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Monthly Archives: June 2011
Stanley Cup coaches inscribe for 2010-11 Zenith
06.17
By Andrew Tolentino | Hockey Editor
Apparently, coaching a team through the rigorous NHL Playoffs isn’t a factor that interferes with the inking process.
According to Panini anecdote, a focused, yet friendly Claude Julien — head coach of the Boston Bruins — replied to a special inscription request with a brief, but effective can-do attitude. “No prob,” Julien wrote in a response to Panini’s appeal for a “2011 Stanley Cup Finals” inscription on one of his Behind the Bench inserts in 2010-11 Zenith Hockey.
Clearly the ink dried before game seven, as the request would have otherwise read something like “2011 Stanley Cup Champions” or “Do you like apples? We just won the Stanley Cup. How do you like them apples?”
Furthermore, the manufacturer also unveiled the same inscription from not-yet-vanquished Canucks coach Alan Vigneault. Eight more NHL coaches — including the likes of Lindy Ruff, Ron Wilson and Mike Babcock — offered only their names for the 10-coach autographed insert set.
See the gallery of signers after the jump. Read More
Upper Deck commemorates Bru-win with 31-’cahd’ set
06.17
By Andrew Tolentino | Hockey Editor
Long before the Boston Bruins hoisted the Stanley Cup on Wednesday night, Upper Deck had plans to pay respect to the winning fans and franchise by way of cardboard.
Now that several bearded Bruins are doing basically whatever the heck they want to do with Lord Stanley’s multifunctional trophy, the card maker has officially announced production plans for a commemorative box set.
“To commemorate Boston’s exciting win, we’ve put together this stunning 31-card collection that hockey fans, especially Bruins fans will simply go crazy for,” noted Josh Zusman, Upper Deck’s hockey brand manager.
The 31-”cahd” Beantown tribute includes: Read More
Football finds a home in Panini’s Timeless Treasures
06.17
By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor
Continuing to assert the fact that football cards — if not football itself — will be around in 2011, Panini America announced yesterday that the greats of the gridiron will have a home in one of its most beloved brands.
The Timeless Treasures line — with origins as an insert set in 2001 Classics Football — has made an impact in both basketball and even baseball cards, “But it’s never before been done in football,” verified Ben Ecklar, Panini America’s Director of Product Development. “So this product signifies a history-making opportunity – both for us internally in terms of being able to create from the ground up the first Timeless Treasures Football release, but also for collectors in terms of the opportunity to collect it. And trust me, they will want to collect it.”
Hitting shelves in late September, the high-end, tin-boxed brand is designed to dazzle. Read More
Showoff opportunity: The best of Beantown
06.16
By Andrew Tolentino | Hockey Editor
As Vancouver quiets its riot, there are plenty of fans reveling — some, more romantically than others — over Boston‘s game seven victory.
To celebrate the latest team to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup, we’ll definitely be featuring the Bru-win in the next issue of Beckett Hockey. But we also wanted to give Bru crew collectors a chance to commemorate their favorite hockey team in the coming magazine.
Collectors can participate in the print revelry by visiting this thread and posting a scan of their favorite Bruins card(s) or a picture showing the hobbyist and his/her notable Boston Bruins collectibles. Alternatively, these images can be sent to hockeymag@beckett.com for review.
We’re limited on space, so not all images will be used — but we’ll do the best we can to represent the hobby’s best of Beantown in the August issue of Beckett Hockey.
Hobby Q&A: California collector builds BGS 9.5 1986-87 Fleer set, opts to auction
06.16
By Chris Olds | Basketball Editor
One of the impressive basketball card collections ever amassed — a 1986-87 Fleer Basketball set all in 9.5 Gem Mint grade by Beckett Grading Services — has hit the auction block.
The set of all 132 cards was built by a 31-year-old private collector (who did not wish to be identified) based in Orange County, Calif., over a span of several years. He has opted to sell the set through Beckett Select Auctions, the sales division of Beckett Media. The bidding opens at $29,999.99 and the auction closes on Sunday.
How tough is this set to amass? There are 67 cards in the set that have population reports of 20 or fewer copies alone — and a BGS 9.5 Michael Jordan Rookie Card is a costly find, too.
What prompted the decision to sell such a lofty collecting goal? Unfortunate circumstances of real life.
Beckett Basketball caught up with the collector to talk about the set and the odyssey that was building it. Read a Q&A with him — and see many of the best cards in the set — after the jump.
Box Busters: 2011 SP Legendary Cuts baseball cards
06.15
Join Beckett Baseball’s Brian Fleischer and Chris Olds as they rip into not one, not two but four boxes of 2011 SP Legendary Cuts baseball cards from Upper Deck in this latest episode of Box Busters.
What will they find inside? What card could end up in your collection?
Watch and find out …
Panini readies Dallas Mavericks NBA champions set
06.15
By Chris Olds | Basketball Editor
If you haven’t heard, the Dallas Mavericks are the NBA champions.
And now comes the championship boxed set from Panini America, the exclusive trading card licensee of the NBA.
Unveiled on Wednesday, the 36-card set will include a card for every member of the team, highlight cards for all 16 playoff victories that came en route to the Larry O’Brien Trophy and cards of coach Rick Carlisle and a card noting Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki.
The set will arrive on July 14 but is available for pre-order on Panini’s website. Collectors who order there will be entered into a drawing to win an autographed Nowitzki game-used card if they are among the first 100 to pre-order.
See more images and get a full checklist … after the jump.
One Shaq fan can own a signed pack of Oreos
06.15
By Chris Olds | Basketball Editor
The Amusing Retiree, Shaquille O’Neal, has been one to watch on Twitter for some time now, but one of his latest tweets just might be one that has a SuperCollector or two (Have you entered your collection?) licking their chops.
Over what? A bag of Oreos. More specifically, an autographed bag of Triple Double Oreos along with a case of the cookies as a bonus that is up for grabs in a charity auction to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Newark.
Why? Why not?
“Even [though] I’m retired I’m still dunkin’” he tweeted Wednesday. “Get a signed [pack] of Triple Double Oreos and help.”
You may think the auction is a bit tongue in cheek — well, isn’t everything with Shaq these days? — but the cause is a good one and, well, it’s an unusual item. It’s one that the collector who has Everything Shaq simply won’t have — yet.
How much is the bidding, which ends Friday, up to?
Click the link above to find out …
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Basketball. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
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.
MLB stars design their own shirts for baseball fans
06.15
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
After two months of talking, designing and meetings, fans have an opportunity to own clothing designed by some of baseball’s biggest stars.
Major League Baseball’s Players Choice Signature Series jerseys and T-shirts are back for a third year. This time, the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera are putting their ideas on these unique products.
In addition, players from the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants have designed apparel for the 2011 season, including Carl Crawford, Kevin Youklis, Cliff Lee, Carlos Ruiz, Tim Lincecum, Cody Ross and Matt Cain.
The pieces of clothing are interesting because you have players’ direct input going into the product. Because the players are putting their personalty on shirt, the designs are uniquely different between players.
Would Justin Verlander’s second no-no of season have ignited interest in his baseball cards?
06.14
By Chris Olds | Baseball Editor | Commentary
Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander flirted with throwing his second no-hitter of the season Tuesday night against the Cleveland Indians, blanking his AL Central rivals before giving up a hit in the eighth and recording the win in a 4-0 victory.
His first no-no came on May 7 against the Blue Jays and it really didn’t generate much heat for his cards at all … it should have — and a second no-no should have propelled him firmly into the elite of MLB arms in many minds if not already there. It would have been his third career no-no — breaking a tie with Mark Buehrle and Roy Halladay for the most by an active MLB pitcher. (It’s worth noting that Verlander is the youngest of the three, too.)
Yet the slugger-centric mentality of the hobby might have left this one once again as one for the highlight reels — and not so much for his cards. It wasn’t to be — but I’m optimistic that such dominating showings might help a few collectors latch onto players whom they might not have in the past. You know, back in the days when we were all marveling at tape-measure home runs that turned out to be, um … wind-aided? (Yeah, that’s it … )
Or, perhaps — though I’d not agree — some may feel that he’s already too valuable.