He’s not giving away Mickey Mantles but the smiles on kids’ faces tell Miles Gwilym that doesn’t really matter. The former sports card shop owner has made a habit of giving cards away to youngsters as often as he can, sometimes bending down to their level to do so. He’s still doing it today as a member of the Seattle Mariners’ guest services staff. The 78-year-old … [Read more...]
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Basement Ceiling Helps Collector Pinpoint Card Obsession
Dustin Samms is a ceiling fan. No joke. The ceiling of the basement in his Charleston, West Virginia, home is covered with baseball cards. There are 1,848 cards positioned on 24 tiles, fastened with a straight pin through the center of each card. Eight of the tiles are wide and grace the middle of the ceiling, flanked by eight smaller tiles on each side of the center … [Read more...]
News & Notes from the 2015 National
It's pretty clear the National Sports Collectors Convention is a summer vacation destination. Thursday was the first full day of the show and a look at the crowd that was lined up for the 10 AM opening made for a pretty impressive sight. Weekday or not, the dealer booths saw pretty solid traffic. National officials called it the "largest Thursday crowd in recent … [Read more...]
War Veteran Selling Card Collection to Pay Bills
Brad Solomon has been to Iraq and back fighting for his country, but now the Colorado native is locked in the biggest struggle of his life. Cancer will do that. It’s random, striking even health nuts in tiptop shape. Not only does it sap a man’s strength, it also takes a heavy toll on his finances. But Solomon is not fighting alone. With the help of loved ones, … [Read more...]
2015 Topps Allen and Ginter Preview, Checklist
Buster Posey and Buster Olney? It can only be 2015 Topps Allen & Ginter. The quirky annual release offers 24 eight-card packs per box including one mini card and will arrive Wednesday. A few retail outlets already had them in stock Tuesday and you can see the latest cards listed on eBay here. A checklist for the annual release is below. Ginter will celebrate its 10th … [Read more...]
A Pack of Wax, and Stacks of Memories
Brad Balukjian emerges from his friend’s bungalow in the Hyde Park section of Tampa, Florida, looking surprisingly fresh. He doesn’t look like a guy who drove 849 miles from Memphis to Tampa the night before, traveling 13 hours in his 2002 Honda Accord. “It’s been the longest day of my trip,” he says. This has been an unusual sojourn, one that has added 4,700 miles to a … [Read more...]
10 of the Best Baseball Cards to Own
by Mike Stack Baseball cards have been printed for over 100 years. Millions have been produced but only a handful have gained iconic status. Which cards would make up a top ten list is subjective and depends on what criteria is used. But you’d have trouble arguing that there are some that should be on every collector’s want list. It’s a top ten list of the best baseball … [Read more...]
10 Common Baseball Cards with Superstar Cameo Appearances
Baseball card collectors love a good treasure hunt, and the thrill of the chase keeps us opening packs and rummaging through stacks of cards at flea markets, year after year, in search of a gem. You don't even have to venture outside of your own collection to find a wealth of hidden superstars, though, because some of the game's biggest names pop up where you might least … [Read more...]
A Catalog of 1980s Baseball Card Boxed Sets
When Fleer and Donruss entered the baseball card market in 1981, they opened the door for other manufacturers to follow suit, and by the middle of the decade, cards were available for purchase just about everywhere. Collectors ate them up, and demand for new cards was so intense that some retail outlets were not satisfied to sell the same base issues that everyone else carried. … [Read more...]
Most Popular Baseball Card Sets to Collect, 1950-1999
Not only do the words “popular” and “passion” both start with “p,” but they are also related in the hearts of many collectors. At least that is how it appears from some of the great reactions and statements that the piece on 1900-1949 generated. And that is how it should be. There is little joy in collecting something if there is no passion attached to it. And, if passion is … [Read more...]
