In 1970, Topps released a 132 piece Hockey card set. This player card set contained not only the standard NHL hockey teams, but also players from the expansion. So, the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks were featured along with all the more familiar teams who had been featured in previous years. If you are a collector with the ambitious goal of collecting this set, than you are in for a real treat. The hockey cards in this set are very well done, featuring color photos of the hockey players and solid color backgrounds. The color of the background depended on what team the player played for.

The backs of this set were almost as lively and fun as the front; and featured statistics of the player from career beginning to present. There was also a brief biography of the stick player on the back of the card, which was very fun and interesting to read.

Another interesting thing about these cards is that the team name was on both the front and the back of the cards, but only the team name on the front was updated enough to show those last-minute, off season roster changes. All in all, this was a great year for Topps when it came to hockey.

Just always remember to shop around for good prices, as most of these cards are readily available. And, don’t forget your best friend, the price guide! Always check prices so that you know you are paying a fair price for the card, and not an outrageous retail mark-up.

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So, you’re a Topps hockey card fan, and you want to complete your 1958-1959 Topps hockey card set? Well, I have some information for you that you might find interesting, if not valuable in your noble search for these great hockey cards from Topps.

This set featured 66 cards. The cards featured players from Boston, New York, Detroit, and Chicago. Full cover photos of the hockey players graced the face sides of these cards, while the reverse side featured statistics. The back was also bilingual, and featured a little cartoon information section.

So, what are the cards from this set to look for? Well, there are the rookie cards, of course. Notable rookies of this set were Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks, Ken Wharram and Eddie Shack. One interesting thing about this set is that Bobby Hull’s card is especially hard to find, as his was the last card in the series, and so is subject to more wear and tear. Also, his card was known for being off center, making this card even more valuable than the others.

Another thing worth mentioning is that Norm Johnson’s Rookie card (Norm Johnson was a Boston Bruin), sells for around $30 in near mint condition, so remember that if you can pick one up for less than that, you are getting a pretty good deal. Actually, it is always a good idea to keep the price guide handy, as this way you know what they are worth, and you won’t spend more money than necessary.

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Are you one of those vintage hockey card collectors who has the major dream of completing the Ice Kings 1933-1934 set? Well, I hand it to you, you are a serious hockey card lover to take on such an incredible task. Now, let me just say that while this MAY be a doable task, it will NOT be easy, nor will it be cheap. You will spend some serious time and money, and I can almost guarantee that you will not complete the entire set, however, you can complete it to the best of your ability, which is all that really matters, right?

Here are a few things to remember about this particular set. For one thing, remember Art Chapman of the Boston Bruins? Well, his hockey card is indeed in the set, and it is going to cost you about $100 for just an excellent condition card.  So, try to find one around this price or cheaper. However, in a set like this, I understand that you may not really have the option to shop around. Anyway, this seems to be the average going price for this particular card.

Oh, and if you want to pick up card #44, which is Normie Himes of the New York Americans, if you can find one graded above very good, grab it, because these are hard to find. It will probably cost you about $100 though, as a very good version of this card goes for about $70 or a little less.

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Hockey card manufacturing companies try many different techniques to make hockey card collecting more special, unique and memorable. To do so, they introduce new sets and packs that add both nostalgia as well as color and bling to your hockey card collection. Some of the additions made by the sports card manufacturing companies include complete sets like the 2006-07 SP Authentic Hockey, Upper Deck’s Special 1967 Maple Leaf Collection and the 2006-07 SP Game Used Hockey. These sets are definitely a collector’s item and should be a part of many hockey card collector’s collection.

2006-07 SP Authentic Hockey card boxes are like all other SP Authentic releases and have 24 boxes having 5 cards each. Its base card set has a total of 100 common cards and hence the chances of finding your favorite players are staked in your favor. The collection also has its rookie cards and you can definitely buy this box for the rookies as 50 players have been signed for rookie cards that are numbered up to 999. The chances of finding a good rookie card are again in your favor. In addition, of course, you have the insert cards and the autographed memorabilia cards that add a special touch to your hockey card collection. Another release is the SP Game Used Hockey that contains an autograph card or a memorabilia card in every pack. For collectors who like to have autograph cards, this is a good buy.

If you are avid hockey fan, then the Toronto Maple Leafs will always hold a special place in your heart and the special edition released by Upper Deck commemorating that team is definitely a must buy for your hockey card collection. This edition is complete, 29 regular cards, and one checklist card, having great players like George Armstrong, Allan Stanley, Johnny Bower etc. You will also get an autographed card or a memorabilia jersey card for your collection.

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Jargon is prevelant everywhere, and all fields have their own peculiar jargon that is understood only by the people familiar with that field. This is very true with the world of hockey card collecting. A new collector to the world of hockey card collecting is often left bewildered and lost because of the peculiar jargon used by avid sports card collectors. While most of the jargon is game related, some of it is created by the card manufacturing companies and these are the ones that confuse the uninitiated. While it is not possible to explain all the jargons, we have attempted to simplify some of it so that you can begin your hockey card collection.

The most important in the world of hockey cards is parallel hockey cards. These are cards, designed in the same manner as a regular hockey card with the same card number and design but have a distinguishing feature that makes it unique and different. These cards are fewer in number and hence a collector’s item and worth the investment. You will find parallel cards for base cards, memorabilia cards and even subset cards. The problem with these cards is that they are so similar to the original that you might end up buying a parallel card at the price of an original, so be sure to understand the underlying terminology before you start investing your time and money in buying hockey cards.

Another variety of cards is the subset cards that are identical in design to the base cards but are numbered as whole numbers. These are rare cards and add rarity to your hockey card collection. After the subset cards, come the insert cards that come in your base card pack that have a distinct design. Some of the insert cards are memorabilia cards and hence add that special touch to your hockey card collection. Memorabilia cards are nothing but cards that are either autographed by the players or have something from the game they played to remind you of the player and his game.

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Hockey card collecting for nearly as long as baseball. Similarly, there were times, when due to the World Wars, not many cards were printed. Hockey cards of thhose old days are a rarity today and very difficult to find. However, if you are a collector wanting to add those very rare sports cards to your hockey card collection, then here are some pointers and guidance for you.

The first step towards adding rare hockey cards to your existing hockey card collection is to do complete research and identify the rare cards you want. You could use the Internet or guides and magazines available in the market to do your research. The Internet is a valuable medium and tool for your research. You can get tons of information on the net which can make your search easy. Start with this site, HockeyCardChase.com, or with Google. Next step would be to discuss these rare cards and their availability and pricing with people online or at your local hobby shop dealer. He would be able to give you a good idea about the exact nature of these rare hockey cards and their worth. You could also try discussing it with your relatives and friends, especially those who have bought rare items.

A good understanding regarding pricing issues is a must when it comes to adding a rare card to your hockey card collection. You could achieve this by attending conventions and seminars that are held in some of the larger cities. Another good method would be to search and find those people who claim to sell rare cards online. Finally of course the best place to visit for those rare cards for your hockey card collection would be the garage sales. This is a gamble that usually results in nothing.

Oh yeah, it helps to have a lot of money. But, if you are not picky about condition or player, vintage hockey cards can be purchased very affordably.

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Hockey, in the United States is a very popular sports, so it follows that hockey card collecting is one of the oldest card collecting hobbies known to hockey fans. A beginner to the hobby of collecting hockey cards is often left puzzled and confused with the variety of choices and cards. A lot of companies have started manufacturing hockey cards which causes some confusion. Even the terminology used by hockey card collectors is special and needs some initiation before one plunges into collecting hockey cards. When you enter into sports card collecting, the first question is where to begin and what to buy. The rational answer is to collect what you love. However, many will suggest, not unreasonably, that you buy hockey rookie cards, they are the best. But what are rookie cards is the next question?

Rookie cards are the first cards published of a hockey player when they make their debut in the NHL, National Hockey League. Almost immediately after the player has been drafted, hockey card manufacturing companies sign deals with various players to produce their rookie card. The demand for these rookie cards depends upon the hockey player, season and other factors.The hard part of collecting rookie cards is identifying the ones that are worth investing for your hockey card collection. You have to decide whether you want to buy rookie cards of all players or only of those who you like or believe will go on to a great NHL career.

If you are starting or expanding your hockey card collection for the love of the game and love for collecting, then you could buy all the rookie cards, irrespective of their actual value in the market or choose only those that you like and forget what the markets say. However, if you are in to hockey card collecting for investment or other purpose then you might want to look out for rookie cards of players like Sidney Crosby, Jason Spezza, Henrik Zetterberg, Marion Gaborik, Vincent Lecavalier, Roberto Luongo. In the alternative you might even want to look out for the yet to be released rookie card of Evgeni Malkin or of any of the new players, playing for the first time this season.

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A review of current searches and stats of hockey cards at HockeyCardChase.com reveals that the old saying of something old and something new can be applied here. The two most popular hockey player cards come from a recent player and a hall of famer.

First, Wayne Gretzkey, top the list. For collectors of hockey cards, a collection is not complete unless there is a Wayne Gretzkey card present.

Right behind Gretzkey as the most popular hockey player card is Hall of Famer, Gordie Howe.

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This past Sunday, Donald D. Peck, the retired President of Fleer pass away.

At the helm of Fleer, Mr. Peck challenged Topps and their monopoly on the sports card industry. The challenge went all the way to the Supreme Court in 1982 where Fleer was rejected in their challenge to publish baseball card packs. However, he found a way around the ruling and Fleer flourished providing sports cards to fan collections.

More information about the life of Donald D. Peck.

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Gone are the days when you had to visit the local sports card store for buying hockey player cards and having to wait until the released card versions actually reached the local hobby stores. In the Internet age, the entire buying and selling of sports cards has become virtual, resulting in the card being shipped to you and everything is carried out online. In the earlier days, the options were limited to the local card store or grocery store or 7-Eleven, but today, you have the official websites of the card manufacturing companies featuring their products, and, hordes of online retailers and auction sites to cater to your needs and help you find the rare hockey card you want. Whether it is a Topps set of cards or those of Upper Deck, they are easily available on the company’s website and this gives options for hockey card collectors to choose their type of hockey card. Vintage or current, your hockey card can be found online.

Apart from these, there are hordes of online retail outlets that sell hockey player cards, both individual as well as sets, at very reasonable prices. A list of these sites can be easily available by using a search engine like Google or Yahoo. Retailers like Collecting Sports Cards, Sports Card Attic, Dick & Jane’s Sports cards are good options to check out, if you want good bargains. Also a look at the price guides and their online lists will give you some more information about the cards. In fact, online price lists like Beckett also sell card sets at bargain prices. Look out for special offers and deals online and you may be the lucky one to get hockey cards at great discounts.

Finally, of course, you have the online auction sites like eBay which is a good place to buy and sell hockey cards. Here you have the flexibility of choosing the best bargains, as you may find more than one seller for a particular card. Also you have the choice of buying individual cards, also known as singles, as opposed to packs. This would not only be less expensive but also ensure that you buy only those cards you need and are not saddled with other useless cards or duplicate hockey cards.

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