By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

Chicago White Sox pitcher Phillip Humber — a right-hander from Texas with an 11-10 career record and not a single complete game entering Saturday’s contest at Safeco Field — threw nine perfect innings against the Seattle Mariners for just the 21st gem in MLB history.

In all, Humber appears on just 539 cards in the Beckett.com database with 219 of those featuring a certified autograph and a total value of more than $3,250. (Need a complete Humber checklist or OPG? Click here.) He appears on 33 Rookie Cards beginning in 2005 when he was a member of the New York Mets, many an affordable option.

His most valuable RC before the news was his 2005 Leaf Limited card, an autographed issue limited to just 99 copies, that typically sells for $50 or less. In all, 14 of his RCs were produced by Upper Deck, while Donruss/Playoff produced 11 and Topps made just eight.

For those who have an autograph and want more of a challenge, Humber only appears on 25 different game-used memorabilia cards to collect. His first game-used cards were made in 2002 when he appeared on cards showing him with USA Baseball.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor | Commentary

One single card teased on Thursday by Panini America shows that there’s nothing casual about the return edition of Prime Cuts, which is packing out as we speak for an arrival soon.

This Joe Jackson Barrel Up insert is as serious as it gets.

It’s the first of its kind as the Jackson barrel would not be allowed with an MLB Properties license as Jackson is on baseball’s Ineligible List for his role in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Because of that, Jackson has far fewer cards in the Beckett.com database than others of similar lore. (Want a full checklist or a Joe Jackson OPG? Click here.)

In all, Jackson appears on just 231 cards — 42 of those being memorabilia cards, most made by the Donruss/Playoff company after it lost its MLB license in 2005 and before Panini acquired its assets in 2009. Those simple small-chip bat cards regularly command more than $100. This one?

“Putting a value on such a rare piece of baseball memorabilia is difficult, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the card surpasses the $10,000 mark,” said Beckett Baseball Senior Market Analyst Brian Fleischer. “As a comparison, Babe Ruth barrel cards — he has 13 total — have sold in the past in the $5,000-$10,000 range. With this being the first and only in existence, I don’t think five figures is out of the question. This is certainly one of the most important and desirable memorabilia cards produced in the modern era.”

Now, with Panini back in the baseball game with an MLBPA license — which does allow the use of players on the Ineligible list — crazy cardboard like this can exist.

In a word, wow.

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Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

A one-of-a kind “Shoeless” Joe Jackson card was given away by Leaf at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago.

You’ve read the story … now see it happen.