Top Eleven Pulls To Celebrate Sports Card Info’s 11th Birthday

Today Sports Card Info turns eleven years old.  Thanks to everyone who checks in here on a daily basis.  Sports Card Info began when I was in college.  Many others were starting sports card blogs at the time, and I thought to myself “Hey, I can do that too.”  Lots of blogs have come and gone within that time, but Sports Card Info is still going.  I continue to keep it updated regularly.  At the very least there is a “Card of the Day” post every day.

Over the last eleven years I’ve pulled some amazing cards.  The last three years though have particularly been quite lucky.  In the past, I’ve pulled some cool stuff from Panini, Press Pass, In The Game, and Upper Deck.  But as you can see, for the last three years Topps and Leaf have been my jam.

To celebrate Sports Card Info’s 11th birthday, here is a rundown of the top eleven pulls I’ve had since the blog began in 2007.  Like I said, 2015-2018 has been extremely lucky.  Thanks again for stopping by.  Lets hope we make it to #12.

Babe Ruth 2017 Leaf Immortal Collection Game-Used Boston Bat Relic Purple #’ed 1/1

Brett Favre 2015 Topps Chrome 60th Anniversary Superfractor Auto #’ed 1/1

Frank Thomas 2017 Topps Luminaries Autographed Game-Worn Jersey Letter Patch Book #’ed 1/1

Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Finest RC Blue Wave Refractor Auto #’ed/25

Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Tier One Break Out RC Auto #’ed/140

Aaron Judge 2017 Topps Series 2 ’87 Topps RC Red #’ed/25

Ronda Rousey/Miesha Tate 2015 Topps UFC Knockout Dynamic Duels Auto/Relic Book #’ed/5

Neymar Jr. 2017/18 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Lightning Strike Auto #’ed/10

Babe Ruth/Shohei Ohtani 2018 Leaf In The Game Used Sports Reflections Relics Gold #’ed 1/1

Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps Heritage High Number Real One RC Auto

Mike Trout 2017 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Player Edition – 2013 Bowman Buyback Auto #’ed 1/1

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2018 Leaf In The Game Used Sports Christmas Box Break

I absolutely love this product.  2018 Leaf In The Game Used Sports debuted during the National Sports Collectors Convention last summer.  Collectors quickly realized how loaded these boxes are, and the supply dried up significantly.  Individual box prices went from a starting point of $160 to $270 as of right now.  Sometimes a sealed box will popup on eBay with an asking price of over $300.  Very few dealers have any of this product left.  In fact, the only dealer that I can find who has any boxes left is Steel City Collectibles.  Back in August, I busted two of these boxes at the National, and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

Santa Claus found me a box.  As expected, it totally delivered.  I have yet to find a bad box of this stuff.  Highly recommended, and worth the price.

Here is what I pulled:

Relics

• Rod Carew/Tony Gwynn Reflections Relic #’ed/20
• Michael Jordan Enshrined Silver Relic #’ed/2
• John Smoltz Jumbo Patch Magenta #’ed/4
• Andruw Jones Fantastic Fabrics Patches Gold #’ed 1/1
• John Elway/Peyton Manning/Steve McNair/Dan Marino/Kurt Warner/Tom Brady/Steve Young/Joe Montana MVP 8’s Patches #’ed/20

Ephrata Lions Club Sports Card Show Celebrates 40 Years

One of the longest running sports card shows in the country is celebrating it’s 40th anniversary next year.  Since 1980 the Ephrata Lions Club has held it’s annual sports card show.  Its been going for as long as the National Sports Collectors Convention.  The 2019 show will be held at the Ephrata Recreation Center Saturday, March 30.

40 years is a tremendous accomplishment for a card show.  In honor of this momentous occasion, there will be (2) autograph guests instead of the normal (1).  Signing from 11:00-1:00 will be former Phillies manager, and 2008 World Series Champion Charlie Manuel.  The second guest will be former Eagles tight end, and Super Bowl LII Champion Brent Celek signing from 11:30-1:30.  Only (250) tickets will be sold for each guest.  You better get there early, the show opens at 8:30.

The show itself consists of (70) tables, and takes up about two basketball courts.  There usually is a good supply of both vintage and modern cards.  Someone almost always has current wax boxes.  Especially if VSM Sports Card Outlet decides to setup.

I haven’t been to this show since 2015.  Jim Palmer was the guest in 2016, and Brooks Robinson was there in 2017.  Both of whom I already had autographs of.  Last March Tony Perez was there, but I wasn’t able to attend.  I’m going to try and make it this time.  Card shows with signers like this don’t popup in my area as much as they once did.

When I first got into collecting, the Ephrata Lions Club Sports Card Show in my mind was the biggest show in the world.  I didn’t think they got any larger than that.  The National put that into perspective.  So did the Philly Show when it was held in Fort Washington and Reading.  Of all the ups and downs this industry has had, to keep this going strong for 40 years is amazing.  I’m already craving one of those 10:00 a.m. hot dogs they serve up.

More details about the show can be viewed on their website and in this press release.

Pin Highlight: 39th National Sports Collectors Convention

Its no secret that I had a great time while attending the National Sports Collectors Convention this year.  I’ll be talking about it forever.  Sports Card Info pin/t-shirt, Topps hat, and pulling a Babe Ruth/Shohei Ohtani dual relic #’ed 1/1.  All while surrounded by some of the most museum quality sports memorabilia known to man.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

I was very happy to see the NSCC selling show-branded merchandise.  Its been a long time since we’ve had stuff with the show’s name on it.  This past year they went all out.  Five different types of t-shirts, poster, and a pin.  Some of this could only be purchased online or in person at the show.

When I saw they had a pin, I needed to pick one up.  Pins were a regular thing they sold for awhile, but then stopped.  Show-exclusive bobbleheads should be next.

More Photos From The 2018 National + Cool Idea!

I can only speak for myself, but the 2018 National Sports Collectors Convention has got to be one of the best shows I’ve ever attended.  According to the National, it had the best attendance they’ve seen in the last twelve years.  PSA also mentioned that they had a record number of submissions during the show too.  Records were being broken all over the place.  It was quite the spectacle to see.

Cleveland continues to be my favorite location.  I’ve been to seven Nationals, and four of them have been at the I-X Center.  Its easy to get to, not in the city, and I usually can park near the entrance.  The National takes place in Chicago at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center next year July 31 to August 4, 2019.  As much as I enjoy the National, I don’t plan on going to Chicago.  I hate to miss it, but I do not enjoy the process of flying or driving twelve hours.  The next National I’m looking to attend is in Atlantic City in 2020.  I was there in 2016, and things worked out fairly well.  Given the attendance seen this year, once the Atlantic City show is over I wouldn’t be surprised if it just alternates between Chicago and Cleveland for awhile.

In my opinion, Leaf and Topps had the superior wrapper redemption programs.  I did nothing with Upper Deck or Panini.  Topps does a nice job with their exclusive Bowman Chrome refractors.  Leaf had a huge hit with their 2018 In The Game Used Sports boxes.  At the show, these were selling for $160-$165 per box.  Now they go for $270.  The Leaf Originals Metal promos that you’d receive for opening boxes at their booth have also gained a lot of traction on the secondary market.

I have a cool idea.  Wouldn’t it be fun to see a remote controlled blimp flying around the National?  I’ve seen them before at hockey games randomly dropping coupons.  It could fly over the crowd and drop packs to sports collectors below.  Each day a different manufacturer could sponsor the packs being dropped.  Who wouldn’t want some exclusive blimp parallels?  How about mounting a camera on it too?  I bet it would even have it’s own Twitter account.  I can see this idea really “taking off”.

Although the National has been over for a month, I’d like to share some photos I didn’t post on my Day #1, Day #2, and Day #3 coverage.  There are a few aerial shots.  Pictures like that always remind me of Where’s Waldo.  You never know what you might see.  Who knows?  You could be in there.

Bill Belichick 2002 Super Bowl XXXVI Game-Worn Headset.  You can hear everything with this.  I mean EVERYTHING.

Rob Bertrand of Go GTS Live handing out prizes.

Behind the TRISTAR curtain.

Leaf Booth Finds During The 2018 National

To celebrate their 70th anniversary, Leaf created a set of 2018 Leaf Originals Metal cards that were handed out during the National Sports Collectors Convention.  I opened a few boxes of 2018 Leaf In The Game Used Sports at their booth, and got the pull of a lifetime.  I also walked away from the Leaf booth with a nice stack of these promos that pay tribute to the original 1948 Leaf set.  They cover a wide variety of sports, and come in all sorts of colors.  I like the simple design combined with chrome technology.  Leaf is very underrated, and produces some nice looking products.

Look at what I got!

• Liangelo Ball Red #’ed/3
• Anfernee Simons Red #’ed/3
• Greg Maddux Green #’ed/5
• Errol Spence Jr. Black #’ed/7
• Gordie Howe Black #’ed/7
• Derrius Guice Black #’ed/7
• Earl Campbell Pink #’ed/10
• Dennis Rodman Pink #’ed/10
• Chloe Kim Purple #’ed/15
• Shohei Ohtani Purple #’ed/15
• Kyle Kuzma Purple #’ed/15
• Jerry Rice Purple #’ed/15
• Stephen Curry Blue #’ed/20
• Pete Rose Blue #’ed/20
• Josh Rosen Blue #’ed/20
• Whitey Ford Blue #’ed/20
• Josh Rosen
• Lamelo Ball
• Magic Johnson
• Cal Ripken Jr.

Leaf sold Babe Ruth Yankee Stadium seat relics at their booth too.  Each is stamped commemorating the 2018 National.  The photos used for these remind me a lot of their 2017 Babe Ruth Immortal Collection.  I chose the one picturing Babe Ruth in a tuxedo signing what looks to be a series of baseball bats.  Where do you think those bats are today?

If you weren’t able to attend, be sure to checkout my Day #1, Day #2, and Day #3 coverage.

(2) 2018 NSCC Topps Wrapper Redemption Pack Break

Upon taking my box of Museum Collection to the Topps booth during the 2018 National, I received (2) wrapper redemption packs in return.  Inside each pack are (4) exclusive Bowman Chrome cards.  Parallels and autographs could also be found.  Although I didn’t get any autographs, I did pull two nice parallels.  Take a look!

If you weren’t able to attend, be sure to checkout my Day #1, Day #2, and Day #3 coverage.

Parallels

• Michael Kopech Red Refractor #’ed/5
• Walker Buehler RC Orange Refractor #’ed/25

Base

• Rhys Hoskins RC
• Shohei Ohtani RC
• Joey Votto
• Nick Senzel
• Noah Syndergaard
• Bryce Harper