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Monthly Archives: September 2009
Press Pass ups the ante with Wheels Main Event
09.28
Sports card design is a subjective thing.
Some collectors insist that a card must have some of the basics on the front — a name and a logo and some color along with a photograph. And then, of course, images and stats on the back.
Other collectors balk at the idea of anything that’s not the standard vector art or identifiable sports-related texture even if it’s more organic and pushing the envelope to help redefine what a sports card design can include (see Rookies & Stars).
Others insist that there’s a reason retro sets have such staying power — the designs and the feel of the past.
But the rarity among current products is a new design that has a concept behind it.
Last year, Wheels Main Event relied on an Election Day feel to get the job done. This year, Press Pass has shuffled up and dealt what might be the most unique card set — for any sport — produced all year.
Some might not think poker and NASCAR have much in common — and the truth is they might not — but the touches applied to this card set, which arrives next week, are interesting to say the least.
Preview gallery: 2009-10 Panini Prestige basketball cards
09.28
With little more than a week until Panini America‘s first officially licensed NBA set arrives, here’s a look at some of what can be found in boxes of Prestige.
Each box will include four autographs or memorabilia cards as well as 24 Rookies, four Draft Pick Light Blue cards, one NBA Draft Class card, one Prestigious Pros Green insert and two additional inserts when it arrives on Oct. 7.
See more images after the jump.
Game-used Navy football jerseys hit auction block
09.28
It’s not unusual for game-used college football jerseys to meet the auction block, but this just might be a record.
Ninety-six game-used jerseys from Saturday’s Navy-Western Kentucky game are on the auction block at CBS Sports.com as the Midshipmen celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
The game, which ended in a 38-22 Navy victory, was highlighted by Navy’s use of throwback jerseys and dominated by quarterback Ricky Dobbs, who ran for four touchdowns and threw for another in the No. 4 jersey.
(It’s apparent that the images were taken before the game as the jersey does not show any damage.)
While bidding on that one has topped more than $400 so far — with more than 10 days remaining — with the entire team’s jerseys up for grabs there’s a good chance a collector can land one at a reasonable price. (Auction reserves are $150.)
To view the auctions, click here.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball and Beckett Graded Card Investor. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.
Autographed SportsPicks? McFarlane Toys' latest project takes things to another level
09.26
McFarlane Toys announced Friday evening that it is adding a new program that allows for a higher-end and specific chase aspect to its upcoming SportsPicks figure lines.
Its new “Collector Level” program has been created to give collectors something extra with the variant figures that they have come to expect with the popular toys. What’s that something extra? Anything from an alternative paint job to autographs or game-used memorabilia swatches included with the figure. As with past products, some type of variant or Collector Level figure will be found in every case.
“We’ve created this new program based on feedback we received from our fans over the years,” said Todd McFarlane, the company’s CEO. “The primary focus of this program is to create a line of collectibles that will excite you, the hard-core collector.”
There are six types of Collector Level figures — Bronze, Silver, Gold, Premier, All-Star and MVP. Each Level matches to a limited production. Nearly every standard figure will have an alternative — a Collector Level or standard chase figure.
Exclusive First Look: 2009 Press Pass Fusion Multi-Sport
09.25
Press Pass officials late Friday shared with Beckett Media preliminary details of the brand new 2009 Press Pass Fusion, a product that looks to be the company’s best possible first foot forward as they enter the multi-sport arena.
The 90-card Fusion base set incorporates athletes from baseball, basketball, football, NASCAR, MMA/wrestling and the Olympics and, from the looks of the stunning preview, appears to really distance itself from other similar products with compelling, rarely seen, photography.
“This product is going to include tons of players we’ve never featured before, many with unique images,” said Nick Matijevich, Press Pass’ Director of Product Development. “The box-to-box value on this product should be tremendous, and with our exclusive NASCAR agreements, we’ll be able to deliver a product mix that our competitors are unable to match.”
Exclusive Ken Griffey Jr. figure, NFL series 22 coming from McFarlane Toys
09.25
McFarlane Toys has plenty on tap soon with, most notably, a 6-inch Ken Griffey Jr. Seattle Mariners SportsPicks figure only available from one retailer.
The new Junior figure, which can only be had at ClarkToys.com, shows him swinging away while wearing his No. 24. It arrives in October.
Coming in December is the company’s 22nd line of SportsPicks NFL figures, a strong crop led by Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson.
See more after the jump.
Baseball artist Monty Sheldon to commemorate 90th anniversary of Black Sox with eight sketch cards
09.25
An example of Monty Sheldon's sketch cards -- a past Sheldon’s Sketch Card Champions card of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.
Noted baseball artist Monty Sheldon is commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Black Sox scandal with a series of eight hand-drawn and intricately detailed pencil sketch cards that he will complete, unveil and sell on the anniversary of each game from the 1919 World Series.
His “Eight Men Out” concept is an interesting piece of self-promotion — he already sells his Sheldon’s Sketch Card Champions cards, which are part of a larger set weekly on eBay (user rube77) — but this project will acknowledge the history of the game and, with the auctions’ subjects and timing, also perhaps bring some attention to one of baseball’s more interesting stories.
But it’s also a project that ties into his creative past.
“When I first started painting on baseballs back in 1998, I knew the following year would be the 80th anniversary of the Black Sox scandal, and I finished painting a baseball of each player to correspond with each game’s date,” Sheldon said on Friday afternoon. “Back then, that group of baseballs proved to be quite popular when I would display them at the card shows.
“Now, it is 10 years later, and I wanted to add something special to my sketch card set, so the 90th anniversary set made perfect sense.”
Stacy Keibler is cleaning out her closet again
09.25
One of the ways that the Internet has helped change collectors’ buying habits is that it has helped memorabilia collectors find those more obscure or flat-out impossible items to add to their collections.
How’s that? By buying the stuff straight from the athletes or celebrities themselves.
Former WWE Diva and Baltimore Ravens cheerleader Stacy Keibler is one of the celebs who does just that via “Stacy Keibler’s Closet” on eBay.
While celebs selling stuff online or via other outlets is more commonplace these days, a decade or so ago it was much, much tougher. Fans of celebs or movies would have to await auction houses’ catalogs or know somebody who knows somebody to land an interesting item — or pay dearly if they could find a reputable dealer who specializes in memorabilia that’s not of the mass-marketed variety.
Now, it’s as easy as using Google to find official webpages, following celebs on Twitter or searching on eBay. Keibler is not the only celeb out there selling autographed items or other memorabilia, either.
Today Keibler’s closet has been uncluttered once more — and it’s a project that’s been relatively successful before with a portion of the proceeds going to charity — with a few more items up for grabs.
What’s for sale now? Click here to find out.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball and Beckett Graded Card Investor. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.
Exclusive First Look: 2009 Playoff Contenders Football
09.24
Panini America officials late Thursday evening released to Beckett Media the first images of 2009 Playoff Contenders Football, annually one of the sport’s most popular releases since its groundbreaking 1998 edition first melded autographs with Rookie Cards.
The product releases in early January packing four autographs per box, an autographed Rookie Card checklist that boasts more than 100 subjects and on-card signatures from the 34 players who attended May’s NFL Players Rookie Premiere.
A landmark autograph card in TRISTAR's new TNA's iMPACT! set?
09.24
A dual autograph card in the recently released TRISTAR TNA iMPACT! set is the first of its kind — perhaps a landmark release for both wrestling cards and trading cards as a whole.
It’s not important because of some printing innovation or gimmickry or for being relatively rare.
It indirectly touches on one of pro wrestling’s more subtle charms — something that makes wrestling cards different than all other sports cards combined.
What makes this dual autograph of TNA Knockout Daffney and The Governor, a Sarah Palin lookalike who was part of some TNA broadcasts?
They are the same woman, Shannon Spruill, who has spent most of the last decade wrestling independents after a couple of years in World Championship Wrestling.
And, my friends, it’s the lone dual-signed autograph card penned by the same person … that we know of.
Any chance we can get a Mick Foley/Cactus Jack/Dude Love triple autograph anytime soon?
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball and Beckett Graded Card Investor. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.