Brandon Steiner’s Collectibles Exchange has purchased modern card marketplace StarStock and is incorporating it into their business.
The New York-based company launched in late 2019 as essentially a stock market for modern cards. The site quickly built a following by allowing users to submit ungraded cards that are stored in a centralized vault. StarStock issues a digital version of the card inside each person’s portfolio, allowing users to trade players instantaneously, at scale.
Owners can go into the collection and list for a specific price. Once a card sells, ownership immediately changes hands and the buyer can have the card shipped, or keep it in the vault.
In its early stages, the company received multiple rounds of funding from outside investors totaling over $10 million. Several professional athletes were among the investors including NBA stars Kevin Durant and Trae Young. However, StarStock announced in January 2022 that it was laying off more than 30 workers in an attempt to restructure the business.
StarStock currently houses more than 1.3 million cards.
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It’s likely going to cost more to send your packages of cards next year. The U.S. Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission of price changes for shipping services to take effect Jan. 21, 2024. The proposed prices were approved by the Postal Service governors earlier this week.
USPS Ground Advantage prices would increase by 5.4 percent, Priority Mail service prices would increase by 5.7 percent, and Priority Mail Express service prices would increase by 5.9 percent.
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One of the two Babe Ruth/Shohei Ohtani dual autograph cards inside 2023 Topps Definitive Baseball has been pulled—or at least the redemption card.
One of the two cards, each of which carry a Ruth cut signature along with an Ohtani on-card autograph, shows the duo pitching while the other shows them batting. It’s the batting version that was pulled by Filthbomb Breaks.
How IT HAPPENED…@FilthbombBreaks 👈🏼That’s US!#toppsbaseball #baseballcards #sportscards pic.twitter.com/pz1mp3twQQ
— Filthbomb Breaks (@filthbombbreaks) November 20, 2023
Ownership in the six-figure card will be divided between the collectors who had the Yankees and Angels in the break.
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2023 Bowman Chrome Sapphire Baseball is out. The online exclusive was first made available Monday to Montgomery Club members with the public sale on Tuesday.
Boxes offer eight packs, with four cards per pack and at least two parallels.
About 20,000 boxes are believed to have been made.
You can see them eBay here.
Also fresh to the market–2023 Topps Rip Baseball. There are four cards in each box and the buyers determine the fate of their collection by either keeping the base card intact, or tearing it open to possibly find something better inside.
There are mini-autograph cards possible inside. Autos fall in every other box and there are plenty of numbered cards. One in every 32 boxes has a 1/1 inside, according to the pack odds.
Boxes are $99.99 and can be found here.
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One of only a small number of Masters championship trophies that have entered the memorabilia marketplace sold for a big price Sunday. Sam Snead’s award, created for his win at the1949 Masters sold for $766,433—a record price.
The unique trophy was one of 60 lots at Golden Age Auctions sale that combined for $3.2 million in sales. The top five lots all eclipsed $200,000 each.
Bobby Jones’ 1920 US Amateur Low Qualifier trophy sold for $694,772, a backup Tiger Woods putter made by Scotty Cameron with possible tournament use went for $267,865 and Walter Hagen’s 1914 US Open 18k Gold Patek Philippe pocket watch brought home $201,250.
The pin flag from Friday’s play on the the 12th hole (Amen Corner) at the 2019 Masters signed by eventual champion Tiger Woods set a record for any Masters flag when it ended at $43,797.
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The Northeast Sports Card Expo’s latest show drew a strong crowd to the Marriott Boston in Quincy, MA.
Over 180 dealer tables were busy last Friday and Saturday. Collectors roamed the 26,000 square-feet of space while several autograph guests signed over the two days.
Celtics great Satch Sanders and several former Boston Bruins were among the guests, some of whom passed out free packs to kids who were attending the show.
The show will return to the same venue March 23 and 24, 2024.
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‘Tis the season for holiday sales. Fanatics has some boxes discounted on its website. Topps also has a few products marked down in its online store.
Your favorite online retailer and hobby shop are probably also planning Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday sales and some have already started.