Eddie Mathews may bring up the rear in the 1952 Topps set but it's got a lofty place in Topps' debut series for several reasons. First, card #407 represents Mathews’ rookie card. Second, it’s in the ultra-tough last series. Third, as the last card in the set, it was often at the bottom of the pile. Many kids kept these cards in rubber bands which took its toll. High grade … [Read more...]
Blog Notes: Donruss Co-Founder Dies, Montana RC Record, Game-Worn News
Donruss Co-Founder No Longer with Us Russel Wiener passed away Wednesday in Memphis, less than two weeks shy of his 95th birthday. Wiener and his brother Don co-founded the company in 1954, using their first names to create the business moniker. Donruss made various gum products and a variety of non-sports card sets it packaged with gum and was eventually purchased by … [Read more...]
New Record Price for BGS 9.5 1984-85 Star Company Jordan Rookie
One of the great hobby ironies is that the most popular basketball player of all-time doesn’t have a true rookie card from a wax pack. Michael Jordan made his NBA debut in 1984, three years after Topps bowed out of basketball card production and two years before Fleer picked up the torch. Jordan does have a card from that first NBA season, though, and it may finally be picking … [Read more...]
Joe Montana Rookie Card Still Cool
For fans who have followed the franchise since it rose to prominence in the early-1980s, it can be a bit hard to believe that more than three full decades have passed since the face of the franchise arrived in the Bay Area via the University of Notre Dame. While many season ticket holders can still remember the calm pocket presence, smooth delivery and pinpoint … [Read more...]
Best Football Rookie Cards of the 80s
For the most part, the best football cards of the 80s have rarely changed. Many of the players collectors were anxious to pull in 1984, 1985 or 1986 are still considered elite today. Until 1989 when other companies received NFL licenses and changed the game, a player’s rookie card wasn’t issued until after his first pro season. That meant that we sometimes knew by then … [Read more...]
Dreaming: Gretzky in the Olympics
During the Olympics, no sport receives as much attention as hockey. Seeing many of the best players in the world competing while their league willingly gives them time off only helps the sport on an overall basis. The interest is still there, even though it’s now basically a professional showdown. Thirty-five years ago, all hockey players in the Olympics were presumably … [Read more...]
1954 Clemente Winter League Contract, Ruth, Young Autos Part of Auction
A 1954 Puerto Rican Winter League contract signed by Roberto Clemente, Babe Ruth autographs and a notes on baseball from Cy Young to The Sporting News are among the items up for bid in Iconic Memorabilia’s Holiday Autographs & Memorabilia Auction. The auction features over 700 lots of autographs and memorabilia spanning the fields of Sports, Hollywood, Music and … [Read more...]
Nice Return: 1914 Babe Ruth Rookie Card Sold Privately
Spending $199,750 on a baseball card in 2007 turned out to be a very good investment for one east coast collector. Robert Edward Auctions, which sold a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth 'rookie card' for that price in its annual auction, has brokered a deal between that original buyer and a new collector/investor. The selling price this time for the PSA (Good) example … [Read more...]
Quarterbacks Driving Modern Football Card Market
by Troy Anderson From a collector's perspective, it's hard to recall a time in the hobby when the quarterback position was shining quite so brightly in the NFL. Last year Cam Newton made a huge splash as a rookie, and showed the kind of fire and upside that could translate into a long run as a fan favorite. Newton was stellar on the field, and his sports cards and … [Read more...]
Griffin Rookie Cards Not As Pricey a Year Later
The sale of the 1/1 National Treasures Blake Griffin rookie card for over $38,000 earlier this month generated some national headlines but it might paint a far too rosy picture for the overall market for the L.A. Clippers' young superstar. The average price has actually dropped in recent weeks. Often times, a player who explodes onto the scene--especially in a flashy sort … [Read more...]