One of the hobby’s top 1959 Topps baseball card sets is on its way to a new home—for a whopper of a price. Mile High Card Company sold the third ranked set on the PSA Registry for $301,907 in its catalog auction early Friday morning. Four cards in the 572-card issue are graded 10; eight, including Mickey Mantle rated 8 and the other 560 cards in the set are graded PSA … [Read more...]
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SGC Moving to 10-Point Grading Scale, Plans Submission Process Upgrades
SGC will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this summer but cake and ice cream aren’t the only thing the grading and authenticating firm will be passing out. Some big changes are happening as part of an overall rebranding of one of the hobby’s most familiar names. Earlier this month, the Florida-based company announced the upcoming launch of a uniform … [Read more...]
Large Gains and Volatility are Found in High-Dollar Sports Card Market
These days, baseball cards are looked at as more and more of an investment than in the past. Cards obviously are still collected by many people that do not necessarily care about their value just as there were investors in cards back in the 1970s and 1980s. But as cards have become more and more valuable, collectors are taking them a bit more seriously from a financial … [Read more...]
Topps Signs David Ortiz as Spokesman, “Lead Scout”
Topps has signed David Ortiz to an endorsement deal that will include a new role as “head scout” for the Topps NOW program. According to Topps, Ortiz will work with the company to select “the best moments of the Major League Baseball season and support Topps’ initiatives throughout the year, including National Baseball Card Day.” “The TOPPS NOW program is fun to work on … [Read more...]
10 Reasons to Head to Your Local Sports Card Shop
These days, buying cards is largely limited to the internet and, when in your area, shows. But while there aren't nearly as many card shops as there were in the boom of the 1990s, many dealers are still doing business at brick and mortar buildings. And new ones even continue to spring up. Here are ten reasons why you should still head to your local card shop. 1. See and buy … [Read more...]
SGC to Open Uniform Authentication Division
SGC will open a new game-worn uniform authentication division next month. Long-time authenticator and researcher Dave Grob has left MEARS and joined SGC to help spearhead the new effort. A long-time collector and known as a meticulous researcher, Grob is a leading authority on vintage baseball uniforms and has written hundreds of articles on game-worn uniforms and … [Read more...]
Beckett Grading Suspends 10-Day Service Option as Orders Pile Up
Due to a backlog of orders, Beckett Grading has suspended its 10-day guaranteed service for trading cards. A message on the company’s website reads, “Due to a historic number of orders/cards being submitted, and our growing wait times with our non-guaranteed service level, Beckett Grading will temporarily suspend their 10-day service level starting June 7, 2018.” With … [Read more...]
RR Auction Set to Launch First Sports-Only Sale
RR Auction has been selling historic, entertainment, space and other collectibles for 40 years. Next month, the Boston-based company will launch its first auction dedicated strictly to sports memorabilia, with more than 650 items scheduled to go on the block including some rare baseball cards, championship rings, autographed items and game-used memorabilia. The auction is set … [Read more...]
The Rise of Signed Baseball Rookie Cards
Stern was the warning to neophytes at card shows where old-timers were signing in the 1980s and 90s: "Get an autograph on a baseball. A picture. A program. DO NOT have him sign his rookie card!" The reason? Some non-written rule about a signature--even a real one--lessening the value of the card itself. So card-focused was the hobby's old guard at the time that an autograph was … [Read more...]
Sold in Packs, Baseball Treasure Coins Make Debut
There’s a new unopened baseball pack product making its way to the hobby, but this one has nothing to do with cards. A new company called Baseball Treasure has created MLB-licensed collectible baseball coins that feature some of the game’s top players. They’re nothing like the 1964 and ’71 Topps issues, the 1960s Salada or Armour plastic coins. One star from … [Read more...]
