The loss of its major trading card licenses has forced Upper Deck through several rounds of layoffs over the last three years. A few more workers were let go last month including public relations manager Terry Melia. "On Friday, July 22, I was laid off from the Upper Deck Company," Melia wrote in an email. "After 14 years of dedicated service, my number finally came up. I … [Read more...] about Upper Deck Company Lays Off Five
major league baseball
Authenticators, Yankees Ready for Jeter’s 3000th
Chances are Derek Jeter's 3000th hit will come at home...and it won't be just fans who are ready to spring into action when he joins one of baseball's most elite clubs. Jeter, who got his 2,997th hit Wednesday night, will resume his quest tonight when the Yanks face Tampa Bay. The big moment won't be lost on the folks who oversee bottom lines. Major League Baseball, the … [Read more...] about Authenticators, Yankees Ready for Jeter’s 3000th
FBI Won’t Pursue Missing Puck; Not Fans of COA
Nearly a year has passed now and no one is really sure what happened to the puck that pushed the Chicago Blackhawks to Stanley Cup greatness. Accusations have flown. Rewards have been offered but the puck Patrick Kane shot is still MIA. Strange, considering the depth to which some pro sports organizations now value even the most insignificant pieces of everyday game-used … [Read more...] about FBI Won’t Pursue Missing Puck; Not Fans of COA
Report: Samuels Had Hidden Valuable Stash of Mets Memorabilia
The hole continues to deepen for a former major league clubhouse manager under scrutiny by the federal government. Sources have told the New York Daily News that Charlie Samuels, fired by the team last year, had stored a large quantity of valuable baseball memorabilia inside a storage locker near the team's spring training fields. The News reported earlier this week that … [Read more...] about Report: Samuels Had Hidden Valuable Stash of Mets Memorabilia
2011 Topps Baseball Series One Box Break
by Rich Klein Each year, perhaps the most important sports card product released is Topps Series 1 Baseball. It has more tradition than any other because of the long history of Topps, which has issued its base set each year since 1952 and began in the baseball card business in '51. A 2011 Topps baseball box break is something every collector looks forward to, if only to … [Read more...] about 2011 Topps Baseball Series One Box Break
MLB Authentication is Big Business
Major League Baseball's authentication program isn't that old. The leagues and teams showed little interest in trying to market game-used items until just a few years ago. Now, they're all in. All 2430 regular season games had at least one volunteer authenticator on hand to tag items. To collectors, they may be banal, but MLB has proven that someone somewhere will buy a … [Read more...] about MLB Authentication is Big Business
Earliest Known Willie Mays Pro Jersey Consigned to Auction
When baseball begins to celebrate the 60th anniversary season of the major league debut of two of its greatest post-War stars, a rare relic from that very year will be offered at auction. The earliest known Willie Mays professional jersey, one worn during his brief but spectacular minor league career, has been consigned to Robert Edward Auctions’ spring 2011 catalog. The … [Read more...] about Earliest Known Willie Mays Pro Jersey Consigned to Auction
Next Year’s Draft Picks in This Year’s Baseball Cards
Both ESPN and MLB.com recently listed their choices as the top picks for the first round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. All are still in college or high school but you can find their first baseball cards now. Members of the 2010 USA Baseball National Teams are in 2010 Topps Chrome, 2010 Bowman Chrome, 2010 Bowman Platinum and 2010 Bowman Sterling. In addition, … [Read more...] about Next Year’s Draft Picks in This Year’s Baseball Cards
T206 Wagner Proof Strip on Tour
The Major League Baseball FanFest Auction takes place a week from tonight in Anaheim, but bidding is already underway online. Hunt Auctions, which is again heading up the event, is offering hundreds of pieces of baseball memorabilia from vintage to modern. The centerpiece is the T206 Honus Wagner proof sheet that is now resting in an SGC holder. The strip has been sold … [Read more...] about T206 Wagner Proof Strip on Tour
Strasburg Strikeout Ball: $20,010
He might be the first rookie pitcher in big league history for whom everything he touches is recorded in an authenticator's computer and saved for posterity. Stephen Strasburg's first start produced a mountain of memorabilia, some of it rushed onto Major League Baseball's auction platform. Bidding closed Tuesday night with several items sold. Tops on the list? The … [Read more...] about Strasburg Strikeout Ball: $20,010