Is there any hobby brand which has become as well established in the past 20 years as "chrome"? When I took a look at our 2015 Topps Chrome box, I was struck by how commonly accepted the word is now in the hobby. In fact, with Bowman, which mixes Chrome cards and your more standard issues cards, the commonly accepted word for the cards many of us grew up with is … [Read more...]
2015 Topps Heritage Box Break-Review
I always begin these Topps Heritage reviews by admitting it’s my favorite release each year. Having been a collector for many years and then a dealer who always loved older cards, there is always something special about seeing modern players in an old-school set. Topps to their credit, takes a great deal of love and care with the Heritage set and in many cases has either the … [Read more...]
Box Break: Sterling’s Sticker Flood
After all these years, I'm still surprised at some things that occur in this hobby. When we received our review box of Bowman Sterling 2014 Baseball, my very first thought was this is the perfect type of pack/box for my local card store (Triple Cards in Plano, TX). With no less than 18 autographs per box and other hits promised, I thought for sure when I went to ask him … [Read more...]
2014 Topps Supreme Baseball Review/Box Break
There are a few themes we have used over the years. One of those themes is certain releases are not for the faint of heart and 2014 Topps Supreme baseball became one of those products. The concept is real simple: two cards in a pack, both autographed. All numbered to 50 or less. That’s it. At least a collector is guaranteed two autographs, and yes with plenty of better players … [Read more...]
2014 Topps UFC Champions Box Break/Review
To put myself in the mood to write a review of UFC Champions I put you tube videos of old boxing matches in the background. I listened to fights of champions such as Bob Foster, Ernie Terrell and Andre Ward. Ernie Terrell is a fascinating figure in boxing history as he is best known for two things. The first is he was the older brother of Motown Legend Tammi Terrell who … [Read more...]
Box Break/Review: 2013-14 Panini Select Hockey Delivers the Goods
We don't get to do as many hockey reviews as I would like, but I always like these cards because hockey was actually way ahead of baseball in working to ensure that you had to play in the NHL before you could get a hockey card. I thought back in the day that was a good idea and nothing has changed my opinion of that. In fact, one can argue one of the reasons baseball products … [Read more...]
2013 Topps Heritage High Numbers Review
As many readers know, I have a special place in my heart each year for the Topps Heritage series. Having collected the originals, I have a great deal of appreciation for the effort Topps puts in year, not only using modern players in an older design but taking great care to mimic the poses used or use a similar player to the original or a match in some way. When you see the … [Read more...]
2011 Bowman Sterling Football Review
by Rich Klein The "Sterling" name is a brand Topps uses to show their "high-dollar" products. Sterling is usually used in conjunction with Bowman and implies a very heavy emphasis on rookies and/or prospects. The 2011 Bowman Sterling football program fits right in with that theme. Each Sterling "mini-box" comes as part of a "master" box contains six mini-boxes. Each mini-box … [Read more...]
2011 Topps Finest Baseball Box Review
by Rich Klein A couple of weeks ago in reviewing the 2011 Finest Football product we discussed the nearly two decades history of the Finest brand. In recent years, as we have discussed, Topps has evolved the Finest brand into one which can be sold on several levels. The hobby product can be sold on the pack level in stores (as long as the store ensures no searching), the … [Read more...]
2011 Topps Platinum Football Review
by Rich Klein In some ways the new 2011 Topps Platinum Football product is an easy product to collect. Each box contains three autographs and those autographs are the key to this product. The box promises two rookie on-card autograph refractors per box and one autograph patch relic per box. These boxes have 20 packs per box with five cards per pack. Leading on-line … [Read more...]