’s the most rewarding and fun collection I have going.

What’s Your Favourite Card or Items In Your Collections?

The Oscar Gamble ’76 Topps Traded is tops on my list (it even trumps all my Linden cards…for real). I keep two copies of it in my wallet. One was chewed up years ago when I accidentally washed my wallet…the other is the replacement.

As for Linden cards, I’ve got two – and they’re my favourites for very different reasons. First, is the 1995/96 Upper Deck Post #14. It’s a simple base card…worth mere pennies, but I love that he is wearing the NHLPA uniform from the “4-on-4 Challenge” put on by the players during the 1994 lockout. It’s such a unique moment in his career and I just love the action shot, his name in big bold letters…..it’s such a fun card. It’s always one of the first cards I think about when someone asks me about my collection.

I also love the 2010/11 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 10th Edition “Ultimate Emblem”…it really is one of the pinnacle cards in my collection. It’s got a gigantic patch of the Canucks Place badge they wore and it really signifies all the charitable efforts Linden (and the Canucks) dedicate their time to. It cost me an arm and a leg at the time…and if it was today that I’d be chasing it, I might not be able to pull the trigger on it, but almost a decade after I bought it – I have zero buyer’s remorse. It’s a gorgeous card.

Another on the list would be the 2011/12 ITG Captain C “Captain’s C” (top and bottom half). The ‘C’ on the jersey means a lot and to own one of the most unique card offerings that represent that is amazing. Soon after I learned that he would have a card in the set, I immediately kept an eye out for one of the half-C’s. I couldn’t believe it when in the span of just a couple days, both showed up. I jumped at the opportunity and was thrilled to put the two pieces together.

Aside from the Trevor Linden collection, one of my all-time favourite pieces in my collection of any sort is the four-poster set celebrating the goalie mask that was showcased at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Love looking at those items.

What’s On Your Current Wantlist? Are there any ‘White Whales’ you’d like to add one day?

Are there cards on my wantlist? You bet….I’m a completist. So pretty much anything I don’t already have. He’s got over 2300 cards…and while I have a good chunk of them, there are a lot left to chase – especially cardboard from the past 2-3 years. There are a lot of low-numbered parallels these days. I don’t chase them like I used to, but I search multiple times a day…looking for that one item that I can go after.

Right now, cards that would really perk my ears would be the early BAP Emerald parallels /10, the ultra-tough Pacific Titanium Ice Blue from 2000/01 (the ones numbered out of the player’s jersey number), some UD High Gloss parallels from the mid-2000’s and more recently – the 2014/15 Upper Deck Premier Mega Patch Chest Logo cards where Linden was decked out in his Team Canada jersey. I currently have 8 of the 27 cards produced (and know the whereabouts of 9 others). Even if I don’t acquire them all (which I know I won’t), I would love to know where they all live…and hopefully have a scan of each one of them.

What do you love the most about collecting?

I love the fact that most of my cards have a story. A story in how I acquired it or a story in the people who were a part of it. A perfect example of this would be the birth of my Trevor Linden collection.

It would have been the mid-90’s and I was all over the place with what I was chasing. I would buy something, enjoy the thrill of owning it and then a few months later it would mean nothing to me. Rookie cards, vintage sets, autographs…none of it was sticking. At that time there was a card show every two weeks…and I was a regular attendee. I remember going to a table that had 2-3 monster boxes of cards sorted by player. I saw the folded over cardboard divider labelled ‘LINDEN’ and a handful of cards behind it. I scooped up all the cards and began sifting through them. Every single one of them was different….there must have been 40-50 cards worth. The best part, they were being sold for a dime a piece. For five bucks, I started my Linden player collection. I went home thinking I had every card of his in existence. Well…not so fast. He had a few hundred by that point (thanks to Pacific parallels), but the quest began. It was a wonderful lesson in the sense that it’s not about the price of the card…it’s about what the card represents and means to your collecting bug. To this day, I can get equally excited by a penny base card as I do a tough insert.

The other thing I love about collecting are the people who are equally passionate and respectful towards the hobby. People who have that positive aura about them. It’s infectious. I can sit with some people and talk about collecting for hours. I love to see them light up (probably like I do) when we talk about our projects. There are too many people to name, but I’d be remised not to mention the handful of dedicated Linden collectors that I’ve had the immense privilege to meet and trade with. They are truly some of the most selfless people in this hobby – and I can say with great certainty that they are a huge reason why the passion for my Linden collection is so strong.

What’s the most oddball piece in my collection?

I love the fact that there are a lot of people who know I collect Trevor Linden. Sometimes it works against me when you see the price tags on some of the cards, but there was a trip to the local card show that garnered me a unique one-of-a-kind item.

Hanging up behind his table was a Medicine Hat CableVision Tigers Pee Wee team jacket. I was immediately skeptical…but nonetheless intrigued. The person selling it assured me it was the real deal…picked up at a garage sale in Medicine Hat. I noticed it had the number ‘9’ on it (which was the number he wore…he idolized Tigers legend Lanny McDonald). But I couldn’t be sure of it’s authenticity. Still….I asked what the price on it was.

It ended up being a lot more than I was willing to spend. The nice thing was…I was pretty much the only guy going to the show that would pony up cash for the jacket. He asked me to make an offer….I told him that without being sure it was real, I’d only go so high. He thought about it and accepted. I couldn’t get the cash out of my pocket fast enough. We still talk about that transaction to this day.

***What would I* love *to accomplish with regards to sportscards?***

I consider myself a creative person. I like thinking outside the box and am constantly inspired by what I see others out there build, create and accomplish. From written articles to custom cards, podcasts to documentaries – I would love to pursue it all…..ah, but time is the enemy on that one.

I’d love to write a book. I know I have one in me. I’ve read a few that have to do with the sportscard world and really enjoy hearing other voices in the hobby. I’ve got a few ideas and one day I know it’ll jump up the priority list.

I’d love to do a full on documentary. I’m working on a short film about a collection that is near and dear to my heart. It’s been in the works for far too long…but I still try and go to it when I can. I’d love to truly dedicate some time and resources to some of the amazing topics that are out there when it comes to this fine hobby.

I’d love to finish my custom Trevor Linden card set I’ve had in mind for years. I was far more into creating custom cards a number of years back, but it too has hit the backburner. One day.

I’d love to build the ultimate Trevor Linden sportscard website. Properly scan each card (front and back), display it virtually on the web and even share some stories from my faves.

Lastly, and this one might seem silly, but I’d love to take a photo of my entire collection. Not the 4-5 boxes that the cards live in…but nicely laid out on multiple tables with a camera a couple stories up looking down. I think it would be cool to see a group pic like that.

Contact: How Can Other Collectors Reach You?

I’m on Twitter –

@bamlinden and

@OscarGamblesFro and Instagram –

@bamlinden and I do have a blog, ‘My Hockey Card Obsession‘ but have found that I don’t post much at this time. I still deeply enjoy this hobby – am fortunate that I live in a city that has multiple trade night options, card shows and good people to chat with…but I have found that I’m not in as much of a sprint at this time as I used to be. It’s one of the things I love most about sportscard collecting – I call the shots. I get to determine how I want to approach this hobby, how much I spend, what I chase, how aggressive (or passive) I want to be at any time….it’s great. If there ever comes a time where I feel the hobby is in control of me – I’ll be hanging it up…but I don’t see that ever happening. There’s more than enough stuff out there to keep me occupied.

I think we can all agree that Brett’s passion for his collections knows no limits!
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If you want to get in contact with me about getting YOUR COLLECTION featured on my blog, feel free to leave a comment on this post below, fill out a contact form on my Contact Page, or send me an email at [email protected] and we will be in touch very soon. 🙂

Happy Collecting,

- Crease