It was 30 years ago today. August 19, 1994. I remember the day vividly. Well, sort of vividly. I remember sitting at my desk as the editor of Canadian Sportscard Collector magazine. I was kind of distracted as I was mentally getting ready to play in a semi-pro football game the next day for the Lockport (NY) Invaders at Outwater Park in Lockport, a city located east … [Read more...] about 30 Years Ago: The Hobby Settled In For A Long And Ugly Baseball Strike
junk wax
Notes: Fanatics Blaster Autograph Update; Topps’ Latest Wemby Card; ONIT Hires College Exec; Top Junk Wax Cards; 1979-80 OPC Case Options
Fanatics’ move to push memorabilia prize redemptions into its online exclusive Topps Series 1 blaster boxes is likely the start of an effort we’ll see expand as the company looks for more opportunities to link its memorabilia line and player deals with card collecting. The odds of pulling a memorabilia redemption from the Fanatics Exclusive product are 1 in 251 … [Read more...] about Notes: Fanatics Blaster Autograph Update; Topps’ Latest Wemby Card; ONIT Hires College Exec; Top Junk Wax Cards; 1979-80 OPC Case Options
Shop Talk: Modern Card Grading No Man’s Land, Poor Pickett, Late Night Shippers
One of the more interesting and timely topics discussed in the store this week was that of a decline in the modern card market and the sense many of us have that we are in a fresh era of too much product to be absorbed. I see first hand every single day that we are, in fact, in sort of a new junk wax era and the result has put a squeeze on the secondary market as well. The … [Read more...] about Shop Talk: Modern Card Grading No Man’s Land, Poor Pickett, Late Night Shippers
10 Awesome and Affordable Early 1990s Baseball Insert Sets
The MLB regular season has played its final inning. The standout teams and players from the 162 game campaign have been determined and are receiving their flowers as we speak. The playoff picture has taken shape. There will soon be a new chill in the air but there are still peanuts, Cracker Jack and baseball cards on the menu. We aren't looking back at the the season … [Read more...] about 10 Awesome and Affordable Early 1990s Baseball Insert Sets
Shop Talk: Dealing with a Challenging Customer in Need of Cash
When you work in a retail environment, you never know who's going to walk through the door. We've had our share of customers we'd consider memorable for a variety of reasons. We have such a great time with some we don't mind if they stay half the day. Others not so much. The winner of The Most Uncomfortable Moment of the Week came when I made my way back from lunch on … [Read more...] about Shop Talk: Dealing with a Challenging Customer in Need of Cash
1992 Upper Deck Baseball Boasted Ted Williams Autographs, Big Red Machine
They were no longer newcomers. In fact, as the collecting year unfolded, it had become pretty clear that in four short seasons, Upper Deck was producing the most desirable baseball cards on the market. While the other trading card makers seemed reluctant to push the envelope much, Upper Deck continued to produce higher quality, more expansive products while … [Read more...] about 1992 Upper Deck Baseball Boasted Ted Williams Autographs, Big Red Machine
Boston Show Brings Hall of Famers, Consignments
There’s an adage that states, “the show must go on”. That saying took special meaning over the weekend at a three-day show at the Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington MA. Hobby veteran and show founder Rich Altman passed away suddenly in mid-August last year but his company and team of dedicated workers continues to carry on. Thousands of collectors and a big roster of dealers … [Read more...] about Boston Show Brings Hall of Famers, Consignments
How Junky was the Junk Wax Era?
While junk wax era baseball cards have made an undeniable comeback in the past year, the fact remains that many of the cards were heavily overproduced. I was reminded of this fact in a recent discussion on cards, which prompted me to pull up a bit of old research I'd done on the population of cards from that era. Is it possible to determine the printing population of those … [Read more...] about How Junky was the Junk Wax Era?
Abandoned Detroit Plant That Held Millions of Junk Era Cards Being Torn Down
If you’ve been a long time reader, you might remember the photos of that abandoned building in Detroit that held dozens of cases of 1990s era cards. They were discovered about five years ago by some young men who were part of a group that makes a hobby of checking out what’s inside old structures. The photos looked pretty intriguing, even with the cards … [Read more...] about Abandoned Detroit Plant That Held Millions of Junk Era Cards Being Torn Down
Shop Talk: Investing in Junk
Here's a sentence I never thought I'd write. After spending years and years passing on every late 1980s and early 90s collection or stack of unopened boxes that walked into the shop, we've recently made a concerted effort to start stocking some of it. While I can't go quite so far as to scream "the junk wax era is back, baby!," we've actually spent time … [Read more...] about Shop Talk: Investing in Junk