It’s the card that helped change the collecting landscape.
Upper Deck’s 1997 Michael Jordan Game Jersey autographed cards were among the first sports cards to pair a “relic piece” with an on-card autograph and serial number.
Only 23 were signed by Jordan and one of them is closing at auction Thursday night. Bidding is expected to pass the six-figure mark between now and then. The condition-sensitive card is graded 8 but the autograph received a 10 from BGS. You can follow the auction here.
If you can’t afford the auto version, there’s an unsigned one in the same auction but it, too, won’t exactly come cheap.
One of the big scores in 2018 baseball products sold late Wednesday night.
The 1/1 Topps Chrome Ronald Acuna Superfractor was scheduled to hit the finish line just before midnight Eastern time.
Check the final result here.
Collectors Jay Kaplan and Justin Goodman have created a new podcast focused on the T206 set.
“The Monster Podcast” will include discussion of the set’s famous and not-so-famous cards, include interviews with avid T206 collectors and input from listeners. The two produced an introductory show and a follow-up 33-minute segment with more to follow.
For the first full episode, they visited the Library of Congress for a conversation with Sara Duke, curator of Popular and Applied Graphic Art in the Prints and Photographs Division. She’s responsible for the LOC’s collection of baseball cards, including a near complete T206 set.
“We discuss the history of the collection, Sara’s role at the LOC, and what earns T206s a spot in American history,” Goodman told us. “We also discuss the LOC’s current exhibit, Baseball Americana, that is on display through Summer 2019.”
You can access the podcast here.
This just in…
Mo Wagner has the worst signature of any NBA draft pick this year.
Apparently they don’t teach cursive writing in Germany either. Wonder how much he got paid to sign his rookie cards?
Brandon Steiner, the founder of Steiner Sports has a new book out.
Living On Purpose is his third effort, but this one isn’t so much about selling sports memorabilia as it is a self-help guide that according to the publisher is focused on “faith, fortune, and fitness that will lead you to an extraordinary life.”
Steiner built his company into one of the industry’s giants, then sold ownership to giant Omnicom Group in 2000. The deal gave Steiner the financial security for the rest of his life, but something was missing.
“After putting in relentless effort and long hours to build a company—and frankly, an industry—for close to two decades, I was emotionally bankrupt after selling my company,” he says. “To sustain that kind of run, I had to go to some deep, dark places emotionally, and those decisions took a toll on me.”
Steiner still runs the company but says he’s changed his life for the better in recent years and offers tips for others.
You can learn more about the book here.
Related Stories:
1997-98 Upper Deck Game Jersey Michael Jordan Card Sells for $2.7 Million
Newly Uncovered Tobacco Card Hoard Includes 18 T206 Cobbs
Long-Time Collector’s T206 Set Gets Solo Auction Spotlight
2nd Edition of T206 Book Earns Publishing Award
Red PMG Jordan Setting New Price Record
1997-98 Precious Metal Gems Jordan Sells for $350,100
Rare 1997-98 Precious Metal Gems Jordan Will Set Record
