Hottest Baseball Cards in the Hobby: February
The two products that best tell the story of February's hottest cards are without a doubt 2010 Bowman Sterling Baseball and 2011 Topps Series 1 Baseball. Prospectors continue to eat up Sterling's heavy hitting checklist, while old school collectors and base Topps fans eat up a new season of one of the hobby's most storied brands.
The two teams that best tell the tale are the World Champion San Francisco Giants and the big spending Bo-Sox. Giants fans continue to pay high dollar for 2011 Topps' World Series relics, autos and autographed relics.
Meanwhile, Red Sox fans have welcomed the team's two big ticket additions, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, with open arms in the secondary market, especially their 2011 Topps Red Sox variations. Ever since Brett Favre's 2009 Upper Deck 112b (first Vikings card), there seems to be a growing demand for a player's first card on a new team, as they serve as an "unofficial" rookie card of sorts to die hard fans.
Over the past month, collectors have begun to receive 2010 Bowman Chrome Wrapper Redemption Packs in the mail. The rare wrapper redemption autographs (tough pulls) have been big draws in the collecting community, especially Buster Posey's wrapper redemption auto, which sells for around $300.
Due to the fact that the 2011 MLB Season has yet to start, February's list is littered with cards from hot products and prospects rather than established players. It feels like a waste of both your time and mine (which makes it our time) to jam obvious veteran stars into hot lists prior to the season's first pitch. Once the season starts, the list will likely break down in 50/50 fashion, featuring an even mix of peak performing veterans and hot prospects/rookies.
2011 Topps San Francisco Giants World Series Relics and Autos- Bryce Harper 2010 Bowman Chrome USA Buyback Auto /100
- Bryce Harper 2010 Bowman AFLAC Auto /230
- 2011 Topps Diamond Giveaway Code Card Lots
- Carl Crawford 2011 Topps Boston Red Sox SP Variation
- Bryce Harper Topps 60th Anniversary Auto /60
- Buster Posey 2010 Bowman Chrome Wrapper Redemption Auto
- Stephen Strasburg 2010 Bowman/Topps Autos
- 2011 Topps Baseball All-Star Game 1/1 Letterman
- Adrian Gonzalez 2011 Topps Boston Red Sox SP Variation
Buster Posey 2010 Bowman Sterling Refractors- Domonic Brown 2010 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2011 Topps Baseball 1/1 Canary Diamond Parallels
- 2011 Topps 60th Anniversary Inscription Autos
- Buster Posey 2008 Bowman Chrome Auto
- Mike Trout 2009 Bowman Chrome Auto
- 2011 Topps Baseball "Diamond Sparkle" Variations
- Jason Heyward 2010 Bowman/Topps Autographs
- Jonathan Singelton 2010 Bowman AFLAC Auto /127
- Tim Lincecum 2007 Bowman Autos
John Singleton 2010 Bowman Sterling Auto- Buster Posey 2010 Topps Chrome Refractors and Autos
- Danny Valencia 2010 Bowman Sterling Auto
- Manny Machado 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2010 Finest Buster Posey Letterman Autos
- 2011 Topps 60 Greatest Cards Reprint Relics and Autos
- 2010 Bowman Sterling Purple Reverse Negative Refractors /10
- Carl Crawford 1999 Topps Traded Auto
- Manny Machado 2010 Bowman Chrome USA Buyback Auto /100
- Aroldis Chapman 2010 Bowman Sterling Auto
Dustin Ackley 2010 Bowman Chrome Auto- Freddie Freeman 2009 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto
- Gary Sanchez 2010 Bowman Chrome Auto
- Jameson Taillon 2010 Bowman Chrome Auto
- Jesus Montero 2008 Bowman Chrome Auto
- Bubba Starling 2010 USA Autos, Patch Autos
- Miguel Sano 2010 Bowman Chrome Auto
- Jackie Bradley Jr. 2010 USA Autographs, Patch Autos
- Adrian Gonzalez 2000 Bowman Draft Auto
- Julio Teheran 2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects Auto
Matt Lipka 2010 Bowman AFLAC Auto /37- Cesar Puello 2010 Bowman Sterling Auto
- George Springer 2010 USA Autographs, Patch Autos
- Matt Lipka 2010 Bowman Sterling Auto
- Michael Choice 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- Christian Colon 2010 Bowman AFLAC SP Auto /49
- Josh Sale 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- Troy Tulowitzki 2005 Topps Rookie Cup Auto
- Zack Cox 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- Tsuyoshi Nishioka 2006 SP Authentic Future Watch
Whether you like the product or not, there's one certainty in the sports card world, base Topps will sell and it will sell extremely well thanks to the support of what is arguably the hobby's most dedicated fan base.
On the prospecting side of things, 2010 Bowman Sterlingremains on fire, which might have something to do with the insanely stacked auto checklist and the fact that it's the final 2010 product, which means it's the cardboard curtain call for Strasburg, Heyward, Stanton, Castro, Posey and the rest of what might be the greatest rookie class of all-time.
- 2011 Topps Series 1 Baseball
- 2010 Bowman Sterling Baseball
- 2010 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects
- 2010 Bowman Chrome Baseball
- 2010 Donruss Elite Extra Edition
The dual USA autographs might be the only cold cards in 2010 Bowman Sterling. When it comes to dual autographs, collectors usually shy away those that offer little to no connection between the two players, which is exactly what Sterling's are.
Like2010 Topps Update'smanufactured Bat Barrel relic cards, 2011 Topps manufactured Leather Nameplates haven't connected with collectors, though cool looking, they simply aren't very collectible due to the fact that they are nothing more than a glorified card featuring a manufactured relic.
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David Tenneson | Feb 19, 2011 | Reply
Love seeing Dom Brown, Bubba Starling, and Sano on this list.
Brett J. Lewis | Feb 20, 2011 | Reply
@David Tenneson: You forgot your boy Singleton! I haven't finished my 2011 MLB Preview for the site yet, but I am 90% positive I am going to have the Phillies and Twins in the World Series.
David Tenneson | Feb 20, 2011 | Reply
Your right I did! I think I might adopt the Twins as my AL team so I can find more things to argue about with my Yankee-loving father-in-law. I'd have no problem with a Twins/Phills WS as long it goes down to the wire and ol' man Doc can get the game7 win ;)
By the way, tell me you applied for the MLB.com dream job! I did with NO CHANCE of getting it but I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem.
Caleb | Mar 4, 2011 | Reply
How about some fantasy baseball prep. Who are these young guys and how do they compare with established veterans?