05.16
Posted on May 16, 2012 – 7:08 pm | Author: chrisolds
Multisport | 2012 Topps U.S. Olympic Team, Alex Morgan, Carl Lewis, featured, Jordyn Wieber, Michael Phelps, Olympic gymnastics, Olympics, Ryan Lochte, Shawn Johnson, Topps | Comments (0)

By Chris Olds | Beckett Sports Card Monthly Editor | Commentary
A half-dozen or so U. S. Olympians featured on Topps cards already have captured the hearts of more than a few Americans more than two months before the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
How do we know? They’re already going for gold.
It’s apparent just by looking at the values of their autograph cards found in packs of 2012 Topps U.S. Olympic Team as the basic autographs for seven cards (showcasing six athletes) have reached or topped the $100 plateau since the product’s release. (Need a checklist or OPG to find out what your cards are worth? Click here.) And that’s not including rarer parallel cards.
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05.16

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor
He’s got a pair of home runs, plenty of cardboard, and even his first self-induced injury, but now Bryce Harper is a bonafide big-leaguer in yet another way.
He’s set to have an action figure.
McFarlane Toys announced Wednesday that the 19-year-old Washington Nationals outfielder will appear on a SportsPicks figure arriving in October. (Need a checklist of past McFarlanes or an OPG? Click here.)
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05.16
Posted on May 16, 2012 – 5:16 pm | Author: chrisolds
Baseball | 2012 Bowman, Bowman, Bowman Chrome, Brett Lawrie, Bryce Harper, featured, Refractor, Superfractor, Topps, Yoenis Cespedes, Yu Darvish | Comments (1)
Join Beckett Baseball‘s Brian Fleischer and Chris Olds as they rip into 2012 Bowman in this latest edition of Box Busters.
What will they find inside? Watch and find out …
(Need a 2012 Bowman checklist or an OPG when available? Click here.)
05.16

We’re focusing on goalies for the upcoming issue of Beckett Hockey and we have a few opportunities for collector participation.
Here’s how you can weigh in and how you might just get to see your name in print:
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05.16
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
The NFL Players Rookie Premiere starts today in Los Angeles.
Why is it so important?
This is where the card companies – in this case, Topps and Panini America – get photos, autographs and event-used memorabilia for all of the Rookie Cards in this upcoming season’s products.
Without this event, the card companies would have to go to all the 32 different teams to get this many top rookies in one place.
About 35 rookies will be at the event, including 11 first-round draft picks such as Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Trent Richardson, who were the first three picks of the draft.
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05.15

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor | Commentary
His bat is headed to Cooperstown, his baseball cards are headed upward.
That’s the easiest way to sum up Josh Hamilton‘s legendary week, one that saw him hit a record-tying four home runs against Baltimore and five more after that before his lucky bat couldn’t take any more and finally broke on Sunday.
That final blow — at least for that bat — meant the lumber was destined for the Hall of Fame and that even more attention was on his key baseball cards.
“All of his 1999 Rookie Cards were bumped up at least one level, and his 1999 Topps Traded Autograph has quickly become one of the most desirable cards in the hobby,” said Beckett Baseball Senior Market Analyst Brian Fleischer, who tracks values of cards daily. “Literally overnight, many of his certified autograph cards doubled in value.”
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05.15
By Chris Olds | Beckett Basketball Editor
We get a lot of emails with ideas, questions and comments about the hobby, but the above video letter from basketball collector Folkert Leffring, who is from the Netherlands but living in Spain, was one of the more memorable and thoughtful ones we have received recently.
The challenges of collecting American cards overseas is one thing to consider. The challenges of collecting NBA autographs is even bigger.
Despite this, he crafts his own cards to send off to players for signing — and he had an idea about a potential charity auction that he wanted to share. We want to know what you guys think.
You can watch a second video he made showing off some of his other card creations he has made and had signed after the jump.
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05.15

By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor
Sleep tight, football collectors. Panini’s 2012 Elite will be visiting you soon in a midsummer night’s dream.
As the manufacturer revealed today (unfortunately, not in iambic pentameter), the beloved mid-level brand will land just after July 4 with time-tested product traditions and enough nuances to satisfy modern collector cravings.
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05.15
Beckett Media’s Bryan Hornbeck and Andrew Tolentino tear into a box of 2011-12 Elite Hockey from Panini America. Watch to see what they get from the rip.
Also, be sure to check out 2011-12 Elite on the Beckett Online Price Guide for a complete checklist and pricing when it becomes available.
05.15
Beckett Hockey’s Dan Hitt and Andrew Tolentino rip open a box of 2011-12 SPx Hockey from Upper Deck. What will they find inside? Watch and find out.
Also, be sure to check out 2011-12 SPx on the Beckett Online Price Guide for a complete checklist and pricing when it becomes available.