Kobe Bryant
It wasn't only Jordan lighting it up in $33M Goldin weekend
As you may have seen Saturday night, it was a weekend of record-setting sales over at Goldin Auctions -- and it wasn't just Michael Jordan scorching the auction block, either.
The Runnemede, N.J.-based company had sales topping $33 million in the two-day event, which it claimed to be "the largest online sports collectibles auction of all time."
"I’ve been collecting cards and memorabilia for my whole life and I’ve never seen as much interest in the hobby. Long-time collectors have seen the value of their items soar and new collectors have rushed in because they view the hobby as not only fun but also a valuable investment," said company founder Ken Goldin in a prepared release. "It’s gratifying to see the hard work of our team on behalf of our consignors lead to these record setting results."
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Jan. 14)
The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.
What's Buzzing: Collectors react to the James Harden trade, Kobe Bryant cards, Sapphire and NFL rips, a big WWE retail pull and ... hey, Houdini, remember this one?
Giannis 1/1 Prizm Rookie Card parallel tops $1.1M via Goldin
The Bucks bucks stop here ... or are they just getting started?
Giannis Antetokounmpo's 2013-14 Panini Prizm 1/1 Black Mosaic Rookie Card parallel topped the million-dollar mark on the auction block this weekend via Goldin Auctions.
It sold for $1,168,500 after 25 bids and it wasn't the only notable NBA card sold by the auction house. In fact, there were more than a dozen six-figure sales for notable basketball, baseball, football, soccer and gaming cards in this single auction event that included more than $14 million in sales.
"The number of records set in our Holiday Auctions is incredible," said founder Ken Goldin in a prepared release. “It clearly demonstrates a combination between the power of our marketing with the increased demand for cards and memorabilia. The future of the Hobby in general and Goldin Auctions looks very bright.”
Panini America reveals Kobe Bryant auto redemption plan
The untimely death of NBA great Kobe Bryant earlier this year left many collectors wondering what might happen with Panini America autograph redemptions that were still in the works.
Today, Panini revealed its plans -- a mix of fulfillments where possible and then comparable replacement autos as well as a special set and some new Bryant-inspired Mosaic parallel cards for cases where collectors simply won't be able to get an autograph that Bryant had committed to sign before he died.
First Buzz: 2020 Break King Basketball Special Edition
What: 2020 Break King Basketball Special Edition
Arrives: Late December
Box basics: Three buyback cards per box (three boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: NBA fans will have plenty to chase in this buyback release with one graded Kobe Bryant Rookie Card per case for starters.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Sept. 6)
The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.
What's Buzzing Today: Big pulls, big surprises, big variety and more in today's edition.
Buzz Buys: Anthony Fauci's Rookie Card, big Bo Bichette, Kobe, Sasha Banks, AEW's start & Mark Wahlberg's new NFL card?
Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.
So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's some new stuff and some throwbacks as I await some new arrivals.
--
IN THE HOUSE (BUT NOT IN THE STRIKE ZONE)
The Card: Dr. Anthony Fauci 2020 Topps Now (/51,512)
The Price: $6 (direct from Topps)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card was a fun surprise after his awful first pitch to start the season on Opening Day last month and it set an all-time record for Topps Now with more than 51,000 copies sold. That's more than double the previous record for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s MLB debut last year. Why? The novelty of it and the market has been strong for this card as many non-collectors apparently want one. That price has made me glad I did a handful. I may or may not slab one as I had planned as these didn't come in as razor-sharp/perfectly clean as other Topps Now cards I've done. (And also because grading prices are getting steeper.) The real question for people out there ... did anybody get a parallel? Those are new for Now this year.
Grab a box right here: None for this ... get 2020 MLB boxes here.Keep reading for more interesting items ...
First Buzz: 2020 Leaf Autographed Basketball Photo Edition
What: 2020 Leaf Autographed Basketball Photo Edition
Arrives: October
Box basics: One autographed and slabbed photo per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: Leaf takes to the hardwood with a signed NBA photo release for the first time and it's one that's loaded with stars from the past and present.
Keep reading for more.
First Buzz: 2020 TRISTAR Signature Series Live Edition
What: 2020 TRISTAR Signature Series Live Edition
Arrives: Sept. 9
Box basics: One autographed item per pack (eight packs per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)
What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Signature Series returns with just 80 eight-pack cases of authenticated autographed memorabilia with only oversized items being redemptions.
First Buzz: 2020 Leaf In The Game Used Sports cards
What: 2020 Leaf In The Game Used Sports cards
Arrives: Sept. 25
Box basics: Five memorabilia cards per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: This premium brand once again takes on the entire sports world with a mix of legendary possibilities from the legends of the past to recent superstars all in one hits-driven place.
Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images released so far.
Retro Gallery: 2018 National Sports Collectors Convention
Check out the prices of unopened boxes from just two years ago in the gallery -- it should surprise you.
Do know what today is?
It was supposed to be the opening day of the National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City, N.J., but with the life-changing coronavirus pandemic still in play across the country the show of all shows has been tentatively rescheduled for December. (And, realistically, that's likely in doubt.)
What might you have found on the show floor? Well, you can find stuff you might not even know exists -- or can even imagine -- and in the case of this throwback gallery of views from just two years ago you might wish you had a time machine.
Fast Five: Players to consider stockpiling right now ...
This one is a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's perhaps something to ponder.
This time? Five players to stockpile right now.
LEGENDARY LULL? MAYBE FOR SOME STUFF ...
Once Tom Brady's new-team cardboard arrives there will be some heat there but for long-term stockpiling, I'd be looking at other things for this Hall of Fame lock and all-time great. His Rookie Cards from 2000 boxes are stupid expensive so stockpiling those ain't easy even if you have a Centurion black card -- there's just not an infinite amount to be found. But there are other types of cards that you should be able to find far cheaper and can sit on for the future. Don't think there's heat here on non-rookie, non-auto stuff? Click here. I'm not even recommending loading up there. Brady game-used jersey cards might be first on my list -- none of his gamers will be cheap to find at this point for card companies -- though they aren't super-cheap either. (I perhaps own one pulled long ago.) But you should also consider standard flagship types of cards and parallels -- basic Topps, Score, Playoff, Panini staples -- with an eye on grading. Prices on basic Brady cardboard out there is often far cheaper than, say, LeBron James, Ken Griffey Jr. or Kobe Bryant with plenty of options. And he's a lock as being his sport's all-time best -- and keep in mind that some Patriots stuff might have lulls with the move to Tampa Bay ... perhaps moreso if the season is delayed or shortened.Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (June 6)
The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.
What's Buzzing Today: "I realized I had a Kobe collection," a big 2020 Bowman pull, BGS 9.5 vs. PSA 10, Project 2020 flippers flipping out and more in today's edition.
Win a $1,000 BlowoutCards.com shopping spree (and more) with StockX's Benefit for COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund
A simple $10 donation on StockX's Benefit for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund might land you a $1,000 BlowoutCards.com shopping spree or a number of other pieces from around the sports world and beyond.
The effort includes nearly 80 different items currently up for grabs that you can get tickets for and it includes signature-model shoes, competition-used memorabilia and autographed pieces as well as other shots at sports cards.
Some of the names involved include Topps, Panini America, PSA, Allen Iverson, Chloe Kim, Eminem, Kobe Bryant, Goldin Auctions, Kevin Durant, Usain Bolt, Leo Messi, The Golden State Warriors and more.
First Buzz: 2020 Super Break 23/24 Edition Series 2
What: 2020 Super Break 23/24 Edition Series 2 basketball cards
Arrives: June 1
Box basics: One buyback card per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: Super Break takes to the court once again with a second helping of some of the best players to wear a pair of magic numbers in NBA history getting the spotlight on a per-case basis.
First Buzz: 2020 TRISTAR Best Of All Time autographs
What: 2020 TRISTAR Best Of All Time autographed memorabilia
Arrives: May 13
Box basics: Four autographed items per case
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's autographed memorabilia line goes uptown for another year with it promising the biggest names in the history of sports in tow.
Keep reading for more and a gallery of what's in this one.
Buzz Buys: Tony Gwynn's basketball jersey, Jack Nicholson's NBA card, a new Superfractor, Jungle Julia's band, Jim Brown's jersey, X-Men art, vintage, movie autographs & plenty more
Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my ongoing goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.
So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's a little more non-sports -- perhaps a reflection of some recent binge-watching of TV and movies that came to mind without live sports happening.
--
NO BASEBALL, NO MARCH MADNESS ...
The Card: Tony Gwynn 2016-17 Panini Immaculate Collection Collegiate Jersey Prime (/25)
The Price: $22.50
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Back in December, I presented a similar card to this one and had it leading off -- but with there being no March Madness, no baseball, nothing ... I figured I might lead off with this one again as a reminder of what's not going on right now. As mentioned last time, this Hall of Famer's estate auctioned off a number of game-used pieces in 2015, generating more than $217,000 and among them was his first San Diego Aztecs basketball uniform that sold for $11,858 via SCP Auctions to Panini America. The swatches didn't go into a ton of different cards -- just a couple brands over a couple years -- so there's a chance there could be some more at some point. If not, these will remain classics.
Grab a box right here: 2016-17 Panini Immaculate Collection CollegiateKeep reading for more interesting items ...
Buzz Buys: Legendary memorabilia, early football autographs, Tiger Mask, Kobe Bryant, Jerry Maguire, The Joker and more
Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.
So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's a little bit of everything.
--
RARE STUFF
The Card: Addie Joss 2019 Panini Flawless Legendary Jumbo Materials Sapphire (/7)
The Price: Just under $80
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I don't pony up this big for single cards all that often, but something grabbed my attention here. Actually, it was a mix of a few things (beyond just the price) for a Hall of Famer who only has memorabilia cards in only a few releases (Diamond Kings, Flawlesss, National Treasures) from just the last two years. First, price. Second, this one has a huge swatch and based on the look of it, I'd bet big money that the material came from a $12,426 pair of game-used pants sold by Lelands in late 2017. Third, Joss played just nine years -- 1902 to 1910 -- won 160 games in that span and fell ill in spring training the following year and died at age 31 from tubercular meningitis so it's not some decades-later coach-worn piece. (Learn more about his career here -- and there's a ton more here that's also interesting.) For memorabilia and cardboard, there's just not much to go around for him and my gut feeling about this one's price felt even better when I checked eBay completed sales to see easier versions of this card pushing $200. With the price of those pants -- and the fact that there are no known jerseys out there beyond anything hanging out at the Hall of Fame per the auction house -- there could be fewer jumbo cards like one this made in the future and a finite volume of memorabilia cards in general for this notable name from the past. I'd grab 'em while you can if you have any interest.
Grab a box right here: Panini Flawless (all years)Keep reading for more interesting items ...
eBay Buzz: Zion Williamson & Kobe Bryant autos, Matt Hardy, Rio Ruiz spring heat and ... Phil Hughes' final 2011 jersey
Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.
--
ZION! ZION! ZION!
The Item: Kobe Bryant & Zion Williamson 2019-20 NBA Hoops Art Signatures dual-auto (BGS 9.5/10)
The Price: $99,999.99 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card is an interesting one in that, unless there was some other seriously advanced-planning signing sessions last year, it will absolutely never happen again making it an even more amazing (and somber) creation. This is one of the rarest inclusions in hobby boxes of 2019-20 NBA Hoops with on-card autographs of the future Hall of Famer gone too soon and the rookie who has dominated the league so far this year. Williamson just recently posted a career-high scoring night -- and more are likely on the way as he is putting up a more-than-respectable scoring streak. Any and all Zion ink will be in demand more than ever -- and this one might hold up as one of the the biggest autos of them all no matter what one-of-a-kind high-end stuff might be coming. This came out of a super-affordable flagship-style Hoops pack and it's a classic. I don't see it getting that BIN price, but I could see some big, big offers. Right now it's the highest of just two copies graded ... and we have no idea how many more might even have been signed.
Similar Pieces: Zion Williamson autographs on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2019-20 NBA Hoops hobby boxesKeep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...
First Buzz: 2020 Super Break 23/24 Edition basketball cards
What: 2020 Super Break 23/24 Edition basketball cards
Arrives: April 2
Box basics: One buyback card per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)What's buzz-worthy: Super Break takes to the court once again with some of the best players to wear a pair of magic numbers in NBA history getting the spotlight on a per-case basis.
Fast Five: Kobe Bryant basketball cards you should start with
This one is a quick idea for a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's something to think about.
This time? Five Kobe Bryant cardboard basics to own.
A ROOKIE CARD
It's clear that a lot of people who aren't seven-day-a-week collectors have been picking up Kobe Bryant basketball cards since his death in late-January, and the easy starting point for someone -- regardless of budget -- is a Rookie Card. His best Rookie Cards are from major manufacturers and most of them show him in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform or at least use Lakers logos. He has a ton of draft picks and early cards, too, but his 16 Rookie Cards all from the 1996-97 season are the ones to consider first. Here's a rundown of the brands -- Bowman's Best, Collector's Choice, E-X 2000, Fleer, Fleer Metal, Flair Showcase, Fleer Ultra, NBA Hoops, SP, Topps, Topps Chrome, Topps Finest, Upper Deck, UD3 and Z-Force. They're all in demand but they have always been relatively findable and vary in price. Topps Chrome, Topps Finest, Bowman's Best and SP are arguably the better ones, so they'll cost more, while Collector's Choice and Hoops will be on the cheaper side. There are parallel versions for the Chrome and Finest cards, too, and there are also fakes for some of the basic cards here to be weary of. I'd grab one that's been graded by BGS, PSA or SGC only. My Favorite? Probably Finest (above) as I was actually able to find one in a pack long, long ago ... I also once had a Chrome ... but traded it. (Story for another day.)Keep reading for four more basic cards to consider for Kobe Bryant.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Feb. 4)
The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.
What's Buzzing Today: Check out all of the handy 2020 Topps Series 1 links, a huge NBA Hoops pull and a LeBron lesson in supply and demand.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Feb. 3)
The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.
What's Buzzing Today: Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl win, new NFL and NBA breaks, Power Cubes delivering big and Kobe Bryant discussions keep on going.
Making the Grade (Feb.): Kobe Bryant, Eddie Vedder, Rookie Cards, The Four Horsemen, Meghan Markle, Superman & more
Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.
Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...
The Card: Kobe Bryant 1996-97 Upper Deck #58 Rookie Card
The Reason Bought: I actually bought this card more than a year ago and thought I had it waiting in my stash of cards to present here at some point but, after doing some searching, realized that I never took a photo of this iconic 1990s card and it had been waiting for its time to appear. Unfortunately, we know why this NBA legend has been on the minds of many sports fans out there this week so here we are. I picked up this Rookie Card back then since it was a decent grade for a decent price -- just $9 -- and I didn't ever pull one way back when. It doesn't have any obvious flaws on the front, so it looks much better than its grade, too. (Sub-grades on the back of this slab are all 9 or higher except for an 8.5 on corners and one corner shows why.) The shocking news of this week has created a frenzy of interest for Bryant's RCs and autographs -- and a card in this same grade (not an elite grade, really) sold for $200. Mine will remain in my stash.
The Grade: BGS 9Grade 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 B10 Total Population 1 9 11 28 92 306 922 1,058 585 8 0 3,029 Reality Check: The pop report on this card is a lot stiffer than I had expected with this being the most-common grade and fewer than 600 checking in higher. I had expected there to be more but I suspect the pop reports on this card could change a lot in the coming months -- and it will be interesting to see if any ever reach BGS Black status. Bryant has a number of RCs -- more than 20 -- and this one is unique in that it doesn't show him in his Lakers uniform. The debate as to whether Bryant's cards will hold values in comparison to what people are paying right now is an interesting one over on the Blowout Forums where there are a number of discussions. I think this is a scenario that may defy common collecting logic -- I'd think that anything is possible in this case and there are a lot of buyers right now who will pick up cards and stash them away forever, leaving a smaller volume of stuff available for everyday collectors to grab on eBay and other market hot spots. Finding unopened boxes won't be an option for a lot of his Rookie Cards that people want to track down, either.
Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.
Board Buzz: Must-read threads on Blowout Forums (Jan. 30)
The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.
What's Buzzing Today: Kobe Bryant, an NBA newbie seeks advice, big breaks, Pieces of the Past, Rick & Morty and of you think Drew Brees will retire?