By most accounts, hobby shops saw good traffic for Saturday's Topps National Baseball Card Day promotion. The free packs and individual promotions came on the heels of the National Sports Collectors Convention where it got an added dose of free publicity. Giving away special packs, some of which included autographed cards, is good--but Carl's Cards in … [Read more...]
Top Banner 486X60
Winner of 1955 Bowman Mantle Didn’t See it Live
It’s only August but Chris Rothe is probably a hands down favorite for “Luckiest Collector of the Year.” The Maryland resident dropped $500 on the 20-spot 1955 Bowman cello pack break conducted by Vintage Breaks and landed the now famous Mickey Mantle card with a value that might be more than 100 times that amount. While a few dozen in the audience at the National Sports … [Read more...]
With Long Legacy, Collectability, Electric Football Seeks Spot in Toy Hall of Fame
Tudor Games, long-time maker of Electric Football, has announced the 70th anniversary celebration of “the world’s favorite football game.” They’re also lobbying for a spot in the toy Hall of Fame. Electric Football began in post-war Brooklyn, New York as a plug-in vibrating board game where chaos reigned—much to the delight of kids, football fans and the toy business … [Read more...]
Notes: NSCC Likely Staying Put; ’52 Mantle Winner; Old Bowman Relic
There will soon be a vote on the future schedule for the National Sports Collectors Convention and indications are that it's not going to venture out of the "C" zone. Next year's show has already been set for Chicago and the 2020 event will be in Atlantic City but there has been no word on where the show might land after that. It's believed that NSCC management will be … [Read more...]
Sports Card Release Calendar: 8/8/18 – 8/22/18
No matter your favorite sport, there's a new release for you over the next couple of weeks. Several new products arrive between now and August 21. Courtesy of The Break Exchange (formerly Maine Sports Cards), here's a rundown of some of them. 2018 Donruss Football (8/8) It may have had its heyday in the 80s but Panini has kept the Donruss name alive through … [Read more...]
3 Dealers, All 39 Nationals
A lot has changed since August of 1980, and the first National Sports Collectors Convention at the Airport Marriott Grand Ballroom in Los Angeles. Collectors are having their cards graded in mass quantity, there was no eBay, you can't read an article about the hobby without seeing the word “breaks” and the National itself has grown into a massive almost week-long event about … [Read more...]
NBA Christmas Day Jersey Auctions Underway
Jerseys worn in the NBA’s Christmas Day games this past season have begun to hit the auction block. There were five games on the December 25 schedule, many of which included some top stars. Among the jerseys up for auction are those donned by The Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City and New York Knicks. Some … [Read more...]
Notes: 2019 National Sold Out; Jackson Ball; Gehrig Check; Oscar Visits; Cavalier Joins HA
Booth spaces for the 2019 National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago sold out before the end of the 2018 show. Organizers say it's the earliest sellout in NSCC history. While the majority of the space is sold to returnees, a booth lottery held on Saturday usually didn't fill and dealers could buy table space even a few months after the previous year's … [Read more...]
3-D Art Meets Sports at the National
If I hear the term “3-D” before anything, I get skeptical. 3-D movies can he hard to watch and 3-D TV never really took hold the way that many thought it would. After meeting “accidental artist” Steven Walden at the 2018 National, I'm “all in” in his 3-D art. Born and raised in Arkansas, but now living in St. Louis, Walden had one of the most colorful booths at this year's … [Read more...]
Grab a Seat at the National
There are two certainties at The National. Well, maybe there are more than two, but the two I'm thinking about now, as I have my feet propped up and relaxing in my hotel room are: you will do a lot of walking and you will be standing most of your time on the convention floor. That is, unless you meet Sean Walsh, the owner of Original Stadium Seats (booth 2270), based right … [Read more...]
