It was a busy week at the shop, full of the buying and selling of cards of all kinds, but sometimes we also serve as a sounding board for collectors. In a recent break of 2022 Optic Football, a collector and good friend of mine had recently bought into a 2022 Optic Football box break for just a few bucks, selecting the Denver Broncos. Well, it turned out his luck couldn't have … [Read more...] about Shop Talk: Walk-in Card Sales, Chocolate Covered Jordan RC, Sounding Board for 1/1 Pull
Card Back Q&A: Ken Dilger Talks Converting to TE, Playing with Peyton, “Kenny Franchise” Tag
Tight end Ken Dilger spent seven solid seasons with the Indianapolis Colts before finishing his career playing three years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dilger was an All Pro selection in 2001 in Indy and he captured a Super Bowl title (and ring) at Super Bowl XXXVII while playing for the Buccaneers. The Indiana native finished his career with over 300 … [Read more...] about Card Back Q&A: Ken Dilger Talks Converting to TE, Playing with Peyton, “Kenny Franchise” Tag
Ken Dilger Q&A: Former NFL Tight End Talks Autographs, Container Full of Cards,
Mariah Hill, Indiana native Ken Dilger was a multi sport star at Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, IN. He was the star quarterback on the football field and also excelled in basketball and baseball. He took his formidable skill set to the University of Illinois to contribute on the gridiron. After redshirting his freshman year, he became a four year letter … [Read more...] about Ken Dilger Q&A: Former NFL Tight End Talks Autographs, Container Full of Cards,
Shop Talk: Chrome Complaints, Slow Sellers, Weekend Warriors
The biggest piece of baseball card news this week was the missing SSPs from 2022 Topps Chrome Hobby boxes.The company recently announced that, through a communications issue, the short print rookie cards were never inserted. As you may have read in these pages late last week, Topps is going to release silver packs that will be handed out to those who ordered or bought boxes … [Read more...] about Shop Talk: Chrome Complaints, Slow Sellers, Weekend Warriors
Brief Box Break: 2022 Prestige Football Blaster
In a new series, we'll take you inside the card shop and go blow-by-blow through various breaks of hobby boxes, jumbo boxes, cello boxes, blaster boxes and any other boxes we can get our hands on. We kick off with a 2022 Prestige Football blaster.Offering up 11 cards per pack with 6 packs for a total of 66 cards per blaster box, Prestige was one of the first out of the gate in … [Read more...] about Brief Box Break: 2022 Prestige Football Blaster
1997-98 Hoops Top of the World Features Some Astronomically Good (and Not So Good) Rookies
During the 1997-98 basketball release calendar, the Hoops brand continued its Skybox influenced change of course in terms of forward thinking design ideas for base cards, inserts and parallels.The 1997-98 rookie crop offered a few future Hall of Famers, a few players who had nice runs in the league and a few who never quite made their mark.One of the more esthetically pleasing … [Read more...] about 1997-98 Hoops Top of the World Features Some Astronomically Good (and Not So Good) Rookies
Shop Talk: 2022 Topps Chrome Baseball, Football Figures and Entertaining Customers
Tony Reid offers his weekly dose of happenings inside Sports Zone, the Central Pennsylvania shop where he works. ----- It was another week full of new releases at the shop. We managed to secure a solid amount of 2022 Topps Chrome baseball. One of the more popular products by any measure, we received hobby boxes, jumbo boxes and blaster boxes, all filling our shelves. A few … [Read more...] about Shop Talk: 2022 Topps Chrome Baseball, Football Figures and Entertaining Customers
1997-98 Hoops High Voltage Focused on Most Electrifying Players in the NBA
The 1997-98 Hoops basketball product continued a nearly decade-long tradition of the company producing one of the most recognizable flagship brands in basketball. The Hoops name was familiar but the yearly designs were evolving into more modern, colorful sets. The '97-98 season offered a solid rookie crop including San Antonio Spurs big man and future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan … [Read more...] about 1997-98 Hoops High Voltage Focused on Most Electrifying Players in the NBA
Shop Talk: Fired Up for Football
It was a big new release week for sports cards, which is always a good week in my book. Like most shops, we have collectors who are ready to pounce when new products hit the shelf. 2022 Panini Donruss Elite Football is among the early arrivals for the new NFL season. It's sort of a middle of the road release in terms of price point and quality but it has always been a solid … [Read more...] about Shop Talk: Fired Up for Football
Warp Speed Divides and Conquers in 1995-96 TSC Basketball Product
When a trading card insert is spread across two or more series, the manufacturer usually tries to maintain consistency for the sake of those looking to complete the set or just to keep the branding intact. The designers of the 1995-96 Topps Stadium Club Warp Speed set did not subscribe to that notion. It was one of the flashier but most head scratching inserts of its … [Read more...] about Warp Speed Divides and Conquers in 1995-96 TSC Basketball Product