You’re liable to find just about anything in a box of 2016-17 Immaculate basketball (yes, Panini still has one more ’16-17 product on the collecting calendar). These days you can always expect jersey swatches and tags but the upcoming release of Immaculate will also be serving up cards with the laces and tongues of player-worn shoes. Sneaker Swatch Signatures is one … [Read more...]
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1980 Topps Superstars Brought Supersizing to Barren Market
They’re almost an afterthought now. Complete sets sometimes go unsold at $10 when you see them but most veteran show dealers don’t even bother to bring them. In their day, though, they had the hobby buzzing. The 1980 Topps Superstar 5x7 photos were big, bold and more importantly—something new from Topps. It was a year before Fleer and Donruss turned baseball … [Read more...]
The Underappreciated 1949 Leaf Premiums Set
Youngsters who bought Leaf baseball cards nearly 70 years ago had another set to collect, but unless dad was willing to share some knowledge, those “old timers” may not have generated much of a buzz on the playground. Today, the 1949 Leaf Premiums might be among the most underappreciated vintage cards in the hobby. Each box of Leaf bubble gum cards supposedly … [Read more...]
2017 Panini Spectra Preview
Arriving just after the wrap on Week 1 of the new season, 2017 Panini Spectra football returns with the higher-end brand offering four autographs and seven memorabilia cards per box. Set for a Wednesday release, Spectra offers four packs per box and four cards per pack with boxes currently being offered in the $270-$300 range. The major draws will be Rookie Patch … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: Mike Has Definitive Answers (and Some Concerns)
Hello boys and girls. As always, it is an interesting time in the hobby. While hobby shop owners like myself should be elated over the return of football and the inevitable buzz and sales that go with it. Then again, that would this hobby be without a little controversy? Recently Panini announced the start of First Off The Line program where anyone with a … [Read more...]
1986-87 Fleer Wax Box Break Yields 3 Jordan Rookies
The 1986-87 Fleer basketball box break drew thousands of eavesdroppers Wednesday night, most of whom weren’t quite fearless enough to lay down $2,000 for what was probably a 1 in 12 shot to land the hobby’s most desirable basketball card. Those who did—and got lucky enough to find one in the pack they were assigned by random draw—probably got their money’s worth or more. The … [Read more...]
Jose Ramirez Rookie Cards Worth Watching
Fans in Cleveland know him, but "Jose Ramirez cards" don't often roll off the tongue when collectors discuss the hottest names in the hobby. That may be changing. The 24-year-old Ramirez already has several big league years on his stat line. A versatile player with switch-hitting ability, he's been called the Tribe's "offensive MVP" by Sports Illustrated. … [Read more...]
1933 R328 U.S. Caramel Set an Iconic Multi-Sport Issue
When fans think of multi-sport pre-war card sets, the first that often comes to mind is the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings issue. That set, however, isn't as rare as the 1933 R328 U.S. Caramel release. Here's a closer look at that set. 1933 R328 U.S. Caramel Basics The 1933 U.S. Caramel set was given its designation (R328) by Jefferson Burdick in the American Card Catalog. While the … [Read more...]
5 Great Football Cards From 1967
The NFL is ingrained in our sports conscience now, so it’s hard to remember that it once was a league that battled a bitter rival for nearly a decade. The AFL secured a merger with the more established NFL at mid-decade and played the inaugural Super Bowl on Jan. 15, 1967. The two leagues would merge for the 1970 season, but the merger in football cards already had … [Read more...]
1976-77 Topps Hockey Short on Rookies but Big on Subsets and Inserts
For the most part, the 1976-77 Topps hockey set was your standard run-of-the-mill 1970s hockey issue. But in addition to numerous subsets in the release, Topps also introduced a unique insert, which helped it stand out from others. Here's a closer look at Topps' issue for the 1976-77 hockey season. 1976-77 Topps Hockey Overview The 1976-77 Topps hockey set was a 264-card … [Read more...]
