It's not the first time they've written about it, bt Sports Illustrated’s cover story Tuesday focused on the hobby—more specifically, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card. Writer Alex Prewitt dives into the card’s history, its most prominent and newest owners, grading, the Rosen find and skyrocketing values. We also learn about another well-known athlete who’s build a … [Read more...]
VIDEO: Dr. Newman’s Cardboard Treasures
The collection of cards squirreled away by Tampa, FL neurologist Thomas Newman included some of the highest graded examples of many of the hobby's most popular and sought after issues. As we first reported earlier this week, over 1,000 of them will go up for auction through Memory Lane beginning next month, including a Babe Ruth rookie card, mint condition 1933 Goudey … [Read more...]
Wild 1991 National Was Promo-Powered, Star-Studded…Theft Plagued
Things may happen at this year's show but chances are it will be relatively tame compared to the headline-grabbing circus by which all others will be measured. Held at the height of the runaway freight train that sports cards had become, the 1991 National Sports Collectors Convention in Anaheim, CA had everything. Some of it was awesome. Some of it was … [Read more...]
Toughest High-Grade 1952 Topps High Numbers
Thousands were drowned in the Atlantic Ocean when they were just kids. A late 1950s decision to free up space at the company's headquarters sent the population of 1952 Topps high numbers that would be available to future generations plummeting. Those that survived were in the hands of youngsters who weren't generally concerned with their condition. There were … [Read more...]
Record Price for Mint 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle
One of the six 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards graded PSA 9 (mint) has a new owner--at a new record price. Late Thursday night, the card offered through Heritage Auctions sold for $2.88 million including the buyer's premium. It's the most ever paid for a post-World War II trading card. Owned for about two years by collector/dealer/former NFL lineman Evan Mathis, … [Read more...]
2017 Had a Little Bit of Everything
When we started producing Sports Collectors Daily back in 2006, it was partly because there seemed to be enough going on to warrant a site that was updated more than once in a while. 2017 once again validated that assumption. There were phenomenal discoveries, remarkable auction items, rookies that set the hobby on fire, long sentences for those who tried … [Read more...]
Stories in Rosen’s ‘True Mint’ an Invaluable Part of Hobby History
When we shared the news of Alan Rosen’s death late last month, I realized I had never read the second of his two books, called “True Mint”, published in 1994 and written with the help of T.S. O’Connell. I ordered a copy, knowing I’d probably heard some of the stories before but still feeling a little nostalgic for what was a truly remarkable era. About two-thirds … [Read more...]
Baseball Card Pioneer Alan Rosen Dies
Alan “Mr. Mint” Rosen, who became the hobby’s most widely known personality as a brash, cash-wielding dealer in the 1980s, died Thursday morning. Believed to be in his early 70s, he had been battling illness for several years. Rosen sold copy machines and antiques until 1982 when a visit to a card show spurred him to focus exclusively on baseball … [Read more...]
Cranston Sports Collectors Show Returns for 40th Event
There are some great traditions during Super Bowl week. Media day. Commercials. The halftime show. And oh, yeah, the game. But for the last 40 years, collectors in New England have another Super Bowl tradition. It’s the annual Cranston Sports Collectors Show, which is run by the St. Joseph’s Men’s Guild and benefits the Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston, Rhode … [Read more...]
Recalling Two of the Hobby’s Major Figures
It was not that long ago when the highlight of any sports collector’s week would be when a new Mastro Auctions catalog arrived. Just to see some of the history that was being sold was amazing and the company did its best to create descriptions for each lot that, while often over the top, did whet your appetite for sports history. The photography of some of the major lots made … [Read more...]