Card of the Day: Chan Ho Park 1999 Topps Stadium Club #112

State College Spikes ’18 Topps Pro Debut Relic Contest! – NOW CLOSED

This contest is for a Zach Kirtley 2018 Topps Pro Debut Fragments of the Farm New York-Penn League Championship Banner From Medlar Field At Lubrano Park Relic.  I will be attending the National Sports Collectors Convention this week, so this contest will run a little longer.  Good luck!!!

Contest Details:

• This contest will end Sunday, August 5, 2018 @ 8:00 p.m. EST.
• To enter, please leave a comment in this post.
• You can enter once per day.
• The winner will be selected at random.
• Please provide a valid e-mail address when entering.
• The winner will receive an e-mail when the contest is over.
• The winner has one week to send me their contact information or the contest will be held again.
• Once the contest is over, I will need the winner’s mailing address so I can ship them this card for FREE!!!

Product Highlight: 1995 Collector’s Edge Ball Park Franks

I love hot dogs.  They’re one of my favorite foods.  Mustard, ketchup, cheese, hot peppers, and salsa make great toppings.  There is nothing better than sitting at a ballgame or attending a nice card show while shoving a hot dog in your face.

Collector’s Edge may have died out years ago, but they were all over the place in the 90’s.  Today their old football sets receive more attention than anything.  This is due to them issuing numerous rookie cards of both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.  Basketball, baseball, and hockey would come next.

You don’t see it done as much today, but cards attached to food products at one time was a common thing.  Food premiums are an entire collecting niche.  In 1995, Collector’s Edge struck a deal with Ball Park Franks.  For (8) UPC codes, (4) UPC codes + $2.50, or (2) UPC codes + $5.00, you would receive exclusive autographed cards of Yogi Berra and Frank Robinson.  Both came with accompanying cards stating the authenticity of the signatures.  This promotion ended on May 31, 1995 or until they ran out.

If you’re in the market for a Frank Robinson or Yogi Berra autograph but don’t want to spend a lot of money, these might be for you.  They’re dirt cheap.  Lots were made.  You can easily pick them up for $10-$15 each.  The Yogi Berra tends to carry more weight.

Columbus Clippers ’17 Topps Pro Debut Relic Contest! – NOW CLOSED

This contest is for a 2017 Topps Pro Debut Fragments of the Farm Columbus Clippers Game-Used Base from Huntington Park Relic.  You’re not seeing double.  I’m holding this contest again because the previous winner never came forward.  Good luck!!!

Contest Details:

• This contest will end Friday, September 15, 2017 @ 8:00 p.m. EST.
• To enter, please leave a comment in this post.
• You can enter once per day.
• The winner will be selected at random.
• Please provide a valid e-mail address when entering.
• The winner will receive an e-mail when the contest is over.
• The winner has one week to send me their contact information or the contest will be held again.
• Once the contest is over, I will need the winner’s mailing address so I can ship them this card for FREE!!!

Columbus Clippers ’17 Topps Pro Debut Relic Contest! – NOW CLOSED

This contest is for a 2017 Topps Pro Debut Fragments of the Farm Columbus Clippers Game-Used Base from Huntington Park Relic.  Good luck!!!

Contest Details:

• This contest will end Friday, August 18, 2017 @ 8:00 p.m. EST.
• To enter, please leave a comment in this post.
• You can enter once per day.
• The winner will be selected at random.
• Please provide a valid e-mail address when entering.
• The winner will receive an e-mail when the contest is over.
• The winner has one week to send me their contact information or the contest will be held again.
• Once the contest is over, I will need the winner’s mailing address so I can ship them this card for FREE!!!

“Pin-Up” of the Week: 1911 World’s Series Shibe Park Philadelphia Press Pin

Here it is folks.  The mother of all press pins.  Only a handful of these puppies are known to still be floating around.  I’ve used World Series press pins for this post before, but nothing as big as this one.  Why is this pin such a big deal?  Because 1911 was the first year they issued press pins to members of the media.

Baseball fans watched the Philadelphia A’s take on the New York Giants in 1911.  The Giants manager, John McGraw, would constantly invite his friends to big games.  It wasn’t uncommon for them to crowd-up the press box.  Between a local reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer named Stephen O. Grauley, and A’s manager Connie Mack, the press pin was born.  Only those people wearing this pin gained access to the press area.  And the rest is all history.  Press pins have been part of the World Series ever since.

The pin pictured above is from Grauley’s personal collection.  In February, Heritage Auctions plans to put it up for sale along with some other press pins Grauley collected over the years.  This pin alone is expected to fetch $40,000.  For it’s age, I can’t believe how great the condition is.  That fabric portion of the pin is a prime target for damage.

“Pin-Up” of the Week: Citizens Bank Park 2016 Exclusive Star Wars Pin

Next week at this time a new Star Wars movie will be out.  Rogue One: A Star Wars Story takes place shortly before A New Hope.  It tells the tale of how the Rebellion obtained the plans to the first Death Star.  With the Jedi existing for a thousand years, it continues to fascinate me how the Sith convinced the public that they were a hoax in such a short time.  One year from now, we’ll be getting ready for Episode VIII.  How will Luke react after Rey finds him standing atop that cliff?  Star Wars movies raise lots of questions.  Every answer you get, more questions arise.

Combing baseball and Star Wars is a great idea.  Teams annually have Star Wars themed nights.  This past year, the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Citizens Bank Park sold an exclusive Phillies/Star Wars pin.  It features both Yoda and Darth Vader.  Only (300) of them were made, which isn’t a lot when it comes to pins.  I’m almost certain they’ve sold out.  On the secondary market I’ve seen people asking $30 to $50 for a single pin.

Park ’16 Topps Stadium Club Auto Contest Winner Announced

Congrats to Neil on being the lucky winner of the Byung-Ho Park 2016 Topps Stadium Club RC Auto.  Once Neil sends me his mailing address, I will ship this card ASAP.  Thanks!

Park ’16 Topps Stadium Club Auto Contest! – NOW CLOSED

This contest is for a Byung-Ho Park 2016 Topps Stadium Club RC Auto.  Good luck!!!

Contest Details:

• This contest will end Sunday, August 21, 2016 @ 8:00 p.m. EST.
• To enter, please leave a comment in this post.
• You can enter once per day.
• The winner will be selected at random.
• Please provide a valid e-mail address when entering.
• The winner will receive an e-mail when the contest is over.
• The winner has one week to send me their contact information or the contest will be held again.
• Once the contest is over, I will need the winner’s mailing address so I can ship them this card for FREE!!!

Card of the Day: Byung-Ho Park 2016 Topps Stadium Club RC Auto