Innholdsfortegnelse for December 15, 2022 i Sports Collectors Digest

LEADING OFF At The National in July, there was one area and one vendor that attracted the largest crowds throughout the five-day event at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Heritage Auctions, home (albeit briefly) to the SCG 9.5-grade 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card that would soon set the all-time sports card and memorabilia record when it sold for an astounding $12.6 million. But just a few feet away, at the edge of Heritage’s elaborate show-floor exhibit, was another piece of spectacular and historic memorabilia. Prominantly displayed inside a sparkling glass case was a 1918-22 game-used Babe Ruth bat signed by the Great Bambino and gifted to friend and fellow Hall of Fame player Frank “Home Run” Baker. The bat, authenticated and graded PSA/DNA GU 10, had been passed down through…

NOTE: If you have a show listing, follow the style below and send to jowens@aimmedia.com. ALABAMA Dec 10 AL, Birmingham. The Flip Sports Card & Collectibles Trade Show, BJCC Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North Birmingham, AL 35203. SH: 10am-4pm. T: 300+ ($55-90). A: $5. Contact: Daniel 205-310-5630 TheFlipTradeShow@Gmail.comfacebook.com/events/s/the-flip-sports-cardcollectib/780528456391431/ Jan 21-22 AL, Trussville. The Flip Sports Card & Collectibles Trade Show, Trussville Civic Center, 5381 Trussville Clay Rd, Trussville, AL 35173. SH: Sat: 10am-5pm; Sun: 11am-4pm. T: 125+ ($100-150). A: $5. Contact: Daniel TheFlipTradeShow@Gmail.com; 205-310-5630; https://fb.me/e/2GLkPx49r ARKANSAS Feb 10-11 AR, Bentonville. GG2 Sports Cards Show, Four Points Hotel, 211 SE Walton Blvd., Bentonville, AR. SH: Fri: 10am- 6pm; Sat: 9am-4pm. T: 140. A: Free. Contact: Matt Canaday gg2sportscards@gmail.com ARIZONA Dec 17 AZ, Phoenix. The Doubletree Hilton…

THE HOBBY IS THE PEOPLE Ben Smith's story starts out like many others. Collected as a kid but was eventually pulled away by other things that draw our attention, only to return when the nostalgia bug bites us again. Smith’s entrance to the hobby started in 1983 with a Topps Baseball pack that contained a Tony Gwynn rookie card and Jesse Barfield’s second-year card, but it was the more talked about home-run hitting Barfield that peaked his interest. When he returned to the hobby in 2017 he was lucky to still have his original collection. Friends turned him onto breaking and soon the collecting bug hit again. He loved breaks and the many facets of it and soon he was amassing additional stacks of cards. Two things fascinated Smith: the…

The text we read on the back of sports cards generally is positive: You’d think every player was headed for the Hall of Fame. It usually turns out to be an exaggeration … but not always. Consider Tom Brady’s 2000 Playoff Momentum die-cut “X’s and O’s” insert card. The text on the back addresses a commonly held scouting criticism of Brady head-on: his physical build. Playoff ’s card-back copywriters brought up that concern, but quickly batted it down: “Though many scouts considered Brady too thin to excel in the NFL, the Patriots liked his superior leadership ability enough to pick him in the sixth round. He has the poise, composure and accuracy to prove the scouts wrong.” Good call! Yet Playoff wasn’t exactly convincing in its defense of Brady. The…