Collector Issues Part 1: Mike Aronstein and TCMA

While flipping through the April 1998 edition of Sports Card Magazine and Price Guide, I stumbled upon a fascinating article authored by T.S. O’Connell titled “Collector Issues” with a subheading that read ‘Once upon a time in the hobby, there weren’t enough cards for collectors to collect (no kidding)… so TCMA, Larry Fritsch, and Mike … Read more

Trifectas of Treasure: 10 Legendary Sports Cards Featuring 3 Players

Among the myriad of sports cards, there’s a unique subset that features not just one, not two, but three iconic players on a single card. These cards capture extraordinary convergences of talent, highlighting team success, legendary individual accomplishments, a bit of hobby history, and family success. In this post, I’ll share ten of the most … Read more

Off-Center Gems: A Closer Look at the 1980s Fleer Basketball Sticker Sets

A few weeks ago, I highlighted the 1971-72 Topps Basketball Stickers as a high-grade collector’s nightmare. So I thought I’d follow up with a discussion about the basketball card sticker sets that Fleer included as part of the first modern-era basketball sets. Like the ’71 Topps stickers, the 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1989 Fleer basketball … Read more

A High-Grade Collector’s Nightmare: The 1971-72 Topps Basketball Stickers

You’ll sometimes see the 1971-72 Topps Basketball Stickers insert set referred to as Topps Trios or insert sticker panels, but no matter the name, one thing is certain, they’re really hard to find in nice condition. Sports Collectors Daily actually called them a “high-grade collector’s nightmare.” And they’re right; of 4627 stickers submitted to PSA, … Read more

Cracking the Code: How to Decipher Vintage Topps Case Stamps

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a few tweets and an update in Newsletter #29, highlighting some cool empty cases that Collect Auctions sold in their March 2023 Spring Auction. The Topps Archives, an extraordinary hobby blog, also featured some of these cases in a pair of articles titled “Shipping Out” and “Highly Anticipated.” … Read more

The Chase Continues: Exploring Upper Deck’s 1991 Autograph Heroes Series

Today, in the world of sports card collecting, few things generate as much excitement as the chase for rare cards from packs. Upper Deck, one of the industry’s most influential and innovative companies, knew this better than anyone. In 1990, they launched the “Find The Reggie” promotion, which featured an autographed card of baseball legend … Read more

The Basketball Cards of Sihugo Green, The Player Drafted Ahead of Bill Russell

Sihugo Green was the first pick in the 1956 NBA Draft, by the Rochester Royals, after an extremely successful career at Duquesne University. However, you’ll often find him ranked among the most overrated draft picks of all-time, partially because he was picked ahead of Bill Russell. But Green still enjoyed a moderately successful career that … Read more

Topps File Sets Part 2: Reselling History – Notable Sales of Topps File Albums

Since the 1989 Guernsey’s Topps Auction, many of the Topps file albums that were sold have changed hands again. These pieces of history have continued to captivate collectors and enthusiasts of sports cards, with some albums fetching really high prices at subsequent auctions. In this article, I’ll take a closer look at some notable resales … Read more

Ten Awesome Oddball Chicago Bulls Team Sets

If you’re a basketball card collector, odds are you’re familiar with the Chicago Bulls’ iconic red and black jerseys and their legendary players like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. But did you know that the Bulls released some great oddball trading card sets through the years? These sets were often used as promotions to entice … Read more

From Fleer to Hoops to SkyBox: The Rise Of Basketball Cards And Their Marketing In The Early 90s

Recently, I wrote an article discussing Topps’ rivals Donruss and Fleer’s entry into the baseball card market in 1981. Well, a similar thing occurred in the basketball industry during the late 80s and early 90s with the arrival of Hoops and SkyBox to challenge Fleer. This article will look at the marketing clash that came … Read more