Q&A – When Were The First Relic Cards Issued?

Collectors were introduced to the relic card between 1996 and 1997. Believe it or not but at one point in time pulling a one-color, non-serial numbered relic card was a huge deal. A card which fits that description today gets tossed aside like yesterday’s trash. In this hobby when something starts off as rare and becomes popular with collectors manufacturers will eventually overdue it to the point where it looses it’s appeal.

Card companies such as Upper Deck, Press Pass, Pinnacle, and Collector’s Edge all issued relic cards beginning in 1996.

Pictured below are some of the hobby’s first relic cards.

Sterling Marlin 1996 Press Pass Burning Rubber

Terry Labonte 1996 Press Pass Burning Rubber Die Cast

Dale Earnhardt 1996 Press Pass VIP GOLD Firesuit

Allen Iverson 1996 Press Pass Game-Used Jersey

Mario Lemieux 1996-97 Upper Deck Game Jersey

Steve Young 1996 Upper Deck Game Jersey

Ken Griffey Jr. 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey (copyright date on card is 1996)

Bill Elliott 1996 Pinnacle Driver’s Suit

Kerry Collins 1996 Collector’s Edge Advantage Game Ball

Card of the Day: 1954 Topps Scoops – First Balloon Flight #134

Q&A – What Are The First Pack-Inserted Cut Signatures?

Not alive to sign? No problem.

Upper Deck introduced collectors to the first cut signature cards in 1999 Upper Deck Century Legends Baseball.

After obtaining authentic autographs (hopefully authentic) of deceased players, Upper Deck proceeded to “cut” the signatures off of those items. The signatures would then be inserted into cards much like a piece of jersey or bat.

The 1999 Upper Deck Century Legends Baseball – Legendary Cuts set consists of only (9) cards. Each card is a one-of-one.

Checklist:

• Babe Ruth
• Cy Young
• Lefty Grove
• Mel Ott
• Roy Campanella
• Satchel Paige
• Ty Cobb
• Walter Johnson
• Jimmie Foxx

A few months after the release of 1999 Upper Deck Century Legends Baseball, Upper Deck released 1999 UD SP Signature Edition Baseball. Another round of cut signatures were included in that set.

Q&A – What Is The First Pack-Inserted Autographed Card? (Follow Up)

Have you ever heard of the 1976 Goof’s Pants Place Tulsa Oilers team set? After posting Q&A – What Is The First Pack-Inserted Autographed Card? this set was brought to my attention thanks to Breakout Cards and Chris Harris as it contains a few autographs.

In 1976 the Tulsa Oilers (Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) released a 26-card team set which could be purchased from the team for $5. Included within that team set were two autographed cards – Satchel Paige and Paul “Daffy” Dean.

Both of these cards predate the Reggie Jackson autographed card issued by Upper Deck by 14 years.

Personally, I still consider the 1990 Upper Deck Baseball High Series Reggie Jackson Auto #’ed/2,500 the first pack-inserted autographed card. The 1976 Goof’s Pants Place Tulsa Oilers team set was a regional issue, and not made available everywhere. A hobby pack, and team set are two different things.

Sports Collectors Daily has a nice write-up about this set.

Q&A – What Is The First Pack-Inserted Autographed Card?

The Upper Deck Company shook-up the industry when they released their first set of cards in 1989. Premium card stock, anti-counterfeiting holograms, and tamper-proof packs showed collectors that Upper Deck meant business. Taking the chance on making a young rookie named Ken Griffey, Jr. card #1 in the set also paid off significantly.

In 1990 Upper Deck turned up the heat again. The 1990 Upper Deck Baseball set consists of (800) cards. It was released in two separate series – Low Series #1-700 and High Series #701-800.

Inserted within the High Series packs of 1990 Upper Deck Baseball is a 10-card Reggie Jackson Heroes set.

To make things even more interesting Upper Deck got Reggie Jackson to sign 2,500 copies of card #9. This card became the first pack-inserted autograph. I’m certain some of these are still hiding in sealed packs just waiting to be pulled.

Upon this product’s release it was unheard of to pull an autographed card out of a pack. Today with a lot of products its almost expected.

Montgomery Club Members Are NOT Entitled To Every Topps Online-Exclusive Product First

Members of the Topps 582 Montgomery Club were shocked on Friday, May 6, 2022 when they discovered that 2021 Topps Formula 1 Chrome Sapphire Edition was on sale to the general public. Usually club members get first access to popular online-exclusive products before everyone else for the most part.

Boxes began popping up on Topps’ European sites, and then made their was to the U.S. I was able to add (1) box to my cart, but the Topps website froze for me during the checkout process due to the high volume of users. Some made it through successfully, bots especially, before it sold out.

A box of 2020 Topps Formula 1 Chrome Sapphire Edition originally cost $99. As of right now that same product sells for around $4k. Even with the increased price ($699.99) for the 2021 product you can see why club members are angry they weren’t offered it first like they were last year.

Although a massive surprise, if you read the language on the Topps 582 Montgomery Club website it clearly states “Exclusive Access to Pre-Sale window for select Topps 2022 Online Exclusives including Sapphire, Finest Flashbacks, Ginter X, and Archives Snapshots.” The keyword here is “select”. “Select” does not mean members will get a pre-sale window for every online-exclusive product. It means just the ones Topps chooses. Which products Topps chooses can clearly change from year to year.

Attempt to charge back your membership fee, threaten not to renew your membership next year, and write all of the hate e-mail you want. All the threats in the world aren’t going to make you feel better. 2021 Topps Formula 1 Chrome Sapphire Edition is most likely gone for the $699.99 price, and nothing is going to change that. If you want a box you’ll have to pay more on the secondary market. I would be very surprised if Topps offers members their allocation now that the general public sale is over.

Why wasn’t 2021 Topps Formula 1 Chrome Sapphire Edition one of the “select” products for pre-sale? Rumors and people’s imaginations instantly began to run wild. Maybe some of it will turn out to be true. You can read through it all on the Blowout Forums.

We still have a lot of the year to go. Topps could very easily surprise members with an exclusive product (never produced before) that could make up for 2021 Topps Formula 1 Chrome Sapphire Edition not being offered to club members first. Then again, they don’t have to.

In the end, it is all in the details of the language for the club we signed up for. Plain and simple.

Card of the Day: Brandi Rhodes 2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling First Edition Pyro Parallel #53

Card of the Day: Ty Cobb 1996 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice First Class #501

Q&A: What Is The First Baseball Card?

Question: What is the first baseball card?

Answer: The answer to this question can vary depending on how a person defines “the first baseball card”.  In my opinion, this 19th century game card is what I view as the first card depicting what looks to be some form of baseball.

Based on bat and ball drawings from the 18th and 19th century, baseball historians have dated this card to around the 1830s.  During that time, children’s educational card games were popular in both England and the United States.  The picture shows three boys – one at bat, another pitching, and in the background a boy looks as if he’s standing on what would be first base.  Several other cards came in this set, but none of them deal with sports.

I wish this card was talked about more often, but it just isn’t.  If it dealt with a specific player or team I believe it would be.  Rarely do they ever show-up for sale.  When they do, its usually with an auction house.  Not many examples are floating around.

Card of the Day: Bryan Bullington 2003 Bowman’s Best First Year Auto