The glitzier side of card collecting on social media puts a spotlight on rare and valuable cards. The hobby's big "pulls" are showcased like rare jewels anyone can own if they're lucky enough. Expensive cards are highlighted in slick videos and photographs. Instagram and Twitter become feedback loops, reinforcing the importance of costly cards and potentially lucrative … [Read more...] about Sports Card Addiction Is Slowly Coming Out of the Shadows
Luke the Cardist Brings Bright Colors to Custom Art Cards
As COVID turned the normal upside down, Luke Weaverling was another guy with more time to browse through eBay listings. Little did he know that the shutdowns were just the beginning of his career as a trading card artist. For Weaverling, also known as Luke the Cardist on Instagram, the eye appeal of cards is especially important. From a young age, he was passionate about … [Read more...] about Luke the Cardist Brings Bright Colors to Custom Art Cards
Modern Patch Card Guarantees Bear Little Resemblance to Hobby’s First Jersey Cards
When Upper Deck introduced the first fully licensed game-worn jersey patch cards in 1996, the hobby entered a new era, allowing collectors to own a piece of memorabilia with their trading cards. Unlike today, the first jersey cards were huge chases, similar to today’s search for one-of-ones and numbered rookie patch autographs. Upper Deck’s initial product included thin, … [Read more...] about Modern Patch Card Guarantees Bear Little Resemblance to Hobby’s First Jersey Cards
17th Annual Northern Virginia Game Worn Jersey Expo Features Trove of Hockey Treasures
Game-used hockey jerseys, sticks, gloves, and pucks will take center stage on Saturday, March 18, at the 17th Annual Northern Virginia Game-Worn Hockey Jersey Expo. About 40 dealers and a few hundred collectors from around the country and Canada are expected to descend upon the Holiday Inn – Washington Dulles at Sterling, Virginia, from 9 AM-5 PM. The gathering will include … [Read more...] about 17th Annual Northern Virginia Game Worn Jersey Expo Features Trove of Hockey Treasures
These Guys Broke 300 Topps Cases in Search of Golden Mirror Parallels, $250K Bounty
When Blowout Cards put out a $250k bounty for the complete set of the 2023 Topps Baseball 330-card Golden Mirror Image SSP, it landed right at the feet of Minnesota-based card company Real Sportscards. Voted Breaker of the Year at the Beckett Industry Summit from 2019-21, Real Breaks, the breaking division of Real Sportscards, had been developing its new … [Read more...] about These Guys Broke 300 Topps Cases in Search of Golden Mirror Parallels, $250K Bounty
SGC 7 Ruth Rookie at Heritage Auctions Could Set Record
One of the highest graded copies of the 1916 M101-4 Babe Ruth rookie card is on the block at Heritage Auctions where it's expected to sell for $3 million or more when bidding ends later this month. A blank back PSA 7 Ruth sold in Nov. 2021 for $2.4 million. The card offered by Heritage carries an ad for The Sporting News on the back and is the highest SGC example ever … [Read more...] about SGC 7 Ruth Rookie at Heritage Auctions Could Set Record
Historical, Personal Ali Items on the Block at SCP Auctions
Two pieces of Muhammad Ali memorabilia, one with historic political significance, are up for bids on SCP Auctions. The auction, which ends on Saturday, includes Ali’s passport, which the United States government revoked, and a poem written and signed by “The Greatest.” The Passport The passport, which Ali held from 1965-66, features three signatures and stamps from travels to … [Read more...] about Historical, Personal Ali Items on the Block at SCP Auctions
Identifying Fake Cards as Counterfeiters, Scammers Gain Better Technology
In 1981, a scam artist sold fake 1963 Topps Pete Rose rookie cards at the Philly Show. Three years later, 10,000 fake Rose cards were confiscated in California. They were among the first widely reported instances in which the growing values of baseball cards led to outright efforts to use fakes as a way of making a handsome profit. In some ways, the fake Rose cards marked … [Read more...] about Identifying Fake Cards as Counterfeiters, Scammers Gain Better Technology
Vintage Sports Card Grading Submissions Surged in 2022
At the beginning of 2022 it seemed like the card market “party” would continue without missing a beat. Buying and selling with 100% margins were becoming the rule and not the exception. In the first half of 2022 it appeared as if collectors, flippers, and everyone in between would continue profiting off the hobby’s boom. As recently as late April 2022, ultra-modern … [Read more...] about Vintage Sports Card Grading Submissions Surged in 2022
Chasing Cardboard Film Series Highlights Big Deals and Storytelling
When most people sell their collections, it’s done anonymously. Cards with former forever homes exchange hands, and the stories behind their provenance, if they are ever told, stay between buyer and seller. Chasing Cardboard, a film series on YouTube, has been documenting the sales of everyday collections, unknown hoards and telling the stories about the people who own … [Read more...] about Chasing Cardboard Film Series Highlights Big Deals and Storytelling