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Autograph/ Autograph Collecting/ Rookie Baseball Cards/ Through The Mail

Willson Contreras – World Series Champion

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Willson Contreras Chicago Cubs – World Series Champion!

During the autograph collecting in 2017 at Miami Marlins park, one of the most gracious signers is none other than Willson Contreras. Each and everyday he signed cards, photos for just about anyone that wanted it. Some people may be of the opinion that he should have, but nonetheless he is a member of the Chicago Cubs team that busted the World Series jinx! Should or not, he did and was very humble and gracious about it.

The World Series can sometime change people and their perspective as to when they will sign and how many. Also the constant autograph hounding. I would like to give a huge shout out to Kris Bryant. Bryant was loyal and true to the fans not only taking the time to sign autographs, but went down the line and took photographs with special needs children. That boys and girls is what it is all about in the very, very end!!! Cannot say the same for Anthony Rizzo, Jon Lester, and some of the other well named notables. They did not give any of the fans down here in Miami the time of day!!!

Autograph Collecting/ Odd-ball Cards/ Toy Review

Star Wars Masterwork February 2015

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Star Wars Masterwork

Like any product of late, in my opinion, the February 2015 release of Topps Star Wars Masterwork disappointed me. The heavy price did not produce the quality I was expecting. I know many people might think the lack of a large hit may be the reason for my sour grapes, but I assure you it is not. The main reason is because I am a collector and not a seller! I do sell product from time to time, the main reason is for cash flow stream to purchase product that I want.

When the purchased product disappoints like the Star Wars Masterworks did for me. The cards are nice, hard to deny that but they lack the wow factor that a $250.00 should have. Sometimes as a collector, I purchase cards that I believe they may disappoint, and turn out to be a great product. Other times like (Star Wars Masterwork) the product is expensive, and they just do not pack the necessary punch.

In all the card I really wanted was the BOBA FETT autograph, and long and behold like the mighty Yoda, I willed one into my packs and was lucky enough to get the card I wanted. I am a huge BOBA FETT fan. So in that regard, I cannot claim the product was completely bad for me. But some of the 1 of 1 sketch cards were completely silly and horrible. I am going to list some of the pulls I had right here on this page, check it out:

BOBA FETT Autograph

1 of 1 Sketch Card

Darth Maul Postage Stamp

Beckett Grading Specials – Incredible Deals

Graded Card Registry/ Psa / Heritage Auctions/ Rookie Baseball Cards

Beckett Grading Specials – Incredible Deals

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Beckett Grading Specials

There is only one way that I know of to protect your investment and assure yourself that you have the optimum grade for a sports card or any other card collectible and that is to grade your card, and or memorabilia. I mostly use Beckett grading, but I also use PSA and for the most part that is it. I am not discounting the fact that some of the other companies may have something to offer but I only use these two. Now I do own some SGC graded cards in my collection, but for the most part Beckett and PSA are the companies that I submit to.

Why I choose Beckett

The main reason is that they do not obligate you to join their membership for submissions. Now you can join and they do have daily, monthly and yearly specials, but it is not mandatory that you join to submit cards and memorabilia for grading. PSA on the other hand requires a membership. So I have a membership with PSA and I do not currently have one with Beckett. So make sure you check out their grading specials for the month of November and then come back to their site for the December specials. I usually send a bunch of cards each month and take advantage of their deals. Here are some of the following cards that I collect:

  • Baseball cards
  • Basketball cards
  • Football cards
  • Vintage sports cards
  • Hockey cards
  • Game cards
  • Comic books
  • Non-sport cards

Beckett Grading Services Club Bronze Membership for $99. Free Beckett “BGS 10” T-Shirt, Beckett Over Shoulder Sling Bag, 6 Grading Vouchers @ 10 day service level, Total Access 1 Month Price Guide

Baseball card price

Derek Jeter Respect

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Derek Jeter’s Last Home Game….Amazin!!! – A NY Met Fan…

As a NY Met fan I can always look to the Bronx and find things that I don’t like from the NY Yankees perspective. But one thing holds true, Derek Jeter will always have my respect. Having been born and raised for most of my childhood in Brooklyn, I can tell you that there is probably no better place to play as an athlete than probabaly NY. But the reality is that is also the hardest place to play in and perform well at. It simply is not the best place for some athletes. But when you have grace, style, passion, professionalism, and talent, if you make it happen there, then you have another Derek Jeter.

The truth is that he will probably be forgotten once the next great Yankee comes around, and he will. But watching Jeter play all these years, and collecting his cards like I have, I think he will be one of these never truly forgotten. Congratulations Derek!

2003-04 Bowman Rookies And Stars Basketball Cards

Basketball Rookie Cards

2003-04 Bowman Rookies And Stars Basketball Cards

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The 2003 NBA Draft is being compared to the 1985 NBA Draft, I believe that in time, the 2003 NBA Draft will be the most lucrative draft the NBA League has seen in some time. The Big 3 in the NBA over the last 20 years or so were Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley. However they did not come out of the same draft. The exception was Magic Johnson, who was drafted in 1980 by the Los Angeles Lakers, boy it doesn’t seem like 28 years ago does it?

The 2003 NBA Draft has already netted (no pun intended) an NBA Champion in Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat. Lebron “King” James who has already made it to the finals, and next up I believe could be Chris Bosh. I believed that Carmelo Anthony had a better chance prior and probably still does, but the loss of Allen Iverson should be a major impact on the team, even though the team chemistry just was not there with Allen Iverson.

Not many teams can function with that many ball hogs in the starting lineup, and their defense was suffering because of it, I guess that is the knock on Allen Iverson of late, and probably the same reason he will never achieve Michael Jordan status. Michael Jordan in his greatness, became the best teammate anyone could have, basically because he developed his teammates status around him and refined his already near perfect basketball skills, in the clutch it was him, but the sharing throughout the game was generous in nature, that made him elite.

Lebron James and Dwyane Wade have those Michael Jordan like qualities and skills to some degree, and do command the type of attention that was Jordan-esque, and has not been seen or merited in quite some time. Carmelo Anthony has flashes of greatness, but seems to struggle in the team concept part. We will see this year if the thorn in his side, was indeed Allen Iverson. Carmelo Anthony needs to step up and become the leader this team needs him to be.

Lebron James can and will make players around him better, but the cast needs to improve. I like the acquisition of Delonte West, a relentless ball pusher and runs the court very well. I need him to excel, I am sitting on a ton of his rookie cards, primarily Topps Chrome. Get it done Delonte West! The rest of the cast for Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are not very persuasive to me to make a realistic quest to the NBA championship.

The Boston Celtics will continue to dominate the league this year, barring any unfortunate injuries, If Lebron James and Company are going to task themselves with defeating the Boston Celtics, the cast needs to improve. A mid-season acquisition or two should do the trick. They also need another bench player, someone to give them some quality minutes off the bench.

Chris Bosh is going to need more help than Lebron James, but believe it or not, disagree you may, I believe the Toronto Raptors have a better bench than the Cleveland Cavaliers. Time will tell….

Michael Jordan Cards Are Still A Nice Investment

Basketball Sports Cards

Michael Jordan Cards Are Still A Nice Investment

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Michael Jordan Basketball Cards

Michael Jordan was part of the “Big Three”, that kept NBA basketball going. I can’t remember them all, but I want to say it was Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and possibly Charles Barkley. I could be wrong, but I believe that was the talk back then in the 1990’s.

For me as a collector, and I was a huge L.A. Lakers fan, clearly it was Jordan. Fleer Basketball cards, are the corner stone of any Michael Jordan collection, especially in the last 7 years where Star Company basketball cards became non-gradable by most of the legitimate card companies. Counterfeiting was the main reason for the lack of Star Company basketball cards being graded, although I have seen a resurgence of PSA graded Star Company basketball cards of late.

If you wanted to stay on the safe side, I recommend the Fleer Basketball cards and Michael Jordan, the 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card has become the formidable one, putting away 10 of these for a rainy day would be nice, if you can afford graded even better, don’t try going lower than an PSA or BGS 8. If you can find the Michael Jordan Star Company basketball cards graded then by all means, have at them.

Fleer Cards/ Topps Embossed Basketball Cards

Just expect to pay a pretty penny. These cards do not come cheap, there are also a few different versions of the 1986 Star Company Michael Jordan, basketball cards. Try making a nice run of MJ Fleer cards, starting with the rookie and then move on up, there also some nice odd ball cards that should add nice conversational pieces, one of my favorites is the 1996 Topps Embossed Basketball Michael Jordan card, sporting the jersey #18. Nice piece, one to have graded for sure. These have many flaws, so to have a BGS 9.5, or PSA 10 would be noteworthy. The recession might be the right time to start collecting some of the autographed cards that he has signed, I would even try selling some less desirable cards to obtain these. Most of these, depending on the limited amount go for $600.00, those that are not numbered go for about $180.00 to about $250.00

Most of the truly legitimate autographed cards of Jordan come via the Upper Deck company and they are exclusive, there are quite a few limited to the number of his jersey #23. These too are pretty expensive. The range about $800.00. Michael Jordan should be the corner stone of any sports card collection, unless you do not want the greatest basketball player to have ever played the game in your collection! I can still see his finger in the air almost guiding the ball to the bottom of the net in that NBA Championship series, Incredible!