Brian Gray Inscription Autos Highlight Leaf’s 2016 National Promos

Leaf Trading Cards is next on the list of manufacturers to unveil their plans for the 2016 National Sports Collectors Convention, which takes place Aug. 3-7 in Atlantic City, NJ.  Historically, Leaf is known to have one of the larger booths setup in the corporate area.  You can’t attend the National without stopping by their booth at least once.  They always have a lot of cool cards and memorabilia on display which will be used in upcoming products.

The following Leaf products are eligible for their case break promotion:

• 2016 Leaf Pop Century
• 2016 In The Game Used Hockey
• 2016 Leaf Metal Tennis
• any Leaf U.S. Army All-American Football
• 2016 Leaf Genesis Hockey

Anyone who opens a case of these products will receive a 2016 Best of the National box.  Inside these exclusive boxes you’ll find graded rookie cards of Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, and Michael Jordan.  Leaf has also thrown in some NFL players, autographs, and memorabilia.

The following Leaf products are eligible for their box break promotion:

• 2016 Leaf Pop Century
• 2016 In The Game Used Hockey
• 2016 Leaf Metal Tennis
• 2016 Leaf Genesis Hockey

Anyone who opens (2) boxes of these products will receive a Babe Ruth Yankee Stadium seat relic containing the National Sports Collectors Convention Stamp numbered to (10).

Leaf’s CEO, Brian Gray, is not one to hold back when it comes to voicing his opinion on what he thinks needs to be done in order to make the hobby better.  Collectors attending the NSCC can keep an eye out for some exclusive Brian Gray autographed cards featuring fun inscriptions.  If you’ve got something cool your looking to sell, Leaf might be interested.  They’re giving away prizes to those people who sell them a card.

The Expendables 3 Teaser Trailer + Stallone Autos Are Blazing!

This is the pure definition of a teaser trailer.  But it still kicks ass.  The Expendables are back next summer with even more action stars – Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.  They’re even throwing in Kelsey Grammar, Kellan Lutz, MMA star Ronda Rousey, and welterweight boxing champion Victor Ortiz.

I don’t think anyone will get shot in this movie.  This time they’ll just sit around and talk about their feelings 🙂

On a side note, Stallone fans can thank Topps for including a handful of his buyback autographs within packs of their new 2013 Topps 75th Anniversary product.  These are the first Stallone autographed cards which cover both Rocky and Rambo.  Collectors are loving these cards, and I think issuing buybacks was the right way to go.

Check out some of these prices:

• 2013 Topps 75th Anniversary Rocky II Stallone buyback auto
• 2013 Topps 75th Anniversary Rambo First Blood Part II Stallone buyback auto
• 2013 Topps 75th Anniversary Rocky IV Stallone buyback auto
• 2013 Topps 75th Anniversary Rocky IV Stallone buyback auto

Sketch Card Autos Coming To Best Of Football

Leaf’s “Best Of” series have been very popular with collectors.  It gives you a second chance at pulling some high-end “hits”.  During the 2012 National Sports Collectors Convention that’s all I saw collectors opening at the Leaf booth.  After their success with Best Of Baseball and Best Of Basketball, it only seems right for them to make Best Of Football.  2012 Best Of Football will include (1) slabbed/graded card and (1) original Leaf autographed card.  If you’re lucky, you might pull one of these autographed original one-of-one sketch cards.  From what Leaf has shown so far, I think they look good.  Not only will these sketches be signed by the artist, but the player too.  Redemptions for sealed vintage packs will also be randomly thrown in.

We haven’t seen a whole lot of sketch cards signed by athletes.  Gypsy Queen introduced us to the first relic sketches.

Leaf’s Bringing Lombardi’s First Relics To Collectors With Lombardi Legacy

Leaf just released the sales sheet for 2012 Lombardi Legacy and all I can say is WOW!!!  Every box will come with (4) base cards, (2) inscription autographs, and (1) Vince Lombardi worn jacket relic card.  Up until now, Lombardi hasn’t had any relic cards.  Leaf will also be randomly inserting redemption cards that can be redeemed for a Vince Lombardi signed check.

Let’s recap:

• (4) base cards
• (2) inscription autographs – every autographed card in the set has an inscription
• (1) Vince Lombardi worn jacket relic card
• Randomly inserted redemptions that can be redeemed for signed Lombardi checks

This product looks absolutely amazing, and it doesn’t even have an NFL license.  This is exactly how a non-licensed product should be done.  To have a successful non-licensed product the manufacturer must approach the product with an open mind and a unique perspective.  No cookie cutter products from Leaf.

Leaf Possibly Including Schwarzenegger Autos In 2012 Pop Century

I’m making a prediction.  I think Leaf plans to include autographs of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2012 Pop Century.  Why do I believe this?  Last night they sent out the following message on Twitter:

“Just did a ridiculously cool deal for 2012 pop century.. I cannot say anything till the autos arrive.. But, I am pumped!!!”

The key words in that message are “cool deal” and “pumped”.  Schwarzenegger autographs would make a perfect fit for their Pop Century product.  His autos are in high-demand.  This 1997 Fleer/Skybox Batman and Robin Widevision Schwarzenegger autograph sells between $200.00 and $300.00.  His Conan the Barbarian cut signatures made by Rittenhouse can sell for even more when they surface.

Could I be looking into Leaf’s message too much?  Sure.  But it is fun to guess.  Let’s see if I’m right.

Leaf’s Ichiro Metal Draft Patch Autos Ready To Ship

Well here you go.  All of the Ichiro 2011 Leaf Metal Draft Baseball Ultimate Patch Autographs have been signed and are ready to be shipped.  I think they look fantastic!

Brian Gray announced yesterday that Leaf has never purchased anything from those six dealers involved in the fraud case that was unveiled this week.  Leaf was the first manufacturer to come out and state their position and I think it is something that all manufacturers should do.  For a relic to be 100% authentic I think it should come from the team, league, or individual athlete.  Not these off-the-wall dealers that sit behind a computer all day printing off meaningless COAs.  The day might come where we have league run card manufacturers to make sure everything is authentic.  Or perhaps the day will come where we only have one manufacturer that deals directly with each league.  It sure sounds like a monopoly, but it could work.

No! No! No! ITG

In The Game has slowly been releasing photos of their first baseball set, and I have to say I hope it gets better than this:

First off I’d like to say that cut signatures should only be made for deceased players.  Not of prospects who are most likely younger than me.  Second, are these checks even real?  Or are they manufactured?  Either way I don’t think it looks well.  I’ve seen companies use manufactured checks before, and they aren’t very popular.  For ITG’s sake, I hope the rest of the set yields some better looking stuff.  I’m still looking forward to seeing more of this product.

Press Pass 2010 Legends Racing Inscriptions

Press Pass Legends is one of the most popular racing products of the year.  The inscriptions are some of the most sought after cards.  Here is a little preview.

The Hobby Needs Bob Uecker Relics & Autos

“Hey, I must be in the front row” – Bob Uecker

Bob Uecker is one of the most recognizable figures in baseball.  Not only was he a great catcher, but he is one of the best broadcasters the game has ever heard.  Uecker’s stories and quotes will be repeated by fans for many years to come.

Unfortunately for you Uecker collectors you don’t have much to collect.  Bob Uecker only has a little over 20 cards.  In fact, the last Uecker card made comes from 2001 Topps Archives.  I think its time to make some new Bob Uecker cards containing autographs and relics.  Can you imagine all the interesting inscriptions he could put under his signature?  I could definitely see him in Allen & Ginter or OBAK.

Serial Number Scammers & More

Last night SCU reported about a Brady Quinn 2007 LCM Freshman Fabric rookie jersey/autograph that had been up for sale on eBay.  The problem with this card is that Donruss never made any autographs like this.  Scammers are now creating counterfeit sticker autographs.  One of SCU readers suggested a way that someone might go about removing a crappy autograph from a sticker to replace it with a forged one of a better player, and then over at VOTC they created a video giving it a try.  After watching that video it really makes you think twice about buying another sticker autograph online.  This just makes on-card autographs look even better.  Congrats to SCU and VOTC for doing such great detective work.

Digging a little deeper I found this auction run by the same person who sold the Quinn.  This Yogi Berra ’08 Sports Legends auto #’ed 1/1 doesn’t look to have the “shiny” border like the other autographs #’ed 1/1 from this product.  At first I thought it might be the scan, but then another red flag popped-up when I looked at the back.  The serial number is hand written with a marker, not stamped like the other 1/1 autographs.  The final nail in the coffin would be the fact that the person with the high bid on the Berra has their I.D. kept private just like the Quinn auction.  The only other hand-numbered 1/1 autograph from Sports Legends that I could find was this Jerry West.  At first glance it looks to be from a different seller, but you can see they recently changed their I.D. and are located in Baltimore, MD.  The Berra auto is located in Elkridge, MD which is not that far from Baltimore.  I’ll report the Berra to eBay and hope they take it down.

 

 

 

This is what an authentic 2008 Sports Legends autograph #’ed 1/1 should look like.