Topps’ website crashed Wednesday, frustrating collectors who flooded it with traffic in anticipation of the 2020 Bowman 1st Edition online release.
After announcing the product release several days ago, the company announced Wednesday morning that the 10-card packs would go on sale between 4 and 5 PM Eastern time, but the sales window appeared to open several minutes early. It took only moments for the website to then display a variety of error messages as customers attempted to log in, add packs to their shopping cart or complete the ordering process.
Hello all! Thank you for your patience as we work to get the site up and running, which was down due to the traffic for 2020 Bowman 1st Edition. (For clarity, Bowman 1st Edition is not sold out, however we are having site troubles and we apologize for the inconvenience!) https://t.co/XmFTzT7qPT
— Topps (@Topps) April 22, 2020
The website appeared to still giving users trouble more than three hours after the scheduled release. By 8:45 PM Eastern time, the product was listed as sold out. Topps has indicated more packs would be available on Thursday and Friday.
The special packs, created in part because of delays in the production of 2020 Bowman baseball boxes, are also being made available to some hobby shops with delivery expected early next month.
Some of those shops–or online customers lucky enough to get in during the website issues–have listed packs for sale on eBay.
More big sales of 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan cards this week. A PSA 9 example sold for over $12,000 on eBay, the most ever paid for a card in that grade. Another sold for $11,285 on Monday.
On Tuesday night, a PSA 10 Jordan sticker insert netted $24,601. Six years ago, you could have bought one for less than $4,000.
Goldin Auctions is offering two three-box lots and a single box of newly uncovered unopened boxes of ’86-87 Fleer from a recent storage unit find.
One lot has a high bid of $140,000 and the other is at $130,000 and the auction won’t be over until the middle of May. Even the empty case from the find is getting bids.
Another hot item these days: Sports Illustrated magazines from Jordan’s earliest appearances.
Long-time hobbyist and appraiser Michael Osacky will be talking collecting with celebrity chef/card collector Graham Elliot via Instagram Thursday night. The chat starts at 9 PM Eastern time and you can check it out the feeds of both guys here or here.
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High-End Michael Jordan Cards, Collections Arrive at Auction
Old Mill Joe Jackson Hits $492,000; New MJ Rookie Card Record
eBay: 150% Spike in Jordan Rookie Card Prices in April
2020 Bowman 1st Edition Set for Release, Checklist Out
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