Panini signs John Wall to Exclusive Deal
WASHINGTON WIZARDS DRAFT PICK JOHN WALL SIGNS EXCLUSIVE NBA TRADING CARD AND MEMORABILIA DEAL WITH PANINI AMERICA
Arlington, Texas (August 18, 2010) – Panini America (www.paniniamerica.net) , a subsidiary of The Panini Group, the leading global publisher of sports and entertainment collectibles, has entered into an exclusive relationship with John Wall, the first overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. The partnership with Panini America, the exclusive trading card and sticker licensee of the NBA, marks Wall’s first in the collectibles category. Read more
Tiger Woods Variations in Champs Hockey
Beckett Blog had a story today about Tiger Woods being included in Upper Deck’s autographed mini cards in the 2008-09 NHL Champ’s product. Upper Deck announced that there are four different variations to be found.
King James throne is with Upper Deck
Upper Deck is definitely putting out some great looking cards with their last licensed NBA releases. They have the exclusives on some of the NBA’s greatest players ever such as Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James and are taking advantage of that! We got in a press release from them on the new Lebron cards with some pretty nice inscriptions.
Topps UFC Round 1 Review
We were able to get in a box from Topps of their premiere product of the UFC! Sixteen packs per box, 8 cards per box, the hits for it as stated on the box are three autographs and three relics per box. There are gold, black and red versions of the cards. We hit the stated odds for the autos and relics and even hit a 1 of 1, keep reading to see our review.
Upper Deck and Griffey Celebrate 20 Years
Trading card company and Griffey have accomplished a lot during the past two decades
North Las Vegas, NV (January 12, 2009) – Since bursting upon the scene in 1989, Ken Griffey Jr. has actually changed the way a lot of people think about baseball players. His boyish grin, backwards cap and moon-shot home runs helped make his MLB entrance a memorable one. In 20 major league seasons, “Junior” has earned 10 “Gold Glove” awards, been selected to the American League All-Star team 13 times and currently ranks fifth in career home runs (611).
By the same token, Upper Deck – which also debuted in 1989 – changed the way people thought about baseball cards. It also featured Griffey as card No. 1 in its inaugural set. Through innovative concepts and cutting-edge technology, Upper Deck has continued to revolutionize the trading card industry. In twenty years, Upper Deck has introduced anti-counterfeit holograms on trading cards, randomly inserted autograph and game-used memorabilia cards into packs, debuted concepts like cut autograph cards that feature signatures of deceased personalities and much, much more.
So, to honor the card that started it all, Upper Deck had Ken Griffey Jr. sign 89 of his 1989 rookie cards and include the inscription “20 years.” These cards will be randomly inserted into 2009 Upper Deck Series One Baseball which releases in early February. To add heightened rarity with these signed cards, Junior signed the first 13 cards in black ink and the remaining 76 cards in blue ink.
“We have enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Ken Griffey Jr. since our company’s inception,” said Gabriel Garcia, Upper Deck’s associate brand manager for baseball. “This is the perfect way to help celebrate our 20th anniversary and the enduring partnership that Upper Deck has enjoyed with one of baseball’s greatest stars. Griffey’s 1989 Upper Deck rookie card is beloved by sports card collectors and those who find these signed versions will truly have a special collectible to add to their collections.”
Jordan, Tiger, Ali are showcased in a masterpiece!
Legends of Sport: Upper Deck Debuts First-Ever Triple-Signed Piece of Ali/Jordan/Tiger Memorabilia.
This holiday season, Sports Memorabilia Company unveils autographed artwork that will no doubt top any collector’s wish list!
North Las Vegas, NV (December 15, 2008) – For the first time ever, three of history’s most legendary sports figures are showcased on the same piece of autographed memorabilia. Utilizing high-end archival paper and the most stunning images available, Upper Deck has created its first-ever “Legends of Sport” triple-signed montage featuring Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
Ali, the former heavyweight champion of the world, won 56 professional bouts during his stellar career in the ring, while Jordan secured six NBA championship rings and six NBA Finals MVP awards during his stellar career. Woods, meanwhile, has earned 14 of golf’s majors – all before turning 33 years old.
“We knew we had something special in the making as we planned this rare piece,” said Tim Muret, vice president of Upper Deck Authenticated (UDA), Upper Deck’s memorabilia division. “Not only have Ali, Jordan and Tiger never appeared together on signed artwork before, which makes this piece extraordinary, but the wow factor when you see the item up close just takes your breath away. It’s an investment piece that is sure to appreciate.”
The beautifully designed montage is highlighted in gold and shows each of the talented athletes in action, flanked by ghosted-back images of their faces. Ali is shown stalking an opponent circa 1975; Jordan is caught in mid-flight on his way to the basket in the 1990s; and Woods is captured launching yet another beautiful drive. Each member of the talented threesome has signed the thick-stock, archival P-velvet paper in black paint pen just beneath his action photo and their signatures have been deemed genuine via UDA’s patented five-step authentication process.
“We are very excited to have Muhammad contribute to such a landmark piece,” added Muret, who noted that both Jordan and Woods have been exclusive signers for UDA since 1994 and 2001, respectively.
“I’m excited to be involved in this, especially with these two amazing men, who have transcended their sport to become cultural icons,” said Ali.
“I am thrilled to be included in this historic piece with Muhammad Ali and Tiger Woods,” Jordan added. “I admire them both for their achievements in their sports and as people.”
Exquisitely framed, the precious keepsake measures 57” wide by 34” high. The edition size, written in sharp pencil on the lower-right corner, is capped at 500, making this a truly rare piece of sports memorabilia. Collectors interested in obtaining this limited piece of coveted memorabilia can shop online at www.upperdeckstore.com, or call 1-800-551-8220, ext. 2292 for more information.
Jordan Buybacks in 2008-2009 Fleer!
I got this in from Chris Carlin at Upper Deck today. These twenty three cards that Upper Deck is inserting in to 2008-2009 Fleer Basketball look amazing. I do personally wish there was a silver signed 86-87 Jordan in the product, but they do have a picture on their Facebook page of the inserted reprint of that historic card.
Twenty-Three Reasons to Pre-Order 2008-09 Fleer Basketball Today
One-of-one autograph buy-back cards of Michael Jordan will be randomly inserted into 2008-09 Fleer Basketball!
North Las Vegas, NV (December 12, 2008) – Throughout Michael Jordan’s career, the Upper Deck exclusive spokesmen had never signed a Fleer card. It wasn’t until Upper Deck acquired Fleer a few years back that MJ-signed cards began appearing in Fleer products much to the delight of collectors.
This year, to create excitement around the release of 2008-09 Fleer Basketball, Upper Deck bought back 23 unique Fleer cards of Michael Jordan. Recently Jordan added his signature to each of these cards and now they’ll be randomly inserted into the upcoming release which is scheduled to launch on January 6, 2009.
Each of the hard-signed autograph cards will be numbered as 1-of-1’s and all will pack out live in the product. Jordan signed some of the cards in blue ink and some in silver, based on the cards’ varying backgrounds.
“He was the type of player who never let you down,” said Brandon Miller, Upper Deck brand manager for Basketball. “If he was playing, you had to watch. To be able to procure such a unique variety of Fleer cards of MJ from throughout his career and then have them signed is just awesome. We know collectors love promotions like this so it’s highly likely that they will all be chasing these cards when 2008-09 Fleer Basketball lands in stores.”
To view the entire card gallery, visit Upper Deck Basketball’s Facebook page. Go to www.facebook.com and search for Upper Deck Basketball. Go ahead and become a fan today
Bowman Chrome Complete Autograph Rundown
I saw this post on FreedomCardBoard.com written by Teleplayer22 and I really enjoyed his rundown. We will be posting a follow up to this tomorrow. I won’t bog it down with much by me, but I hope everyone enjoys our first guest column at Superfractor.com.
Here’s my take on the players after watching games and videos, and reading from a few different sources. Feel free to disagree — that’s one of the points of the thread, considering that a lot of this information is purely an opinion. This might provide some insight if you are completely lost on what you pulled.
The dollar amount represents what I think the card will be selling for half-way through the 2009 season.
BDP111 SS Wilmer Flores (b. 8/6/1991, 6′3, 175, R/R) — New York Mets
Flores has just about the highest ceiling of anyone in this set, and is definitely one of the front-runners for bringing in the most cash from the 08 autos. The thing is, at the age of 16, Wilmer didn’t just fare well in Rookie ball, he slugged .490. He put up respectable BB/K for his age (12/28), also. I don’t expect Flores to stay at shortstop — he’ll probably outgrow the position as he gets older and stronger. While Flores hit with much more power than shortstop Carlos Triunfel did during the 2007 campaign (when he was 17), Flores is still almost entirely projection. Nonetheless, not many players hit the ground running at the age of 16, and he’s going to draw a lot of comparisons to Miguel Cabrera this season. The big drawback to the card is the fact that it’s a redemption. $45
BDP112 SS/3B Lonnie Chisenhall (b. 10/4/1988, 6′0, 200, L/R) — Cleveland Indians
Pretty average in all respects. I’m predicting a Chad Huffman like year from him in terms of production. He has a chance to be a relatively decent baseball player, with no exceptionally astounding skills or hideous flaws. He has a short, line-drive oriented swing that should be good for a home run total in the 10-15 range next year. was The big concern that I had was with his makeup — he was kicked off the USC baseball team for attempting to steal computers at his school — one has to wonder how serious the player is when they commit something that heinous.
$10
BDP113 RP Carlos Gutierrez (b. 9/22/1986, 6′3, 205, R/R) — Minnesota Twins
Ouch! Gutierrez was not a strong pick for the Twins, and you really don’t want him as your box hit. Reliever coming off Tommy John surgery, combined with the fact that he only has one legitimate pitch. There’s just not a lot here.
$7
BDP114 SP Derek Holland (b. 10/9/1986, 6′2, 185, B/L) — Texas Rangers
Here’s a dominant pitcher. He wasn’t drafted this year, but he’s put up a 4/1 K/BB ratio with over 10 K’s per inning over the last 2 years between low-A and AA. He’s improved with every step, posting a sub 0.80 WHIP to end the 2008 campaign with AA Frisco. He really has a chance to set himself apart as the best pitcher in the set.
$40
BDP115 OF Michael Stanton (b. 11/9/1989, 6′5, 205 R/R) — Florida Marlins
First of all, 39 home runs in A ball at the age of 18 is extraordinary. People are going crazy over his tools, 6′5 frame, and 1.000 OPS, but I’m calling a drop in production next year. Prospectors will quickly remember Brandon Wood and Brian Dopirak, both of whom had incredible seasons at the age of 20 in A/A+ ball. Both of these players put up very similar numbers to Stanton, and while Stanton is way ahead of both Wood and Dopirak age-wise, I don’t think he can put up his power next year in AA. He strikes out 1 out of every 3 at-bats, which sends up a big red flag. He has light tower power, but I want to see him play in A+ or AA before I believe that he can get by with that many strikeouts.
$43
BDP116 1B Ike Davis (b. 3/22/1987, 6′4, 205, L/L) — New York Mets
Simply put, Ike LOOKS like a baseball player. He’s projectable and athletic, and can play 1B or the corner outfield. He has modest BB/K ratios throughout his career, but I do not think that he will ever hit more than 15 or 20 home runs in a season. He doesn’t have a clean weight transfer in his swing, and has (to a lesser degree) a Matt Antonelli approach of poking the bat forward to hit line drives. I think aluminum bats and general athleticism allowed him to clobber 16 home runs at Arizona St. in 2008, but 0 home runs in 215 at-bats in low-A is no fluke — I do not think he’s going to generate the 30 home run power that some are predicting
$14
BDP117 SS Anthony Hewitt (b. 4/27/1989, 6′1, 190, R/R) — Philadelphia Phillies
Ugh. Very unimpressive swing that’s just miserably handsy. His hands and body disconnect, resulting in a complete loss of power. He fits the Greg Golson/Michael Bourne mold of recent Phillies draft picks — all projection and limited baseball skills. He’s going to draw B.J. Upton comparisons from believers, as he’s exceptionally athletic, but Hewitt has an extremely long way to go before he turns athleticism into home runs. He struck out 55 times in 117 at-bats in his pro debut. I’m predicting a C.J. Henry like season.
$5
BDP118 SS Gordon Beckham (b. 9/16/1986, 6′0, 185, R/R) — Chicago White Sox
It’s all about sticking at shortstop. Some people don’t think he has the arm or range to stay at short, and will have to move to second. I’m not terribly high on him, as I think he opens up his hips a little bit early in his swing. I think he has the tools to be a well above-average major league shortstop, but nothing screams superstar. I think he could easily hit .290-20 in the major leagues, and could easily settle into a Stephen Drew like mold.
$35
BDP119 RP Daniel Schlereth (b. 5/9/1986, 6′1, 210, L/L) — Arizona Diamondbacks
He’s a powerful college closer that could move very quickly through the system. In terms of baseball card collectibility, though, there’s not a whole lot of room for growth. He won’t be moving to the rotation, so the highest I see his card selling for is
$8
BDPP120 CF Zach Collier (b. 9/8/1990, 6′2, 185, L/L) — Philadelphia Phillies
I really like this selection, and Collier is a good buy at under $10 per chrome. He’s very young, but unlike Hewitt, he has a very advanced swing for his age. Collier has a good chance to develop plus power and contact ability, with speed to spare. Collier has an excellent, short plane to the ball in his swing. I’m mostly nitpicking when it comes to pointing out flaws in his swing (his elbows have little bend, sapping some of his power at the point of contact), but Collier is close to Aaron Hicks in terms of the best high school outfielders in the draft.
$22
LHP BDPP121 Evan Frederickson (b. 9/23/1986, 6′6, 240, L/L) — Milwaukee Brewers
Ouch! Not a good pick by the Brewers. 26 walks in 20 IP in his low-A ball debut was no fluke — Frederickson really has poor mechanics. He spins off the mound when he throws, and his glove and his throwing arm spiral across his body after the release point. Not much to say here, Frederickson will walk his way out of baseball before he sniffs the majors.
$5
LHP BDPP122 Mike Montgomery (b. 7/1/1989, 6′4, 190 L/L) — Kansas City Royals
He’s a long ways away, but Montgomery doesn’t have too many mechanical flaws. Right now, his main problem is developing better off-speed offerings. There aren’t any heinous flaws in his mechanics, and I’d imagine that he’ll experience some success against low-A competition, as he won’t have to rely on his off-speed pitches very much. Montgomery is a 4+ years away, but his ability to move forward depends on how quickly and easily he masters the curveball, which is the pitch he really lacks. Pretty safe bet to not implode or spike.
$7
BDPP123 RHP Cody Adams (b. 11/26/1986, 6′2, 180, R/R) — Milwaukee Brewers
Not a bad pick here. Adams has aggressive mechanics, and, similar to Montgomery, doesn’t have any major flaws. His main problem is that he doesn’t really firm up his glove hand during the delivery, but he has good momentum and rhythm in his delivery. Nothing really jumps out at me, but he’s potentially a sleeper.
$8
BDPP124 LHP Brad Hand (b. 3/20/1990, 6′3, 220, L/L) — Florida Marlins
Nothing to see here. The MLB draft report touted Hand as “more of a thrower than a pitcher right now.” Frankly, Hand’s delivery is disastrous. He practically falls off the mound due to so much lateral effort. His entire arm drags behind in the delivery. Just poor, poor mechanics. Expect Hand to suffer some kind of serious elbow injury this year. His maximum effort, unrefined mechanics are a sure sign of disaster.
$4
OF BDPP125 Josh Reddick (b. 2/19/1987, 6′2, 180, L/R) — Boston Red Sox
The player that Jason Place wishes he was. Reddick will be drawing a lot of Jeff Francoeur comparisons this year — aggressive swing, athleticism, excellent arm strength, and lack of walks. His strike out rate is a little bit concerning — 36 in 95 AFL at-bats this fall, but it’s never been a terrible problem in the past. I think his 17 home runs in 312 at-bats were inflated by the CAL league parks, but Reddick has a decent power potential. I think we can expect a .260-.265/20 home run season out of Reddick this year in AA. Not a bad player by any means.
$23
BDPP126 Michel Inoa (b. 9/24/1991, 6′7, 210, R/R) — Oakland Athletics
There’s not a lot to be said for Inoa. He’s considered one of the best Dominican Republic imports in the last 10 years, and he signed a 5 mil. deal with the A’s at the age of 16. Without statistics or a video, though, there isn’t much to judge. Similar to Delmon Young in 2003, some of Inoa’s cards are redemptions, and some are already signed for BCDP. Without more information, I can’t make a prediction on future prices.
BDPP127 C Jesus Montero (b. 10/28/1989, 6′4, 225 R/R) — New York Yankees
Jesus had a lot of things going for him this season — first of all, he slugged .491 at the age of 18 in low-A ball, and he put up fairly modest BB/K numbers. One thing that really impresses me is that he had 34 doubles to go along with 17 home runs. That kind of power potential out of a big-bodied catcher is hard to come by. The cards are redemptions, but I think he’s a very good gamble right now. The hype machine is sure to start running on Montero, and he put up a lot more power than Fernando Martinez at the same age. This card definitely has room to grow.
$48
BDPP128 C Buster Posey (b. 3/27/1987, 6′2, 200, R/R) — San Francisco Giants
The fabled Buster Posey! No one was prepared for Posey’s giant spike from 3 home runs in 2007 to 26 in 2008 at FSU. I think Posey is a very good catcher, but right now, I’m not a fan of the $55+ price tag for chrome autographs. In my mind, Posey has a chance to hit over .300 with 15-20 home runs a year, along with excellent defense. Posey is not going to be a 30-35 home run a year guy — his swing is suited for line drives. Good player, but not at the current price.
$43
Cueto Conundrum?
The following images are being discussed on Freedom Card Board and debated about how does one person sign two cards completely different in the same year? Anyone from Topps or Upper Deck want to comment?
This definitely seems like a sticky situation where the authenticity of his autographed cards definitely has to be called in to questions.
Topps Originals Fakes on Ebay.
This Mickey Mantle Topps Original showed up on Ebay.com recently and a lot of questions about it were instantly raised. I emailed Topps and they were very quick to get back to me and say that it is indeed a fake, and was not produced by them. So please be wary and do not bid on this.