It took just five boxes for Michigan collector Ernest Lantto to fall in love with 2010-11 Dominion Hockey. But nine cards through what admittedly was "the most horrific pack" imaginable, he was second guessing his decision to purchase his sixth and final box.
It took just five boxes for Michigan collector Ernest Lantto to fall in love with 2010-11 Dominion Hockey. But nine cards through what admittedly was “the most horrific pack” imaginable, he was second guessing his decision to purchase his sixth and final box.
His first five boxes had yielded some truly spectacular cards, but what Lantto really wanted, more than anything, was to find the redemption card that would win him a miniature Stanley Cup once awarded to a member of the 1978-79 Montreal Canadiens.
But with just one card remaining in his final box, all he had to show for his efforts were three base cards, one parallel, two one-color memorabilia cards and three nothing-to-write-home-about autographs.
“I read on The Knight’s Lance about how Panini America added the redemption card for the Stanley Cup and I called my card shop, Stadium Cards & Comics in Ypsilanti, Mich., to let them know about it,” Lantto says. “And I told them that I was going to pull this card.”
What happened next was pure Ruthian genius, a Lantto called shot on the 10th and final card in that otherwise forgettable final box.
“I slowly rolled to the last card, saw the blue back and I immediately recognized what I had,” Lantto says. “Thank goodness there was no kids in the shop at that time.”
A few excitement-fueled expletives and a high-five with store owner Mark Fenwick later, and Lantto’s epic pull sank in. He called Panini America and informed company officials of his pull. Two days later, he had miniature Stanley Cup in hand.
Initially, Lantto said he planned to keep the Cup in his possession. As of today, though, the hardware is on eBay with a hefty Buy It Now price of $7,500.
Congrats on your Epic Win! With all that you went through to try and grab one of these Stanley Cups I’m glad it paid off for you! Congrats!
great pull congrats
Yes, congrats to him.
And now you can buy it on Ebay. 🙁 No way a hockey fan would ever sell that.
Wow!! That is the sweetest pull ever!! Congrats to him!!
that dude is a card shop owner….you guys should have something in place to prevent that from happening so that the collectors are the ones with the legitimate shot at something like that…..not other shop owners.
No, the gentleman on the right is Ernest Lantto, the collector who pulled the card. The gentleman on the left is the store owner of the shop Lantto frequents.
Price was lowered. If I had the cash I would buy it as I think it could get more if sold correctly.
Awesome pull for you Ernest. You brought the cup back to Hockeytown…Congrats from one collector to another..
Only in Michigan
Excuse me. Only in HOCKEYTOWN
Is this a replica, or did an actual player from the Habs donate this to Panini ?
It was given to a member of the 1978-79 Canadiens. We bought it at auction earlier this year.
Sold for $2000!
It’s awesome that the redemption was pulled by someone that wanted it and desired it more than anything… so he could immediately list it on eBay.
And the guy didn’t just auction the mini-Cup. Initially, the redemption card itself was listed on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $10,000. That was delisted rather quickly. From there, the $7,500 BIN for the in-hand mini-Cup. That was reduced to $5,000. And now sold for $2000.
I just hope the mini-Cup is in the hands of a true hockey fan now…
And it sold for $2000. So sad, whoever bought it got a steal.
What did you expect, he is wearing a Tigers t-shirt after all..
heres what you [people] don’t. wife got hurt and 11,000.00 later i had no choice. you should ask before assuming something. this was my best pull and still have to sell off most of my collection to pay medical bills. FAMILY FIRST, this second.
LIFETIME PULL NO DOUBT!!!
He sold it for $2,000……………wow.
I wonder if panini paid > or < 2000 for it in the auction o_O
I would have never EVER had sold that cup. Once in a lifetime pull!