Making an effort to stand out from the crowd has paid off for collector Dan DeCosta, who launched a breaking platfrom under the name Maine Sports Cards a couple of years ago. “We’re growing like crazy.” A long-time collector with a background in IT, DeCosta has just relaunched with a new website and a new name: The Break Exchange. The move was done in part to … [Read more...]
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Notes: Jeter SP Soars; MHCC’s New Auction; Live Case Break Opens Shop
A PSA 10 1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter rookie card is on the auction block and has already set a new record for the grade, sitting at $66,200 with the auction not set to conclude until mid-week. The SP Jeter has become the future Hall of Famer’s most popular—and pricey-- rookie card and ranks is among the most valuable cards of a modern era in high-grade. There … [Read more...]
Notes: Paper’s Story on Box Breaking; Roquan Smith Ripped Off; Big $ for LeBron; Singer Trades Tix for Cards
Work crews have torn up the street in front of his shop but as long as there’s an internet connection, Steve Palmer of BreakRoom Sports Cards and Autographs in Cape Coral, FL can get through the day. He’s one of a legion of online case and box breakers who are helping keep the modern collecting hobby afloat. Breakers tear open newer products and the cards are … [Read more...]
New Sports Card Releases June 26-July 4
Whether you collect football, basketball, baseball or racing, there will be a new product available before the Fourth of July. In fact, four will hit the market in the span of just three days before things settle down until just after the holiday. Courtesy of Maine Sports Cards, here's a rundown of what's about to arrive. 2016-17 Panini Spectra Basketball (June 28) If you … [Read more...]
New Sports Card Releases: June 14-27
After a very busy week of sports card releases that included Topps Finest and a pair of Panini products, things slow down just a bit as the calendar reaches the midway point of 2017. Still, there are a few notable new issues hitting the market. Courtesy of Maine Sports Cards, here's a look at what to expect: 2017 Topps Series 2 Baseball (June 14): Four months … [Read more...]
Notes: Case, Set Breaks at NSCC; ’55 Koufax Giveaway; Shop Owner Profile
The National Sports Collectors Convention will have a Case Break Pavilion again this year, this time keeping some longer hours and including an area for vintage set breaks. Show organizers say the area will open for a “Preview Night” on Tuesday, August 2 from 6:30 PM -12:30 AM. Attendees interested in joining breaks or there to watch and/or learn will be admitted free. The … [Read more...]
Topps Archives Signature Series Checklist Released
One pack, one card, one autograph. That is the theme for 2015 Topps Archives Signature Series baseball, a limited-edition high-end product that will be released Wednesday, December 9. The checklist has been released by Topps and is below. It’s a simple concept — each pack of Archives Signatures will have one original Topps or Bowman card autographed by the player. The … [Read more...]
Case Breakers: Good or Bad for the Hobby?
Last week, in our discussion on Case Breakers and the Value Cycle, we noted how the rapid emergence of the case breaker has created increasing pricing pressures on the initial secondary market for new releases, squeezing case breaker profits. Worse, combined with Topps' “print to order” policy, increasing case breaker demand has also pumped up the supply of new issues, … [Read more...]
The Four Basic Types of Ungraded Strategies
Editor’s note: What follows is an excerpt from Jeff’s new book The Modern Baseball Card Investor. When it comes to ungraded cards, players in the game generally employ at least one of four basic types of strategies: 1. Case breaker 2. Case breaker/grader 3. Boxes 4. Singles It should go without saying that in a game where autographs often come at a rate of one or … [Read more...]
Ramblings: Case Breaking Pavilion a Good Idea
There is always a tipping point when a concept or a type of merchandise has taken the hobby by such storm that a separate pavilion is created for the National. Sometimes the idea is one which makes perfect sense such as the separate Olympic memorabilia pavilion. Sometimes these rooms are created to deal with a new heavily collected item. Yes, beanie babies were so popular at … [Read more...]
