Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2011 Topps baseball, Albert Pujols, Diamond, MLB, Topps
By Chris Olds | Editor
Today’s the day that many had marked on their calendars — well, after Topps pushed up the release date — as it marked the arrival of the annual baseball card-collecting staple.
You know, the annual Topps Baseball set.
While our Box Busters review boxes are somewhere in an iced-over UPS truck likely stuck in a snow drift and the Beckett Media offices are closed for a second consecutive day, a little lot of snow ice wasn’t going to stop your idiot intrepid editor from journeying through the tundra to a Target store.
After a blaster box, jumbo pack and way-too-many loose packs to mention, here’s a selection of cards from this year’s set … after the jump.
Also be sure to take our poll — on whether you think 2011 Topps is a winner or a loser.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, Topps | Tags: 2011 Under Armour All-American Game, Braxton Miller, high school football, High School Standouts, Topps Under Armour Cards, Under Armour All-American White Team
By Andrew Tolentino | Assistant Editor
Perhaps outdone by the Red Team in the 2011 Under Armour All-American game, White Team players are nevertheless prospects for the hobby’s future.
Here’s a comprehensive look at Topps‘ exclusive autographs from these young stars: Continue reading
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, NHL, Panini | Tags: 1990-91 Score Hockey, 2011 nhl all-star game, all-star fan fest, Hockey, hockey cards, NHL, Panini, Panini America, Sidney Crosby, Steve Yzerman, Taylor Hall, wrapper redemptions
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
Raleigh, N.C., will be the place to be this weekend for hockey fans and hockey card collectors.
Upper Deck released its plans of the 2011 NHL All-Star Fan Fair and now Panini America’s plans are out for all to see.
One of the biggest ways card company’s give away items at these types of events is through wrapper redemption programs. It gets the customer to buy product in order to receive exclusive cards.
Panini’s redemption program highlights 1990-91 Score Hockey.
For every three packs of 2010-11 Panini NHL hobby packs a customer opens at the Panini booth, they will receive a two-card pack.
The set commemorating Score Hockey will have seven cards limited to 500 copies, but there are opportunities to get some great hits in each pack. Along with special inserts, collectors have the chance to find Rookie NHL patch autographs and other autos from players such as Sidney Crosby, Taylor Hall and Steve Yzerman.
See a gallery of the cards after the jump.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, NHL, Upper Deck | Tags: 2010-11 nhl ultimate, 2010-2011 nhl ultimate, alex ovechkin, hockey cards, Mark Messier, NHL, Taylor Hall, UD, Upper Deck, upper deck ultimate
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
With the NHL All-Star Game in less than a week, it’s never a bad time to look at hockey cards.
2010-2011 NHL Ultimate is gearing up to be a very impressive product on Upper Deck’s calendar, which is currently scheduled for mid-April.
We know how Ultimate works. You get one pack per box, and the hits can be worthwhile. Collectors can snag rare cards of players such as Alex Ovechkin, Mark Messier or Taylor Hall.
There are just four cards in a pack, but collectors get one autograph, one memorabilia and one rookie card in each pack. A 15-box case will yield one autographed-memorabilia card, three to four patch cards and three “A” Level autos on average.
Many of the best past and present players are included.
The NHL shield patch cards already seem to be favorite for some collectors.
Look for more pictures after the jump.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, Leaf | Tags: Ali, boxing, boxing cards, boxing trading cards, Hulk Hogan, Magic Johnson, Mickey Rourke, Muhammad Ali, Nolan Ryan, Pro Sports
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
On Sunday, we had a quick peek at some of the rarest cards in the Muhammad Ali trading card set Leaf Trading Cards is producing.
Slowly, Leaf is letting a few pictures trickle out as its teases collectors with this set that should be released in February. This time there are five cards from a subset that include associates, fans and opponents of the greatest boxer in history.
While these cards are the autograph versions, which are all numbered to 5, there are more common versions of these cards available in the product.
Of this group, my favorites are the ones where there is a picture with Ali. Leaf is obviously limited to certain pictures, but they definitely used pictures they had with Ali whenever possible.
How do you feel this set is shaping up?
Susan Lulgjuraj is a contributing editor for Beckett Media. You can email Susan here. Follow her on Twitter here.
Filed under: Card gallery, Hall of Fame, MLB, Panini | Tags: 2010 Century Collection, Andre Dawson, Babe Ruth, baseball, baseball cards, Baseball Hall of Fame, Bob Feller, Cooperstown, Don Mattingly, Eddie Murray, Fergie Jenkins, Jim Rice, Joe Jackson, MLB, New York Yankee, new york yankees, Panini America, Paul Molitor, Pete Rose, Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew, Ron Santo, Will Clark, Yankees
By Chris Olds | Editor
Panini America may not be an official trading card licensee of Major League Baseball, but you wouldn’t know that from the company’s legendary inclusions in the forthcoming 2010 Century Collection set.
No, there aren’t any MLB logos or airbrushed uniforms in the multi-sport and non-sport product — it’s high school and casual photography — but it’s clear that the autograph and memorabilia assets left over from the Donruss days are getting good use and much of it will be in the hands of collectors starting this week.
In fact, it’s that non-traditional photography that might make these cards stand out from others — whether the significance or story behind the photo is noted on the card or not. (They likely aren’t … in their place an authenticity statement.) For example, the Paul Molitor card shown above is from his behind-the-scenes tour of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., back in 2004.
The bat he’s holding? It’s a Babe Ruth gamer.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, NBA, Panini, Upper Deck | Tags: 2010-11 absolute memorabilia basketball, Absolute memorabilia basketball, Basketball, John Wall, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, NBA, Panini, Panini America
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
It’s been a year since anyone has pulled a Kevin Durant autograph card from a new product.
Fans of the Oklahoma City forward will only have to wait just a bit longer. Durant’s autographed cards will appear in Panini’s high-end 2010-11 Absolute Memorabilia Basketball, which is scheduled to release March 6.
Even though Panini already has five products out for the 2010-11 basketball season, none of them has had a Durant auto.
See highlights from Absolute Memorabilia Basketball after the jump.
Filed under: Card gallery, Donruss, NFL, Panini | Tags: 2010 donruss rated rookie football, Donruss, football cards, football rookie cards, NFL, NFL cards, Panini America, rated rookies
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
You have seen all the rookies this football season.
Some of them have lived up the hype. Others you would like to forget about. Then, there were rookies who just did their job and stayed out of them media spotlight.
No matter who that rookie was, there is a good chance you’ll find him in 2010 Donruss Football Rated Rookie Boxed Set.
You don’t have to comb through veterans in this set. This self-contained collection includes 100 Rated Rookies and one autograph for $19.99.
These cards should be out next week and it’s a cheap way to get your favorite NFL rookies.
There is an extensive photo gallery after the jump. Panini loves showing off its football.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, NBA, Panini | Tags: 2010-11 Donruss basketball, Boston Celtics, Donruss, donruss basketball, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Panini, Panini America
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
I was feeling a bit nostalgic today after looking at the 2010-11 Donruss Basketball card gallery.
These cards just feel oldschool. They feel like something I would have collected when I was just an itty, bitty kid – and that isn’t a bad thing.
Panini America released a massive preview on the product that releases on Jan. 5. There are a number of elements from with jersey cards, autographs, die-cards and flashy Holokote parallels.
Each box yields 24 packs with 10 (!) cards per pack. There are three autograph or memorabilia cards, and more than 20 die-cut cards per box.
The DUOS short-prints are available one in every other box.
What do you think of this product so far?
See the massive gallery after the jump.
Filed under: Card gallery, NFL, Panini | Tags: 2010 national treasures football, game-used memorabilia, national treasures footbal, Panini America, Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
Panini America released more than just a sneak peek today. They provided images that practically have Sirens singing in the backgrounds.
They released a gallery of photos of the some of the game-used memorabilia that will become part of 2010 National Treasures Football.
And the expectations will be high after this.
Some of the swatches are from the league’s top players. Others are from some of the most sought after football stars. Either way, the product is on its way to becoming something football die-hard fans are going to chase after.
See a gallery of game-used swatches after the jump.
Filed under: Card gallery, NFL, Panini | Tags: 2010 Gridiron Gear, Broncos, Browns, Colt McCoy, Florida Gators, football, football cards, Gridiron Gear, Jimmy Clausen, NFL, NFL draft, Notre Dame, Panini, Panini America, Panthers, Texas Longhorns, Tim Tebow
By Chris Olds | Editor
Panini America released a handful of preview images to tease what’s coming in 2010 Gridiron Gear, which arrives this week with some hidden surprises.
What kinds of surprises?
Well, for starters there are the Rookie Gridiron Gems cards that have an autograph on a jersey swatch that is concealed inside the card. Collectors can pull out its inner panel to see the entire signature.
You’ll see more of the cards after the jump, and you see the rest of the cards from the set online starting with a batch right here and you’ll have the chance to win one of these cards from a top running back in the class in the next issue of Beckett Football. (That’ll be in hobby shops and chain stores around the country by next month … )
Until then, you can see five cards — before and after autograph reveals — after the jump.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, NFL, Panini | Tags: 2010 national treasures football, 2010 NFL Players Rookie Premiere, cj spiller, Panini America, pen pal autographs, Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
Panini America really took advantage of the 2010 NFL Rookies Premiere in May. With all the rookies in one spot, officials from the company got on-card autographs for some of its sets.
One of these includes the 2010 National Treasure Football Pen Pal Autographs subset.
2010 National Treasures is Panini’s final and most expensive product of the year and it looks like they aren’t holding anything back. Besides on-card autographs, which we all love, the product also features the rookies in their NFL helmet.
Last year’s set only had the guys in their college uniform.
Pen Pal Autographs offer so many different combinations of rookies, you’re bound to find your favorite grouped together. Pen Pal Autographs will come with two to eight signatures on the card.
The set it is scheduled to be released in early March with a $400 price tag.
See a gallery of Pen Pal Autographs inside.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, NBA, Upper Deck | Tags: 2010-11 sp authentic basketball, Basketball, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, michael jordan north carolina, NBA, SP Authentic, Tar Heels, UNC
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
Earlier this week, Upper Deck announced it was moving forward with 2010-11 SP Authentic Basketball with big news that every 12-box case will include autographs from one of a couple of pretty big names.
It’s a college- and high school-themed set under the Collegiate Licensing Company.
Each box will have two SP By the Letter Autographs or one By the Letter Autograph and an additional autograph OR a Michael Jordan North Carolina Supreme Court floor card.
Upper Deck released images of the set with some of the biggest stars, including the Jordon Supreme Court card. The Supreme Court card is a 1.5’’x2’’ piece of the floor that Jordan played on while at North Carolina.
See more photos after the jump.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, NHL, Pro Sports, Upper Deck | Tags: 2010-11 Upper Deck Series One Hockey, Box busters, Dino Ciccarelli, Jordan Staal, Steve Yzerman, Turkey Day
By Andrew Tolentino | Assistant Editor
Before feasting with family and friends this week, Beckett senior market analyst, Tim Trout and I opened a 24-pack box of 2010-11 Upper Deck Series One Hockey at the Box Busters dinner table. The 192-card pulling session delivered two jersey cards and hearty helping of inserts and anniversary parallels.
Below is a whistle-wetting sample of our pre-Turkey day cardboard dinner. Continue reading
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, First look, NFL, Panini | Tags: football, Jerry Rice, john wlway, Johnny Unitas, National Treasures, NFL, Panini, Panini America, Playoff National Treasures, Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
Those sneaky card guys over at Panini America couldn’t hang on to photos of 2010 National Treasures Football any longer. They couldn’t keep the lid on the final and most expensive product in their 2010 football line.
National Treasures is consistently one of the most anticipated sets since it debuted in 2006. The high-end product features sharp photos, beautiful patches and a good mix of legend, veteran and rookie autographs.
The product isn’t due out until March 2, 2011, but Panini just couldn’t hide its preview photos any longer.
A $400-pack gets you eight cards. The preview photos show players such as Tom Brady, Johnny Unitas and Sam Bradford, all guys at the top of the game or quickly on the rise.
See the gallery — and more — after the jump.
Filed under: Card gallery, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2010 Topps Update, baseball, baseball cards, MLB, sketch cards, Topps Update
By Chris Olds | Editor
You might not have noticed them buried deep in the sea of odds on wrappers of 2010 Topps Update baseball cards, but the set includes the first collector-created Sketch Cards ever released into a pack.
A limited number of those blank sketch cards found in packs of 2010 Topps Series 2 have been returned with added ink, pencil or other media and are framed as 1/1s and found in packs. (We’ll not bother telling you the odds in Update. It’s a bit depressing.)
Topps recently teased a few of the cards that are found in Update packs.
See a gallery of the images after the jump.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, In The Game, MLB, Pro Sports, USA Baseball | Tags: baseball, baseball cards, christian colon, dr. price, In The Game, ITG, jameson taillon, manny machado, mike trout, minor league, tin beckham, USA Baseball
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
In August, In The Game announced it was putting together its first baseball card set.
It’s been a while since we heard from them, but that’s because the company has been hard at work. Initially, the set was to be released this month, but was delayed until January as they put together the final touches.
In The Game is putting out a new product for a new year.
The company released teaser photos recently for 2011 Heroes and Prospects Baseball Hits. Series 1 is planned to be out in January with Series 2 scheduled to be released in March.
See more photos after the jump.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Card gallery, NBA, NFL, NHL, Panini, Pro Sports | Tags: 2010 fall expo, 2010-11 Donruss Hockey, Donruss, Eric Staal, Evan Turner, Joe Thornton, John Wall, Jonas Gustavsson, Kobe Bryant, Mario Lemieux, Panini, Panini America, Patrick Roy, rated rookies, Ray Borque, Ryan Miller, Sam Bradford, Steve Yzerman, Steven Stamkos, Taylor Hall, Tim Tebow, Tyler Seguin
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor
Panini America announced its plans for the 2010 Toronto Sportcard and Memorabilia Fall Expo, which starts Nov. 12.
Canada may be known as hockey country and Panini is doing what they can with the sport, but the company is not forgetting basketball or football.
Collectors will get a two-card Expo-exclusive pack for every five packs they open from Panini’s multisport roster of products or a full box of 2010-11 Score Hockey. The packs and boxes must be opened at the company’s booth.
See what you can get after the jump.
The Beckett Blog 
