10 Best 2012-13 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey Young Guns Rookie Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Who will be the breakout Young Guns in 2012-13 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey? We count down our 10 top picks.
Archive for November, 2012
10 Georges St-Pierre Cards That Pack a Serious Punch
By Ryan Cracknell
One of the most popular fighters in UFC, Georges St-Pierre also has a sizable following in the hobby. We look at 10 of the best Georges St-Pierre cards available today.
10 Simple Steps to a Better Sports Card Collection
By Ryan Cracknell
Want to build a better sports card collection? Here are 10 easy ways to do it and have more fun collecting.
1952 Topps Look ‘n See Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1952 Topps Look n See is an eclectic historical set that remains popular today. It’s highlighted by vivid images, a design similar to 1952 Topps Baseball and a strong checklist.
1954 Dan-Dee Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
As long as you can overlook the potato chip grease, 1954 Dan-Dee Baseball remains one of the most popular food releases. Mickey Mantle headlines the oddball set.
1962 Topps Civil War News Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
One of the most popular trading card sets of all-time, 1962 Topps Civil War News offers a bloody take on one of the biggest events in American history.
1963 Topps Astronauts Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1963 Topps Astronauts looks at the origins of American space travel. Featuring astronauts like John Glenn and Alan Shepard, the 55-card set highlights Project Mercury.
1964 Topps Beatles Movie Hard Day’s Night Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1964 Topps Beatles Movie Hard Day’s Night is a 55-card set that includes lots of images from the Fab Four’s feature film debut. Cards remain reasonably priced, although they appear to be tougher to find than many other Beatles trading card sets.
1965 Philadelphia Gum James Bond Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
007 has a long legacy in the hobby. For collectors in North America, 1965 Philadelphia Gum James Bond is where it all began. The 66-card set includes cards from Dr. No, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger.
1970 Kellogg’s Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
An oddball classic, 1970 Kellogg’s Baseball was the first complete baseball card set from the cereal maker. The checklist includes Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente and a second-year Reggie Jackson.
1971 Topps Greatest Moments Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1971 Topps Greatest Moments Baseball is one of the most popular — and expensive — oddball issues of the modern era. The 55-card set is rare and extremely condition sensitive.
1973-74 Topps Hockey Cards
By Chris Stufflestreet
1973-74 Topps Hockey features a boldly colored design. Although it looks similar to its O-Pee-Chee counterpart, the checklist is very different. Billy Smith is the key rookie.
1974-75 Topps Hockey Cards
By Chris Stufflestreet
1974-75 Topps Hockey is highlighted by a strong rookie crop that include Lanny McDonald, Denis Potvin and Borje Salming. Legendary coaches Scotty Bowman and Don Cherry also have rookies in the set.
1982 Donruss Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1982 Donruss Baseball saw the brand start to take on more of a distinct identity. The set features the debut of the Diamond Kings subset as well as puzzle inserts. The checklist is highlighted by the Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card.
1983 Donruss Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1983 Donruss Baseball is led by a trio of Hall of Famer rookie cards: Tony Gwynn, Ryne Sandberg and Wade Boggs. Heavily influenced by the previous year’s design, the set also marks the second installment of the iconic Diamond Kings subset.
1983 Topps A-Team Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Capturing the action and characters of the 80s TV classic, 1983 Topps A-Team includes a checklist of 66 cards and 12 stickers. Like a lot of entertainment sets from the era, boxes and sets remain extremely affordable.
1984 Donruss Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
One of the most popular sets of the decade, 1984 Donruss Baseball includes the iconic Don Mattingly rookie card.
1985 Donruss Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Notable for its tough black borders, 1985 Donruss Baseball is led by Roger Clemens and Kirby Puckett. The set features the company’s standard mix of cards, including Diamond Kings and Rated Rookie.
1985 Hasbro Transformers Action Cards Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1985 Hasbro Transformers Action Cards are the first trading cards of the iconic franchise. The popular set highlights many of the top Autobots and Decepticons as well as recaps from the original cartoon.
1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 2 Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1985 Topps Garbage Pail Kids Series 2 see the popular series continue with another 82 cards. Several variation types make building a complete master set something of a challenge for completists.
1985 Topps WWF Pro Wrestling Stars Wrestling Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
The first set licensed by the industry giant, 1985 Topps WWF Pro Wrestling Stars remains one of the most iconic sets in the history of wrestling cards. The checklist features some of the first cards of Hulk Hogan and many other 1980s legends.
1986-87 Kraft Drawings Hockey Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1986-87 Kraft Drawings Hockey is one of the most attractive hockey card sets of the decade. The popular oddball issue includes some of the first cards of Patrick Roy and Wendel Clark.
1990 Upper Deck Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
It may no longer be as valuable as it once was, but 1990 Upper Deck Baseball is still one of the hobby’s most attractive sets. It’s also important for introducing the concept of pack-inserted autographs to the modern hobby.
1991 Stadium Club Football Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1991 Stadium Club is considered one of the landmark releases of the early-90s. Featuring a premium design, the set has the top Brett Favre rookie card.
1993-94 Topps Finest Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1993-94 Topps Finest Basketball marks the brand’s hardcourt debut. The NBA set is led by Michael Jordan and the Refractor parallels along with rookie cards of Anfernee Hardaway and Chris Webber.
1994-95 Topps Finest Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Featuring Grant Hill and Jason Kidd rookies, 1994-95 Topps Finest Basketball also offers popular Refractors and Michael Jordan cards.
1995 Bowman’s Best Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Once the hottest set in the hobby, 1995 Bowman’s Best Baseball features iconic rookie cards of Andruw Jones and Vladimir Guerrero. While neither both cards have fallen in recent years, the set is still one of the era’s best.
1995-96 Topps Finest Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
By today’s standards, 1995-96 Topps Finest Basketball is a very simple set. Rookie cards are led by Kevin Garnett, however a solid second tier includes Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Finley and Rasheed Wallace.
1996-97 SP Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
1996-97 SP Basketball is led by several standout insert sets. It’s also bolstered by several top rookie cards, including Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Allen Iverson.
1996-97 Topps Finest Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Led by Kobe Bryant, 1996-97 Topps Finest Basketball features a stellar rookie crop. The multi-tiered checklist makes building a complete set a challenge.
1998 SP Authentic Football Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Led by the Peyton Manning rookie card, 1998 SP Authentic Football is one of the most popular sets of the late-90s. Other rookies include Randy Moss and Ahman Green. Autographs fall one per hobby box.
2000 Fleer Greats of the Game Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Highlighted by one of the best autograph checklists ever for a baseball card set, 2000 Fleer Greats of the Game Baseball looks to the game’s past. The set is also notable for having one of the first Mickey Mantle memorabilia cards.
2001 SPx Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2001 SPx Baseball includes autographed rookie cards from two of the game’s all-time greats — Ichiro Suzuki and Albert Pujols. The multi-tiered set includes tons of numbered rookies, autographs and jersey cards.
2005-06 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Although it has one of the weakest rookie crops in the brand’s history, 2005-06 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball still packs a punch with its high-end lineup of autograph and memorabilia cards.
2006 Artbox Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Update Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2006 Artbox Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Update expands upon the film’s first release. Highlights include a pair of Daniel Radcliffe autographs, one of which also has Robert Pattinson’s signature.
2008 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Football Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2008 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Football features one of the strongest rookie lineups in the brand’s storied history. Matt Ryan, Darren McFadden and Joe Flacco are among the high-end highlights.
2008-09 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love lead the rookie charge in 2008-09 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball. The ultra high-end set features one of its strongest lineups with lots of rookies, autographs and patch combinations.
2009 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Football Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2009 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Football continued with the brand’s focus on ultra high-end hits. All cards are numbered and all autographs are on-card. Key rookies include Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez.
2012 Bowman Chrome Baseball
By Ryan Cracknell
2012 Bowman Chrome Baseball sticks with the formula that made it one of the hobby’s most popular sets. Collectors can expect lots of rookies, prospects, Refractors and a growing number of autographs.
2012 Bowman Draft AFLAC, Perfect Game and Under Armour Autographs Guide
By Ryan Cracknell
Here’s all you need to know about the 2012 Bowman Draft AFLAC, Perfect Game and Under Armour Autographs. We’ve compiled a complete visual checklist including print run info, teams and a handy buying guide.
2012 Bowman Draft Pick and Prospects Baseball Prospect Autographs Guide
By Ryan Cracknell
Get complete 2012 Bowman Draft Baseball Prospect Autographs info including a comprehensive checklist, draft info, images, buying guide and more.
2012 Leaf Autographed Football Jersey Edition
By Ryan Cracknell
2012 Leaf Autographed Football Jersey Edition delivers a signed replica jersey in every box. Signers include Aaron Rodgers, Barry Sanders, Joe Montana, Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III.
2012 Leaf Best of Football Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Following successful baseball and basketball sets, 2012 Leaf Best of Football brings the buyback concept to the gridiron. Every box delivers an autograph and a slabbed or graded buyback.
2012 Leaf Cut Signature Edition Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2012 Leaf Cut Signature Edition is another entry into one of the company’s most notable lines. Every box has an encapsulated cut autograph. Subjects include Tupac Shakur, Charlie Chaplin, Amy Winehouse and Jimi Hendrix.
2012 Leaf Originals Wrestling Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2012 Leaf Originals Wrestling is an all-autograph set featuring many of professional wrestling’s greatest living legends. Signers include Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Jake “the Snake” Roberts and Bret Hart. Boxes come with five autographs.
2012 Onyx Authenticated Americons
By Ryan Cracknell
2012 Onyx Authenticated Americons puts a pop culture spin on autographed memorabilia. Every box has an autographed baseball signed by an actor, musician or athlete from sports other than baseball. Singers include Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks and Johnny Depp.
2012 Panini Gridiron Football Cards
By Jennifer Smeth
2012 Panini Gridiron Football sees a revamped lineup that focuses on a broad mix of autographs, inserts, memorabilia cards and a decent sized base set. Hobby boxes promise a rookie in every pack, two autographs and two additional hits.
2012 Panini USA Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2012 Panini USA Baseball highlights every member of the 15U, 18U and Collegiate National Teams. Every 75-card box set comes with seven autographs and two memorabilia cards.
2012 Playoff Prime Cuts Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Living up to the brand’s history, 2012 Playoff Prime Cuts Baseball is all about the hits. Every card in the release is either an autograph or memorabilia card. Subjects include Hall of Famers, retired favorites, current stars and members of the USA Baseball National Collegiate Team.
2012 Rittenhouse James Bond 50th Anniversary Series 2 Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2012 Rittenhouse James Bond 50th Anniversary Series 2 continues to honor the super spy’s cinematic history. Continuing from the first set, highlights include several high-end autographs and Shadowbox inserts.
2012 Topps Chrome Football Variation Short Prints Guide
By Ryan Cracknell
Find out what to look for when hunting for 2012 Topps Chrome Football variation short prints. Includes a complete checklist, info and images.
2012 Topps Five Star Baseball Cards
By Jennifer Smeth
Every card in 2012 Topps Five Star Baseball is a major hit. Single-pack boxes come with an autograph from both an active and retired star, an autographed relic, another autograph or autographed book card, and a jumbo relic. What really sets the release apart is that the vast majority of signers are from big-time stars.
2012 Topps Five Star Baseball Retired Player Autographs Guide
By Ryan Cracknell
Get complete info on the 2012 Topps Five Star Baseball Retired Player Autographs. We’ve compiled a full image gallery, print run info, team info, buying guide and more.
2012 Topps Heritage High Number Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Offered originally as an online exclusive, 2012 Topps Heritage High Number Baseball compliments the early-season release with traded players and rookies. Limited to 1,000 sets, each comes with 100 base cards and one autograph.
2012 Topps Prime Football Hobby Box Winner Announced
By Ryan Cracknell
Find out the winner of our 2012 Topps Prime Football contest.
2012 Topps Rookie All-Star Team Announced
By Ryan Cracknell
Mike Trout and Bryce Harper are among those named to the 2012 Topps Rookie All-Star Team. Find out who else will be getting the Rookie Cup on their 2013 Topps Baseball card.
2012 Topps Triple Threads Football Rookie Card and Variation Guide
By Ryan Cracknell
Find out which players have rookie card variations in 2012 Topps Triple Threads Football. We’ve also compiled a list of suspected short prints. Includes comprehensive details, images, buying guide and more.
2012 Topps WWE Heritage Wrestling Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2012 Topps WWE Heritage is inspired by the first Topps WWE set from 1985. Focusing largely on legends, the extensive checklist includes two hits in every box.
2012 Upper Deck Marvel Premier Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Taking comic trading cards to new heights, 2012 Upper Deck Marvel Premier is a super premium set like no other. Every five-card pack boasts a traditional sketch card, a folding dual, triple or quad sketch card, a numbered base card and an additional hit.
2012-13 In the Game Superlative 3 Hockey Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2012-13 In the Game Superlative 3 Hockey spans hockey’s history with several levels of high-end autographs and memorabilia.
2012-13 Panini Prizm Basketball Goes for Gold with USA Basketball Inserts
By Ryan Cracknell
2012-13 Panini Prizm USA Basketball showcases the squad that brought home gold from the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Take a look at the entire insert set.
2012-13 Panini Threads Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2012-13 Panini Threads Basketball is led by an expansive checklist of 100 autographed rookie cards, all of which are printed of wood stock. Hobby boxes promise four total hits: three autographs and one memorabilia card.
2012-13 Panini Totally Certified Basketball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2012-13 Panini Totally Certified Basketball sees the return of one of the hobby’s most distinct sets. Every pack promises a hit including at least three autographs per box. Popular Totally Green parallels and HRX video cards return.
2012-13 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Traditions can morph and evolve, but they rarely change completely. 2012-13 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey sticks with the traditions that have made it one of the most collected sets in the hobby. Led by the familiar and always desirable Young Guns, the release continues to balance collectibility and attainability.
2012-13 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey Trade Rookie Card Details Confirmed
By Ryan Cracknell
Upper Deck has confirmed details for three mystery rookie redemptions found in 2012-13 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey. Get insertion rate info and find out what sorts of cards collectors can expect when they get redeemed.
2013 Press Pass Racing Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
2013 Press Pass Racing takes to the track with two race-used memorabilia cards in every hobby box. Other highlights include high-end autographs and low-numbered parallels.
50 Hottest 2012 Topps Five Star Baseball Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Find out what’s hot in 2012 Topps Five Star Baseball with our real-time list of the 50 most-watched items currently listed on eBay.
Black Christmas: 2012 Panini Black Friday Set Gets Festive with Andrew Luck, RG3
By Ryan Cracknell
Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Trent Richardson all got into the holiday spirit for some cards found in the 2012 Panini Black Friday set. The memorabilia cards showcase Santa hats worn by the players during a photo shoot.
Bonus Blue Wave Refractors for 2012 Topps Chrome Football Redemption Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Topps has announced a make-good for those who pull autograph redemption cards out of 2012 Topps Chrome Football. They’ve created an exclusive set of Blue Wave Refractors. Get full details on the set and learn how they’ll be distributed.
GTS Distribution Announces Exclusive Upper Deck Hockey Set
By Ryan Cracknell
GTS Distribution and Upper Deck are teaming up for an exclusive set of hockey cards. Get details on the set as well as how they’ll be given out.
High Five: 2012 Topps Triple Threads Football Adds Autographed Handprint Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
Seven Rookie Autographed Handprint cards have been added to 2012 Topps Triple Threads Football. Get full details on the cards and more.
Hottest Andrew Luck Cards on eBay
By Ryan Cracknell
What Andrew Luck cards have the most collector interest? Here’s a real-time look at the most-watched Andrew Luck card auctions currently on eBay.
Hottest Robert Griffin III Cards on eBay
By Ryan Cracknell
What Robert Griffin III cards are generating the most collector interest? Here’s a real-time look at the 50 most-watched Robert Griffin III cards currently listed on eBay.
How to Find a Niche in Case Breaking: A 2012 Topps Update Series Case Study
By brentandbecca
Veteran case breaker brentandbecca uses 2012 Topps Update Series Baseball as a case study in what is required to be a successful sports card breaker in a challenging and increasingly competitive marketplace.
How to Join the Topps Five Star Club
By Ryan Cracknell
The Topps Five Star Club aims to offer a small group of collectors with exclusive cards and company access. Get full details on the program and how to apply.
Jose Reyes Rookie Cards Checklist and Buying Guide
By Ryan Cracknell
Get complete details on all Jose Reyes rookie cards including a full checklist, card info, images, buying guide and more.
Law of Cards: Is the Wildcat Patent for Electronic Trading Cards Too “Abstract”?
By Paul Lesko
Topps, Panini and the other defendants in an electronic trading cards patent lawsuit are looking to have the patent overturned. Paul Lesko has the latest details.
Law of Cards: MLB Authentication Program Charged with Patent Infringement
By Paul Lesko
Details and analysis of a lawsuit brought again Major League Baseball by Frederick Noyes, who alleges MLB infringed on his autograph authentication patent.
Law of Cards: Upper Deck International Files for Bankruptcy Protection
By Paul Lesko
Upper Deck International BV has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in New York. Paul Lesko has the details along with analysis of what it may mean for their ongoing legal battle with the American arm of Upper Deck.
Law of Cards: Wildcat Files Lawsuit Against Wizards of the Coast
By Paul Lesko
Wizards of the Coast, makers of Magic: The Gathering, are facing a lawsuit from Wildcat. Wildcat alleges a new Magic product infringes on their electronic trading cards patent.
Law of Cards: ZhuZhu Pets Dragged Into Upper Deck v UD International Lawsuit
By Paul Lesko
Sepia Holding, maker of ZhuZhu Pets, is the latest to be dragged into the Upper Deck v Upper Deck International case. Law of Cards columnist, Paul Lesko, has the reasons why as well as some legal analysis on the matter.
Notre Dame Football Cards: Collecting the Fighting Irish
By Rob Bertrand
Collecting Notre Dame’s best football players is easy. Our handy guide breaks down the school’s top players, offering key cards, products and an easy-to-use buying guide.
The Attic Finds in Every Collection
By Rick Klein
Most collectors have bits and pieces of things they don’t fully enjoy or appreciate. Rick Klein looks beyond the money at the good that comes when we opt to part with these unwanted items.
Top 10 Football Rookie Cards of the 1970s
By Ryan Cracknell
We count down football’s 10 best rookie cards from the 1970s. Includes analysis, images and links to purchase.
Top 10 James Bond Autographed Trading Cards
By Ryan Cracknell
James Bond has a rich history in the hobby. With literally hundreds of different signers to choose from, we count down the 10 best James Bond autographs.
Walking Dead Season 2 Release Date Confirmed and Exclusive Images
By Ryan Cracknell
Get an exclusive look at some 2012 Cryptozoic Walking Dead Season 2 sketch cards. The company has also confirmed a final release date for the highly anticipated set.
What’s Hot in 2012 Topps Chrome Football
By Ryan Cracknell
Browse a real-time list of the 50 hottest 2012 Topps Chrome Football card singles.
What’s Hot in 2012 Topps Triple Threads Football
By Ryan Cracknell
Find out what’s hot in 2012 Topps Triple Threads Football with our real-time card tracker that shows the 50 most-watched auctions currently listed on eBay.
