The third piece of the annual baseball card trilogy makes its return Wednesday with 2019 Topps Update baseball. The format remains much the same, with the much-anticipated arrival of official rookie cards along with updated cards from players who have changed teams and some special inserts. Fans of the Silver Pack promotion will be interested to know … [Read more...]
The Atlantic Explores “How Baseball Cards Got Weird”
Baseball cards are the subject of a feature story in The Atlantic, one of the few surviving magazines that actually pre-dates the first baseball cards. The piece is called “How Baseball Cards Got Weird: A very analog hobby finds a way to thrive in the digital age.” Writer Eric Moskowitz chronicles the changes in collecting over the years, with an emphasis on the … [Read more...]
Pete Alonso Rookie Cards Heat Up as Records Fall
It wasn’t the dream start to the season that New York Mets fans were hoping for but the start of one rookie’s career has offered an oasis of hope amid all of the angst. Pete Alsonso rookie cards have been among the hottest in the hobby as he topples records and seems destined for a long, productive career. The Alonso File Taken with the 64th pick in the 2016 draft after … [Read more...]
Topps Unveils 2020 Flagship Set Design
The current season still has about three months to run but production schedules mean Topps' baseball card team has to think about six months ahead. On Thursday afternoon, the company offered a sneak peek at the design of its 2019 flagship set (Series 1, 2 and Update). The cards will feature a borderless look with the subject's name, position and team … [Read more...]
Sports Card Release Calendar 6/5/19 – 6/25/19
Three fresh baseball products, another pre-season football release, a higher-end basketball product and a popular annual hockey issue are set to arrive over the next couple of weeks. Here's a roundup of what to expect. 2018-19 Upper Deck SP Authentic Hockey (6/5) Each box of SP Authentic promises two autographs including one Future Watch rookie card (# to 999) … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: Overworked Shop Owner Stops Thief, Offers Top 5 Hottest Boxes
So I'm sitting here at 12:56 AM starting to put together my weekly (cough cough), fine...monthly What's Hot piece wishing I could do it more regularly, but grateful that my editor only kicks me in my backside occasionally because plain and simple, time is not on my side. I wish I had more of it, but realize that if I could just buy more time, I would probably just use it … [Read more...]
2019 Topps Clearly Authentic Preview, Checklist
Back for a third year as a standalone product, 2019 Topps Clearly Authentic baseball will arrive in October. It had originally been slated for release in July. Born of a Topps Strata insert of the same name with a configuration that grew out of the Topps Archives Signature Series line, Clearly Authentic will draw on a couple of all-time classic sets for some of its … [Read more...]
Sign of Spring: 2019 Topps Baseball Arrives on Winter’s Coldest Day
The temperature early Wednesday morning in Roseville, Minnesota was 26 degrees. That’s 26 below zero. A strong breeze made it feel like -50. It’s the kind of bitter, crazy cold that can freeze your locks and sear your lungs with every breath. It would warm up by afternoon—to a high of about 13 below. If there ever was a day when collectors in … [Read more...]
Sneak Peek: Ronald Acuna Will Lead Off 2019 Topps Set
Packs aren't scheduled to arrive until next week but it looks like 2019 Topps baseball cards are trickling into the market. At least a couple of eBay sellers have posted cards previously unseen in promotional images and taken away the mystery of which player will be card #1 in the set. That honor has gone to Ronald Acuna Jr. A seller posted front and back images … [Read more...]
2019 Topps Series 2 Baseball Preview
Not quite five months after Series One arrives to offer a little hint of spring, 2019 Topps Series 2 baseball completes the annual 700-card MLB trading card flagship release. Topps announced some configuration changes with Series 1 and the same will apply to Series 2 with hobby boxes shrinking to 24 packs. The count per pack is going up from 10 to 14 cards. Jumbo … [Read more...]