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TOP STORY
SHAQ'S ARRIVAL CREATING BUZZ IN FLORIDA HOBBY SHOPS
Sports fans and collectors in South Florida are probably not sure whether to laugh or cry these days.
The good news is the Miami Heat legitimized itself as an instant championship contender by acquiring the NBA’s most dominating player, Shaquille O’Neal, in a trade with the Lakers. But just as Miami fans were putting the finishing touches on their celebration came the stunning news that Dolphins’ running back Ricky Williams was walking away from the NFL just days prior to the start of training camp.
The comings and goings in Miami had a direct effect on the memorabilia industry in the area as well. Shaq-related items have been through the roof since the announcement was made early in the month, while Williams’ collectibles have fizzled.
“The demand for Shaq items is extremely high right now,” said BC Sports Collectibles store manager Christian Laboy. “We’re out of sets featuring him, but his single cards are really moving. It’s not just the Shaq stuff, though – it’s anything Heat-related, which is just more of the same from the end of last year.”
According to Fallon Sierachik of Collectors Depot in Fort Lauderdale, the buzz regarding O’Neal’s items began literally minutes after the trade was announced.
“The day it was announced, it really made a difference,” Sierachik said. “We sold autographs and 12 rookie cards that day, and we’ve stocked up on everything we can get since then.”
The buzz surrounding O’Neal’s return to Florida has spread across the state. “We’ve definitely seen more interest in Shaq’s cards,” said Alan Narz, owner of Big League Cards near Orlando. “His singles are selling very well once again. There was some speculation he was going to return to Orlando. Had he returned to the Magic, it literally would have blown the roof off our sales for the year.”
As for Williams, dealers are having to discount his items significantly because fans are upset with the former running back for walking away from the Dolphins. “Most of the people around here are angry and are questioning why (Williams) left,” Laboy said. “We’ve marked down a lot of his stuff and I know of a guy who’s actually sitting on over $1 million worth of his jerseys, so I guess it could be worse.”
– Scott Fragale
IN THIS EDITION
COLLECTOR PULLS MANTLE IN TRISTAR'S HIDDEN TREASURE
Chris LeBlanc used a $20 investment to uncover a nearly $20,000 card … and a lifetime of memories. On June 4, the 25-year-old LeBlanc went into his local Wal-Mart in Crowley, La., to purchase diapers and a few items for his 1-year-old son, Chris Jr.
"I saw the Tristar Hidden Treasure (product), with the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle picture on the outside of the wrapping and just thought, 'Yeah, like I'd ever win that, but I'll take a shot nonetheless.'"
LeBlanc bought two packs and when he got home, his girlfriend was upset he spent their gas money on baseball cards. However, inside one of those packs was the Grand Treasure: A redemption card good for a ’52 Mantle card, graded 5.5 by Beckett, and valued at about $18,000.
“It didn't completely hit me until I saw the (replica) Mickey Mantle card," he said. "That's when I turned pale white. I was speechless for at least an hour. I didn't know who to call, what to do, where to go."
LeBlanc was back at the Crowley Wal-Mart on July 30 – along with former major leaguer Ron Guidry, Tristar President Jeff Rosenberg and even the Crowley mayor, Isabella dela Houssaye. Plus a throng of area media, both print and TV. It was Grand Presentation Day, when Rosenberg traded LeBlanc the real '52 Mantle for the redemption card.
"I still can't believe that I got a Mantle rookie card," said LeBlanc, who had told only a few friends that he had pulled such a prized relic. "I'm thinking about keeping (the card), but most likely I'm going to sell it. No one really knows what someone might pay for this card - $15,000, $20,000, maybe more. It'd be great to have that much money for the business, or for my kids."
– Ross Forman
JERSEYS COULD REACH $100K IN HUNT SALE
Headlined by personal items from Hall of Famer Tim Keefe, including a circa 1880s game-worn New York Giants jersey, and a 1954 Roy Campanella home Dodgers jersey, Hunt Auctions’ Aug. 20-21 auction will feature more than 1,400 lots in two live sessions at the Inn at Chester Springs in Exton, Pa.
The Keefe jersey carries a pre-auction estimate of $75,000-$100,000. The Campanella jersey boasts an estimate of $100,000-$125,000.
Several important items of vintage baseball equipment will also cross the block, including a 1965 Johnny Podres Dodgers road jersey, a 1965 Harmon Killebrew Minnesota Twins road jersey and a 1955 Pee Wee Reese game-used glove.
Items from all sports will be available at the auction. One of the highlights of Saturday’s session will be the sale of 46 lots of Philadelphia Flyers related material in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the club’s inaugural Stanley Cup championship in 1973-74. Featured items include a 1973-74 Dave Schultz Flyers road jersey (estimate: $20,000-$30,000), Bernie Parent’s Flyers Stanley Cup trophy ($7,500-$10,000), and his game-used goalie mask (circa 1972-73, $20,000-$30,000).
The entire auction catalog may be viewed online at www.huntauctions.com, where bids may also be placed.
CARD COMPANIES UNVEIL 2004 NBA ROOKIES
Six weeks after the 2004 NBA Draft, more than two dozen rookies selected on that night got to put on their NBA uniforms for the first time at the New York Knicks’ Practice Facility in Tarrytown, N.Y. – about one hour north of New York City.
The reason, a photo shoot coordinated by NBA Properties to provide photography of the next generation of NBA stars for the three NBA-licensed card companies – Fleer, Topps and Upper Deck – as well as NBA Entertainment.
A total of 30 first-year players accepted the NBA’s invitation for two days of picture taking, autograph signing, interview requests and the chance to mingle with the rest of the 2004 NBA rookie class. The lineup featuring 22 of the 29 first rounders included 17 of the top 20 picks. Only Emeka Okafor (#2 Charlotte), Andris Biedrins (#11 Golden State) and Robert Swift (#12 Seattle) unable to attend from the top 20.
“We already shot Emeka because we knew he would be away with Team USA,” explained Lisa Goldberg of the NBA. “We’re also making plans to shoot some of the other top players, either at private sessions or during the team media days. Today is all about getting the first photos that we can of the new upcoming rookie class. Without such an event, the trading card releases that come out at the beginning of the year would not be able to get images of players in uniform. We know that is important to collectors so we have worked hard to help make it happen.”
According to Goldberg, the planning for the event began immediately after the June 19 NBA Draft when the league sent out invitations to all of the first round picks. The invitation was extended beyond the first-round as spots became available in the 30-player field.
“This event is critical. A lot of players might not get too much time in the preseason and this allows us to create dynamic photography that we may not otherwise be able to get during season,” explains Gary Toll, Creative Sports Manager for the Upper Deck Company.
One of the other reasons why it runs much smoother is that companies focused more of their efforts on the basics and less on crazy stunts. Although each company has at least one trick up their sleeve, they have come to realize the main goal is to get portrait and action photography as well as event worn memorabilia and autographs.
“Our primary focus is portrait and action photography, but one special station we have is our retro shoot. Each player will photographed in a retro jersey and pose like you would see in 1960’s or 70’s card,” explained Al Ainspan of Fleer. “The retro card will also include a swatch of the event worn retro jersey pictured on the card.
The festivities seemed to magically transform the 2004 class back to the days of their youth.
"You would have thought they were 12-year-old kids, not NBA rookies when they received those cards," said Clay Luraschi PR Manager for Topps
-- Doug Drotman
ONLINE AUCTIONEER
by Don Fluckinger
- 1. $14,295: 1948 Play Ball Joe DiMaggio, PSA 8
- 2. $9,211.11: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, SGC 86
- 3. $9,099: 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan, PSA 10
- 4. $7,988.88: 2003-04 UD Exquisite Rookies LeBron James
- 5. $7,200: 1988 Super Bowl ring owned by ex-49er Riki Ellison
NO MORE NOMAR: Sox fans are still stunned that the face of the franchise since 1997, Nomar Garciaparra, suddenly departed for the Cubbies in a deadline trade July 31. What will it do for his memorabilia? Stay tuned, if he helps slay the billy goat and the Cubs win the World Series, it can only rocket to the top of the charts. As Sox fans flood eBay with his stuff, the highest bid-getters include $710 for a game-used bat, $603 for a Beckett pristine-graded 1992 Topps Traded rookie in the USA Baseball suit, and $401 for a PSA 10 gold parallel of that rookie card.
For the complete Top 10 list, see the latest issue of Sports Collectors Digest.
FSN AIRING NFL ROOKIE PREMIERE
Fox Sports Net is airing highlights of the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere presented by 989 Sports this month. The program is hosted by Chris Rose of FSN’s “Best Damn Sports Show, Period.” The show, co-produced by Kestrel Communications, was filmed in May in Los Angeles as top picks Eli Manning, Robert Gallery, Larry Fitzgerald, Philip Rivers, Kellen Winslow Jr. and others donned their official NFL team uniforms for the first time for trading card photo shoots.
During the four-day outing, the rookies also made some of their first public appearances as pros, stopping at a local hobby shop to sign autographs for fans, visiting pediatric patients at Cedars-Sinai Hospital and appearing on Best Damn Sports Show Period. Also contributing to the event were sponsors Donruss/Playoff, Fleer, Topps, Upper Deck and Fairmont Hotels. It is the eighth year that the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere has been broadcast on FSN.
FIRST PRICING: 2004 UPPER DECK FOOTBALL
The 2004 version of Upper Deck Football will be available in mid-August and will feature 1-of-1 cards featuring the actual printing plates used to create the set. Upper Deck will house the plates within card stock similar to that used to house patch cards to give them more of a premium look. The printing plate cards will be found one per 12-box case. Other features of the set: 50 rookie cards (one per pack), one autographed card per case (numbered to the player’s jersey number) and one rookie jersey card per box utilizing items worn during the annual Rookie Premiere photo shoot. Eight-card packs will carry a $2.99 SRP.
Subscribers to SCD or Tuff Stuff can see a complete listing by registering on www.collect.com, visiting the site’s sports section and signing in. Make sure to check back often because new first-pricing and checklists are posted fresh several times a week.
IN THIS WEEK’S SCD
- On the Auction Circuit, Hunt Auctions turns to jerseys from Roy Campanella and 1880s star Tim Keefe for its next auction, while All American Collectibles plans a sale with its traditional artistic flair and Coach’s Corner gives a nod to the Babe and the Beatles.
- Our in-depth coverage of this year’s National Convention in Cleveland includes the complete wrapup and a boatload of pictures, plus commentary from SCD editor T.S. O’Connell and correspondent Ross Forman on the scene.
- SCD’s Special Prewar Baseball Cards section features a look at one of the most popular sets in hobby history: the 1933 Goudey Baseball issue, along with our exclusive listing of auction prices from card sets and singles from many of the classic sets of the 1930s.
BRIEFS
- To commemorate Clinton Portis' first selection to the 2004 Pro Bowl, McFarlane Toys and www.clintonportis.com have created a sports figure of Portis in his Pro Bowl uniform. Starting on Monday, Aug. 9, collectors may purchase these limited-edition figures at www.clintonportis.com. Those who order between Aug. 9 and Aug. 16 will be eligible to win a prize from the Clinton Portis autographed Pro Bowl memorabilia collection. The cost per figure is $19.99 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Clinton Portis Foundation.
- The recently released 2004 Leaf Certified Materials Baseball features the industry’s first memorabilia cards of Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige. The insert cards feature a jersey Paige wore in 1968 as a coach with the Atlanta Braves. "Satchel Paige is a baseball icon and one of the most prolific and popular players in the history of professional baseball," said Ben Ecklar, Donruss’ baseball brand manager. "For us to be able to provide the industry with his first memorabilia cards is a great thrill for us." There are several versions of Paige’s first memorabilia cards, as they appear in Leaf Certified’s Mirror Materials parallel set as well as the tiered Fabric of the Game insert. Fabric of the Game versions numbered out of 100 have been selling online in the $100 range.
- The Highland Mint has unveiled its newest product line – Major League Baseball Team Pride PhotoMints. The items feature a colorful, 8-by-10 design of a team’s primary logo and the team name, a bronze team medallion and an individually numbered certificate of authenticity. The entire presentation is enclosed in a 13-by-16 black-molded, wood frame and a glass front panel. The first five teams to be featured will be the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. The MLB Team Pride PhotoMints are limited to 5,000 for each team and carry a suggested retail price of $49.95.
- Rookie cards will again be the centerpiece for this year’s version of Bowman Chrome Baseball. The 350-card set features 185 rookie cards, including 20 signed rookie cards at one per hobby box. Prospects such as Dioner Navarro (Yankees), Felix Hernandez (Mariners), Shinjo Takatsu (White Sox), Tim Stauffer (Padres), Lastings Milledge (Mets) and Kyle Sleeth (Tigers) are among the 20 signers. Each hobby box guarantees one autographed rookie card, one Uncirculated X-Fractor and one Uncirculated Blue Refractor redemption. Bowman Chrome Baseball hits hobby shelves Aug. 11 and carries a $4 SRP for each 4-card pack.
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