Since it became a thing back somewhere in the early 2010s, I’ve written about breaks, breakers and the breaking business. I’ve watched breaks. I’ve heard about big hits in big breaks and shared the news. I’ve seen those big hits go for big bucks. Not until Tuesday evening, however, have I ever actually… broken. Most breaks are about modern hits and I usually … [Read more...] about Editor’s Blog: Box Break Skunks Stink
case breaks
Breaking App Loupe Expands to Android
Live e-commerce sports card streaming platform Loupe expanded its platform to Android devices Thursday. Designed to streamline the experience of participating in box breaks, Loupe offers breakers the chance to live stream and sell cards to collectors on a nightly basis. Collectors can enable push notifications to know when breaks are happening and what products are being … [Read more...] about Breaking App Loupe Expands to Android
Notes: Yahoo, Others on Card Market; MLB’s Top Cal Cards; Topps Softball Set; Pirates’ 21 Jersey Auctions
The hobby continues to be the focus of stories on national and local news media. Rich Budnick, the long-time shop ower of America’s Pastime in Fair Lawn, NJ, tells Yahoo Finance, he’s selling more cards than ever while trying to keep up with increasing values of certain cards. “I can't even keep up with the prices,” he tells Yahoo Finance. “And I'm selling a lot of … [Read more...] about Notes: Yahoo, Others on Card Market; MLB’s Top Cal Cards; Topps Softball Set; Pirates’ 21 Jersey Auctions
PSA Submission Backlog Due Mostly to Pack Rippers
PSA says its ongoing and ever-growing backlog of orders is primarily due to the number of current era trading cards that are being submitted. During its quarterly earnings report teleconference this week, company officials again addressed the issue of why customers are waiting months for the return of orders that used to be delivered in weeks. In short, it’s because … [Read more...] about PSA Submission Backlog Due Mostly to Pack Rippers
Sportszilla Breaks’ Clay Parks Among Aurora, Ill. Shooting Victims
Last week, an employee dismissed from his job at the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Ill. opened fire against several of his co-workers, tragically killing five people. Among the victims was the company's Human Resources Manager, Clay Parks. The shooter was ultimately killed by police. Sports card collectors may be familiar with Parks, who operated the popular group breaks … [Read more...] about Sportszilla Breaks’ Clay Parks Among Aurora, Ill. Shooting Victims
Josh Brikis Went From From Poker Aces To Breaking Cases
Whether he is playing poker or busting cases of cards, Josh Brikis knows it’s all about the breaks. “There are a lot of similarities between poker and breaking,” the Pittsburgh native said. “Sometimes you get something great, and sometimes you get nothing.” Brikis, 37, was a big-money winner on the professional poker circuit for nearly a decade, and said he … [Read more...] about Josh Brikis Went From From Poker Aces To Breaking Cases
Asia-Pacific 2015 Bowman Draft Breaks in Japan
A distributor and case break company are heading back to Japan, hoping to drum up more business overseas while inviting North American fans to tag along online. GTS Distribution and Ripping Wax Inc. say they’ll be in Tokyo for two weeks, kicking off the release of an Asia-Pacific edition of 2015 Bowman Draft Baseball. They say it’s part of an effort to increase awareness … [Read more...] about Asia-Pacific 2015 Bowman Draft Breaks in Japan
What’s Hot in the Shop? Everything
Usually I put together my What's Hot pieces between midnight at 2 AM with a full complement of Sportscenter or low-budget horror movies from the 1980s to serve as background music. This effort had the benefit of Game 5 between the Blue Jays and the Rangers (specifically the 53 minute 7th inning if you must know). It made me appreciate the difference between this year and … [Read more...] about What’s Hot in the Shop? Everything
What’s Hot in the Shop: 2015 Topps Series One Party
There are certain days of card store ownership that stand out each year. There is the day after the Super Bowl when people are flocking in for whoever starred in the biggest game of the year. Black Friday and other promotional days always carry a larger significance because of the opportunity to reward collectors with freebies. My personal favorite is release day for the new … [Read more...] about What’s Hot in the Shop: 2015 Topps Series One Party
Ramblings: Card Sharks and the 2 Decades Since
I received an email from Pete Williams the other day. If you don't remember Pete, he was the USA Today writer who did many columns on sports collectibles and also wrote the book called Card Sharks: How Upper Deck Turned a Child's Hobby into a High-Stakes, Billion-Dollar Business, which chronicled, among other hobby history, the Upper Deck Company. We arranged to speak to each … [Read more...] about Ramblings: Card Sharks and the 2 Decades Since