Panini readies Derek Jeter buyback autographs
By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor
Derek Jeter autographs are coming to Panini America products soon.
The company teased the fact Saturday morning via its Instagram account with a photo of a 2002 Donruss Studio card bearing the signature of the recently retired New York Yankees shortstop whose next baseball appointment awaits in Cooperstown in five years.
Jeter hasn’t had any new certified autographs in any meaningful kind of volume since 2010 when Upper Deck bowed out of the MLB card market after losing its MLB Properties license and settling a trademark infringement lawsuit. (The company did release Jeter autographs in 2012 SP Signature Edition but those did not show him on the actual cards.)
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Of Jeter’s 14,937 cards in the Beckett database — a collection worth more than $386,500 excluding rarities — there are 1,065 certified autographs. Upper Deck released 922 of those, while Fleer checked in with 79 and Topps released 30.
Details are still to come from Panini, but it’s a possibility that the Jeter autographs will make their debut in the second National Treasures baseball release, which was teased by the company earlier this year but has not yet been officially announced.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball and Beckett Sports Card Monthly magazines. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
I’m still very worried about Panini invading the last corner they haven’t plagued, Baseball.
Now they get derek auto…
What’s next: MLB License????