In Episode #7 of The Basketball Card Podcast... We're on iTunes! A review of the OKC vs GS instant classic. Stephen Curry! The surging Portland Trailblazers.
Finally, how do you collect? A conversation on the diverse ways to collect in today's hobby and a history of how we got where we are now.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Saturday, February 20, 2016
My Panini Eminence Box
In my last podcast I spoke about Panini Eminence - and specifically the idea of building your own box.
Prior to that I wrote an article about my blue metallic combination locked box that I stored my very best cards in as a young boy.
Now I'm combining the two ideas. About a month ago, I purchased an empty Eminence box for $125 and made a goal to create the coolest single box I could. The box has 9 slots. 4 horizontal and 5 vertical spots in total. Today, after about a week of waiting I received the cornerstone of my eminence nine card collection.
Today also marks the unveiling of a couple other cards that I've yet to show off anywhere else.
The "eminence in a box" collection as it currently stands is not perfect. It's not finished. There are 4 cards that seem very unlikely to be replaced - I'll let you try to figure out which they are - but I absolutely plan to swap cards out as better fits become available. Also, I only have 3 Eminence cards that are in the best nine. Thus, you'll notice on the first tray that one is facing the wrong direction. I need to fix this and will with time. Get ready...
Here is the box. I hope you like it.
A view from the top.
View of tray one.
This card comes from the set that is my favorite out of all of Eminence. Although the checklists goes to number 11, one number is missing. Meaning that there are 20 total Eminence championship tag Auto's in existence - ten cards, two of each. Although Harden hasn't won a championship, he does sport the Houston red, and with that comes the history of the team. Hakeem and the mid 90's championship teams won two rings, eliminating my Jazz each year. A painful memory.
Harden represents the Rockets, and in so doing represents the history of the team. The team wears the Gold tag with the "2x" as a reminder of what has been accomplished before.
In the past few years Panini has officially pushed the envelope further than ever before in terms of base set rarity. In 2012-13 the company introduced Flawless basketball with only 20 complete 100 card base sets- for a total of 2,000 base cards. Earlier in 2014-15, Panini created Panini Gala, which included 83 stars numbered to 79 and 17 rookies serial numbered to 8. EIGHT. While only 8 total base sets are possible - none having been completed publicly to date - the total number of Gala base cards numbers close to 7,000. One of the rarest sets ever created.
But Panini pushed the limits further than ever with Eminence - creating a 50 card base set with each card serial numbered to 10. Meaning the full run of base cards is equal to 500 - 4 times as rare as Flawless - the next most rare base set to date.
To date less than 5 total cards have sold publicly for under $100.
One unique feature of the set, surprising most collectors, is that Panini opted to only include two rookie cards - Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker - in the set.
The 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons will be remembered as the two years that were dominated most by one of the most prolific teams - and single players - in NBA history. The Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, are on a historic pace. With 72 games in their sites, and this being the rarest base card of Curry ever made, finding one going forward will be basically impossible.
Within the Eminence product lies a few truly unique sets. We've already touched on the championship tags. The next two pieces, are representative of the uniqueness of eminence.
The Gilded Graphs set incorporates the brilliance of Eminence with an increase of holo-foil and thin blue sharpie. The set is gorgeous, simple, and one of the favorites amongst collectors.
The Gold Gilded Graphs are even more elegant than the regular version. This Anfernee Hardaway stands out above the rest as it is the only Gilded Graph to surface to include an inscription.
Perhaps the most popular of all the Eminence sets to date has been the USA Autograph Patches. Very few USA Dream Team autograph and memorabilia sets have been made to date - and almost nothing exists from the original 1992 Dream Team. Panini hit the ball out of the park with this set, using original game used jerseys for many members of the original dream team.
Of those original members, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird stand out above the rest. Due to Michael Jordan's exclusive deal with Upper Deck, Magic and Larry are the stars of the set. This Larry Bird Auto Patch is perhaps the most unique of any of the USA cards to surface to date. Truly a piece of history. There isn't a more desirable patch from the USA jersey - perfectly fitting for the 1/1 platinum version for one of the two stars of the set. The Magic Johnson 1/1 has yet to surface.
Within the Eminence product, there are a handful of historic, unique and important pieces of cardboard. The Larry Bird you've just seen is absolutely one of them.
I've already introduced the Championship tag set above. So without further ado, I give you what I have been calling since the beginning, the best hit from the Panini Eminence line. The Kobe Bryant 2014-15 Panini Eminence Championship Tag Auto #1/2
Let me be clear, I am not a Laker fan. I despise the Lakers. I loathe the Lakers. But this card encapsulates the Laker lore. With the championship tag that boasts a representation of the domination that only two franchises know, and an inscription which represents the portion of those 16 he is responsible for, this card has everything a Laker/Kobe fan could ever want. It is the single best card that I have ever owned.
A HUGE thank you to Rich from Layton Sports Cards and Brandon, the original owner of this piece of history for being absolutely fabulous to work with. I can't say enough positive things about you both.
Prior to that I wrote an article about my blue metallic combination locked box that I stored my very best cards in as a young boy.
Now I'm combining the two ideas. About a month ago, I purchased an empty Eminence box for $125 and made a goal to create the coolest single box I could. The box has 9 slots. 4 horizontal and 5 vertical spots in total. Today, after about a week of waiting I received the cornerstone of my eminence nine card collection.
Today also marks the unveiling of a couple other cards that I've yet to show off anywhere else.
The "eminence in a box" collection as it currently stands is not perfect. It's not finished. There are 4 cards that seem very unlikely to be replaced - I'll let you try to figure out which they are - but I absolutely plan to swap cards out as better fits become available. Also, I only have 3 Eminence cards that are in the best nine. Thus, you'll notice on the first tray that one is facing the wrong direction. I need to fix this and will with time. Get ready...
Here is the box. I hope you like it.
A view from the top.
View of tray one.
This card comes from the set that is my favorite out of all of Eminence. Although the checklists goes to number 11, one number is missing. Meaning that there are 20 total Eminence championship tag Auto's in existence - ten cards, two of each. Although Harden hasn't won a championship, he does sport the Houston red, and with that comes the history of the team. Hakeem and the mid 90's championship teams won two rings, eliminating my Jazz each year. A painful memory.
Harden represents the Rockets, and in so doing represents the history of the team. The team wears the Gold tag with the "2x" as a reminder of what has been accomplished before.
In the past few years Panini has officially pushed the envelope further than ever before in terms of base set rarity. In 2012-13 the company introduced Flawless basketball with only 20 complete 100 card base sets- for a total of 2,000 base cards. Earlier in 2014-15, Panini created Panini Gala, which included 83 stars numbered to 79 and 17 rookies serial numbered to 8. EIGHT. While only 8 total base sets are possible - none having been completed publicly to date - the total number of Gala base cards numbers close to 7,000. One of the rarest sets ever created.
But Panini pushed the limits further than ever with Eminence - creating a 50 card base set with each card serial numbered to 10. Meaning the full run of base cards is equal to 500 - 4 times as rare as Flawless - the next most rare base set to date.
To date less than 5 total cards have sold publicly for under $100.
One unique feature of the set, surprising most collectors, is that Panini opted to only include two rookie cards - Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker - in the set.
The 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons will be remembered as the two years that were dominated most by one of the most prolific teams - and single players - in NBA history. The Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, are on a historic pace. With 72 games in their sites, and this being the rarest base card of Curry ever made, finding one going forward will be basically impossible.
Within the Eminence product lies a few truly unique sets. We've already touched on the championship tags. The next two pieces, are representative of the uniqueness of eminence.
The Gilded Graphs set incorporates the brilliance of Eminence with an increase of holo-foil and thin blue sharpie. The set is gorgeous, simple, and one of the favorites amongst collectors.
The Gold Gilded Graphs are even more elegant than the regular version. This Anfernee Hardaway stands out above the rest as it is the only Gilded Graph to surface to include an inscription.
Perhaps the most popular of all the Eminence sets to date has been the USA Autograph Patches. Very few USA Dream Team autograph and memorabilia sets have been made to date - and almost nothing exists from the original 1992 Dream Team. Panini hit the ball out of the park with this set, using original game used jerseys for many members of the original dream team.
Of those original members, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird stand out above the rest. Due to Michael Jordan's exclusive deal with Upper Deck, Magic and Larry are the stars of the set. This Larry Bird Auto Patch is perhaps the most unique of any of the USA cards to surface to date. Truly a piece of history. There isn't a more desirable patch from the USA jersey - perfectly fitting for the 1/1 platinum version for one of the two stars of the set. The Magic Johnson 1/1 has yet to surface.
Within the Eminence product, there are a handful of historic, unique and important pieces of cardboard. The Larry Bird you've just seen is absolutely one of them.
I've already introduced the Championship tag set above. So without further ado, I give you what I have been calling since the beginning, the best hit from the Panini Eminence line. The Kobe Bryant 2014-15 Panini Eminence Championship Tag Auto #1/2
Let me be clear, I am not a Laker fan. I despise the Lakers. I loathe the Lakers. But this card encapsulates the Laker lore. With the championship tag that boasts a representation of the domination that only two franchises know, and an inscription which represents the portion of those 16 he is responsible for, this card has everything a Laker/Kobe fan could ever want. It is the single best card that I have ever owned.
A HUGE thank you to Rich from Layton Sports Cards and Brandon, the original owner of this piece of history for being absolutely fabulous to work with. I can't say enough positive things about you both.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Monday, February 8, 2016
Thursday, February 4, 2016
I grew up in a family
without a lot of money. In 1992, when I was nine years old I decided to do
something insane.... And put together a set of 1986-87 fleer basketball cards.
This was inspired by my parents buying me a Karl Malone rookie card for full
book value ($60 at the time) -despite the fact that that was a TON for my
parents - for my birthday. I bought a common card from House of Cards for full
bv $2, with my allowance for over a year, and picked up others as they became
available. I probably overpaid for Kevin Willis - $15 ouch.
After about 2 years I
managed to accumulate 131 of the 132 cards- in all kinds of conditions.
One card.... You can guess
which... Eluded me.
#57. MJ. One of the most
sought after cards in all of the hobby.
When I was 15, a few weeks
after my birthday, I went to the "bid board" of my local card store - House of Cards, in Salt Lake City, I had
about $30 to spend. I was planning on buying a couple packs and saving the rest
of the money for later.
On the bid board was a card
I own nearly 20 years later... A Michael Jordan 1986 fleer rookie card. I paid
$27 for it. It's one reason (not the main one) why I am the27guy. It has 5
creases in it. :)
I got it graded nearly 14
years ago.
Bgs 1.5.
I've owned at least 10
Jordan 1986 Fleer's since then... But that card is a permenant part of the set.
Monday, February 1, 2016
EPISODE 3 -The GSW Podcast
The story of the year is the Golden State Warriors. With a chance to beat the Chicago Bulls historic 72-10 record, all bets are off when it comes to high end Steph Curry.
Perspective on their first half of season performance and where prices may go from here is discussed in Episode 3 of the Basketball Card Podcast.
Perspective on their first half of season performance and where prices may go from here is discussed in Episode 3 of the Basketball Card Podcast.