2011 Industry Summit Thoughts

In my mind the 2011 Industry Summit seems to be getting a lot more attention this year than usual.  Panini seems to be stirring up the most attention with its new distribution system, HD video trading cards, and their popular Black Boxes.  Black Boxes are cool, HD trading cards are way cool, but I’m not a fan of the new distribution system.  It focuses on minimum pricing and a week long delay for non-card shop retailers.  This system is suppose to drive more collectors to brick and mortar shops, because online dealers won’t be able to sell new wax until it has been out for a week in the hobby shops, and they won’t be able to drop the price level past a certain amount.  To make a long story short, after this system has been in place for a few years, don’t be surprised if you see 5 year old Panini products selling for close to what they were when they originally came out.  There isn’t a real need to complain, because I don’t think this system will last.  Its just a small blip on the hobby radar.

I’m really interested to see a working model of Panini’s HD video cards.  I doubt that it could get anymore authentic then watching a video on the card of the player signing the card.  I just hope collectors will be able to replace the batteries when they run out.  Or maybe they’ll be powered by the pure power of the hobby 🙂

According to Sports Card Radio, Leaf is suppose to be creating a tri-fold booklet that contains cut signatures of John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, and a car seat relic from the actual car JFK was shot in.  Sounds kinda creepy, but also kinda cool.

On April 12th, Upper Deck plans to unveil “Evolution” that is suppose to change the hobby.  I’m not sure whats its about, but I bet it deals with on-card video too.  Perhaps it will involve some type of interactive card.  Lots of exciting stuff going on!

Bats & Seats

Well, I guess I was wrong.  When ’09 Tribute was released a few weeks ago, I was excited to see how many Babe Ruth “bats” were being pulled.  Now that I’ve learned that many of these so called “bat” relics are really pieces of stadium seat it makes me upset.  I should have thought of this when I opened my box of Tribute and read the generic COA printed on the back.  I wonder how many stadium seats they have used instead of authentic pieces of bat?  Judging by the card pictured below, not all the stadium seat relics they used would have paint on them.  You can see part of the seat is painted and the other is just plain wood.  Stadium seats are barley worth $30.00 if your lucky.  It was probably cheaper for Topps to print the same COA on all the cards, but this is something you just don’t do.  Remember the days when the manufacturer would include a photo of the actual relic on the back of the card?  They should do that for every game-used card they make.  This whole situation reminds me of the Josh Gibson game-used “model” bats released a few years ago.  Topps uses the generic language hoping the collector automatically assumes what the piece of relic is, without them having to inform you directly.

PLEASE STOP PLAYING MIND GAMES WITH US TOPPS!!!

I guess Babe Ruth never used a green and red bat in the first place.

PHOTOS: Phillies vs. Orioles

This was my first trip to Citizens Bank Park, and I must say its one of the nicest stadiums I’ve ever been to. Check out some of the photos! More can be found on Facebook.

Connie Mack

Suite #65 is where I got to watch the game. Probably the best box I’ve ever watched a game from. Someday I want to see the name “Sports Card Info” on a box.

Cole Hamels before the game

Upstairs they have a Phillies Hall of Fame exhibit: Schmidt, Roberts, Ashburn, Carlton

Stadium model

Dick Perez has a bunch of paintings hanging upstairs. This one is of Connie Mack.

Eddie Collins

Eddie Plank

Napoleon Lajoie

Original seat from Connie Mack Stadium

2008 World Series Championship ring

Chase Utley

Utley at first

Victorino at first

Adam Jones & Carlos Ruiz

Hey look! Upper Deck is on the scoreboard.

Matt Wieters & Ruiz

Phanatic shooting hot dogs

Card of the Day: Josh Gibson 2005 Bowman Sterling Seat Relic

One Heck of a Trade

Over at Dinged Corners, there is a post entitled “What Would You Trade for an Illinois Senate seat?”  If I had a senate seat and wanted to try an trade, it would take a lot of cards and/or memorabilia.  They would need to find a T206 Honus Wagner graded a BGS Pristine 10 for me to get rid of something like that.  I would also settle for an entire sealed case of 1952 Topps baseball cards or maybe perhaps a few relics from the Baseball Hall of Fame.  What would you trade for a senate seat?  By the way, does anyone else think Gov. Blagojevich looks like a Fisher Price Little Person? (Especially the hair).

 

Authentic Bat or Authentic Seat?

Buying a bat or seat relic card can sometimes be tricky over the internet.  Authentic seat relics and bat relics many times can look alike.  The only way to really tell is reading the fine print, which can be hard when looking at a picture.  Some sellers may not read the card properly and be selling a bat relic when its really a seat.  There are sellers though that will try to pass off a seat card for a bat.  It is important as you, the buyer, to know which cards from that set at bat and seat cards.  Bat cards usually go for more money than seat relics, but sometimes it can depend which set you are looking at.