Innholdsfortegnelse for December 15, 2025 i Sports Collectors Digest

Icouldn’t wait to crack open a box of 2025-26 Topps Basketball. I finally picked up a box at a local card shop and set out on a quest to find some coveted cards. At the top of my wish list was rookie cards, of course. As outlined in this issue (see page 40), this looks like a great rookie class with several potential stars and hot rookie cards to chase. While No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg is the top prize, there are several other rookies who have gotten off to hot starts and flashed star potential, including VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel, Dylan Harper, Cedric Coward, Ace Bailey, and others. So I was on a quest to find as many of the top rookies as possible. But I also had…

Tom Brady left the New England Patriots after the 2019 season; four years later, coach Bill Belichick followed him out the door. Since then, Patriots fans have been wondering: Is there life after Brady and Belichick? Turns out there is. The immediate post-Brady years saw multiple quarterbacks stumble and even bumble trying to live up to No. 12’s gigantic shoes. There was Cam Newton in the twilight of his career, Brian Hoyer, Jarrett Stidham, Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, Joe Milton, Jacoby Brissett ... and now, finally, Drake Maye. As a rookie in 2024, Maye took over for Brissett in Week 6. The result: a 41-21 loss. As the 2024 season progressed, the losses mounted—eight vs. only three wins. The trend continued in 2025, as Maye and the Pats lost two…

For a complete listing of upcoming shows, visit www.sportscollectorsdigest.com NOTE: If you have a show listing, follow the style below and send to jowens@aimmedia.com. ALABAMA Dec 13 AL, Huntsville. The Flip Sports Card & Collectibles Trade Show, Von Braun Center. 700 Monroe St. SW, Huntsville, AL 35801. SH: 10am-5pm. T: 250+ ($85-95). A: $7 Contact: Daniel TheFlipTradeshow.com Dec 13 AL Sheffield, Muscle Shoals Sportscards and Memorabilia Show, Clarion Inn 4900 Hatch Blvd., Sheffield, AL 35660. SH: 8Am-2Pm. T: 30. A: Free. Contact: Leroy Willis 256-412-2184; popandhoney@yahoo.com Dec 27 AL, Lincoln. The Flip Sports Card & Collectibles Trade Show, International Motorsports Hall of Fame, 3198 Speedway Blvd. (next to Talladega), Lincoln, AL 35096. SH: 10-4pm. T: 250+ ($65-85). A: $7 Contact: Daniel TheFlipTradeshow.com ARKANSAS Dec 19-20 AR, Bentonville. GG2 Sports Cards…

Anyone who knows me knows I love redemption stories. I generally root for people. My job in education has me working with kids with various difficulties and helping them as best I can. I go to work each day knowing I will make an impact on young lives. I've had some guests on my podcast that would fit the description of redemption. Recent guest Erik Myers definitely fits that bill as well. Erik grew up in Texas and he and his dad were Texas Rangers fans. Sports was his passion and he's a self-professed “stat nerd” so collecting cards was a natural progression. His love for sports translated to him becoming a decent athlete in his own right. However, his demons got the best of him and he started to…

Did you know that Babe Ruth used a corked bat when he first started hitting home runs for the New York Yankees? A 40.4-ounce corked bat Ruth used during the 1920-22 seasons topped the 22nd Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Live Auction Nov. 15, selling for $364,250. According to Hunt Auctions, which conducted the auction, the bat features a unique corked barrel treatment not previously encountered on Ruth game-used bats. Based on factory records from manufacturer Hillerich & Bradsby, Ruth may have been experimenting with the weights of his bats and had the barrel treated with a corking process to lower the overall weight to an “adjusted” 40.4 ounces. The bat, which was offered for the first time publicly, retains a period shipping label used to ship the bat to…

Forty years ago, Topps issued its 1985 Topps Baseball card set. Like most Topps sets from that era, it boasted a staggering 792 cards, featured several notable rookies and was loaded with subsets such as “Record Breakers,” “#1 Pick,” and “Father & Son.” Meanwhile, up in Canda, baseball collectors got half the set—both literally and figuratively. O-Pee-Chee released its 1985 Baseball card set in Canada a few months after Topps issued its set in the U.S. And like practically all O-Pee-Chee (OPC) baseball card sets, it copied the design of the 1985 Topps set and used the same photos. The Topps logo was replaced by an OPC logo and cards had both French and English text on the back. But the OPC set only has 396 cards, is missing a…

Resolution Photomatching has strengthened its presence as one of the top sports memorabilia authentication companies in the hobby by creating a star-studded advisory board of some of the top high-end collectors and experts in the hobby. The Resolution Photomatching Advisory Board will be led by Founding Advisors Marshall Fogel and Mike Heffner. Members of the board will serve as impartial advocates for the best interest of the hobby and individual collectors. According to Resolution Founder John Robinson, the board will consult the company on all new ideas, process changes, research modifications, and potential new business. “I want Resolution to always be for the hobby and be the best photomatching company because we’re for the hobby,” Robinson said. “Financials matter, but I want serving our clients and serving the hobby to…

Topps has produced some amazing, history-changing basketball card sets over the years. From the first release in 1957-58 to the memorable 2009-10 set, Topps has banked on consistency and innovation. The 2025-26 Topps Basketball product marks the first time in 16 years the company is making NBA-licensed cards. Panini took over the exclusive license in 2010 and didn’t let go until this year. “Topps is synonymous for a lot of people with trading cards, and I think for people to come into the hobby and see now that Topps is offering basketball cards again, I think it just brings them back to the nostalgic roots of where Topps used to be,” REA President Brian Dwyer said. To commemorate Topps being back in the game, SCD has ranked the top 10…

Nearly 70 years after retiring from the major leagues, Jackie Robinson continues to be one of baseball’s most iconic players. In tribute to the former Brooklyn Dodgers great, collectors of all ages gathered on Nov. 12 to celebrate his legacy at New York’s Jackie Robinson Museum. The collectors showcase event—organized in cooperation with the museum—was centered around the launch of a special Jackie Robinson Mystery Box in partnership with Chase. The box, which retails for $70, features one slabbed card of a player with a connection to Robinson such as a former teammate, barrier-breakers or cultural icons. The mystery boxes feature such greats as Robinson’s Dodgers teammates Pee Wee Reese and Gil Hodges, sluggers Ted Williams and Hank Aaron and even former New York Yankees rivals like Mickey Mantle and…

Three-time All-Star Curtis Granderson spent 16 seasons in Major League Baseball, suiting up for seven different teams during his memorable career. The all-around outfielder led the league in triples in 2007 and 2008 and runs scored and RBI in 2011, placing fourth in AL MVP voting. He finished his career with exactly 1,800 hits, nearly 350 homers, and just shy of 1,000 RBI. The personable Granderson is now an MLB TV analysts for TBS, TNT and other media outlets and was a studio analysts throughout the 2025 playoffs. “The Grandyman” was awarded the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award as well as the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award for his community service. SCD contributor Tony Reid chatted with Granderson about his collecting experiences, including his first autograph request and a…