Monthly Archives: March 2009

The (Wrestling) card of the day is …

The best wrestling card of today (one that’s actually tacked to my bulletin board in a penny sleeve) is the Topps WWE Heritage IV card of Hornswoggle, the diminutive WWE Superstar who was once the company’s cruiserweight champion.

Be sure to read up on Dylan Postl‘s Wikipedia bio.  Classic stuff — particularly his former NWA Wisconsin gimmick.

Believe it or not, Hornswoggle has been around three years already — and yet he doesn’t have a certified autograph card. (Get on it, Topps! This can’t be a lucky move.)

The card above is actually his second card, while his “Rookie Cards” come in the 2007 Heritage III and WWE Action sets.

The Action card can be seen at right (missing its foil stamping). Unfortunately, it’s still on my want list.

Chris Olds has collected sports cards and memorabilia since 1987. Before coming to Beckett Media, he wrote about the hobby for the Orlando Sentinel on his blog, SportsStuff, and for the San Antonio Express-News and The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News. Do you have a comment, question or idea? Send e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.

In The Game brings Goalies into Made to Order mix

In the Game announced Sunday that several goalies will have cards in the Made to Order redemption program found in packs of 2008-09 Between the Pipes cards, which arrive on March 26.

Collectors who find the cards can pick their player  — or players — who will appear on their memorabilia cards.

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Panini buys Donruss: Q&A with Panini's Peter Warsop

Story copyright 2009 Beckett Media

Peter Warsop, Panini’s Group Licensing Director, answered these questions from Beckett Media Publisher Tracy Hackler in the wake of the company finalizing its deal to acquire Arlington, Texas-based Donruss on Friday morning.

Beckett Media: Ultimately, what were some of the most important factors that led Panini to make the acquisition?

Peter Warsop: For Panini this was not a difficult decision at all as it became a natural fit for all concerned. From the very first meeting we had with Donruss Playoff LP, it has taken Panini less than six weeks to make its evaluations and complete the final transaction of acquiring the sports trading card business from them.

We have always understood the fine reputation and strengths of Donruss and this aspect of our knowledge needed no prompting. Importantly, we have had reciprocal visits between the two head offices; Donruss representations came to Modena, Italy, and eight Panini head office directors visited Donruss in Arlington over a four-day period. All this was to satisfy both sides that a Panini acquisition would work well not just for Panini and Donruss, but for all parties, including licensing principals, suppliers, the hobby, the consumers and, not least, the staff and management of Donruss. The outcome to this mutual assessment was overwhelmingly positive.

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Topps confirms 2009 Heritage baseball short prints

Topps confirmed on Friday morning that the dark-cardboard cards (Nos. 426-500) in its 2009 Heritage baseball set are, indeed, short-printed.

No official word yet on rare variations, though several have been found.

The list is after the jump.

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Panini official denies Donruss rumors

Contrary to rampant industry speculation this week, The Panini Company has not purchased Donruss.

“[Those rumors] are not true,” said Panini Group Licensing Director Peter Warsop on Wednesday. “We are in discussion but nothing has been finalized at this time.”