The Babe is still hot. More than 60 years after his death, Babe Ruth cards continue to be among the most sought after in the hobby. Sports Collectors Daily tracked the sales of The Bambino's cardboard over the last two months and the results show that mainstream Goudey gum cards continue to dominate, despite being in far greater supply than some of the lesser known … [Read more...]
Tipping Points in the Trading Card Industry
by Rich Klein In the last few months our Ramblings have taken us from talking about Nationals past to people we have dealt with to other memories of the hobby. While the Ramblings have slowed down due to that nasty car wreck discussed in our previous essays, the Ramblings will continue when life enables us to write more about the past, present and even the future (quick … [Read more...]
2011 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects Box Break
by Rich Klein First of all, I apologize for the long delay in writing this review. As we discussed in a previous Rich's Ramblings, life took a turn (or in my case a t-bone without the steak) and I have been on the hobby DL for a while. Needless to say, box reviews come second to health issues. The other aspect that came out of the car wreck was the return of car payments. … [Read more...]
Industry Under Microscope in Wake of Jersey-Gate
Despite the best intentions of many, the perception rears its ugly head again anytime a new scandal crops up. The sports memorabilia industry draws all kinds of adjectives into mainstream media articles: fraud, tainted, fake. Even at a time when positive steps are taking place and even leagues themselves are getting involved in the marketing of game-used and game-worn items, … [Read more...]
Tebow: Winning Games=Winning Bids
You may be a believer. You may be a skeptic. But you can't deny that Tim Tebow is 7-1 as a starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos. You also can't deny his impact on the hobby. The former Heisman Trophy winner is getting his shot to play and all that winning is keeping buyers and sellers of current era football cards busy. The difference in sales of Tebow rookie cards … [Read more...]
Dreier Collection Consigned to Auction
Legendary Auctions has been selected to handle the sale of the sports cards and sports memorabilia items in the celebrated, multi-million-dollar Dreier Collection. Owned by a father/son team in Santa Barbara, California, the collection is actually a private museum and includes some of the most rare and high grade sports cards and memorabilia known to exist, many of them one of … [Read more...]
Card Shop Owners React to Black Friday Promotions
Industry Summit retailers had predictably strong reactions to Panini’s first-of-its-kind Black Friday trading card promotion, ranging from ecstatic to nonplussed. Panini America created more than 20,000 promotional packs for Black Friday, providing independent hobby retailers with an innovative incentive to purchase and market slower-moving Panini releases. Analysts … [Read more...]
Upper Deck’s Day With the Cup Inserts Offer Unexpected Chase
by Nick Younker Hockey card collectors got a little surprise this month with unannounced, special inserts into Upper Deck's 2011-12 Series One packs that feature members of the Stanley Cup winners, the Boston Bruins, celebrating their victory with the Cup in tow in various locations around the world. Upper Deck discreetly put the cards into packs, and when people started … [Read more...]
Rare King Kelly Program Passes $100,000
What SCP Auctions calls the "greatest 19th Century baseball autograph find in hobby history" is making an impression on collectors of rare baseball memorabilia--and those fascinated by the pro game's early history. A program from a testimonial banquet given to Mike "King" Kelly by the Boston Elks Lodge in May of 1887 and carrying an autographed photo of the charismatic, … [Read more...]
The $400 Michael Jordan Autograph
by Juan Martinez I am a two-time member of the “Michael Jordan autograph card owner” club. It is this mythical club in the minds of basketball card collectors who have busted countless Upper Deck boxes over the years hoping to hold in their hands the signature of the greatest basketball player of all time. Induction into the club is to be among the greats of the hobby, it … [Read more...]