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.
Filed under: Beckett Media, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2011 Topps, baseball, baseball cards, MLB, New York City, Topps, Topps Diamond Dig
By Chris Olds | Editor
Move over Zales, Topps is taking over.
Topps unveiled on Tuesday its plans to make 10 lucky couples the possible winner of a diamond engagement ring as a tie-in to its 60th anniversary — a diamond anniversary — of making baseball cards.
Couples who produce a 90-second video and post it to the company’s Facebook page will have the chance to be one of the lucky 10 who will compete, on Valentine’s Day no less, for the chance at a ring.
Filed under: MLB, Topps | Tags: 2010 Bowman Platinum, baseball, baseball cards, Bowman Platinum, Box busters, MLB
Join Beckett Baseball’s Chris Olds and Brian Fleischer as they rip into a pair of 2010 Bowman Platinum baseball boxes from Topps in this latest episode of Box Busters.
What will they find inside? Watch and find out …
Filed under: MLB, Topps | Tags: 2010 Bowman Draft, baseball, baseball cards, Box busters, MLB, Refractors, Strasburg, Topps
Join Beckett Baseball’s Chris Olds and Brian Fleischer as they rip into a pair of 2010 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects 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, non-sports sets, Panini | Tags: astronaut autographs, baseball, celebrity memorabilia, Century Collection, football, Hockey, NASA, Panini America
Join Beckett Media’s Chris Olds and Bryan Hornbeck as they rip into a pair of 2010 Panini Century Collection boxes in this latest episode of Box Busters.
What will they find inside? Watch and find out …
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: MLB, Topps | Tags: baseball, baseball cards, collecting, Collecting cards, MLB, new york yankees, Nick Swisher, Sports Cards, Topps, Yankees, Yanks
By Chris Olds | Editor
It’s a simple question with not-so-simple answers most of the time.
Why do you collect who you collect?
For some, it’s a money thing. For some, it’s a fandom thing. For others, it’s a hometown hero thing — or some moment that latched their hobby targets onto a player.
For Beckett regular Abe Doctor, it was a visit to Chick-fil-A.
Really. And it involves a certain baseball player you’re probably well aware of from my showcasing my personal tastes here and there through the years.
Read his story after the jump … then please tell us who you collect — and why — if you’re so inclined.
Filed under: Beckett Media, Hall of Fame, MLB, Topps | Tags: 1927 Yankees, 2010 Topps Tribute, 2010 Topps Tribute Legendary Lineup, autograph authentication, Autographs, Babe Ruth, Babe Ruth autograph, baseball, baseball cards, Beckett Select, Cut Autographs, James Spence, lou gehrig, Lou Gehrig autograph, MLB, new york yankees, PSA, Yankees, Yankees cut autograph, Yanks
By Chris Olds | Editor
A heavily scrutinized Topps cut autograph card featuring the starting lineup of the 1927 New York Yankees is off the auction block and headed for additional examination.
Filed under: First look, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2011 Topps, baseball, baseball cards, MLB, new york yankees, Robinson Cano, Topps
By Chris Olds | Editor
The annual Topps baseball card set is one that always gets plenty of attention and often every little detail gets examined.
That’s what happens when you’re a product that has existed year-in, year-out for 60 years.
Here’s what you’ll need to be looking for when the cards arrive in February … a first look at the packaging, which features New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano.
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 Gypsy Queen, 2011 Topps Heritage, 2011 Topps Tribute, Alex Rodriguez, Atlanta Braves, baseball, baseball cards, Hank Aaron, Milwaukee Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, MLB, Topps, Yankees
By Chris Olds | Editor
First it was Sandy Koufax, now it’s “Hammerin’ Hank.”
Topps announced on Wednesday morning that it is adding former home run champ and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron to its 2011 autograph lineup — Aaron’s first signatures for the company in five years.
Aaron’s first 2011 autograph will be found in Topps Heritage as part of the Real One Autographs program, while he will also appear in 2011 Topps Tribute and the company’s inaugural 2011 Gypsy Queen baseball set.
The former Atlanta braves great last appeared on a Topps autograph card in 2005 — also in Topps Heritage — and on a 2005 Bowman Two of a Kind autograph card paired with potential future home run champion, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.
Filed under: Beckett Media, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2010 Bowman Sterling, 2011 Topps, baseball, Bowman Sterling, Bryce Harper, Bryce Harper autograph, Diamond Anniversary, MLB, Topps
By Chris Olds | Editor
This year’s Bowman Sterling baseball card set may have been delayed into 2011, but some might say Tuesday’s news makes it worth the wait.
It’s Bryce Harper … and it’s autographed.
Topps announced on Tuesday that the 18-year-old No. 1 draft pick of the Washington Nationals will be part of a sneak preview of the company’s 2011 Diamond Anniversary autographs in Sterling, which will arrive on Jan. 19.
The inscribed cards will be found throughout 2011 Topps products, while Harper — who may not see major league action for a season or two — cannot. He’ll only appear in an MLB uniform in Bowman-branded products per the MLB Rookie Card rules for manufacturers. (Not that this card does not use an MLB logo.)
Harper, who is signed to Topps exclusively for autographs and memorabilia, signed a total of 60 cards with three inscriptions — “Happy 60th Topps”, “Happy 60th” and “Happy Birthday Topps.”
Could Harper’s inclusion be a sign of what’s to come in 2011? Only time will tell.
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: First look, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2011 Topps, 2011 Topps short-prints, Adrian Gonzlaez, baseball, baseball cards, Boston Red Sox, Carl Crawford, MLB, Red Sox, Topps
By Chris Olds | Editor
The Boston Red Sox have been busy adding new talent this off-season and that means that Topps has been busy, too.
With a little help from Photoshop.
Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez — two players who will have cards topping the next Beckett Baseball Hot List — will appear in Red Sox uniforms in the 2011 Topps set, the company announced on Friday.
Because of their late additions, the cards will be short-prints.
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, Hall of Fame, MLB, Topps | Tags: 1927 New York Yankees, 2010 Topps Tribute, Autographs, Babe Ruth, baseball, baseball cards, Cut Autographs, lou gehrig, MLB, new york yankees, Topps, Yankees
Beckett Select Auctions, the consignment auction service division of Beckett Media, has sold a few notable cards through the years for collectors who wanted a bit more security with their high-dollar transactions.
This latest auction, which starts tonight, just might be one of the bigger items that Select has ever offered.
Beckett Baseball‘s Chris Olds and Brian Fleischer discuss one collector’s once-in-a-lifetime find with Beckett Select’s Dave Sliepka.
What’s the card? You’ll have to watch the video to find out…
For more on the auction of a legendary Topps creation or Beckett Select, visit Beckett.com/Select.
Once the auction goes live tonight, you will find the information right here.
Filed under: First look, Hall of Fame, MLB, Topps | Tags: 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen, Autographs, baseball, baseball cards, Gypsy Queen, MLB, Topps, Vintage Cards
By Chris Olds | Editor
Move over Allen & Ginter, there’s a new queen in town.
Topps released the basic product information for its 2011 Gypsy Queen baseball card set on Wednesday, a retro-styled release modeled after the 1887 N174 set of the same name.
Scheduled to arrive in late-April, the Queen will deliver two autographed cards and two Relic cards in every 24-pack hobby box as well as a 10-card mini box inside.
The base set will consist of 450 cards — 50 of those short-printed variations — with a mix of current players, Hall of Famers and rookies in the mix. There will be seven base cards and three parallel cards in every pack.
See the images — and read more — after the jump.
Filed under: MLB, Topps | Tags: 2010 Bowman Draft, baseball, baseball cards, MLB, Topps
While we’ve already brought to you a first look at the 2010 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects checklists, Topps offered up its own take on the product that arrives this week.
What did it tout?
The fact that there are 23 of the top 32 draft picks on the autograph checklist, which includes pick Nos. 2-5.
No. 1 pick, Bryce Harper, though — a Topps exclusive — will only have a limited Aflac buyback autograph and will make his MLB debut in 2011 Bowman-branded lines.
See its rundown in full after the jump.
The Beckett Blog 