By Chris Olds | Beckett Sports Card Monthly Editor

In an upcoming issue of Beckett Sports Card Monthly, we’re going to explore the world of college collecting.

While we haven’t yet ironed out all of the items we’ll have inside The College Issue — there are lots of options — one thing we know we do want is to hear from you. We want to know a few things about how your school ties tie into what you collect and how you collect.

I finished my college days at the University of Alabama — a school that has produced many Hall of Famers on the gridrion (both college and pro), produced quite a few MLB and NBA stars, and even some stars in the literary and media world. My collection is all over the map from my days down there — and it’s a collection with plenty of variety beyond just the football greats. (I’ll have plenty to potentially write about in that issue.)

But that’s for later. We want to know about your college collecting habits.

Give us your name and location and answer the following questions … we’ll run a selection of the most-interesting answers in the issue.

1. Name, where from and what school do you collect?

2. What do you collect for your school? (It could be anything — or any sport — in particular. Cards? Game-used memorabilia? Autographs?)

3. What one item, do you feel, is perfectly symbolic of your school? (It’s the must-own item … for Alabama, it might be a Paul “Bear” Bryant autograph.)

4. Is there one card set you collect heavily as part of your college collection?

5.  Other: What university or college do you feel is most-collected? (It may not be your school.)

Please feel free to add more in your comments. Also, feel free to add links to photos of your collection.

Are you a college SuperCollector? Submit your info using the instructions here.

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

By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor

As many continue to mourn and contemplate the loss of legendary Joe Paterno, the collecting world offers its cardboard tribute.

As many hobbyists may have already discovered, JoePa’s legacy on trading cards is a mere speck in comparison to his legacy at Penn State and beyond. Paterno — who died on Sunday at the age of 85 — had undoubtedly been blemished by the unspeakable abuse scandal. However, his 18-card hobby presence was too limited to see a significant dip in value.

Not uncommon for a career coach, particularly for one who never played professionally, Paterno only had a handful of product appearances and just one designated Rookie Card to chase. The majority of his cards come from various Penn State sets, ranging from $1 to $25 in value.

JoePa’s Hobby Numbers
18 total cards
$2,214.50 total value
0 memorabilia cards
1 Rookie Card
2 autograph cards

Accounting for 90 percent of that $2,214.50 total value, Paterno’s lone Rookie Card books for a $2,000 high value. Three of these cards have popped up on eBay with varying grades and Buy-it-Now options since the news of JoePa’s death broke yesterday morning. Naturally, a number of other Paterno card listings have also made their way to the secondary market — most prominently featuring the 1992 Front Row promo card.

Despite lingering controversy around his name, Paterno’s death signals a loss and a time to pay tribute in the hobby.

By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor | Commentary

Beyond the shock and dismay brought on by today’s key testimony in a preliminary hearing for the Jerry Sandusky trial, we managed to find a few cards of former Penn State player and assistant football coach Mike McQueary in the Beckett database.

The key witness has a total of three cards, but this one in particular sent some shivers.

While it’s barely legible in this image, McQueary’s card (1997 Penn State, card No. 15) offers an ominous coincidence. According to our database, this set and several others were apparently sponsored by The Second Mile — the youth charity that Sandusky founded in 1977.

Under normal circumstances, the hobby typically doesn’t have a direct correlation with a topic like this unfolding tragedy. This discovery is no exception, but just bizarre enough to stand out.