In the days leading up to his 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame election, one photo consistently used online by writers was the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. That image is burned into the minds of anyone who was involved in the sports collecting hobby at the time, whether as a kid who wanted one more than life itself, a shop owner in a suddenly booming … [Read more...]
30th Anniversary Spotlight: Looking Back at the 1989 Scoremasters Set
1989 was a landmark year for baseball card collecting. In addition to Upper Deck, other intriguing sets were launched (or, in the case of Bowman, re-launched). Even brands that existed began to branch out and create other ancillary sets in addition to their standard base issues. Score first issued cards in 1988 but quickly became one of these companies producing more than … [Read more...]
Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Bobblehead Part of Mariners 2019 Giveaways
Thirty seasons after it became a national sensation, we’re getting a Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card bobblehead...sort of. The Seattle Mariners have partnered with a manufacturer to create an ode to Griffey’s iconic 1989 Upper Deck card and will give 20,000 of them away to fans on May 18. That’s a Saturday night game against the Minnesota Twins. (Update … [Read more...]
Notes: Rogers’ Fakes; Doerr Collection Consigned; Detroit Shops Profiled; Griffey RC Negative at Auction
It is the hobby's wildest fraud scheme, perpetrated by one man who stayed busy swindling banks, collectors and old friends for millions of dollars. John Rogers is in for a lengthy stay in federal prison after pleading guilty to federal charges. He faked memorabilia and trading cards, creating a phony bunch of assets like old game-worn uniforms, awards and high-end … [Read more...]
Banks, Namath Rookie Cards Top $1.86 Million Memory Lane Auction
Pristine vintage cardboard again drew a large contingent of bidders to the auction block as Memory Lane wrapped up its Spring Auction early Sunday morning. Chasing high-grade rookie cards, stars, sets and tough to find singles along with notable memorabilia pieces, they pushed the final sales total over the $1.86 million mark. Top billing in the auction went to a PSA 9 … [Read more...]
Ken Griffey Jr. Signed Bats to Benefit Pediatric Cancer Research
Seattle Children’s Hospital is honoring Ken Griffey Jr.'s Hall of Fame induction and Mariners' jersey retirement by selling Ken Griffey Jr. autographed bats to raise money for children's cancer research. The bat is the same 34-inch size Griffey used during his historic 22-year career. They include his“Swingman” logo, Griffey’s major career statistics, 13 stars representing … [Read more...]
HOF Election Validates Early Faith for Griffey Jr. Collector
It really didn’t matter whether Ken Griffey Jr. got every vote from those who cast ballots in the Baseball Hall of Fame election. He was a slam dunk before the new millennium. The most popular player of his generation—and it wasn’t really close—Griffey was the rare athlete who had genuine skills and could still made highlight clip plays on a regular basis. The vote didn’t … [Read more...]
Duo Swaps Stolen Griffey Rookie Card for Jail
Two Albany, N.Y. men have been charged with burglary after police say they were caught using a stolen credit card and were in possession of stolen sports cards. Gregory Amyot and Robert Spraker were arrested after surveillance cameras in a local store caught them trying to use a stolen credit card three days earlier. Police say an investigation by detectives led to … [Read more...]
Blog: Most Iconic Baseball Cards
Throw aside your personal favorites and think about the industry as a whole. Who's on your list of the most talked about baseball cards of all-time? For tens of thousands of kids who grew up in the late 1980s and early 90s, there's no doubt the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card makes the list. It's hard to argue considering what happened to the hobby in large … [Read more...]
Griffey Jr. Rookie Symbolized New Era
He's on the doorstep of what will likely be one of his final career milestones. Ken Griffey Jr.'s 600th homer has taken awhile, but it will be celebrated by those who grew up collecting his baseball cards back when there was no player any kid wanted more. The card itself helped Upper Deck quickly become a serious player in the sports memorabilia industry, even if it really … [Read more...]