I'm writing this around 9 AM the morning after 2018 Topps National Baseball Card Day and I'm feeling like I did when I first went to Las Vegas right when I turned 21. I'm half-dazed, way more tired than usual and sitting here with a "did that just happen" feel. Thanks to Topps offering posters to hype NBCD with Series 2 cases, more promotional … [Read more...]
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What’s Hot: It’s Bowman and, Well, Everything Else
It is time for another edition of What's Hot and I feel like answering that question by yelling "EVERYTHING!" at an uncomfortably high level. I am talking megaphone loud, arena time-out loud and just-got-new-speakers loud because there are many more than five releases that are not just hot, but on fire. Collectors are buying just about everything. As I said before, … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: Industry Events X 3 and a Market When Product Trumps Cash
Hello again, fellow card maniacs. I know it has been a bit since we chatted (granted it is really a one-sided conversation) but the last several weeks have been a whirlwind. I recently came back from a trip to Dallas where I attended the third and final industry event of the first quarter. First there was Upper Deck in Orlando, Topps in Phoenix and most recently … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: Top Sellers Range From Old Reliables to New Surprises
I hope you enjoyed the annual Mikey Awards from last month as much as I enjoyed writing them. It’s truly my favorite piece I write each year and so far at least, no manufacturer has canceled my direct accounts…yet. I attended the Upper Deck Certified Diamond Dealer event in Orlando and am glad to share that it was an incredible event not just because they brought Barry … [Read more...]
Fruitman: ‘Tis the Season for Cardboard Promos
When I first opened in December 1992, I was not around long enough to fully enjoy my first holiday season in retail. Heck, I was happy to stay open each day and run to the bank each morning with whatever I had sold the day before. Over the next few decades I came to look forward to the holiday season since it’s a chance to have the inside track on what each of my … [Read more...]
What’s Hot: Top Products at the 3/4 Pole
I would like to start off by apologizing for mistakenly suggesting last time that the Industry Summit might be held in January 2018 instead of when it typically was. The dates aren’t actually finalized yet but I created some undue stress for one of my favorite hobby peeps and that’s the last thing anyone needs. I try to get things right when I share them on here and … [Read more...]
What’s Hot in the Shop: From The Cup to The Cubs
While I usually wait a bit longer between pieces, my store has seen so many releases in the last few weeks that I had to put something else together. Well, that and the editor of this page asked me to do it as well. It’s definitely been a busy time with some high-end releases that are generating much buzz. Here’s a look at the top five sellers. Click on the … [Read more...]
Mikey Awards, 2015 Edition
It’s time for the annual Mikey Awards where the best and brightest get ignored as I choose what I liked in 2015. Well, more specifically what my collectors liked. It’s my list of the sports card releases (and some other things) that, in one way or another, had folks in my shop talking. I do not expect you all to agree, but please enjoy what I found interesting in the … [Read more...]
What’s Hot in the Shop: Would You Believe, Topps Tribute?
I was in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 18th in a meeting with representatives from Panini, Topps and Upper Deck at the annual Industry Summit (some of you might have followed my conference tweets @Mikesstadiumsc) when I got a text asking me what I thought of 2015 Topps Tribute MLB. Since I was out of my shop, I figured that Tribute had hit, was selling well and that the person … [Read more...]
Triple Threads MLB Topps The Hobby HoTTT List
Q – What do you get when you haven’t had a high-end MLB release since Topps Museum Collection hit March 28? A – You get a group of baseball collectors who can’t get enough of a monster release with a longer winning streak than Vladimir Putin. 2014 Triple Threads Baseball once again hit with a bang and even though most collectors are in a NFL frame of mind, they seem to be … [Read more...]
