A hot start by a rookie often gets collectors salivating over their baseball cards and Houston Astros freshman Yordan Alvarez is no exception to this trend. A native of Las Tunas, Cuba, Alvarez was originally signed as an international free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers in June, 2016 and was traded to the Astros within two months of inking a deal. By 2018, he was regarded … [Read more...]
2019 Bowman Chrome Baseball Preview
It's arriving in the final days of the season, but there's no doubt 2019 Bowman Chrome baseball is centered around next year--and beyond. The annual release is prospect heavy while still maintaining some veteran content. 2019 Bowman Chrome Configuration There will gain be two configurations for Bowman Chrome--one that's more traditional and another for … [Read more...]
Notes: Ohtani and Acuna Cards; Big Bucks for Old Micks; Bobblepalooza; Rams, 49ers Jerseys to Help Fire Victims
Appropriate, maybe, since he was named Rookie of the Year about the same time, but the chase for the 1/1 2018 Bowman Chrome Ohtani Superfractor autograph ended on Monday when the card was pulled by a collector in southern California. Well, not the actual signed card. Unfortunately, it’s a redemption he’ll have to submit online but considering that the off-season … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: When Seasons Collide
We're entering one of my favorite times of the sports year. It is the harmonic convergence of all four sports at once which happens, well, once a year. Yup, regardless of which of the four biggies you follow, this is a special span. That extends to the sports card scene as well with some OMG releases having just hit and the next few weeks offering up some … [Read more...]
Upcoming Sports Card Releases 9/26/18-10/9/18
One of the year's biggest baseball products is joined by releases from football, basketball, hockey as the calendar turns to fall. Courtesy of Maine Sports Cards, here's a roundup of sports card products we can expect to see. 2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball (9/26) Chrome has become a titan in the industry with some Chrome Prospect Autographs selling for crazy prices once … [Read more...]
Shohei Ohtani Superfractor Sells for $184,056
He's got a torn UCL but that recent dose of bad news was still A-OK with bidders who chased Shohei Ohtani's most famous American baseball card in an online auction. The 1/1 autographed Superfractor from 2018 Bowman Chrome sold Thursday night for $184,056. There was no immediate word on the identity of the winning bidder but Beckett Media, which facilitated … [Read more...]
Topps Box Redemption Program at NSCC Includes Exclusive Bowman Chrome Packs
Topps will bring the Bowman Chrome brand to the National Sports Collectors Convention box redemption program. Collectors who buy a box of selected Topps or Bowman products through participating dealers will get a sticker. Take the box and the sticker to the Topps booth and you’ll receive a four-card pack of National-exclusive Bowman Chrome … [Read more...]
A Vintage Collector Plays the Ohtani 2018 Bowman Lottery
If you've read my stories here, you generally understand that the bulk of them have a vintage and pre-war spin. Truthfully, that's really all I collect. I haven't bought packs of modern cards in years and couldn't tell you the last thing I purchased. But all of the talk about Shohei Ohtani's 2018 Bowman cards got me to thinking. Could a vintage collector play the Ohtani lottery … [Read more...]
2018 Bowman Chrome Preview and Checklist
Bowman Chrome baseball returns for 2018 maintaining the reconfiguration introduced in the 2017 release. Each master box will include two autographed cards, a Chrome Prospect Shimmer parallel card, and a Bowman Sterling Continuity insert card. The master boxes will be comprised of two six-pack mini boxes, with each pack will including three base cards and two prospect cards. … [Read more...]