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Monthly Archives: May 2009
From the Field: Hoops Collector Picks Year's Best
05.15
In honor of a scintillating NBA Playoffs thus far, and since the 2008-09 NBA product season is all but over, we crashed the (Beckett.com) boards earlier this week to solicit feedback on the top hoops products of the year.
What follows is one particularly thoughtful response from Beckett.com member Josh Palmer (jpleazme805):
I like 2008-09 [Fleer] Hot Prospects, too. I only bought one box and pulled the “Rose,” so I didn’t buy any more. I fell in love with the design – basic but eye-catching. The card shop I bought the box at is in Santee, Calif. It just opened a few months ago. I forgot the name of it; I’ve only been there once.
Her interest in the hobby is a bit different …
05.15
Every once in awhile, we get an interesting email from a reader that stands out from the rest for one reason or another.
Here’s a selection of a message from Debby Johnson of Gaithersburg, Md.:
“I’m hoping that you may be able to help me. I was watching the video of the 2009 Bowman box break that [Chris Olds] and Brian Fleischer had on May 12. I watched because I was curious to see the product and to see if by some miraculous chance, I would actually get to see my son’s first Bowman card. My son is Tommy Johnson, a catcher with the Seattle Mariners organization.
“And miracles do happen! At about 10 minutes and 58 seconds into your video, Brian was opening a pack and he said something like “and here we have a nice Refractor card of Tommy Johnson ” he turned the card to the camera and it was, indeed, my son Tommy. We will be getting base cards only from Topps, but I would love to get one of whatever is available. I know there will be a Chrome … didn’t know about the Refractor and certainly don’t know what others may be available in the set.”
—
I answered her questions about which cards he will appear on in the set, offering some details about scarcity of the various parallels and Refractors.
Then I offered her a trade — the Refractor for a few answers about the hobby and her son, perhaps a different look at someone who many collectors will find in their packs of 2009 Bowman.
Inside the Box: 2009 Bowman Draft Football
05.15
Topps’ first football product of the new season, 2009 Bowman Draft, won’t be available nationwide until Wednesday (May 20). So imagine my surprise when I trudged upstairs this afternoon following my lunchtime workout to find two boxes of the product sitting on my floor.
I ripped through the 24 packs of one box quickly in an effort to provide those football collectors chomping at the bit with some early results. We’re going to save the other box for an episode of Box Busters that will air on Beckett.com early next week.
Schulte Sports Launches Online Auction Site
05.15
Ray Schulte, the marketing agent best known for representing Cal Ripken Jr., Don Mattingly and Roberto Clemente, and for launching the Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest in 1991, has a new collectibles venture on his hands.
Officially launched today, SchulteAuctions.com is an online auction platform promising collectors the opportunity to bid on vast and varied sports and entertainment memorabilia.
“Our intent is to provide all-level collectors unique and one-of-a-kind memorabilia to create memories for a lifetime,” said Schulte, President/CEO of Schulte Sports, Inc.
To that end, the inaugural sports-heavy auction — which closes May 31 — includes more than 125 items, featuring the likes of Babe Ruth, Tiger Woods, Alexander Ovechkin, Mickey Mantle, Joe Montana and Ripken.
View the first auction by clicking here.
Press Pass has a hit on its hands with KISS Ikons
05.15
We recently busted a box of the new KISS Ikons cards from Press Pass, noting that the Blood parallels — which have a layer of red gloss on the cards — were impressive.
Apparently some KISS fans agree as a 90-card set of the cards found one in every four packs sold on eBay for $352.87 on Thursday.
Not bad. The sale certainly backs up the fact that Press Pass has a genuine hit on its hands so far.
Oh, and here’s a tip — if you can’t find it at your typical card spots (and based on many reports, you probably can’t) try looking at Best Buy.
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.
News Flash: Troy Bergeron Signs with Falcons
05.13
In case you missed it (and I’m almost certain you did), former Arena Football League star Troy Bergeron signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week.
The speedy Columbus, Ga., native burst onto the AFL scene with the Georgia Force in 2005 and earned Rookie of the Year honors that season on the strength of 105 receptions, 1,372 yards and 31 receiving touchdowns. He sat out the 2006 season while attempting to land with an NFL team and had brief stints with the Falcons (training camp) and Buffalo Bills (practice squad).
He returned to the AFL in 2007 and 2008 and boasts a downright gaudy three-year stat line: 329 catches, 4,375 yards and 97 total touchdowns.
It’s worth noting that the Force – idle this season with the rest of the AFL as the league attempts to reorganize and return in 2010 – is owned by Arthur Blank, the same man who owns the Falcons.
Why do you care about any of this? Here’s why: If Bergeron – 6-2, 195 – gets a legitimate chance in camp with an ideal situation like the Falcons have (great, young QB . . . power running game . . . talent and experience in the receiving department with Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez) and you’re the kind of football collector who’s into super sleepers, I think Bergeron’s your guy.
I’m just sayin’.
In case you’re wondering (and even if you’re not, I’m giving you this information anyway), Bergeron appeared on 16 different Upper Deck trading cards in 2005 and 2006, nine from UD’s 2005 and 2006 AFL sets and seven more from 2006 NFL products Hot Prospects, Sweet Spot and Rookie Debut. His Hot Prospects (#133) and Sweet Spot (#136) RCs are valued at $6 apiece.
But it can be argued that Bergeron’s two certified autograph cards – 2006 Arenagraphs ($30) and 2006 Arenagraphs Duals with former Georgia Force teammate Derek Lee ($60) – are his most desirable cards.
There, take that.
– Tracy Hackler
Inside the box: 2009 Topps Series 2 baseball cards
05.13
We’ve cracked the first boxes of 2009 Topps Series 2 baseball cards and it’s easy to say that the strong points of Series 1 — stunning and unique photography as well as a wide range of cards and variety in each box — are back.
While most of one other box’s contents (tragically, we ran out of tape roughly 30 packs in) will be revealed on Box Busters here on Thursday, here’s a sampling of what was found in a second hobby box. (For a little more background on the set, click here.)
There are key rookies to be found, veterans in their new threads, several insert sets — including a selection of World Baseball Classic releases — as well as some great photos that highlighted the first release earlier this year. (Not so great is Shawn Marcum‘s photo unless you’re into Jay Johnstone-style goofiness — but check out that baseball-inspired tattoo.)
See 20 cards from one box after the jump.
Preview Gallery: Paul Lempa's 2009 Topps Series 2 Sketch Cards
05.13
The second series of 2009 Topps baseball cards are less than a week away from their official release date and we’ve got a sneak peek at 10 of the Sketch Cards that will be found in packs.
New Jersey-based artist Paul Lempa, who we profiled in Beckett Baseball issue No. 42 in April, has graciously shared all of his miniature painting cards that are just 2.5 by 3.5 inches in size.
(We hate calling these miniature masterpieces sketches as they are intricately detailed paintings the size of baseball cards that literally take hours to produce. Scans of these cards really don’t do them justice, either, as the texture and subtle shades of color in nearly every region of Lempa‘s cards are fascinating.)
And you’ll note we said all of his cards as each artist for Series 2 has reportedly only produced 10 Sketch Cards apiece for the product — expect an official announcement from Topps on that before the product’s release on Wednesday — meaning they just might be some of the best Sketch Cards ever seen.
See them all after the jump.
Box Busters preview: 2009 Topps Series 2 baseball
05.13
The second series of 2009 Topps baseball cards doesn’t arrive in hobby shops until next Wednesday, but we’re busting the first boxes of the always popular set this afternoon for an episode of Box Busters coming your way later this week.
What will Beckett Baseball‘s Chris Olds and Beckett Media Publisher Tracy Hackler find?
You’ll have to wait for the video — right here — but we’ll give you a sneak peek of the product here this afternoon once the boxes are, well, busted.
Stay tuned …
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.
Card gallery: 2009 Playoff Prestige football
05.13
Panini America‘s debut football set — 2009 Playoff Prestige – arrives in hobby shops today with zero redemption cards in the product and four game-used or autograph cards per hobby box.
It’s the first fully licensed NFL set of the year (draft picks’ professional teams are noted on the cards), so check ‘em out …
(Click for a closer look.)