Loupe Tech, Inc., the live e-commerce streaming platform built for sports card collectors, has closed a $12 million Series A round of fundraising, led by Forerunner Ventures, with additional investment by PSA executive chairman and noted card collector Nat Turner, Mint 10, and DJ/producer and Topps artist DJ Skee.
The company says it has surpassed initial revenue projections with 50 percent growth month-to-month.
“The hobby’s reception to Loupe has continued to amaze me every single month,” says Loupe founder and CEO Eric Doty. “Our goal from the outset was for Loupe to be on every collector’s phone. Every day, we’re inching closer to that.”
Loupe is located in Miami and plans to open a physical card shop and office space in the Wynwood neighborhood in the coming months. Series A fundraising will also be used to
“aggressively scale up the Loupe team to assist with new product features, partnerships, and user acquisition,” according to the company.
Upper Deck is releasing a series of shoes signed by its long-time exclusive client, Michael Jordan.
First up in the autographed Air Jordan line that was set to go online Tuesday morning is a pair that mimics ones he debuted on April 26, 1996, during a playoff run that led to Jordan’s fourth NBA Championship and 1996 NBA Finals MVP trophy.
The silver paint pen autograph is on the left shoe of the size 13 sneakers.
Upper Deck won’t say how many pairs are being signed by Jordan and offered for sale but you’ll need to pony up $25,000 to own a pair.
Members of the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class will sign autographs at the Hall in Canton, OH on Thursday, August 5 from 2-4 PM. No, it’s not free.
The Panini America-sponsored event costs $800. For that ticket price, you get one autograph from Steve Atwater, Isaac Bruce, Harold Carmichael, Jimbo Covert, Cliff Harris, Steve Hutchinson, Edgerrin James, Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher and former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. You’ll also get a free ticket to tour the Hall that day.
Tickets go on sale Thursday, June 10 at 10 AM on the Hall’s website.
An Erling Haaland rookie card sold for over $150,000 through Goldin Auctions over the weekend—the most ever paid for a soccer card produced in the last 15 years.
Eleven bids were entered for the 2019-20 Topps Chrome Bundesliga Orange Refractor #72 (#24/25). The card is the lone example rated BGS 10 Black label.
As the auction catalog stated, “The 20-year-old attacker is the hottest property in European soccer, with powerhouse clubs including Barcelona, Manchester United, and Real Madrid preparing massive bids for the in-demand Haaland in upcoming transfer windows.”
Goldin says soccer is its highest growth category at the moment.
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