It’s still a few weeks away from release but we do know who will be on the packaging when the first 2024 baseball cards hit the market next month.
Ronald Acuña Jr. will be on the front of Topps Series 1 boxes and packs this year. It would have been hard to pick anyone else after he became the first player in MLB history to hit 40 homers and steal 70 bases.
The 26-year-old Acuña was the 2023 National League MVP.
Series 1 is set for release on Feb. 14. Boxes are being pre-sold now.
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Josh Jung, who won a World Series with the Texas Rangers last year, is a collector. Here’s a quick story from last weekend’s Dallas Card Show. Teammate Evan Carter also took a trip around the show.
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One of Lamar Jackson’s top unsigned rookie cards sold late last week.
The 2018 Prizm Black Finite 1/1 was offered on eBay and brought over $50,000.
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The 2022 Panini Instant World Cup Black Lionel Messi autographed 1/1 is up for auction this week.
Messi’s auto has been graded 10 by PSA and the card is rated a Mint 9.
The auction at PWCC Marketplace closes Thursday.
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Upper Deck has announced some upcoming release dates:
- 2022-23 Credentials NHL – 1/31
- 2023-24 NHL OPC (Hobby & Retail) – 2/7
- 2022-23 Clear Cut NHL – 2/14
- 2023-24 Star Rookie NHL Box Set – 2/21
- 2022-23 OPC Platinum NHL – 2/28
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Robert Edward Auctions’ first sale of 2024 generated $1.5 million in sales across nearly 3,700 lots when the tally was totaled Monday morning. Over 73,000 bids were made in the sale of generally lower cost items.
Among the headliners was a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle graded SGC 1.5 that sold for $42,000, the second highest price realized for the grade.
A 1910-11 M116 Sporting Life Honus Wagner (pastel background) sold for $13,200—a record for the card in a PSA Authentic holder.
The event also included more than 250 autographed items including a rare autograph from Hall of Famer Jimmy Collins graded PSAS/DNA 10 that netted $34,800.
An 1894 Joe Kelley cut signature graded 9 netted $24,600.
Some of the other top sellers and highlights included:
- 1909-1911 T206 White Border Ty Cobb Portrait red background PSA EX-MT 6 – $17,400
- Jesse Burkett signed index card PSA/DNA MINT 9– $15,600
- 1986 Topps Football #374 Steve Young rookie SGC GEM MINT 10 (1 of 3)– $14,400
- 1914 E145 Cracker Jack #37 Grover Alexander rookie SGC VG 3– $14,400
- 1909-1911 T206 White Border Ty Cobb Bat Off Shoulder PSA VG-EX 4 – El Principe De Gales Back– $13,800
- 1985-1986 O-Pee-Chee Hockey unopened wax box (48 packs) – BBCE – Mario Lemieux rookie box bottom– $13,200
- 1909-1911 T206 White Border Ty Cobb Bat On Shoulder SGC VG+ 3.5– $10,200
- 1948 Jackie Robinson Signed Check written to his wife PSA/DNA GEM MINT 10 – $9,900
- Babe Ruth Cut Signature PSA/DNA GEM MINT 10– $9,900
- 1967 Topps Venezuela “Retirado” #162 Sandy Koufax PSA VG-EX 4 (MC)– $9,600
“Diversity was the key word in this auction,” remarked REA President Brian Dwyer. “We had signed items dating all the way back to the inception of baseball, unique memorabilia that was new to the hobby and some of the industry’s most sought after and iconic cards. There were several new records set and this was a great way to kick off the new year.”
REA’s next event will be its February Encore Auction that will open on February 8 and run through February 18.