Leading Off A few months ago, I wrote a piece about how a potential economic downturn could impact the hobby and what companies and collectors alike should do to prepare. Fast forward and it still seems we are in a bit of an interesting place today with the hobby specifically and the economy overall. We are seeing record-breaking prices for cards ($12.6m for a ‘52 … [Read more...] about Mint Condition: Perspectives on Hobby Stability Against Potential Recession
sports card market
Notes: Call Him Mr. VP; Hobby News from The Hockey News; Phelps Finally Gets His Man
Andy Broome has been promoted to Vice President of Certified Sports Guaranty (CSG). In late 2020, Broome left Beckett to join CSG, a division of Certified Collectibles Group, where oversaw the company's move into grading sports cards through new hires and training. The company says it is on the brink of grading one million cards since its launch in February of 2021. … [Read more...] about Notes: Call Him Mr. VP; Hobby News from The Hockey News; Phelps Finally Gets His Man
Notes: PSA Rolls Out Allocated Economy Subs; PWCC Goes Weekly; Marco Rol Passes; NY Show, More
PSA briefly opened Economy service level allocations for its Collectors Club members Wednesday at a cost of $50 per card. Members had to get into an online queue and were awarded a certain number of submissions that will have to be completed in 15 days. They promised more allocation events would be held in the near future and that it would also be running similar … [Read more...] about Notes: PSA Rolls Out Allocated Economy Subs; PWCC Goes Weekly; Marco Rol Passes; NY Show, More
Notes: PSA Regular Service Update; Top Zion Card Pulled; Jim Fleck Passes; More
PSA will be opening up its Regular service in the next few days, according to Collectors Universe CEO Nat Turner, but it will be on a limited basis. The company will only allow a certain number of allocated submissions per day that it believes it can comfortably handle, given the continuing focus on eliminating a backlog of orders that still measures in the millions. There’s … [Read more...] about Notes: PSA Regular Service Update; Top Zion Card Pulled; Jim Fleck Passes; More
Notes: Ullman’s Ultimate Ryan Collection; Ruth Lives on at Yankee Stadium; Tucker’s Gear Already at Football Hall
To say Leo Ullman is a Nolan Ryan collector is like saying Joey Chesnutt eats a few hot dogs once in a while. The octogenarian from New York has over 13,500 Ryan items in his stash, including over 8,500 cards (1,250 of which are signed). MLB TV’s Carded recently paid a visit to his home to check out the collection and how it came to be (be sure to watch the video at the … [Read more...] about Notes: Ullman’s Ultimate Ryan Collection; Ruth Lives on at Yankee Stadium; Tucker’s Gear Already at Football Hall
Notes: MLB Authenticators; Jeter Auction; Kaline Debut Stub; Showtime Cards
From milestones to foul balls, MLB authenticators chronicle every pitch, snaring dozens of items from all 162 games for every team, plus playoffs. However, if you're looking for a home run ball from the recent Field of Dreams game in Iowa, good luck. “The way the corn was planted, the immensity of it and the height of it, the ball would literally just … [Read more...] about Notes: MLB Authenticators; Jeter Auction; Kaline Debut Stub; Showtime Cards
Editor’s Blog: Pondering Fanatics, Leagues “Secondary Market” Plans
There’s much we don’t know about the reported deals between Fanatics and the major sports leagues to corral the bulk of the sports trading card market. I think we can safely assume, though, that what’s going to happen won’t be just a swap of distribution models and a logo change or two. With the leagues and players having reportedly captured a stake of the potential … [Read more...] about Editor’s Blog: Pondering Fanatics, Leagues “Secondary Market” Plans
Notes: Wilt Offer Declined; Topps Brings Inception to NFT; New Vintage Pack Breaker; Research Tool Gone; More
Collectable shareholders have voted to turn down a $2 million offer for the 1959-60 Wilt Chamberlain rookie uniform. The company says 82 percent opted to decline the offer from a private buyer that would have netted them a $4.94 profit for each $10 share purchased back on May 5. The uniform is still trading on the company’s platform with a current secondary market … [Read more...] about Notes: Wilt Offer Declined; Topps Brings Inception to NFT; New Vintage Pack Breaker; Research Tool Gone; More
A Labor of Love: Indiana Collector Promotes His Passion With Labor Day Show
Brad Beeman’s story isn’t all that unusual. Like many kids in the 1980’s he cut his teeth on Topps, Fleer and Donruss. He readily jokes that he had more 1987 Topps than anyone. McGwire, Sandberg and Canseco’s were neatly tucked neatly away in binders. Then life changed quickly and things like cardboard were not as appealing as girls. Decades later, like a … [Read more...] about A Labor of Love: Indiana Collector Promotes His Passion With Labor Day Show
Notes: PSA Grading Update; Card Shows Abound; Topps’ Debt Rating Lowered; Globe on Hobby; Jeter Dive Bobble; More
PSA is grading over 20,000 cards per day as it continues to work through the massive backlog of trading cards submitted to the company for grading and authentication. GemRate.com’s number crunching shows nearly 230,9000 basketball cards graded over the last 30 days, with gaming cards second at 129,186; baseball third at 128,964 and football fourth at 78,605. So far this … [Read more...] about Notes: PSA Grading Update; Card Shows Abound; Topps’ Debt Rating Lowered; Globe on Hobby; Jeter Dive Bobble; More