Card of the Day: 2016 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Apple Pie Christmas – Alf On The Shelf Sticker #4a

Where Are The Super Bowl Commercial Cards?

With more and more pop culture figures showing up in products, there is one subject area that surprisingly hasn’t been touched very much.  I’m talking about individuals that have been at the center of those popular Super Bowl commercials.  I’m surprised that no manufacturer has taken advantage of this yet.  With all the people, places, and things put on trading cards today it would make perfect sense for someone to go through with it.

Just off the top of my head I could see autographs of guys like Fred Thomas, Paul Williams, Terry Williams, and Scott Martin Brooks of the “Wassup?” commercials.

Apple’s 1984 ad is always on people’s list of top Super Bowl commercials.  The woman throwing the sledge hammer is Anya Major and the guy playing “Big Brother” is David Graham.  Both are actors from England.

The #1 Super Bowl commercial for years has been the classic Coke commercial featuring “Mean” Joe Greene and child actor Tommy Okon.  I could definitely see a dual autograph made here.

Super Bowl commercials are a huge deal.  People who don’t even watch football end up watching the Super Bowl just so they can see the commercials.  This year it costs $3.5 million for a 30-second commercial spot.  Cards like this would make interesting inserts for products such as Allen & Ginter, American Pie, or even Americana.  The list goes on and on of who you could include.  Would they be gimmicky?  Absolutely 🙂  They sure would bring back memories and that’s what cards should do.  Lets see if anyone takes my advice like they did when I suggested pin cards.

I LOVE YOU MAN!

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, Apple, & Blogging Get Topps Rookie Cards

Browsing through all the new 2011 Topps American Pie auctions is down right fun.  Topps has hit the nail on the head when it comes to this product.  The base set consists of 200 cards that take you back in time and I guarantee you will have some flashbacks to your childhood.  Each hobby box should contain at least (3) “hits”.  These could be any combination of autograph, relic, patch, stamp, and coin cards.

In this high-tech age, its interesting to see the first cards made of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, Apple, and even blogging.  Its funny to see something low-tech like a baseball card commemorate something so technically advanced.  There are plenty of other people, places, events, and things that have their first cards within this product as well.  Just take a look at the checklist.  I thoroughly enjoy the tech-themed cards Topps included.  These cards bring back so many memories.  This is something a lot of modern-day card sets do not do.

Steve Jobs: 1955-2011

Yesterday the world lost one of its most important visionaries – Steve Jobs.  Jobs created the perfect harmony between technology and art.  He made technology cool not only to use, but to look at too.

I can still remember the first time I used a computer.  I was in preschool and I was playing a game where I had to make a worm go through a maze so it could eat an apple when it reached the end.  I’m sure there are many of you reading this that can remember those school days playing Oregon Trail which came on those ungodly large floppy disks that actually were floppy.

As far as cards go, Steve Jobs doesn’t have any.  He wasn’t a huge signer, but I could see a possible cut signature coming in the future.  But for a moment, lets “think different” here.  Lets go beyond a cut signature.  I want to see a Steve Jobs card that contains and actual button from a device he once owned and used.  I bet that would be unique looking and I’m sure the famous iJustine would go nuts over it.    It might be awhile before one of those hit the market though.  Jobs was very strict over who could use his name and the Apple brand.

If you can’t wait for one of those cards, you could always add the 1984 premier issue of Macworld to your collection.  Their only selling for a mere $400.00 each.  An autographed copy containing signatures of both Jobs and Steve Wozniak recently hit eBay and reached $1,426.69, but the reserve price was not met.  Like many companies, they had pins to commemorate product releases and years of service.  Some of these can go for $20.00 each like the one pictured above.

On a side note, I would like to say that Apple Stores are well designed for people with disabilities like myself.  They are wide open with a lot of space, and most of the tables are opened underneath and high enough off the ground so someone in a wheelchair can pull right up to the display.

Steve Jobs will be missed by millions.  Thanks for everything you created.

Card Trimming Mobile App For Collectors

I’m not sure why I’ve had so many mobile app ideas for collectors this week.  Perhaps I should be working for Apple 🙂  This time my idea deals with card trimming.  This is the practice where scammers will slightly trim the edges of a vintage card, removing all of the wear that has taken its toll on the card over time.  After the trim, the card looks brand new and they will try to pass it off as if it was in excellent condition.  One way collectors can avoid purchasing a trimmed card is to take the card you suspect might be trimmed, and lay it on top of another common card from that set.  Manufacturers didn’t treat cards of star players any different from no-name rookies when they cut apart the sheets.  Scammers will usually trim cards that are extremely popular and valuable, thats why its important to match it up with a common from the same set.

A lot of collectors will tell you they carry commons with them when they attend shows.  Its a great idea if you plan on purchasing a raw version of a highly desirable vintage card.  But having to carry around a lot of commons can be a pain and you don’t won’t to damage them anymore than they already are.  Here is where my mobile app idea plays into the picture.  Lets say your using the new Apple iPad.  My app would allow the user to select a set, and then it would display a square on the screen which would measure to the exact size the cards from that set should be.  Collectors could then lay the card on top of the square to see if it measures to the right size.  If it doesn’t, then the collector could suspect the card they are looking at might be trimmed.  Combine this with an app that allows collectors to verify graded cards, obtain hobby news, and check card prices, your ready to tackle any scammer that stands in your way.

This card has been trimmed.