Monthly Archives: November 2015
Holly Holm dethrones Ronda Rousey -- and her few 2015 Topps UFC Rookie Cards skyrocket on eBay
Holly Holm shocked the MMA world on Saturday night by knocking out Ronda Rousey to become the UFC women's bantamweight champion, dethroning the champ who has been a force in the Octagon and on Topps trading cards.Holm? Well, she's just getting warmed up.
New Buzz: Products arriving this week (Nov. 15-21)
After a few heavy weeks for new releases -- and with Black Friday still to come later this month -- this week's schedule for new products just feels lighter. But it still packs some punch.For football collectors, 2015 Topps Chrome is set to arrive on Wednesday with one rookie autograph in every 24-pack hobby box. It comes on the heels of Topps Finest's colorful and delayed arrival and Panini Prizm's expanded rainbow hitting last week, but the allure of Superfractor autos has been among the strongest out there for football cards in recent years.
It's also not the only heavyweight coming.
First Buzz: 2015-16 Fleer Showcase hockey cards

What: 2015-16 Fleer Showcase hockey cards
Arrives: March 2, 2016
Hobby box basics: One autographed patch card (limited to 499 or less) and two other hits in every 12-pack box -- 5 cards per pack, 16 boxes per case (two eight-box mini cases per case).
What's buzz-worthy: Fleer Showcase showcases a few famous brands from the past all under one roof with looks at Showcase, Skybox Premium, Metal Universe and Ultra all in one spot. It's an offering the company says is "one of the most-comprehensive checklists for rookies of the entire year."
See a gallery and more ... below.
Buzz List: Five NFL players to watch this week
The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely be without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday when they take on the Cleveland Browns and that team's likely QB is our pick for a prime player to watch on Sunday. He's "Johnny Football," Johnny Manziel, who completed 15 of 33 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown in a 31-10 loss on Nov. 5.Could a decent game against an AFC rival be enough to spark interest -- or at least some optimistic hype -- in a guy who was an unquestioned top rookie on cardboard last year? And what about a good game? Buzz thinks that could re-ignite some serious interest.
Keep reading for four more guys to watch on Sunday.
Tyler Seguin & Jamie Benn power Dallas Stars' unprecedented start
The Dallas Stars are off to a historic start for the franchise this season, powered by a pair of ... stars whose cardboard might have room to grow.Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn have combined for 27 points in 17 games, and, according to the NHL, the team is off to its best 17-game start in the 48-year history of the franchise. The team is 13-4-0 so far this season.
Business Buzz: Funko Pop! maker sold to investment group
Fans of Funko Pop! figures may not see a change in their seemingly always-arriving collectibles, but there was a change in ownership for the Everett, Wash.-based company that makes them earlier this month.Funko, which was founded in 1998, was acquired by ACON Investments for an undisclosed sum. Its CEO, Brian Mariotti, and management team will continue to lead operations.
"We are excited to be partnering with Brian and the entire Funko team," said Ken Brotman, Founding Partner of ACON, in a prepared statement. "Funko has established itself as a fore-runner in the pop culture space and we look forward to building value in a business that is very well positioned for continued growth."
eBay Buzz: Just how much will this BGS-graded 2012-13 Flawless basketball diamond set sell for?

One collector took the challenge of completing the 2012-13 Panini Flawless basketball set -- something that can only happen a few times because every card from the super-high-end brand is limited to just 20 serial-numbered copies with a diamond embedded inside.
Now, it's time to see just how priceless Flawless can be as the set is on the auction block.
First Buzz: 2015 Leaf 25th baseball cards

What: 2015 Leaf 25th baseball cards
Arrives: Dec. 30
Hobby box basics: Four autographed cards per box, 12 boxes per case
What's buzz-worthy: Leaf Trading Cards takes a look back at the popular 1990 Leaf baseball set with this autograph-driven brand that enlists all of today's printing techniques while looking back at the famed design with today's prospects and some legends of the past.See a gallery and more ... below.
WWE succumbs to one ugly trend -- and we're pretty sure Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman would approve
World Wrestling Entertainment has been known for some controversial moments in television history that included intense matches, risqué segments, countless "Stone Cold" Steve Austin middle fingers, exploding limos, Katie Vick and plenty more.But this? This is just ugly.
WWE launched a line of ugly sweater-inspired sweatshirts on Friday, giving those gatherings a new twist on the trend of hideous holiday attire -- a twist with some muscle and some attitude.
Andrelton Simmons autographs might be big winner after trade sending him to Los Angeles
On Wednesday, Atlanta shortstop Andrelton Simmons picked up the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year award. On Thursday, he picked up his stuff and headed to Los Angeles as the Braves traded him to the Angels for a pair of pitching prospects, Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis, as well as shortstop Erick Aybar.Could Simmons' autographs be picking up next?
Mile High Comics building sale prompted by Denver's high demand for warehouses ... to grow legal pot
Mile High Comics is one of the biggest sellers of comic books and related memorabilia in the United States and it found itself in the news this week for reasons not related to the latest books or movies based on books.
Mile High President Chuck Rozanski writes a weekly email/newsletter where he often discusses some of the inner workings of his Denver, Colo.-based operation that might interest collectors or entrepreneurs while also presenting that week's sales and new special issues.This week, it was to explain how Denver's real estate boom -- a development thanks to the legalization of marijuana in the state and high demand for warehouses to grow the plants legally -- gave him no choice but to sell one of his company's buildings.
First Buzz: 2015 Topps Mini baseball cards factory set
What: 2015 Topps Mini baseball cards
Arrives: Nov. 16 via Topps.com
Box basics: 700 cards plus 11 parallels and 10 bonus cards (factory set)
Buzz Gallery: 2015 Cryptozoic Arrow Season 2 autographs

Fans of Arrow have just a few more days to wait before Cryptozoic's newest set of cards chronicling the series arrive packing one autograph and one memorabilia card per
box.The set is 2015 Arrow Season 2 and it will include a deep roster of signers with several signers signing cards for their dual roles on the show, which is based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow.
Russell Wilson Texas Rangers auto Relics coming in 2015 Topps Dynasty
Russell Wilson was a fourth-round pick of the Colorado Rockies back in the 2010 MLB Draft and he spent two summers in A-ball where he hit .229 with five homers and 26 RBI and 118 strikeouts in 93 games.Despite that, or thanks to his NFL credentials as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, in 2013 the Texas Rangers claimed him in the December Rule 5 Draft. He has not played an official game since 2011.
Now, he'll have autographed Relics in one of Topps' priciest baseball card brands.
Topps adds 2015 Bowman frames to personalized card lineup
Fans of Topps' long-running personalized card program know all about the potential fun of seeing themselves or their young athlete on an official-looking card.Now it can be an official-looking Bowman card.
Is the 2015 Topps Heritage '51 baseball set an overlooked bargain?
The 2015 Topps Heritage '51 baseball card set is a newcomer to the Heritage lineup and it's a brand with its non-traditional gaming-style backs that, admittedly, might not appeal to everyone.But it's those card backs -- at least on the mini parallels -- that might make those sets a bit more appealing to those considering opening a set for breaking and resale.
Buzz Gallery: 2015 Panini Contenders baseball autographs
NCAA baseball has always been a bit of the odd one out when it comes to the major sports' cardboard as the best MLB players are often drafted out of high school.Unlike football and basketball, where we have seen college teams on cards en masse for years, college baseball wasn't really at the forefront for baseball brands.
The arrival of 2015 Panini Contenders from Panini America changes that a bit as it's a prospect brand loaded with college colors. Sure, there are MLB prospects found inside who are already in the minors or guys who were signed internationally or out of high school, but there are many NCAA logos we haven't seen a lot of on baseball cards as draft picks sets have exploded in the hobby since the 1990s.
eBay Buzz: 1968 Topps photo slide as rare as it gets for Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan is baseball's strikeout king and one of the safest and most-collectable players in the hobby today.But back when Topps was putting together its 1968 baseball card set, he was just a rookie pitcher for the New York Mets -- a guy who was famously forced to share his Rookie Card with a teammate, Jerry Koosman.
Board Buzz: Five must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Nov. 12)
The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.New Era Caps releases Star Wars Big Face Collection
New Era Caps, the maker of on-field hats for Major League Baseball and countless other styles of headwear in the sports world and beyond, launched a new line of Star Wars caps on Thursday with classic characters from the science fiction saga but also some new characters from The Force Awakens arriving on Dec. 18.It's the Star Wars Big Face Collection.
You can get a Big Papi VISA -- but it doesn't come with a Big Papi limit

Twelve Major League Baseball players have granted their likenesses to be used as part of a prepaid debit card program that lets diehard fans have yet another card of their favorite and lets them show it off every time they make a purchase.So, in other words, your Big Papi VISA doesn't come with big-league cash -- unless you put it there.
David Ortiz is among the players partnered with the True Stars Fan Club, an MLBPA-approved venture that promises baseball-related rewards and benefits to those who sign up for the program.
Need a reason to buy some new CDs? How about free autographs ...
Many of us live in an iTunes world, jettisoning the tangible plastic and paper of CDs for a simple download, but there's one reason why you might want to consider returning to your collecting roots and have a CD in hand.Sometimes they can come with free autographs.
Dallas Cowboys & Star Wars join forces to rule the apparel universe
How 'bout them Stormtroopers? Or ... maybe The Force is strong with them Cowboys.
I've got a bad feeling about this. Or ... It's a trap!No, Coach Ackbar, this is the latest merchandising push from the Dallas Cowboys -- a line of co-branded apparel meshing Star Wars and the famous
DeathStar. You can see all of it if you try to keep reading.Do or do not, though. There is no try.
Buzz-worthy Gallery: 2015 Topps Doctor Who trading cards

The long-running tale of Doctor Who spans generations as well as more than one TV series, and the international appeal of the time-traveling adventures will all be showcased in a new trading card set arriving later this month from Topps.It's 2015 Topps Doctor Who, and it's set to arrive on Nov. 25 with two hits per box.
Leaf Trading Cards offers collectors two redemption alternatives after recent hacking attempt
Leaf Trading Cards is offering collectors two ways to get their redemptions fulfilled while its redemption site is being repaired following a recent hacking attempt."No damage was done to our database nor was any customer information compromised," Leaf CEO Brian Gray said. "Unfortunately, the site's infrastructure suffered some damage and repairs are necessary before [the] site can be accessible at this time."






























