Collectors Corner #15: King of Kings - The Anze Kopitar Super Collector

Anze Kopitar's Upper Deck Ultimate Rookie Autographed NHL Shield 1/1.

After connecting with Andrew on the Blowout Cards forums, I just knew he'd be a great feature here on the blog. Andrew has been player collecting for many years and definitely has the 'resume' to prove it with many player collections currently on the go across all the major sports.  Today, we're got a show fit for a king. Well, one King that is: Anze Kopitar

 Andrew's collection of LA Kings Captain Anze Kopitar is stunning is every way possible. His collection of high-end Kopitar pieces will knock your socks off.  I'll let Andrew speak for himself on this one: 

Introduction

Hello, my name is Andrew and I first started collecting cards around 1993 when I was age 8. Kids at my elementary mainly collected basketball and would show, tell, and trade from their backpacks at school. I also started baseball near the same time. I am a self-taught sports fan since I could never participate much due to health issues. My parents are not much sports fan either but somehow it caught my eye and trading cards were my passion and outlet when my health was worse. I started football and hockey cards by 1996 or so.

​Living in the south, hockey fans are like needles in a haystack but here I was opening packs of UD1 and UD2 and even some Stadium Club. I kept up with players through SI for kids and the newspaper box scores every day as a kid in the 90s. I love the hobby of collecting sports cards because it was something I could do locally and something to look forward to when I visited nearly any store back then.

​I still to this day dabble in all 4 sports but am 100% player collector these days. Well, maybe 3 sports with my basketball collection being left behind.

What/Who Do You Collect?

​My main PC is Anze Kopitar. I also collect Andrei Svechnikov, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Barry Sanders.

SPGU By The Letter Completed Game-Used Jersey nameplate of Anze Kopitar.

Why Did You Start Collecting Anze Kopitar?​

​Well, since Kopitar’s rookie season I kind of unassumingly picked up singles of him here and there up until let’s say November 2009. I was becoming enamored with player collections on forums and while I told myself for the longest I would never collect a single player like that, I was looking at my collection and found I already had 44 or so cards of Anze. So, by December I made a big, serious card collecting decision that I never regretted and chose to start my Kopitar collection full time.

What's Your Favourite Cards/Items in Your Collection?

Really tough choice. Could go a variety of cards since I have countless 1/1’s but I will go with a unique card for the set alone. I have a 18/19 Artifacts Honoured Hopefuls serial numbered 11/27 matching his jersey number with a 3-color patch and a 2-color glove swatch. Nice black background complimenting one his team’s colors and the high-end acetate surface with the set name hopefully foreshadowing his HOF status further down the road.
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I should add my favorite item is a game-worn jersey from his rookie campaign with certification and photo match by MeiGray. Oh, and I have a game-used stick from a game in the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals hanging on my wall over my bed.

2018-19 Artifacts Honored Hopefuls Anze Kopitar 11/27.

What's on Your Wantlist? Are there any 'White Whales' You'd like To Add One Day?

​This is a big question for any die-hard player collector. But the truth is what I still need or want is so arbitrary that I always am looking but never see or feel obliged to own at this moment. I have most of his biggest 1/1’s ever made. So much so, the list of what I have passed on or never seen is like maybe 5 cards. I don’t collect base or high numbered parallels/inserts. Even most base parallel 1/1’s are not worth owning in my mind. I know of at least 2 auto shields that I passed on just for money or eye appeal constraints. There is 1 Cup Property Of I do not own and never saw but I’m afraid the aesthetics may not be to my liking. But always keeping an eye out constantly just in case

How Can Other Collectors Contact You?

Blowout Forums: (chris_ac)
Instagram: (@playerclector)

You can also check out Andrew's Kopitar Card Collection on Flickr HERE.

Highlights of Andrew's Incredible Anze Kopitar Card Collection

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If you want to get in contact with me about getting ​YOUR COLLECTION featured on my blog so I can share it with my viewers, please 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,

​- Aaron