Card of the Day: Pete Rose 1985 Fleer 4,000th Hit #640

Card of the Day: Pete Rose 1973 Topps #130

Card of the Day: Axl Rose 2013 Topps Allen & Ginter Mini Framed Auto

Is Pete Rose Back In Major League Baseball?… Kinda, Maybe, Probably Not

Pete Rose’s banishment from MLB for gambling on baseball while playing for and managing the Reds will go down in history as one of the most debated sports topics.  Should the banishment be forgotten allowing him entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame?  This is a question that plaques the minds of many baseball fans today, and will continue to do so for years to come.

Legendary baseball player, and sometimes controversial pop-culture figure Pete Rose hasn’t appeared on an MLB-licensed Topps baseball card since 1989.  The last time he was featured in a licensed product showing team names and/or logos comes from 1994 Upper Deck: The American Epic.  Since then he has been seen countless times in other non-licensed baseball products made by Leaf and Panini.

Collectors opening 2020 Topps Series 2 Baseball are finding a familiar looking fellow on the Philadelphia Phillies Decades’ Best insert.  With his back turned, no team name and/or logos visible, you can just make out the cockeyed name across the back of the jersey which says “ROSE”.  Other players on the card include Steve Carlton and Bob Boone.

This isn’t something that Topps made a point to alert collectors about.  Collectors are discovering this all on their own.  Self-discovering moments such as this add a bit of excitement to the brand.  Pulling a card out and saying “I wonder if anyone else has noticed this?” can be fun.

In no way is this card rare.  Topps didn’t issue a corrected version.  Each one, including the parallels, looks just like this.  That won’t stop some folks from attempting to sell their cards for a premium.  This reminds me of the 2019 Topps Stadium Club Shane Bieber “error” which calls him Justin on the back.

How To Spot A Fake Pete Rose 1963 Topps Rookie Stars #537

Have you ever wondered what the first well-known card to be counterfeited is?  If so, the answer is the 1963 Topps Rookie Stars #537 card.  It contains rookies of Pedro Gonzalez, Ken McMullen, Al Weis, and most notably Pete Rose.  The inclusion of Pete Rose is the real value driver here.

In the earlier 1980’s, a wave of counterfeit Pete Rose rookie cards found their way into the market.  A large chunk of these counterfeits were confiscated, stamped “COUNTERFEIT ORIGINAL REPRINT” on the reverse, and found their way back into circulation.  It became such a big deal that some people actually seek the counterfeits just because they make an interesting conversation piece.  These counterfeits were so well-made if the individual pulling the scam would’ve sold them at multiple card shows instead of dumping them all at one spot there is a good chance they might have gotten away with it.

Its important to note that not every counterfeit Pete Rose rookie card will have this stamp.  Lots of non-stamped counterfeits are still out there attempting to fool uneducated buyers.

Here are some tips for spotting a counterfeit Pete Rose 1963 Topps Rookie Stars #537 card:

• Black Line (Outside Hat) – Many counterfeits contain a thin black line around the outside of Pete Rose’s white hat.  Authentic examples do NOT have this line.
• Missing Black Line (Cincinnati logo) – Its difficult to see, but on an authentic example there is a black line around the Cincinnati logo on Rose’s hat.  Counterfeits tend to be missing this item.
• Thin Card Stock – Counterfeits tend to be printed on much thinner card stock compared to the real thing.  While looking at the card’s reverse, hold it up to the light.  If you’re able to see the four circles on the other side it certainly is a counterfeit.  You wouldn’t be able to see through the card if it was authentic.
• Red Tint – On some counterfeits the faces can have a red tint.
• Light Colored Back – The back on a counterfeit usually has a lighter tone versus an authentic card.
• Pixelated Heads – Upon close inspection you’ll notice the player’s heads are quite pixelated on a counterfeit.  A genuine example won’t have this.
• Perfect Centering – Not that there aren’t authentic examples with good centering, they’re just difficult to find.
• Lack of Frontal Upper Edge Wear – The upper portion of the card on the front has a blue color that reaches the edge.  That part of the card is notorious for chipping.

Authentic front:

Authentic back:

Counterfeit front:

Counterfeit back:

Card of the Day: Mandy Rose 2016 Topps Heritage WWE #47

Card of the Day: Pete Rose 1989 Topps #505

Card of the Day: Pete Rose, Jr. 1998 Topps #240

Card of the Day: Pete Rose 1984 Topps Traded #103T

“Pin-Up” of the Week: 61st Lawry’s Beef Bowl – USC vs. Penn State – Rose Bowl 2017 Pin

Personally, I think there are way too many college bowl games.  It seems like more and more get added to the schedule every year.  They’re beginning to be overproduced like plain one-colored jersey cards.  I guess as long as companies keep throwing money at them two teams will find their way to a “big” game.

Penn State is scheduled to take on USC on Monday in the 103rd Rose Bowl Game.  Earlier this week, Penn State beat USC in another classic bowl game – Lawry’s Beef Bowl.  Lawry’s is an upscale restaurant in Beverly Hills that has been hosting the Beef Bowl for 61 years.  What is the Beef Bowl?  Before the Rose Bowl, each team is served a hefty meal of prime rib.  Whichever team eats the most, wins the Beef Bowl.  Penn State ate 536 lbs. compared to USC who came in at 502 lbs.  That’s a combined 1,038 lbs. of beef eaten.  Lawry’s Dallas, TX location also holds a Beef Bowl for the two Cotton Bowl participants.

You won’t find that much merchandise when it comes to the Beef Bowl.  Occasionally pins will show up.  I bought this pin for $12 last night.  This specific pin was given out to players, guests, and members of the media who attended the dinner.