Filed under: Beckett Media, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2011 Bowman Platinum, baseball cards, Bowman Platinum, Bryce Harper, MLB, Topps
By Chris Olds | Editor
You might not have fully digested your first helping of Bowman Platinum, but the next helping is already here.
Topps released preview images and basic product information for 2011 Bowman Platinum on Thursday, a product that will arrive in late-June — just months after the product made its baseball debut.
There will be two prospect autographs as well as one autographed Relic in every 20-pack hobby box. Each 12-box case will include one multi-autograph card and redemptions for on-card autographs from the latest crop of USA Baseball players.
The product will mark a high-end (Chrome) arrival of Bryce Harper autographs as the 18-year-old No. 1 overall pick is slated to have a Chrome Refractor Prospect autograph in the product as well as appear on the triple-autograph card (top) also signed by Stephen Strasburg and Ryan Zimmerman.
Filed under: Beckett Media, MLB, Topps | Tags: baseball cards, Gypsy Queen, MLB, Topps
By Chris Olds | Editor
The Queen will now include some royalty.
Topps unveiled its plans for a new baseball card set styled in the fashion of an 1887 release some time ago, but on Friday the longest-running manufacturer of baseball cards announced a little something extra in packs of the forthcoming 2011 Gypsy Queen baseball cards.
Prince William and Kate Middleton — two members of Britain’s Royal Family — will appear on a card.
Building on the product’s “jewels” theme — which includes bonus cards of various gypsys (yeah, we’re mystified, too) — a “Royal Jewels” card can also be found in packs.
No word on a card of Enrico Palazzo, though.
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.
Filed under: MLB, Topps | Tags: 2011 Topps, baseball cards, Topps, Topps Anniversary Ring
By Chris Olds | Editor
Topps‘ 60th anniversary ring (the quick image here does it no justice) features 50 diamonds and will only be owned by a select few.
How rare will they be? Topps’ order has not been finalized — one could speculate perhaps 60 rings? Maybe more, maybe less …
What’s it worth? We’ll let the market take care of that when they arrive.
But what we do know is this:
— One Beckett Baseball reader will own the ring seen here. (Details to come in upcoming issues.)
— Ten randomly selected hobby shops will receive a ring as part of their Diamond Anniversary Kit to promote the product in stores.
— The remainder of the rings will be given away as part of the Diamond Anniversary program’s online codes found beginning in 2011 Topps Series 1 — the company’s anniversary product — that arrives soon. Code cards are found one in every four packs.
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.
Filed under: Beckett Media, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2011 Topps, baseball, baseball cards, MLB, Topps
Join Beckett Baseball‘s Chris Olds as he opens a pretty special box from Topps that contains something that just might be yours soon.
What’s inside? Watch and find out …
Filed under: Beckett Media, Hall of Fame, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2010 Topps Tribute, Babe Ruth, baseball, baseball cards, lou gehrig, MLB, Topps
By Chris Olds | Editor
A heavily scrutinized Topps baseball card featuring the autographs of nine members of the 1927 New York Yankees has been judged to be authentic, according to more than one authentication company, and will return to the auction block on Thursday.
However, the card’s examination wasn’t without a new caveat not previously mentioned publicly as the autograph of Lou Gehrig appears to have been painted around to obscure lesser signatures near it — making it more visually appealing — according to James Spence Jr. of James Spence Authentication.
How rare is this kind of alteration?
“More often than a flat item, multi-signed baseballs are often painted over to give the illusion that they appear as single-signed,” Spence said Thursday. “A company in California specializes in this type of craft.”
This aspect is noted on the Spence Letter of Authenticity, which will be included with the card when it is sold by Beckett Select Auctions , the consignment auction service division of Beckett Media. The auction will launch Thursday with an opening bid of $20,000. The auction will close on on Super Bowl Sunday following the game here in Dallas.
The 2010 Topps Tribute Legendary Lineup Cuts card features the signatures of Earle Combs, Mark Koenig, Babe Ruth, Gehrig, Bob Meusel, Tony Lazzeri, Joe Dugan, Pat Collins and Waite Hoyt — all on one booklet.
A redemption for the card was found by a collector in Missouri, who opted to sell the card through Beckett Select. The auction briefly ran in December with a starting bid of $20,000. However, Select ended the auction early as a precaution when it received multiple questions about the authenticity of the Ruth and Gehrig signatures.
Filed under: Beckett Media | Tags: baseball, baseball cards, Bowman Sterling, MLB, Topps
Join the Beckett Baseball crew of Brian Fleischer and Chris Olds as they rip into a pair of 2010 Bowman Sterling baseball cards from Topps in this latest edition of Box Busters.
What will they find inside? Watch and find out …
Filed under: Hall of Fame, In The Game, MLB | Tags: 2011 Heroes & Prospects Baseball "Hits" Series 1, baseball, baseball cards, In The Game, ITG, unlicensed cards
By Chris Olds | Editor
In The Game‘s foray into the baseball card market is inching closer toward a reality as 2011 Heroes & Prospects Baseball “Hits” Series 1 is set to arrive on Feb. 24 with a little something as its name suggests.
Hits.
Nothing more than hits.
Each box will contain five autograph or memorabilia cards — there are no base cards in the product — for a suggested retail price of $95. Every 12-box case will include a 1/1 card, while each master case is made up of four 12-box cases.
Although the product was announced at last year‘s National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore, ITG has opted for a spring training-timed release.
The product is mostly prospect-driven but does include memorabilia and autograph cards of Hall of Famers, retired stars and current MLB players. Some of the notable signers include Johnny Bench, Tommy Lasorda, Yogi Berra, Tom Seaver, Cal Ripken Jr., Nolan Ryan, Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly and Harmon Killebrew among others.
Notable prospects who signed for the set include Brandon Belt, Yonder Alonso, Wil Myers, Dellin Betances, Jameson Taillon, Kyle Drabek and Mike Trout to name a few.
What can you expect to find? See the images … after the jump.
