02.21
By Chris Olds | Editor
Few of us have the means to purchase a T206 Honus Wagner — there’s something about a six-figure price tag — but often those who do can’t find one.
Now, they can — and there’s no auction block necessary, either. It can be purchased — straight up — for $325,000.
The PSA Authentic specimen of the hobby’s Holy Grail — a card limited to roughly 60 copies — is up for grabs in Memory Lane Inc.‘s Own It Now event that launched on Friday.
The auction house has plenty of other treasures up for grabs — a Babe Ruth autographed baseball ($160,000), a 1911 T201 Hassan set ($90,000), a PSA 8 1948 Leaf Sid Luckman rookie ($70,000) and a PSA 8 1952 Topps Eddie Mathews ($39,500). Memory Lane will offer this type of sale four times this year — a first-come, first-served format that will also allow for offers to be made on the items in coming weeks.
For more information — and to see more of what’s up for grabs — visit Memory Lane’s site here.
02.18
By Chris Olds | Editor
With the NBA All-Star Game this weekend in Los Angeles, the folks at Panini America – the NBA’s lone trading card licensee — are busy promoting their products at the NBA Jam Session this weekend and there’s already a nugget of news.
The late 1980s and 1990s staple — NBA Hoops – will be returning next season, news noted by four 2011-12 promo cards available at the Panini booth.
As you can see above, the cards feature three of Panini’s spokesmen — John Wall, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant — and a fourth guy you might have heard a little bit about this season, Blake Griffin. (How long until he’s part of the Panini lineup?)
The inaugural NBA Hoops set arrived in 1989-90 — a year marked by the arrival of David Robinson‘s highly sought-after Rookie Card — and ran continuously until the 1999-2000 season. Fleer revived the name for the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons before it closed its doors.
We’ll have more on this as soon as it’s available.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
02.18
Posted on February 18, 2011 – 5:22 pm | Author: chrisolds
Baseball | 2010 Topps Tribute, Babe Ruth, baseball cards, Beckett Select Auctions, Chris Perez, Cleveland Indians, featured, Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees, Topps | Comments (5)
By Chris Olds | Editor
It’s often a story when a baseball card has an autograph of Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig attached. It’s an even bigger story when it’s a card that has the autographs of all nine starters from the 1927 New York Yankees … and it sells for $20,000.
But the even bigger story here?
Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez bought it.
You see, the fourth-year big-leaguer out of the University of Miami is a long-time fan and collector of the sport that he has made his life. And when he recently signed his first million-dollar big-league contract, it was time to splurge on something special.
“This is definitely a nice little gift I’m giving myself for my new contract,” said Perez on Friday from spring training in Goodyear, Ariz. “Some people buy cars, jewelry, houses. I wanted to buy something a little different.”
That something different was a one-of-one 2010 Topps Tribute Legendary Lineup Cuts booklet card with the signatures of Earle Combs, Mark Koenig, Ruth, Gehrig, Bob Meusel, Tony Lazzeri, Joe Dugan, Pat Collins and Waite Hoyt – all in one place. It was sold by Beckett Select Auctions the auction consignment division of Beckett Media, after it was found in a pack by a collector in Missouri.
“I have made some big purchases before,” he said. “But nothing of this magnitude.”
For an extensive interview with Perez about his new card — and his collecting habits — look for the April 2011 issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly — “The Auction Issue” — in hobby shops next month.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
02.18
By Chris Olds | Editor
Topps confirmed on Friday morning that 60 cards in the first series of its flagship 2011 baseball set have sparkle variations.
As previously reported here, there is a sparkle — or twinkle — of a diamond digitally placed into the photograph on the short-printed cards. While Topps did not announce how scarce the cards are, they have been falling roughly one per case in hobby and also have been found in retail packs.
Get the full list of 60 after the jump.
Read More »
02.17
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
With In the Game‘s baseball product coming out next week, the company couldn’t help but tease just a few more Grand Slam pieces collectors will be able to find in 2011 ITG Heroes and Prospects Baseball.
This time it was all heroes.
This massive patch cards appeal to many different types of collectors. Player collectors will likely want to get a hold of these beauties. These are the kind of patches player collectors dream about when they get to add a new piece to their collection.
Set collectors might fancy these as well when they pictures what the entire set would look in one place.
Read More »
02.17
By Chris Olds | Editor
Panini America took a third step toward building a strong starting five of spokesmen on Thursday, adding Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant to its roster.
The former Texas Longhorn joins Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and No. 1 draft pick John Wall of the Washington Wizards as a spokesman and trading card ambassador.
He’ll be an exclusive to Panini and will apepar on the packaging for Absolute Memorabilia when it arrives in March — and based on the row of signed shoes in the background of the image seen here, he’ll be a likely candidate for signed memorabilia pieces as part of Panini America’s forthcoming autographed memorabilia line.
“I’m very excited to be a part of the Panini family and join great players like Kobe Bryant and John Wall for this partnership,” Durant said. “The idea of being on a trading card with Kobe is an amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to see it happen.”
Panini CEO Mark Warsop said he was excited by the signing.
“Kevin is one of those dynamic players that is fun to watch and is a player that excites collectors,” he said. “We are pleased that Kevin has now joined the Panini family, he will be a pillar of Panini’s NBA business for years to come.”
Panini is the exclusive NBA card licensee and also holds an exclusive marketing and advertising deal with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Here’s more … straight from Durant himself.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
