2014 Leaf Memories Gold #/5

Card Review: 2.5  This is the 3rd year Leaf has done a self congratulatory set celebrating their own contribution to the junk wax era and driving children away from baseball card collecting.  I didn't like the 2012 set "honoring" the 1990 Leaf set, but I sort of understood it.  While I never liked the 1990 Leaf design, there is no denying that it caused a brief frenzy among collectors.  I actually kind of liked the 1991 Leaf design, but the 2013 tribute to it was even more of shameless marketing gimmick than the previous year.  With this 2014 incarnation, I don't know what they were thinking.  1992 Leaf was an ugly set, an inferior rip off of the 1991 design, and completely forgettable.  Nobody whines about the good old days of 1992 Leaf.  I'm really at a bit of a loss for words.  Why?  And who are you people that are buying this stuff?  I doubt that they are, but if the 1/1 variations are of the black gold variety, that could be this sets lone saving grace.

Number of this card in my collection: 1

2014 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Induction Card

Card Review: 7.5  The photo quality on this card is pretty terrible.  But who cares, this is far and away the crown jewel of all the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame swag.  I almost didn't get any.  When it became painfully apparent I wasn't going to be able to make the trip for induction weekend, I got on the phone and called the Museum.  I let them know I was looking to purchase "any and everything" that had Wallach's name on it, and would like any oddball things they may have.  They took my email address and sent me a list of prices and items.  This card wasn't on it.

Sunday after induction Saturday, someone put an autographed copy of this card, as well as autographed cards for the other three inductees on ebay for hefty price.  My initial thought process was in three steps, (i) I hope they're not all autographed, (ii) I need to email the Museum gift shop back, and (iii) What a jerk the seller is.  The ink was barely dry on these cards and some profiteer was already on ebay trying to make a cheap buck.  Somehow I doubt he mentioned to Murray Cook his eagerness to sell the card when he asked for the autograph.

Thankfully, the cards didn't come signed.  After inquiring about a bulk rate (no luck), I was able to purchase a few with the other items I picked up from the gift shop.  Take that ebay profiteers.

One final thought on this card, it list being a 1981 Topps Rookie Cup winner on the back, which I find kind of funny.  Someone recently edited the Tim Wallach wiki page (not me, I've never edited anything on wiki) to include that accomplishment, perhaps Topps did it.  Since then, it's been popping up more and more in articles about Wallach when they run down his accomplishments.  If it was Topps, it was pretty savvy move by them.

Number of this card in my collection: 107

2015 update: n/a

2016 update: n/a

2017 update: n/a

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2021 update: n/a

2022 update: n/a

2015 update: 108