Card of the Day: 2015 Reading Fightins Phils Holiday Set – Crazy Hot Dog Vendor

Product Highlight: 1991 Hot Aire Trading Cards

Hot Aire Trading Cards made their debut in 1991 during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. It was the brainchild of two hot air balloon enthusiasts, Danny Edwards and Patrick O’Hea. Edwards would collect pilot bios and take photos while O’Hea designed the cards.

The first set consists of (100) cards.  When they were first introduced, you could purchase them by the pack for $2.50 or in factory set form for $23.50.

Producing only 30,000 sets was thought to increase it’s value. That certainly didn’t happen.

Hot Aire Trading Cards lasted for a few years, and then fizzled out. If you’re looking for chase cards, there aren’t any. No “hot” packs containing inserts, parallels, autographs, or relics.

The hobby is filled with a lot of obscure sets.  With the rise of sports cards as an investment, people were willing to put anything on cardboard hoping one day it would amount to riches. We all know how that went. Not so well.

I wouldn’t hold out any hope for a standalone hot air balloon product to make a comeback anytime soon. At the most maybe a cameo appearance in Allen & Ginter or Goodwin Champions.

A modern day interpretation of a hot air balloon set would be interesting to see. It would give some card manufacturer the opportunity to invent the hobby’s first inflatable card. Or perhaps have a good excuse to bring back puffy stickers.

Under The Tree: 2012 Hot Wheels Monster Jam Series w/ Topps Trading Card

Hot Wheels began to make their Monster Jam series of trucks in 2000. This partnership between Hot Wheels and Monster Jam lasted 18 years and concluded in 2018.

The 2012 set in my opinion is the most interesting. (80) monster trucks make-up the set. (7) subsets cover the (80) monster truck set – 1st Editions, Hot Wheels Originals, Edge Glow, Spectraflames, Monster Jam World Finals Deco, Mud Trucks, and Standard. The “Standard” designation does not appear on any of the packaging like the others do. Its just the name given to those trucks which do not fit in any of the other categories.

2012 was the 30th anniversary of Grave Digger. The packaging for each monster truck contains a special 30th anniversary logo celebrating this achievement.

Packaged with each monster truck is a Topps trading card. The card matches the monster truck it is packaged with.

Card of the Day: Frostee Rucker 2006 Fleer Hot Prospects #132

Under The Tree: 2011 Hot Wheels General Mills Wheaties ’70s Van

When I was a kid I remember having a large bin full of Hot Wheels. I played with them a lot. Rolling them down the driveway, building ramps for them to jump, watching them do all types of unpredictable tricks, and duct-taping firecrackers to them brings back a ton of memories. I was basically Sid from Toy Story.

Some of my Hot Wheels came from various neighborhood yard sales. Little did I know that I had picked-up some vintage Redline cars. Even though they were fairly beat up, I came to realize many years later that those cars have a huge demand among collectors.

Released in 2011, the General Mills line of Hot Wheels featured cereal box artwork from different General Mills cereal. One of them being “The Breakfast Of Champions” Wheaties.

I think this ’70s van looks so cool. The generic baseball player image dates back to the 1960s. I don’t believe its of anyone specific. The green color suggest its someone from the Oakland A’s.

Other cereals covered in the set include Honey Nut Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Count Chocula, Trix, Boo Berry, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Franken Berry, and Lucky Charms.

My all-time favorite Hot Wheels car is the one that looks like a Superfractor.

Card of the Day: Warren Moon 1990 Score Hot Gun #317

Pin Highlight: Original vs. Remake 1983 Little League World Series Hot Air Balloon Pins

The East Marietta National Little League team from Marietta, Georgia defeated the Liquito Hernandez Little League team of Barahona, Dominican Republic in the Championship Game of the 1983 Little League World Series.  It was the first time since 1976 that the Championship Game did not feature a team from Taiwan.  Guess what else was a first that year?  Little League released their first official pin.

Are there Little League pins that predate 1983?  Yes.  But none were officially made and released by Little League itself.  This Little League rookie pin is quite simple.  Its a multi-colored hot air balloon that says “Little League WORLD SERIES WILLIAMSPORT, PENNA. USA”.  The year isn’t even printed on it.  Back then this hot air balloon was a common sight in Williamsport when the Little League World Series was going on.  You can even find it on this Baseball Wit trivia game card.

Locating one of these pins for your collection isn’t easy.  When an example becomes available it will set you back about $50.  I can personally guarantee that in 1983 they didn’t cost anywhere near that much.

A word of WARNING.  Always check the back of the pin before buying.  In the 90’s, Little League remade this pin due to it’s popularity.  Little League continued selling these remakes well into the 2000’s.  The remake has the word “CHINA” printed on the back.  Original pins do not.  The backs of original pins are completely blank.  As you can imagine, the remakes don’t carry as much value.

Product Highlight: 1993 Maxx Hot Wheels 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition

When I was a kid, my go to toys to play with were action figures.  I had bins full of them.  Batman, X-Men, Star Wars, you name it.  Like most adults I look back and wish I would have kept them in their original packaging.  But where would have the fun been in that?  Keeping toys sealed wasn’t even a thought.

Outside of the action figures, Matchbox and Hot Wheels weren’t that far behind.  I had a bin full of these too.  Although I don’t live in the house I grew up in anymore, it wouldn’t surprise me if some of those toy cars are still lodged underneath a cabinet or something.  The house’s current owner is probably completely oblivious that they’re still there.  Long forgotten relics of a childhood race that perhaps got a little out of hand.

2018 marks the 50th anniversary of Hot Wheels.  Twenty-five years ago Maxx Race Cards helped them celebrate their 25th anniversary with a commemorative set.  Issued only in factory set form, the set features what they call “the most memorable 25 cars from 1968-1992”.  The card fronts picture a Hot Wheels vehicle with a full-blown description on the back.  Collecting tips are even provided for each vehicle.

Here is the checklist:

• 1968 Beatnik Bandit #1
• 1969 TwinMill #2
• 1970 Boss Hoss #3
• 1971 Evil Weevil #4
• 1972 Funny Money #5
• 1973 Sweet 16 #6
• 1974 Sir Rodney Roadster #7
• 1975 Emergency Squad #8
• 1976 Corvette Stingray #9
• 1977 ’57 Chevy #10
• 1978 Hot Bird #11
• 1979 Bywayman #12
• 1980 Hiway Hauler #13
• 1981 Old Number 5 #14
• 1982 Firebird Funny Car #15
• 1983 Classic Cobra #16
• 1984 ’65 Mustang Convertible #17
• 1985 Thunderstreak #18
• 1986 Poppa ‘Vette #19
• 1987 Ferrari Testarossa #20
• 1988 Talbolt Lago #21
• 1989 GT Racer #22
• 1990 Purple Passion #23
• 1991 Street Beast #24
• 1992 Goodyear Blimp #25

I don’t recall owning any of these specific vehicles.  I do remember picking up a few Hot Wheels cars at a yard sale when I was little, and later discovered they came from their famous Redline collection.

Maxx produced lots of racing cards during the classic junk-wax era.  Most of their sets carry little value today.  Cards of Dale Earnhardt are what they’re particularly known for.

This Hot Wheels set is one of Maxx’s oddball products.  Sealed examples are readily available, and can be found for nothing.

Doesn’t this Hot Wheels car look like a Superfractor?

Card of the Day: Giancarlo Stanton 2010 Topps Red Hot Rookies #4

Card of the Day: 2017 Topps Pro Debut – Ben’s Biz – The Crazy Hot Dog Vendor #4