To call Pat LeClair “a collector” doesn’t quite tell the whole story. It also doesn’t scratch the surface of his devotion to the Carolina Panthers. He’s even got the tattoo to prove it. The 51-year-old plumber has a man cave brimming with signed game-worn jerseys, cleats, gloves, footballs, cards and anything else Panthers related. The white door to the room has … [Read more...]
Chicago Man’s Collection is Backdrop to Help Others
As a Chicago Cubs fan and collector, Stew McVicar knows a little something about hope. It’s something he maintains as a life-long fan of the team that hasn’t won a World Series since 1908. It’s also something he provides for those who deserve it most. McVicar has turned his basement into an impressive shrine, with game-worn and game-used memorabilia, autographs and … [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...]
Texas-Sized Cowboys Collection
Their season is over after a loss to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoff on Sunday but we found one very large Dallas Cowboys collection worthy of attention. Stoney Kersh of Arlington, TX has been collecting Cowboys memorabilia since he was a pint-sized football fan. Safe to say he's not pint-sized anymore...and neither is his collection. Kersh is one of … [Read more...]
Cornering the 1964 Topps Curt Flood Market
The mystery of the 1964 Topps Curt Flood card has been solved. You might recall Rich Klein's story last March in which he wondered why the card carried such a premium. It's not Flood's rookie card. It's not a scarce high number or short print (You can see eBay market here). He's an important player in baseball history but he's not a Hall of Famer. Yet we had heard that … [Read more...]
Hunting Hank Greenberg
The general opinion may be that folks younger than 30 aren’t much interested in vintage baseball cards anymore but that would be a generalization. There are guys like Cam Perron, who specializes in the Negro Leagues and Asher, a young man we introduced you to last year. And there’s Brian Roth, a recent college grad who works in New York City. Several years ago, he decided … [Read more...]
Collecting the Games: SoCal Man Stores Memories in Bins
He may not be all about expensive vintage cards, unopened boxes of the latest products or game worn jerseys but there's no disputing John Roche is a collector. After all, he has 150 plastic storage containers full of stuff stacked up in his garage. It's just that his collection is more along the lines of tangible memories from games he goes to. And he goes to some … [Read more...]
Selling on Pawn Stars
Joe Aurelio is a Chicago collector who decided to head to Las Vegas for a little vacation back in March. Rather than spend all of his time on the strip, he packed along a couple of pieces of sports memorabilia and checked in with the producers of the TV show Pawn Stars. Maybe it was the free pizza he passed out from his restaurant in Vegas. Maybe it was the uniqueness of … [Read more...]
2011 Bowman Sterling Football Review
by Rich Klein The "Sterling" name is a brand Topps uses to show their "high-dollar" products. Sterling is usually used in conjunction with Bowman and implies a very heavy emphasis on rookies and/or prospects. The 2011 Bowman Sterling football program fits right in with that theme. Each Sterling "mini-box" comes as part of a "master" box contains six mini-boxes. Each mini-box … [Read more...]
Collector Finds Career He Can Finally Embrace
He was always a collector, but now Kevin Ivory is a retailer. It's a jump a lot of people say they'd love to make, but the Kitchener, Ontario resident made it happen thanks to a bit of desperation. He's also survived some trials and tribulations. Before opening All Star Collectibles, which carries cards, autographs, memorabilia and other items, he spent time in a wide … [Read more...]