Like the title of a song says, "Everything old is new again." Rumors keep going around about Upper Deck being serious regarding a rebirth of Fleer Retro for baseball. The Donruss product released by Panini hit a friendly nerve with many collectors who loved the 1980s throwback. And, earlier this year we learned another late 1990's/early 2000's issue-- was in the … [Read more...]
1993 Topps Finest Baseball Broke New Ground
More than two decades have now passed since the first of the two 1993 ‘super premium” sets were released. While many brands have come and gone unceremoniously since, 1993 Finest Baseball is now considered a landmark issue that brought manufactured scarcity into current products. Finest was first revealed at the 1993 National Sports Collectors Convention and to hobby dealers … [Read more...]
What’s Hot in the Shop: It’s a Chrome World
Hello fellow card maniacs. I need to apologize for the brief writing vacation. My shop has been inundated with some of the sickest collections I have ever had walk in and my night time fun job hit a busy stretch. Throw in having to price 1.300+ cards on COMC that recently went live and I hope that explains my recent absence. Usually this time of the year, collectors focus … [Read more...]
2012 Topps Finest Football Box Break
by Rich Klein When we recently reviewed 2012 Finest Baseball, we discussed how important the 1993 Finest product was in terms of generating interest for really short printed cards. I do realize in today's collecting world 241 is not a small number but back in 1993, a print run of 241 was extra limited. If you think about that, we considered Donruss Elite insert cards scarce … [Read more...]
Triple Platinum: A First Look at 2012 Bowman Platinum Baseball
by Chris Harris Now in its third year, 2012 Bowman Platinum Baseball will be released in late July, about halfway between 2012 Bowman and Bowman Chrome. And while most of the product’s structure remains unchanged, Topps has added some new additions for collectors to chase after. The base set will consist of 100 cards and will be supplemented with an equal number of … [Read more...]
2011 Bowman Chrome Review
by Rich Klein Both the terms Bowman and Chrome have been, and are still important to the Topps brand. Ever since the company resurrected the Bowman name in 1989, itss been the entry point for young players to make their debut on a Topps produced card. After a few years of tinkering, Topps gained huge hobby acceptance in 1992 with Bowman and has ridden that wave for nearly … [Read more...]
Topps Chrome 2011 Baseball Box Break
by Rich Klein It's interesting just how long some products have been around. While Topps Finest is nearing two decades, the company has been producing Chrome for a decade and a half now, including the latest installment: 2011 Topps Chrome Baseball. Back in the day, when Topps used to visit the Beckett offices, one of their key phrases was ‘brand loyalty’. What they … [Read more...]
Topps: Redemption Card Good for Pack, Not Set
If you open a box of 2011 Topps Chrome, don't believe everything you see. The company said Wednesday that a redemption card inside packs reads “You have just received a set of 2011 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Autograph Cards”. However, that's not what the company will be sending you. The card is actually good for either a 5 or 6 card pack of USA Autographs-- … [Read more...]
2011 Bowman Sterling Football Information
Topps has released information regarding its 2011 Bowman Sterling Football cards, set to release in December. The higher end product will feature six packs per box and eight boxes to a case with a total of six autographs per box, according to Topps. Each five-card pack contains two Rookie Base Cards, one Autograph or Auto-Relic Card, and two Relic Cards. A Rookie Refractor … [Read more...]
2010 Bowman Sterling Baseball Box Break
by Rich Klein Being a modern era card collector means there is no longer a big break between the end of one year's products and the beginning of the next. A side benefit of the changes made after 2005 by Major League Baseball, the MLB Player's Assocation and the card companies was that the current year's products could not be released until it was time for spring … [Read more...]